Donna Reads Through A New Decade (2)

I hope we all stay safe during the troubled times we are living through. I’m using my days at home to reflect on my blessings and to read as many of the neglected books on my shelves as I can.

Keep Calm and Read More Books!

Rating Scale
5 Stars - Superb
4.5* Excellent
4* Very Good
3.5* Good
3* Okay
2.5* Fair



Books Read in June:
44. Happiness by Amanatta Forna. 4.2* Comments
45. The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. 3.8* Comments
46. This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell. 4* Comments.
47. When All Is Said by Anne Griffin. 4.2* Comments.
48. The Friend by Sigrid Nunez. 3.8* Comments.
49. A Good Man by Guy Vanderhaeghe. 3.7* Comments.
50. The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea. 4.5* Comments❤️
51. Blood Hollow by Wm. Kent Krueger. 3.5* Comments.
52. I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron. 3.5* Comments
53. Greenwood by Michael Christie. 4.3* Review.❤️
3,508 pp.

Books Read in May:
35. Dancing in the Streets by Barbara Ehrenreich. 3.5* Comments
36. Birds Without Wings by Louis De Bernieres. 4.8* Review❤️
37. After the Fire by Henning Mankell. 4.7* Comments❤️
38. Clock Dance by Anne Tyler. 3.3* Comments
39. Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran. 3* Comments
40. Claire DeWitt and The Bohemian Highway by Sara Gran. 2.7* Comments.
41. The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz. 3.8* Comments.
42. Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie. 4* Comments.
43. Where the Light Enters by Sara Donati. 3.8* Comments.
3,677 pp.

Books Read in April:
27. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith. 3.5* Comments
28. Dirt Music by Tim Winton. 4* Comments
29. The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey. 3.3 * Comments
30. Paradise Reclaimed by Halldor Laxness. 2.8* Comments
31. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. 4.1* Comments
32. Little Big Man by Thomas Berger. 4.5* Comments❤️
33. A Fire Sparkling by Julianne Maclean. 2.8 * Comments
34. The View From Castle Rock by Alice Munro. 4* Comments.
3,347 pp.

10,533 pages read in second quarter.
20,103 pages read in first half of 2020.
I’m well on my way to my yearly goal of reading 100 books and 30,000 pages.📚

January Reading:
1. The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld. 4* Comments
2. Norwegian By Night by Derek B. Miller. 4.3* Comments❤️
3. Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane. 3.2* Comments
4. The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. 4* Comments
5. The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane. Comments
6. To Die But Once by Jacqueline Winspear. 3* Comments
7. The Huntress by Kate Quinn. 3.5* Comments
8. Marley by Jon Clinch. 3.5* Comments
9. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths. 3.5* Comments.
3,083 pp. read

February Reading:
10. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett. 3.5 * Comments
11. The Sacrament by Olaf Olafsson. 3.7* Comments
12. Underland by Robert Macfarlane. 4* Comments
13. The World Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagame. 3.8* Comments
14. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. 4* Comments
15. Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger. 3.9* Comments
16. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald (audio). 2.8* Comments
17. Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles. 4.1* Comments.❤️
3,131 pp.

March Reading:
18. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. 3.7* Comments
19. A Dangerous Crossing by Ausma Zehanat Khan, 4* Comments
20. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin. 4.2* Comments
21. The Nightingaleby Kristin Hannah. 4.2* Comments
22. The Fall of Light by Niall Williams. 4.5* Review❤️
23. The Story Hour by Thrity Umrigar. 3.7* Comments
24. The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel. 4.2 * Comments
25. Lost in Translation by Ella Frances Sanders. 3.5* Comments
26. Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener. 3.7 * Comments.
3,356 pp.

9,570 pages read in first quarter.

1. Marley
2. The Island of Sea Women
4. When All is Said
8. A Manual for Cleaning Women
11. Burnt Shadows
14. Where the Light Enters
15. Tales of the South Pacific
16. The Crossing Places
17. The World's Strongest Librarian
18. The Huntress
20. The Game of Kings
21. The Mirror & the Light
24. The Word is Murder
25. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

My 5-star Books of the 21st Century
2000: Plainsong, Dr. Zhivago
2001: The Shipping News (reread)
2002: Possession, The Brothers K
2003: East of Eden
2004: Gilead, The Good Earth
2005:
2006:
2007: Half Of A Yellow Sun
2008:
2009: Cutting for Stone

2010: The House of the Spirits, Grapes of Wrath (reread), Light in August,
My Reading Life, The Moonflower Vine
2011: Lonesome Dove, Sea of Poppies
2012: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (reread), The Garden of Evening Mists, The Great Divorce
2013: A Place of Greater Safety, Invisible Man
2014:
2015:
2016: In Cold Blood, When Breath Becomes Air, A Gentleman in Moscow
2017: War and Turpentine
2018: The Overstory
2019: History of the Rain
2020:


Are all of these books "masterpieces"? Absolutely not. My criteria for a 5-star book may be different from others. For me, a book has to touch an emotional nerve or make a soulful connection in order to get the full five stars. They are also books that I want to read again someday. Granted, ratings can be swayed by mood or what's going on in my life (apparently not much in those blank years!). I am just listing the books as I recorded them here on LT after I read them. And, yes, I did rate my books before LT. ;-)

I'll have to come back and see how you fill in all those posts!! LOL

Happy new thread. : )

Happy new thread, Donna. I love your topper!

Thank goodness for good books!

Happy new thread Donna and a big WOW for all those wonderful books you have read this year listed in >3 Donna828:. ❤️the ❤️s!

>6 Berly: Thanks, Kim. I was doing laundry at the same time as creating my new thread so it took me awhile.

>7 BLBera: My topper came from someone on Facebook. I have been spending way too much time there these days, mostly watching cute videos of puppies and kittens. I agree with "Thank goodness for books!"

>8 mdoris: Those hearts are my favorite books of the month, Mary. So far no 5-star books for me, but the year is young. It looks like all my reads have been in the "good" and "better" categories. No stinkers in the bunch! Oh, wait…I give up on those books...

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Donna!

Happy new thread!

Your topper make me laugh.

Happy New Thread, Donna! I've read Tales of the South Pacific, Iberia, Texas, Covenant and Hawaii by Michener and definitely learned something from all of them. It was very interesting how the storyline of the South Pacific musical was stitched together from the separate vignettes in the book.

Happy New Thread, Donna. xx

Happy New Thread, Donna! Hope all's well in Puerto Backyarda. Still chilly in Cabo San Deckas but it'll be warmer next week for some reading under el sol :0)

Happy new thread! Shamelessly stealing the topper...

Happy new thread!

Hi Donna and happy new thread. I love Puerto Backyarda and Los Livingroom!

From your previous thread: I didn’t know the South Pacific songs well enough to embarrass myself by singing out loud, but enjoyed it very much. Oh yes, thoroughness - I read Hawaii in high school and remember loving the first 100 or so pages when he wrote about the underwater volcano activity that built the islands. Everybody thought I was crazy to like that part of the book. I don’t see my favorite on your list - The Source – one of my few 5* reads.

Sweet Thursday, Donna! Happy New Thread! Love the topper! Finally getting a sunny day here, so I plan on getting out for a walk or two, on my day off.

Happy new thread, Donna!

Using my backyard more than usual, glad to have upstairs too ;-)

Haha, I missed the topper somehow. I'm stealing it too.

"Puerta Backyarda" made me laugh!! Then I was struck again about how similar our reading taste often is as you listed some of my all-time favorites in your best of the 21st century: Gilead, Lonesome Dove, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and especially When Breath Becomes Air.

Guess I'd better get going on The Overstory -- it's been in Mt TBR for ages.

Yay for more visitors!

>10 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori.
>11 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary. Hope all is still well in NY.
>12 figsfromthistle: Mission accomplished, Anita.
>13 ronincats: Hi Roni, I felt the same about creating the musical from bits and parts of Tales of the South Pacific. A Tragedy could have been assembled from the more somber vignettes.

So far, so good, at least in our house. I posted some new pics on my thread as proof. :)

>14 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. Keep hanging in there.
>15 Carmenere: Thanks for the smile, Lynda. I’m glad it’s spring so we can retreat to the exotic locales of our great outdoors.
>16 drneutron: No shame, Jim. I stole it from a FB friend.
>17 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. Sending virtual hugs to your sweet girls. I miss my grands!
>18 karenmarie: I wish I had The Source on my shelves, Karen. I’ve heard it is one of Michener’s bests.

>19 msf59: it’s a sunny but windy day here, Mark. I think some showers will blow in later today. Enjoy your day off.
>20 FAMeulstee: It’s good to get outside, Anita. Happy Spring!
>21 Storeetllr: >24 Storeetllr: Steal away, Mary. I’ll be over soon to check out your latest pics.
>22 RebaRelishesReading: We do share similar taste in books, Reba. I love getting recommendations from you because they’re always spot on. The Overstory started out slowly for me. Be sure to stick with it. So good.

Saw this tweet this morning. Haven't verified all the info yet. I did hear that Georgia's governor has finally instituted a shelter-in-place order. Didn't verify that yet either.

Our governor is getting a lot of pressure to do the same. I’ll be glad when all the states are green.

Happy new thread, Donna! Hope you're keeping well even as it's frustrating not being able to go anywhere.

>25 Donna828: If you read e-books, you might want to check out the National Emergency Library.

The Source is available.

>26 Donna828: Thanks Donna. I'll remember your advice with The Overstory. I need to get it read before the next Pulitzer is announced so, SOON!

I heard your governor is going to issue an order--but it won't take effect until after the weekend!

>9 Donna828: I LOVE the topper, now that I can see it!! The Overstory is right in my TBR soon pile, by my nightstand. : )

Hi Donna. I love the topper. We are still waiting for it to get warm enough to spend some of these Stay Home Stay Healthy days in our back yard. Today we finally got into the low 50s and they are projecting some 60s for us next week. I can hardly wait! It will help to get out of the house even if only to the back deck. I'll also enjoy sitting on the front porch watching humans walking by with their canines. :-)

I agree that I'll be happy when all the states are green. We have started flattening the curve in the state of Washington but I believe those who are saying that we're all dependent on one another in this effort -- the "starting point" will be the day everyone settles in and agrees to deprive this virus of its pathways.

Tough times. Hang in there and stay safe.

The Overstory was a five-star read for me.

Have a lovely, peaceful, safe and healthy weekend, Donna.

>29 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Frustrating is right. The weekend readathons are a good idea during this time. I've been busy all day but will get back over there fairly soon.

>30 karenmarie: I've heard about that, Karen, but haven't had a book emergency yet. I don't do many e-books. I think I read one last year. haha.

>31 RebaRelishesReading: I hope you like it, Reba. Reminds me that I want to read more by Richard Powers.

>32 ronincats: Hi Roni. It's good to be almost-green! We are lucky not to be in a hot zone, but I do think that precautions are necessary. I'm trying to have a week end free from Covid-19 news. I worry enough during the week. Ha!

>33 Berly: Puerto Backyarda has been closed for the past few days because of rain and cold temperatures, Kim. I will be out there in a day or two when the 70s weather returns. Sooo close on The Overstory. I hope you get to it soon.

>34 EBT1002: Ellen, we have had a big increase in the number of walkers in our neighborhood. I love sitting on my front porch and waving! I'm glad to see the curve flattening in Washington. Still waiting for a spike in Missouri, we've been extremely lucky so far. Yay for 5 stars on The Overstory. I loved that book.

>35 PaulCranswick: We are well here in the heartland of the US, Paul. I'm not even too stir-crazy, but then I'm a homebody so isolation is not a big deal to me. I even learned how to play bridge with my group online. I miss my other card group and my book group and lunch with friends. Thanks for checking in with this shut-in. ;-)

Book No. 27: The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith. Mine, 456 pp., 3.5 stars.

"Strike could not rid himself of the unreasonable conviction that he ought somehow to have smelled the scene from afar, like the carrion bird he had trained to be. How had he--with his once-notorious instinct for the strange, the dangerous, the suspicious--not realized that the noisy, self-dramatizing, self-publicising Quine had been gone too long, that he was too silent?" (150)

When the unassuming Mrs. Quine reports that her husband has gone missing, Cormoran Strike takes the case which turns out to be more than he was expecting. It seems that Owen Quine is a womanizer who has frequent absences from home. He is also an author who has just released a very controversial book that makes the London literary scene very upset with him. It's the explicit descriptions in Bombyx Mori (a silkworm) and the grisly state of the corpse that appear about a quarter of the way into the book that almost made me give up reading. However, I persevered because I like Cormoran and his "secretary" Robin too much to let my squeamishness keep me from finding out what happened. I'm glad I continued with the book. It's a pretty good whodunit and I look forward to reading more in the series.

Hi Donna, stopping by to get caught up. Yes, these are troubled times that we are living in right now. Glad to learn that you and family are staying safe and healthy.

Okay, I'll bite. How are you playing bridge with your friends online? My mom will want to know, as long as it doesn't require much technical expertise!

>38 Donna828: It's a great series!

Robin's character gets even better in the next one ;)

>38 Donna828: I really want to read that series. I must get to it soon.

Happy new-ish thread, Donna!

>39 lkernagh: Thanks for the visit, Lori. It’s a sunny morning here in Missouri. I can see some outside reading getting done as the day warms up.

>40 ronincats: Hi Roni. The bridge site is BridgeBaseOnline. Users do need to sign up and choose a password. Most of the games are free. Your mother might enjoy playing with 3 robots to get used to it. There are open games, although I’ve never played with strangers. One of my friends usually sets up a game, then invites 3 others to play. From that point on, it’s regular bridge for as long or as little as we all want to play. There are paid tournaments but unless your mother puts money in her BBO account, she won’t be able to play in those. Some of the robot tournaments are priced at a dollar or less. I have played in those. To earn master points, it gets pricier. That’s about all I know.

>41 figsfromthistle: Anita, I enjoy the chemistry between Robin and Cormoran, even though at this point they don’t realize there is any chemistry. ;-)

>42 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. You would enjoy the Galbraith books. They drink lots of tea!

Happy newish thread, Donna. I hope your weather warmed up so that you can expand your travels to Puerto Backyarda. Our weather here is warming up and the walking trails are busier than I've ever seen them.

Waving at you from a distance, Donna.

Wave! We are having lots of lovely weather, and our time is mostly Puerto Backyarda, but it's not vacation-y. So. Much. Yard. Work. But it looks amazing! I am glad you're well and have lots of books to read. :)

>1 Donna828: Love it! We’ve had some great weather the last few days so I’ve been enjoying my sunny patio. Snow and cold coming in time for Easter though (oh, Colorado, you’re so predictable).

I’m glad to see Missouri staying home! Colorado has been at it for a few weeks now. We also all howl at 8pm every night, in support of health care workers and to let the “pack” know we’re all in this together. It’s kind of nice, actually!

I’m also curious how you play bridge remotely. We played Scattergories with Chris the other night and will play a revised version of Trivial Pursuit soon. Tonight he’s watching a horror movie on Netflix with his Denver friends using an add-on that lets them watch as a group remotely. Humans adapt.

Stay well!

I'm always happy to have visitors here.

>45 Familyhistorian: Puerto Backyarda has been in the 80s the past few days. It's cooler today and we're expecting temps in the low 30s on Easter morning. It's Spring in The Ozarks. Lots of walkers here, too, Meg. I love to see the families out walking together. I didn't realize we had so many children in our neighborhood.

>46 BLBera: Waving back, Beth. I guess the wave is the new hug!

>47 nittnut: Another wave! I saw on your thread that you're not a hugger, Jenn. I am one and miss hugging my friends and family. I hear you about the yard work. I do a little bit and then settle down with a good book. I learned the hard way after digging wild onions for several hours and having sore legs for three days after that.

>48 Copperskye: Joanne, I might join you in the howling ritual out of sheer boredom. I hope the neighbors don't call the people from the funny farm. But at least then I would be around some interesting people. My online games are a lot of fun even in non-social-isolating times. My favorite word game is called Word Chums. Check it out if you're a Scrabble fan. It's better than scrabble because I can play a lot of games one after the other and don't have to wait through that "thinking" time. Take care friend.

Book No. 28: Dirt Music by Tim Winton. Mine, 402 pp., 4 stars.

"So what did you play?
Guitar.
I mean, what kind of music?
Oh, I dunno. All kinds, I spose. Anythin you could play on a verandah. You know, without electricity. Dirt Music." (81

I like this book but I'm not recommending it for all readers. The lack of quotation marks might turn off some. And it's pretty slow. Many reviews label it as "boring". To me, it is more introspective, one of my favorite kinds of books.

The two star-crossed lovers in this book are an unlikely pair. Georgie is married to a wealthy fisherman in a fairly isolated Australian location. Lu is a poacher. They share some instant chemistry with some passionate lovemaking, not the usual sort of thing I enjoy reading. It just feels right, though, because Georgie and Jim have a marriage of convenience. He needed a stepmother for his two boys and she needed a place to live. It would be difficult to give away the story because the author does a very good job of not revealing the motives behind this love triangle. I just loved the setting of rural Australia and the spare writing that leaves much to the imagination.

Hi Donna, I am doing the rounds, visiting threads after some time away. I can understand how this Easter is going to seem so different. Typically, if I fly home to be with family at this time, we all go out for Easter brunch, put on each year by the same hotel. A rather big event as the hotel has three seatings to accomodate the demand. No brunch this year. No trip home, either, but I was just there last month, so there is that at least.

Take care, stay safe and remain healthy.

>51 Donna828: Hi Donna - your review of Dirt Music really intrigues me. I recently read Winton's The Shepherd's Hut after listening to a terrific Australian podcast called "Books on the Go." I really liked it, and have been thinking about reading more of his books - he's so well known there but less so in the US. Thanks for the nudge!

>52 lkernagh: Lori, no Easter festivities for us either. We usually host a family dinner followed by an Easter Egg Hunt for the kiddos. This year it will be online church and maybe a drive to the Conservation Center for a walk on the scenic trails. Just the two of us. *sigh*
You stay safe, too.

>53 vivians: Vivian, I will be reading more by Winton as well. I read The Riders years ago, although I don’t remember much about it. I have a fat copy of Cloudstreet that may be calling my name soon. I tend to love all the Aussie books I’ve read. Kate Grenville comes to mind.

Well, the bridge site didn't work out as half of my mother's group do not have computers! But thanks for the info.

>55 ronincats: Oh Roni, that’s too bad because it’s a good way to spend an afternoon. I enjoy it because I can concentrate better online. There is too much moving around and chit-chat at the studio to distract me. Are you and your husband still playing?

>54 Donna828: Kate Grenville....swoon.

I've wanted to read something by Tim Winston for awhile Donna. Not sure if this is the one but I'm going to look into his writing more.

hi Donna! It's very cool that you are playing bridge with friends on line.

I had The Shepherd's Hut by Tim Winton from the library a couple of months ago but I didn't get to it before it had to be returned. I'll have to put it back on hold.

I wanted my message this year to be fairly universal in a time we all should be pulling together, whatever our beliefs. Happy Celebration, Happy Sunday, Donna.

Happy Easter, Donna!

Happy Easter, Donna

Happy Easter, Donna! Hope you and your family are all doing well.

>57 brenzi: I think you will like Tim Winton, Bonnie, but I’m not convinced this is the book to start with either. It was pretty slow, even for me.

>58 EBT1002: Bridge online is a great way to practice and keep up with friends. Win-win, Ellen. I’ll be looking for some more Tim Winton books after the library reopens. I’ll probably read my own copy of Cloudstreet first, though.

Thank you Paul, Chelle, Reba, and Anne for the Easter wishes. I’ll take the opportunity to wish the same right back to you and to anyone else who wanders through.

It was a strange day. I managed to go to church online after I figured out how to use the wifi hotspot on my phone. Our TV cable and internet are both MIA with uncertainty about when they will be restored. Our local provider has a protocol against repairmen entering homes right now. Hmmm...

We had some visitors this afternoon! Our son, DIL, and Haley and Molly dropped by with Easter gifts and some 6-foot social distancing love. Maverick, the Golden Retriever, didn’t adhere to the guidelines, however. I hadn’t seen them in over a month so I’ve been on Cloud9 ever since.

Book No. 29: The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey. Mine, 460 pp., 3.3 stars

I wasn’t so sure about this one in the beginning. It started out like the story of Little Orphan Annie until it morphed into a retelling of Jane Eyre. That’s what I get for not reading the back covers of books! It reminded me so much of the books I devoured as a 12-year-old that I was quite enjoying the trip down memory lane. I loved the descriptions of the Orkney Islands of Scotland and Gemma’s trip to find her roots in Iceland, but the romance not so much. It was an adequate diversional book, though, now I’m ready for something with more substance.

>63 Donna828: Sounds like a lovely Easter, Donna!

It was a great Easter, Reba.

I’m a little tired of being in the dark ages, though. A new modem didn’t help our lack of TV and wifi. I’m grateful for my iPhone but it makes it hard to post the books I’ve been reading. With no TV, there is nothing else to do but read. Not a huge problem for me, but my DH is suffering.

Book No. 30: Paradise Reclaimed by Halldor Laxness. Mine, 304 pp., 2.8 stars.

Steiner is a 19th Century Icelandic farmer who leaves his family and well-tended small farm behind to emigrate to Utah in search of the promised land. The catalyst for this strange behavior of a happily married man with two children he adores is the 1,000-year-anniversary of the settlement of Iceland. There are elements of folklore and references to the Icelandic Sagas that went over my head. I think I needed more background information to make sense of this book.

Hi, Donna. I hope you had a good holiday weekend. Good review of Dirt Music. I have only read one of his and he is a good fit for me. I think I have one or two Winton's on shelf. Need to check.

>66 Donna828: I'm sorry about the technological issues, Donna. I, too am fine with books, but my DH would also suffer.

Hope you get your technology sorted out soon, Donna. We live in a building with 70+ units, about half of which are occupied by young people and I'm guessing most of them are working from home right now because our cable is noticeably slower than usual -- but at least it still works :)

I hope you get the technology sorted soon, Donna. Talk about bad timing. I read The Flight of Gemma Hardy years ago and remember liking it, but not much more.

I need to read some Laxness.

>68 msf59: Thanks for the visit, Mark. Winton is a good fit for me as well. I will be reading Cloudstreet in the near future.

>69 karenmarie: We got our tech issues resolved yesterday afternoon, Karen. This looks to be a much better weekend for us. DH is happy again.

>70 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I was able to access the internet through the hotspot on my iPhone. I would have been bereft without that. The only good thing about being without TV is that I may have broken my news junkie habit. Lol.

>71 BLBera: Hi Beth, please don't start your Laxness reading with Paradise Reclaimed. I liked both Independent People and The Fish Can Sing. Either one of those would be a good one to begin with. Enjoy your weekend!

Book No. 31: Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. Mine, 495 pp., 4.1 star.

"You read and you read and you feel the pages slipping through your fingers until suddenly there are fewer in your right hand than there are in your left and you want to slow down but you still hurtle on towards a conclusion you can hardly bear to discover. That is the particular power of the whodunnit…" (182)

I am not a huge mystery fan, but occasionally I want to read one because I know I will get lost in the story, especially if it's set in England like this one. MM grabbed me from the beginning when I realized it was a book within a book told through the eyes of a literary agent. It turned out to be even more artful than I thought when Susan Ryeland deconstructs the mystery book she was editing to look for clues as to what might have happened to the author. It was a very clever premise, but I couldn't help thinking that I was being played by Mr. Horowitz and that he was having the last laugh at the readers' expense. Still, an absorbing and fun read which will probably be greater appreciated by the true lover of detective fiction.

>73 Donna828: I find I'm watching less and less news as this progresses too. The first day or two when we really didn't know what services would keep going I suddenly had a panicked thought "what if we lose power then in a day or so we won't have any way of knowing what's going on!!!" so I ordered a little portable solar charger (meant for camping I think) so we could at least keep our phones charged :) I learned later that the power company had quarantined 10 volunteer staff members who were to be there 24-7 and be sure things kept working.

>75 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, that solar power charger sounds like a good gadget to have. You never know when a cataclysmic event is going to occur. Whoever thought we'd be quarantining ourselves for weeks…and weeks. I find myself getting nervous these days whenever we have a thunderstorm. This is the second time in a 6-month span that we've had to replace modems and Tivo boxes. No explanation from our cable company as to why it happens to us and not our neighbors. I'm grateful that all is working now.

Hi Donna, hope all's well in your neck of the woods. i'm doing some lovely light reading right now with Alexander McCall Smith and a book that takes place in Edinburgh. He does understand human nature!

Book No. 32: Little Big Man by Thomas Berger. Mine, 440 pp., 4.5 stars.

"This boy's medicine comes from the vision of Little Man. He is himself little and he is now a man. But his heart is big. Therefore his name from now on shall be Little Big Man." (72)

I'm so glad I pulled down this 25th anniversary book (written in 1964) for my next self-quarantine read. It wasn't easy because it was on the top shelf, but it was worth risking life and limb. This is the fictionalized account of Jack Crabb, who was kidnapped by the Cheyenne Indians after his family was attacked on their way to Salt Lake City in the mid-1800s. He was only 10-years-old at the time, an impressionable and formative age. He spent five years with the "Human Beings" as the Cheyenne called themselves when he was rescued by white soldiers and went to live in Missouri with a new family.

I won't go into all his adventures. Just know that Jack lived 111 years and was being interviewed by a journalist. The entire book is a monologue about his adventures bouncing between the life of a Native American and a white man in the wild west. His story was a little like listening to Forrest Gump as he interacted with famous men like Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok, and his nemesis, General George Armstrong Custer. The book was a combination of entertainment and historical fiction. I don't think Jack ever fit in very well in either of the worlds he lived in, but his stream-of-consciousness voice was informative and accepting of whatever conditions he was living under. I liked the portrayal of his adopted Cheyenne father, Old Lodge Skins, and his view of life: "The buffalo eats grass, I eat him, and when I die, the earth eats me and sprouts more grass. Therefore, nothing is ever lost, and each thing is everything forever." (433)

If you enjoy western fiction, you should read this book. It holds its own and deserves its place with some of my other favorites in this genre such as Lonesome Dove, True Grit, and Son of the Morning Star.

>77 mdoris: Hi Mary. You know, I've never ready anything by Alexandar McCall Smith. I don't seem to have many light books in my home library. I will be so glad when I can access the county library again and will keep him in mind. I hope everything is well with you and your family.

Little Big Man should ring my bell Donna as Lonesome Dove is my all-time favorite book so I will look for it. You might like Guy Vanderhaeghe. I've read two of his westerns, The Last Crossing and A Good Man and they were both excellent..

>74 Donna828: Hi Donna! I really enjoy Anthony Horowitz, who is so incredibly prolific. Years ago I read the Alex Rider series to my then teenage son, and now I'm hooked on Foyle's war on TV and his Daniel Hawthorne series in print. There's a British podcast called "Books of the Year" which interviewed him last week, and I loved hearing him speak at an incredibly fast pace. His brain must just work at a different speed than mere mortals.

>80 brenzi: Bonnie, Lonesome Dove is one of my rarish 5-star books. Our library system has only one Guy V. Book. I put a hold on A Good Man. It’s No. 3 in The Frontier Trilogy. I expect to love it as I do with all your recommendations, so will probably get the other two books from inter-library loan which is not taking requests right now. Thanks...and have a good week.

>81 vivians: Hi Vivian. I loved your assessment of Anthony Horowitz: “His brain just must work at a different speed than mere mortals”. Spot on! I had to concentrate to keep up with all the twists and turns in Magpie Murders. I requested The Word Is Murder, No. 1 in the DH series. I like that those initials are mine as well as Daniel Hawthorne’s. ;-)

Must look up Little Big Man. I didn't expect to like Lonesome Dove but read it as part of my Pulitzer challenge and loved it. I've never read anything by Anthony Horowitz but I've watched the entire Foyle's War series (much of it for a second time recently) and really like it so I'll put him on the list for authors to look out for. Guess that makes two BB's :)

I've had the G.Van. books on my TBR list for a long time and now they have floated to the top with your mentioning them.
Oh boy, I haven't read Lonesome Dove either!

>84 mdoris: Woo Hoo! Guy is waiting for me at the library. Our pickup window will be open on Monday morning. I'm excited to pick up something other than takeaway meals! Mary, you should read Lonesome Dove. It's classic western with characters to care about and plenty of cowboy humor. Kind of like Little Big Man.

Book No. 33: A Fire Sparkling by Julianne Maclean. Kindle, 424 pp., 2.8 stars.

"Maybe I wasn’t meant to be happy. Or to be a mother. Maybe the universe was just teasing me, letting me float briefly up to the clouds to enjoy the view from there, only to slam me back down to earth and rub my face in the dirt.”

I have mixed feelings about this book. The quote above is indicative of the stilted theatrical writing that I don't care for. I read it on my Kindle and picked that phrase at random. I thought I was getting a historical fiction book, but it was a romance, my least favorite genre. There were two different timelines and, despite my misgivings, I got caught up in the grandmother's story about the British resistance in WWII. I'm a sucker for female spy stories. Unfortunately, the book returned to the present-day story of her 35-year-old granddaughter who failed to recognize that her rich lover boy was bad news. This was clearly not the book for me.

Lucky you! A pick up window at the library sounds like a wonderful idea. We don't have anything like that. Are they also taking returns?

I can't imagine being without internet and TV for as long as you were, Donna. Just when you need it most too. What timing!

>83 RebaRelishesReading: I don’t know how I missed you up there, Reba. Strange things happen on my thread. I also noticed I had missed a book listing and got my numbers messed up. I need to post the book covers I missed while we were without power. I’m glad you mentioned Foyle’s War. It would make some good binge watching.

>87 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, it’s going to be wonderful to have that limited library service. And, yes, I can finally return the three books I have checked out. I really had to dig deep into my reserve of patience to get through that week without internet and TV. We had thunderstorms last night and I was worried about another power outage. We survived. ;-)

>74 Donna828: I already have that one in the BlackHole, Donna, or I would be adding it again. Glad to see you enjoyed it.

>78 Donna828: I read that one more years ago than I care to remember. It is probably time to give it a re-read.

My local library has been doing curbside pick up for a while now and it is wonderful! I am glad that they came up with the idea.

>88 Donna828: Binge watching. We cut the cable and started streaming about a year ago. "Before" there were series we liked and watched fairly regularly but often missed episodes of, or started late, etc. Now we're going back and watching them straight through from start to finish (not in one sitting, mind you, but consistently). We did that with Foyle's War recently.

Little Big Man sounds like something I’d like, too. I love the cover you posted. Wasn’t it made into a movie with Dustin Hoffman? It rings a bell.

I’ve had Magpie Murders on the shelf for quite a while now. One of these days I’ll actually read it. (I loved my recent binge of Foyle’s War.)

My library system sent out a survey recently, asking our opinion about reopening expectations and what we felt was important. I’d like to be able to pick up my holds. I noticed the other day that the due date for the 20(!) books I (one or two are John’s) have checked out changed from 4/30 to 5/31.

Hi Donna!

>74 Donna828: Glad you liked MM. I rated it at 4*, ‘Excellent’ in my rating system.

>82 Donna828: The Daniel Hawthorne series is good, too. I read the first one last year and the second one this year.

Our Library is still closed until further notice, in line with the state-wide stay-at-home order that is currently through May 8. Yay for new books.

>89 alcottacre: Stasia, our curbside pick up service has been delayed a few days. I am learning to be more patient these days so will continue to read my own books. I am grateful that you warned us years ago that there might be a world-wide shortage of books. I took it to heart and built up my home library, although it pales in comparison to yours.

>90 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I tend to horde TV series instead of watching them. I lost a lot of good ones when they replaced our TIVO a few weeks ago. Starting over…

>91 Copperskye: Yes, Joanne, Dustin Hoffman was in the movie Little Big Man. DH said it was a good one. He watches movies on TV way more than I do. He is a good partner in trivia games. I'll have to look into Foyle's War for sure with both you and Reba loving it. I'm sure glad we don't have to pay fines on overdue books. For the life of me, I don't know why the drop-off boxes were closed. Our libraries have been fully staffed during the shutdown. What are they doing in there? Haha.

>92 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I stayed up late last night catching up on your thread. I didn't post because I was too tired, but I must say that the chat there is so interesting. Better than some of the books I've read lately! I love my LT Peeps… I will definitely post on your new thread.

Happy Friday, Donna. I hope you and the family are doing well. I read and loved Little Big Man, many, many moons ago. I also remember really enjoying the film version with Dustin Hoffman.

>94 msf59: I hope to catch the movie on TV sometime, Mark. I figured the book would be right up your alley. An oldie but a goodie! Have a great week end.

Book No. 34: The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro. Reread, my book, 349 pp., 4 stars.

"…they had constructed a life for themselves that was monastic without any visitations of grace or moments of transcendence." (119)

I've been trying to read more short stories so I picked this one out of my smallish collection. I absolutely loved the vignettes about Munro's Scottish ancestors and how they ended up in Canada. So I'm reading along, thinking things sounded somewhat familiar, and sure enough, I read this book in 2013. I usually have a better memory for books I've read. Blaming the fact that I've spent way too much time by myself lately. Oh well, I try to have several rereads every year and this one was a good one to revisit. I'll put it back on the shelf and read it again sometime.

Happy May Everyone! I love this time of year when I can read and work outside. I am much more into yardwork than housework. I may be sore tomorrow because I overdid it outside once again. It's almost time to head to the nursery and pick up some annuals to brighten up the beds I've been slaving over cutting things back and digging out a crop of wild onions. I like working out in the front yard because I can wave at strangers and talk to the neighbors to find out how they are faring. I've never seen so many walkers as I have the past couple of weeks.

I've finally straightened out my book numbering and am ready for a new month of good books. My current one is Birds Without Wings. It should keep me engaged until I can pick up my library holds later next week. I plan to sit under my blooming Dogwood tree tomorrow and read with abandon. Nothing is better than reading outside this time of year with the birds for company. I hear more birds than I see. I need to find a web site of bird songs so I can identify something other than the cardinals I am familiar with.



I hope everyone is well and can find an opportunity to find a pleasant spot, preferably outside, to relax and read a good book.

Hi Donna!

>93 Donna828: I’m flattered that you find my thread interesting, and thank you for today’s comments.

>97 Donna828: Okay, you’ve talked me into it. I’m going to go read in the hammock on the front porch, listen to the bird calls, watch the birds at the feeders, and enjoy the fresh air.

Karen, to me a few hours spent outside is as refreshing as a vacation. I can relax and come back inside as a new person! Enjoy your mini-vacation on your front porch.

Pure Bliss!

> 100 Bliss indeed Donna. No outside space here, but I enjoy seeing others in theirs.

>100 Donna828: Donna that looks dreamy!

>97 Donna828: That doesn't look comfortable to me Donna.

>100 Donna828: Now that looks comfortable. Yes ....bliss.

>100 Donna828: It’s like you’re sitting in a hug!

>101 Caroline_McElwee: I would miss my big yard, Caroline. It is also good exercise to keep it looking good!

>102 mdoris: Dreamy indeed, Mary. I love to read outside but get easily distracted by what's going on around me.

>103 brenzi: Bonnie, I tried to imitate the pose in the stock photo in >97 Donna828: and found holding the book up that high to be awkward. I'm reading a hardcover chunkster! My hammock chair is very comfortable.

>104 Copperskye: I love the idea of sitting in a hug. You nailed it, Joanne!

I've been reading two serious books over the past week. It's been slow going. I finally finished the shorter one last night.

Book No. 35: Dancing in the Streets by Barbara Ehrenreich. Mine, 320 pp., 3.5 stars.

"The question that motivates this book originates in a sense of loss: If ecstatic rituals and festivities were once so widespread, why is so little left of them today? If the 'techniques' of ecstasy represent an important part of the human cultural heritage, why have we forgotten them?" (19)

This book has lots of questions and observations of historical collective gatherings. It was interesting, but I didn't draw any major conclusions from it. Feasting and dancing played an important role in ancient community events when so much time and energy was devoted to survival. With more modern times, we worry less about survival but seem to have lost the pure joy of community celebrations. According to the author, this lack in our lives can lead to depression which is abundant in a world where we are in competition with other people and nations for the land, oil, and water that sustains us.

I don't know what I was expecting when I picked this up at a library book sale. I enjoyed her Nickled and Dimed more than this scholarly study.

>100 Donna828: That does look like bliss, Donna.

I love Munro. I haven't read the Castle Rock collection yet. That might be the next one I pick up.

I generally like Ehrenreich quite a lot, Donna. This sounds like something different from her usual work.

>93 Donna828: You see? It is times like these where having a ton of unread books around comes in handy! lol

>96 Donna828: I would have sworn I had that book in the BlackHole already, but nope. It is there now though.

>100 Donna828: What a glorious way to read a book outdoors. Pure Bliss indeed!

>100 Donna828: - That looks like a very comfortable reading spot, Donna!

Just dropping in to say hi! Hope all is well

>107 BLBera: Hi Beth. You will love Castle Rock when you get to it. I liked Dancing in the Streets pretty well and appreciated her depth of research. It just might have been TMI for me at this time. I wanted more about the joy of dancing in streets!

>108 alcottacre: You are very wise, Stasia. My books have been a big solace for me. I'm glad to help "fill" the Black Hole.

>109 karenmarie: Glorious indeed, Karen. I think of you in a real hammock on your front porch. I would probably fall out of it! I can hang my chair from a limb in the huge Cedar tree in my back yard, but I am truly up in the air then and tend to get nauseous with the free swinging. I have to keep my feet on the ground. ;-)

>110 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. It was a cool day here. We had our local granddaughters here for a few hours and were outside much of the time. Brrr! We couldn't even engage in some hugs to warm up with.

>111 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. It is comfortable and comforting. Unfortunately, we are in a rainy period until next Monday. Yikes! It's a good thing I have my snuggery for reading and may mix it up with the formal living room because I have strung up some lights on the fireplace mantle in there to cheer me up.

>112 figsfromthistle: All is well here, Anita, except for the cool rainy weather. I will be at the nursery when this spell is over so I can get flowers planted outside. I've worked hard with trimming and weeding so all is ready for summer color.

Book No. 36: Birds Without Wings by Louis De Berneires. My book, 555 pp., 4.8 stars.

"From time to time they became carried away, running about the hibiscus shrubs and wild pomegranates with the whistles in their mouths, flapping their arms, and wondering whether or not it might be possible to fly if only they flapped their arms enough. 'Man is a bird without wings,' Iskander told them, 'and a bird is a man without sorrows.' (44)

This is not an easy book to get into. I started it twelve days ago in the comfort and bliss of my outside hammock chair and finished it last night huddling under a blanket while a cold rain provided the background ambience. The book describes in great detail life in a small village in Anatolia at the cusp of the 20th century. The Christians and Muslims, Greek Turks and Turkish Greeks in Eskibahce, which means "Garden of Eden", get along amazingly well until the horror of the Great War strikes. My favorites of the large cast of characters were the childhood friends Abdul and Nico who were called by the Turkish names for the Blackbird and Robin because they blew into the pottery whistles that mimicked the songs of these birds to call to each other all day long. "For birds without wings nothing changes; they fly where they will and they know nothing about borders and their quarrels are very small." (551)

The author is better known for Corelli's Mandolin which was in my Top Ten Books in 2001. Birds Without Wings is broader in scope and depth. After reading it, I have a much better understanding of The Ottoman Empire and its downfall. We are guided through the many war chapters through the voice of General Mustafa Kemal who is based on the first President of Turkey.

This SERIOUS book is a challenge to read. For me, it was well worth the effort. It took me over a week to read it and I consulted Wikipedia and my Dictionary app many times. It is more than worthy of the time I spent and the resulting rare 5-star rating.

>115 Donna828: This sounds like a good one, Donna. Great comments.

>115 Donna828: Great review Donna!

>116 BLBera: >117 mdoris: Thank you for those kind words, Beth and Mary. I really enjoyed reading Birds Without Wings once I got into the flow of the story and got the characters sorted. I'm afraid to rave too much about a book that is so slow in the beginning. Some readers don't have my kind of patience. For me it will be hard to top this one for its literary merit and sound storytelling.

Yet another rainy day here in Misery (Missouri). I will be glad when I can get back out in the yard and plant the flowers I managed to buy yesterday.

Have a good week end everyone. We will miss going to Kansas City for the high school graduation of our oldest granddaughter. It was supposed to take place tomorrow. I feel bad for these major events that can't be celebrated properly. I know kids are resilient, but pivotal moments don't come around that often. Here's to all the graduations, weddings, and even funerals that haven't gotten the attention they deserve.

Happy Graduation, Sadie!

>115 Donna828: I thought I already owned that one but no, I own So Much Life Left Over by de Bernieres. Interestingly, I just finished a book today that was set in the Ottoman Empire, a mystery called The Janissary Tree. I am going to have to try Birds Without Wings, especially since it got such a strong recommendation from you, Donna.

>119 Donna828: Happy graduation, Sadie!

Book No. 37: After the Fire by Henning Mankell. Mine, 401 pp., 3.7 stars.

"How would I cope with growing older, with a burned-out house and with the experience of living in a no-man's land where no one asked after me? Or where everyone thought I had gone crazy and started running around with cans of petrol and a box of matches?" (108)

Fredrik Welin is a retired doctor living alone in his grandparent's old house on an island near a small Swedish village. He escapes from a blazing fire with no time to save any of his possessions. The authorities suspect arson, but Fredrik has no enemies or even close friends it seems. He is a lonely man living out his last years in solitude with only an occasional visitor. A female reporter shows an interest in his story and he tries to develop a relationship with her. He also informs his daughter who has recently showed up in his life. He has to learn how to accept help and caring from others when he is used to fending for himself.

Although Fredrick is not a particularly likable character, it is interesting to see him come out of his shell and make some connections with the world as he ponders his mortality. Very atmospheric and thought provoking. I loved the Wallander series on television and now I want to read Mankell's other books. He wrote this one after his cancer diagnosis and I suspect that his melancholy thoughts might be autobiographical.

>120 alcottacre: Hi there, Stasia. Have you read Corelli's Mandolin? It was another winner by De Bernièries. I will be looking for more books by this author. Thanks for the Sadie shout-out!

Happy Graduation, lovely Sadie!! So sad she's going to be missing all of those end of high school rituals!!

Congratulations to Sadie, Donna. You are right that one of the sad things about present times is the denial of joy in these celebrations we all took so for granted.

Pleased to see that you appreciated Birds Without Wings. It made quite the impression on me too when I read it many moons ago and I preferred it to his more famous work, I think because the ending in the Captain Corelli is somewhat disappointing.

>123 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. I guess the only consolation is that she’s not the only one missing out. They have tentatively scheduled graduation for July 30. It’s going to be outside at the high school football stadium. 🥵

>124 PaulCranswick: Birds Without Wings deserves more live around here, Paul. It was just so good...and memorable. Thanks for the congrats for Sadie. I hope you are having a good weekend.

>125 Donna828: Most graduations here are held outside in a stadium of some sort because it's usually the only space big enough to hold the class and all of the guests. It works -- although there would be no space for "social distancing" at the ones here.

I hope it's a good day for everyone. It will almost certainly be memorable :)

>121 Donna828: I do miss new Wallenberg stories Donna.

I'm sorry you had to miss your granddaughter's graduation. It is so sad that these kids are missing out on so much this year! Especially the seniors, who missed seeing their friends for a good chunk of the end of the school year. I mean, some of these people they will never see again! At least my kids will see their friends again next year. (Assuming classes resume as usual. Fingers crossed.)

It's a shame that Sadie and all these young people are missing out on all the fun of senior year. I guess it'll be something she'll remember and talk about for years to come. Oh yeah, remember how I missed out on my entire senior year? Lol. This is a time of firsts I'm afraid Donna.

Hi Donna!

>113 Donna828: I do love my hammock. It’s a full-sized Pawleys Island hammock in a metal frame. Bill and Jenna got it for me one year as a birthday present. You wouldn’t fall out of it – I have it stretched tight enough to make it easy to get into and out of, and the width lets you stay centered. We don’t have good trees in a suitable location for a chair hammock, or trees spaced properly for this hammock, so metal frame on the porch it is.

>115 Donna828: I still haven’t read Corelli’s Mandolin, it’s been on my shelves since 6/21/2009. Sigh.

>119 Donna828: I’m so sorry your granddaughter’s graduation has been disrupted. There are signs/pics of high school seniors posted all over town here, and I know the seniors are having to cope a lot with missed/delayed ceremonies, college visits, SAT/ACTs, and other things that should be exciting but are not. Happy graduation and good luck, Sadie! I hope the July 30th graduation can be held.

My daughter has just earned her AA in Business Administration. We were going to go spend a night or two, make her go to the graduation, and generally pull our extrovert introvert out of her shell to celebrate her achievement. I think she’s secretly glad that there won’t be a ceremony.

edited to fix extrovert to introvert...

>126 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I think the school is trying to figure out the social distancing guidelines for Sadie’s late July graduation. Her class is close to 400 students so it is not likely that anyone other than immediate family will be attending. It will be live streamed. I’m not sure I would hold up well in the heat and humidity of a July morning in Kansas. I liked the idea of the air-conditioned convention center where it was originally scheduled.

>127 Caroline_McElwee: Caroline, I loved the Wallander series on TV but have not read the books. I own a few of them and may get to them one of these days. Right now I’m more excited about his memoir Quicksand which I just received from my friends at Amazon.

>128 The_Hibernator: Thanks for the visit, Rachel. You might well be the busiest woman on LT these days so I doubly appreciate your thoughts. The end of high school sees friends scatterIng to diverse locations. Hopefully, Sadie will keep in touch with her Besties. She knows a few people going to Kansas State, but has wisely decided not to be roommates with any of them. I think she’s eager to branch out.

>129 brenzi: It’s a time of firsts for sure, Bonnie. I won’t complain, though, because my family has stayed healthy so far. We’ll all have our stories to tell.

>130 karenmarie: it’s so good to get that nice long message, Karen. Your hammock sounds wonderful. I’ve been cooped up in the house for a week now because of rain and cooler temps. Hard to believe that Memorial Day is just around the corner.

Sadie is taking her disappointments gracefully. I suspect that she has a bit of Jenna in her and that she might be secretly glad that some of those milestone events were canceled or downsized.

Book No. 38: Clock Dance by Anne Tyler. Library (Yes!), 292 pp. 3.3 stars.

Anne Tyler May be the perfect author for a quick getaway read. Written in her usual breezy style, this one is about a woman who is searching for fulfillment. It comes in the form of a strange phone call from her son’s ex-girlfriend’s neighbor. It seems the ex-g has gotten herself shot in the leg and left her 9-year-old daughter without someone to care for her during the mother’s hospitalization. Willa feels pulled into the situation and flies from Arizona to Baltimore with no clue as to what she is getting into. Her newish second husband reluctantly accompanies her.

Tyler’s characters tend to be impulsive and often find themselves in strange situations. But then she makes them seem so real and open to anything. They are lighthearted books about bighearted characters. Easy reading and good for a smile or two.

>131 Donna828: I liked Quicksand. I think I still have one of his non-Wallender novels to read.

Is it the Branagh version you watch, or one of the European versions. I preferred both of those to Branagh, though I didn't mind Mr B.

>131 Donna828: Oh lordy yes -- or rather NO! -- Kansas in July would be awful!

>131 Donna828:, >135 Caroline_McElwee: Me too, I much preferred the European versions to the Mr. B. version of Wallander but I would watch any of them just because they are so good. I have put Quicksand on the list.

Happy weekend Donna!

>135 Caroline_McElwee: I’m glad you enjoyed Quicksand, Caroline. I have it in the line-up for June books. I watched the Kenneth Branagh versions. I see that my library has DVD copies of the Swedish versions. Maybe...

>136 RebaRelishesReading: You see why I am not too excited about going to the actual graduation ceremony, Reba. I think Sadie is planning a swim party with her friends for later that day. Smart girl.

>137 mdoris: Mary, I may borrow the first season of the Swedish Wallander series, I don’t have a good track record with watching DVDs on my laptop, especially ones with subtitles. We’ll see just how bored I get when the summer humidity starts blasting away. ;-)

>138 The_Hibernator: Happy weekend to you, Rachel. Today looks promising here, but rain is coming back on Sunday and Monday.

So, I have been listening to some mysteries on audio. I thought I had a new series to go add to the mix, but the second book fell flat for me. So it goes...



Book No. 39: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran; audio by Carol Monda. Hoopla audio, 289 pp., 3 stars.

I was intrigued by this investigation of a missing DIstrict Attorney in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Very atmospheric. The author did a good job of recreating the chaos and heartbreak of this time. I even liked the gritty style of PI Claire DeWitt and how she related to the street thugs who were integral to the case. I didn’t mind her casual drug use because it gave her an “in” with these young boys, so I moved on to the next case with her...



Book No 40. Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway by Sara Gran; audio by Carol Monda. Hoopla audio, 290 pp., 2.7 Stars.

Claire has moved to California and is investigating a murder that hit close to her heart. An ex-boyfriend for whom she still had feelings was shot and killed in a home invasion. At least that’s what the police think. He was a popular local musician so there is a lot about the local sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll scene. Claire is now a cocaine addict rather than just the dabbler in drugs portrayed in the previous book. I got so tired of her self-destructive behavior and her obsession with the disappearance of a childhood friend from 25 years ago. I think it’s time for me to break up with Claire.

>133 Donna828: Sadie is taking her disappointments gracefully. One of the guiding mantras of my senior years - to age gracefully and cope with disappointments gracefully. (not that I always succeed!) Sadie sounds like a sweetheart and I admire her for doing a bit of early 'adulting'.

At this time of the end of Ramadan I want to give thanks for your friendship in this wonderful group, Donna.

Enjoy the long weekend.

>140 Donna828: You're making me rethink my commitment to this series, Donna. I felt the same way about the first one, very atmospheric and fast-paced. It's so tempting that they're available from the library on audio, but maybe I'll wait before trying #2.

>141 karenmarie: If nothing else, this whole Coronavirus disruption has been character building. I need to work on that grace thing, but I am getting used to coping with disappointment. *sigh* Thanks, Karen, for reminding me how to age more gracefully. And, yes, Sadie is a sweetheart and has always had a practical nature. It should serve her well as she makes her way in the world of "adults".

>142 PaulCranswick: Friendship is a wonderful thing, Paul. I am so glad you are in this group and I've gotten to know you. Have a wonderful rest of the week!

>143 vivians: I probably shouldn't have listened to the Claire DeWitt books back-to-back, Vivian. The whole drug scene was just too much for me. According to LT stats, the second book should have been just a tiny bit more enjoyable. I hope you go for it and like it. You will have to persuade me to read the third one in the series, though. ;-)

Book No. 41: The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz. Library, 390 pp., 3.8 stars.

"The hardest part of writing murder stories is thinking up the plots and at that particular moment, I didn't have any more in my head...Effectively, Hawthorne was offering me a short cut. He was giving me the whole thing on a plate. And he was right. The case did sound interesting. A woman walks into a funeral parlour. It was actually quite a good opening. I could already see the first chapter..." (26,27)

This was a curious amalgam of true crime and fiction. The author portrays himself in the book and gives himself a lot of pats on the back in a humorous way. He and his co-conspirator are such opposites in personality that it makes for lively reading. Daniel Hawthorne is a brilliant detective with a flat personality that tends to rub people the wrong way. He wants a book written about him but is reluctant to disclose details about his life. The Word is Murder is a quick fun read. I'll definitely read the follow-up book to this unlikely sleuthing team.

>122 Donna828: I have not yet read Corelli's Mandolin, which has been in the BlackHole forever. I really need to read it one of these years.

>145 Donna828: I have that one home from the library now. I hope I like it as much as you did.

I came by to thank you for reminding me of Little Big Man. I am reading it again for the first time in I have no idea how many years and am thoroughly enjoying it!

Happy Wednesday, Donna! I hope you and the family are doing well. I love all the interesting book reading, that you are doing. Birds Without Wings sounds like a good one. I will keep it in mind. I also have Clock Dance saved on audio. I want to also get to her new one. Waiting for it to arrive in my e-library.

>148 Donna828: Stasia, I love the little book nudges I get from my LT friends. I'm glad I reminded you about Little Big Man. I can see myself reading it again someday. Now, dig up a copy of Corelli's Mandolin and read it!

>147 msf59: Hi Mark. All is well here. I am No. 35 in the library queue for Redhead By the Side of the Road. Joanne recently read and liked it. As I mentioned to Stasia, I am acting on the Book Nudges I get from my LT friends. You are responsible for many of those with your warbling. Books by Anne Tyler are the perfect antidote for these funky times.

Book No. 42: Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie. Mine, 370 pp., 4 stars.

"...he believed fervently that Communism had to be crushed so that the U.S. could be the world's only superpower. It was not the notion of power itself that interested Harry, but the idea of it concentrated in a nation of migrants. Dreamers and poets could not come up with a wiser system of world politics: a single democratic country in power, whose citizens were connected to every nation in the world. How could anything but justice be the most abiding characteristic of that country's dealings with the world?" (175)

This ambitious book covers a lot of time and history in its 370 pages. From the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki, Japan in 1945 to NYC after 9/11/2001, by way of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, the complex nature of different cultures and world politics are shown through the intertwined lives of two families. The book's scope was immense--to the point where the characterization suffered. Terrorism and prejudice took center stage over relationships. I wish the author had taken more time to develop the humanity that draws people together rather than war and the hostilities that alienate us.

The convoluted ending didn't live up to the promise of the Nagasaki and Pakistani portions of the book. I thought I was headed for a 5-star read, but the rushed chaotic ending dropped it to 4 stars. It was a very good book that, in my opinion, tried to do too much.

Hi Donna, now that it is the weekend, I am trying to visit thread.

>149 Donna828: - I read Burnt Shadows back in 2009. We are probably very close in our opinion of the story (relying on my memory). I gave it a 3.5 stars in my pre-review posting days. My short notes indicate that I found it to be "a well written tale, slow moving in places but otherwise a good book".

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Hi Donna - I've loved the books by Shamsie that I've read, so Burnt Shadows will definitely be a future read for me.

I read the first Claire DeWitt book a long time ago. I will probably give the second one a try because I have it, but we'll see.

I enjoyed Clock Dance as well.

>100 Donna828: That looks quite comfy!

Hi Donna! Congratulations to Sadie, and what a lovely picture. You definitely got me with Little Big Man. I love picturing you in your lovely hammock in your beautiful yard! Do you get a lot of shade?

>150 lkernagh: Hi Lori. Yes, I thought Burnt Shadows was a very good book with the potential for greatness. I'm glad I read it and can recommend it here with a clear conscience. Lol.

>151 BLBera: Beth, I think I should have waited on the second Clair DeWitt book. I might have appreciated it more. Who knows, I might read (or listen to) the third one in the series. I'm kind of curious as to what happened to Claire's friend Tracey. And maybe she'll kick her drug addiction. Hooray for Clock Dance...a good one for a feel-good story about relationships.

>152 ChelleBearss: Very comfy, Chelle. I may be out there again tomorrow. It's my favorite place to read this time of year.

>153 AMQS: Our girls will be out in the world in a few months one way or another, right? Congratulations to your Marina. I think you will like Little Big Man. It's a classic for a reason. That area of the yard is in the shade all day, Anne. Very nice when it gets hot and stays that way. It looks like we will be turning the A/C on in the next day or two.

Book No. 43: Where the Light Enters by Sara Donati; narrated by Kate Reading. Hoopla Audio, 670 pp., 3.8 stars.

This is Part 2 of the Waverly Place Trilogy set in 19th century New York City. It features two female physicians who happen to be cousins. This is a troubling time to be a woman with a career. Anna and Sophie don't get much respect in the community except among their female patients and the hospital staff who work with them. There are multiple victims of abuse in the back rooms of the slums where many of their patients live. A missing society woman is the focus of the story and there are some tense scenes in a bookstore, so what's not to like? I particularly enjoy how the author weaves newspaper articles and letters into the story. I would recommend reading the first one in the series as the author doesn't recap much of the information. She dives into the continuation and does a very good job developing her large cast of characters. It is easier to understand the nuances of the many relationships if you know the background. Now I just have to patiently wait for the next installment...and hope I can remember who is related and how they figure into the mix of the complex plot.

Hi Donna! I hope you're doing well.

>145 Donna828: I’ve loved both books in this series, hope you like the second as much as I did.

Today got to 91F, so I’m glad to be inside with the AC. Ugh. Summer’s here in central NC with a vengeance. And, joy of joys, “they” are predicting a very active hurricane season.

>156 karenmarie: All is well here, Karen. The A/C is on. We haven't reached the 90s yet but upper 80s with high humidity, yes, it's time. I'm looking forward to the next one in the Murder series by Anthony Horowitz. He is a clever writer with a fine sense of humor. I also can't help loving the literary references. Take care and stay cool!

Book No. 44: Happiness by Aminatta Forna. Kindle, 320 pp., 4.2 stars.

"We don't blame victims any longer, instead we condemn them. We treat them like damaged goods and in so doing we compound the pain of whatever wound has been inflicted..."

"It was paradoxical, but nevertheless true that in his life and in his career Attila had often observed joy amongst those who had suffered most: it was what life gave in exchange for the pain."

Jean is an urban wildlife biologist living in London so she can study foxes as they co-exist with humans in close quarters. Attila is a psychiatrist from Ghana who is in London to attend a conference where he is the keynote speaker on PTSD. The two literally run into each other on the Waterloo Bridge and then meet again a few days later when they rescue a homeless man's dog. They are both alone in the city and strike up a friendship. The author makes London come alive through their interactions with a host of a large variety of people who come together to search for a missing child.

There is a lot of kindness and caring in this book...and a lot of pain. It is filled with rich details of life, both the big and small events that shape our lives. It's a book for quiet contemplation and important thoughts such as how we become human through adversity. Recommended.

Book No. 45: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. Library, 451 pp., 3.8 stars.

"It was a quilt of patches left over from the woolen coats that had passed through the family. Here was his mother's navy blue. It had been made from a trade wool blanket and to a blanket it had returned. There were the boys' padded plaid wool jackets, ripped and worn. These jackets had surged through fields, down icy hills, wrestled with dogs, and been left behind when they took city work. Here was Rose's coat from the early days of their marriage, blue-gray and thin now, but still bearing the fateful shape of her as she walked away from him, then stopped, turned, and smiled, looking at him from under the brim of a midnight-blue cloche hat, daring him to love her." (27)

It is because of passages like this that I think Erdrich fans will love this book. I don't think it's the best one to start with however, as it jumps around too much and had parts that were just fillers. The Mormon missionaries for one example. For me, it had too much boxing in it, although I didn't skip through the interminable practice sessions and matches because I was mesmerized by the writing as always. I'll choose stellar prose and thoughtful character development over plot any day.

I do think this is an important book in the Erdrich oeuvre because it is based on her grandfather's selfless and detailed work in the 1950s to keep the Turtle Mountain Chippewas from certain disaster in the form of emancipation/termination. This group was barely hanging on to survival but didn't want to give up the portion of land that held their memories and dreams. Thomas worked tirelessly as a farmer, the night watchman in the jewel bearing factory where many of the Native women worked, and spent countless hours writing letters and gaining support for his tribe. His niece Patrice (known as Pixie) had her own problems with a drunken and abusive father, a missing sister and the young men who were trying to court her. She made a trip to Minneapolis to find her sister and ended up having some strange experiences and concern about her sister's baby boy. She was also part of the faction that traveled to Washington, D.C. to present their case before Congress. There was a lot to this book and some of it like the human trafficking part was only touched upon.

I think my main takeaway was the way Erdrich is able to describe the extreme poverty of her people and their insurmountable spirit. Anyone who reads my comments know how much I like to quote from the books I read. Here is one more that shows the irrepressible hope that lives inside of many of our Native Americans:

"For a long while, Thomas sat there with his empty tank, on the empty road, looking over the empty field at the empty sky. Not a cloud in it. Blue as Heaven." (166)

>158 Donna828: I really loved Happiness too, almost as much as The Hired Man. I think she has a backlist that I've been meaning to look at.

Thanks for the Donati recommendation. I hadn't heard of that trilogy and will add it to my list!

I just finished the first Karl Ove Knausgaard volume. I had been very reluctant to try it, but it was on Overdrive and read by a terrific narrator (Edoardo Ballerini). I was totally absorbed, despite it being overly detailed and often banal.

>159 Donna828: Sounds very tempting

Hi Donna! Congrats to Sadie! What are her plans for fall?

I love your hammock chair. I don't have a tree in the right place, so I'd need to buy one with a frame. That's oh so tempting. I think it would go well with a firepit and a small greenhouse out back (both also living only in my imagination at this point), don't you?

Lovely review of The Night Watchman. I have a copy sitting on Planet TBR, but had read another Edrich earlier this year and need to space them out a bit. Time to move it up on the TBR pile.

Great comments, Donna. I loved Happiness. The Night Watchman was not my favorite Erdrich, but it was still good. I loved the fact that she based it on her grandfather.

>160 vivians: Haha, you got me with a book bullet, Vivian. The Hired Man is going on the wish list. I have started that first Karl Knausgaard book, but found it too slow and self-serving. I own it so will probably start over on it again someday when I am in that kind of mood.

As far as the Waverly Place trilogy goes, I should warn you that it is typical women's fiction in that the strong female protagonists have lots of challenges to overcome and some romance is thrown in. Not a bad thing, but it's also not my typical fare. The historical aspect to these books is the main appeal for me.

>161 RebaRelishesReading: If you like Erdrich or Native American stories, you should read it, Reba.

>162 streamsong: Hi Janet. Sadie is enrolled at Kansas State University in Manahattan (The Little Apple), about 3 hours away from her home in Kansas City. Far enough to assure her independence but close enough to go home for the weekend if she wants to.

My hammock chair has been up in a tree, attached to a sturdy hook under the back deck, and in it's current location on the old frame for a defunct glider. I like the latter because it is easily portable. Today is a great day for reading outside. I'm heading out in a bit.

I hope you enjoy the new Erdrich book when you get to it.

>163 BLBera: I agree, Beth, that The Night Watchman is not Erdrich's best. I also enjoyed the family connection. Her books always make me happy. I read on someone's thread, maybe yours?, that she thinks she has said almost all she wants to about the Ojibwe tribe. Gosh, I hope not. I need more!

Book No. 46: This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell. Library, 382 pp., 4 stars.

"The sight of the track, winding up through the trees, produces in me such a surge of joy, of relief, that I start up it with haste, my unsuitable city shoes sliding and slipping on the grit. I have been across the Atlantic and back; I have seen my estranged children, I have sat across a table from a man I haven't seen for half my life; I have heard tales I would rather not hear; I have absorbed information I don't yet know what to do with; I am broken-and-lame-hearted, but I am home. I am here. I have made it back, and this feels like an achievement against all odds, as if I am treading the fields and vineyards of Ithaca." (222)

This book is a bit of a jumble -- in a good way. It jumps back and forth in time and place, which just means one has to pay attention to the chapter headings to figure out where in the heck you are. It's a bit messy like a blended family often is. This is the story of Daniel and his wife Claudette, who is a famous movie star in hiding, and their improbable life together with her son, his children in the U.S., and their own three children in rural Ireland. That's all I'm going to tell, except that I went through a gamut of emotions, including exasperation, reading this book. Some of the reviews I read said there was no major theme. Well, perhaps it did digress a bit, but, to me, it was clearly about what it means to be home and feel that sense of belonging.

>165 Donna828: Oh no, she's gone over to the enemy!

>167 ronincats: Haha, that’s exactly what her Aunt Mary (a KU alumni) is saying. I think Lawrence was too close to home for her. Personally, I was hoping she would choose Missouri State!

I really loved Home Fire, so I should look for Burnt Shadows, Donna. I'm not sure if you have read Ann Tyler's latest book, Redhead by the Side of the Road, but I really loved it.

>169 vancouverdeb: Deborah, for me Home Fire is slightly better than Burnt Shadows, but there is no question about the writing and story told in both books. Both excellent. I have the new Anne Tyler book on hold at the library, which reopened almost two weeks ago. However, books are being held on loan for a much longer period which slows down the process. Working on my patience...

Meanwhile, I've been taking advantage of some cooler temps and getting more yard work accomplished. I've been accompanied by my Air Buds and two highly "listenable" books. The yard looks better and I have been entertained. Win-win!

Book No. 47: When All Is Said by Anne Griffin; audio by Niall Buggy. Libby Audio, 336 pp., 4.2 stars.

"I'm here to remember all that I have been and all that I will never be again."

The quote pretty much sums up this reverie by Maurice Hannigan, an 80-something Irishman who is summing up his thoughts and memories for his son several years after his wife dies. It wasn't clear to me whether he was writing, recording, or just musing, although I suspect the latter. I hope so because reading these heartbreaking memories would cause his son so much anguish.

Maurice is a man haunted by his shortcomings and the loneliness of being a widower. He had a hard life but prospered due to his commitment to hard work. He is moving to a nursing home and spends his last night at the hotel bar toasting the five people who helped shape his life. The drinks may be flowing, but so are the tears. This was a very memorable and poignant book. The narrator was perfect, although I missed having a print copy so I could go back and savor the writing even more.

Thanks to Ellen for the strong recommendation.

Book No. 48: The Friend by Sigrid Nunez; audio by Hilary Huber. Libby Audio, 224 pp., 3.8 stars.

I chose this book because several LTers read and loved it, and I sure do love dog stories, but, like it kept repeating in the book, I read hoping that "nothing bad was going to happen to the dog." More on that at the end of my comments. Nunez is a cerebral writer who fashions a novel out of her passion for writing. There were so many good passages about the craft of writing and nods to books and authors that I wish I had read the print version for some quotes. The narrator (if she had a name I don't remember it) has an ex-lover turned into a best friend who commits suicide. This happens early in the book so it's not really a secret. She reluctantly takes on the care of his dog. I loved how Apollo, the Great Dane on the cover, won her over so completely she had him certified as her emotional support animal.

Good grief...I was jarred out of my love affair when I learned the true meaning of the word 'novel'. I got sucked into an eye-opening reveal that knocked my socks off. The joke's on me! I believe the term for this book is meta-fiction. I forgave her "betrayal" in the end because I still got my promised dog story and many insider tips about writing as a bonus. If I had read the print version, I might have picked up on what lay ahead. I'm still a more attentive reader than listener.

Hi Donna, terrific review of Happiness - it's now on my list. I listened to When All is Said at the beginning of the year, and just loved it. I do think he's musing, rather than recording. The audio is outstanding.

>171 Donna828: Oh, I loved that one! I lean toward musing, as well. I think it was Ellen's rec on your thread that led me to read it, too.

>166 Donna828: I've loved everything I've read by Maggie O'Farrell and you've reminded me that I've neglected to read this one and one or two others on my shelf. Too. Many. Books.

>172 Donna828: I have The Friend on my kindle but so far I haven't felt like starting it. Don't know why but your comments have me intrigued.

Hi Donna. I see that you read some mighty good books. Tomorrow, I'll return and add many to my TBR list.
In the meantime, I hope all is well with you.

>173 AMQS: Hi Anne, glad to have the confirmation on musing in When All Is Said. It was a good way to tell his story...and such a good one. I hope you enjoy Happiness. It took me a while to get into it so don't give up on the beginning.

>174 Copperskye: I love it when book bullets ricochet! I'm glad Ellen raved about When All is Said and got both of us to check it out. As far as The Friend goes, I wasn't too clear on why I didn't like it as well as others did. It was a wonderful story about a woman and a dog with lots of tidbits about literature and writing thrown in for good measure. I think I just got too caught up in her "story" and forgot that the protagonist was a professor plying her trade. Clear as mud, right? I think you should read it, Joanne, and tell me what you think. Haha.

>175 Whisper1: How lovely to have you visit, Linda. I am once again remiss on visiting others' threads. As soon as I write about my most recent book, I will be over to pay a return visit. I always look forward to the beautiful book illustrations you share.

Book No. 49: A Good Man by Guy Vanderhaeghe. Library, 465 pp., 3.7 stars.

"Can anyone really know himself? Father used to say every man is three people. You are the person you think you are, the person other people think you are and the person you really are. On the other hand, I remember what my old professor of Greek once said, that the ancient Hellenes believed that our lives are nothing but a search for the missing half that will make us whole. How I want to believe that." (242)

I wanted so much to love this book. I had trouble getting into it and it took me a longish time to finish it. It had many good attributes, but for some reason, it didn't live up to my expectations. It was the third book in a series and perhaps I needed more background to fully appreciate it. Oh well.

Set in Montana and Alberta, Canada, after the Civil War and the fiasco at Little Big Horn, it shows the mistreatment of the First Nations people on both sides of the border. I enjoyed the characterization of Sitting Bull who loved his people and tried to protect them from the "long knives". GV did a good job combining history with the fictional characters; he even threw in an intriguing love triangle into the mix. I generally enjoy westerns. It's too bad this one was a bit of a slog for me.

I’ve been seeing this list around the threads. I may look into the ones I haven’t read and the few I haven’t heard of. I’m such a sucker for book lists.

Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen ✔️
2 The Lord of the Rings -JRR Tolkien ✔️
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte ♥️
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling (I read the first one. Not for me)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee ♥️
6 The Bible ✔️
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte ✔️
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell ✔️
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens ✔️
11 Little Women - Louisa May Alcott ✔️
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy ✔️
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller ✔️
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier ✔️
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien ✔️
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulkner ✔️
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger ✔️
19 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger ✔️
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot ✔️
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell ✔️
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald ✔️
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens ✔️
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy ✔️
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams ✔️
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky ✔️
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck ♥️
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll ✔️
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame ✔️
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy ✔️
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens ✔️
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis ✔️
34 Emma - Jane Austen ✔️
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen ✔️
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis ✔️
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini ✔️
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres ✔️
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden ✔️
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne ✔️
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell ✔️
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown ✔️
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez ✔️
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney ♥️
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins ✔️
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery ✔️
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy ✔️
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood ✔️
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding ✔️
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan ✔️
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel ✔️
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen ✔️
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth ✔️
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon ✔️ (Sad about his recent death)
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens ♥️
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley ✔️
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon ✔️
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez ✔️
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck ✔️
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt ✔️
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold ✔️
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas ✔️
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - HelenFielding ✔️
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie ✔️
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens ✔️
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker ✔️
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett ✔️
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson ✔️
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Inferno - Dante
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome ❓
78 Germinal - Emile Zola ❓
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray ✔️
80 Possession - AS Byatt ✔️
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ♥️
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell ✔️
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker ✔️
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro ✔️
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert ✔️
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry ♥️
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White ✔️
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom ✔️
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ✔️
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid BLYTON ❓
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad ✔️
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Eupery ✔️
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams (on Summer Reading list)
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Aleandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl ✔️
100 Gaudy Night - Dorothy Sayers

I’ve read 80. Hearts signify All-Time Favorites.

Donna, 80 is very impressive. Pat on the back!

>179 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. I've been a big reader most of my life.

Book No. 50: The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea. Library, 326 pp., 4.5 stars.

"How could you end a whole era and bury a century of life and be home before suppertime? Big Angel could not reconcile himself to this dirty deal they had all ben dealt. Death. What a ridiculous practical joke. Every old person gets the punch line that the kids are too blind to see. All the striving, lusting, dreaming, suffering, working, hoping yearning, mourning, suddenly revealed itself to be an accelerating countdown to nightfall." (91)

I loved this poignant story about the last days of Big Angel, patriarch of a large and lively family in southern California. Most of the story takes place on two pivotal days. The day his mother is buried and the next day when he celebrates his 70th birthday. Big Angel is at the end of his life, too, and wants to go out with a family fiesta. There is a large and colorful cast of characters to keep track of, including Little Angel his half-brother. It seems his father left his family for a Caucasian woman and 'forgot' he already had a son named Angel. This is typical of the twisted humor in the book which I enjoyed while feeling the pain behind it. The book is entertaining and profound at the same time.

This may be a book about death, but it is very life affirming as Big Angel remembers his past mistakes and keeps his gratitude journal about the little things in life that make it worth living. It's also a great love story that begins when he and Perla are teenagers and continues as they age. I need a copy of this for my permanent library. It's one which I will gladly read again someday.

Donna I thought The House of Broken Angels was wonderful too. Glad that you liked it! I want to read his non fiction The Devil's Highway. I read his short story collection The Water Museum after I read HofBA. It was very good too!

Wishing you well Donna.

Ooh, I loved House of Broken Angels also, Donna. I listened to an audio narrated by the author and his performance was marvelous. I definitely want to read more by Mr. Urrea.

WOW! Lots of good books being read over here, Donna. I also really enjoyed Happiness and I have The Night Watchman on deck, for July. I also LOVED The Friend & The House of Broken Angels. Urrea Rocks!!

I've been avoiding electronics lately. But... popping in quickly to say hello, happy summer!

>181 Donna828: Glad you like that one! I did as well

You've had some great reads lately, Donna. I loved When All Is Said, The Friend, and This Must be the Place.
I look forward to The House of Broken Angels.

Wishing you a lovely Sunday, Donna.

I love it when I come to my thread to add new books read and find that I've had some visitors. Happy Me!

>182 mdoris: Mary, I might look into The Water Museum as I am trying to read more short stories. I love anything by Urrea. The Devil's Highway was excellent and eye-opening.

>183 PaulCranswick: >189 PaulCranswick: Thanks for the two messages, Paul. I am well and having a lovely Sunday here in Missouri. It's on the warm side here, but we have a hazy sky thanks to the dust cloud from the Sahara. I'm not sure it improves the air quality, but it does keep the sun at bay a little bit.

>184 AMQS: It seems like I listened to one of the Urrea books, Anne. It certainly gave a more authentic sound than the voice in my head. My Spanish accent is terrible.

>185 msf59: Urrea Rocks for sure, Mark. Upon thinking about The Friend, I am appreciating the cleverness of it more and more. As you know, Louise Erdrich cannot write a bad book, although I was a little disappointed in The Night Watchman. Thanks for stopping by. I'll try to catch up with you later...I might need an hour or two...that's what happens when I fall behind.

>186 nittnut: I think avoiding electronics is a sound idea, Jenn. Unfortunately, I have an addiction to cute dog videos on Facebook and my scrabble-like word game takes up part of my day as well. Both harmless outlets I suppose yet I could be doing more constructive things like cleaning out closets. Ugh.

>187 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita. I'm glad Urrea has a sound fan club here on LT. Thanks for stopping by.

>188 BLBera: It's good to keep a good book unread so you have something to look forward to, Beth. I'm saying that with tongue firmly in cheek because I know you (and I) always have a backlog of books to look forward to reading. It sounds like your lake time was lovely. I'll comment on your thread next time I visit. I've become quite the lurker these days!

Book No. 51: Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger. Library, 344 pp., 3.5 stars.

"The white men called them the Chippewa, which was a bastardization of one of the names by which they were known, Ojibwe. They were part of the Anishinabe Nation whose territory, by the time the white settlers arrived, stretched from the eastern shores of the Great Lakes to the middle of the Great Plains. The Anishinabe saw themselves as stewards of the land with no more right or need to possess the earth than the hawks did the air currents that held them aloft." (83)

This is my favorite mystery series largely because I love reading about our Native American brothers and sisters. The mysteries are secondary to me, especially because they tend to stretch my rational mind too far. This book had an interesting slant as it veered more to the white man's religion than the Ojibwe way of thinking. As usual, I loved the northwoods setting, especially the beginning where Cork is searching for a missing teenage girl in a blizzard. The descriptions were so real I could feel the penetrating cold despite the hot temperatures outside my snuggery window.

This is No. 4 in the series. So glad I have many more Cork O'Connor adventures ahead to satisfy my longing for the lakes and forests of the north country.

Book No. 52: I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron. Libby Audio, read by the author. 166 pp. 3.5 stars.

This was a fun one! I loved that Ms. Ephron read her own reflections in that droll voice of hers. Among my favorites was the introductory essay about forgetfulness. I could so relate to forgetting peoples' names. I can only imagine the awkward pauses if and when I can ever resume a social life. I haven't forgotten my friends, but their names haven't been used in so long that they are deeply buried.

Nora also wrote about her addiction to online scrabble-like games. Tell me about it. I play with people all over the world these days, and those relationships are getting more of a workout than talks with family and real-life friends. And so it goes in these days of social isolation...

Book No. 53: Greenwood by Michael Christie. Library, 504 pp., 4.3 stars.

"There is drama in the opening of a log--to uncover for the first time the beauty in the bole, or trunk, of a tree hidden for centuries, waiting to be given this second life." (Epigraph) ~ George Nakashima, The Soul of a Tree

This intriguing book begins and ends with a futuristic environmental catastrophe called The Great Withering. Most of the trees of the world are dead or in great distress. Much of the book is set in a British Columbia island preserve that still has a canopy of ancient Douglas Firs called the Greenwood Arboreal Cathedral.

I loved the structure based upon the concentric rings found in a cross-section of a tree. The Greenwood "family" is an amalgam of people related more by their ties to nature than a shared blood line. Their family saga chronicles a tangled history "like a forest, a collection of individuals pooling their resources through intertwined roots." This was a sprawling story that made me think deeply about our natural world and its profound impact on our lives. Recommended to other "tree lovers" or just those who enjoy a well-told story.

Dirt Music, your 28th book of the year, I recall loving. It is a gentle ride, if I recall, and best read for the journey.

>195 Donna828: for a second there I thought this one was The Overstory- by Richard Powers (which I loved, but on reflection, felt the last quarter whizzed by at too quick a pace, considering the first part was quite slow).

The tree diagram is so beautiful, the stories trees could tell, right?

In this difficult year with an unprecedented pandemic and where the ills of the past intrude sadly upon the present there must still be room for positivity. Be rightly proud of your country. To all my American friends, enjoy your 4th of July weekend.

>196 LovingLit: It’s great to have a visit from you, Megan. All the way from New Zealand! I’ll be reading more by Tim Winton. He’s quite a writer.

Greenwood is similar to The Overstory but I preferred Richard Powers’ writing. I agree with you about the beginning. I thought it was a short story collection until he started making connections between the various people and trees.

>197 PaulCranswick: I needed those words, Paul. I spent yesterday in a funk about the state of the USA. I’m ashamed and embarrassed about the actions of so many of my fellow citizens, but there is nowhere else I would want to live. 🇺🇸 Thanks for that gentle reminder.