NanaCC's 2013 Reading - Part 3 Finale

Where has this year gone?

Currently Reading: The Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple Mysteries) by Agatha Christie
World's Great Romances by Various

Currently Listening:

Books Read Total = 69
Print/Kindle = 45; Audio = 24

My 2013 Reads:

45- Trouble For Lucia by E. F. Benson
44- The Sibyl in Her Grave by Sarah Caudwell
43- Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie (Kindle)
42- Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod (Kindle)
41- The Worshipful Lucia by E. F. Benson
40- Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates
39- Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson (Kindle)
38- The Ghost Road by Pat Barker
37- Penmarric by Susan Howatch (Kindle)
36- The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker
35- 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie (Kindle)
34- Regeneration by Pat Barker
33- Dark Places: A Novel by Gillian Flynn (Kindle)
32- No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin *****
31- Marilyn by Gloria Steinem (Kindle)
30- Full House by M. J. Farrell (Molly Keane)
29- Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple (Kindle)
28- The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton (Kindle) *****
27- Seeking Palestine: New Palestinian Writing on Exile and Home Edited by Penny Johnson and Raja Shehadeh *****
26- Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett (Kindle)
25- Mapp & Lucia by E. F. Benson
24- Miss Mapp by E. F. Benson
23- The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (Kindle)
22- Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
21 They Came To Baghdad by Agatha Christie (Kindle)
20- Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
19- Lucia in London by E. F. Benson
18- Hide & Seek by Ian Rankin
17- At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neill *****
16- Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (Kindle) *****
15-Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell (Kindle)
14- Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin
13- Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson
12- Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Kindle) *****
11- Enemies, A Love Story (Kindle Single) by Josh Schollmeyer
10- The Sirens Sang of Murder by Sarah Caudwell
9- The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe
8- England, England by Julian Barnes
7- In The Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
6- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Kindle)
5- The Princess Bride by William Goldman (Kindle) *****
4- Thus Was Adonis Murdered by Sarah Caudwell *****
3- A Star Called Henry by Roddy Doyle
2- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (Kindle) *****
1- Cashelmara by Susan Howatch (Kindle)

Audio:

24- Her Royal Spyness (A Royal Spyness Mystery) by Rhys Bowen, (Narrated by Katherine Kellgren)
23- The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse, (Narrated by Jonathan Cecil)
22- Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler, (Narrated By Tim Goodman)
21- Thirty-three Teeth by Colin Cotterill, (Narrated By Clive Chafer)
20- The Coroner’s Lunch: The Dr. Siri Investigations by Colin Cotterill, (Narrated By Clive Chafer)
19- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, (Narrated by Jim Dale)
18- Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, (Narrated By Ann Marie Lee)
17- Revelation by C. J. Sansom, (Narrated by Steven Crossley)
16- Firewall by Henning Mankell, (Narrated by Dick Hill)
15- One Step Behind by Henning Mankell, (Narrated by Dick Hill)
14- Sovereign by C. J. Sansom, (Narrated by Steven Crossley)
13- Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian, (Narrated by Patrick Tull)
12- Bossypants by Tina Fey, (Narrated by Tina Fey)
11- Coraline by Neil Gaiman, (Narrated by Neil Gaiman)
10- Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, (Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini)
9- The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell, (Narrated by Dick Hill)
8- A Test of Wills by Charles Todd, (Narrated by Samuel Giles)
7- Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom, (Narrated by Steven Crossley)
6- Dissolution by C. J. Sansom, (Narrated by Steven Crossley)
5- Peril At End House by Agatha Christie, (Narrated by Hugh Fraser)
4- The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan, the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America by Russell Shorto, (Narrated by L.J. Ganser)
3- Sidetracked by Henning Mankell, (Narrated by Dick Hill)
2- The Man Who Smiled by Henning Mankell, (Narrated by Dick Hill)
1- The White Lioness by Henning Mankell, (Narrated by Dick Hill)

Revelation by C. J. Sansom, (Narrated by Steven Crossley)

This is the fourth book in the Matthew Shardlake series. When Matthew's friend is murdered, he promises the widow that he will find the killer. In so doing, he is pulled once more into the political turmoil of the court, where the Catholics are gaining favor with the King. King Henry VIII is wooing Lady Lattimer (Catherine Parr), and the Reformers are in favor of this match because of her Reformist leanings. (She is hesitant, and who can blame her with those previous beheadings and annulments.) There are a series of murders which seem to be tied to the Book of Revelations, and Archbishop Cranmer wants Matthew's help in finding the "demonic" killer.

I enjoyed the book, as I have the rest of the series. The mix of historical characters with the fictional ones is very well done, and I love the time period. Although, I would not have wanted to live there. There is one more book which I will read eventually.

I gave this one 3 1/2 stars.

Great review. Can you believe this year is almost over?

Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates

After I finished reading Marilyn by Gloria Steinem in August, my daughter suggested that I read Blonde to get another perspective.

Oates' Blonde is a fictionalized version of Marilyn Monroe's life from childhood through her death. Oates is a brilliant writer. She tells this story mostly through Norma Jean's increasingly manic mind, with some thoughts and imagined dialog with other characters. Norma Jean was the person, and Marilyn Monroe was the persona she used in front of the camera. She wanted to be called Norma, and Marilyn was the character she pulled out of the mirror. She didn't want to be the dumb blonde, but to fulfill her contract with the studio she let them put her in movies that depicted her that way. When she talked about some of the books she had read, she was not believed. Where Steinem handled Monroe's story with kid gloves, Oates' version lets everything hang out, warts and all. She makes us very aware from the beginning that this is fiction, but so much of it is just a grittier version of the story told by Steinem, that it is hard to tell where fact ends and fiction begins. Oates uses names for many of the characters, and identifies others by initials. For instance, C is Tony Curtis, and yet Clark Gable is Clark Gable. She calls the husbands the Ex-Athlete (Joe DiMaggio) and the Playwright (Arthur Miller).

In both versions, Norma Jean had a terrible childhood. Her mother was institutionalized from the time she was a little girl. Norma Jean was passed from one family friend to foster homes to orphanages until she was "encouraged" to marry at the age of 16. She was discovered while her first husband was off fighting during WWII. He and his family did not approve. Despite her fame, she was always in debt. The Studio paid her much less than her costars even though the movies were making lots of money because of her. She had numerous affairs. Her marriages were failures. She spent her life wanting to know who her father was, wanting to be loved, and wanting to be a mother. But her addictions to drugs and alcohol led to her self destruction and eventual suicide.

In Steinem's hands the story was factual. In JCO's hands, the story was imaginative and at times poetic. At 738 pages, it took me much longer to read than I would have expected. Much of that was because I had many distractions this past month, but mostly it was because I kept going to the internet to look up facts related to the story that was unfolding.

I gave it 4 stars.

I think I fixed the Touchstone.

>3 mkboylan: Merrikay, I almost said two months left. Only one.... the year has gone way too fast.

If you like the Tudor period, this series is fun. Murder mysteries with a historical background.

Somewhere in Club 2013 there was a discussion/comparison of fiction/nonfiction, one tells facts, other tells truth? interesting.

You should post that interesting comparison review on the book pages.

You've blitzed right through the Shardlake series haven't you Colleen? Now there's only Heartstone left. Do you plan to read it right away, or wait? I still have that one to read, too, and was hoping to find a used copy as I have with the others. But that hasn't happened and I'm starting to get itchy to read it. Fortunately I can easily get it from the library, or buy it of course.

Laura, I can't decide whether to wait, even though I want to see how the series finishes. I am assuming once Henry VIII dies, that the Shardlake series will end as well. Hmmm - wonder about that. What do you think? I have it on my iPod, so may start it in a few weeks.

I am currently listening to Sharp Objects. If I was reading the print copy of that one, I would be finishing it in one sitting. It is a page turner, but with an audiobook, I am limited to when I can listen.

Great review of Blonde Colleen. I also thought the comparison you drew with the Gloria Steinem book was really interesting and well worth sharing.

Thank you, Paul. I just thought that there were so many reviews that were much better than mine. I will post it if there is value.

Yet another option: Marilyn by Norman Mailer. Despite what anyone might think of Mailer, he was a contemporary and knew many of the characters involved. He did describe it as a fictional biography, warning the reader. It was controversial at the time and probably still is. Here is Pauline Kael's review in The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/05/04/reviews/mailer-marilyn.html

Excellent review of Blonde, Joyce Carol Oates Colleen, when I saw that you were reading it I wondered how you would get on with it. I agree with you JCO lets it all hang out warts and all and when I read some time ago I thought it was over the top. I didn't actually enjoy reading it, but I did think it was well done. The lady can certainly write.

>12 SassyLassy: Thank you for the review of Mailer's book, Sassy. Tempting as it may be :), I think I have had my fill of Marilyn right now, and will let her image fade to black. Kael's review was excellent. I wish I could write like that.

>13 baswood: Barry, I can't say I didn't enjoy it, because I did. But I didn't think it was a page turner that I couldn't put down. I felt like it took me forever to finish it, and I'm just not sure what that says about how I felt.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, (Narrated By Ann Marie Lee)

When I finished Flynn's Dark Places a few months ago, Kay (RidgewayGirl) suggested this book as an even better story.

Camille Preaker is a reporter for a small Chicago newspaper. Her boss asks her to head to her hometown to cover a story about two young girls who have been murdered. She dreads returning to the small town and the family she left behind.

The story was dark, disturbing, and gritty. It was a page turner, and it made my skin crawl. I really liked it. Is that bad?!? :)

I don't want to give anything away, so instead I will suggest that if you like a good mystery/psychological/suspense story, you could try this one. I think you'll like it.

I gave it 4 stars.

I liked sharp Objects also and it is one you really can't say anything about without giving it away. I didn't care for the last an only Flynn I read, Gone Girl.

Merrikay, Try Dark Places. It is gritty and very dark, similar to Sharp Objects. I liked Gone Girl, but it was totally different, and I can see where it wouldn't please everyone.

ok thanks.

I'm glad you liked Sharp Objects, but I was pretty sure you would.

>19 RidgewayGirl: Thank you, Kay. Suggest away! That was a good one.

I've been avoiding Flynn because I was so completely turned off by the Gone Girl hype, but your reviews are making me think I might like Dark Places and Sharp Objects.

I almost caved at the B&N 3 for 2 table today because they had both Dark Places and Sharp Objects. But I was strong !!

>22 lauralkeet: :) Laura, just a fair warning those books are dark, but in a very creepy good way. As for being strong..... I still check those Kindle Daily Deals even though I really don't need any more books. Fortunately, B&N is far enough away that I can't just pass by. I need to have the intention of stopping. My local bookstore is just around the corner though. And of course when I go in, I have to buy something. Support the little guy. And pay full price. :) They never have sales.

>23 NanaCC:: Colleen, I am rarely in a B&N myself. It so happened I was doing some Christmas shopping at the mall, which has a B&N. The hubs and I stopped in there because he was looking for a particular magazine. And I wandered ... There's a good used bookstore in a nearby town that I enjoy visiting. Between that shop and others like it, and Paperbackswap, I rarely buy new books anymore!

I got both of those as ebooks from my library. I love library ebooks, especially when I am traveling.

Only seem to buy new books for myself these days in one indulgent splurge around about the time of my birthday. Otherwise it's used all the way!

There are no used book stores near me. Any of the ones I used to visit are no longer there. Sad, sad, sad....

But, on the bright side, my daughter has such a great library, that I just keep borrowing from her.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, (Narrated by Jim Dale)

We listened to this book on our way home from our Thanksgiving weekend in Massachusetts today. It is our yearly tradition to start off the Christmas season. Love it. It is a short book, and our 270+ mile car trip takes longer than the unabridged audio version. Jim Dale's narration is very good.

Everyone knows the story, even if they've never read the book. There have been so many movie adaptations. Do you have a favorite movie version? We always watch the 1938 version starring Reginald Owen as Scrooge, as that is the one my hubby likes. I also like the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim.

If you have never read this one, give it a try. Dickens is a favorite.

I don't recall ever seeing the movie. I have seen the stage play in a VERY dramatic rendering.

I most definitely have a favorite movie version - the one with Patrick Stewart! I read the book when I was in my 20s, and now, um, a few ;) years later I finally own it.

A Christmas Carol is one of those books on my list of "everybody needs to read" at some point in their lives books.

>29 JDHomrighausen: Jonathan, you are one up on me, as I have never seen a stage play of it. I was surprised at the number of versions there are, when I looked at Wikipedia to see the release years of the two I mentioned. There are Many film, stage and TV versions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_A_Christmas_Carol_adaptations

>30 avidmom: Avid, I have never seen the Patrick Stewart version. I will have to check it out.

With 7 grandchildren, I have seen the Mickey version, the Muppets version, the Mr. Magoo version, and I'm sure there are a few more. For fun, there is always the Bill Murray version "Scrooged". :)

31 - LOL at all the versions!

>28 NanaCC: My favourite movie version is also the Alistair Sims. One version or another seems to be on tv every day in December. I've seen it on stage too, and last year a reading, which was absolutely wonderful.

I will have to add a stage production to my bucket list. :)

Jim Dale's narration is very good. He is great at doing different voices. He did the entire Harry Potter series, and was able to keep the various characters' voices throughout.

How funny! Over here all the Harry Potters were narrated by Stephen Fry - and very splendidly as well - my stepson devoured them all. Jim Dale on the other hand... I had no idea he did voice artist work. He's best known in the UK as 'the younger one' in the the long-running "Carry On..." series of silly end-of-the-pier type saucy comedy films - pretty much a staple of 1960s and '70s TV. Jim Dale usually played a handsome but hapless character - typically in the style of 'Dr Nookie' from "Carry On Again Doctor".

Paul, That's so funny. I had no idea. Jim Dale was so good with the Harry Potter recordings, that when I listen to a Christmas Carol. I can hear a few of the voices that sound so similar to those he used in Harry Potter. I think I thought he was a stage actor, but never really checked out his biography.

The Coroner’s Lunch: The Dr. Siri Investigations by Colin Cotterill, (Narrated By Clive Chafer)

Dr. Siri Paibo is a 72 year old coroner in Laos in 1975, immediately after the communist revolution. He is expected to follow the party line, but that isn't his way. This is a crime drama with humor, delightful characters, and an intelligent plot that is well paced.

I am afraid that I don't remember who reviewed one of these mysteries recently, but I am glad that it pointed me to the series. Once I got used to the reader who I didn't really like, I really enjoyed the book. I will definitely read the rest of the series.

3 1/2 stars from me.

The Worshipful Lucia by E. F. Benson

This book seems to go by two different titles. I also found it under Lucia's Progress. It is 5th in the wonderful Mapp & Lucia series.

Lucia has turned 50, and is feeling as if she has wasted her life.

"'I must put up in large capital letters over my bed 'I am fifty'', she thought as she let herself into her house,'and that will remind me every morning and evening that I've done nothing yet which will be remembered after I am gone. I've been busy (I will say that for myself) but beyond giving others a few hours of enchantment at the piano, and helping them to keep supple, I've done nothing for the world or indeed for Tilling. I must take myself in hand.'"

The stories are set in the period between the wars, and finances are changing. Lucia decides to try investing in the market. Of course, Elizabeth Mapp follows Lucia's lead with hilarious results. Gossip, cards, dinner parties, golf, and more gossip are the things that take up the life of the people of Tilling. Jealousies, house swapping, and local politics add to the fun. E.F. Benson's social commentary is filled with the wry British humor of the time.

There is only one book left in Benson's series. I will be sad to see it end, but I am sure this series will warrant a re-read at some point.

4 stars from me.

Did you know that there is an E.F. Benson group on LibraryThing?

Robert

Another five to go Colleen

>39 Mr.Durick: Robert, I didn't know that there was an E.F. Benson group. I will check it out, thank you.

>40 baswood: Barry, another 5? There is only one more in the series written by Benson. I know that there are other books that follow up on the series, but are written by other authors. Is that what you mean?

Yes and I miscounted http://www.librarything.com/series/Mapp+and+Lucia

>42 baswood: The short story that shows up in the list of books The Male Impersonator was included at the back of one of the books I read. I think it was with Miss Mapp. I didn't count that one as a separate book. It was very short.

Looks like another good one, Colleen! I'm loving this series too.

Thirty-three Teeth by Colin Cotterill, (Narrated By Clive Chafer)

This book is second in the Dr. Siri Paiboun series. I enjoy listening to audiobooks while I take car drives, or while I am doing chores. I knew that I wouldn't have much time to sit and read this week, and Thirty-Three Teeth seemed perfect to listen to while I get my Christmas decorating done.

Dr. Siri Paiboun is the 70+ national coroner of Laos during the mid 1970's. Full of mystery, the paranormal, humor, and satire, I have found a new series to enjoy. The story begins with Dr. Siri investigating multiple deaths. In this second book, we learn more about Dr. Siri's past, and the characters that surround him are even more fully realized. If you can't get into the spirits who enter his dreams and help him along the way, you might have difficulty enjoying this series. I thought it was fun.

4 stars

I keep meaning to pick up one of Cotterill's books, they sound like a lot of fun! Followed by E.F. Benson, one of my all-time favourite authors. Nice choices Colleen!

>44 lauralkeet: Laura, I will be sad to see the series end. It really is very enjoyable.

>46 VivienneR: Vivienne, have you read any of Benson's other work? I'm wondering what they're like. If you haven't read any of Cotterill's books, I would start at the beginning, just to get to know the characters.

I have the last of Sarah Caudwell's books to read. Maybe I will squeeze that one in this month. Her books were a lot of fun. Sadly, there are only four.

Sadly, there are only four.

Sad, indeed!

Colleen & Rebecca, any series endorsed by the two of you must be good. I just requested all four from Paperbackswap!!

I have been saving the last one. They are so very smart and funny.

I read them back when there was a mystery bookstore a few blocks from me. Of course, it eventually succumbed to the real estate boom and Barnes and Noble (I believe this was pre-Amazon). It was called Murder Ink.

Colleen, did I ask you before whether you think Hilary Tamar is a man or a woman? I always thought I knew, and years after I read the books I found out that there is a controversy about this since Cauldwell never specifies.

Yes, you had asked me when I posted about one of the books earlier this year. I always assumed Hilary was a woman. Maybe no logical reason other than most of the women characters were referred to by first name, where the men were addressed by their last names. There were a few exceptions, though, so who knows. :)

Oh, ambiguous gender! Now that's intriguing too.

Well, I have to say I completely thought Hilary was a woman until I learned that other people thought it was intentionally ambiguous.

>4 NanaCC: Colleen, that's a great review of Blonde---makes me want to read it badly (at this point in my distractable life, it would take me a year!) Norma Jean makes a cameo in one of her stories in Black Dahlia & White Rose. I believe it was the story by the same name.

Interesting that she should abbreviate names or not refer to names....do you suppose she did that to deny the male characters power to take away from Norma Jean's story? I'm sure Oates would have had a reason for doing it that way. I'm intrigued (I'm frequently intrigued when it comes to JCO).

>55 avaland: My personal opinion was that because her account is rather fictionalized, she didn't want to make it a thing that she was "smearing" those very prominent famous men a bit (the one cheats on his wife, the other has jealous rages and hit her), when readers wouldn't know if what she was saying literally happened or was stretched/fabricated in the story. For instance, on Wikipedia it mentions the public/semi-public fight with DiMaggio, but it neglects to mention anything about him hitting her. So, maybe that excess was fictionalized, and it would make him look bad, so out of respect for them she didn't use their actual names? That was just my own guess, I could be way off. I don't think anything could have taken away from Norma Jeane's story, though, it was way too strong & dramatic for that.

Lois, I think Monkey is right. She was very careful to stress that this was a fictionalized story and shouldn't be taken as history. It was just odd that she made up names for some characters, in addition to using initials. For example her first husband was called Bucky Glazer in Blonde while his real name was James Dougherty. I wondered if it had to do with who was still living at the time the book was written (family members who would be offended), but I kind of doubt that. Whatever the reason, the book was excellent, and I think you'd enjoy it. However, for me it was a bit slow going, because knowing that so much of it was based upon fact, I kept going to the internet to look things up. (I am easily distracted :) )

Heh, after the first little bit of wondering I just gave up trying to figure out what was fact or fiction and went with the story, figuring the gist of it was real, so even if some specifics weren't, it doesn't change the overall picture, you know? It did make me want to read a "proper" bio on her though, to find out the "true story" after reading the dramatized/selective one. I actually read the bulk of the book in 2 days, once it really hooked me I had trouble putting it down :)

>58 .Monkey.: I read Gloria Steinem's biography Marilyn in August. I had reviewed it on my second thread. I think Steinem did a fair job in presenting a factual account. But the two books covered so much of the same ground, it made JCO's book so much more "real" than fiction. More like "embroidered truth".

When we did Oates in Monthly Author Reads, someone had also suggested Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe as being a good one. At some point I'll have to look into them, but since I'd have to buy one, it'll wait! lol.

I may need to check that one out some day, but not right now. It does look tempting though. I have so many books lined up that I want to read. My head is spinning. :) And I hear you about having to buy books. I do check out the Kindle Daily and monthly deals, but for the most part, my daughter, Chris (cabegley), has thousands of books that I haven't read, and I would like to read about 90% of them. Ha! Like that will ever happen. I will have to live to a ripe old age, with all my mental capabilities up to snuff!

Haha, I know what you mean, there are far too many interesting books out there, it's not fair!

Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod

This book was on the Cyber Monday Deals for $1.99, and I couldn't resist. Tags here on LT said "Cozy Mystery", "Amateur Detective", "Christmas", and I was sure that someone had suggested the Professor Shandy mysteries to me. (The latter may have been wishful thinking). It fit right in with my quick and easy reads for this hectic time of year.

Rest you Merry was MacLeod's first in the Peter Shandy mysteries. Written in 1978, the character of Professor Shandy is introduced as a horticulturist and amateur sleuth. She wrote books following this character for 20 years.

The story and mystery were good, and quite humorous. Professor Shandy teaches at a small agricultural college in New England, and his neighbors, who are other faculty and staff members of the college, do a rollicking business with their "Illuminations" at Christmas time, and have been badgering him to participate. Finally tired of the badgering, he hires a couple of men to deck his house with the most outlandish decorations and obnoxious music they can find. He locks and sets the timers and proceeds to take a sea cruise. He arrives back at his house on Christmas day to find the wife of his friend and colleague dead in his living room. Did she fall trying to undo some of the outlandish decorations, or did something more sinister happen? The story takes off from there.

I enjoyed the story and it is a quick read, but found some of the dialog very annoying. The author had to intersperse so many "ers", as if she wanted to give the professor a Jimmy Stewart type of personna.

"I was --er--called out of town unexpectedly." "No, but I--er--have her with me now."

I just thought that was very unnecessary. I would have given it 3 1/2 stars, but took off a half for that annoying "er".

That does sound like fun.

I would have given it 3 1/2 stars, but took off a half for that annoying "er".
Who was it that said "To "er" is human..."
;)

>64 avidmom: LOL

Finally caught up on your thread, although I am supposed to be using this time to write reviews! The E.F. Benson series sounds fun, and I've heard others mention it. I'll add it to my list of books to read when I need a break from my usual dismal fare. :-)

I think you would enjoy it, Lisa. It is well done.

All caught up again Colleen. Your Professor with the Jimmy Stewart "er". UK Foreign Secretary William Hague does that whenever he returns from the Middle East. He always sounds like a right $%^&!*....

avid and Paul - LOL!

Trying to get caught up on threads.

>55 avaland: - 59 re: Blonde. It's been my experience that when I read one of her books which plays with a real event/person (such as, Black Water which is based on Chappaquiddick), she's trying to get at something else, something deeper or different than what we may all think we know from the media (which certainly is where we shape our ideas of these national stories or celebrities).

Monkey, I'm not sure she'd do it out of respect, per se, but perhaps to avoid a certain response from the reader, and perhaps not to distract us with the familiar? She wants us not to be distracted by familiar names and pay attention to the heart of the story. Just conjecture on my part. Or maybe like Colleen says, she was avoiding a lawsuit ;-) I think I might have to put this particular Oates on the 2014 list.

btw, here's a bit on DiMaggio from PBS's "The American Experience" that says after she did the white dress photo: Afterwards, the couple fought. When they got back to California they fought again, but this time Joe became physical. And just before that in the text, Marilyn talks about her unhappiness and describes his behavior as what we now would call domestic abuse. Here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dimaggio/peopleevents/pande11.html

>70 avaland: Lois, I look forward to your thoughts and comments when you do finally get to read it. The whole was it really suicide or something else ending is mind bending.

Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler, (Narrated By Tim Goodman)

A couple of years ago, while I was still working, I started listening to this quirky Bryant & May mystery series about The Peculiar Crimes Unit (they are given the cases that seem impossible to solve). I had started with The Water Room which is actually second in the series. The first book is the one I just finished, Full Dark House, which wasn't available in audio at that time.

I have listened to, and loved all of the books in the series. The narrator, Tim Goodman does a terrific job. In Full Dark House, the book starts at the end of the careers of the aging detectives, when a bomb rips through the office of Arthur Bryant. As May tries to solve the case, he can't help but think it has something to do with their very first case, which took place during the Blitz in London. The book moves back and forth between the two time periods as the reader hears how both the past and present cases are solved.

The series is funny and smart, with loads of trivia related to London's history thrown in for good measure. Even though this book was first in the series, it really works as the last book in the series, as well. I think that this book was not quite as good as all of the others, which may be because it was first in the series. I loved Tim Goodman's narration in the other books, but I would say it missed a little bit with the voice of Arthur Bryant as a young detective in this one. He sounded too old to be the young detective. Other than that, he was terrific.

I had given all of the other books in the series four stars. I gave this one a three for the reasons I mentioned, and may change that to a three and half.

Nice review! You covered all the important stuff!

>73 mkboylan: Merrikay, it really is a series with lots of fun stuff. And right now, with the craziness of the season, I am able to enjoy some good audio books while I multitask. Nothing very deep, I'm afraid, but fun or cozy does the trick.

I have a copy of Full Dark House! I'd pull it out right now and read it since it sounds like perfect holiday reading, except that it's in storage. Phooey.

Colleen, whenever I see the names Bryant and May; I immediately think of the match makers (matches that light) whose product was one of the leading brands in the 1960's in England:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryant_and_May

>75 RidgewayGirl: Kay, I think you would like the series. They are not quite as dark as some of the Scandinavian mysteries, and not as "cozy" as some of the older British ones, but a nice blend of quirky and gruesome. Probably leaning more toward the quirky. Crime novels with a few twists.

>76 baswood: Barry, you are a wealth of knowledge of trivia. :) Isn't it funny how associations like that can be made from hearing names. Now I wonder if Fowler knew about them.

>71 NanaCC: Sadly, the Oates collection is now in storage in NH until after the move, which could be I don't know how many months. I expect I will pick up her forthcoming Carthage at the bookstore before I see the collection again (Carthage is supposed to be connected in some way to the recent Mudwoman).

>78 avaland: Lois, I will have to read more by Oates. The only others I've read are Blackwater and We Were the Mulvaneys. I barely remember the Mulvaneys, it was so long ago. But your enthusiasm for her makes me want to read more.

>79 NanaCC: Funny that I have not read the more recent popular novels like Blonde and We Were the Mulvaneys. My favorites have been her American Gothics; I thought her Bloodsmoor Romance a hoot. I like her short fiction, too, and one year read all her novellas. I think she enjoys disturbing the reader---on various levels, much of it to get us to rethink our assumptions (or at least open up a chink in the wall). I like that in her. There are so many things I could say about her writing but we'd probably need to do it over lunch or something (ha ha)

I've added Bloodsmoor Romance, and Chris has it. Love her library. :)

As for lunch.... hey, you never know.

"blend of quirky and gruesome"! perfect!

>81 NanaCC: I am making a stack of books for you--it's about to topple over! :-)

>80 avaland: Lois, I really think you will like Blonde when you finally get to it. I think it's my favorite Oates.

>81 NanaCC:, 83 I think it's funny to see you two communicating via LT (but, then again, it's no funnier than Michael and I leaving notes for each other on LT - and we're in the same house!)

>83 cabegley: Chris, you do have a certain sway with me, so I'll add your recommendation to the pile (the pressure is on now ;-)

>83 cabegley: Uh, oh! :)

The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse, (Narrated by Jonathan Cecil)

I read this one years ago, and enjoyed it very much. December is my month of light, cozy reading, and because of decorating the house, wrapping presents, etc., I needed another audio book that I could listen to while working. A reread of this one was perfect for that. A very funny story involving a cow creamer, a stolen policeman's hat, on again off again marriage engagements, and typical banter between Bertie Wooster and his man Jeeves.

The reader was very good, and I could picture Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry as I listened.

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

The setting is Christmas Eve. We have a rich, unlikeable old man inviting his children home to a family gathering for Christmas. The family members don't like each other, and when a dead body is found, everyone is suspect. There are lots of red herrings in this tale, and I kept thinking I had it, but really didn't guess the murderer right up to the end. It was a typical Poirot mystery, where he peels back the layers, dropping clues, until the murderer is revealed. Light and entertaining.

I loved the author's dedication:

"My dear James,

You have always been one of the most faithful and kindly of my readers, and I was therefore seriously perturbed when I received from you a word of criticism.

You complained that my murders were getting too refined - anaemic, in fact. You yearned for a "good violent murder with lots of blood." A murder where there was no doubt about its being murder!

So this is your special story -- written for you. I hope it may please.

Your affectionate sister-in-law

Agatha"

I gave it 3 1/2 stars.

Bahaha, fabulous dedication!

>88 .Monkey.: :-)

I don't think I've ever read that one. I'll try to remember for next December!

>90 japaul22: Jennifer, that was a new one for me too. Christie was rather prolific. :)

The Sibyl in Her Grave by Sarah Caudwell

This is the fourth, and last, of the Hilary Tamar mysteries, and it was just as good as the other three. Oxford Professor and amateur sleuth Hilary Tamar and friends - five young London barristers, Cantrip, Selena, Timothy, Ragwort, and Julia deal with a case of insider trading, and of suspected murder. Julia's Aunt Regina plays a big part in this story, and as in the other books, most of the story is told through letters, and through conversations over a meal and several glasses of wine.

Caudwell's writing is wonderful. The dialog is witty and quick. Her style has been likened to Jane Austen with a touch of P. G. Wodehouse's humour. I wonder if she would have ever divulged the gender of Professor Tamar, had she lived to continue writing these delightful mysteries.

Rebecca had asked me whether I thought Hilary was a man or a woman. I have been thinking all along that Professor Tamar was a woman, but there were a few things in this book that I thought possibly made me rethink my opinion. :)

I gave the book 4.5 stars. I loved this series.

Colleen, I read them all probably 15+ years ago, long before I learned there was any controversy about Hilary's gender. So I would have to read them again to see what I think now that I know . . .

>94 NanaCC: Rebecca, I still have no idea. :)

Trouble For Lucia by E. F. Benson

This was the last in the six book series Make Way for Lucia. It was full of the comic jealousies, backbiting, social climbing and one-upmanship for which these novels are known. I loved the characters that are so richly drawn. My favorite character is Lucia's friend and now husband, Georgie Pillson, with his red velvet suit, his beard and toupee, painting and embroidery. The gossip of the day pushes the plot of the story forward. Lucia and Elizabeth Mapp are still at loggerheads with each other. Benson's social satire was wonderful. I will miss these characters.

In the forward, Nancy Mitford says that she and Mr. Benson were fellow guests "soon after Lucia had become Mayor of Tilling. We talked of her for hours, and he said, "What must she do now?" Alas, he died in the first year of the war; can we doubt that if he had lived Lucia would have become a General?"

A four star read for the series.

I am hoping to finish one more before tomorrow night. :)

Finished two series at the end of the year, and one book to go. Hope it's a good one!

>97 labfs39: Lisa, I am quite sad to have both of those series end. They were both very good, and funny.

As for finishing up, I am in the middle of two books. An Agatha Christie, Murder at The Vicarage, and Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen. They are enjoyable, but I don't think that I can finish both.

There is always next year! ;-)

So true. :-)

Her Royal Spyness (A Royal Spyness Mystery) by Rhys Bowen, (Narrated by Katherine Kellgren)

This is my last book for 2013, and first in a series. A light and fluffy mystery featuring 21 year old Georgie, 34th in line to the throne of England during the 1930's. As with many of the noble families of that time, money was short. Her brother cuts off her allowance and rather than marry a "stiff Prince", she runs away to their London house from Scotland. Lack of funds means she has to find ways to fend for herself. To liven things up, a body shows up in the bathtub, the Queen asks her to spy on her son who has been seen in the company of Mrs. Simpson, and she meets a dashing Irishman named Darcy.

This is all very tongue-in-cheek silliness. I might put it in the same class as the Kinsey Malone mysteries. A fun book to end the year.

Now, I'm off to ring in 2014. Reading will begin tomorrow. Happy New Year everyone.

My new thread is here http://www.librarything.com/topic/162119