Familyhistorian's Bookish Thread part 10

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Discussions75 Books Challenge for 2018

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Familyhistorian's Bookish Thread part 10

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1Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 12:25 am

2Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 12:27 am


3Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 12:27 am

My name is Meg and this is my fifth year as one of the 75ers. 2017 brought some changes for me as I retired from my day job at the end of September. Retirement should give me more time to explore my many interests, at least in theory. I am interested in history and genealogy and actively research, read and write about those areas. When I talk about active research, I mean the type that involves travel and I hope to do more of that this year.

4Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 12:29 am



I'm not done with London ancestors yet. This time I am following a different line back through history hoping that I will find their link to Ireland. My fingers are crossed. Will I find anything to give me a clue to the specific place they came from on the Emerland Isle? Check out the weekly posts at: A Genealogist's Path to History

5Familyhistorian
Modifié : Jan 1, 2019, 12:27 am



Little Free Library

Number culled in January 2

Number culled in February 4

Number culled in March 4

Number culled in April 2

Number culled in May 2

Number culled in June 5

Number culled in July 3

Number culled in August 51

Number culled in September 15

Number culled in October 8

Number culled in November 1

Number culled in December 10

Total 2018 culls


6Familyhistorian
Modifié : Déc 30, 2018, 3:16 pm

Challenges I will do my best to partake of in 2018

AAC 2018

January- Joan Didion - Where I was From - DONE
February- Colson Whitehead - The Underground Railroad - DONE
March- Tobias Wolff - This Boy's Life - DONE
April- Alice Walker - The Color Purple - DONE
May- Pete Hamil - Tabloid City - DONE
June - Walter Mosley - A Red Death - DONE
July- Amy Tan - The Joy Luck Club - DONE
August- Louis L'Amour - Rider of Lost Creek - DONE
September- Pat Conroy - My Reading Life - DONE
October- Stephen King - On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft - DONE
November- Narrative Nonfiction - Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger - DONE
December- F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Last Tycoon - DONE

BAC 2018

JANUARY - DEBUT NOVELS - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters - DONE
FEBRUARY - THE 1970s - The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge - DONE
MARCH - CLASSIC THRILLERS - The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine - DONE
APRIL - FOLKLORE, FABLES AND LEGENDS - The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro - DONE
MAY - QUEENS OF CRIME - The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie - DONE The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie - DONE - To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey - DONE
JUNE - TRAVEL WRITING - Scotland's Last Frontier: A Journey Along the Highland Line by Alistair Moffat - DONE
JULY - THE ANGRY YOUNG MEN - Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis - DONE
AUGUST - BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION - The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells - DONE
SEPTEMBER - HISTORICAL FICTION - Dr Syn by Russell Thorndyke - DONE
OCTOBER - COMEDIC NOVELS - Uneasy Money by P.G. Wodehouse - DONE
NOVEMBER - WORLD WAR ONE - Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves DONE
DECEMBER - BRITISH SERIES - The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley DONE

WILDCARD - THE ROMANTICS -

2018 MysteryCAT

January: Nordic Mysteries - The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo - DONE Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson - DONE
February: Female Cop/Sleuth/Detective - Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb - DONE Books, Cooks, and Crooks by Lucy Arlington - DONE American Blonde by Jennifer Niven DONE
March: Global Mysteries - The Dry by Jane Harper - DONE Ragtime in Simla by Barbara Cleverly - DONE The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel - DONE
April: Classic and Golden Age Mysteries - The Mayfair Mystery by Frank Richardson - DONE - The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley - DONE
May: Mysteries involving Transit - The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie - DONE
June: True Crime - With One Shot: Family Murder and a Search for Justice by Dorothy Marcic - DONE
July: Police Procedurals - The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny - DONE - Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb - DONE - The Blackhouse by Peter May - DONE
August: Historical Mysteries - Design for Dying by Renee Patrick - DONE - A Curious Beginning by Deanna Rayborn - DONE - Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley - DONE - The Alienist by Caleb Carr - DONE
September: Noir and Hard-Boiled Mysteries - The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain - DONE
October: Espionage - The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva - DONE
November: Cozy - The Clairvoyant Countess by Dorothy Gilman - DONE - Played by the Book by Lucy Arlington - DONE
December: Futuristic/Fantastical Mysteries - Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb - DONE

2018 Nonfiction Challenge

January - Prize Winning Books - The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin - DONE
February -- Biographies - The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson - DONE
March – Far, Far Away: Traveling - Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 by Derek Cooper - DONE
April – History - Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners by Therese Oneill - DONE The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - DONE
May – Boundaries: Geography, Geopolitics and Maps - Love of Country: A Hebridean Journey by Madeleine Bunting - DONE
June – The Great Outdoors - The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert MacFarlane - DONE
July – The Arts - Dangerous Books for Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained by Maya Rodale - DONE
August – Short and Sweet: Essays and Other Longform Narratives - Women & Power: a Manifesto by Mary Beard - DONE
September – Gods, Demons, Spirits, and Supernatural Beliefs - The Witch of Lime Street by David Jaher - DONE
October – First Person Singular - Secret Sister: From Nazi-occupied Jersey to wartime London, one woman's search for the truth by Cherry Durbin - DONE
November – Politics, Economics & Business - Empire of Deception by Dean Jobb - DONE - Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou - DONE
December – 2018 In Review - The Library Book by Susan Orlean - DONE The Cowkeeper's Wish by Tracy Kasabowski - DONE - She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer - DONE

7Familyhistorian
Modifié : Déc 26, 2018, 9:07 pm

More challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2018 - 19th Century Europe (& rest of the world, excluding Northern America) - A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock - DONE
April-June 2018 - 19th Century Northern America (includes Civil War; excluding the Old West) - The Alienist by Caleb Carr - DONE
July-September 2018 - The Old West - Rider of Lost Creek by Louis L'Amour - DONE
October-December 2018 - 20th Century: Before WW1 (1900-1913)

Monthly

January 2018: "Baby, It's Cold Out There!" - The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin - DONE
February 2018: "Going Hollywood" - American Blonde by Jennifer Niven - DONE
March 2018: "Something Sporty" - Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder - DONE
April 2018: "Clash of Cultures" - A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson - DONE
May 2018: "Southeast Asia" - The Quiet American by Graham Greene DONE
June 2018: "Digging Up the Past" - Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths DONE
July 2018: "Nautical" - The Lost Empress by Steve Robinson DONE - Fourteen Minutes: The Last Voyage of the Empress of Ireland by James Croall DONE
August 2018: "Between the Wars, 1918 - 1939" - Design for Dying by Renee Patrick - DONE
September 2018: "Let's Have a Drink" - The Rum Runners by Frank W. Anderson - DONE
October 2018: "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" - The Salt of the Earth: The story of the homesteaders in Western Canada by Heather Robertson - DONE
November 2018: "She Blinded Me with Science" - Lamarck's Revenge by Peter Ward - DONE
December 2018: "It's All About Music" - Murder in Music City by Michael Bishop

I'm not going out of my way (much) to fill in the following non-LT challenges. Just interested to see what I can do.

2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge

1. A book made into a movie you've already seen - 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
2. True crime - The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson
3. The next book in a series you started - A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths
4. A book involving a heist
5. Nordic noir - The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo
6. A novel based on a real person - The Last Man in Europe by Dennis Glover
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you
8. A book with a time of day in the title - It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long
9. A book about a villain or antihero
10. A book about death or grief - With One Shot: Family Murder and a Search for Justice by Dorothy Marcic
11. A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym
12. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
13. A book that is also a stage play or musical
14. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you - Bingo Love by Tee Franklin
15. A book about feminism - Women & Power: a manifesto by Mary Beard
16. A book about mental health - Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger
17. A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift - The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley
18. A book by two authors - Design for Dying by Renee Patrick (Rosemarie and Vince Keenan)
19. A book about or involving a sport - Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder
20. A book by a local author - The Opposite of Dark by Debra Purdy Kong
21. A book with your favorite color in the title - Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
22. A book with alliteration in the title
23. A book about time travel - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
24. A book with a weather element in the title - Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson
25. A book set at sea
26. A book with an animal in the title - Slow Horses by Mick Herron
27. A book set on a different planet
28. A book with song lyrics in the title
29. A book about or set on Halloween
30. A book with characters who are twins
31. A book mentioned in another book - The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
32. A book from a celebrity book club - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
33. A childhood classic you've never read
34. A book that's published in 2018 - A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson
35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner
36. A book set in the decade you were born - The Quiet American by Graham Greene
37. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to
38. A book with an ugly cover
39. A book that involves a bookstore or library
40. Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (you can easily Google these)

Advanced Reading Challenge

1. A bestseller from the year you graduated high school
2. A cyberpunk book
3. A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place
4. A book tied to your ancestry - Ignored but Not Forgotten: Canada's English Immigrants by Lucille Campey
5. A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
6. An allegory - The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
7. A book by an author with the same first or last name as you
8. A microhistory - Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
9. A book about a problem facing society today
10. A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

2018 BookRiot Read Harder Challenge

1. A book published posthumously
2. A book of true crime - The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson
3. A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance) - The Mayfair Mystery by Frank Richardson
4. A comic written and illustrated by the same person - California Dreamin': Cass Elliott Before the Mamas and Papas by Penelope Begieu
5. A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa)
6. A book about nature
7. A western - Rider of Lost Creek by Louis L'Amour
8. A comic written or illustrated by a person of color - Bingo Love by Tee Franklin
9. A book of colonial or postcolonial literature
10. A romance novel by or about a person of color
11. A children’s classic published before 1980
12. A celebrity memoir
13. An Oprah Book Club selection - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
14. A book of social science
15. A one-sitting book - The Middle Ground by Zoe Whittall
16. The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series
17. A sci fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author
18. A comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC, or Image
19. A book of genre fiction in translation - Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson
20. A book with a cover you hate
21. A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author
22. An essay anthology
23. A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60
24. An assigned book you hated (or never finished)

8Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 12:50 am

Books read in 2018

First quarter

January

The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo
Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson
Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger by Victoria Alexander
A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths
Where I Was From by Joan Didion
The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin
Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie
Night's Child by Maureen Jennings
The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

February

A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock
A Very Fine Class of Immigrants: Prince Edward Island's Scottish Pioneers 1770-1850 by Lucille Campey
Siege by Roxanne Orgill
Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb
The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
Ignored but Not Forgotten: Canada's English Immigrants by Lucille Campey
Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta
The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson
The Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman
Books, Cooks, and Crooks by Lucy Arlington
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
American Blonde by Jennifer Niven

March

The White Cottage Mystery by Margery Allingham
The Dry by Jane Harper
Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society by Cordelia Fine
Hit by Bryce Carlson
The Middle Ground by Zoe Whittall
A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh
The British: A Genetic Journey by Alistair Moffat
Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill
It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree by A.J. Jacobs
The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
Ragtime in Simla by Barbara Cleverly
Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder
Drawing From Memory by Allen Say
The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel
It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long

9Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 12:58 am

Books read in 2018

Second quarter

April

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 by Derek Cooper
A Cast of Vultures by Judith Flanders
Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella)
Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners by Therese Oneill
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright
The Mayfair Mystery by Frank Richardson
The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley
The Color Purple by Alice Walker

May

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson
Dooms Day Book by Connie Willis
The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
Slow Horses by Mick Harron
Love of Country by Madeleine Bunting
The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
Tabloid City by Pete Hamill
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Walking With Ghosts by J.G. Goodhind
Anatomy of Murder by Imogen Robertson
The Opposite of Dark by Debra Purdy Kong
The Quiet American by Graham Greene
The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
The Detective's Daughter by Lesley Thomson
Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey
The Viking World by James Graham-Campbell
A Woman Unknown by Frances Brody

June

A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson
Unsinkable by Dan James
With One Shot: Family Murder and a Search for Justice by Dorothy Marcic
Death of a Dentist by M.C. Beaton
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
A Week from Sunday by Dorothy Garlock
Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
Bingo Love by Tee Franklin
A Red Death by Walter Mosley
Britain's Last Frontier: A Journey Along the Highland Line by Alistair Moffat

10Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 12:59 am

Books read in 2018

Third quarter

July

Langston Hughes: American Poet by Alice Walker
A Howl of Wolves by Judith Flanders
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
Witches' Bane by Susan Wittig Albert
My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curran & Larissa Zageris
Come Hell or Highball by Maia Chance
Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past by David Reich
Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb
The Lost Empress by Steve Robinson
Fourteen Minutes: The last voyage of the Empress of Ireland by James Croall
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
Teetotaled by Maia Chance
The Blackhouse by Peter May

August

Clara Voyant by Rachelle Delaney
The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert MacFarlane
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
Design for Dying by Renee Patrick
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard
Dark Descent: Diving and the Deadly Allure of the Empress of Ireland by Kevin F. McMurray
Force of Nature by Jane Harper
Rider of Lost Creek by Louis L'Amour
Dangerous Books for Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained by Maya Rodale
His Wicked Reputation by Madeline Hunter
Women & Power: a manifesto by Mary Beard
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
The Foundling: The True Story of a Kidnapping, a Family Secret, and My Search for the Real Me by Paul Joseph Fronczak and Alex Tresniowski
Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley
Latte Trouble by Cleo Coyle
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
The Darkling Bride by Laura Andersen
The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker

September

California Dreamin': Cass Elliott Before the Mamas and Papas by Penelope Bagieu
The Alienist by Caleb Carr
The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
Love Story, With Murders by Harry Bingham
Forgotten Empress by David Zeni
The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis
Wallis in Love by Andrew Morton
Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Penelope Bagieu
The Stranger in My Genes by Bill Griffeth
The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson
The Lewis Man by Peter May
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn
The Rum Runners by Frank. W. Anderson
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World by Laura Spinney
An Early Wake by Sheila Connolly
Dr Syn by Russell Thorndyke

11Familyhistorian
Modifié : Jan 1, 2019, 12:35 am

Books read in 2018

Fourth quarter

October

The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington by Charles Rosenberg
The Sea Queen by Linnea Hartsuyker
French Exit by Patrick deWitt
Death in Devon by Ian Sansom
Happiness by Aminatta Forna
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Secret Sister: From Nazi-occupied Jersey to Wartime London, One Woman's Search for the Truth by Cherry Durbin
I Let You Go by Clare MacKintosh
Pandemic 1918: Eyewitness accounts from the greatest medical holocaust in modern history by Catharine Arnold
Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
Uneasy Money by P. G. Wodenhouse
Murder in E Minor by Robert Goldsborough
On Writing by Stephen King

November

Salt of the Earth: The story of the homesteaders in Western Canada by Heather Robertson
Women Talking: A Novel by Miriam Toews
The Case is Closed by Patricia Wentworth
Empire of Deception by Dean Jobb
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Murder in Focus by Medora Sale
The Last Man in Europe by Dennis Glover
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva
The Clairvoyant Countess by Dorothy Gilman
Lamarck's Revenge by Peter Ward

12Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 1:01 am

Book stats

Total books read 162

Fiction 119
Non-fiction 43

Female authors 98
Male authors 66

13Familyhistorian
Modifié : Déc 31, 2018, 8:42 pm

Books acquired in 2018




October

Genealogy, Psychology and Identity by Paula Nicholson
Down and Out in Scotland by Chris Paton
Joining the Dots by Juliet Gardiner
Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich by Norman Ohler
The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass
The White Angel by John MacLachlan Gray
A Social History of England by Asa Briggs
Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards by Elizabeth Shown Mills
The Wages of Sin by Kaite Welsh
An Old, Cold Grave by Iona Whishaw
Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5's Secret Nazi Hunter by Robert Hutton
Quite Ugly One Morning by Christopher Brookmyre
Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
Loch of the Dead by Oscar de Muriel
IQ by Joe Ide
Becoming Mrs. Smith by Tanya E Williams
Her Final Breath by Robert Dugoni

November

Madam Will You Talk by Mary Stewart
Thornyhold by Mary Stewart
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves (I have a feeling I read this one already but it was free so I took it just in case)
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
I'll be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
The Fallen Architect by Charles Belfoure
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
The Victorian and the Romantic by Nell Stevens
Sleuth: On Writing Mysteries by Gail Bowen
Murder by Milkshake by Eve Lazarus
World War Two A Very Peculiar History by Jim Pipe
The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

December

The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri
Cross by James Patterson
Tides of Honour by Genevieve Graham
Personal by Lee Child
All the Money in the World by John Pearson
The Mammoth Book of Best British Mysteries edited by Maxim Jakubowski
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
The Ghost Tree by Barbara Erskine
The Stylist by Rosie Nixon
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente
Snowdrift by Georgette Heyer
These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore
Native Americans: State by State by Rick Sapp

14Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 1:09 am

15Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 1:10 am

I finished NaNoWriMo which has been taking up way more of my time that I thought it would. Now I can catch up with my reviews and maybe even do some more reading and writing at my own pace (I didn't finish the book I am writing yet).

16Familyhistorian
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 1:11 am

WELCOME!!!

17susanj67
Nov 30, 2018, 4:38 am

Congratulations on your NaNoWriMo finish, Meg! Great going :-) I hope you can catch up on all the things you had to defer during November (unless they include housework, in which case give yourself at least this weekend off :-) )

Happy new thread!

18jessibud2
Modifié : Nov 30, 2018, 6:50 am

Happy new thread, Meg! You have sure accomplished a lot this year so far!! Reading, writing, challenges, etc!

19thornton37814
Nov 30, 2018, 7:32 am

Congratulations on your NaNoWriMo finish! I hope to find some time over the holidays to do a bit of writing although I won't be at home for a great deal of it. I have one client project to complete this month and potentially another contract coming.

20figsfromthistle
Nov 30, 2018, 7:43 am

Congrats and happy new thread!

21katiekrug
Nov 30, 2018, 7:57 am

Happy new thread and congratulations on finishing NaNoWriMo!

22karenmarie
Nov 30, 2018, 8:24 am

Hi Meg, and happy new thread.

>4 Familyhistorian: Too bad the pub is gone. I always like your blog posts and good luck 'getting back to' Ireland.

23jnwelch
Nov 30, 2018, 8:37 am

Happy New Thread, Meg!

I'm finally reading Washington Black and, no surprise, enjoying it so far.

24BLBera
Nov 30, 2018, 9:09 am

Happy new thread, Meg. You're doing well with your culling.

25drneutron
Nov 30, 2018, 12:30 pm

Happy new thread!

26Familyhistorian
Nov 30, 2018, 2:12 pm

>17 susanj67: Thanks Susan, full weekend of genealogy related doings ahead of me and my mum taught me that there were more important things in life than keeping the house clean so it is not high on my list.

>18 jessibud2: It has been a full year, Shelley. I'm loving retirement and wonder what next year will bring.

>19 thornton37814: Sounds like you have a busy time ahead, Lori. I hope you find time for writing.

27Familyhistorian
Nov 30, 2018, 2:15 pm

>20 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.

>21 katiekrug: Hi Katie, and thanks. It was a long slog.

>22 karenmarie: Good to know that you enjoy my blog posts, Karen. I was pretty disappointed to find that I had left it to late to visit the pub. I'm hoping that I'll find something, anything that will give me a link to an actual place in Ireland. Fingers crossed.

28Familyhistorian
Nov 30, 2018, 2:17 pm

>23 jnwelch: Hi Joe, Washington Black is a good one. Enjoy!

>24 BLBera: Ha, Beth, I was just looking at my lone book culled in November and thinking that I should get some more out of here.

>25 drneutron: Thanks Jim.

29FAMeulstee
Nov 30, 2018, 5:12 pm

Happy new thread, Meg!

30Familyhistorian
Nov 30, 2018, 6:53 pm

>29 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita!

31Familyhistorian
Nov 30, 2018, 6:54 pm

163. Played by the Book by Lucy Arlington

I snuck in a cozy mystery and it wasn't a library hold, which seems to be all that I am reading lately. Played by the Book was a fun fast read in the Novel Idea Mystery series. I like seeing how the lives of the main characters evolve although I am not sure I would continue working for the literary agency that Lila does with bodies showing up all the time.

32Familyhistorian
Nov 30, 2018, 7:29 pm

164. Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger

I read Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging for the AAC. In this book Junger was exploring the theory that people by instinct prefer being part of a cooperative group and that current western society with its emphasis on the individual has dire psychological consequences.

His background was as a war journalist so his frame of reference was the military when deployed and as veterans. He also looked at the isolation of western living and how we socialize our children. It was his theory that we would be better off emotionally and psychologically if we followed our instincts to form tribes.

I found his theory and arguments thought provoking. He may have a point there. What bothered me was that his references were all male-centric. Which, I guess makes sense because he is one, but there is a whole other half of the human race he has missed and whose ways of being and organizing themselves may be closer to the tribe he was looking for.

33lkernagh
Déc 2, 2018, 3:48 pm

Hi Meg! I am taking advantage of a quiet Sunday to finally get caught up with various threads. Congratulations on finishing NaNoWriMo! Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

34johnsimpson
Déc 2, 2018, 4:12 pm

Happy new thread Meg My dear, I see that you have been very busy in November with the NaNoWriMo and reading as well, phew I am impressed. I hope you are having a really good weekend dear friend and looking forward to a good week ahead. I hope this week is better than last week for us and we are looking forward to our few days away in Salisbury. Sending love and hugs dear friend.

35EBT1002
Déc 2, 2018, 9:35 pm

Meg, I'm afraid my Little Free Library is feeling neglected and therefore stagnant. I just don't have the time or inclination to adequately curate the collection. It may be that I'm a better visitor and contributor to LFLs than managing one of my own. We'll see how it goes over the next few months, though, before I give up on it.

Happy New Thread!

36Familyhistorian
Déc 2, 2018, 10:49 pm

>33 lkernagh: A quiet Sunday sounds wonderful, Lori. I hope it was relaxing. I think that time out is really needed around this time of year. Thank re the NaNoWriMo.

37Familyhistorian
Déc 2, 2018, 10:52 pm

>34 johnsimpson: I hope that you are both in tip top health for your upcoming jaunt, John. You're just impressed by the reading because you were stuck with those chunksters all year! I don't know how you stuck it. Thanks re the NaNoWriMo. It is nice to know that I can do it!

38Familyhistorian
Déc 2, 2018, 10:57 pm

>35 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, I think I would give it longer. It might be the time of year or maybe your location. Do you get many people strolling past your house? The LFLs that I frequent are all in very public places and I think only one of them is actually curated because the group I volunteer for, PoCo Heritage, is always asking for more books to put in their LFL which is on a street downtown in an area of small stores and restaurants etc.

39Familyhistorian
Déc 2, 2018, 11:00 pm

165. The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry

It's Edinburgh in 1847 when the town was divided between the New Town, where the better off life and the Old Town where the masses live in poverty surrounded by crime. Young Will Raven has a chance to get out of Old Town by becoming an apprentice to a leading doctor. But his life is complicated by the fact that he has just found his friend, a street wise prostitute, dead in her room and he owes money to a money lender which he can't repay. Will he be able to keep up appearances in his new post while finding out what happened to his friend and other young women who are dying in Old Town?

It was an interesting and engrossing tale which gave the reader a good glimpse of historic Edinburgh.

40Familyhistorian
Déc 3, 2018, 12:00 pm

166. Dead Lions by Mick Herron

Spy novels are not my thing but lately I have found a few books that are written more tongue in cheek. A good example of these are the ones about Slough House, which is the where the agents who have been shunted out of mainstream M15 due to various transgressions are sent. They are a motley crew and their motivations are suspect but somehow they save the day even if they don't quite get things right.

Dead Lions was the second book in the series about the Slough House/Slow Horses gang. It was another fun one.

41Carmenere
Déc 3, 2018, 2:16 pm

Happy new thread, Meg!

42Familyhistorian
Déc 3, 2018, 3:39 pm

>41 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda!

43BLBera
Déc 3, 2018, 3:47 pm

>40 Familyhistorian: I think I might like those, Meg. I'm not generally a reader of spy novels, but these sound fun.

My LFL was vandalized! I am so upset. Why would people do something like that?

44Familyhistorian
Déc 3, 2018, 4:00 pm

>43 BLBera: I don't like spy novels as a rule, Beth, but this series is really good and funny to boot. Another good one was Silva's The Unlikely Spy also told with a sense of humour and set in WWII Britain and Germany so an era that greatly interests me.

I don't understand why LFLs get vandalized but when the City of Port Coquitlam decided to get various organizations involved in the LFL movement by selling some LFLs at minimal cost to the nonprofits to dot around the city, two were torched as soon as they were put up. It's disheartening.

45BekkaJo
Déc 4, 2018, 1:26 pm

Belated well done on NaNo! And happy new thread :)

46Familyhistorian
Déc 4, 2018, 2:06 pm

>45 BekkaJo: Thanks Bekka, life after NaNo feels a bit surreal, doesn't it?

47Familyhistorian
Déc 4, 2018, 2:48 pm

167. Slow Recoil by C.B. Forrest

Ex Toronto detective, Charlie McKelvey's past left him with a cop's instincts and a whole lot of baggage. When a friend reaches out to him for help because a woman he was friendly with goes missing, McKelvey's moves may put everyone in danger, a danger with roots in the war Bosnia which left deaths to avenge. Will McKelvey be able to solve the mystery and save his friend or will this mystery end badly?

48Familyhistorian
Déc 4, 2018, 2:50 pm

I am on my way to the library. I managed to finish two books with holds on them and I am working on two more but there are five more holds waiting for me at the library with another one on the way. I think the library gods are trying to see how fast I can read!

49Familyhistorian
Déc 4, 2018, 2:55 pm



Another view of the lights at Lafarge Lake

50Familyhistorian
Déc 4, 2018, 3:23 pm

I need some help from people who know kids and books. My niece is turning 3 and I usually send her books. Anybody have some suggestions as to what books would be a hit at that age?

51jessibud2
Modifié : Déc 6, 2018, 7:55 am

There are some great series of books for little ones that I used in my classroom for ages. Gorgeous illustrations, whimsical lyrical text and fun books. The kind kids like to have read to them over and over because they can chime in. The Llama, Llama series of book by Anna Dewdney (she passed a few years ago, much too young but check her website and the bookstores should still carry many of the titles. Also, the Bear series by Karma Wilson (Bear Snores On, etc).

Have a browse around Chapters, Meg. You will be charmed.

52ronincats
Déc 5, 2018, 11:36 pm

Just checking in, Meg!

53Familyhistorian
Déc 6, 2018, 12:42 am

>51 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. That was very helpful. The books are on their way to her now, well nowish depending on Chapters and the postal strike.

54Familyhistorian
Déc 6, 2018, 12:43 am

>52 ronincats: Hi Roni, thanks for the visit.

55torontoc
Déc 6, 2018, 12:43 pm

my great nieces loved "The Princess in Black" series

56Familyhistorian
Déc 6, 2018, 12:55 pm

>55 torontoc: I haven't heard about that one, Cyrel. I'll have to give the series a look.

57brodiew2
Déc 6, 2018, 2:12 pm

Happy relative new one, familyhistorian!

>40 Familyhistorian: this series sounds interesting. I'll be looking into it. I saw another user recently devouring this Mick Herron series.

58Familyhistorian
Déc 6, 2018, 2:44 pm

>57 brodiew2: It's a good series, Brodie. Spy novels with a sense of humour.

59Familyhistorian
Déc 6, 2018, 8:06 pm

168. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

I was expecting a more straight forward mystery when I picked up The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle but, although this was a mystery, it was anything but straightforward. It was told in the first person but that person kept jumping from one body and character to another as he tried to unravel the mystery. Many of the scenes were played over again with alternative actions as well. It was hard to keep track but that was probably what the author wanted to give the reader, a more real to life experience as the hero tried to muddle through. It ended with a high body count but a resolution of sorts.

60SandDune
Déc 8, 2018, 5:31 pm

>59 Familyhistorian: I know a lot of people love that one but I just couldn’t get on with it. Personally, I think it’d be a better book if it was cut down to about two thirds of its length.

61Familyhistorian
Déc 9, 2018, 12:24 am

>60 SandDune: It did get confusing and, at points, I just wanted it to stop so I know what you mean, Rhian.

62Familyhistorian
Déc 9, 2018, 12:26 am

169. Blue Monday by Nicci French

I have read about the books by Nicci French on a few LTers threads and have often wanted to give them a try. Luckily on one of my trips to the library I found the first book in the series on the shelf. Somehow I have had it drummed into me that I should start with the first one in the series featuring Frieda Klein which was Blue Monday.

Freida is a psychologist who is drawn into a mystery by one of her clients. When a child goes missing she thinks may be related to her client, she contacts the police. Through her insights and connections to the police the case of the missing child comes to a resolution of sorts but the way to the end is filled with suspence and misdirection. It was excellently done.

63Familyhistorian
Déc 9, 2018, 2:15 am

170. The Library Book by Susan Orlean

The next book that I read was a BB. Seems like there are a lot of those around here. I have seen The Library Book on more than one LT thread this year and now it is on mine.

This book was about libraries and what they mean to the author. So it was part memoir, part history and part current state of libraries in the world. When Orlean was visiting the Central Library in LA she found out about the devastating fire it suffered in 1986. She did her research about the fire and the investigation of its cause as well as about the history of the LA library as it developed. This was presented in the book in a very readable story interspersed with information about other libraries and library initiatives in the world. Recommended for library nerds and bibliophiles - hmm, I guess that means most of us.

64Familyhistorian
Déc 9, 2018, 2:19 am

Last night was my real life book club. We actually discussed the book a fair bit. It was Washington Black and we had different thoughts about the ending but I think that the author left it deliberately vague. We also discussed other book related events in our area so, really it was more book related than usual. The eats were very good as well. The book for January will be French Exit which I have already read which is probably just as well as I have even more library holds to go and pick up tomorrow.

65Ameise1
Déc 9, 2018, 4:17 am

A bit late, happy new thread, Meg. I'm glad to read that you like the first of the Frieda Klein series.
Wishing you a lovely Sunday.

66Familyhistorian
Déc 9, 2018, 3:14 pm

>65 Ameise1: It's never too late, Barbara. The Frieda Klein was really good, kept me guessing. Have a great week!

67Familyhistorian
Déc 9, 2018, 3:25 pm

171. A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss

And now for something a bit different. A Shot in the Dark was a very funny take on police and crime in Brighton. It was billed as a Constable Twitten mystery as though there may be more of them to come. I would love to revisit with the bumbling officers of the Brighton force whose every move seems to be known by the criminal underworld before they make it but that's what happens when there is a criminal mastermind in their midst.

This was funny and engaging. I was surprised to learn that Lynne Truss also wrote Eats, Shoots & Leaves which is on my shelves. If this book is anything to go by, that will be a must read.

68thornton37814
Déc 9, 2018, 4:46 pm

>67 Familyhistorian: You liked that one much better than I did. I hated it. It was too seedy for my tastes.

69EBT1002
Déc 9, 2018, 11:28 pm

>63 Familyhistorian: Looking forward to that one.

I will give my LFL a bit longer -- I'll at least hang in there until spring/summer and see how it goes. We do get a good number of folks strolling by our house but I think it's the same people day after day. We're not on the way to anywhere.

70Familyhistorian
Déc 10, 2018, 11:48 am

>68 thornton37814: It's too bad you didn't like it better, Lori. The 'seedy' description is apt but then I would expect a tourist spot like Brighton to be a bit like that.

71Familyhistorian
Déc 10, 2018, 11:51 am

>69 EBT1002: It is a good one, Ellen. Full of interesting facts about libraries around the world and the LA library fire in particular.

Spring/summer is probably a more active time for LFLs - less rain and snow to get the books wet when you take them out of the LFL and people are more into leisurely pursuits.

72BLBera
Déc 10, 2018, 5:36 pm

Hi Meg - You are zipping through the library books! I'm glad you liked The Library Book; I think it will be one of my favorites for this year.

The Evelyn Hardcastle book sounds interesting.

73msf59
Déc 10, 2018, 10:00 pm

Hi, Meg. I am slowly making my way through neglected threads. It is very tough keeping up while vacationing.

Good review of The Library Book. I am requesting the audio of this one and might bookhorn it in, before year's end.

74Familyhistorian
Déc 11, 2018, 1:22 am

>72 BLBera: There is a certain amount of pressure on the library books, Beth. Most of them are holds that came in around the same time so they have a fast turn around because there are people waiting for them. The Library Book was good. The Hardcastle book is hard to follow sometimes probably best to read it without big gaps in your reading.

75Familyhistorian
Déc 11, 2018, 1:24 am

>73 msf59: Welcome back, Mark. The Library Book is a good one, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I hope you had some time for relaxing when you got home and didn't have to do too many chores.

76Familyhistorian
Déc 11, 2018, 10:20 pm

On Sunday morning I thought I had a plumbing problem with the sink in my basement bathroom because there was water on the floor under the sink. But that didn't quite explain why the towels I had left on the floor of the laundry room just outside the bathroom were soggy or why the floor of the shower stall was grimy. It wasn't until yesterday that I found out it was a sewer back up. Maybe it was good to know what I was cleaning up - but no, not really.

77rosalita
Déc 12, 2018, 9:58 am

Oh gosh, that sounds dreadful, Meg. That's one of those situations where I might prefer not to know! I hope it's not a recurring problem for you.

78Familyhistorian
Déc 12, 2018, 12:27 pm

>77 rosalita: Thanks Julia, it wasn't as gross as it could have been but it wasn't what I wanted to spend my day doing! It's never happened before. There was a block in the city line and I'm in one of the low lying units with basement fixtures. Seems there are just a few units like that.

79Familyhistorian
Déc 12, 2018, 2:28 pm

172. The Witch of Lime Street by David Jaher

Books about history call to me from the shelf so I picked up The Witch of Lime Street when I remembered hearing about it on LT. I anticipated a page turning read but instead this turned into a steady history of the investigation into the phenomina manifested by Margery Crandon, the witch of Lime Street. There were some famous names attached to hers, like Houdini who tried to discredit her, and Conan Doyle who firmly believed. Unfortunately, Doyle didn't show up much in the book and Houdini did, although he didn't seem to be a likeable character.

80katiekrug
Déc 12, 2018, 2:44 pm

>76 Familyhistorian: - Oh, dear. When I was about 10 or 11, our septic system backed up on Thanksgiving, and all I recall is the plumber trudging back and forth from the basement right past where we were all sitting, having dinner. My mom invited him to partake when he was finished but he said, "Ma'am, given what I've just been doing, I don't think you want me at your table," with a big grin. She made him up a big plate to take with him :)

It was a miracle someone was willing to come out on Thanksgiving Day...

81Familyhistorian
Déc 12, 2018, 5:10 pm

>80 katiekrug: Funny how those types of things seem to happen around the holidays, Katie. I can remember one Christmas Eve when one of the water lines into the toilet sprung a leak. Good thing we happened to be there and that we were a able to get someone in because it was the only toilet in the house. No toilet would have made for a memorable Christmas. So, our Christmas was saved and so was your Thanksgiving and they were all the more memorable for it.

82karenmarie
Déc 13, 2018, 8:29 am

Hi Meg!

>49 Familyhistorian: Very nice pic of the lights on Lafarge Lake.

>59 Familyhistorian: I saw this book on souloftherose Heather’s thread so it’s already on my wish list.

>62 Familyhistorian: I’ve read the first two of the series and really like Frieda Klein. The mysteries are, as you say, excellently done.

>67 Familyhistorian: I have one by Truss on my shelves, The Lynne Truss Treasury: Columns and Three Comic Novels. January, perhaps?

Sorry about your plumbing woes, glad that it was just a matter of cleanup and not an expensive plumber.

83Familyhistorian
Déc 13, 2018, 8:31 pm

>82 karenmarie: Hi Karen, thanks re the pics. It's always nice to see the lights at Lafarge except maybe not now with all the rain storms. The damage done by the sewer backup is more than just cleanup I think. There is damage to the floor and affects to the door frame as well. My strata advised me to make a claim with my insurer.

84DeltaQueen50
Déc 13, 2018, 9:40 pm

Hi Meg, I am in catch-up mode. I have been spending my days getting ready for Christmas. I actually feel on top of things this year for a change. I'm glad you enjoyed the Freda Klein, I am a big fan of that series! Also I really liked the first Mick Herron book and need to get back to that series. So many books, so may series, sigh ...

85karenmarie
Déc 14, 2018, 7:20 am

It's always something, isn't it? Sorry about the damage.

86ronincats
Déc 14, 2018, 11:41 am

Saw this on Facebook this morning and had to think of you and Judy!

87Familyhistorian
Déc 14, 2018, 12:08 pm

>84 DeltaQueen50: I know that feeling of being in catch-up mode, Judy. For the past three days I have been busy with seasonal get-togethers so I am lagging far behind and also not very hungry as all the gatherings involve eating. I hear you about the series. I hope you enjoy that feeling of being on top of things all through the holiday season.

88Familyhistorian
Déc 14, 2018, 12:09 pm

>85 karenmarie: There always seems to be something, Karen. But then no one ever promised life would be smooth.

89Familyhistorian
Déc 14, 2018, 12:11 pm

>86 ronincats: That's a good one Roni. They must have snapped the photo between rain showers.

90Familyhistorian
Déc 15, 2018, 3:10 pm

173. Less by Andrew Sean Greer

What a delightful story Less was. The hero, Arthur Less, was at a crossroads in his life: he was about to turn 50, wasn't sure of his publisher's reception of his latest book and his long time lover, Freddy, was about to get married to another man. The last thing Arthur wanted to do was attend the wedding. So that he wouldn't even be around at the time of the nuptials he accepts any and all of the writing related events he was invited to, no matter where in the world they are. Thus began his odyssey to escape the overwhelming negatives coming his way but the journey delivered many unexpected surprises.

91lkernagh
Déc 15, 2018, 3:56 pm

>90 Familyhistorian: - Kobo keeps recommending Less for me. Your review is convincing me I should probably pay more attention to those recommendations. ;-)

92jnwelch
Déc 15, 2018, 6:32 pm

I'm another fan of Less, Meg. Good mini-review of it.

93Familyhistorian
Déc 15, 2018, 8:23 pm

>91 lkernagh: Well Lori, I never pay any attention to my Kobo recommendations. I'm more likely to be intrigued by reviews on other LTers threads which is where I heard about Less and they were right.

94Familyhistorian
Déc 15, 2018, 8:25 pm

>92 jnwelch: It's a good one, isn't it Joe? I found the book and the character of Arthur Less quite charming.

95Familyhistorian
Déc 16, 2018, 12:53 am

I have had a busy few days. My genealogy group had their Christmas meeting Wednesday night. It includes a book sale and I did well, I brought in 8 and only brought 5 others home. Thursday was the Christmas lunch for PoCo Heritage and dinner with my ex-coworkers, coffee buddies and Friday I met up with my cabin mate for the upcoming cruise. She was in town to see family. Her husband died three weeks ago. The weather was good (not raining) and after lunch we took a long walk to see some of Vancouver. At the end we stopped for drinks at Starbucks and she couldn't believe that it was comfortable to sit a table outside.

96thornton37814
Déc 16, 2018, 6:45 am

>95 Familyhistorian: Sounds like a good few days for you. Good job on overall inventory reduction.

97msf59
Modifié : Déc 16, 2018, 8:21 am

Happy Sunday, Meg. I have a relaxing day planned. Books, football and, of course a beer or 2. Glad you enjoyed Less. I had a good time with that one too.

98Familyhistorian
Déc 16, 2018, 8:19 pm

>96 thornton37814: All the social stuff was fun but I was glad to have nothing scheduled when I got up on Saturday. Next events are on Monday and Tuesday and then I am done for a while. Thanks re the inventory reduction, Lori, unfortunately it is a mere drop in the bucket where my books are concerned which is why I join Santa Thing every year as that means I don't know what books are coming in which keeps my buying way down.

99Familyhistorian
Déc 16, 2018, 8:22 pm

>97 msf59: Hi Mark, I hope you got lots of relaxation and reading in today. Less was a BB which really hit the mark! LOL

100thornton37814
Déc 16, 2018, 9:32 pm

>98 Familyhistorian: I put some of the books I really wanted in my Christmas 2018 wish list. They were all books I didn't own and which the last I checked were not readily available to me at any of my three libraries. I hoped my SantaThing Santa would use the list, but a little birdie told me that didn't happen. The little birdie also told me Loranne was informed I would absolutely hate one of the choices and that it was swapped for something in my list so I guess I'll be getting at least one I like. The birdie thought I would be okay with the other selections even though they might not be my top picks.

101Familyhistorian
Déc 16, 2018, 9:49 pm

>100 thornton37814: Ah, too bad they didn't check out your wish list, Lori. I was really late signing up this year and didn't think to stock my wish list. At least it sounds like you will get something you like. Hopefully I will get my books in good time this year unlike the 3 months it took last year but I'm not holding my breath because we had a postal strike just before Christmas.

102thornton37814
Déc 16, 2018, 10:04 pm

>101 Familyhistorian: I hope yours arrive more quickly too. I had a really good Santa last year! ;-)

103Familyhistorian
Déc 17, 2018, 7:43 pm

104Familyhistorian
Déc 18, 2018, 5:38 pm

Yesterday I went out to my heritage writers group and we went to lunch afterwards in honour of the season. Sushi may not be very Chrismasy but it was really good. I got a text from my brother on the way home. I kind of had an idea of what was coming as my cousin was in the hospital for the last while. She had survived two brain aneurysms over the last few years and looked like she was on her way to recovery from the third but it was not to be. She was 57.

105katiekrug
Déc 18, 2018, 5:55 pm

Oh, I'm so sorry, Meg. Never good news, but especially hard around the holidays.

106jessibud2
Déc 18, 2018, 7:01 pm

>104 Familyhistorian: - Oh no, Meg. How awful. And way too young! My deepest condolences.

107torontoc
Déc 18, 2018, 7:02 pm

sorry to hear that news

108Familyhistorian
Déc 18, 2018, 8:45 pm

>105 katiekrug: >106 jessibud2: >107 torontoc: Thank you Katie, Shelley and Cyrel. She will be missed.

109drneutron
Déc 18, 2018, 9:20 pm

So sorry for your loss.

110PaulCranswick
Déc 18, 2018, 10:53 pm

>104 Familyhistorian: That is so sad, Meg.

Condolences and hugs. xx

111rosalita
Déc 19, 2018, 9:21 am

I'm so sorry for your loss, Meg.

112Familyhistorian
Déc 19, 2018, 1:20 pm

>109 drneutron: >110 PaulCranswick: >111 rosalita: Hi Jim, Paul and Julia and thank you for your sympathies. LTers are the best.

113johnsimpson
Déc 19, 2018, 3:00 pm

Meg I am so sorry for your loss dear friend, sending condolences from both of us and thinking of you at this very sad time, love and hugs.

114Familyhistorian
Déc 19, 2018, 6:23 pm

>113 johnsimpson: Thank you, John. Hugs back to you and Karen.

115FAMeulstee
Déc 19, 2018, 7:32 pm

>104 Familyhistorian: So sorry, Meg, my condolences to all involved.

116bell7
Déc 19, 2018, 9:19 pm

So sorry about your cousin, Meg. Thinking of you and your family.

117Familyhistorian
Déc 20, 2018, 1:35 am

>115 FAMeulstee: >116 bell7: Thank you for your thoughts, Anita and Mary.

118msf59
Déc 20, 2018, 6:30 am

Hi, Meg. Sorry to hear about your cousin. She was taken far to young.

119karenmarie
Déc 20, 2018, 9:04 am

Hi Meg!

I’m glad you liked Less.

>95 Familyhistorian: Upcoming cruise? I must have missed something upstream.

>98 Familyhistorian: I join Santa Thing every year as that means I don't know what books are coming in which keeps my buying way down. What a great way to manage yourself.

>104 Familyhistorian: Oh my, that is so young. My condolences.

120Familyhistorian
Déc 20, 2018, 3:09 pm

>118 msf59: Thanks Mark. She retired early but didn't really get a chance to enjoy it. That seems to happen to far to many people.

121Familyhistorian
Déc 20, 2018, 3:14 pm

>119 karenmarie: Hi Karen, next May I am going on my first ever cruise. It is a regular cruise but a group of genealogists are going along and, of course, I am one of the group. It will start in Dublin, go to Belfast, take in some of Scotland and go to Guernsey and France. Way too short a time in each place but at least it will give a taste of what the places are like.

Unfortunately, Santa Thing only happens once a year so the managing of book buying doesn't happen often enough!
Thanks for the condolences. She will be missed.

122Familyhistorian
Déc 20, 2018, 3:15 pm

My Santa Thing books came today!!! It's before Christmas so now I will have something to open on Christmas Day!

123Familyhistorian
Déc 20, 2018, 3:17 pm

We are in the middle of a wind storm today. I hope that we don't lose power. There were a few light flickers especially during the webinar I was watching this morning.

124Familyhistorian
Déc 20, 2018, 6:33 pm

Still blowing really hard here but at least I have my power back. I hope it stays on. I was trying to sort through stuff to tidy up but it took longer without lights. At least it was sunny for a while.

125jessibud2
Déc 20, 2018, 7:47 pm

Your wind storm made our tv news this evening. Sounds like Vancouver got hit the hardest. Glad you are not in the dark anymore!

126Familyhistorian
Déc 20, 2018, 9:56 pm

>125 jessibud2: The power did go off again for a short time but everything seems to be working now, not that I have reset any clocks yet! I pitied the poor middle school kids walking home in the wind. I could see them from my window and they were really getting blow about.

127thornton37814
Déc 20, 2018, 10:02 pm

The cruise with genealogists sounds fun. I like the itinerary!

128Familyhistorian
Déc 20, 2018, 10:14 pm

>127 thornton37814: The itinerary really sold me, Lori. Getting to spend time with fellow genealogists was a win too.

129richardderus
Déc 21, 2018, 10:04 am

Find the Light—Reflect the Light—Be the Light

Happy Yule 2018!

130Familyhistorian
Déc 21, 2018, 12:41 pm

>129 richardderus: That's a lovely thought, thank you Richard.

131Familyhistorian
Déc 22, 2018, 12:09 am

174. A Double Life by Flynn Berry

In 1974 Lord Lucan disappeared after murdering his children's nanny who he had mistaken for his wife. He was never brought to book for what he did.

A Double Life was a fictional tale told from the point of view of one of his daughters who had lived most of her life in hiding due to ongoing public interest in the case which affected the remaining family. The daughter was a doctor living under an assumed name but she put this life in jeopardy with her obsession with the events which had shaped her life and the search for her father. In the end she went searching for him herself.

The book was a compelling look at how such a fixation can make someone ruthless in their search for a resolution. I am not sure that I liked the character of the daughter but I felt that I understood her. It also helped that I had knowledge of the original murder.

132Familyhistorian
Déc 22, 2018, 12:30 am

175. Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb

I love the In Death series. The cast of characters, NY Police Lieutenant and the cops and quirky civilians who back her up, really make the stories. It is also interesting how the tech in the 2050s has changed throughout the series as the tech in our own world changes.

This case involves a gossip reporter who knew how to get the goods on people and squeeze them for cash or info. That was until someone lashes back and the woman reporter ends up dead at Eve's feet which makes it personal. It was another interesting installment.

133Familyhistorian
Déc 22, 2018, 12:55 am

There was a lot of debris on the streets after yesterday's storm but we were lucky because all the stores were open. I went to the grocery store in the morning which was organized chaos, came home put away the groceries and then went off to the mall. Apparently the Friday before Christmas is the busiest shopping day of the year and this might have been even busier as people, at least the sane ones, stayed home yesterday.

134charl08
Déc 22, 2018, 2:52 am

Glad to hear the shops were open: it was very busy here, despite horrible weather (well, lots of rain). Your cruise sounds busy, hope you find lots of useful material.

135Carmenere
Déc 22, 2018, 6:52 am

Hoping your holidays are filled with good friends and good books

136jnwelch
Déc 22, 2018, 12:27 pm

I love the in Death series, too, Meg. She keeps the quality level high, doesn't she.

137The_Hibernator
Déc 22, 2018, 1:31 pm



Happy Holiday's Meg.

138Familyhistorian
Déc 22, 2018, 1:53 pm

>134 charl08: We have lots of rainy weather here too, Charlotte, but that's winter. We are promised sun for Christmas day though. The cruise isn't until May so lots of planning to be done before that.

139Familyhistorian
Déc 22, 2018, 1:54 pm

>135 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda. I hope you have a happy holiday season.

140Familyhistorian
Déc 22, 2018, 1:56 pm

>136 jnwelch: The In Death series is a good one, Joe. I am not sure how she is able to keep up the quality given the quantity but somehow or other she gets it to work. I am slightly behind in the series but like it that way as I always have one to look forward to.

141Familyhistorian
Déc 22, 2018, 1:58 pm

>137 The_Hibernator: All the best to you and yours over the holiday season, Rachel.

142SandDune
Déc 22, 2018, 3:58 pm



(Or in other words, Happy Christmas, to you and yours!)

143ronincats
Déc 22, 2018, 10:01 pm

So sorry to hear about your cousin, Meg. Glad you made it through the storm. We are promised rain for Christmas, but lovely weather until then.

144Familyhistorian
Déc 23, 2018, 12:20 am

>142 SandDune: Thanks Rhian. A Happy Holiday Season to you and yours.

145Familyhistorian
Déc 23, 2018, 12:26 am

>143 ronincats: Thanks Roni, she was far too young.

Ha, that was just Thursday's storm, Friday was nice, and now we are into another storm but not quite as windy as Thursday's but still ferries are not sailing and some areas are still without power since Thursday - sometimes it is not a good thing to be in the most treed area in the world, not when said trees are taking out power lines. Here Christmas is supposed to be sunny.

I hope you have a great Christmas no matter what the weather brings.

146Familyhistorian
Déc 23, 2018, 12:31 am

176. The Cowkeeper's Wish by Tracy Kasaboski & Kristen Den Hartog

One of my interests is genealogy and I am always looking for interesting books about the subject including family histories. In The Cowkeeper's Wish I found not only an interesting family saga but a well researched and interesting history of the areas where the subject family lived through many generations. The places changed and the family lived through many momentous historical events that altered them and where they lived forever.

The book was really well done and, what was even better, gave some history about the area where my own family lived during the same time. I had never before realized how close some of my ancestors lived to Jack the Ripper's hunting ground while he was active. The book did just what a really good social history can do, it gave me that ability to look at my own family history with a different lens.

147jessibud2
Déc 23, 2018, 6:55 am

>146 Familyhistorian: - I am so happy to hear that this was a good one for you, Meg. I will see if my library has it. I don't have the genealogy connection that you do but I also really love NF books that have historical and family history elements involved. I knew when I first saw the book and read the blurb in the store, that it might appeal to you. Glad you weren't disappointed. Looking at the names of the authors now, I think I actually have another book by them on my shelf which I haven't read yet. I have to go check.

148DeltaQueen50
Déc 23, 2018, 1:58 pm

Hi Meg, it looks like we have weathered the storms and the weather is now supposed to be fairly mild right through Christmas. I was getting a little worried as I am booked on the 11:00 am ferry on Boxing Day. I hope you have a great Christmas, and Santa is feeling generous. I will track your new thread down when I get back in the New Year.

149Familyhistorian
Déc 23, 2018, 2:58 pm

>147 jessibud2: The authors did make reference to a previous book they did together. It must have been good to judge by the response to The Cowkeeper's Wish. I had to read it quickly as it is a hold with others waiting for it. It was really well done, bringing in the wider history to the family story. Thanks for the recommendation, Shelley.

150Familyhistorian
Déc 23, 2018, 2:59 pm

>148 DeltaQueen50: It didn't sound mild as it was pouring down this morning, Judy. I hope that the winds remain calm for your boxing day ferry ride. Have a great Christmas!

151Familyhistorian
Déc 23, 2018, 3:04 pm

I'm off to the library to take back some of the books that have holds on them. There is still some time left on them but there are two large tomes as well as a bunch of smaller hard covers. I don't want to carry them all at the same time.

I wasn't able to go yesterday as I was volunteered to set up and take down an event that was being put on in our museum by another group. They had a children's event which included a story reading, sing and dance along and crafts. It was cute but a bit tiring as I walked to and from the event and carted around tables and chairs before and after the event.

152johnsimpson
Déc 23, 2018, 3:12 pm

Hi Meg, I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas from both Karen and I and send love and hugs for the season.

153Familyhistorian
Déc 23, 2018, 8:50 pm

>152 johnsimpson: Thanks to you and Karen, John. I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season.

154msf59
Déc 23, 2018, 9:19 pm



Have a great holiday, Meg. I am loving The Library Book. I have read many excellent NF titles this year but this could also make the cut.

155EBT1002
Déc 23, 2018, 11:07 pm

So sorry to hear about your cousin, Meg. As others have said, that is particularly hard during the holiday season.

Wishing you peace.



156Familyhistorian
Déc 24, 2018, 12:47 am

>154 msf59: Have a Merry Christmas, Mark. I hope you are continuing to enjoy The Library Book. I really enjoyed it.

157Familyhistorian
Déc 24, 2018, 12:47 am

>155 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, and thanks. I hope you have a good Christmas.

158Ameise1
Déc 24, 2018, 7:43 am

159lkernagh
Déc 24, 2018, 1:49 pm

Meg, my deepest condolences on the very sad family news. Never easy at any time of year and especially hard during the holidays. Wishing you and your loved ones a sense of peace this holiday season. May your 2019 be filled with peace, joy, health and happiness.


160Familyhistorian
Déc 24, 2018, 3:37 pm

>158 Ameise1: I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas too, Barbara.

>159 lkernagh: Thanks Lori. the best of the Holiday Season to you.

161jessibud2
Déc 24, 2018, 5:20 pm

>146 Familyhistorian: - Meg, apropos to nothing, but the names of the authors of the book were familiar to me and I just found the book I thought I had, that was written by them: The Occupied Garden. It's on my shelf though I have not yet read it. It will be interesting to see if it's as good as this one you just read.

162mdoris
Déc 24, 2018, 7:00 pm

All the best Meg for 2019 (lots of good reading) and hoping you have a very Merry Christmas!

163Familyhistorian
Déc 24, 2018, 11:18 pm

>161 jessibud2: Hi Shelley, my library has that book as well. It is also based on a family story but is based on family in war torn Holland so there may be a bit of a different tone to that story. According to the blurb Kristen den Hertog is an author which is probably part of the reason the book that I read was so good. Have a great Christmas!

164Familyhistorian
Déc 24, 2018, 11:20 pm

>162 mdoris: Happy holidays to you too, Mary, and all the best for the New Year!

165PaulCranswick
Déc 25, 2018, 3:09 am



Happy holidays, Meg

166Familyhistorian
Déc 25, 2018, 3:23 pm

>165 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

167Familyhistorian
Déc 26, 2018, 8:42 pm

I hope that everyone had a good Christmas. Right now I am trying to finish my challenge reading and also complete a lot of library books with holds on them that come due before the end of the year. There will be a lot of reviews upcoming.

168Familyhistorian
Déc 26, 2018, 9:06 pm

177. Murder in Music City by Michael Bishop

I admit it, I enjoy true crime books in which authors rehash the evidence of an old crime and come to their own conclusions about who did the dirty deed. A Murder in Music City was one of those books. This one was based on the murder of a young woman in Nashville who was murdered while visiting home from university. She was shot three times and her young brother slept through the event.

The author became obsessed by the crime and spent countless hours investigating it and tracking down people to interview. The book was the cumulation of his investigation and not only showed how determined he was to get to the truth but came to a convincing conclusion about what turned out to be more than one murder.

169Familyhistorian
Modifié : Déc 26, 2018, 11:58 pm

178. She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer

The subtitle for She Has Her Mother's Laugh is “The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity" and the author delves deeply into all things related. His subjects are wide ranging; from the genetic bases of PKU to the Nazi take on eugenics. It was an enthralling and, at times, disturbing look at the history of genetics and the further reaches of DNA in today's world. At times, it felt a bit over my head or maybe the amount of subject matter was overwhelming. It was a weighty tome in more ways than one.

170Familyhistorian
Déc 27, 2018, 12:08 am

179. Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America's Most Powerful Mobster by Stephen L. Carter

In Invisible Stephen Carter was telling a story about his grandmother, the formidable Eunice Hunton Carter. She lived at a time when women, especially black women, didn't spend much time pursuing careers. But Eunice was a determined woman who became a lawyer and a prominent spokesperson. It was her strategy that put Lucky Luciano behind bars. She was an ambitious woman but that ambition was thwarted and the rewards for her life of duty were dubious seen in hindsight.

171Familyhistorian
Déc 27, 2018, 12:12 am

My Santa Thing books came in time for Christmas this year. Some really did a good job on finding books that would suit me. They are:

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
The Ghost Tree by Barbara Erskine

172Familyhistorian
Déc 27, 2018, 1:17 am

180. Virgil Wander by Leif Enger

The story starts with Virgil Wander sailing off the road behind the wheel of his Pontiac. He plunged into the lake but was saved. The concussion he ended up with sent him off kilter and made him a danger to himself. He had to invite people into his life to help, something, it seems, his previous persona would not have done.

This was a strange and slightly unsettling look at small town life seen through the altered gaze of someone who was seeing it from a different angle despite the fact that he had lived there for much of his adult life. The people were quirky, the events that shaped their lives somewhat beyond their control but I found myself rooting for them nonetheless.

173BLBera
Déc 28, 2018, 11:16 am

I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season, Meg. You are certainly finding time to read! Virgil Wander is on my list for next year. Lots of LTers have been enthusiastic about it.

174Familyhistorian
Déc 29, 2018, 1:14 am

>173 BLBera: I have more books to finish than there are days left in the year, Beth. I had a whole bunch of library holds that are due really soon and I am trying to finish some challenges.

175msf59
Déc 29, 2018, 6:47 am

Happy Saturday, Meg. I will slowly be making my last LT rounds for 2018. I hope the book year treated you well. I had a great year, despite falling a few books shy of last year's total. I am working on my Best of the Year list and hope to post it tomorrow.

And hooray for Virgil Wander. That was definitely a recent favorite of mine.

176laytonwoman3rd
Déc 29, 2018, 10:54 am

>172 Familyhistorian: Virgil Wander is on my wishlist, and it's building up points to move it nearer the top.

177Familyhistorian
Modifié : Déc 29, 2018, 5:14 pm

>175 msf59: Hi Mark, 2018 isn't over yet and I am still finishing up some books but so far it has been a stellar reading year for me - 180 books posted so far and another 3 to post about. Looks like I will finish in the upper 180s for reads, so about 50 books more than last year!
Virgil Wander was a good one.

edited as touchstones not working

178Familyhistorian
Déc 29, 2018, 5:13 pm

>176 laytonwoman3rd: I think that you will like Virgil Wander, Linda. Have a Happy New Year.

179Familyhistorian
Déc 29, 2018, 8:06 pm

181. Travelers in the Third Reich: The Rise of Fascism: 1919-1945 by Julia Boyd

It is easy for us looking back on history to know the bigger picture of an era with war to come and one side to be judged in the wrong. How much harder was it for those who lived through the years prior to WWII to see what was happening around them and what was to come? Julia Boyd looks at this and the surprising number of visitors who spent their time in Germany prior to the outbreak of war and even those of foreign birth who spent the war years in the Germany of the Third Reich.

This was a well researched and compelling history of the outsiders who were drawn to Germany and the surprising number of parents who sent their offspring there for further schooling or life lessons. No one seems to have seen what was coming or what was happening behind closed doors.

180Familyhistorian
Déc 29, 2018, 11:37 pm

182. The Last Tycoon by F. Scot Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald's last book, one which he never got to finish, was The Last Tycoon. It was the story of a paternalistic movie producer, one of the old school. Work was his life until he met up with a woman he wanted. She married another man. This was not the only thing that was supposed to get in his way, at least according to Fitzgerald's outline of the plot. It was also supposed to be a clash between the old way of making movies and the new, resulting in a fight for control of the company.

The movie producer was the last tycoon, the last of the old school, who was being undermined by the forces against him both at work and as a result of his love affair with the woman who married another man. In his notes, Fitzgerald said the work was most like The Great Gatsby. I thought it was interesting to see the writer's process through the unfinished work and the notes that outlined the completion of the work and its themes.

181mdoris
Déc 30, 2018, 1:42 am

Meg, 182 books read in 2018! Wow, that is very impressive.

182Familyhistorian
Déc 30, 2018, 2:07 am

>181 mdoris: Thanks, Mary, but there are more to come. I didn't get around to writing about the last one I finished and I am working my way through a couple more.

183Ameise1
Modifié : Déc 30, 2018, 2:13 pm

Wow, you've read lots of books in 2018. Happy Sunday, Meg.

184Donna828
Déc 30, 2018, 12:37 pm

I have more books to finish than there are days left in the year"… Go, Meg, Go! You are having a fantastic reading year. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on books and for all the pictures of your beautiful locale. I look forward to following you in 2019. Happy New Year!

185BLBera
Déc 30, 2018, 12:47 pm

>179 Familyhistorian: This sounds really good, Meg.

Happy New Year! I look for more recommendations from you in 2019.

186Familyhistorian
Déc 30, 2018, 2:27 pm

>183 Ameise1: It was my first full year of retirement which might have had something to do with it, Barbara. I hope you have a good week and a Happy New Year.

187Familyhistorian
Déc 30, 2018, 2:28 pm

>184 Donna828: Hi Donna, and thanks. Happy New Year to you.

188Familyhistorian
Déc 30, 2018, 2:33 pm

>185 BLBera: Travelers in the Third Reich was well researched and very readable, Beth. I'm sure you would enjoy it. The author has a number of other nonfiction books to her credit. Most are set in Japan from the sounds of the titles.

Have a Happy New Year!

189Familyhistorian
Déc 30, 2018, 3:01 pm

183. Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves

Robert Graves' Goodbye to All That was a look at the era before, during and slightly after WWI. It was a soldier's view of the reality of fighting on the ground and in the trenches. The civilian parts of the memoir, the before and after parts showed what life was like for the upper middle classes in that far off time. A bit different from the world that my grandparents knew but one they would have recognized.

It has become a classic for its dipiction of that era, particularly of the life of the fighting British soldier. I thought it was particularly well done and it must have been hard for Graves to relive the times that he was writing about.

190Familyhistorian
Déc 30, 2018, 3:27 pm

184. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

The latest book for me in the Flavia de Luce series met the BAC challenge, at least I thought so. It was The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches. This one dealt with a death close to Flavia and life changing events as she learned some of the family secrets. There was rather less action than usual as it seemed to be more of a transition book setting up what is to come. From here Flavia will be sent away from her beloved Buckshaw to school in Toronto. The change of scene should prove interesting.

191FAMeulstee
Déc 31, 2018, 4:20 am

>189 Familyhistorian: Good review, Meg, added to mount TBR.

I have tmy next Flavia (book 4) on the list for next month :-)

192johnsimpson
Déc 31, 2018, 8:26 am

Hi Meg, we would like to wish you a very happy new year my dear and hope that 2019 is a good one, sending love and hugs to you from both of us dear friend.

193thornton37814
Déc 31, 2018, 11:07 am

194karenmarie
Déc 31, 2018, 1:30 pm

Hi Meg!



Wishing you a new year filled with joy, happiness, laughter, and all the wonderful books you could wish for.

195Familyhistorian
Déc 31, 2018, 4:43 pm

>191 FAMeulstee: Do you still have a mount TBR, Anita? At the rate you are reading I would think you are getting rid of any book piles. Enjoy your next Falvia when you get to it.

>192 johnsimpson: All the best in the New Year to you and Karen, John.

>193 thornton37814: Thanks Lori, I hope you have a Happy New Year!

>194 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, I hope you have a book filled 2019!

196Berly
Déc 31, 2018, 5:18 pm



Happy New Year's Eve!!

197brodiew2
Déc 31, 2018, 5:21 pm

198FAMeulstee
Déc 31, 2018, 7:14 pm

>195 Familyhistorian: Definitly still a mount TBR, Meg. As they keep publishing good books ;-)
The TBR stacks on the shelves are reduced.

199Familyhistorian
Déc 31, 2018, 7:42 pm

>196 Berly: Thanks Kim, I hope your New Year is a good one!

>197 brodiew2: Thanks Brodie, have a Happy New Year!

>198 FAMeulstee: At least the stacks are going in the right direction, Anita. Mine seem to increase all the time.

200Storeetllr
Jan 1, 2019, 11:15 am

201Familyhistorian
Jan 1, 2019, 4:44 pm

>200 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. I hope you have a great 2019. Happy New Year!