Mamie's 2017 Madness (Page 13)

Mayhem enjoying a room with a view

My name is Mamie. 50. Mother of four. Happily married. I am an Indiana transplant currently residing in Georgia. I like to wax poetic about the pecan trees and complain about the heat. I miss winter. I believe in the power of kindness and shared laughter. I heartily embrace wine, snark, and shenanigans; I like to think of them as my posse.

This is my sixth year in the 75ers group. I will read almost anything (Um…NOT self-help), but I tend to lean towards crime fiction, space opera, and historical fiction. I have a soft spot for quirky characters and magical realism.
This group has greatly increased my reading of truth - I love memoirs, travel writing and narrative non-fiction. I am greatly looking forward to another reading year spent amidst the chaos of the 75.

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snail's pace

Books Read in October:
84. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (4 stars), library paperback, dystopian (Southern Reach Trilogy, book 1) - recommended by Chelle

Books Read in September:
75. News of the World by Paulette Jiles (4.25 stars), library ebook, historical fiction
76. Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (3.5 stars), off my shelf ebook, romance (Lucky Harbor, book 1)
77. A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen (3.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, mystery (Her Royal Spyness, book 2)
78. Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Cruisie (reread), off my shelves ebook, romantic mystery
79. LaBrava by Elmore Leonard (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction
80. Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelves ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 5)
81. The Complete Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne (reread), 2017 gift from Birdy, children's literature
82. River Marked by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelves ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 6)
83. The Lewis Man by Peter May, narrated by Peter Forbes, (4.5 stars) 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction (The Lewis Trilogy, book 2)

Books Read in August:
62. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (reread), 2017 acquired audiobook, narrated by Jill Clayburgh, YA classic
63. What There is to Say, We Have Said: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and William Maxwell edited by Suzanne Marrs (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/letters
64. The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson (4.75 stars), library hardback, contemporary fiction - recommended by Kim
65. The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, fantasy - recommended by Jim
66. Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper (3.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (Jane Jameson, book 2)
67. Nice Girls Don't Live Forever by Molly Harper (3.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (Jane Jameson, book 3)
68. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelf ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 1)
69. Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelf ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 2)
70. Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelf ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 3)
71. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelves ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 4)
72. Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell (3.5 stars), off my shelves ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Kurt Wallander, book 1)
73. leadbelly by Tyehimba Jess (4.5 stars), library paperback, poetry - recommended by Joe
74. Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion, off my shelves ebook, non-fiction/essays

Books Read in July:
54. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, sf/space opera - recommended by Heather
55. Small Vices by Robert B. Parker (4 stars), library audiobook, crime fiction/detective (Spenser series, book 24) - I actually liked this one!
56. One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis, library audiobook, romance
57. Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews (reread), off my shelves ebook, romantic mystery
58. Head Over Heels by Susan Anderson (reread), off my shelves ebook, romantic suspense
59. One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (October Daye, book 5)
60. Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (October Daye, book 6)
61. The Beach House Cookbook by Mary Kaye Andrews, library hardback, cookbook

I am planning on walking the cat this year. That is, I am just going to go where my reading takes me. I am not committing to any challenges except for Ellen’s Reread Challenge, which is a perfect match for me because every year I reread multiple books. I love to reread - it’s like getting together with old friends. I like the comfort of knowing where I am going and the surprise of discovering new truths in a familiar landscape.

So some thoughts I have:

It would be nice to read some of the hundreds of books I have sitting on my shelves - especially the authors that I have multiple standalone books by, such as Elmore Leonard, Philip K. Dick, and George Orwell

I want to keep going on some of the series I focused on this past year as well as some that I have neglected for a while: Harry Bosch, Harry Hole, Inspector Montalbano, Bruno Courrèges, Barsetshire, the Vorkosigan Saga, The Others, Sebastian St. Cyr, ...

I would like to eventually read all of the books mentioned in The English Patient, starting with The Histories by Herodotus

Books Read in June:
44. The Resistance Man by Martin Walker (4 stars), off my shelves paperback, police procedural (Bruno, Chief of Police, book 6)
45. The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths (4 stars) 2017 acquired ebook, police procedural (Ruth Galloway, book 9)
46. The Lightkeepers by Abby Geni (5 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, literary fiction/suspense
47. Churchill & Orwell: The Fight for Freedom by Thomas E. Ricks (4.5 stars) 2017 acquired hardback, non-fiction/WWII
48. Cold Earth by Anne Cleeves (4 stars), 2017 acquired book, police procedural (Shetland series, book 7)
49. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (thinking), 2017 acquired audiobook/paperback, Murakami/mind-bending mystery
50. The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg (4.5), library hardback, GN
51. The Zebra-Striped Hearse by Ross Macdonald (2.75 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/detective (Lew Archer, book 10)
52. Planetfall by Emma Newman (4.5 stars), library paperback, science fiction/space opera - recommended by Heather
53. Chance by Robert B. Parker (3 stars), library ebook, crime fiction/detective (Spenser series, book 23)

Books Read in May:
40. The Blackhouse by Peter May (4 stars), off my shelves ebook, mystery/police procedural
41. A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, Murakami
42. Love Story, With Murders by Harry Bingham (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, police procedural (Fiona Griffiths, book 2)
43. Thin Air by Anne Cleeves (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, police procedural (Shetland series, book 6)

Books Read in April:
29. The Captain and the Enemy by Graham Greene (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, espionage
30. Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick (4.25 stars), off my shelves paperback, science fiction
31. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, 2017 acquired audiobook, mythology (duh)
32. We Are Legion by Dennis E. Taylor, narrated by ray Porter (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, science fiction
33. Red Bones by Anne Cleeves (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, mystery/police procedural (Shetland series, book 3)
34. The Devil's Cave by Martin Walker (4 stars), paperback off my shelves. mystery/police procedural (Bruno, Chief of Police, book 5)
35. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, historical fiction, Lymond Chronicles, book 1) - series recommended by Lucy
36. Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, mystery/police procedural (Shetland, book 4)
37. Ann Cleeves' Shetland by Ann Cleeves (5 stars), 2017 acquired book, non-fiction
38. Dead Water by Ann Cleeves (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, mystery/police procedural (Shetland, book 5)
39. Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop (3.5 stars), off my shelf ebook, urban fantasy (The Others, book 2) - series recommended by Morphy

Books Read in March:
21. An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), library ebook, urban fantasy/private detective (October Daye, book 3) - series recommended by Roni
22. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (4 stars), reread, audiobook, WWI fiction, off my shelves
23. Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara (4.5 stars), ebook off my shelves, fantasy (Chronicles of Elantra, book 2) - series recommended by Roni
24. Cast in Secret by Michelle Sagara (4 stars), ebook off my shelves, fantasy (Chronicles of Elantra, book 3) - series recommended by Roni
25. Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), library ebook, urban fantasy/private detective (October Daye, book 4) - series recommended by Roni
26. The Third Man by Graham Greene, 2017 acquired audiobook, thriller
27. White Nights by Ann Cleeves (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Shetland, book 2)
28. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (3 stars), off my shelves paperback, crime fiction/detective

Books Read in February:
12. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, (5 stars), library hardback, historical fiction - recommended by Mark, and Lynda hypnotized me
13. The Looking-Glass War by John LeCarré, (4 stars),2017 acquired audiobook, espionage (George Smiley series, book 4)
14. Thin Air by Robert B. Parker, (3.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction (Spenser series, book 22), read this with Roberta
15. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves (4.25 stars), ebook, crime fiction, off my shelves (Shetland, book 1)
16. The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov (3.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/scifi (Robot series, book 1)
17. A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire (3 stars), ebook, urban fantasy/mystery, off my shelves (October Daye series, book 2) - series recommended by Roni
18. City of Secrets by Stewart O'Nan (3.5 stars), ebook, historical fiction, off my shelves
19. The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, urban fantasy/police procedural (Rivers of London series, book 5)
20. Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, contemporary fiction

Books Read in January:
1. Rivers of London: Volume 1: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch, art by Lee Sullivan (3.75 stars), GN - police procedural, off my shelves, (Rivers of London series, GN set in between books 4 and 5)
2. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John LeCarré (5 stars), paperback/audio combo, espionage, off my shelves (George Smiley series, book 3)
3. The Chisellers by Brendan O'Carroll (4 stars), library paperback, historical fiction/humor - series recommended by Nancy (Agnes Brown trilogy, book 2)
4. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (5 stars), ebook, off my shelves - series recommended by Jenn (Queen's Thief series, book 1)
5. The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu (4.5 stars), ebook, short story collection, off my shelves - recommended by Mark
6. Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham (3.75 stars), ebook, off my shelves, police procedural - series recommended by Julia and Joe and Mary (Fiona Griffith series, book 1)
7. Nutshell by Ian McEwan (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, literary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
8. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher (4 stars), audiobook, urban fantasy, off my shelves - Roberta said to keep going (Harry Dresden series, book 4)
9. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (4 stars), audiobook, literary fiction, off my shelves
10. Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard (4.25 stars), ebook, crime fiction, off my shelves
11. Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien (4 stars), library paperback, literary fiction/Vietnam

Usually I list my print and ebook purchases, but I thought it might be fun to follow my audiobook purchases instead this year. My husband always gets me the 24 credit Audible membership for Christmas, so…

1. Nutshell by Ian McEwan, narrated by Rory Kinnear, Katie's Dirty Dozen 2016 COMPLETED
2. The Looking-Glass War by John LeCarré, narrated by Michael Jayston COMPLETED
3. Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey, narrated by Carole Boyd - $2.95 Daily Deal
4. The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch, narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith COMPLETED
5. Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis, narrated by Nadia May - a favorite of both Birdy and me - $2.95 Daily Deal
6. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, narrated by Neil Gaiman - because I couldn't NOT have it COMPLETED
7. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, narrated by Neil Gaiman - just $6.99, and I am wanting to get to this one soon
8. Sherlock Holmes Collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Stephen Fry
9. A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft, narrated by Fiona Shaw - $3.95 Daily Deal
10. The Third Man by Graham Greene, narrated by Martin Jarvis COMPLETED
11. The Captain and the Enemy by Graham Greene, narrated by Kenneth Brannagh COMPLETED
12. We Are Legion by Dennis Taylor, narrated by Ray Porter - $1.99, recommended by Kim COMPLETED
13. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier, narrated by Jonathan Pryce
14. For We Are Many by Dennis E. Taylor, narrated by Ray Porter, Bobiverse, book 2
15. The Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami, narrated by Rupert Degas COMPLETED
16. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami, narrated by Rupert Degas COMPLETED
17. The Lewis Man by Peter May, narrated by Peter Forbes, The Lewis Trilogy, book 2 COMPLETED
18. The Chessmen by Peter May, narrated by Peter Forbes, The Lewis Trilogy, book 3
19. The Jekyll Revelation by Robert Masello, narrated by Christopher Lane - $2.95
20. The Black Echo by Michael Connelly, narrated by Dick Hill - $3.49, Harry Bosch, book 1 Listening, reread
21. The Black Ice by Michael Connelly, narrated by Dick Hill - $3.49, Harry Bosch, book 2
22. The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly, narrated by Dick Hill - $3.49, Harry Bosch, book 3
23. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg, narrated by Jill Clayburgh COMPLETED
24. How to Train Your Dragon: How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Cressida Cowell, narrated by David Tennant
25. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, narrated by Sean Barrett, Oliver Le Sueur
26. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, narrated by Samantha Bond and Alan Corduner - recommended by Mark
27. A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen, narrated by Katherine Kellgren - $4.95 COMPLETED
28. Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris, narrated by Lloyd James - $4.95
29. Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas, narrated by Rosalyn Landor - $4.95, The Wallflowers, book 1 - I have read this one before but thought it would be fun to revisit it on audio
30. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carré, narrated by Michael Jayston, George Smiley, book 5
31. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, narrated by Finty Williams

Katie’s Dirty Dozen - That’s right, folks, KAK’s reserved spot is back for a third year, let’s see what she gets me with this time

1. Everyday people by Stewart O'Nan (linked short stories)
2. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
3. Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin (memoir)
4. The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam
5. Personal History by Katherine Graham
6. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan

From 2016:
1. Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
2. Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
3. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez - seconded by Charlotte and Susan
4. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan COMPLETED 8/12/16 3.8 stars
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo COMPLETED 7/21/16 5 stars
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - she recommends the audio read by Cummings himself
9. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great, purchased 5/15/16
11. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi COMPLETED 10/2/16 5 stars
13. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - she pointed out that this was only $1.99 on Kindle and that it was one of her very favorites, purchased 7/13/16
14. Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America by Diane Roberts
15. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
16. Nutshell by Ian McEwan COMPLETED 1/2017 5 stars
17. Black River by S. M. Hulse

AND, from 2015:
1. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey ($1.99 on Kindle), purchase on 2/18/15 COMPLETED 8/19/16 5 stars
2. Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter (2.99 on Kindle), purchased on 2/23/15
3. The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly ($3.79 on Kindle), purchased on 3/31/15 COMPLETED 11/7/15 4.2 stars
4. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler ($12.77 trade paperback), purchased on 4/1/15, COMPLETED read for Mark's AAC in January 2016, 4.25 stars
5. Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker ($.99 on Kindle), purchased on 4/9/15 - second book in a series, first book Dreamland was recommended by Katie and purchased last year
6. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - used an Audible credit COMPLETED 6/16/15 4.9 stars
7. Academy Street by Mary Costello ($9.99 on Kindle), purchased on 6/12/15 COMPLETED 7/2/16 5 stars
8. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn ($5.99 on Kindle), purchased on 8/28/15
9. Sweetland by Michael Crummey ($.99 on Kindle), purchased 9/5/15 COMPLETED 11/19/15 4.5 stars
10. If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins ($7.99 on Kindle), purchased on 10/26/15

Every year, LT is an embarrassment of riches for me. I like to keep track of who recommends what and any other pertinent info that lands a book on WL.

1. Winter by Christopher Nicholson - read Suz's review on her thread, it was one of her top reads from last year
2. News of the World by Paulette Jiles - because Mark said so!
3. The Return: Fathers, Sons, and Between by Hisham Matar - memoir -read Rhonda's review on her thread
4. Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly - read Roni's blurb on her thread about this series
5. Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin - series recommended by Deborah - read her review of the third book on her thread
6. The Western Lit Survival Kit by Sandra Newman - Joe says this is delightful
7. The Inquisitor's Tale, Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz - read Anne's review on her thread
8. A World of Love by Elizabeth Bowen - read Meg's review on her thread
9. Under Another Sky by Charlotte Higgins - read Susan's review on her thread, and she said that she heard about it on Jennifer's (inge87) thread
10. He Wants by Alison Moore - read Nancy's review on her thread
11. A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install - read Caro's review on her thread
12. Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler - read Robin's review of the 13th book in this series
13. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro - read Faith's review on her thread
14. Moonglow by Michael Chabon - Charlotte talking about reading this on her thread has made me add it to the list, and I was really trying not to...
15. The Assault by Henry Mulisch - read Anita's review on her thread
16. India: A Portrait by Patrick French - read Erik's review on his thread - he says a good look at modern day India
17. The Watcher by Ross Armstrong - read Charlotte's review on her thread
18. The Girl of Ink & Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - read Jenny's review on her thread
19. I Will Have Vengeance by Mario De Giovanni - read Ellen's review on her thread
20. The Ferryman Institute by Colin Gigi - because Jim said so
21. Madwoman in the Attic by Sandra M. Gilbert - read Gail's review of it on her thread
22. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah - read Heather's review on her thread - she says the audio is superb
23. Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford - read Cee's review on her thread
24. The Riviera Set by Mary S. Lovell - read Susan's excellent review, which has not yet been posted to the book's page
25. In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides - read Jim's review on his thread
26. Emotionally Weird by Kate Atkinson - read Jenny's review of it on her thread
27. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - read Joanne's review on her thread
28. Smoking Poppy by Graham Joyce - read Lucy's review on the book's page after she mentioned it here
29. My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris - because Mark and Joe said so!
30. How to be a Heroine: Or, What I've Learned From Reading too Much by Samantha Ellis - Heather was reviewing another book by this author on her thread and mentioned that this one is her favorite
31. Scriptorium by Melissa Range - read Joe's lovely review on his thread (poetry)
32. Excellent Women by Barbara Pym - read Anne's review of this on her thread, and it's narrated by Jayne Entwhistle!!
33. The Dead Ladies Project by Jessa Crispin - read Lucy's fab review on her thread
34. War and Turpentine by Stefan Hertmans - read Donna's excellent review on her thread
35. Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda - read Charlotte's (Fourpawz2) review of it on her thread
36. We Are Legion by Dennis Taylor - read Kim's review on her thread - she recommends the audio COMPLETED
37. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester - Brodie recommended this since I like PKD, and he said that Joe recommends The Stars My Destination
38. The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui - read Mark's review on his thread (GN)
39. Planetfall by Emma Newman - read Heather's review on her thread COMPLETED
40. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey - Heather again! COMPLETED
41. The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson - read Kim's review on her thread COMPLETED
42. A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde - read Roni's review on her thread
43. Black Roses by Jane Thynnev - read Judy's review on her thread
44. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth - Judy again!
45. The Cold Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty - read Charlotte's review on her thread
46. Blessed Are the Dead - Charlotte again! (But read A Beautiful Place to Die first to keep Susan happy, as it is first in the series)
47. Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo - loved the quotes Mark posted from this on his thread
48 The Color of Water by James McBride - read Mark's review on his thread, he recommends the audio narrated by Andre Braugher and Lainie Kazan
49. The Anatomy of a Traitor by Michael Smith - read Susan's review on her thread
50. Arabella of Mars by David D. Levine - read Roni's review of it on her thread
51. The Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn - Jim read through these back to back (one story published in four books, if I understand correctly), and it sounded like something that Abby, Birdy and I would all enjoy, so...
52. leadbelly:poems by Tyehimba Jess - read Joe's review of it on his thread COMPLETED
53. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz - read Mark's review on his thread, and he recommends the audio
54. Blind Justice by Bruce Alexander - recommended by Joe
55. The Punch Escrow by Tal M. Klein - read mark's review on his thread

This should do it - next one's yours!

NUMERO UNO!

Happy new one, Mamie!

>1 Crazymamie: I love the Mayhem topper. Great shot.

>9 Crazymamie: On the money, Katie! Nicely done!

>10 katiekrug: Thanks, Brodie! Abby took the photo - it is gorgeous, isn't it?

Let's look at names here...Mayhem and Crazie. Hmmmm. I see a trend!! Happy new thread.

>13 Berly: Right, Kim! And don't forget Mischief:

Happy new thread, Mamie! smooches to Mayhem

ETA and Mischief

Thanks, Lynda! Mayhem says thanks for the smooches.

^ 15

>14 Crazymamie: The Trio is complete!!

*grin* Mischief also thanks you!

>18 Berly: Yes, ma'am!

Happy new thread, Mamie, dear.

Thank you, Paul!

Book #62: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (reread), 2017 acquired audiobook, narrated by Jill Clayburgh, YA classic

I love this story and have read it multiple times, but this is the first time I have listened to it. A huge thanks to Katie, who recently also reread this one - the discussion on her thread made me want to revisit it. Jill Clayburgh did the narration, and she did a great job with it, capturing the humor and the individual personalities of Claudia and Jamie. This one holds up to multiple readings and is a personal favorite. Like me, it is celebrating fifty years of existence this year, so an excellent time to try it if you have never picked it up before. Highly recommended!

Howdy Mamie!

>14 Crazymamie: too cute

Howdy, Ro! Birdy was cleaning the ceiling fan the other day, and when she finished and got down, the kitties immediately claimed the ladder. And look how huge Mayhem has gotten!! Not even a year old yet, and he is already bigger than Mercy.

Happy New Thread, Mamie!

I love the photos of Mayhem and Mischief. Did Abby do those? The one at the top of Mayhem is a knockout.

How are the kids doing, anyway? They're missed on LT.

Happy New Thread, Mamie! Love the Mayhem topper. That is perfect. I hope the week is going well and I hope your current reads are treating you fine.

Happy new thread, Mamie!
Lovely pictures, both the topper and >14 Crazymamie:, you can leave it to the cats to take over an abandoned ladder ;-)

Congrats on your shiny new thread, Mamie. What a beautiful opening.

Happy new thread. Lovely pic too.

>26 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! Abby took the topper photo, and Birdy took the ladder photo. I agree that the top one is stunning.

All of the kids are doing great - they are just all very busy with RL. The three oldest work full time, and Birdy has been bust enjoying her summer. I will tell the girls that they are missed - you are so sweet.

>27 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Glad you love the topper. I started Kafka on the Shore today - I am planning on switching back and forth between print and audio for this one.

>28 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita! The cats are always happy to explore anything and everything. Just like little kids, every day is a brand new adventure for them.

>29 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara!

>30 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte!

Hi Mamie, I've been catching up and was very sorry to read about the passing of your adorable pets. I think those kittens came along at the right time for your family, keeping the house from feeling too empty of pets. We are having some hot weather here, it's been a warm and dry summer so far. We've had some really terrible forest fires in the interior of B.C. and the smoke has finally drifted down to the coast making it very hazy here. I envy you that Georgia rain, we sure could use some of that here!

Did you ever think you would be wishing for rain, Judy? It would clear the air though and maybe cool things down a bit. It feels like being in the middle of a camp fire when you go out there during the day time.

But I am still getting in my steps, Mamie. Thanks for the congrats on your last thread. Yeah, no porches here or anywhere else that I have lived. I don't think there are many houses like that in our cities and I am a city girl.

Happy new thread, Mamie!

>33 DeltaQueen50: Hello, Judy! Thank you for those kind words. I also think that the kittens came into our lives at just the right time.

Sorry to hear about your weather and the forest fires and the smoke. Hoping you get your rain soon. Our humidity came back yesterday, and it is supposed to rain the rest of the week and into next week. We have not gotten any yet although they predicted it for yesterday, but it sure smells like rain outside right now. I am betting we get some today. Only going to 81F here today, which is unusual.

>34 Familyhistorian: Meg, I am hoping that it rains there soon - how awful.

I did not grow up with a porch, either, but I can remember a few of the houses in our neighborhood had them. I was also a city girl - we moved to a more rural area when Craig joined his first practice. We had Rae then and Daniel was on the way.

>35 scaifea: Thank you, Amber!

Happy new thread, Mamie.
>14 Crazymamie: Love the kitties. Scout has two kitties, Annie and Arthur. She got in trouble last week for giving Arthur a time out, in a cupboard.

>23 Crazymamie: Yes! I just reread it, and it holds up very well, I think. Love the kids.

Morning, Mamie. Sweet Thursday!

>37 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! LOVE the story of Scout and the time out for Arthur - too funny.

I really enjoyed listening to the story this time around. And yes - love Claudia and Jamie.

>38 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Sweet Thursday! It's looking like we're gonna get our rain, which is making me happy. The girls and I are excited for Friday to get here because Craig is going to visit his mother and Dan will be away for an Ultimate Frisbee tournament. We are planning to be lazy and indulgent while we hold down the fort.

Happy new one. I love the kitty photos

Hello Mamie! Hope you are having a good summer. I saw this article recently about The Mixed-Up Files and how the Metropolitan Museum was celebrating: http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/from-the-mixed-up-files-of-mrs-basil-...

Hope you are well.

Good afternoon, Mamie! I hope you have a Happy Friday!

It is done. I did it. For real, this time. ;-P

Wishing all at the Pecan Paradisio a wonderful weekend. xx

Hope you and the girls are enjoying being lazy and indulgent.

Mamie, Mamie, Mamie!! Let me tell you, the swiss pan burgers with rosemary/mushroom sauce were the bomb! What a gourmetish change to the same old burger! Thank you!
Keep those recipes coming, my friend :0D

Delurking to say Hi! Hope you enjoyed the rain and holding down the fort.

Just popping in to say hi!

Monday is pretty much over, and what a day it was. Feeling like I can safely wish you a happy week now. :)

Oh I loved the Mixed Up Files -- also Harriet the Spy, as another marvelous New York children's novel. Almost made me want to live in NYC back when.

>23 Crazymamie: I read this for the first time a few years back (an LT rec, of course). I instantly thought to give it to my niece, and reckon she would love it now.

Happy Wednesday, Mamie!

I hope all is going well at the Pecan Paradisio.

Also just stopping by to say Hi Mamie! >23 Crazymamie:, >52 jnwelch: I'm another person who came to From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler as an adult and I loved it. Sure I would have loved it as a child too and I'll have to remember it for my nephews and goddaughter when they get older.

Missing you Mamie and all at the Pecan Paradisio.

Hi Mamie! I am slowly making the rounds. Happy new thread! Lovely pics of Mayhem, Mercy and Mischief. Boy, have the little kitties grown!

Glad to see that everyone is doing well and very sorry to read about the diminished numbers in your furkid family. Always sad when that happens.

Good grief, it is almost September... where did the summer go?!?

Hi Mamie! Hope all is well in your world!

So when fall hits, do you get to spend more time here again? : ) Missing you!! Hope life is treating you well.

Morning, Mamie! Hope you had a good weekend. How are those current reads treating you?

Greetings from Chicago, Mamie. Hope you get some time to be on LT.

Happy Mmmphleday!!

Hello Mamie! I hope all is well with you and the family.

Adding to the chorus of missing Mamie members!

Missing you Mamie!

Thanks to everyone for keeping my thread warm. We have made it to another Friday, which always makes me happy, and this one is awesome because the ladies and I are enjoying a staycation while the menfolk are off camping in Minnesota. We will get an entire glorious week to ourselves. Well...actually a bit longer as they left on Wednesday.


Rae and I have been watching the Wallander BBC series starring Kenneth Branagh, and it is well done. A lovely surprise was finding Tom Hiddleston among the cast of regulars. I know. I know - we are very late to the party, but we have watched and enjoyed the first two seasons so far. I had the first book on my Kindle, so I did read it last month and found the mystery very well done but the writing a bit clunky, which I am assuming is because of the translation. The library has the second book available on digital audio, so I have checked it out - it's narrated by Dick Hill.

HI Mamie! So good to see you.

>65 brodiew2: I have been eyeing Wallander for some time. Strangely, Branagh's small role in 'Dunkirk' reminded me that I liked him as an actor and haven't seen much of him lately. I am now convinced. :-)

.....

....

snail's pace

Books Read in August:
62. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (reread), 2017 acquired audiobook, narrated by Jill Clayburgh, YA classic
63. What There is to Say, We Have Said: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and William Maxwell edited by Suzanne Marrs (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/letters
64. The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson (4.75 stars), library hardback, contemporary fiction - recommended by Kim
65. The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, fantasy - recommended by Jim
66. Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper (3.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (Jane Jameson, book 2)
67. Nice Girls Don't Live Forever by Molly Harper (3.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (Jane Jameson, book 3)
68. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelf ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 1)
69. Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelf ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 2)
70. Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelf ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 3)
71. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelves ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 4)
72. Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell (3.5 stars), off my shelves ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Kurt Wallander, book 1)
73. leadbelly by Tyehimba Jess (4.5 stars), library paperback, poetry - recommended by Joe
74. Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/essays - Julia pointed this one out when it was on sale, and I snagged it, so thank you, Julia!

As you can see, I got on an urban fantasy kick in August. I loved revisiting the first four Mercy Thompson books, and I plan to continue rereading through the series this month. Kim was right about The Almost Sisters - it was full of fabulous. Hoping it finds a wider audience. And I never finished Kafka on the Shore, but I plan to come back to it - too much discussion on the GR thread about the terrible thing that happens. I kept dreading getting to that part, so I decided to just let it go for now and try again at a later date. Hoping to get back to it before the year is out but not making any promises.

>66 Crazymamie: Hello, Brodie! Rae and I both really liked it, so I hope you do check it out.

>65 brodiew2: Hi Mamie! And now you've reminded me that I need to get back to Wallander. I've watched the first few episodes but it's been awhile. We're currently enjoying the first season of Endeavour, which is based on Inspector Morse. I've never watched or read that series either but am definitely enjoying Endeavour.

Hello, Joanne! We LOVE Endeavor - I have been hoarding seasons three and four, but we will probably watch them in the coming week. And we are trying to be patient waiting for Netflix to get season three of Broadchurch, but we might have to break down and buy it.

Nice to have you back, Mamie!

I got hooked on those Mercy Thompson books, too. She sure keeps the pages flying.

I'm glad you liked Tyehimba Jess's leadbelly. He seems like a really good guy, too.

Nice to see you back online and so much reading too! One more book until the big 75!

Great to read of your doings, Mamie. I--along with everyone else on LT--have missed you. Congratulations on your reading. Only one to go. Awesome.

>71 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Joe! I still have to read the latest two out because I saved them for when I needed them, so I will probably read them after rereading the previous books. And you're right - the pages fly by because Briggs is so good with the pacing and the plot.

leadbelly was so great - I will probably read through it again before I have to take it back. So cleverly done. I loved the Lomax/Lead Belly poems because they rang so true from both viewpoints. I also liked the ones featuring Blind Lemon Jefferson and Cab Calloway. I was already familiar with Lead Belly's story, but this told it so succinctly and was extremely poignant. SO heartbreaking that so much talent and so much anger could not find a better resolution or at least a better balance.

>72 weird_O: Thank you, Chelle! I am excited that the next book will get me to the magic 75!

>73 Crazymamie: Thanks, Bill! It is a lovely thing to be missed. I have no idea what #75 will be as I have had a bunch of library holds come in all at once. I guess we'll see where my mood takes me.

Hi Mamie -- great to have you back. Hope you have a great staycation :)

>67 Crazymamie:. She's BACK!!!! Yay! So glad you liked Almost Sisters and I adore the Mercy Thompson series. SO much fun! Hurray for the girls-only staycation. I am hoping I get to avoid the office this weekend. Hubby and I have been trying to catch up on paperwork, but I need a break. Love your little figures before the books they are adorably cute and spot on. I am going to have to borrow that snail for one of the books I am on, LOL. Happy Friday!! xoxo

>75 Berly: Thanks, Reba! So far so good with the staycation.

>76 Crazymamie: You are so sweet, Kim! August was a very good reading month for me, and a huge thanks to you for recommending The Almost Sisters - I am trying to get Abby to read it. We all love Mercy Thompson, and Rae reread the first two books with me, which was fun.

We are having a blast without the boys, and they have gotten to go camping, so it's a win for everyone. I am jealous of the cooler temps they are getting to enjoy, but I am SO not a camper. I am crossing my fingers that you get to stay home from the office over the weekend. UGH to paperwork.

Glad you love my reading figures - I have been using them for several years, and they always make me smile. I usually have a snail book going. *grin* A very happy Friday to you - hoping that it is full of fabulous! xoxo

Yay Mamie's back.

Have a lovely weekend. That is all...

>78 Crazymamie: Oh! I LOVE that, Charlotte! Thank you - wishing you a lovely weekend as well.

Another pleased to see you back, Mamie.

Looking forward to see what you choose for number 75.

Thank you, Paul! I am actually leaning towards The Great Gatsby - an old favorite, and I have not read it one hundred times yet. Heh.

Enjoy your ladies staycation, Mamie. Good to see you back.

>81 Familyhistorian: That was discussed among a choice of six of the best American novels over at my place recently. It is a love or hate type of book and it didn't rock my boat the one time I read it. I know at least one other 75er that has read it 35 times at least.

>82 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Meg!

>83 Crazymamie: Ha! Obviously I am in the love camp. I do think that you get more out of it with each reading, which is part of what keeps bringing me back, but also the language is just so beautiful.

Have fun with the girls, Mamie. One more and you've reached 75! I'll be back to check to see what you read.

Thank you, Beth! It will probably be News of the World - the digital loan from the library came in for me yesterday, and I started it last night just to get a feel for it. Could not put it down, so now I have almost finished it.

Morning Mamie! Happy Saturday. Nice to see you check in and give us a sweet August reading list.

I think News of the World would make a perfect 75.

Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday to you! Things will slow down a bit as we settle into Fall, so I am hoping to be around a bit more. August was very kind to me with the books - no losers, so I cannot complain.

I am really loving News of the World, so I am guessing you will be right about it being perfect for my 75th read of the year.

I loved News of the World, Mamie. A great #75!

>89 Crazymamie: *grin*

Happy Saturday, Mamie! Hope you and the girls enjoy the staycation. The Wayne will be gone the week after next, and (don't tell him) I am kind of looking forward to some Me time :)

Glad you are loving News of the World - it's been a favorite of mine this year, too.

Hey, Katie! I always love getting the house to myself (rarely happens) or just switching things up. It's fun to have the guys away doing something they love while the girls and I are enjoying a very relaxed schedule and just playing it by ear.

News of the World is reminding me of Lonesome Dove and True Grit in that you become very attached to the characters and the writing is spot on. The Captain, with his gentleness, compassion, resourcefulness and wit is making me want to revisit the Count in A Gentleman in Moscow.

Hi, Mamiie! Wishing you a great Labor Day weekend!

Hey Mamie! Welcome back :) (Where were you? Summer?)
>81 Familyhistorian: I would go for that. The Great Gatsby has so much to offer. It's the book I have read the most times (4) and each time I like it as much or more.

Morning, Mamie!! Good to see you around!

>93 LovingLit: Hello, Terri! Thanks for those good wishes - hoping yours is full of fabulous!

>94 scaifea: Hi, Megan! Ha! yes, I was definitely in summer- just taking the time to focus more on family and soak up the moments as I know that sooner or later everyone will be heading off is separate directions.

Totally agree that The Great Gatsby has a lot to offer. I have no idea how many times I have read it over the years, but it is one I go back to over and over again. Like you, the more I read it, the more I love it.

>95 Crazymamie: Morning, Amber! And thanks!

News of the World was a slow start for me. If I was a proponent of the "50 page rule" I would never have finished it but, in the end, I liked it a lot -- so I'm glad I don't follow that rule :)

So interesting, Reba - I was drawn in from the start, but then I do think that one's mood has a lot to do with things like that, and it was just what I was in the mood for. I'm so glad you kept going.

Hi, Mamie. Oh, I miss the Count in A Gentleman in Moscow. What a great character.

I loved News of the World, as did my bride. I'm glad it's working for you. I can see why the Captain reminds you of the Count.

I just finished a mystery I think you'd like: Blind Justice by Bruce Alexander. 1760s London, well done characters, especially the two central ones, great period detail, and some fun with Samuel Johnson and Boswell.

>99 Crazymamie: Thanks for that, Joe - adding it to the list. It does sound right up my alley.

So far, A Gentleman in Moscow is my favorite read of the year - I am missing the Count, too, so it was great to find a character that reminds me of him in News of the World. And funny, too - talk about different settings!

Good morning, Mamie!

I'll throw my hat in the ring of missing the character of Count Rostov in A Gentleman in Moscow. He is everything you would expect a 'gentleman' to be. I marveled a this imperturbability. As graceful as he was, he was rarely irritated and had clever answer to every obstacle he encountered.

Hi, Mamie. Glad you are mellowed out and engaged with family and books you enjoy. Keep on chooglin'.

Hi Mamie! Sounds like you have been enjoying a lovely staycation with the girls! I used to be a camper but I would be more of a "glamper" now.

Hooray for Captain Kidd!!

Hi Crazy! SO nice to see you posting a bit more regularly here. Glad the books are going well for you right now. And iif you need an explanation for >102 lkernagh:, "Chooglin'" check out my thread!! Hi Bill. : )

Hey, Mamie! Glad you're enjoying the staycation.

It's wonderful to see some Gatsby love here. I'm always astonished when people don't like it. Have you read the little book that's all about reading it? Sadly I forget both title and author, but it's a pretty good exploration of both the novel and the various pleasures of rereading.

Our weather is supposed to cool off considerably starting tomorrow. I can't wait! How about y'all up there in the Atlanta area?

Hey Mamie! I saw on the news this morning, Irma the monster hurricane maybe headed somewhere towards Georgia. Hoping you are not within the cone of uncertainty.

Yes, what Lynda said - I hope you and yours are doing okay and not in Irma's path!

Have a great Irma-free weekend, Mamie.

Just popping in here to let you know that we are fine, but we are in the hurricane watch area. We live in Albany, so we are under a state of emergency - businesses and schools already closed for Monday. The boys are still making their way home from Minnesota, so please cross your fingers that they get here before things get bad. The girls and I were running errands yesterday, and it was crazy here - so much traffic from Florida. Hotels are full, there is a limit on how much bottled water you can buy, and long lines at the gas stations. There were accidents everywhere, which was weird.

We are currently planning on riding it out, figuring that we already weathered all of the intense storms and tornadoes that impacted the area earlier this year. (Plus, traveling with three cats and a dog does not make for fun times.) We do have bags packed and ready just in case we need to get out in a hurry. Your good thoughts are very much appreciated - I absolutely believe in the positive power of this group of LTers!

Hang in there Mamie and family!

Wow. What Roberta said. I was hoping Irma wouldn't get to you guys. Thanks for keeping us posted, Mamie. Sending lots of positive thoughts for the boys getting back, and being safe with you and the girls.

Stay safe, Mamie, I'll be thinking of you.

>110 luvamystery65: Thank you for the update - I was just coming over to your thread because I wasn't sure if you would be affected. Hoping the boys get home safely and you all stay safe once the storm hits.

Mamie, thank you for the update. I'd started hearing Georgia on our news and thought of you. It's been getting huge coverage here because of the British Overseas Territories, but seems to be weakening a bit. I hope it's less powerful if it reaches you.

Joining the others with positive "stay safe" thoughts for your family and everyone in Irma's path.

I'll be thinking of you, Mamie! Hope the storm weakens greatly before it hits land!

Adding my positive thoughts too. Note to self, stop complaining about the light drizzle....

Will be keeping you safe in my thoughts with Irma. And I'm hoping a Cat 1 or so by the time it gets to you isn't so bad...

Stay safe!

Sending best wishes to you and all of your family (and everyone else in Irma's path)!! Stay safe. And post when you can. Hugs!!

Thank you, everyone, for the positive thoughts and prayers. As you can see if you were here when I first posted yesterday up there in >110 luvamystery65:, we have already been downgraded - the map automatically updates. We are no longer under a hurricane watch, and they are predicting that the hurricane will be only a category 1 when it gets here - SO much better than a category 3.

The boys made it home in the wee small hours of the morning, as they drove straight through (a whopping 27 hours!). They had a very good time, but they are exhausted. I am very thankful to have everyone back together.

>111 jnwelch: Thank you, Roberta.

>112 DeltaQueen50: They made it home very early this morning, Joe. Thanks so much for thinking of us.

>113 souloftherose: Thanks, Judy.

>114 susanj67: Thank you, Heather. The boys are back, and we are finishing up preparing for the high winds and possible loss of power.

>115 lkernagh: You're welcome, Susan. I appreciate those positive thoughts. I was very pleased that we had been downgraded. Crossing my fingers for no structural damage to the house.

>116 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Lori.

>117 charl08: Thanks, Chelle.

>118 drneutron: Thank you, Charlotte. I would definitely take a slight drizzle, in fact, I would love a slight drizzle. It is already very windy here, which is amazing considering how far out the storm system is still.

>119 Berly: Thank you, Jim. It was originally a category 3 predicted for when it reached us, but it was downgraded by the time you saw it. The original prediction was scary, so I was very happy to see it altered.

>120 Crazymamie: Thank you, Kim. Hugs back to you!

Morning, Mamie! Fingers crossed all will be well, at the Pecan Paradiso. You will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Did you finish News of the World?

Morning, Mark! And thank you for those good thoughts and prayers. I did finish News of the World, and I really liked it. I would have probably ended the book a little sooner than she did, but it was a very good read. LOVED the Captain.

Yah, for the Captain! My brother lives on the Atlantic side, about 90 miles north of Ft. Lauderdale. They had to evacuate and are staying at a nearby motel. The brunt of it appears to be hitting the gulf side. Good luck to everybody!

Whew! I'm glad you've been downgraded and that you have the whole family together again!

Craig's mom lives in the Tampa area and was also forced to evacuate - she went to stay with friends. The fact that it's coming up the gulf side is why it is more of an issue for us - we live in Albany, pretty much directly north of Tallahassee, FL. Thanks for those good wishes - we are already getting the wind and the rain.

>127 Crazymamie: Me, too, Amber. AND that Craig's mom went to stay with friends instead of heading here. A HUGE blessing.

Fingers crossed that the weather will be kind, Mamie.

Great news re the boys and the downgrading of Irma to Category 1. (I'll continue to hope it gives you guys a miss altogether).

27 hours driving. Wow, that's epic. They obviously were determined.

Good to see you checking in, Mamie and really happy that your guys are back and you'll be riding out the storm together. What a fickle storm Irma has been. People who presumed to be safe at the start are now hunkering down. Wishing and praying you do not get the brunt of it. Take care!!

>130 jnwelch: Thank you, Beth.

>131 Carmenere: I was very happy to see them, Joe. And thrilled about the downgrade - giving us a miss altogether would be totally awesome.

And yep - it's fer piece, as the locals here would say. Craig's mom owns land up on Boy Lake, and they always vacationed up there in the summers (his dad was a farmer and his mom was a school teacher, so summers were good for traveling up there. Of course, it was much closer when we lived in Indiana. Heh.

>132 Crazymamie: Thank you, Lynda. So true about Irma being contrary - it's been a wild ride and she isn't even here yet.

Glad to see the boys made it home before the storm! Hope the wind and rain stay to a minimum for you!

So far so good. Thanks for posting the update. Glad you are all together and hopefully, you won't get to meet Irma. Best wishes!!

Hi Mamie. I hope you're having a peaceful night. It looks like the worst we will get is cancelled baseball games. Phew!

So glad you're all together and hope you weather the storm without problem. We're holding you in our thoughts.

Six years ago today, my Dad died. He is greatly missed. He loved old movies, Twinkies, the Peanuts comic strip, sarcasm, and me. He was witty and charming and had a wicked talent for remembering numbers and dates. He was a follower of The Great Pumpkin and eagerly awaited its arrival every year with serious fanfare, much to my mother's chagrin. He told me once that kindness is its own kind of magic, and he was right.

I am the baby of the family by a lot - I have five older sisters, and the one closest in age to me is seven years older than I. This meant that they had all moved out and into lives of their own when I was still quite young. My Dad compensated for this by making lovely memories that were mine alone. One of those memories is of him occasionally bringing home chili cheese dogs very late at night. He would quietly wake me up, and we would sneak into the kitchen to enjoy our forbidden feast. When we had finished, he would always wink at me and say, "Now there's no need to tell your mother about this, kid. Remember - she doesn't allow dogs in the house." So, every year we remember and honor him by eating chili cheese dogs and watching an old movie favorite of his. This year's movie will be either Foreign Correspondent or The Dirty Dozen. We'll vote once everyone is home.

Hugs to you, my friend.

>138 katiekrug: Love this, Mamie. I'm sure he's smiling somewhere.

>139 jnwelch: Thank you, Katie.

>140 Crazymamie: Thanks, Joe.

>134 Berly: It was not too bad, Chelle. We had winds in the 25-30 mph range, and a lot of rain. We lost power early on Monday morning, and it was out until about 2pm. We got internet back a few hours after the power, so nothing to complain about at all.

>135 nittnut: Thanks, Kim - we came through just fine, and I am sure that I owe a huge thanks to this group for all the positive thoughts and prayers.

>136 RebaRelishesReading: So glad you did not get any of the fallout, Jenn.

>137 Crazymamie: We did, Reba, thanks.

Hugs Mamie

Thank you, Roberta.

Thinking of you, Mamie. I hope you enjoy the film. It's been a while, if ever, that I've seen 'Foreign Correspondent'. Time to take another look.

Hugs! Enjoy your chilli dog and memories today!

>138 katiekrug: I love that you have such great memories of your Dad. I love the chili dog story and hope you have fun watching the movie tonight.

>138 katiekrug: So, every year we remember and honor him by eating chili cheese dogs and watching an old movie favorite of his
What a lovely tradition. And what a wonderful memory- rules are good, and breaking them is only fun if they are there in the first place :)

Hi Mamie! Glad to see all is well at the Paradisio!

Glad to know there were few problems for you, Mamie. It was a bit worse here ( I didn't realized you were so far south), but me and mine were spared the worst of it.

A lovely tribute to your father, Mamie. Love to you.

So, the chili cheese dogs were fabulous, and the movie that won the vote was The Dirty Dozen. The girls had never seen it before, so that was fun - they all loved it. And now Birdy thinks that Katie's Dirty Dozen is da Bomb. Speaking of Birdy, I do have to share something sweet. You'll notice that the book my Dad is holding in >138 katiekrug: is Winnie the Pooh - I saved up my money and bought it for him for Christmas one year. We both had big love for Pooh and his crew - my Dad's favorite character was Eeyore. We used to always watch those Disney movies of Pooh when they were on tv - remember when you had to wait for something to be on tv in order to watch it?! Anyway, I can remember bringing home the original version of Pooh from the library one day and telling my Dad - hey look, somebody else drew Pooh, and I guess this guy was first because the librarian said so. My Dad looked at me and said, "Yes. First and also better. Disney left out the charm, but it's still fun." Anyway, this year Birdy gave me the Folio edition of Winnie the Pooh - she had gotten it for me for Christmas but thought it would better given this month. Made me cry. And it is SO gorgeous!

>145 ChelleBearss: All of the movies we choose are ones that my Dad and i watched together, so I have seen Foreign Correspondent, and I love it - anything Hitchcock, really. The kids chose The Dirty Dozen, so that is what we watched, but Abby and I will watch the other one together because she is wanting to see it.

>146 Berly: Thank you, Chelle - we did!

>147 LovingLit: Me, too, Kim - he was full of fabulous. We had a lot of fun with the movie, especially since the girls hadn't seen it before.

>148 Carmenere: True, Megan. SO true.

>149 Matke: Hey, Lynda! We came through just fine, and it helped that we had so many fierce storms earlier in the year because our city lost so many trees then. I feel like anything that was going to fall went then. The pecan grove behind us did lose a couple of trees, but nothing major.

>150 Crazymamie: I'm sorry to hear that, Gail, but relieved to hear that you and yours were spared the worst of it. And yes - we are actually closer to Tallahassee than to Atlanta.

Thank you for those kind words and for the love. Keeping you in my thoughts.

>151 Crazymamie: Aww. Really great, Mamie. A tip of the hat to Birdie. That's a sweet one. Looks like a beautiful Folio edition, too.

What a wonderful tradition you have in memory of your dad.

Thank you, Joe! Yep, that Birdy is a keeper. We call our tradition in honor of my Dad our "Death Day Dinner and a Movie" because that would totally have cracked him up. It really helps to have a plan for that day or it would just be a very sad one for me, remembering how much I had lost with his passing. This way, we get to hold him close and share his memory with love and laughter, and the kids have been great about always just dropping everything and joining in.

Love it, Mamie. It's good that all the kids got to know him a bit.

>151 Crazymamie: you almost made me cry with that story -- so sweet!!

>51 LovingLit: That's lovely Mamie. :-) (or BAG, as Mark might say).

I like that I am forever associated with The Dirty Dozen. Such a great movie!

And how sweet of Birdy to get you the beautiful edition of Pooh. (Heh, that sounds funny...)

>155 RebaRelishesReading: They didn't really get to know him, Joe, unfortunately. My Dad went blind shortly after Daniel was born, and my mother, who was already poison, became somewhat of a control freak. We would see my Dad at holidays at my sister's house (one of my sisters would have to go and get Dad and bring him because my mom would not give him a ride). I mostly went on my own to visit my Dad at my parents house because my mom was very difficult to deal with, and I didn't want to expose my kids to that - especially Rae.

>156 charl08: Aw. Thanks, Reba.

>157 katiekrug: Look at you quoting Mark! He'll be so pleased. Thank you, Charlotte.

>158 Crazymamie: Ha! You would have been delighted with how much they loved the movie, Katie. And that last sentence cracked me up.

Morning, Mamie! Sweet Thursday! Hooray for chili dogs and The Dirty Dozen. A perfect pairing. B.A.G.

Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday! It was a perfect pair, indeed.

Good morning, Mamie! I hope all is well with you. I hope you stick around for a bit.

I just started The Return of the King. I am look forward to the culmination of Tolkien' story.

Wrote my master's thesis on Gatsby, so yeah, it looms large in my mind. One of those books that comes up constantly.

We are MAD for Endeavour. Were, of course, mad for Morse in his older incarnation as well.

Currently we are alternating Vera with Last Tango in Halifax. Delighted to learn that another season of Doc Martin is in the works.

Also recently heard that a new STAR TREK will be coming along down the pipeline. USS Discovery and Jason . . . Something . . as the Captain maybe? Oh jeez, he played Jackson Brodie in the BBC rendering -- and some other great folks. Oh gosh and he was LUCIUS MALFOY. Very nice-looking man! He'll bring something to the role, for sure.

>159 msf59:. Ah, very sorry to hear that, Mamie. Family members can act in really goofy ways.

>163 jnwelch: unless you are joshing, sixby, it's Jason Isaacs you are referring to. :-)

>138 katiekrug: I am always touched by your tributes to your Dad, Mamie. He was a lucky chap to have a daughter love him so dearly. xx

>154 jnwelch: "Death Day Dinner and a Movie" -- gotta laugh at that. Love that Birdy was so thoughtful and got you the Pooh book. You have a wonderful family, Crazy. : )

>151 Crazymamie: that's so sweet! your kids are darlings!

Wishing all at the Pecan Paradisio a wonderful weekend.

Am not joshing!! It is THAT Jason!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC7IMj7WFyE

Families! Their members come in all shapes and sizes and dispositions. It is great that you have been able to go with the positive example you were given by your Dad for your own family. That is probably the greatest tribute to him.

Eeyore is my favorite Winnie the Pooh. character, too. I am always touched by the tributes to your dad, Mamie. Mine would have been 101 yrs. old on September 15 so he was even more in my thoughts that day.

So glad Irma wore herself down before she got to you. I think I prefer living in Tornado Alley. They are over and done with before everyone can get too panicky.

I thought this looked like a great concept, although evidently there are no plans to release this in the US.

>174 Crazymamie: Love it :)

>162 sibylline: I keep thinking I'll have more time, Brodie, and then it gets used up doing other things. We have crazy schedules right now, with everyone coming and going at different times.

I love all of those Lord of the Rings books - such a treat.

>163 jnwelch: I did not know that, Lucy! How interesting. I have big love for The Great Gatsby, and I love revisiting it. I am also fascinated by The Lost Generation (and The Bloomsbury Group). Have you read And So We Read On: How the Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures by Maureen Corrigan? Highly recommended.

We are also MAD for Endeavor - one of my favorites. I have only seen a few of the Morse episodes, but I will get back to it eventually.

Rae and I loved Vera - we had to get it out from the library on DVD, which felt old school to me since we mostly stream these days. I have not seen Last Tango in Halifax, so I'll have to put that one on my list of things to check into. We have been watching Hinterlands and I am wanting to get to season two of Witnesses - I was thrilled to see that they had made another season. You would like both of those, I think.

Now you have me very excited about the new Star Trek! I adore Jason Isaacs!

>164 brodiew2: That is a truth, Joe.

>165 PaulCranswick: Yep! I loved him as Jackson Brodie.

>166 Berly: Thanks for that, Paul.

>167 ChelleBearss: My Dad would have loved Death Day Dinner and a Movie, Kim. His sense of humor was one of the best things about him - he was funny and irreverent and very sarcastic. I will completely agree with you that Birdy was so thoughtful to get me the Pooh book and that I have a wonderful family - of course, I might be slightly biased.

>168 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Chelle!

>169 sibylline: Thank you, Paul! We are now ready for another one, so I will wish that yours is full of fabulous!

>170 Familyhistorian: I am giddy about it, Lucy! And thanks for that link to the trailer.

>171 Donna828: Thanks so much for that, Meg.

>172 ronincats: Another Eeyore fan! And thank you for those kind words - my Dad would have been 92 this coming January.

I am very thankful that we did not get the original prediction with Hurricane Irma. And I hear you about the tornadoes being less stressful to deal with because they move much faster than a hurricane. We dealt with them often in Indiana, but not so much down here until this past Spring - crazy weather down here in the past year.

>173 RebaRelishesReading: Oh. My. Word. I LOVE that, Roni!

>174 Crazymamie: Me, too, Reba!

So here's what I have been up to on my reading front:



.....

....

snail's pace

Books Read in September:
75. News of the World by Paulette Jiles (4.25 stars), library ebook, historical fiction
76. Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (3.5 stars), off my shelf ebook, romance (Lucky Harbor, book 1)
77. A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen (3.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, mystery (Her Royal Spyness, book 2)
78. Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Cruisie (reread), off my shelves ebook, romantic mystery
79. LaBrava by Elmore Leonard (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction
80. Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs (reread), off my shelves ebook, urban fantasy (Mercy Thompson, book 5)
81. The Complete Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne (reread), 2017 gift from Birdy, children's literature

>178 Familyhistorian: Great variety of books read in September, Mamie. Isn't the Rhys Bowen series fun?

Thanks, Meg. I love that Rhys Bowen series on audio - Katherine Kellgren captures the humor in it so well. I really liked LaBrava - the title character is a photographer who used to be secret service. He's living in this old hotel down in Florida, and when he tags along with the owner (of the hotel) to help out a friend, he meets the movie star that he fell in love with when he was twelve. She is just like her screen image, but older, and soon LaBrava finds himself tangled up in a web of intrigue that feels like something straight out of her movies - but is it?

I really love Elmore Leonard - he had a gift for dialogue, and he has created some of my favorite characters of all time. My favorite of his so far is Pronto in which we meet the Raylin Givens of Justified fame.

We have to figure out how to join CBS Access (which could be a problem for us!) And I think Jason is not the Captain but maybe the second.

Hoping you can work it out, Lucy. Whatever role he plays, he'll be good.

Happy Friday, Mamie! We miss your face. Thanks for posting your reading. Not familiar with your current reads, so I will wait to be enlightened. Glad to see you read a Elmore Leonard. He gets short-shrift around here. I remembered LaBrava being one of my favorites.

He IS the captain - apparently it starts on a different ship THEN goes to Discovery.

Happy weekend Crazy!! Love that you are reading Mercy Thompson books--they are awesome. : )

>183 sibylline: Happy Saturday, Mark! It's already steamy here, and someone is burning yard debris, so it stinks outside. On the bright side, the house is quiet, and the coffee is made. I appreciate your missing me - it's lovely to be missed.

Love me some Elmore Leonard, and I have a lot of his stuff in the stacks, which makes me happy. LaBrava was a very fun ride, as was Get Shorty. I'm planning on Out of Sight next and then Road Dogs. My current print reads are both part of series - The Children Return is book seven in Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police series - mysteries set in the French countryside with plenty of food and wine thrown in. And River Marked is book six in Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series - urban fantasy set in the Washington state area, and very well done. I have read the first eight books before, but I am rereading them before I indulge in the latest two. My audio is Histories by Herodotus, which is the book that the main character carries everywhere in The English Patient - I have wanted to read it since reading that and also since reading Travels With Herodotus, which is the best kind of travel writing and highly recommended.

>184 Berly: Lucy, look at you providing me with the inside information! Thanks. I can't wait to see it.

>185 Crazymamie: Happy weekend, Kim! I love Mercy, as do Rae, Abby and Craig - we even named our cat after her. It's been fun rereading them back to back - there were things that I had forgotten. And when I finish with that, I will finally read Fire Touched and Silence Broken, which I have been hoarding. Heh.

>186 Berly: I have not read Silence Broken yet!! I should fix that. : ) Do you have first dibs on the books? What's the pecking order amongst all you readers?

Craig has already read them all, but we have them on Kindle, so we could all read them at the same time if we wanted to. Craig is the world's fastest reader, so he just churns right through anything new.

Amanda has set up the Halloween theme read thread, and she used categories with some listed examples of books that would fit those categories. This is always a fun theme, so stop by and star the thread if you are at all interested.

Happy Saturday, Mamie.

Somewhere I have a collection of Washington Irving's ghost stories, including "The Legend of Sleeping Hollow". I've been meaning to read it; maybe I can squeeze it in for Amanda's Halloween theme read.

Hey, Bravo on the Dutch Leonard reading. I liked that he seldom reused characters. Yeah, Chilli appeared in a couple of yarns, and Raylin in several. But in most of the Leonard novels I've read, we are introduced to a new protagonist. His dialog is outstanding. Insane plotting.

>189 jnwelch: Hi Mamie!
Thanks for sharing the link to the Halloween read! It's been a few years (I think) since I participated in a good scary read! I should get on that!

>190 weird_O: Happy Saturday, Joe! That sounds like a perfect fit for Halloween.

>191 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Bill! I completely agree with you about Leonard - he is one of my favorites.

>192 Crazymamie: Hey, Chelle! You are welcome - I felt bad that I was the only one who had been to the thread, so I thought I would share. It's always fun to see what everyone picks.

I must make more time for Elmore Leonard, especially as I have a few of his on the shelves.

Have a fabulous weekend.

Yep. You should, Paul. And thanks for those wishes - hoping the week ahead for you is a good one.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Sunday. I love the fact that you are making your way through the Elmore Leonard books. I would really like to do this too. Most of them I read back in the 80s and 90s so enough time has passed. I started with Cat Chaser and was hooked immediately.

Enjoy your day.

Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday. My first Leonard was Pronto, and it remains my favorite, but all of them have been fun. I have not yet read Cat Chaser.

Hoping your day is full of fabulous. And beer.

>189 jnwelch: Thanks Crazy! Starred this thread and I already finished my first book, The Girl with all the Gifts. I love Halloween. : )

>198 Crazymamie: You're welcome, Kim! Oh! The Girl With all the Gifts is on my list - I am wanting to get to that one.

Good morning, Mamie!

>186 Berly: I, too, love me some Elmore Leonard. Get Shorty is fun book and one of my favorite films. I think you will enjoy Out of Sight. It is also a pretty decent film. As I recall, Maximum Bob was my first and I enjoyed that one too.

Afternoon, Brodie! I have seen the movie for Out of Sight, and I liked it, so I am looking forward to the book. Maximum Bob is one I have not yet read, but I do have it on the shelves.

Hi, Mamie!

I've enjoyed the Elmore Leonard books that I've read, but never got hooked, for some reason. I'm close to starting the new Longmire, Western Star (which apparently is a tribute to Dame Agatha), and I want to get back to that Sir John Fielding series that starts with Blind Justice.

Hey, Joe! I fell in love with Raylin Givens first - the main character from the Justified series. Then I read the books to see how he came about, and it was so funny to discover that he is not the main character in the first book, but he completely steals the show. And the narrative always rings true - no wonder they love to make his stuff into films and tv; they don't need to make many changes to the original dialogue. I'm actually kind of surprised that you were never hooked by him, but that's also what makes LT so fun - so many different opinions and favorites.

I am WAY behind you in the Longmire books - I am ready for As the Crow Flies, but Craig is ready for the latest one. I did add Blind Justice to the list when you mentioned it before, so I am looking forward to that one.

Happy Friday, Crazy!! I just received The Western Star the latest Longmire and I am 15 pages in....

Halloween decorations go up Sunday. : )

Hiya, Mamie!

I hope everyone at the Pecan Paradisio has a relaxing weekend. Following after Kim, I'm going to start The Western Star today, too. Looking forward to it!

Yes, happy weekend! We like both the Longmire books and the series on the teev.

Always one of my favourite places to hang out in the group, Mamie, but less so when the Paradisio gang are hibernating.

Have a lovely weekend.

Hey Mamie, a brief visit before heading off on Adventures. You've reminded me that I got stuck on my reading of Raylan Givens books after I exhausted the library supply. Must get on that....

Hope you are enjoying time with family, Mamie. We miss you around here. I see that you are keeping up your steps. Did you see that I edged out Stephen last month?

We finally have internet again after being without it for four very long days - HOORAY! They actually had to come and place a new line because the signal strength was so bad with the old one. Hopefully this will finally fix the problem that we have been having with very wonky internet for the past six months or so. I have no patience for technology that doesn't work correctly, so I am sure that my family is also VERY thankful.

And speaking of technology that doesn't work correctly, I had to replace my Fitbit. It kept stealing "active minutes" from me and the calorie count was way off, but the final straw was when I lost over 18,000 steps in single day - my Fitbit had actually synced correctly, and then the next time it said I had 4 steps. WHAT?! Anyway, I love the new one - got the Charge 2, and it is SO much nicer than the original Charge. I'm looking forward to giving it a workout (and getting to keep the stats).

>204 jnwelch: Hey there, Kim! Craig has already read The Western Star, leaving me once again in his dust - I really need to get back to Walt and company.

We have put our Fall decorations up, too! LOVE this time of year, and we are even getting some cooler mornings, which has been just lovely.

>205 sibylline: Hiya, Joe! The weekend was not relaxing because the stupid internet was down. On the bright side, there was football. And game days snacks. Hoping the latest Longmire installment is a good one.

>206 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Lucy! Us, too - Craig and Rae and I love the tv series, and Craig and I love the books. I keep trying to get Rae to pick them up.

>207 charl08: Sorry we haven't been around much lately, Paul. Hoping to be here more if the internet issue is actually fixed.

>208 Familyhistorian: Adventures! That sounds promising - can't wait to see what you get up to on your travels, Charlotte. Raylan. *sigh* I love him. Truly.

>209 Crazymamie: I have been, Meg, but it is lovely to be missed. Hoping to be here more now that Fall has arrived. I need to go check out last month's leaderboard - most exciting!! Congratulations! My Fitbit has been misbehaving, so I finally tossed it and bought a new one. I really did a lot more stepping than I got credit for, but oh, well...