Samantha_kathy’s Attempt to Conquer Mount TBR in 2013 – Part 2

Nice shiny new thread, Samantha! Your reading plan sounds very sensible. I wish you much luck and lots of reading time in working through it.

Just checking out the new digs and wishing you much luck with your reading plans. :)

Lovely new thread, Samantha! Hope you accomplish all the To Do's today and still have enough energy for a little reading.

Just checking into your new thread, Samantha. I hope you are able to make some progress with your chunksters. I've chosen to read Dissolution for the Reading Through Time Challenge as well, which reminds me, I better go order it from the library. Enjoy your weekend.

Ooh, shoe shopping. :) Although it doesn't sound like it's as much fun for you as I usually find it.

Good luck with your shoe shopping, Samantha! I hope you find exactly what you need at a price you can afford. Come to think of it, I wish that for all of us and not just about shoes!

Aww, I always find shoe and clothes shopping fun. However, drag me into a craft store and I'll be ready to leave in 15 minutes. To each their own. :)

Well done, Samantha! You are really moving along with your quilt.

Hooray for the happy dance! It sounds as though you're making terrific progress.

Enjoy the rest of the day!

Congratulations on the quilting progress. I am hopeless at any type of sewing activities but my grandmother was a quilt maker. I have a quilt she made me before I went off to college that I cherish. Quilting makes for wonderful family heirlooms.

I play Sims 3 myself, but I totally understand getting sucked in to game play. :)

It's been years and years since I read Roots, but I have to agree that Haley was most interested in writing about Kunta - that seems to have been the story he most wanted to tell.

>25 Samantha_kathy: Ah, yeah, I never really got sucked in to all the extensions. I'm pretty happy with the plain Jane version. :)

I wondered what you would think of Roots. I read it after the miniseries came out in the 1970s. Being a teenager, I really preferred the miniseries at the time. I'd love to see the miniseries and read the book again sometime though. I'd especially like to read it in the light of my current background. The questions you are asking are the ones I would likely ask although I have done some African-American research for clients, mainly on several in the Mississippi Delta. I don't know if I'll get to the re-read this year or not, but I really should try.

Hi Samantha, good to hear you are enjoying Dissolution as I am just about to start it.

If I recall correctly there was considerably controversy about the accuracy of the genealogical work related to Roots. I'll try to come up with a reference to an article....

I hope the quilting (virtual or otherwise) went well!

I read Dissolution over the weekend - it was good. I've already requested the next in the series, although I don't think I want to read it right away!

If I recall correctly, Elizabeth Shown Mill's late husband did some work reviewing the genealogical integrity of Roots. I think it may have been published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, but I may be wrong. I'll turn it up one of these days.

ETA: I forgot tot mention that Haley settled a lawsuit that he plagiarized from a book called The African - I'm not sure about the author on that one, so the touchstone may be wrong.

I remember my mom was a big fan of the Roots miniseries when it originally aired. I myself am not so interested in that particular part of American history. Its just so depressing to me. I tried to read Uncle Tom's Cabin and just could not do it.

Thanks muchly for visiting my thread and offering kind thoughts about my bout with the shingles. Everyone's responses are helping me remember that so many have had this illness much worse than I. This too shall pass :)

I finished Dissolution, too - it was great. I've already requested the next book....

I decided to do a little digging. The article by Gary & Elizabeth Shown Mills was in the March 1984 issue of NGSQ. The Dec 2003 issue contains a bibliography of critical articles on Roots. The Mills also had an article in the Jan 1981 issue of Virginia Magazine of History and Biography.

You make me feel so slack, Lori! I'm so glad you followed up - thanks for doing it. I'm looking forward to hearing what they have to say on the subject.

I was going to suggest that you dump One Moldavian Summer, but I suppose if it's for Reading Globally / Euro Challenge then I guess it might be worth it to stick it out. I hope your next works are better!

You might want to give Playing the Moldovans at Tennis a try. It's the one Carrie and I read.

Rachel's Secret does sound interesting. It's odd that the author is blank in the touchstone version.

Snowing! That sounds horrible, Samantha. I hope that just this once the farmers are wrong and spring comes much sooner than May.

I agree - Rachel's Secret does sound pretty interesting and a whole lot better than One Moldovian Summer! Good luck with it!

As for Dissolution, I read it this month, too - it was excellent. I also just finished the next in the series: Dark Fire. It wasn't quite as good as Dissolution, but Dissolution is hard to beat. I'm looking forward to the next of Matthew's adventures.

Sounds like a good day to stay indoors and read! I've read the first four books in the Shardlake series and Dark Fire is the one I liked least. My favorite so far is Sovereign, which is book 3.

I've got Sovereign on the shelf, but I don't know if I'll get to it in April. I've already got a huge list of 'possibles' lined up....

I won't get to Sovereignin April, but it's the next one up for me.

I'm impressed with all your book completions!

I did not manage to finish Murder on the Links - I'm going to add it to the April TIOLI. TO bad - I would have liked to have had the shared read!

I hope your Easter was joyous!

Doesn't Prince Claus look delighted with his baby boy in that picture! Lovely.

Some days are like that. And hey, at least he called!

Hi Samantha, I'm slowly catching up after being away for a week. You had an excellent reading month in March and look to be planning a great April as well. I also read Dissolution in March and really liked it. I've read one of your planned reads for April, The Twentieth Wife which I totally loved.

I've been thinking of you today on your national holiday and the ascension of your new King. I hope the day has been wonderful for you!

Hi Samantha, glad to see you back posting. Hope the weather starts to match the season soon, we've had very changeable weather here as well.

Oh, I do sympathize Samantha with all of it -- the lousy weather, the lousy work, the lack of energy, the slow reading. I hope things start looking up very soon for both of us!

I'm feeling your pain on the crappy weather.....rain, rain, more rain, cold, damp, crappy.....etc, etc....

However, I have been reading some good books lately and that helps. I hope you can make your way out of your slump soon too!

I had hoped to like Shelton's farmers' market series more than I did. I'm hoping that the second in that series will be better than the first when I get around to reading it. This one sounds interesting. The title is great!

It's good to see you back! I hope better weather arrives soon. I'll see what I can do about sending you some of ours. I like what we're having right now.

The Man in the Brown Suit and The Secret of Chimneys are some of my favorite Christies. I think what I enjoy about them are the young protagonists, particularly Bundle.

Hi Samantha! I've got the second Mrs. Pollifax book out from the library, but at the rate I'm going it'll be June before I get to it. I also am planning to read The Man in the Brown Suit soon. I did just reread Death on the Nile - great book!

Good for you for revamping your reading plan - no point in sticking with something that isn't working for you. I like your new plan!

I agree that reworking your reading plan is a great way to go. The last thing you want is to feel so pressured that the reading pleasure is diminished.

I am sorry to learn about your battle with depression, Samantha but very happy to see you have sought out help from your doctor. Sending you well wishes and strength to deal with this.

I'm glad you'll be getting help from your doctor. My thoughts and prayers are with you as you go through the recovery process.

Take care of yourself - I'm glad you're seeking out help. Positive thoughts are headed your way from across the Atlantic.

I'm sending lots of good, strong, happy thoughts your way, Samantha. I know a little about what you're dealing with, and I'm so glad you are getting some help. I hope things start looking up very very soon.

Just checking in - I hope you're doing well.

Good for you that you sought help, and I hope things turn around soon.

That's good news. It sounds like your doctor is being very thorough and exploring all the possibilities. I'm glad they're checking your vitamin levels. I have friends who've had a vitamin B deficiency, and I had a D deficiency a few months ago that left me barely functional for weeks.

It's good to hear that your doctor is working with you and that your family is supportive - I hope all goes well on Monday!

Thanks for letting us know how you're doing.

Happy to learn that you have a support network to help you through this, Samantha. Here is hoping for good news from your tests on Monday.

Glad you are doing better and seeking help.

I'm glad to hear that you and your doctor are making progress. From personal experience, I think you'll have a lot more energy when your vitamin D level gets back to a normal level. Mine was way too low several months ago. I could barely drag myself through the day. All I wanted to do was sleep. I live close enough to work that I can go home for lunch, and some days I'd sleep through lunch rather than eat. I don't feel the need for a nap at lunchtime any more.

Happy to see that your GP has found some things to focus on and you have next steps figured out. Getting your vitamin levels up should help make you feel better and give you more energy. I know I get in a miserable mood when I feel drained of energy!

It sounds as though you are getting things under control. How wonderful that you'll see improvements by correcting your vitamin levels - having more energy always improves my outlook on life.

*waves* been gone for a while... sorry to hear that you are in a funk but glad news that you have a support system and your GP are helping you out a lot.... I know it can be hard... but things are already looking up for you... *Big Hugs* to get you through! :)

I'm a big believer in sunshine - and it's good for vitamin D levels, too! It's nice to hear that things are looking up.

What Dejah said! ;-)

Yay for the stretch of beautiful weather you have been having! Sounds like great progress, Samantha, even it does seem like things take longer than usual. I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Glad to hear you're starting to feel a bit better. Wishing you all the best in the coming weeks. :)

I'm sorry that you have been having a rough time of it but glad to hear you are getting help from doctors and family. I'm sending my positive thoughts along as well for what it's worth. I was diagnosed with vitamin b12 and vitamin d deficiencies last year and went through a time of having to give myself b12 injections. I am now on daily vitamins and feeling much better but it is astounding how badly one feels from vitamin deficiencies! Best of luck to you as you deal with these problems!

That's great news! I hope you have a lovely holiday.

Enjoy your holidy. Samantha, and I do hope you are able to enjoy a book or two.

Have a great time on your holiday!

Hope you are enjoying your holidays, Samantha!

I hope you are getting lots of reading and relaxing in on your holiday!

Yay, Samantha's back! Now I don't have to stalk you so closely on Twitter. :D

It's good to see you back!

Welcome back, you've been missed.

Oh, no! I mixed you up for someone else who abandoned her thread over the summer, Samantha. It's a wonder I even know my own name some days. Sorry about that!

Hi Samantha, it's great to see you touching base again. I hope all is well with you now. Take it easy :-)

I'm a big fan of the Pink Carnation series, they are the perfect books to curl up with and while away a couple of hours. Light and amusing, yes, but this author has done her research so you are getting informed, accurate history as well.

this book (cover and all!) couldn't spell historical romance any better than it already does. Seriously.

LOL! Brilliant! ;-)

Sorry to hear about yucky work deadline...hope you get a chance to check out your new book this weekend.

I for one greatly enjoy a bit of historical romance once in a while. I've learned plenty of history from those kind of books and had fun doing it!

Hope you enjoy Croom's genealogy book.

Well done to finish your report, Samantha! I'm sure you will do just fine, but I totally understand what you mean about not even caring what grade you get but just being glad it's over. I remember those days. :-)

Glad to hear that your report is done and submitted, Samantha. Will keep my fingers crossed for a very good passing grade being issued to you!

Good job on completing your report. That feeling of relief when a big deadline has been met is so great. I'm sure you will get that passing grade but I will be sending you good luck vibes until the 18th!

Because you are a crazy person? ;)

Congrats on "no more grades, no more classes, no more reports." Now you should have more time for that genealogical research!

Way to go, Samantha! I knew you could do it. :-)

Congratulations on graduating! That is excellent news. :)

Yay! Congratulations on graduating!!!!!

Excellents news on your passing grade, Samantha!

Sounds normal to me, Samantha. It took me close to a month to get over the sneaking feeling I was forgetting to do something when I finished grad school. Hope you can push your anxiety far enough back to enjoy Christmas.

Oh, that's bad luck. Glad the damage was minor.

Merry Christmas Eve! :D

That's an excellent meme with only 22 options to play with. :)

Great meme, especially with your limited choices! I'm not sure who started it, but it might have been Stephen (Ape).