sjmccreary reads in 2013, continued

A fresh thread for the second half of the year. By the end of June I'd completed 41 books, so that puts me on pace to complete at least 75 books for the year, except that I refused to make that a goal for this year. This year, I am just reading and promised only to post comments about each book.

June was a slow month, and it ended with 4 books in progress, 3 of which I've managed to complete already in July. So, I'll start by posting comments about them.

Book #42



The Perfect Murder by H R F Keating

This is the first book in the long series about Inspector Ghote set in India, and was published in about 1964. Inspector Ghote is assigned two top priority cases. The first is the case referred to in the papers as "the Perfect murder" because the victim was a man by the name of Mr Perfect. Mr Perfect was the personal secretary to a wealthy and powerful businessman, who was attacked in his employer's home. But he's not dead yet, so it's not technically a murder. On the other hand, he hasn't regained consciousness, so it might still be a murder. The other case involves the Minister over Police Affairs who reported the theft of a one-rupee note from his desk, which had been under constant guard. Ghote struggles with uncooperative witnesses and overbearing supervisors in trying to solve what might be a very serious crime while needing to pander to the whims of government officials in relation to what seems like a very trivial matter. This could be a very enjoyable series. 3-1/2 stars.

Book #43



Baltasar and Blimunda by Jose Saramago

This is a dense book set in early 18th century Portugal. Baltasar is a discharged soldier who has lost his left hand. After having himself fitted with removable prostheses - an iron hook and a spike - he travels to Lisbon. Upon arrival, he sees a procession of people condemned by the Holy Office of the Inquisition - some to be burned at the stake, some beheaded, others merely to be exiled. One woman catches his eye, and as soon as she passed, the young woman standing beside him in the crowd turns and asks his name. The young woman is Blimunda, and the condemned woman was her mother. Blimunda has the gift of being able to see beneath the surface. She can see water in the ground as well as tumors and fetuses inside people - anything hidden from sight. On one level, the book is the story of Baltasar and Blimunda's life together.

On another level, there is the (based on truth) story of King John V, who promised the construction of a convent if his wife conceived a child. When she bore a daughter, construction commenced on an enormous structure in the town of Mafra - Baltasar's hometown. The construction took years and employed men from all over Portugual, including some who were forced into labor unwillingly. Baltasar himself spent many years employed at the building site.

But before he moved back to his family's home, Baltasar and Blimunda made the acquaintance of Bartolomeu Lourenco de Gusmao, a (real life) priest who had been commissioned by the king to build a flying ship. They work together in secret for years designing and building the contraption, visited occasionally by Domenico Scarlatti, the (real life) Italian composer. It was only after Bartolomeu came under the notice of the Inquisition and fled to Spain that Baltasar and Blimunda hid the machine and returned to Mafra.

The story is engrossing, and the language is wonderful and flowing - once you learn to handle the paragraph-length sentences. Saramago has plenty to say about love, power, government, and the human condition. In the last thread, I posted 3 quotes that I copied down before returning the book to the library. I won't include all of them here, but I will include the one that I like best because of its basic simplicity and homeyness. From early in the book, when Baltasar first took Blimunda home to Mafra to meet his parents:

When Baltasar enters the house he hears whispers and murmurings coming from the kitchen, he recognises his mother's voice, then that of Blimunda, as they converse in turn, they scarcely know each other yet have so many things to confide, it is the prolonged and interminable conversation of women, men think such conversations frivolous without perceiving that they keep the world in orbit, if women did not converse with one another, men would long ago have lost all sense of home and of the world at large,.... (pg 101)

After a slow start, I ended up loving this book - highly recommended - 4/1/2 stars

Book #44



The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

A modern re-telling of Homer's Iliad, which I've never read. So this was a new story for me. Without any preconceived notions about what the "truth" was about Achilles, I thought this was a well-told story, that seems plausible in light of the recap of the cast of characters provided by Miller at the end of the book. (Of course it would be.) Still, I enjoyed it and am finally ready to tackle Homer. 4 stars.

Happy New THread! I love The Song of Achilles and you've nailed me with BB's on the other 2. I'm a huge Saramago fan, and have been trying to read at least one of his a year. THey're so deep and dense that one is about all I can handle in any given year, but this one will definitely stay on the TBR list.

Tina, this was my first Saramago book. I own one that I picked up a couple of years ago when Borders went out of business, but haven't read it yet. Now I'm anxious to read everything I can find by him!

Hi Sandy, nice new thread.

I've never read any HRF Keating mysteries but I think they're always on the "best mystery" type lists. I still need to read an Asia book for my library's summer reading club. If I can find a copy easily, maybe I'll read this first one.

Oh dear. Another series that sounds good...

Hi Sandy, just checking into your new thread. I loved the pictures of Colorado that you posted on your last thread.

Linda and Terri - good luck finding The Perfect Murder. I could only get it as an ILL - and even then it looks like the lending library pulled it from their "storage" area. I hope the second book will be easier to come by.

Judy, I love Colorado. My grandparents lived there when I was growing up and we spent every summer there. You know that place in the 23rd Psalm where it says "He restoreth my soul"? That is what happens for me in the mountains. I simply have to go there every so often.

I reserved it from a neighboring library, Sandy. There are a bunch of libraries who have it but, mostly, they seem to have a different edition. I requested a newer edition. I don't like to read old, dusty volumes, if I can help it.

The northwoods of Wisconsin/UP of Michigan are a soul restorer for me. I know what you mean.

Hi Sandy, you got me with the Saramago book. I'm adding it to my wish list now. Enjoy your reading!

My husband looks to the mountains for his soul restoring, I, on the other hand, need to be by the sea every now and again. A walk along the beach does wonders for me.

It seems the common thread is that we need to seek out a natural habitat for soul restoration - although I haven't heard of anyone preferring the desert!

Book #47



The Long Ships by Frans Bengtsson

I'm listing this one out of order because it was due at the library today and can't be renewed. There are a couple of quotes that I wanted to make note of before I return it tomorrow.

This is the story of Orm Tostesson, a 10th century Dane who has adventures, beginning at age 13 when he was kidnapped to serve on a Viking ship going to Europe. The tales of his travels, and the stories of those he meets fill the pages. One such story, told at a Yuletide feast:

In the evening a man from Halland told them about a great wedding that he had been present at in Finnveden, among the wild people of Smaland. During the celebrations a dispute had broken out concerning a horse deal, and knives had quickly appeared; whereupon the bride and her attendant maidens had laughed delightedly and applauded and had encouraged the disputants to settle the matter there and then. However, when the bride, who belonged to a well-known local family, saw her uncle's eye gouged out by one of the bridegroom's kinsmen, she had seized a torch from the wall and hit her bridegroom over the head with it, so that his hair caught fire. One of the bridesmaids, with great presence of mind, had forced her petticoat over his head and twisted it tight, thereby saving his life, though he screamed fearfully and his head, when it appeared again, was burned black and raw. Meanwhile the fire had caught the straw on the floor, and eleven drunken or wounded men lying in it had been burned to death; so that this wedding was generally agreed to have been one of the best they had had for years in Finnveden, and one that would be long remembered. The bride and bridegroom were now living together in blissful happiness, though he had not been able to grow new hair to replace that which he had lost in the fire. (page 132-133)

The story is set at a time in history when Christianity was gaining hold and replacing the old, heathen religions. Islam, though, was growing in the south. Orm and his comrades, pick and choose gods as easily as we might choose a home - definitely an important decision but one which can be changed later if needed. The Christian priests don't hesitate to use the superstitions of the rough Northmen against them in their attempts to baptize as many heathen as possible before the millennium, when the world was expected to end.

This book has everything: travel and adventure, treachery and revenge, ill-gotten gains and treasure honestly stolen, and love and loyalty.

From the introduction by Michael Chabon:

In my career as a reader I have encountered only three people who knew The Long Ships, and all of them, like me, loved it immoderately. Four for four: from this tiny but irrefutable sample I dare to extrapolate that this novel, first published in Sweden during the Second World War, stands ready, given the chance, to bring lasting pleasure to every single human being on the face of the earth (page xiii)

Now that I've read it, the tally is five for five who love this book. Highly recommended. 4-1/2 stars.

Happy new thread! (I know I'm a couple of weeks late.) As always, I'll try to do a better job of keeping up this time.

I really need to read The Song of Achilles at some point.

Hi Sandy, that's a great review of The Long Ships. I loved the book, it was exactly the kind of historical fiction that I am always on the lookout for, being both a great story and providing so much information about the life and culture of the vikings.

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone!

I've been absent from here far too long - and I've fallen very far behind posting my books. I've been reading all summer, although not quickly.

I'll come back and at least list the books I've read, just to make myself feel better about it. For now, though, I just wanted to check in and say Hey. And to wish everyone a lucky day. (I have to venture out to the garage - where the ladders are kept - to retrieve my black cat and put her out before I leave the house this morning. Thankfully, no mirrors out there to break.)

Hey, Sandy, good to hear from you. I'm looking forward to seeing what you've been reading.

Welcome back, Sandy!

Hi Sandy....good to see you on the boards.

Hi Sandy! It's really good to see you here again. I second what you had to say about the 75 book goal. I doubt that I'll make it this year, but my real goal is just to enjoy my reads. You're reading some good stuff!

Well, its good to be back. Let's see, where did I leave off with the books?

#44 was Song of Achilles in pst #4 above. Then...

Book #45



All Shall be Well by Deborah Crombie

The 2nd book of the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series - where Duncan's terminally ill neighbor is found dead in her apartment, but he suspects foul play. 3-1/2 stars

Book #46



Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Nonfiction about the planning and building of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, and the simultaneous planning and positioning of a serial killer who took advantage of the flood of single young women coming to town. Recommended. 4 stars.

Then I already posted book #47, The Long Ships at #15 above. I still love that book. I can definitely see that being a book to own and re-read.

Book #48



Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart

An English governess goes to France to care for an orphaned heir under the guardianship of his uncle. Romance and intrigue, and a villain named Raoul - or is he the hero? From the 1950's, I thought it has aged very well. 4 stars.

I like that cover for Nine Coaches Waiting much better than the cover of the one I read. It actually has some connection to the story!

Book #49



Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

Classic tale of an American girl who travels to England to visit her Aunt and ends up inheriting a fortune. She takes the grand tour and, wanting to be an independent woman, turns down several imminently suitable marriage proposals. I'm finding I like it better in hindsight than I did immediately after I finished.

Book #50



Among the Creationists by Jason Rosenhouse

An Jewish atheist mathematician travels to Fundamental Christian anti-evolution conferences and reports back here. He treats the people he meets with respect and an open mind, and then logically explains why he thinks each of their arguments (and, by extension, Christianity) is wrong. Very thought provoking, and very convincing, but I am far from teetering on the brink of atheism. For me, faith means accepting things you can't explain or understand. 3-1/2 stars.

Book #51



Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung? by Ajahn Brahm

A recommendation from Terri (tloeffler) after she purchased it for her brother who is battling cancer. The subtitle, Inspiring Stories for Welcoming Life's Difficulties, tells the story. A short book, easily read in an hour or so, it is written by a British-born Buddhist monk. I immediately flipped to the last chapter, about losses (as I was particularly mindful that week of Bill, the son we lost 2-1/2 years ago). However, none of those stories spoke to me. I proceeded to read the book backwards until I got to the stories about anger. Then I cried. He is very gentle and compassionate, but firm in teaching that each of us will suffer hardships, and that we will be happier if we can learn to embrace our troubles.

Book #52



Lady of the Butterflies by Fiona Mountain

Eleanor Glanville was a 17th century Englishwoman from a wealthy Puritan family who liked butterflies. This novel is based on the story of her life. She rubbed shoulders with the time's leading entymologists, and has a rare butterfly named for her - the Glanville Fritillary. She was accused of insanity, because of her hobby.

Book #53



The Given Day by Dennis Lehane

Beginning with the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs in 1918, this is a story of the events in Boston, and elsewhere, which led up to the Boston Police Strike of 1919. Recommended.

Book #54



The Lieutenant by Kate Granville

And yet another historical fiction based on fact. A lieutenant in the Royal Marines accompanies the first convict transport to Australia. An astronomer, his primary mission was to establish an observatory to watch for a comet that was forcasted to be seen only in the southern hemisphere several months after the colony was being established. Since he was quartered well away from the main settlement, he came into contact with the native people and began learning their language - the first Englishman to do so. Inevitably, the day came when he received orders concerning the natives which ran contrary to his personal feelings about the people he had come to regard as friends.

Book #55



Mr Bridge by Evan S Connell

Read with the Missouri Readers Group, this is the companion to Mrs Bridge and tells the story of a prosperous attorney in the early 20th century and his life in Kansas City from his own point of view. Some of the same events from Mrs are also in Mr, which provides an interesting comparison. I think I liked Mr slightly better than Mrs, however.

Book #56



Mission Flats by William Landay

A very enjoyable thriller about a reluctant police chief in Versailles, Maine (pronounced Ver-Sales, just like in Missouri) who discovers the decomposing body of a Boston DA in a summer cabin at the lake. Refusing to be pushed aside by the state police and Boston authorities, he travels to Boston to do his own investigation into the man's death. Many twists and turns. Recommended.

Abandoned



Infamous by Ace Atkins

A kind of interesting story about a group of gangsters in the 1930s who kidnap a Tulsa oilman and hold him for ransom. Lots of references to real life places and events and people, like the habit of gangsters for vacationing in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the Union Station Massacre in Kansas City, the speakeasy in St Paul, Minnesota located in a large cavern next to the Mississippi River, and the young Federal investigator, James E Hoover. I only made it to the middle, however, so I don't know whether the kidnapping was also factual. The only advice I have concerning this book is to avoid the audio version read by Dick Hill.

#24 Hi, Carrie - actually, my book had an old-fashioned library cover (the indestructible kind from the 60's), so I don't know what the original jacket design was. I picked this one because I thought it seemed likely, given the age of my book, and because I liked it!

Glad you're back, and with a whole slew of reviews! I've been wanting to read The Devil in the White City for so long. Glad you liked it and had some other good reads too.

WOW....what a terrific mix of books. Some are on my favorites list, and others I've not made the acquaintance of before. That's so why I love LT---I get to hear about books that would never have crossed my radar if I weren't here.

I enjoyed the first book by William Landay so I'll put his new one on my "to find" list. A mystery-lover friend of mine didn't care for the legal emphasis of his writing, but that was my world for much of my working life, and he writes with the experience of having been there.

I'm enjoying your reviews, concise and to the point. The Lieutenant by Kate Granville suddenly jumped onto my wishlist.

Dang it Sandy, quit adding books to my teetering Mt. Toobie.... The Lieutenant just lept onto the pile. But then when I went to add it to my wishlist, I noticed it was #2 in a trilogy....Just downloaded #1 The Secret River in audio...this will be a good change from all the doom and gloom I've been reading for Maine Readers panel. Did you read #1?

#29 Jennifer, I thought I was the last person around to read Devil in the White City. I loved it. I hope you will, too.

#31 Hey, Mike. I'd never heard of William Landay before and just picked this book out at the library because I needed something NOW. It sounds like I need to go back and find his other work. I like the legal aspects of mysteries - glad to know you think his work sounds authentic.

#32 Cindy, there was a hot review of The Lieutenant yesterday or the day before that does a much better job of describing the book.

#33 Tina, I didn't realize that The Lieutenant was #2 of a trilogy before I got it, and I wouldn't have been able to tell it from the book. I've seen comments that the first book was excellent, so I want to get it soon. Don't hesitate to skip directly to The Lieutenant, if that works better for you.

Book #57



The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer

Nick Garrity, an ex-Army surgeon and PTSD sufferer runs a mobile medical clinic out of a Winnebago in Washington DC for homeless and indigent people, and counsels other PTSD vets on the side on how to receive their disability benefits. His trauma stems from an event in Afghanistan when his buddy saved his life after a suicide bomber drove a truck into the camp hospital and killed everyone except Nick and his friend. After returning home, the friend suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Nick crosses paths with Jillian Coates, a pysch nurse at a Washington hospital whose sister, also a nurse, died of an apparent suicide. However Jillian is convinced it was murder and finds a clue in her sister's home that leads her, eventually, to Nick. They believe that Nick's friend's disappearance and Jillian's sister's death are related, and team up to discover who is responsible.

Loved it. 4 stars.

I remember reading the Palmer as an ARC years ago. I too loved it and have always meant to read more in the series. So...I guess I'll put a note on the TBR page of my spreadsheet to keep an eye out.

Tina, I'm not sure whether this is part of a series or not. I've read several books by Michael Palmer, and loved all of them, but none were related. All are set in the Washington DC area, feature doctors, and usually involve someone high up in the federal government.

I don't think I've read Palmer before, but I love the concept of the medical clinic in a Winnebago.

#38 Lori, it's a great idea, isn't it? I wonder if anyone is doing anything like that?

Sandy> I don't know, but it reminds me of the old show, Trapper John, M.D. where Dr. "Gonzo" Gates lived in the motor home out in the parking lot.

I'd forgotten all about that show! I watched it in late night re-runs when my 2nd baby would get collicky every night about 10:30. Dad and big brother went to bed, Mom and baby stayed up and watched TV until he settled down. I'd forgotten about that, too!

I loved that show, Sandy! I really wish that I could purchase the DVDs for home. I have a small collection of shows I used to love. I like to pull them out to watch once in awhile.

Book #58



Little Bee by Chris Cleave

A tense, unsettled, and unsettling, story about a Nigerian refugee girl who has just been released after being held for 2 years in an immigration detention facility outside London. She makes her way to the home of the London couple that she met on the beach in Nigerian shortly before she fled her homeland. The couple, meanwhile, are dealing with their own ghosts from the Nigeria trip. An excellent tale about greed, courage and forgiveness. 4 stars.

Book #59



The Last Gunfight by Jeff Guinn

A nonfiction look at the famous gunfight at the OK Corral, with special focus on Wyatt Earp. It introduces all the major players, and chronicles how it was that they each came to be in Tombstone at that particular time and the events that led to the 30-second battle. A detailed section follows about the resulting court hearings and testimonies, concluding with "the rest of the story" - what happened to each of the players afterwards. Informative and very interesting look at an iconic episode in the history of the American west. 4 stars.

Book #60



The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin

It took me a long time to finish this very short book written in the first person voice and narrated by Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary is nearing the end of her life and is being badgered by her keepers - anonymous men who provide her with shelter and food and visit her regularly to interrogate her about the events of her son's life and death. They keep talking to her about how he was the Son of God, and that his suffering was necessary to ensure the salvation of all people. She, on the other hand, is nothing more than a mother still grieving the death of her son.

As a Christian, the story presents an interesting alternative look at New Testament events. But, as a mom who has also lost a son, it is her grief that touched me more deeply.

It is simple. If water can be changed into wine and the dead can be brought back, then I want time pushed back. I want to live again before my son's death happened, or before he left home, when he was a baby and his father was alive and there was ease in the world. (pg 75-76)

"I was there," I said. "I fled before it was over but if you want witnesses then I am one and I can tell you now, when you say that he redeemed the world, I will say that it was not worth it. It was not worth it." (pg 80)

Her pain and anger at what had happened, and her confusion and resignation to what was happening currently, come through on every page. Mary is presented here, not as a saint, but as a flesh and blood woman who wants nothing more than to be left alone to die in peace.

There you go again, adding to my list. Actually I have the Toibin on my list/shelf, but the OK Corral one sounds really interesting also. Sometimes I wish I had a narrow focus and didn't want to flit all over the place with my reading, but how dull would that be?

Too dull for me. I know what you mean - some people seem so focused, but everything sounds good to me and I want to read all of it.

The gunfight book was good on audio.

Sandy, I was also touched by the deep grief expressed by Mary in Toibin's latest book. Incidentally, I read these words last night in a completely different type of book. Louise Penny's latest installment of Three Pines in How the Light Gets In described a painting of Mary done by a local artist in this way: "The mother of God. Forgotten, resentful. Left behind. Glaring at a world that no longer remembered what she'd given it." (Page 10)

I'm looking forward to reading Tomato Red with our shrinking group. I've also heard good things about Woodrell's latest book. I'm glad he's getting the recognition he deserves.

Have a great fall week end!

Hey Donna - isn't it funny how totally different books will address the same obscure detail in a short interval of time? I love the quote and need to get started on the Louise Penny series before it gets so long I won't ever catch up.

Tomato Red is on hold at the library - expecting it any day now.

Book #61



To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Surely, I was the only person here who had never read this book. But, if there is anyone else, then I suggest getting on with it. Nothing to be gained by waiting. While the movie DOES stick close to the book, the book is so much richer in detail. Besides, it is a wonderful story that holds up to repeated exposure. I regret not reading it sooner.

I'm glad you read it, Sandy. That was one of the first books we had to read in high school English class. I've re-read it once or twice and it stands up well.

Glad you enjoyed that one, Sandy!

Book #62



Pirates! by Gideon Defoe

Another of Terri L's recommendations that leaped to the top of my reading pile past all the dusty books that have been languishing there for weeks and weeks. This book was the movie tie-in edition, which I'd generally avoid, but it was the only way I could get both stories: Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (in which the pirate crew meets Charles Darwin and goes with him to London to appear before the Royal Society) and Pirates! In an Adventure with Ahab (in which the pirates go searching for the great white whale).

I've seen the movie several times, and it probably spoiled my enjoyment of the book slightly. The book is definitely bawdier. Both are great fun. The Pirate Captain and his luxurious beard are wonderful. Read the book first.

Book #63



The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

Ptolemy Grey is a 92-year old black man living in a dumpy LA apartment and suffering from dementia. His great-grand nephew, Reggie, who normally cares for Uncle Grey, is killed in a drive-by shooting and at the visitation Ptolemy is introduced to Robyn, an 18-year old orphan who has come to live with Ptolemy's niece. In the wake of Reggie's death, Robyn takes over the care of Ptolemy - starting with cleaning out his apartment.

From the foggy depths of his half forgotten past, Ptolemy remembers that he has something important to do before he dies. He begs Robyn to take him to a doctor who can help him get his thoughts back so that he can finish what must be done. A thoughtful look at the history of race relations in the 20th century and of the cultural changes within the black community. 4-1/2 stars.

Book #64



The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox

Written 250 years ago, this is the story of Arabella, a young woman who was raised in seclusion by her father following the death of her mother. Arabella's primary source of information about society and the world outside her village are the old romantic French novels that belonged to her mother. She devoured the novels, taking as fact all their descriptions of the behavior of polite society and the relations between men and women. When her father dies and her uncle comes to take guardianship of her, together with her cousin - Mr Glanville, whom her father wished her to marry - Arabella expects them to act as the heroes in her books do and is puzzled when they do not. They, in turn, question Arabella's sanity when faced with her outrageous speech and actions.

It was a bit of a slog at times, but sharply funny at others. Well worth the effort.

>54 sjmccreary: That sounds like one my book club would enjoy. Thanks for the review!

Oh, yes, I think that it would be a very good book club book. I read it for a group read in the 1001 books group, and there was quite a lot of discussion about it.

Thanks for the comments/review of Ptolemy Grey this one has been buried in the TBR mountain for awhile, but I'm going to try to find a way to move it up.

Tina, I think you'll like it, but I had to smile at the thought of it moving up your TBR pile. With all the Maine books, can you even FIND your TBR pile? ;-)

Speaking of Ptolemy Grey - I enjoyed that book so much. I finished it a week ago and still find myself thinking about details from the story. I had the book on audio (wonderful), but there were a couple of sections I wanted to read again more closely, so I got a print copy, too.

The memories that Ptolemy has of his past come mostly in the form of speeches by "Coydog" McCann. Coy was a surrogate uncle, a kind of mentor to Ptolemy when he was a young boy. Coy taught him about people and about life, and it was Coy who charged Ptolemy with his great task.

At one point, Ptolemy is recalling his conversation with Coy about the different ideas of heaven. Here is what Coy had to say:

"I think that there's a long line up there in heaven an' yo' place in that line is predicted by what you done wrong. The worser thing you did puts you that much further to the back of the line. The people done the lesser is up toward the front.

"Now, the line start in downtown heaven and goes all the way to the barracks of hell because the two places is connected, just like good an' evil in the same man. So anyway, when you die you get a number that stands for what you did wrong. So if you had two mens, a black one and a white one, and the black man stole the white man's pig to feed his kids and then the white man shot the black man's son because he couldn't find the thief . . . well, the white man gonna get a much bigger number for murder than the black man will for stealin'. So, forgettin' any other misdemeanors, the white man will have a hotfoot at his place on line and the black man will hear harp music comin' from just up the way."

"But what about the boy?" Li'l Pea asked.

"What boy?"

"The one that the white man killed."

"Him?" Coydog said with a pained grimace. "They ain't no special numbahs for the victims. Just 'cause they grabbed you and chained you, just 'cause they beat you an' raped your sister don't mean a thing when it come to that line. God don't care what they did to you. What he care about is what you did." (pg 62-63)

Later, the old Ptolemy is moving around his apartment, noticing his aches and pains, and remembers this:

"The great man say that life is pain," Coydog had said over eighty-five years before. "That means if you love life, then you love the hurt that come along wit' it. Now, if that ain't the blues, I don't know what is." (pg 76-77)

The whole book is filled with the remembered wit and wisdom of Coydog McCann, which has become the wit and wisdom of Ptolemy Grey. I'm not returning the audio to the library right away. I've offered it to my husband who has a couple of in-state business trips in the next 2 weeks, in addition to his daily 60+ minute round-trip commute. We have such different taste in books, so I am anxious to hear what he thinks of this one.

Well...I couldn't resist anymore. Grabbed the audio download while it was available from the library. I think it sounds like it will be something I'll enjoy between bouts of Maine reading! Thanks all for the suggestions.

I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did, Tina. I'll be watching for your comments.

Book #65



Tomato Red by Daniel Woodrell

Like the other Woodrell books I've read, this is a look at an Ozarks family living in poverty. Tomato Red is so nicknamed because of her unnatural hair color. Jamalee is 19 years old and shares a cabin with her 16-year old brother. Jason is gay and is the most beautiful boy in the entire county. Next door lives their mother, Bev, a prostitute. The book is narrated by Sammy, a drifter who has wandered into town and was fired from his job almost as soon as he started it. He is discovered by Jam and Jason passed out drunk inside the burgled house of one of the rich people in town, and they decide to keep him as their "security". Jam has a plan to get out of town for good which will depend on Jason's looks and his ability to make women of all ages, um, swoon. Sammy is to the be the muscle.

But, as with all plans, things don't go as expected. The upper levels of the local society don't want the white trash from the wrong side of the tracks anywhere near them. Each one of the main characters reacts to their poverty and oppression differently.

As usual, Woodrell's writing is extremely well done. It is a short book and easily read. He does not sugar-coat the reality of the life of poverty that is experienced by Jamalee and her family - the living conditions, the drug use, the prostitution, the lack of education, but he doesn't glorify it, either. Recommended.

>62 sjmccreary: I've had that one on my WL for so long I'd forgotten what it was about, so thanks for the great review.
I heard Woodrell on NPR a few months ago taking an interviewer on a tour of his little Ozark town and discussing the book he was working on, based on his town's history.

Hello Dear Sandy

Alas, I had hoped to connect with you at the Joplin meet up. Once again another surgery precludes my ability to attend...next year...next year...there's always next year.

I hope all is well with you.

#63 Jennifer, I so rarely listen to NPR anymore (or any radio) that I missed that interview - do you think they have it available online? If you've never read Woodrell, you should definitely give him a try.

#63 Linda - what a disappointment! I was thinking the other day that Joplin was coming up soon-ish and wondering who would be there this year. I was hoping you would be, and I am still hoping that the other Linda from Chicago will be. But, you're right - there's always next year. Good luck with the surgery - keep us updated.

Open note to everyone: The 4th annual Joplin meet-up will be held, as always, on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (Dec 3 this year, I think) at the Changing Hands book store in Joplin, MO. It is a lovely used book store, run by a very nice couple. The company is unbeatable, and there is a great restaurant just 2 blocks away for lunch. It is a wonderful day - I hope you will join us.

Sadly, no, not this year. Hope springs eternal for 2014.

Thanks for your great review of Tomato Red. I need to read that one soon.

#66 Well, darn. Put it on your calendar for next year. Tuesday after Thanksgiving. We'll miss you both.

I found the Daniel Woodrell NPR interview: http://www.npr.org/2013/09/09/207392723/after-tragedy-lost-live-on-in-maids-vers...

Now I can't wait to read the new book!

I'll be at the Joplin meeting again this year. Hope we have another good turnout.

Me, too. Looking forward to seeing you again.

>68 sjmccreary: So sorry, I forgot to look for it! I'm glad you were able to hear it; it does sound like it'll be fascinating.

I'm back safe and sound from a wonderful vacation - 16 days total, the longest we've ever taken.

It got off to a great start when we met LT-er -Eva- in Los Angeles on Sunday morning for breakfast and a quick tour of the Long Beach area before we boarded the cruise ship. The 14-day cruise took us through the Panama Canal and, of course, the book I carried around with me was The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough. Obviously, that's not the only book I packed, but I didn't get it finished (it being >600 pages, and my husband not liking to be left alone for more than an hour at a time).

I brought back home, unopened, The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea, chosen for its Mexico setting, The Tailor of Panama by John le Carre, also chosen for its setting, and Lincoln on War by Harold Holzer, because it was the next book on my to-read stack. Since I didn't finish a single book, I'd say the literary highlight of the trip was seeing Gabriel Garcia Marquez's home in Cartagena, Columbia. Although the bus was going too fast and the tour guide wasn't very good, so I'm not sure if it was the yellow-gold house or the white one next to it. But it was a beautiful neighborhood, in the old walled city.

Many, many people on the ship were reading all during the trip. There were lots of e-readers, but still plenty of print books. I'd estimate that the single most popular author I noticed people reading was Lee Child. Not what I would have predicted, but not a complete surprise either. My friend, of the couple we traveled with, is a workaholic and the book she carried around was a 2013 IRS tax update. Also >600 pages. However her husband confided that he hasn't seen her so relaxed in a very long time and I don't think she made it past page 100. (By comparison, I'm nearly to page 450 in my book.) She was more likely to be using the thick tax guide as a base for the notebook she journaled in while lounging on deck!

After a day spent in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday enjoying the beach and key lime pie, we arrived back in Kansas City yesterday behind a cold front that left me running in to the grocery store on the way home in flip flops and a light sweater in cloudy windy 50 degree weather. This morning we woke up to a sunny 20 degrees - a far cry from a week ago, when we experienced a sunny 90 degrees! Still, it's good to be home, sleeping in my own bed, and facing a mountain of laundry!

Welcome back, Sandy. Glad you had a great time!!

Sounds like a great vacation, Sandy!

Welcome back! Those warm temperatures sound wonderful. We have a cold front moving through today and the temperature is dropping fast.

That sounds like a great vacation! Yum, key lime pie!

Sandy...so glad you enjoyed the trip. That was the same cruise Cheli and I took with our sisters and mom and Dad before he died. I too do not remember finishing a single book, Although I did do a lot of Sudoku's!

The McCullough book has been on my radar for quite some time now. I'm really seriously considering stepping down from the Maine Reader's Choice committee next year, because I want to open my reading choices to more than just literary fiction.

What a fun vacation, Sandy. I love the book tales woven into your story! Glad you didn't arrive back home one day later to have to be running into the store in flip-flops in 20 degree weather on your way home!

It was a fun vacation - the ship was great, we met a lot of nice people from all around the world. We probably ate and drank too much. The entertainment and music on the ship were excellent. There were lots of fun activities and shore excursions - we went snorkeling and zip-lining. The passage through the canal was fascinating. I'd recommend the trip to anyone who has the opportunity to go.

I didn't finish any books on the trip, but I DID finish one the day before we left. I barely remember it now, but I enjoyed it.

Book #66



Ivanhoe by Walter Scott

Ivanhoe must have been about the ONLY character in the book who didn't make it into one of the movies!

Loved it - wish I'd read it years ago.

Welcome home, Sandy. Your trip sounds delightful. Thanks for reporting on the reading habits of cruise goers. That's the kind of important stuff we like to know! Wow, you even had a meet up along the way. Good for you. I look forward to hearing more about it in Joplin!

Happy Thanksgiving, Sandy.

We sure missed you in Joplin, Sandy. Hope all is well.

I hope everyone had a happy (and filling) Thanksgiving last week. Yes, I missed the Joplin meet-up. Yes, all is well. It was such a heavy foggy morning that day (when she was little, my daughter used to describe that weather as "greasy" - it fits), and I'd taken so much time off work the week before for Thanksgiving and hosting my BILs and SILs for 2 days because they came up to join us in watching our WSU Shockers play in a basketball tournament in KC (they won), and I knew I would buy books that I didn't need - spending money that didn't need to be spent - so I felt I just needed to stay home. I missed seeing everyone and thought about you all day - wondering how you were getting along without me!

Book #67



The Last Child by John Hart

A fast-paced thriller with many twists and turns about a 13-year old boy whose twin sister was abducted the year before and never found. His father abandoned the family shortly afterwards - unable to deal with the guilt of being the one who forgot to pick her up, resulting in her walking home the night she was taken. His mother has plunged into drugs and booze, and has taken up with a man who is wealthy and successful in public but mean and vicious in private. The detective who promised to find the girl hasn't been able to do so, so the brother, convinced his sister is still alive, takes it upon himself to find her. 4 stars.

Book #68



The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough

Detailed, thorough, but still readable history of the Panama Canal - the dreams of it, the plans to build it, the schemes to win financing and approval, the successes and failures, the personalities involved, the sheer magnitude of the task. Absolutely required reading for anyone planning a passage through the canal, and highly recommended for everyone else. 4-1/2 stars.

book #69



Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart

Second in the series about American forensic pathologist Nora Gavin and Irish archaeologist Cormac Maguire who, after begnning a romance at the end of the first book, are called to the same site again when an Iron Age "bog body" is discovered. The body shows signs of having been a victim of a ritual killing. A few days later another body is uncovered, with the same signs of death, but the second body dates back only to the 1970's. A few days after that, a third body is discovered with similar signs, but freshly killed. Nora is uncertain when she realizes that Cormac has become a suspect in the killing and she is unable to prove his innocence.

Not top notch, slow-paced and rambling - very atmospheric. I took too much time with it and had trouble remembering characters and clues, and didn't enjoy it as much as I would have. 3 neutral stars.

Book #70



Prince Caspian by CS Lewis

Second in the Chronicles of Narnia series - which I never read as a child. I enjoyed this one much more than Lion, Witch and Wardrobe. The children are called back to a Narnia that has advanced many hundreds of years since they left during the first book in order to assist Prince Caspian in claiming his rightful throne from his evil, scheming uncle. 4 stars.

Book #71



The Vanishing American by Zane Grey

A young (Navaho?) Indian boy is kidnapped by whites and taken back east to be educated and civilized. He becomes a famous college athlete and meets and falls in love with a white girl. He returns to his native home, struggles to fit in, and writes to his girl and encourages her to join him in the desert to work with him to help his people - which she does. The "Indian problem" is disclosed to be caused by corrupt government officials and a greedy missionary. Another layer of treachery is introduced when WWI breaks out and one of the government officials, who happens to be a German, intentionally misleads the Indians about the war.

I can see that it must have been exciting and probably scandalous when it was written in the 1920s. But now, it is full of stereotypes and too melodramatic to be taken seriously. 3 stars.

Book #72



A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Another classic children's book that I'd never read before. A group of children - considered odd amoungst their peers - must face their fears and travel through time and space to rescue their father who has been captured by IT, the driving force behind the evil black thing that is threatening to consume earth. I had an audio production that was read by the author and was fabulous. 4 stars.

Book #73



Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming

The latest in the Clare Fergusson-Russ VanAlstyne series. In this one, Clare is pregnant and she and Russ are stranded at a remote lake cabin by the biggest ice storm in recent memory. Meanwhile, a young girl has been kidnapped and the police department - stretched thin by the storm and Russ's absence - are scrambling to find the meth-heads they suspect of taking her and locating the girl who will die without medical treatment soon. 4 stars.

I love the cover on the Spencer-Fleming book. With the big "ice storm" Arkansas, Missouri, etc., the timing seems appropriate for your having read it!

What a great collection of books, Sandy. I read David McCullough's book about the Brooklyn Bridge--The Great Bridge. It was fascinating. I'm putting the book about the Panama Canal on my wishlist. I also need to catch up with the Julia Spencer-Fleming books.

Book #74



Orphan Trains to Missouri by Michael D Patrick

Part of a series of books written for adult beginning readers about different subjects in Missouri history, this is an interesting look at the orphan trains that transported New York City orphans to the mid-west beginning in the 1870's and continuing until well into the 20th century. Heart-breaking stories about children being separated from their siblings or placed into homes where another language was spoken or faith was practiced than their own. Also some abuses of families treating the children as nothing more than cheap labor. But also many stories of orphaned children escaping a dangerous life on the streets in NYC and being raised in loving and comfortable homes in Missouri and other farm states. This was a group read in the Missouri Readers Group, and many of us were left wanting to know more about this little-known event in our history.

Book #75



The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

My first, and probably last, time reading this "classic" author. The story was a good one - and I'm interested in seeking out the recent movie that was the source of the cover picture. But the writing was torturous, rambling and hard to follow. At least now I know I haven't been missing much all these years.

There is an invitation on the LT Blog to add your top 5 books read in 2013 to the list: http://www.librarything.com/list/1002/all/Top-Five-Books-of-2013

I've started seeing a few other people talking about top 5 or to 10 books, so I decided to give it a try. Limiting it to 5 was surprisingly hard. Ten is much easier. Here is my top 10 for 2013, in reverse chronological order:

The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough
The Last Child by John Hart
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Long Ships by Frans G Bengtsson
Baltasar and Blimunda by Jose Saramago
Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Hmmm - I'll have to see what my top reads are at the moment. I haven't even looked at my 4 star and above reads yet to see what might be a contender.

Have a blessed Christmas and wonderful New Year, Sandy.

There are some really good books on your list, Sandy. I suppose that's why they are in the top ten, right? I think I'm getting punchy from my cold medicine! Wishing you and your family a Christmas filled with wonderful memories and hope for the future.

Merry Christmas, Sandy!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and got all the books they were asking for.

We had our kids, and my parents and brothers and their families here.

My son, the chef, had purchased a whole pig and butchered it, cured the hams and bacon, then cut it and packaged it into retail-sized packages and gave everyone their choice of chops, ribs, 2 kinds of sausage, and bacon as Christmas gifts. One ham was consumed for Christmas dinner, the other went into the freezer for Easter. YUM.

Several days before Christmas, my daughter (age 22) was as wriggly as a puppy and exclaimed "this is going to be the best Christmas ever!" when I asked why, she said she couldn't tell me. We learned the secret on Christmas Eve. She was right! Santa brought us a new daughter for Christmas! Our son proposed to his girlfriend and she accepted. We are thrilled - she is very good for him and fits in beautifully with the family, we love her nearly as much as he does. Unfortunately, however, they are moving to Austin, TX at the end of February. :-(

Congratulations Sandy! They look very happy! I foresee some trips to Texas in your future...

So, I finished a book last week sometime that I need to post. The last one of the year.

Book #76



A Spy in the House by Y S Lee

This is book one in The Agency, a YA series about a girls' boarding school in Victorian London. The school recruits students who might not otherwise have a chance to attend school and trains them to become self-sufficient, productive women. It also serves as a source of agents for an undercover investigative agency. I thought it was delightful! 3-1/2 stars.

Thanks, Carrie. Everyone in the family is happy about it! Well, not the moving-to-Texas part, that sucks. But he is already talking about coming back in 5 years, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. But the marriage, we're all very excited about that.

I saw this on Terri's thread again - it's one of my favorite year-end traditions here:

Describe yourself: The Female Quixote

Describe how you feel: The Keeper of Lost Causes

Describe where you currently live: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Where the Sidewalk Ends

Your favorite form of transportation: The Long Ships

Your best friend is: The French Lieutenant's Woman

You and your friends are: A Monstrous Regiment of Women

What’s the weather like: All Quiet on the Western Front

You fear: Lake of Sorrows

What is the best advice you have to give: Money Rules

Thought for the day: All Shall be Well

How I would like to die: Infamous

My soul’s present condition: Beloved

Great meme! I particularly like your description of where you live. It sounds familiar to me!

Wonderful year-end meme answers!

Great answers for the meme.

Happy New Year, Sandy! And it sounds like it will be--Congratulations on the new daughter-in-law! They look happy! And Texas isn't that far.

Shame on you for making yet another series sound so appealing to me. That list gets longer and longer.....

Congrats on the new daughter-in-law, Sandy.

Happy New Year!!

Love the picture, Sandy! And great news, too! Except for the further apart business. But then - road trips ARE fun! And maybe a reason to do an Austin meet-up.