Nittnut's Art of Reading 2019 - Three

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Nittnut's Art of Reading 2019 - Three

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1nittnut
Modifié : Nov 29, 2019, 7:04 pm



Some early work by Miss M - just for fun. This is from her "Pigs" series, age 3-ish.

2nittnut
Nov 29, 2019, 6:28 pm

one

3nittnut
Modifié : Nov 29, 2019, 6:46 pm

I'm Jennifer. this is my 10th year on LibraryThing, and in the 75er group. I read in bed. Also at the pool, in restaurants, at the beach, but not in the car. I have been married 25 years to my best friend. He puts up with my reading addictions, mostly, although I am not allowed to read while watching sport. We have three children ages 21 (now reading in his own apartment), 15, and 13 and I often find them reading in bed after lights out. Success! We have lived in California, Oregon, Colorado, New Zealand, and now we live in North Carolina. When I'm not reading, I teach water fitness and run the women's service organization at my church.

4nittnut
Modifié : Jan 1, 2020, 5:55 pm



Challenges 2019

AAC (American Author Challenge)

January: Chaim Potok
February: Louisa May Alcott
March: Jon Clinch
April: Jesmyn Ward
May: Jay Parini
June: Pearl Buck
July: Founding Fathers (and Mothers)
August: Ernest J. Gaines
September: Leslie Marmon Silko
October: DRAMA
November: W. E. B. DuBois
December: Marilynne Robinson

Non-Fiction Challenge

January: Prizewinning books, and runners up.
February: Science and Technology: Innovations and Innovators.
March: True Crime, Misdemeanors and Justice, Past and Present Day
April: Comfort Reads: Whatever topic makes you feel warm & fuzzy inside.
May: History. In this case, my cutoff date is 1950.
June: The Pictures Have It! Any book that relies on pictures to tell the story, from an illustrated graphic text, to a book of photographs, to an art catalog.
July: Biography & First Person Yarns
August: Raw Materials: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
So, read a book that starts with animals, vegetables or minerals at its heart.
September: Books by Journalists. On ANY topic -- just check to be sure that the author is a journalist -- employed by a paper, writing freelance, past or present.
October: Other Worlds: From Spiritual to Fantastical
November: Creators and Creativity
December: I’ve Always Been Curious About…

5nittnut
Modifié : Nov 29, 2019, 7:13 pm

2018 Top Four



FINISHED!

January

1. Midnight Riot
2. The Chosen
3. The River Widow
4. Jade Dragon Mountain
5. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mewed
6. I'll Be Your Blue Sky
7. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place

February

8. Erasing Time
9. Winter of the Witch
10. Skyward
11. Carve the Mark
12. The Fates Divide
13. Whispering in French DON'T DO IT
14. A Civil Contract
15. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

March

16. I'll See You in Paris
17. Old Men at Midnight
18. Black Klansman
19. Guns, Germs and Steel
20. Isaac's Storm
21. The Christmas Hirelings
22. Kings of the Earth
23. Wholly Unraveled
24. Obstruction of Justice: How the Deep State Risked National Security
25. Where the Forest Meets the Stars
26. Rock Needs River
27. The Girl Who Drank the Moon
28. The Little Paris Bookshop
29. Navigating Early
30. The Magnolia Inn

April

31. In the Hurricane's Eye
32. The Bookshop
33. Bluefish
34. A Mind of Her Own
35. Britt-Marie Was Here
36. Five Feet Apart
37. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
38. The Coddling of the American Mind
39. The Forgotten Hours

May

40. The Winter King
41. Subverted: How I Helped the Sexual Revolution Hijack the Women's Movement
42. Ezaara
43. Dragon Hero
44. Dragon's Rift
45. The Well Trained Mind

June

46. The Lost: the Search for Six of Six Million
47. Holding Up the Universe
48. Daughter of the Forest
49. Son of the Shadows
50. Child of the Prophecy
51. Meet the Austins
52. The Mother
53. The Things We Do For Love

7nittnut
Modifié : Jan 1, 2020, 4:45 pm



Currently reading

Blue Latitudes
Oedipus the King

AAC Challenge

January - Chaim Potok - The Chosen
February - Louisa May Alcott - Little Men
March - John Clinch - Kings of the Earth
April - Jesmyn Ward - pass
May - Jay Parini - The Damascus Road - abandoned
June - Pearl Buck - The Mother
July - Founding Fathers and Mothers - On Liberty
August - Ernest J Gaines - The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
September - Leslie Marmon Silko - Ceremony
October - drama - Oedipus the King
November - du Bois The Souls of Black Folk
December - Marilynn Robinson - Home

Non-Fiction Challenge

January - Prizewinners/Runners Up - Guns, Germs and Steel
February - Science - Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
March - True Crime/Justice - Black Clansman
April - Comfort Reads - In the Hurricane's Eye
May - History (before 1950) - In the Garden of Beasts
June - skip
July - Biography - Lab Girl
August - Animal, Vegetable, Mineral - Spineless
September - Books by journalists - Blue Latitudes
October - Other Worlds - skip
November - Creativity -
December - I've always been curious - The Great Influenza

December Reading

96. Fup
97. New Moon
98. Eclipse
99. Breaking Dawn
100. The Souls of Black Folk
101. The Other Side of the Sun
102. A Question of Identity
103. The Soul of Discretion
104. The Comforts of Home
105. The Great Influenza
106. Oedipus the King
107. Faro's Daughter
108. Blue Latitudes
109. The Arrival
110. The Emperor's Soul

8mstrust
Nov 29, 2019, 7:05 pm

Is it safe to say happy new thread?

9Berly
Nov 29, 2019, 7:24 pm

Happy new thread!!! So close to 100.....!

10nittnut
Nov 29, 2019, 7:33 pm

>8 mstrust: Safe! Hi Jennifer :)

>9 Berly: Hi Kimberly! I know. I might make it. Love the thread photo.

11drneutron
Nov 29, 2019, 9:18 pm

Happy new thread!

12karenmarie
Nov 29, 2019, 10:30 pm

Happy new thread, Jenn!

Congrats on 95. 100 looms.

13avatiakh
Nov 30, 2019, 3:14 am

Happy new thread. I drove along the Kapiti Coast today.

14ronincats
Nov 30, 2019, 11:48 am

Happy New Thread, Jenn! You'll definitely hit 100 this year.

15figsfromthistle
Nov 30, 2019, 1:17 pm

Happy new thread!

16FAMeulstee
Nov 30, 2019, 3:23 pm

Happy new thread, Jenn!
>4 nittnut: I like this picture with all these book characters (I recognise most, not all) around the little reader.

17RebaRelishesReading
Nov 30, 2019, 5:16 pm

Happy new thread Jenn. I love "your face when someone says..." and "bookshelf" -- thanks for making me smile :)

18EBT1002
Nov 30, 2019, 6:30 pm

Hi Jenn and Happy New Thread! I also love the "your face when someone says..." meme. So perfect!

19nittnut
Modifié : Déc 10, 2019, 8:17 am

>11 drneutron: Hi Jim!

>12 karenmarie: Hi Karen!

>13 avatiakh: Well, that makes me a little "homesick". I hope it was a pretty day.

>14 ronincats: It's possible Roni, we will see.

>15 figsfromthistle: Thank you!

>16 FAMeulstee: It reminds me so much of all the books I read as a child. I am not sure they were raising me so much as protecting me from the (happy) chaos of having 4 younger brothers very close in age. :)

>17 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba! :)

>18 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! Nice to see you. That's the face I always make...

I had a lovely day Thursday. I picked up Karen (karenmarie) and then we went to have lunch and visit with Peggy (Lizzie). We met her darling mother, had delicious Thai for lunch and talked and talked. And forgot to take meetup photos. Whoops!

20nittnut
Déc 9, 2019, 3:38 pm

#96 Fup

This little gem came all the way from Christchurch!

A brief tale of a very old man and his grandson, and their duck. I kept forgetting it was set in Northern California as the flavor of the story was distinctly Southern. As in the Southern US, not Southern CA.

#97 New Moon
#98 Eclipse
#99 Breaking Dawn

Vampires and werewolves, Oh My. Finished the series with Miss M. I am rather impressed with her assessment of the relationships. I don't like it any better the second time through, but it wasn't awful.

Now it remains to be seen what book #100 will be.
Still reading Blue Latitudes, Oedipus the King and The Great Influenza, and listening to The Souls of Black Folk. I think Oedipus will be done first. Probably.

21nittnut
Déc 10, 2019, 9:06 am

Took Miss M to see Hamilton on Saturday. This is her Christmas present - she knows the musical front to back. It was fabulous.

22Berly
Déc 11, 2019, 10:10 pm

>21 nittnut: I am soooooo jealous!! How fun. : ) Merry Christmas!

23LizzieD
Modifié : Déc 11, 2019, 11:48 pm

>21 nittnut: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU BOTH!!!!! I'm thrilled for the two of you - the perfect gift! Meanwhile, I'm awed by your ability to read S. Meyer. Mother love is a powerful thing. Good for you, and good for Miss M to read them thoughtfully!
I'm still glowing from your visit. THANK YOU! (My mother is a darling, and I'm sorry she didn't get many words in edgewise as we book-talked.)

24nittnut
Déc 13, 2019, 2:40 pm

>22 Berly: It was really fun. I am happy Miss M loves it so much, or I probably would never have gone. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and have had Hamilton ear worm ever since. Lol

>23 LizzieD: Yes, mother love. I do many things for only that reason. Also, I have a terrible memory these days, so I couldn't discuss the books with her properly without review. Your mother was very patient with us. We will have to give her more opportunities to talk next time.

25nittnut
Déc 13, 2019, 2:58 pm

#100!!
The Souls of Black Folk

I listened to this on Audible.
The Souls of Black Folk is a collection of essays and one fictional short story. The essays range from historical analysis to sociology to anthropology. W.E.B. Du Bois made study of the condition of blacks in America his life's work. He made major contributions to the development of the NAACP and other organizations. In these essays, he discusses the failings of Reconstruction policy and the negative impact those failings had on race relations. He shows clearly the roots of the inadequacies of the criminal justice system, particularly in the South. Prior to the Civil War, the police or sheriff's deputies in the South existed primarily to manage the slave population. This did not change materially after the war, and it is easy to see how some areas continue to struggle to reform. I learned so much, and I have a lot to think about. I feel inadequate to the task of reviewing this. I do believe it's a very important thing to read.

#101 The Other Side of the Sun

I have been exploring more Madeline L'Engle. This story takes place in South Carolina sometime prior to the 1st World War. A young English girl marries a Southern boy. He works for the foreign service and is sent off on an errand. His new wife travels alone to meet his family on the Carolina coast. The good: L'Engle creates atmosphere like nobody else, the tension is palpable, it is easy to feel sympathy for some characters and distrust of others. The not so good: I felt like I had accidentally started a family saga in the middle, the story moves along and then suddenly peaks and ends in a great hurry, and it was unsatisfactory. This was just OK.

Currently reading Blue Latitudes, The Great Influenza and A Question of Identity

26nittnut
Déc 13, 2019, 2:58 pm

Also - Mr. E is an Eagle Scout! We are very proud of him.

27LizzieD
Déc 13, 2019, 11:51 pm

Mr. E is FORMIDABLE!!!! So is his mother.
You make me almost want to put down everything else and read Blue Latitudes.

28karenmarie
Déc 14, 2019, 8:20 am

Yay for Hamilton, agree about giving Peggy's mama more opportunities to talk. And yay for Eagle Scout for Mr. E.

Blue Latitudes is staring at me right now. If I get The Sentence is Death for Christmas today from Cousin Rebecca like I anticipate doing, I could start reading a Horwitz and Horowitz at the same time!

I agree with Peggy - you are formidable! Among other wonderful traits...

29figsfromthistle
Déc 14, 2019, 8:28 am

Congrats on reading 100 books!

Have a wonderful weekend :)

30cushlareads
Déc 14, 2019, 1:37 pm

Hi Jenn. Happy to read that you had an LT meetup even if it was not with me!
Lovely photo of you and M upthread. I am the last person to discover Hamilton - I know it's popular over here as well. Will hunt it down on Spotify.

31PaulCranswick
Déc 14, 2019, 11:09 pm

A very belated stop by your new thread to provide salutations and wish you a happy weekend, Jenn.

32nittnut
Déc 16, 2019, 11:42 am

>27 LizzieD: Thanks Peggy!! I can't decide about Blue Latitudes. Right now I have set it aside for Simon Serrailler. I got a little tired of Mr. Horowitz's visit to Tahiti and his dwelling upon certain aspects of life there in Cook's day and now. Sigh.

>28 karenmarie: Horowitz/Horowitz sounds like a challenge. :) See above for my feelings about Blue Latitudes atm. I may skip this chapter and pick it back up post-Tahiti...

>29 figsfromthistle: Thank you!! I did have a lovely weekend. We finally got the Christmas tree up. The house is a tip now, but we will get it back together eventually.

>30 cushlareads: Hi Cushla! I'd love a meetup with you. We've been trying to arrange it for a year, maybe this year will be the lucky one.

>31 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Salutations right back. :)

33nittnut
Déc 16, 2019, 9:16 pm

#102 A Question of Identity
#103 The Soul of Discretion

Getting caught up with Simon.

34LizzieD
Déc 16, 2019, 10:54 pm

WHoo! Hooo! Getting caught up with Simon is a good thing, I think. The bad part is the waiting for the next one. Oh well.
Congrats on getting the tree up too! *sigh* DH did get Mama's wreath (of magnolia leaves) up. I think it's lovely.

35Familyhistorian
Déc 19, 2019, 2:17 pm

Belated congrats on reading 100 and with a significant book too! I have been seeing quite a few references to W.E.B Du Bois lately, showing that his writing is still relevant today.

36mstrust
Déc 19, 2019, 2:17 pm

Congratulations on passing 100!

37ChelleBearss
Déc 23, 2019, 2:49 pm



Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

38SandDune
Déc 24, 2019, 2:55 am



Or in other words, Happy Christmas! And have a great New Year as well.

39karenmarie
Déc 24, 2019, 1:27 pm


40Donna828
Déc 24, 2019, 1:51 pm

Hi Jenn. Nice work reading over 100 books! I know raising kids takes lots of time so that shows real commitment…or perhaps a means to save your sanity. Just kidding. You have great kids. Will Jonah be home for Christmas?

41nittnut
Déc 25, 2019, 3:59 pm


Merry Christmas from North Carolina!

42nittnut
Modifié : Déc 25, 2019, 4:12 pm

>34 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Got busy in RL! I have one more Simon book to add, then I will be waiting for the next one. Sigh.

>35 Familyhistorian: Thanks! I would agree. A lot of what his essays said felt relevant. It is always interesting hearing opposing points of view. I had heard more of the Booker T Washington side of things previously, but much of what duBois said made a lot of sense to me as well.

>36 mstrust: Thanks! I wasn't sure I'd get there this year...

>37 ChelleBearss: >38 SandDune: >39 karenmarie: Thank you and Merry Christmas to you!

>40 Donna828: Hi Donna! No Jonah for Christmas this year. He didn't want to travel during the holidays. He is hopefully coming for Eli's Eagle Court of Honor in January. We will see. We have had a quiet, sleepy Christmas, but a nice one. Reading is absolutely for my sanity! Lol

43nittnut
Déc 25, 2019, 4:12 pm

#104 The Comforts of Home

#105 The Great Influenza

Not just about the influenza pandemic of 1918-1920, this book covers the development of modern medical practice and laboratory science in America. The disease itself, the men and women who sought to identify it and find a cure, their mistakes and their successes are all covered in this book. An Excellent read.

#106 Oedipus the King

Just as awful as I remembered...

#107 Faro's Daughter

Light and fun as always!

Still reading Blue Latitudes

44ronincats
Déc 25, 2019, 6:29 pm

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, some other tradition or none at all, this is what I wish for you!

45PaulCranswick
Déc 25, 2019, 9:27 pm



Thank you for keeping me company in 2019.......onward to 2020.

46LizzieD
Déc 25, 2019, 11:59 pm

Peace and Hope and Joy and Love to you and your family, dear Jenn! I hope that your Christmas day was wonderful and that you'll continue to celebrate this Christmastide!

47AMQS
Déc 26, 2019, 2:01 am




Merry Christmas to you and your family!

48The_Hibernator
Déc 26, 2019, 12:58 pm

Hi Jenn! Love the pigs! Hope you had a Merry Christmas. See you in 2020!

49Berly
Déc 27, 2019, 12:07 am

Best wishes this holiday season!! See you in 2020!


50nittnut
Déc 31, 2019, 1:39 pm

Thanks for the season's greetings! I am wrapping things up today with two more reads.

#108 Blue Latitudes

It turned out to be a lot of work to get through this book. Horwitz follows the voyages of Captain James Cook and hypothesizes about how it might have been. Horwitz is mostly irreverent and a little snide, with occasional flashes of insight. I was generally disappointed.

#109 The Arrival

A gorgeous graphic novel depicting what it might feel like to be an immigrant. A man leaves his family and arrives on what feels like another planet, where everything is strange, and a little frightening. It is sad and hopeful all at once. Highly recommended.

I am reading On Liberty and Fear No Evil, but I am sure I will not finish either one tonight. :)

51karenmarie
Déc 31, 2019, 10:30 pm

Happy New Year, Jenn! So glad you moved to NC three years ago and that we could become RL LT friends!

52nittnut
Jan 1, 2020, 4:44 pm

>51 karenmarie: Me too!!

I forgot one book!

#110 The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson

Held up well for a second read. Very creative and enjoyable.