Mary (bell7) Reads Diversely and Globally in 2021 - thread #7

Discussie75 Books Challenge for 2021

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Mary (bell7) Reads Diversely and Globally in 2021 - thread #7

1bell7
Bewerkt: okt 3, 2021, 9:06 pm

Hello and welcome to my seventh thread of the year!

A perfect 7 already? Wow, thanks for keeping my thread hopping, y'all, and welcome whether you've been here all year or are just jumping in.

A little about me: I'm a librarian in my late 30s, living and working in western Massachusetts. I live in my own house (for almost 10 months now!), but I'm part of a large family and will often talk about siblings or my niece and nephew. When I'm not reading, I enjoy knitting, watching sports, and working in my very own garden (well okay, "enjoy" is probably a strong word for that last one, but yard work does take up quite a bit of my time...).

My reading goals this year were to have at least 33% of my reading be by authors of color, and to read 12 books by an author NOT from the US or the UK. I have been very consistent with both of these so hopefully I'll finish out the year well.

2bell7
Bewerkt: nov 14, 2021, 7:20 pm

2021 Book Club Reads
One of the fun parts of my job is facilitating one of our library book clubs. As a group, we often like historical fiction and memoirs.

January - Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate - COMPLETED
February - Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson - COMPLETED
March - Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker - COMPLETED
April - A Burning by Megha Majumdar - COMPLETED
May - The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin - COMPLETED
Summer break
September - Beloved: a novel by Toni Morrison - COMPLETED
October - The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen - COMPLETED
November - The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel - Reading
December - The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Rough guide to my rating system:

I'm fairly generous with my star ratings - generally a four is a "like" or "would recommend" for me, while a 4.5 stars is a book I would reread. I break it down roughly like this:

1 star - Forced myself to finish it
2 stars - Dislike
2.5 stars - I really don't know if I liked it or not
3 stars - Sort of liked it; or didn't, but admired something about it despite not liking it
3.5 stars - The splitting hairs rating of less than my last 4 star book or better than my last 3
4 stars - I liked it and recommend it, but probably won't reread it except under special circumstances (ie., a book club or series reread)
4.5 stars - Excellent, ultimately a satisfying read, a title I would consider rereading
5 stars - A book that I absolutely loved, would absolutely reread, and just all-around floored me

I see it more in terms of my like or dislike of a book, rather than how good a book is. My hope is that as a reader I convey what I like or what I don't in such a way that you can still tell if you'll like a book, even if I don't. And I hope for my patrons that I can give them good recommendations for books they will like, even if it's not one I would personally choose.

3bell7
Bewerkt: okt 31, 2021, 7:33 pm

Random things I'm keeping track of -

Bookish articles:
1. Best New Science Fiction Books - the ones I have read from here, I really liked
2. NPR's Readers Vote on 50 Best SFF of the Decade - ditto
3. 10 Books by Malaysian Women Writers You Should Be Reading - for my world literature reading goal

How to make pretty block quotes (directions from Richard):
{blockquote}TYPE OR PASTE QUOTED TEXT HERE{/blockquote} and replace the curly braces with pointy brackets.

Number of books read since keeping count on LT:
July - Dec 2008 - 65
2009 - 156 (plus over 70 graphic novels and manga volumes)
2010 - 135 (Note: in June, I started working a second part-time job for full-time hours)
2011 - 150
2012 - 108 (Note: accepted a full-time job in February)
2013 - 107
2014 - 126 (plus 8 Graphic Novels)
2015 - 120 (plus 6 Graphic Novels)
2016 - 141
2017 - 114
2018 - 105 (Note: my first full year as Assistant Director)
2019 - 116
2020 - 153

Countries I've visited in my reading:
It can get a little dicey to figure out if a book fits as a "global" read or not, so here's how I'm counting it -
-The country I'll identify is that which the book was published in or the author is from, rather than the setting of the book
-The author currently lives in their country of origin, which for my purposes is not the U.S. or U.K.
-If the work had to be translated into English, regardless of where the author is currently living
-If the author is an expatriate, they had to move in adulthood (as a college student, refugee, or any other reason), and I'll count the country of origin as where the book is "from"

(South) Korea - Umma's Table by Yeon-sik Hong and Uncomfortably Happily by Yeon-sik Hong
Australia - Garth Nix, author of The Left-handed Booksellers of London, though the book itself is set in a sort of alternate England; and Lynette Noni, author of The Prison Healer, which is set in a fantasy world
Syria - The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories by Osama Alomar
Bolivia - Our Dead World by Liliana Colanzi
Italy - Like Family by Paolo Giordano
India - A Burning by Megha Majumdar
France - The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Sweden - Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Turkey - Ahmet Yorulmaz, author of Children of War, a book set on Crete
Canada - Esi Edugyan, author of Washington Black, which was set on Barbados, the Arctic, England...
Japan - Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya
Poland - Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

4bell7
Bewerkt: nov 16, 2021, 8:33 am

Currently Reading

Devotionals/Bible reading
Job, Acts
Daily in His Presence by Ellie Claire
New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

November
118. You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson
117. The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
116. The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore
115. Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen
114. The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova
113. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
112. Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

October
111. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
110. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
109. The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
108. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
107. A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
106. A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
105. Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick
104. Front Desk by Kelly Yang

December

5bell7
Bewerkt: okt 3, 2021, 9:10 pm

September
103. Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
102. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
101. Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya (23 volumes/manga)
100. The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
99. Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala
98. Beloved by Toni Morrison
97. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
96. Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews
95. Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford
94. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

August
93. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
92. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
91. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
90. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
89. Nowhere Girl: A Memoir of a Fugitive Childhood by Cheryl Diamond
88. A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
87. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
86. Once More Upon a Time by Roshani Chokshi
85. Listen, Love, Repeat by Karen Ehman
84. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
83. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
82. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
81. Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

July
80. You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamarr
79. The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison
78. Wholehearted Librarianship by Michael Stephens
77. Nine Nasty Words by John McWhorter
76. A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
75. On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed
74. A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir
73. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
72. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

6bell7
Bewerkt: okt 3, 2021, 9:14 pm

June
71. The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
70. The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
69. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
68. The Fire This Time, edited by Jesmyn Ward
67. Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev
66. A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark
65. Mosses from an Old Manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne
64. Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon
63. The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

May
62. Children of War by Ahmet Yorulmaz
61. Long Life: Essays and Other Writings by Mary Oliver
60. Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
59. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
58. The Haunting of Tram 015 by P. Djeli Clark
57. Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
56. The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
55. Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
54. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
53. Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay
52. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
51. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
50. Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age by Sanjay Gupta, M.D.
49. The Trouble With Poetry: And Other Poems by Billy Collins
48. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
47. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

April
46. Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly
45. Library of Small Catastrophes by Alison C. Rollins
44. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
43. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
42. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
41. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Bradbury
40. A Burning by Megha Majumdar
39. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
38. Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong
37. Like Family by Paolo Giordano
36. Our Dead World by Liliana Colanzi
35. Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding by Larry Olmsted
34. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
33. When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
32. The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
31. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forma
30. The Archive of the Forgotten by A.J. Hackwith

7bell7
Bewerkt: okt 3, 2021, 9:12 pm

March
29. Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
28. The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories by Osama Alomar
27. Creativity: a short and cheerful guide by John Cleese
26. The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams
25. Uncomfortably Happily by Yeon-Sik Hong
24. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
23. The Left-handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
22. Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
21. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

February
20. Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine
19. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
18. Bloodchild and other stories by Octavia E. Butler
17. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
16. What I Carry by Jennifer Longo
15. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
14. The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay
13. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
12. The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
11. Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
10. Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

January
9. Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
8. An American sunrise by Joy Harjo
7. The Last Stargazers by Emily Levesque
6. This Time Together by Carol Burnett
5. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
4. Umma's Table by Yeon-Sik Hong
3. Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
1. Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine

8bell7
Bewerkt: okt 3, 2021, 9:32 pm

September in review
103. Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
102. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
101. Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya (23 volumes/manga)
100. The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
99. Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala
98. Beloved by Toni Morrison
97. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
96. Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews
95. Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford
94. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Books read: 10
Rereads: 2
Children's/Teen/Adult: 0/2/8
Fiction/Nonfiction/Plays/Poetry: 9/1/0/0

Because I want to awards:
Somebody's Daughter was probably my favorite memoir of the year, just fabulous
Beloved blew me away - and this was NOT the first time I read it
Firekeeper's Daughter was a thriller/mystery that whenever I wasn't reading it, I really wanted to be

YTD stats -
Pages read:
30,697
Avg pages a day: 112
Books by POC authors: 50

Thoughts:
September was all over the place. I had a couple of books I had high hopes for that turned out to be 3.5 star reads. But I also had some solid 4-4.5 star reads, including the one nonfiction book I read this month, the first in a fantasy epic series, and a debut YA thriller that I could not put down. I'm well on my way to reading 12 books by authors outside of the US or UK - I have three months left to read one more and reach the goal. And authors of color have represented just under half my reading this year (I'd love to get that even a little higher). For a little while I thought it would be the month with the least books finished, but that turned out not to be the case. (For the statisticians who like this sort of thing, this year's low numbers were in January, March, June and July in which I read 9 books - this is different from my norm, where February is quite often the low month.) So all in all, I'm pleased.

9alcottacre
okt 3, 2021, 9:33 pm

Happy New Thread, Mary! Looks like you have had a solid reading year thus far!

10fairywings
okt 3, 2021, 9:36 pm

Happy new thread Mary.

11bell7
okt 3, 2021, 9:43 pm

104. Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Why now? Because I saw on Twitter that a parent complained about this being a "critical race theory" book being read in a school classroom and I decided I should read it because I'm contrary that way.

Mia Tang and her parents get a job overseeing a motel for the ornery (and cheap!) owner, Mr. Yao. There are "weeklies" who stay and pay by the week as well as rotating visitors. Her parents work hard for not a lot of pay, but they don't have a lot of other options. Mia helps out by working the front desk when she's not at school, and dreams of better days to come.

It took me awhile to get into this episodic story of Mia's family and her adventures running the motel. I thought she was precocious for ten and didn't quite believe that a ten-year-old would be at the front desk until I peeked ahead at the author's note and realized a lot of that came from her own experiences. Mia's friend Lupe and Mr. Yao's son Jason, as well as the weeklies, are excellently drawn secondary characters. Before I knew it, I really cared about what happened to the Tangs and loved seeing how everyone came together in the end. 4 stars.

12bell7
okt 3, 2021, 9:43 pm

>9 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! It certainly has been a good year, surprising me really since I'm back to my busy self rather than the somewhat quieter months in 2020 when everything shut down for Covid.

>10 fairywings: Thanks, Adrienne!

13alcottacre
okt 3, 2021, 10:07 pm

>11 bell7: My local library has a copy of Front Desk so I will have to give it a try in future. Thanks for the recommendation, Mary!

14SandyAMcPherson
okt 3, 2021, 10:17 pm

Hi Mary.
Your review of >11 bell7: Front Desk enticed me to add it to my BB list for 2021.

15PaulCranswick
okt 3, 2021, 10:57 pm

Happy new thread, Mary.

We are as usual neck and neck reading wise.

16FAMeulstee
okt 4, 2021, 3:31 am

Happy new thread, Mary!

>1 bell7: For me some work in the garden can be enjoyed, other not so much ;-)

17scaifea
okt 4, 2021, 7:17 am

>11 bell7: I've heard good things about Front Desk and it's already on my list somewhere. Someday.

18drneutron
okt 4, 2021, 9:19 am

Happy new one!

19foggidawn
okt 4, 2021, 9:28 am

Happy new thread!

20bell7
okt 4, 2021, 9:33 am

>13 alcottacre: I hope you enjoy it, Stasia!

>14 SandyAMcPherson: Oh good, I hope it's a good one for you, Sandy.

>15 PaulCranswick: Too funny, Paul - we've been consistent with that for how many years now?

>16 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! Yeah, I don't think I'll ever really love the work that goes into keeping a yard and garden nice, but I do get satisfaction from the results, if nothing else. This year I've felt a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of weeding, covering, digging up massive weeds, and dividing large plants that's been needed (I haven't gotten to everything), but I'm trying to tell myself it's a process and it's okay if it takes a few years to get it to be what I want. And maybe someday I can afford to pay someone to help me.

>17 scaifea: Glad to hear it, Amber, and hope it's one you enjoy when you get to it!

>18 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>19 foggidawn: Thanks, foggi!

21bell7
okt 4, 2021, 9:39 am

It's a day off, so I can say "Happy Monday!" without reservations. Also, the Giants unbelievably pulled an overtime win off against the Saints, so I'm very excited that we're not going 0-17.

Today I have a massage, and I'm stopping by a friend's place (sadly she has dementia, so it'll be a tough visit), and coming home to putter around for the afternoon.

I'm debating whether to try my hand at jam or grape juice today. It's a rainy blah day so I don't plan on working out in the yard unless it clears up, at which point I might take the netting off the blueberries (yes, I know, I'm late). I finished Kaleidoscope this morning and will be choosing a new book to start soon. I watched In the Heights over the weekend (so good!) and have Luca and I Am Not Your Negro out from the library, so hopefully will fit one of those in as well. And then there's Bible study to cap off the evening. I won't do all of this, mind you... it's just the various tasks and delights I'll choose among this afternoon.

22bell7
okt 4, 2021, 1:39 pm

105. Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick
Why now? I think I first saw in an email at work that Selznick had a new book out, and since we had it on the shelf and I knew it wouldn't take me long to read, I checked it out of the library same day

Short stories of different times and places, but always related to the friendship between the narrator and James, as well as James' death, interspersed with detailed pencil drawings like looking through a kaleidoscope.

This is at once a short book and a complicated one. It took me a long time to realize what was happening, that every new story was like the turn of a kaleidoscope and while they had recurring images, they were each a little different and weren't meant to make sense together. In that sense, they're not interconnected, yet each vignette doesn't really make sense on its own, either. Clever, but I'm not sure I enjoyed myself reading it. 3.5 stars.

23MickyFine
okt 4, 2021, 3:07 pm

Days off that include a massage are the best (I have one next week). Glad to hear you had a good weekend and pleased to see you loved In the Heights, which I also loved (and added to my personal collection).

24charl08
okt 4, 2021, 4:41 pm

Happy new(ish) thread. Hope your day off gives you the chance to recharge, too.

25richardderus
okt 4, 2021, 4:50 pm

>22 bell7: Sounds pleasant but not for me.

>11 bell7: Sounds bizarre that this parent found it in any way offensive...?

>8 bell7: A delight to see such good reading going to make a good month.

*smooch*

26curioussquared
okt 4, 2021, 5:54 pm

Happy new thread! I was also intrigued by Front Desk after some Twitter discourse I saw; I think I also saw that all of the publicity bumped the book up to being a bestseller, which is nice for the author :)

27Whisper1
okt 4, 2021, 7:14 pm

Hi Mary. I'm stopping by to learn about your house. Ten months since you bought the house, and look at all you accomplished!

All good wishes to you. I am sorry to be out of touch. The pain levels are strong. I will have another surgery, most likely in November. This will be an infusion pump that will deliver medication directly in my spine! I can honestly say I am looking forward to this one!

28bell7
okt 4, 2021, 9:22 pm

>23 MickyFine: Massages are a regular part of caring for myself now, and I honestly don't know how I lived without them. Hope yours next week is excellent.

>24 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte, it did. I called my friend before I went to her house, and she was on her way out the door with another friend, so I got my flu shot and allowed myself an overall quiet day at home and watching a movie.

>25 richardderus: Yeah, it was completely bizarre and as you can imagine the Twittersphere let the comments on how nonsensical it was fly. Your comment re: >22 bell7: lines up with my own thoughts, I think. But what's really weird is one of the DRCs I'm reading now is...also interconnected short stories that's being comped to Olive Kitteridge but I thought both Olive and Kaleidoscope were better constructed than this one is turning out to be. Oh well, they can't all be stellar. *smooch*

>26 curioussquared: Oh that's cool about Front Desk getting more purchases as a result. As per usual when someone gets huffy about a book, I usually end up bemused by all the fuss, and that was true with this one as well.

>27 Whisper1: Hi, Linda! Nothing new on the house since the new paint job, just general upkeep and keeping the lawn in decent shape. The gardens will keep me hopping for years, I think. I'm sorry to hear you've had such great pain, and will be following your thread to see how the potentially-in-November surgery goes. I hope this will finally bring you some relief!

29bell7
okt 4, 2021, 9:30 pm

I ended up with a slight change in plans today. I did not see my friend, since when I called her after the massage she was on her way out the door with a friend (we made the plans over a week ago, and I forgot to call her over the weekend and confirm, so I wasn't upset she forgot). I decided to get my flu shot instead, since I had a full 24 hours to recover before I had to be at work again. And it's rainy today and tomorrow, so I know no yard work is getting done (gotta get those hedge trimmers out for a final fall trim).

Anyway, I got home from that and decided I didn't feel like cooking so I didn't. I puttered around a bit, doing some of those little tidying things that pile up and I never feel like I really have the time to do - like getting out my drill and tightening the screws in the dining room table so it doesn't tilt when you push on one end. I finished my laundry, which I'd started yesterday. And I watched Luca.

I went to Bible study, but forgot to bring my workbook or anything and mostly just listened. I made plans with one of my friends there - the realtor who helped me with this house purchase - to have her over, and I'm looking forward to showing her all that's been done since I moved in. It's just about a year since we first viewed the house (the grapes were in season then, too).

And that's it for my day. I'm getting ready for bed know and hoping to finish up A Little Hope tonight or tomorrow. The next book I start will most likely be A Sky Beyond the Storm and I'm looking forward to finishing up that series.

30alcottacre
okt 5, 2021, 12:37 am

>22 bell7: Too bad about that one. I have enjoyed Selznick's other books, but I think I will give that one a pass.

I hope your next read is better for you!

31bell7
okt 5, 2021, 9:34 am

>30 alcottacre: I still need to read The Marvels, but I really liked Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck. Some new books, including the new Selznick, have started to mention in the author's note/acknowledgement how the pandemic affected the writing, and I'm wondering if part of it is that I'm not yet ready to deal with processing it through my reading.

32bell7
okt 5, 2021, 9:46 am

106. A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
Why now? Catching up on ARCs on my Kindle, and when I started this one I still had time to nominate it for LibraryReads if I liked it

*Free DRC offered by the publisher through Edelweiss Plus. Thank you!*

In interconnected stories that take place over roughly a year, the residents of the small town of Wharton, Connecticut, deal with a cancer diagnosis, drug addiction, love and loss. The opening story begins with Freddie still reeling from her husband Greg's cancer diagnosis, wondering what will happen if he dies and leaves her and their young daughter Addie behind. Each subsequent story introduces other characters and how their lives intersect, including Freddie's boss; the boss's son, Luke; Luke's ex-girlfriend Ginger; Greg's boss, Alex, and his wife, Kay; and more.

The book is due to come out in November and is being comped to Olive Kitteridge. This does it a disservice, honestly, because in comparison Olive Kitteridge does not progress linearly and the stories add up to give us a nuanced picture of one character and how she affected her community, how each person saw her allowing the reader to have a more complete understanding of her and who she was to her son, her husband, her students, and her neighbors. This book isn't that. Instead, we get glimpses of many characters as the year moves along, each story moving to a different character's head. The writing is more direct, the story as a whole more disjointed. What Joella does do well, though, is give us a variety of characters with emotional depth and complexity. 3 stars.

33bell7
okt 5, 2021, 9:59 am

What's on the docket for today:

Tuesday is my late day to go in, and I've spent the morning taking it easy and finishing up the book reviewed above. I'm nearly at the 24 hour mark since my flu shot and am starting to feel more like my regular self instead of tired grumpypuss with a sore arm. But I still think I'll read some more and not be particularly "productive" this morning. It's rainy and I don't feel like it.

I'll work 12-8 though I'm not sure what projects I'll focus on yet. I'll check my work email and go from there, I think. The evening is usually really quiet, so I'll try to stay on top of all of the book-related emails and such. And I should probably prep for volunteers coming in tomorrow to make sure I have enough for them to do.

Next book up is A Sky Beyond the Storm and I might also start A Memory Called Empire soon.

34katiekrug
okt 5, 2021, 11:05 am

I'm putting A Little Hope on my To Watch For list, because I do love interconnected stories.

35richardderus
okt 5, 2021, 12:36 pm

>33 bell7: Busy busy but in a good way...the Mary Way℠!

>32 bell7: If you can believe this...I got the second Olive Kitteridge sequel widget from Scribner! What were they thinking?!?

*smooch*

36alcottacre
okt 5, 2021, 4:19 pm

>31 bell7: I predict you will like The Marvels too, Mary, when you give it a try. I liked it just slightly less than Hugo Cabret, which I loved. I will be curious to see when you have a chance to read it.

37bell7
okt 6, 2021, 9:55 am

>34 katiekrug: I hope it's one that works for you, Katie!

>35 richardderus: Oh look I get my own trademark! Wait...
Huh... there's another Olive Kitteridge sequel? I liked them both, they were just so much BETTER than A Little Hope (IMO) that I was annoyed by the comp.

>36 alcottacre: High praise, indeed, Stasia! I'll make sure to check it out sometime.

38bell7
okt 6, 2021, 9:58 am

So yesterday I forgot I'd scheduled a "local history training" where I showed other staff members the basics of the collection and what resources to use to help patrons get started when there are questions. It went really well, though, so I was happy. One more training next week. I also picked out some books for my niece and nephew to read while they're visiting this coming weekend (but when we get close, I'll give you a run-down of the bananas amount of commitments I have, so I'll only manage to visit with them a couple of times).

Today I'm working, hoping to do a quick grocery shopping, and want to cook a couple of soups when I get home tonight.

39thornton37814
okt 6, 2021, 12:44 pm

>38 bell7: I'm sure you could do that talk blind-folded.

40richardderus
okt 6, 2021, 2:34 pm

>38 bell7: what >39 thornton37814: said, doubled-redoubled-and vulnerable (to use some old bridge lingo)

Lovely-Humpday wishes.

41msf59
okt 6, 2021, 7:44 pm

Happy Wednesday, Mary! Happy New thread! Sorry for the delay. Bummer that Kaleidoscope fell a bit short for you. I am a big fan of Selznick, so I will still give it a shot, at some point.

42bell7
okt 6, 2021, 9:52 pm

>39 thornton37814: and >40 richardderus: Thanks, Lori and Richard! I've only done this particular talk once or twice, but once I got going my own knowledge/passion helped me along. I had made finding aids awhile back, so I walked through the resources on the "Getting Started" one I'd created on the most-used resources and then had a couple of example questions. I'd allotted "up to an hour" and we got through in 45 minutes, so I was happy and everyone else seemed to like it too.

>41 msf59: Happy Wednesday to you, too, Mark! It's worth a shot, I think, and like his others won't take long to read. Maybe you'll like it more than I did.

43alcottacre
okt 6, 2021, 11:59 pm

>37 bell7: I will keep my eyes open for your thoughts on the book when you have a chance to read it.

44bell7
okt 7, 2021, 9:17 am

45bell7
okt 7, 2021, 9:20 am

Good Thursday morning, everyone!

Today's agenda is work, go home and make dinner (salmon and roasted broccoli) and pack for dogsitting this weekend. That's it, and that's enough.

I'm only reading A Sky Beyond the Storm right now, a little unusual for me, but I have it in every format (paper, ebook and audio) out from the library right now so it's convenient not to start another book. Plus it's fast-paced and I'm enjoying it, hoping to get a chance to finish it over the weekend even though it's gonna be bananas.

46richardderus
okt 7, 2021, 2:02 pm

>45 bell7: It sounds very engrossing. Enjoy the read, and the day, and the acute discomfort pleasures of that ever-growing TBR.

47Familyhistorian
okt 7, 2021, 7:23 pm

Looks like your busy life is back with a vengeance, Mary. Hope your reads are keeping you happy.

48bell7
okt 8, 2021, 2:37 pm

>46 richardderus: It's a good 'un. Very long long though. About as long as The Lincoln Highway so I have two chunksters on my library pile at the moment.

>47 Familyhistorian: It is indeed, and they are, thanks, Meg!

49bell7
okt 8, 2021, 2:40 pm

Busy weekend incoming...

I'm dogsitting today through Monday, have my volunteer commitment at church tonight, I'm hanging out with my Little tomorrow, and I'm working on Sunday. Oh, and my sisters and family are coming up for the weekend, so I'm hoping to see them a little tonight, have a family dinner tomorrow, and will be going over my brother and SIL's (where they're staying on Saturday and Sunday) for dinner on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday, and football on Sunday evening (after work and feeding the dog).

Monday I don't have much planned, thank goodness. I will most likely recover by sleeping in and reading a lot while hanging out with the dog. I may venture out for a yarn shopping trip or to pick up an AC someone offered me, but that's it.

And I left my laptop at home, so likely you won't hear from me 'til Monday or Tuesday :)

50richardderus
okt 8, 2021, 3:54 pm

>49 bell7: Ay de mi! I'm again plumb tuckered out just from reading the itinerary! I'll be anxiously scanning the obituaries to be sure you survive. *smooch*

51MickyFine
okt 8, 2021, 4:39 pm

I hope you have a great time visiting with your family and the dog(s) provide lovely company in what little down time you manage to find.

52alcottacre
okt 8, 2021, 4:59 pm

I finished Front Desk this afternoon, Mary, and like you I had my doubts about the authenticity of a 10-year-old manning the front desk of a motel until I read the afterword of the book. Overall, I quite enjoyed the book. Thank you again for the recommendation!

Have a wonderful time with your family!

53thornton37814
okt 9, 2021, 8:07 am

>49 bell7: I'm fiber shopping today too. I'll leave home in an hour or so for the "road trip du jour." The shop is a little over an hour away (maybe an hour and 15 minutes). While I'm up that way, I plan to hit their used bookstore. I may or may not head to Asheville from there. I can go to Asheville another day over the long weekend if I wish, so I'll play it by ear.

54bell7
okt 9, 2021, 9:00 am

Replying from my phone, please excuse typos.

>50 richardderus: *snort* it's why I've been conserving all my energy this week. Just to clarify, there's only *one* family dinner tonight, though I managed to mention it twice.

>51 MickyFine: thanks, Micky! Just one pretty chill dog (if insistent about his walk routine) who is currently sleeping near me.

>52 alcottacre: glad it was a good one for you, Stasia! And thank you, I will 😁

>53 thornton37814: that sounds like an excellent road trip, Lori! I'll probably go Monday and my trip will be about 45 minutes. Nice having the long weekend to do such things, isn't it?

55richardderus
okt 9, 2021, 11:16 am

>54 bell7: *scratches "weight-watching clinic reservation for Mary" off to-do list*

56bell7
okt 11, 2021, 9:24 pm

57bell7
okt 11, 2021, 9:34 pm

Well, I'm back home! The weekend was fun and busy, as expected. I fit in as much time with family around my other obligations, and honestly it wasn't much different than it would have been if I were at home, except for the morning/evening routine of caring for the dog. We had a nice dinner on Saturday night, and Sunday morning I went over for breakfast before my work shift. I got out at five, took care of the dog and put the Giants on 'til close to halftime, then left and went back to my brother's for the rest of the game and hanging out for the evening.

We won't talk about the results of the Giants game.

The Red Sox won their playoff game in extra innings, after which I got called into the backyard because someone had hit my car parked on the side of the road (granted, I had parked in front of the driveway of the neighbor across the street, but... yeah, they had room). Anyway, one of their guests left a bit of a dent and scratches in my driver's side door. It's not really that bad, honestly, and when I go for an oil change I might see if they can just pop the door back out. Everything electrical works, the door opens and closes fine, so I don't believe there's any interior damage. It's more the hassle of getting it fixed than anything else.

Today being a holiday, I had work off and had expected to keep the day pretty quiet, but I ended up filling it with a decent amount of errands too. A friend of mine had offered an AC, and we maneuvered it into my basement. After that and chatting for a bit, I went out shopping and got myself a few fun things for the house - area rugs for the upstairs bedrooms, a boot tray, a curtain rod. The buy of the day, though, was a TV stand that will now allow me to set up the TV in the living room and start a chain reaction of furniture moving (date still TBD) that will allow me to get the upstairs bedrooms completely furnished. So I'm very excited about that one! I also went out to a yarn store and splurged a bit. I went through their $2.50 and $3.50 bins and got some really nice pink yarn I'm hoping to make into a pretty wrap with a pattern book I have, plus a few odds and ends for different projects for gifts and things.

Tomorrow I have a ten a.m. oil change, followed by work 12-8. It will almost feel like a vacation ;)

58alcottacre
okt 12, 2021, 12:18 am

>57 bell7: Glad you made it back home safely, Mary!

59scaifea
okt 12, 2021, 7:29 am

Oh dang, I'm sorry about the dent in your car, Mary. I bet they'll be able to pop it out at the garage, though, like you said. Fingers crossed.

And yay for clearance bin yarn! I got some of that myself last week and have already started knitting with it!

60MickyFine
okt 12, 2021, 10:22 am

Glad to hear your weekend was full of quality time with your family and you also squeezed in some nesting around your house. It's so much fun finding the things that make it yours.

61richardderus
okt 12, 2021, 11:55 am

It's always annoying when someone breaks something of yours and doesn't say anything even resembling "sorry" but...little actual harm sounds like it was done.

Still.

Enjoy the vacation of being back at work! *smooch*

62bell7
okt 12, 2021, 3:53 pm

>58 alcottacre: thanks, Stasia!

>59 scaifea: honestly the hassle of it is more annoying than the actual damage... (I know my fellow introverts here understand). I have a lineup of projects so it'll take me a little while, but I'm really looking forward to picking a wrap to knit.

>60 MickyFine: it was so much fun! Next purchase will probably be boring but necessary (step ladder and a dehumidifier that doesn't kill my electric bill), but I try to mix in the fun ones too

>61 richardderus: oh, she fessed up and clearly felt terrible. I reported the accident with my insurance just to cover my butt, but she said at the time that there was no damage to her car, and no one got hurt so honestly I'd just as soon skip the actual claim and repair process 🤷‍♀️

The last time I had to get body work done on my car, I didn't have it for like, three weeks, so between that and all the phone calls involved when dealing with insurance, this is why I'm just like 🤷‍♀️ I don't care about a few scratches and I bet a friend of mine can fix the dent?

63richardderus
okt 13, 2021, 5:25 pm

>62 bell7: Couldn't possibly agree more. The fewer bureaucrats, the better life is, I find.

64bell7
okt 13, 2021, 8:10 pm

65bell7
okt 13, 2021, 8:15 pm

I'm still here, just busy and tired. Something about it getting dark early leaves me with low energy in the evening. I worked, grocery shopped, made a quick dinner and I'm already in PJs. I finished A Sky Beyond the Storm and I'll start The Sympathizer for book club tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, my uncle is planning on coming over to help me get those ground fault interrupters set up in the kitchen. Woohoo!

66foggidawn
okt 13, 2021, 9:32 pm

I feel the same about the early darkness. Once the time change hits, I just want to come home from work and hibernate!

67bell7
okt 14, 2021, 8:36 am

>66 foggidawn: Absolutely! And it's hard to get out of bed in the morning...

68MickyFine
okt 14, 2021, 10:16 am

Have you tried a SAAD lamp, Mary? Living as far north as I do, they're frequently recommended to help with the tiredness and blahs that come with shorter days.

69richardderus
okt 14, 2021, 11:12 am

Being a hermit by preference, I find the shorter days greatly to my liking. But the summers with all that blasting battering sunshine are Torquemada's Dream, for all of me, so "out of sync with society" is practically a mantra around here.

70katiekrug
okt 14, 2021, 11:56 am

>69 richardderus: - +1. I am also weird and like the shorter days... at least until late February when I am ready for a change!

Hi Mary!

71bell7
okt 15, 2021, 10:01 am

>68 MickyFine: I haven't, but yeah, it probably wouldn't hurt.

>69 richardderus: Oh I'm a hermit by preference too, and if it weren't for the fact that I need to go to work and cook to eat when I get home some days, I wouldn't fuss about it too much.

>70 katiekrug: Hi, Katie! I like the curling-up-with-a-blanket-and-a-book aspect, but could definitely do with a little more energy to get through the day in the winter. Doesn't help that it's also harder to exercise when it's dark before work gets out.

72bell7
okt 15, 2021, 10:06 am

TGIF! I'm only working 'til 1 p.m. today. Then I have an eye doctor's appointment (including, hopefully, new frames since these are constantly falling off my face), and I'm going out with my SIL for dinner and a play that her cousin is performing in.

73MickyFine
okt 15, 2021, 12:05 pm

Short days on Fridays are the best. Hopefully you find new glasses that fit your face better!

74richardderus
okt 15, 2021, 8:05 pm

>72 bell7: Yay! A lovely Friday indeed. I hope it's being fun even as I type.

>71 bell7:, >70 katiekrug: February really is Old Nell's Curse among the Northeastern months. But in general I'm just glad we're not getting closer to summer.

75bell7
okt 16, 2021, 8:54 pm

>73 MickyFine: thanks, Micky! It was a good day, and I did get some new frames I think I'll like (it was a little hard to tell with the mask on...). My glasses once fit, but a few years of wear and tear including letting my niece and nephew try them on has loosened them considerably, and then a pin fell out on one side. So it was time for new ones!

>74 richardderus: yeah, I know summer weather can be pretty tough on you. I found myself more sensitive to the heat and humidity than I have been in the past, so I guess we'll see what this next year brings 🤷‍♀️

76bell7
okt 16, 2021, 9:00 pm

They play last night was a lot of fun, and we met up with my SIL's cousin after to chat. She asked us for the opinion of the play and really wanted to know what we thought of the story, if anything was confusing, etc. I met her at the wedding, but hadn't seen her since. She was really warm and personable, and we had fun taking. On the way home, we managed to get the very end of the Red Sox game (they lost). And I got in around 1 a.m. and went promptly to bed.

Today was a haircut, brunch with my mom, and tag saling with my parents. I got done clothes, another wreath for the house, a decorative bottle, and a serving bottle/jar for water. Also managed to meet folks with dogs and may get new clients for the dogsitting business.

After I got home, I intended to take a nap but it wasn't happening. I got up, put together my TV stand and got the TV and DVD player situated, and was finally able to unpack all my DVDs. They fit in the shelves nicely and there's even room for a few more. Now I'm reading my book club book in front of the Bruins game, after which I'll call it a night.

77alcottacre
okt 17, 2021, 3:09 am

>76 bell7: Glad you had a fun time at the play! Sounds like you had a good time both at the play and after.

Happy Sunday! I hope you have a great one.

78bell7
okt 18, 2021, 8:17 am

>77 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! It was a good weekend :) Hope your Sunday was good as well.

79bell7
okt 18, 2021, 8:20 am

Yesterday I had nursery for first service, then stayed for church and got home a little after noon. I watched much of the Giants game, got fed up at halftime, and started uncovering my blueberry bushes through the third quarter until it started raining and I went back in for the rest of the game. With a little help from a step stool, I actually managed to get all the netting off, did a quick grocery shopping for a few ingredients, and made dinner. The evening was primarily taken up reading my book club book, The Sympathizer. I'm not quite halfway through and book club is Wednesday, so much of my free time today and tomorrow is going to be reading that.

Today I work 9-2, will spend much of my afternoon reading, and have Bible study tonight.

80katiekrug
okt 18, 2021, 9:03 am

I gave up on the Giants game and went grocery shopping :-P

81MickyFine
okt 18, 2021, 12:39 pm

Sounds like a great weekend, Mary. I hope your short work day is decent and you get your book club book wrapped up.

82richardderus
okt 18, 2021, 2:15 pm

I really look forward to your thoughts on The Sympathizer and the book club's, too. Quite the read....

I've got a new thread when you're ready.

83bell7
okt 18, 2021, 9:43 pm

>80 katiekrug: My brother called me "traitor" for it, but honestly if I was going to be annoyed for the afternoon, it might as well have been in the process of doing something productive. I'm still going on Sunday, mind you, and I'll stay til the end.

>81 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! The day has been good, I'm about to start getting ready for bed and read a little bit more, but I've left myself a manageable amount to potentially finish it tomorrow, definitely by Wednesday.

>82 richardderus: I will hope to make a cogent review, and I'm looking forward to the discussion for sure. Part of the reason I'm reading a lot now is because it's such an intentionally slow read, and I really do have to focus on every word (I've often read aloud to myself because I kept rereading some of the same sentences, and it helped me with comprehension). It's so well-written, but not "enjoyable" really. And thank you for the link to your new thread! I've fallen a bit behind with everyone, I'm afraid.

84ronincats
okt 18, 2021, 9:56 pm

I hear you, Mary, of dealing with the yard work. I've been avoiding it because of the heat and now I have lots to do before the first freeze here. And yes, it will take me years to get it under control, by which time I will be a REALLY old lady and hire someone to do it for me. Yay for the progress on the house. It certainly does take time to get settled in, doesn't it?

85bell7
okt 18, 2021, 10:12 pm

>84 ronincats: It does! I'm resigning myself to the fact that there will always be more work. I feel like I'm almost ready to call the hedge trimming finished for the year, just in time to have to rake up the yard. But there's also the satisfaction of accomplishing tasks as well, and honestly I've made more progress in the 10 months I've been here than I'd expected to be able to do in the first year. I hope you're enjoying your new place as well! I've loved seeing your progress photos as you make your home your own.

86alcottacre
okt 19, 2021, 12:56 am

>79 bell7: Very curious to see your thoughts on The Sympathizer when you are done, Mary.

87richardderus
okt 19, 2021, 11:46 am

>83 bell7: That was one of my Lost Year reads. It'll be really good discussion fodder, I'll bet.

88bell7
okt 19, 2021, 10:12 pm

>86 alcottacre: and >87 richardderus: I finished it tonight and... hm. I'm gonna have to ponder this one for a bit rather than churn out a review. I started looking up a bunch of stuff to share with my book club ladies, so hopefully it will be well-attended. I do think it will provoke a lot of discussion, so I'm interested to see how it goes tomorrow night.

89bell7
okt 20, 2021, 5:47 pm

I just realized I completely missed recording a book read here. Oops!

107. A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
Why now? I had started the series when the first book was new, and when the newest book came out last year decided it would be one of my reading projects to complete the series. Finally fit it in and managed to get the book in all formats to do it (still took a week!).

Laia and Helene are now on the same side, fighting to take back the city from the Nightbringer, the jinn, and the Commandant for Helene's nephew, the Emperor. Meanwhile, Elias has fully embraced his role as Soul Catcher but death himself - Mauth - seems to be having trouble and his magic failing. Can they join forces and defeat the Nightbringer?

The narrative switches between the three main characters with a few glimpses of the Nightbringer's point of view as well. The pace keeps taut moving between the three whether they're together or apart, with short chapters often stopping at a cliffhanger. Even so, at over 500 pages it took me over a week to read, so maybe save it for a not-so-busy weekend to really get to immerse yourself in their world. A satisfying conclusion to a solid fantasy series. 4.5 stars.

90richardderus
okt 20, 2021, 5:53 pm

>89 bell7: I'm so glad that *peers at screen* hm well anyway that book you just read whatever it was got such a high rating!

Now, on the The Sympathizer.

91bell7
okt 20, 2021, 5:54 pm

108. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Why now? Book club book for today (finished last night, just in time to digest a little and prepare!)

Our unnamed narrator begins with the fall of Saigon and the escape of South Vietnamese refugees to America, where he lives and works while working as a spy for the Viet Cong.

This is a book in which no single word is wasted, its meaning important and often double, beginning with the title itself. The narrator is a sympathizer both as a spy but also in his self - he is the son of a French priest and a Vietnamese woman, and is not one or the other. The unique perspective of an outsider allows him to sympathize with both sides, leaving you unsure exactly how much to trust his narration, a confession he is making to the Commandant. Equally brilliantly executed and brutal in its descriptions of war and the aftermath, this Pulitzer Prize-winning title is deserving a careful, slow read. Would I reread it? No. But I'm in awe of the author's way with words, and would definitely recommend it for book clubs or read another by him. 3.5 stars.

92bell7
okt 20, 2021, 5:54 pm

>90 richardderus: Got ya covered ;)

93richardderus
okt 20, 2021, 6:08 pm

>92 bell7:, >91 bell7: *relieved sigh*

94bell7
okt 20, 2021, 6:09 pm

>93 richardderus: more in line with the rating you expected?

95richardderus
okt 20, 2021, 6:16 pm

>94 bell7: A little higher than I thought. The, um, descriptiveness seemed likely to me to throw you out of a good-rating place. But oh my gosh the way he played with the ambiguities!

96bell7
okt 20, 2021, 6:23 pm

>95 richardderus: yeah, if it weren't for the absolutely masterful way he writes, from the word level to the entire structure, my rating would've been lower for the violence and general grimness. I want to read - many months from now when I'm ready for another difficult read - his nonfiction book, which I believe was shortlisted for the Pulitzer.

97bell7
okt 21, 2021, 6:51 pm

Discussion last night was tough - I had two people show up. One was brand-new and LOVED the book (and is very excited to join our book group, yay!), and one got about halfway through and meant to mostly listen. Still, we had an interesting discussion. We talked a bit about history repeating itself as far as American foreign conflict is concerned. The new person mentioned towards the end that she was noticing some religious symbolism, and upon reflection I thought she had a really good point. Honestly, this was the kind of book it would've been really easy to write a 1,000 word essay on if I read it as an English undergrad (and really frustrating, because I'm sure it rewards rereading, and my professors always had the advantage of having read a book far more times than I had, leaving me scratching my head as to how they came up with their analysis!).

I mentioned the sequel, and his prize-winning (or short-listed, or both) nonfiction title. The scenes of making the movie poking fun at Apocalypse Now reminded me of Interior Chinatown, so I got to plug that book too. And I handed out the poem "Aubade With Burning City" since the mention of White Christmas as the signal to evacuate Saigon was in the book. Lots of details, and really astounding craftsmanship went into the novel.

Having just two show up in person this month, I'm pretty much planning a hybrid in-person and online option next month and trying it out to see how it goes. I was originally a little afraid I wouldn't be able to handle that on my own, but having just one or two more participants (even if I need to remember to ask them specifically, or give them permission to interrupt me) online would've kept us going 60 minutes instead of 40, I think.

Next month is The Book of Lost Names.

98jnwelch
okt 22, 2021, 9:19 am

Hi, Mary. Just checking in. I liked Interior Chinatown, too. He successfully pulled me into a lot of justified frustration.

99msf59
Bewerkt: okt 22, 2021, 9:37 am

Happy Friday, Mary. I really enjoyed The Sympathizer and liked the follow-up The Committed a bit less. Have a great weekend.

100MickyFine
okt 22, 2021, 11:39 am

Low attendance programs are always tricky, Mary, but it sounds like you led it like a champ. Good luck coordinating a hybrid model next time!

101charl08
okt 23, 2021, 3:24 pm

I must pick up The Sympathizer - I really liked his other book. Sounds like hard work to keep the discussion going though: we had four this week and it was just about enough, I thought.

102richardderus
okt 23, 2021, 3:27 pm

Happy weekend's reads, Mary!

103richardderus
okt 24, 2021, 8:31 pm

...Mary...?

104bell7
okt 24, 2021, 9:13 pm

>98 jnwelch: yup, that sounds about right for Interior Chinatown. Dining enough, I was just recommending it to one of my brothers today as something he might enjoy. He's a big movie buff and I think he'd like the form a lot.

>99 msf59: I thought that would be one you like, Mark, so I'm glad to see I was on the money! Good to know about the sequel. I think my first follow up will be his nonfiction about the Vietnam War.

>100 MickyFine: Aw, thanks. We'll see how a hybrid goes, as I won't be super available for tech help while facilitating .

>101 charl08: it's definitely easier with a few more people, which we'll hopefully have in November. Which other book of his have you read?

>102 richardderus: thank you! The same to you (though a little late)
>103 richardderus: I'm here! See below for a full weekend recounting.

105bell7
Bewerkt: okt 24, 2021, 9:24 pm

Sorry to be MIA for a few days!

Friday night was my regular volunteer night at the kids' church program. They were collecting stuff to pack in shoeboxes to send as Christmas gifts to kids overseas, and we got wayyyyy more donations than expected, so some of the leaders including me stayed late to finish boxing them up. I don't know what the total was for the whole group, but 3-6th graders all together had about 40 boxes worth.

Saturday was my day with my Little, and we had fun seeing a fantasy exhibition at a local museum. Then I came home and did as much yard work as I could stand, picked the green tomatoes left and bagged them and picked as many grapes as I could, knowing there would be a frost tonight.

Today was a road trip to the Giants. Dad and I sat together in the season tickets, and my brothers bought a pair to sit together and we all rode down together. We actually didn't hit a ton of traffic, but with all the folks needing to be dropped off (I'm furthest east coming home from the game), I didn't get in till 8:30 or so. We figured out on the ride back that this was the first win I've seen in person since Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. So now I'm .500 for the year.

I finished The Cat Who Saved Books on the car ride back (I only had about a half hour to go). And now I'm gonna read A memory called empire till my eyes won't stay open, which shouldn't take long!

Edited to get touchstones to work

106richardderus
okt 24, 2021, 11:00 pm

Lurvely weekend indeed, Mary! I'm glad you weren't languishing in a jail cell somewhere after a Lost Weekend, or something.

Arkday Martine...yeah, I can see that gruntling your kempt.

107bell7
okt 25, 2021, 1:39 pm

>106 richardderus: Ha! No, languishing in a jail cell isn't really my style, though I wouldn't put it past me to collapse from working too hard... Martine very much gruntles my kempt, I'm only sad that I have had to keep putting it down to read book club books.

Next book I pick up will be a reread of Rebecca for the book club with my SIL.

108MickyFine
okt 25, 2021, 1:41 pm

>107 bell7: Ooh, Rebecca is a perfect read for this time of year.

109bell7
okt 25, 2021, 1:53 pm

109. The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosume Natsukawa
Why now? It's one of two digital review copies I had that come out in December, and I wanted to see if I would want to nominate it for LibraryReads - it was the shorter of the two, so I was reasonably sure I could finish it by Nov. 1.

*Downloaded a free DRC made available from the publisher through Edelweiss Plus. Thank you!*

After the death of his grandfather, high schooler Rintaro finds himself alone, with the books the secondhand bookshop Natsuke Books to keep him company, until he moves in with a distant aunt. A couple of friends try to reach out to him and get him to come back to school, but it's only when a talking cat shows up asking for Rintaro's help saving books that his life starts to change.

This internationally best-selling book has been translated into English and will be available in early December. This short book about the power of reading (and sometimes the ways in which our relationship to books can get twisted or out of joint) came across as very pat and simplistic, making me wonder if something got lost in translation. 3 stars.

One translation choice that I wondered at was keeping the Japanese word hikikomori to describe Rintaro without using an explanatory footnote (it could be that this is discussed in the translator's note, which was not part of the digital file I received, so I'm leaving it out of the official review). It seemed to me that Rintaro was definitely an introvert, but a Google search of hikikomori confirms that this is a more confirmed social withdrawal and might be related to autism or agoraphobia, for example, and seems to be more severe than how the character came across to me. I'd be curious to ask the translator/author about that choice, and how they view the character.

110bell7
okt 25, 2021, 1:54 pm

>108 MickyFine: Yeah, I think that's what she figured (it's a reread for my SIL as well). If I run out of time, I might listen to the BBC drama that I have out from the library instead.

111alcottacre
okt 25, 2021, 2:00 pm

>89 bell7: Adding that series to the BlackHole as it sounds like one I would enjoy.

>91 bell7: I think that one bears looking into for me especially as I am so unfamiliar with the history of that area of the world.

Thanks, Mary!

112bell7
okt 25, 2021, 4:57 pm

>111 alcottacre: always glad to add to the BlackHole, Stasia! Be aware that the descriptions of war in The Sympathizer can be pretty brutal (though fitting), which is why I didn't rate it higher. I know you and I can have similar limits for violence!

113richardderus
okt 25, 2021, 6:36 pm

114alcottacre
okt 25, 2021, 7:52 pm

>112 bell7: Yeah, I am not a big fan of violence in books, but if I am prepared for it ahead of time, I deal better with it.

115bell7
okt 25, 2021, 9:27 pm

>113 richardderus: Agree on both counts, Richard.

>114 alcottacre: Me too, Stasia!

116bell7
okt 26, 2021, 6:08 pm

Taking some time on my dinner break at work to check in. It's rainy today as a storm works it's way Northeast, though I think the worst of it here should be overnight. I couldn't quite get out of bed bright and early, so read a bit in Hatchet and lazed about for a bit. I spent the rest of the morning getting some cooking done, and got the grapes I picked the other day ready to make some jam tomorrow night.

I'm getting out of work at 8 today and just planning on reading and relaxing the rest of the evening.

117richardderus
okt 26, 2021, 6:25 pm

>116 bell7: It was rainy and icky here today but the worst is on its way up to you. Tomorrow we're in for a very few showers.

118bell7
okt 26, 2021, 9:14 pm

>117 richardderus: Looks like the worst of the rain is overnight and the worst of the wind should be midnight to 5 a.m. Wednesday, so at least I'm home for the duration, with only light rain tomorrow morning when I head out to work.

119alcottacre
okt 26, 2021, 10:39 pm

>118 bell7: Glad to hear that you will miss out on most of the 'fun' of the storm, Mary. Stay safe!

120bell7
okt 27, 2021, 9:43 pm

>119 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia!

The worst of the storm hit the southeast portion of MA, so there are several without power today. Here, it's just been rainy, but both home and work escaped unscathed.

121bell7
okt 27, 2021, 9:48 pm

Today was work, where I attempted to watch some webinars, but mostly got interrupted, and corralled volunteers and set up projects for tomorrow's set of volunteers.

I came home to make some jam from my Concord grapes, and now I'm settling down for the evening.

I'm close to finishing A Memory Called Empire and am more than halfway through Hatchet (which is pretty short to begin with. I should be reading Rebecca, but I won't finish it in time for Friday's book discussion that I'll also be late to, so I probably won't rush but may still reread. I'm in a weird sort of mood where I don't know what I want to read. Yesterday I returned a stack of library books (I now have 4 out), and today I canceled a bunch of holds (I now have 9 waiting, some of which haven't been released). I *am* enjoying what I'm reading very much, so I'm not really in a slump yet, but hopefully in a few days I'll be able to figure out my mood and have a new bunch of books going.

122norabelle414
okt 27, 2021, 10:24 pm

>121 bell7: The Anna Massey-narrated audiobook of Rebecca is fabulous, fyi ;-)

123curioussquared
okt 28, 2021, 12:28 am

I hope you regain your reading mojo soon! Also interested to see your thoughts on A Memory Called Empire, which is on my shelf to read. My husband read it and I think he liked it overall, but our sci-fi tastes don't always overlap.

124bell7
okt 28, 2021, 12:43 pm

>122 norabelle414: Oooh, that's good to know! Unfortunately I won't be able to get the audio version from Libby for an estimated five weeks, but I put a hold on just in case it becomes available faster.

>123 curioussquared: Thanks! Fortunately I loved A Memory Called Empire (just finished it today, review to come), and I may not need to decide on a new book for a day or two. Hopefully in the meantime I'll figure out what I'm in the mood for.

125richardderus
okt 28, 2021, 2:17 pm

>124 bell7: That's what happened to me when I set up that poll! It worked out fine. I liked the book y'all voted in, and would read another with that character. I like books featuring imperfect heroes. It gives me hope that my own failings don't mean I'm Eville just...put together wonky.

126bell7
Bewerkt: okt 28, 2021, 8:39 pm

>125 richardderus: Yep! I don't like the feeling, usually I'm in the mood for everything NOW! So when I am not quite sure what I feel like, I get annoyed.

I (barely) started Rebecca, ostensibly for book club tomorrow, but I'm never going to finish it on time. I have a very small stack from the library right now, but I did bring home a book one of my co-workers recommended today.

127bell7
okt 28, 2021, 8:52 pm

110. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
Why now? Well, I could've sworn something put this on my TBR, but now I can't find it. Maybe because it won the 2020 Hugo Award and I'd liked what I'd read of that year's short list? Anyway, I bought it for the library and had it out a couple of times before I managed to read it, when both my mood and the due date aligned.

Mahit is the new, green Lsel ambassador to the Teixcalaan empire sent to, above all, keep Lsel independent from an empire that likes to acquire new planets and stations, and keep their imago technology a secret. Mahit herself should have the imago of the previous ambassador, Yskandr, basically the memory installed in a machine allowing their personalities to merge neurologically. But the one she has is 15 years out of date, and when she sees the body of Yskandr, dead, something begins malfunctioning and she loses access to her imago. Left alone, with only her liaison, Three Seagrass, to help her navigate a culture she loves but that regards her as a barbarian, Mahit must use all her ingenuity and political prowess to work for the good of her planet.

If you enjoy space operas with details of politics, culture, and complex characters, this is the story for you. I enjoyed everything about this book, from following Mahit and Three Seagrass's adventures, to learning about both cultures (props to the author for creating not one but two distinct cultures of humans not quite like each other our our own earth), to reflecting on empire and what it means to love a culture that's not your own. I won't wait long to read the sequel. 5 stars.

Though it's a different genre, it did remind me a lot of The Goblin Emperor in a way an essentially good character was given a very complex political situation and had to decide how to handle it.

128alcottacre
okt 28, 2021, 9:07 pm

>127 bell7: I may have to give that one a try even though I am not much into politics. I do like space operas though. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Mary!

129bell7
okt 28, 2021, 9:09 pm

Today was work, including adding subtitles to the next Storytime video, catching up on emails, and giving volunteers projects. Then I stopped by a new dogsitting client's house to meet her pups, and went home. I decided to get Chinese takeout so I could eat right away (crab rangoons), but then I baked what I'm bringing to book club tomorrow and prepped quinoa and spinach bowls so I have dinner ready for tomorrow, and lunches over the weekend to boot.

I mentioned a bit ago that I have mice. Well, after several weeks of getting nothing in traps on the first floor, I finally bit the bullet and put a couple in the basement yesterday. Got two - one was dead and I disposed of the trap and replaced it with a new one. The other is still alive in the trap somewhere behind my washer where it'll stay for a bit. Woke me up this morning about 4 a.m. (my bedroom is basically above where the washer/dryer is), and I didn't sleep well after that. Hopefully tonight will be better? Anyway, I'm not sure whether to be happy or annoyed that I'm catching mice now.

Tomorrow is work, calling my grandpa to wish him a happy birthday, and Carnival Night with the kids at the church program I volunteer with on Friday nights, followed by book club. As book club officially starts at 6:30, I will in fact be late, so I baked cookies (Cornwall fairings) and expect I'll be missing most of the book chatter. But I did read Rebecca a couple years ago, so it'll be okay.

Thankfully Saturday will be a more low key after a busy week. I'll need it to do a little tidying up around the house, cleaning the bathrooms, sweeping, but probably nothing too major.

130bell7
okt 28, 2021, 9:10 pm

>128 alcottacre: I enjoy politics in SF but not in real life! Hope it's a good read for you, Stasia.

131bell7
okt 29, 2021, 10:35 am

111. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Why now? (Morbidly, but we all have done it) Paulsen recently died and I still have not read any of his books, so I decided to read his best-known and a Newbery Honor to knock off my list to boot

Brian Robeson is on his way to his father's after his parents have recently split, when the pilot of the bush plane he's on has a heart attack, leaving Brian alone, the plane crashed, in the middle of the wilderness. With only a hatchet his mother gave him and all his ingenuity, Brian has to find a way to survive.

This is a classic of children's/teen literature, and I could kind of appreciate why even though I'm not much of a survival story reader. The lessons Brian learns are those of quintessential American independence - depend on yourself, learn from your mistakes, crying or feeling sorry for yourself won't help - and pretty obviously stated by the narrator. The writing is mediocre at best, and for such a small book fairly repetitive, too ("There were these things he had to do."). But there are also exciting scenes and interesting (if occasionally implausible) survival tactics. A meh read for me, but mostly a case of being not my type of book, I think. 3 stars.

132richardderus
okt 29, 2021, 10:45 am

>131 bell7: Genre and age mismatch, I feel. In general Paulsen's "survive-overcome-gut it out-win" ethos isn't one I see you resonating positively with. I read Lawn Boy to Quentin (the soon-to-be dad) and we both thought it was hilarious.

Anyway, it's a weekend without nor'easters, let's be thrilled about that! *smooch*

133bell7
okt 29, 2021, 11:44 am

>132 richardderus: Yeah, I think so too. I might've liked it marginally better in elementary school when I read (and very much enjoyed) The Sign of the Beaver. I still have Winterdance at home (a book I own), and I'm interested in reading both that and his middle-grade memoir.

Hoorah for no more nor-easters! My weekend got marginally more busy with a yoga class (and free drink included), which will mean a day out instead of at home, but it's the most socializing I get in a month, usually, so I'm still looking forward to it. I'll just do a real-quick clean up in the morning, if I feel like it.

134alcottacre
Bewerkt: okt 30, 2021, 12:06 am

>131 bell7: My girls loved that one back in the day, but then their mama is a fan of survival stories :)

Happy Friday, Mary!

135MickyFine
okt 29, 2021, 11:17 pm

>127 bell7: Hmmm, not sure if that's a BB or not. Would you say it has similarities to How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse? Because then I'm probably hit.

136charl08
okt 30, 2021, 8:12 am

Glad to read that you and work survived the weather unscathed. I've still not read Rebecca, one of those books on my "ought to" list.

Hope the yoga was fun: was it a boozy drink that was free or some kind of linked health drink?

137bell7
okt 30, 2021, 10:00 am

>134 alcottacre: I may have liked it better if I'd read it younger. I'm getting pickier (especially about writing style) as I grow older. Happy weekend, Stasia!

>135 MickyFine: Yeah, there are some similarities but it's not as funny as Rory Thorne, Micky.

>136 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte! Rebecca seems to be one of those books that's even better on a reread. I was unclear about the timing - yoga and the (yes, boozy) drink are this afternoon. My friend owns a physical therapy practice & gym and runs these "Namaste for Drinks" every month-ish, with the idea that it gives adults a way to both do something healthy and socialize afterwards.

138bell7
okt 30, 2021, 10:02 am

Plan for the day:

I slept in a little after my long week, have read a bit in Rebecca and had breakfast. I'll probably do a little bit of tidying up this morning before heading out to yoga and spending the afternoon with friends. Probably gonna finish with a low-key evening.

Tomorrow I have nursery, church, and work, then Monday off for working Sunday.

139scaifea
okt 30, 2021, 10:26 am

Morning, Mary!

I liked Hatchet more than I thought I would when I read it a few years ago, but then again, I tend to be a sucker for survival stuff, so I'm not sure why I didn't think I'd like it? Maybe because it's so outdoorsy? Anyway. I'm also sort of surprised that I didn't react more negatively to that American spirit nonsense you so astutely mention. At least it's another Newbery off the list, yeah?

140bell7
okt 30, 2021, 10:28 am

>139 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Yeah I had mixed feelings, but it was short and a Newbery off the list as you say. I'm glad there are people it works for better, actually - it would be boring if we all liked the same things, no?

141scaifea
okt 30, 2021, 10:31 am

>140 bell7: Definitely! When I read a book I don't like, I'm pretty much always happy to know that there are people out there who *do* like it. Makes me feel less bad about my response.

142bell7
okt 31, 2021, 2:18 pm

>141 scaifea: Yes, exactly! But it does make it hard for me when patrons ask if I liked a book. "I didn't read it" or "I hated it, but I think you'll love it!" don't always cut it hahaha.

143bell7
okt 31, 2021, 7:39 pm

October in review
111. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
110. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
109. The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
108. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
107. A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
106. A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
105. Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick
104. Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Books read: 8
Rereads: 0
Children's/Teen/Adult: 2/2/4
Fiction/Nonfiction/Plays/Poetry: 8/0/0/0

Because I want to awards:
A Memory Called Empire was my favorite of the month - so much fun, such great world-building, enjoyed the characters
The Sympathizer for being one that will stick with me for a long time

YTD stats -
Pages read: 33,696
Avg pages a day: 111
Books by POC authors: 53

Thoughts:
October is officially the month with the least books read so far in 2021 (at 8, which still isn't that shabby, really). I was surprised when I counted it all up to realize I'd read as many middle grade and teen books as I had adult, and that I read no nonfiction books but still only read 8. However, for the most part I didn't always love what I was reading, which may have something to do with that. The "reread potentials" were A Sky Beyond the Storm and A Memory Called Empire, but I was stingy with stars otherwise.

As far as my 2021 reading goals go, my reading POC authors has slipped just a little in past months, but I'm just under 48% (53 out of 111) so well above my original goal. I might just make 50% or more my goal in 2022. And for international authors, I'm a month or two behind from noticing because I forgot to count one earlier, but I've already read authors from 12 countries outside of the US/UK. I've read a couple of multiples, from Japan, Korea and Australia. I like that goal, it's a stretch and still reachable, and I'm thinking in 2022 I may just make it 12 *new* countries that were not represented in my 2021 reading.

144bell7
okt 31, 2021, 7:48 pm

Today I had nursery, church, and work, so I've been running all day and it feels like my weekend is just starting. I left out candy for potential trick-or-treaters, but I don't think many, if any, were taken and I haven't had any since I got home. Oh well - I don't mind a quiet night. Tomorrow a friend (my realtor, too, but friend first) is coming over for brunch and too see all I've done with the house since moving in. I'm excited to show her around. And then I may have some yard work to do, we'll see.

I've been steadily trapping mice now since I moved the traps to the basement (and one in my bedroom closet). I've been carefully bagging them up, snap traps and all, and today I reached the point I needed to set some new traps. Ugh. (I have a bit of a phobia of mice, so this is the best I can do - and the traps are cheap enough.)

I'm still rereading Rebecca and last night I started Fighting Words as an e-book/audio combo. Not much to say on either of those yet, but we'll see what the week brings.

145PaulCranswick
okt 31, 2021, 9:54 pm

>143 bell7: Our numbers are pretty close this year, Mary.

>144 bell7: I am walking quite a bit more than normal these few weeks and thankfully seem to be slowly getting a bit more puff!

146alcottacre
okt 31, 2021, 9:59 pm

I really liked Rebecca when I read it several years ago. It is probably due for a reread, but I am not sure when I will ever get to it.

I hope you have a wonderful week, Mary!

147bell7
nov 2, 2021, 9:17 am

>145 PaulCranswick: As always, on the reading numbers, aren't we? Yard work has given me a little more exercise than usual, but I'm not in the best of shape really. I need to start making some time for strength training and some yoga, maybe. Now I have my TV and DVD player set up in the living room, I should probably get some videos from the library and get myself moving.

>146 alcottacre: I had a mixed reaction to it, Stasia, (I liked Jamaica Inn better) but it's still a good read and I'm curious to see if my response will change on a reread. Certainly I'm not the same reader I was in 2009.

148bell7
nov 2, 2021, 9:32 am

112. Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Why now? E-book and audio were both available from the library, and another Newbery Honor to meet a personal reading goal

Della and her sister Suki have been put into foster care after a bad thing happened to them. Their mother is a meth addict and was incarcerated years ago, leaving them with her boyfriend, Clifton, who tells the girls they'd be on the street or in a group home if it weren't for him. But now they're with a foster mother, Francine, and Della is going to testify about something traumatic. She's starting a new school and has to deal with a bully but also makes a friend. And she starts to learn the power of her voice and what she has to say.

This book. Della's only ten, but the only way you can tell it's written for older middle grade / younger YA is that she uses the word "snow" in place of swears. Other than that, whew, it is intense and while it doesn't describe in great detail, it definitely addresses addiction, sexual abuse, and more trauma as Della and Suki start to unpack their past. I spent the last third of the book with tears in my eyes. Don't get me wrong, it is good and it is necessary (and how sad is it that we live in a world that a book like this is necessary?) and it gives hope. 4.5 stars.

149bell7
nov 2, 2021, 9:39 am

Yesterday was a fun day off. I had a friend - she was my realtor when I bought the house - over for lunch and got to show her around, all the painting I've had done since she was last over. It was fun to show her how much I'd changed and made the place my own, and talk about what I still want to do. After she left, I worked on raking - just piling the leaves to "put the garden to bed", but clearing out about 3/4 of the leaves on the yard. I have a little more raking to do this coming weekend (well, probably a lot, really, since in the coming days there will be more leaves on the ground), and hopefully one last mow of the season after that. I ended the day with Bible study and staying up late to watch the Giants lose.

I slept in just a little this morning, and finishing Fighting Words. I'm now figuring out what to do with the rest of my morning, though it's gonna be fairly relaxed. I need to make a quiche so I have food prepared for lunch and dinner today, and we'll see what I feel like after that's in the oven.

I've been working on a pair of socks and using my own row counter to keep track, because I'm making up a little of the pattern (using a very basic sock pattern) and, in working out the first, want to make sure I do the exact same thing when I start the second. I started messing around looking up "row counter" on my phone 'cause I wanted to start a shawl as someone's Christmas gift, too, and found an app that'll let me keep track of multiple projects. So I just barely started that last night, and I think I'll work on it some this morning before heading out to work.

150richardderus
nov 2, 2021, 10:12 am

>148 bell7: Sounds important. I'll be passing it right on by.

Happy Tuesday, Mary! Hoping the row-counting app will work out well.

*smooch*

151bell7
nov 2, 2021, 5:19 pm

>150 richardderus: Yeah, I don't see that as a book for you.

The row counting app will probably let me start way more projects than I should be working on at once where before I had it, I was limited to one complicated project that needed a row counter and one or two easy ones that didn't. But we'll see. I need to weave in the ends of a scarf that my niece has already claimed, and then I'll only have a not-quite-finished Christmas stocking, pair of socks, and wrap in-progress. Three is... normal. Just like my book reading.

152scaifea
nov 3, 2021, 7:41 am

>148 bell7: I loved that one, too.

>149 bell7: I've used a row-counting app for years and love it. I like that you can have as many projects as you want, and that you can customize each one.

153bell7
nov 3, 2021, 9:25 am

>152 scaifea: Ah, I thought I remembered rightly that you did (you've read ALL the Newbery Awards and Honors up through 2021, right?). You'll laugh, it turns out that the book instructions only actually numbered the rows 1-6, and then had instructions for "Next row" so the numbers were useless. But it's actually quite a repetitive pattern that I can mostly remember in my head anyway. It's okay, though, the row-counting app is going to be super helpful for tracking multiple projects, and I love the fact that I can match up a Ravelry pattern to the app and know exactly where I am at any given time.

154bell7
nov 3, 2021, 9:31 am

Good Wednesday morning! Are we excited for hump day? This is a weird work week for me, as I was off Monday for working Sunday, I've taken this Friday off as a personal day, I'm working Sunday and then I'm off all next week.

Today is the start of our Friends of the Library book sale, back after a hiatus during Covid. They were worried about not getting enough donations because the library has been accepting them (and sending them somewhere else) throughout the year, but this is the fullest I have *ever* seen our meeting room. Donations cover every table and the boxes underneath are stacked 2 or 3 deep besides. I'll probably fill a bag Nov. 5 or 6, but I've already taken a few books I was given (library staff was thanked for all their help and told to take what we liked), including a 2 vol. unabridged Webster's from the '50s in really nice condition, and a couple of books by Toni Morrison.

Tonight after work, I'm going to a C.S. Lewis movie with some friends. Tomorrow is work, followed by grocery shopping. And then I took Friday off to be most boring and continue on my yard work. I have a little more raking to do to "put my garden to bed" as one of my patrons called it, and then I can mow the lawn. I was going to try to fit it all in on Saturday and decided I'd like to have some extra time to work on it AND have some downtime this weekend, thus the personal day on Friday.

I'm still reading Rebecca and this morning I started The Woman They Could Not Silence as my e-book/audio combo.

155norabelle414
nov 3, 2021, 9:55 am

I use a row-counting app called just "StitchCounter" with an icon that looks like a purple sphere with "003" on it. I do use it a lot but find myself reverting to just a post-it stuck to the pattern (when I'm using a paper pattern)

156richardderus
nov 3, 2021, 1:22 pm

>154 bell7: What a weird schedule...but what great reasons for it!

Have a happy Humpday! *smooch*

157MickyFine
nov 3, 2021, 5:18 pm

Sounds like an excellent week so far, Mary.

158scaifea
nov 4, 2021, 7:23 am

>153 bell7: Yup. All. The. Newberys. All of them. I'm *that* person. Ha!

The thing I think I love the most about the stitch counting app is that it will keep track of how many rows it takes to get to a certain length on, say, a sock, so that for the second sock I don't have to keep stopping to measure because I already know how many rows to stitch!

159bell7
nov 4, 2021, 8:35 pm

>155 norabelle414: mine is called RowCounter and I think once I get set up with a pattern that needs counting, it'll be fun to use. It has an option to add my own patterns and I might try that with the socks I've been making up (written on a piece of paper)

>156 richardderus: ha yeah, already today I didn't know what I was doing. I showed up to work and until one of my coworkers pointed out that I was on the calendar as not coming in till 10:30, I completely forgot about the appointment to pick up my new glasses! Fortunately I got there only a few minutes late...

>157 MickyFine: it's been very busy, and I'm looking forward to taking the next couple of days a little slower to catch my breath! Hope you're having a good week, Micky.

>158 scaifea: so cool! It'll take me a few more years to get there, I'm sure, but you and Linda inspired me to make it a goal. I'm hoping adding the pattern I devised for the socks I'm working on now will help me do the same - maybe I'll work on adding it over the weekend.

160bell7
nov 4, 2021, 8:42 pm

Well, my weekend has begun...sort of. I'm off tomorrow and Saturday, working Sunday. I wrapped up everything I needed to say work prior to vacation, making sure volunteers didn't come in and seeing my email auto responder. After work, I did a quick grocery shopping to pick up a few things, which turned into a few more things until I remembered I'd only brought one bag in. Now I'm knitting in front of the Bruins game.

Tomorrow morning over coffee, I think I'll set down my to-do list for the next few days and decide what I want to tackle when.

161thornton37814
nov 5, 2021, 7:31 am

>160 bell7: Sounds like it is hockey season!

162msf59
nov 5, 2021, 8:06 am

Happy Friday, Mary. Enjoy your early weekend and I hope you can squeeze some reading in.

163SandyAMcPherson
Bewerkt: nov 5, 2021, 9:33 am

Dropping by to help keep your thread zipping along!
I'm well into Ariana Franklin's series (Mistress of the Art of Death), which is a fascinating set of historical novels placed in the 12th century. Have you read any of her work?

164alcottacre
nov 5, 2021, 11:58 am

>148 bell7: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Mary!

165bell7
nov 6, 2021, 8:00 pm

>161 thornton37814: It is indeed, Lori! (My family will be going to a game Tuesday, which should be fun)

>162 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I'm trying - a little more reading today, finally finishing Rebecca, after a very busy-with-errands day yesterday.

>163 SandyAMcPherson: Nice to see you, Sandy! I read Mistress of the Art of Death with my library book club several years ago, but never followed up with the rest of the series. The descriptions were just a tad too graphic for me - glad it's working for you, though!

>164 alcottacre: You're very welcome, Stasia, looking forward to your thoughts on it when you get to it!

166bell7
nov 6, 2021, 8:03 pm

Yesterday was busy, busy, busy. It's been too cold for yard work, but though I slept in a little and read in bed (a luxury in the morning!), I did a lot of cooking, cleaning, and just general catchup of all sorts of things that have been annoying me. Today was a little more low-key, but I still ran errands to add oil to the car, go to a local church rummage sale (I got some napkins, curtains, and a big stock pot for the next time I make jam), go to the library book sale, and drop off all my recycling. Now I'm knitting while watching the Buins.

Tomorrow is church and work, which is enough. Monday I'm hoping to finally get that yard work done (it should be a nice day) and bake blueberry muffins, but otherwise I'll relax.

167bell7
nov 6, 2021, 8:17 pm

113. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Why now? Reading it for my SIL's book club, which was last week, but I still finished the book!

Here's what I said when I first read the book 11 years ago:

The unnamed narrator, a young woman working as a companion to a rich American woman, meets the mysterious widower Max de Winter while in Monte Carlo. Days later, they are married and the new Mrs. de Winter must cope with taking the place of vivacious Rebecca.

I have mixed feelings about this book. As a classic Gothic novel, the descriptions were delightfully evocative, particularly in reference to the de Winter home, Manderley. Though the book read rather slowly, the tension and moody feel kept me reading without feeling bogged down by details. On the other hand, few of the characters were likable, except perhaps Frank Crawley, and I found myself very frustrated with the narrator and her decisions. While I may not read this book again, I would try another book by this author.


I generally stand by the original review, though I'd perhaps knock it up to 4 stars instead of 3.5. This time around, I was appalled by all the red flags of Max de Winter early on, that he's so much older and marries such a naive, young woman with no family or friends less than a year after Rebecca's death. The ending to me isn't romantic, but completely unsettling. Who's to say he wouldn't kill the new Mrs. de Winter if she ever got it in her head to be headstrong or argue with him? However, upon rereading I think that may be the sense that du Maurier was after, which may account for why I'd give it half a star more than I did in 2009. When I was poking around for analysis online to see if I was right, I came across one essay that compared it to Jane Eyre, and I can definitely see parallels.

168MickyFine
nov 7, 2021, 9:45 am

>167 bell7: Yay for finishing Rebecca and finding it more rewarding this time around.

169richardderus
nov 7, 2021, 10:17 am

>167 bell7: The thing about du Maurier's work is that it's got depths one doesn't necessarily see the first time one's dabbling in it. She was a complex person. Her fiction is a reflection of that intimate truth.

Rebecca is as awful a warning against marriage as any I've ever read. That the narratrix starts out by remembering a dream, by distancing herself from a lived reality, is deeply, deeply telling.

A gift that keeps on giving.

Happy new week! *smooch*

170alcottacre
nov 7, 2021, 12:06 pm

>167 bell7: I need to re-read that one. I have no idea how long ago now it was that I originally read it, but it is due.

Happy Sunday, Mary!

171SandyAMcPherson
Bewerkt: nov 7, 2021, 6:20 pm

>165 bell7: ... the descriptions were just a tad too graphic for me.
They were for me, too, Mary, especially in Book 1.

If I'd read that book first, I would never have read another Ariana Franklin. Seriously, it was fortunate that I started with #3, all unknowing.

172bell7
nov 8, 2021, 1:28 pm

>168 MickyFine: It was worth a reread if only for that, I think - both that I could notice things differently and I've become more confident in my own interpretations as a reader.

>169 richardderus: Rebecca is as awful a warning against marriage as any I've ever read.
It is, isn't it? Simply chilling. And I am rather interested in learning more about Daphne du Maurier; I've made a note of a biography by Margaret Forster that looks fascinating.

>170 alcottacre: I only know because I've been keeping track in LT for that long, Stasia, but I can say it's definitely worth a reread. I'd forgotten some of the ending, and I noticed a lot more details than before too.

>171 SandyAMcPherson: Good to know, Sandy, I might try continuing the series after all if the sequels aren't as graphic.

173bell7
nov 8, 2021, 1:40 pm

Happy week off to me!

Yesterday was busy, after church service I helped out in a Pre-K class until I had to go to work. Sundays are weird - when I've been there, the first hour and a half or so are busy, but then the rest of the 12-5 shift really drags, and in the meantime I'm trying to find things for the temps to do when we run out of shelving. I came home make ranch biscuits and have some leftover chicken soup. I then binge-watched Sliders, which I've decided to rewatch after seeing random episodes as a teenager, watching through the first DVD of the first season.

Today I started my vacation week. I got up a little later than usual, had my coffee and breakfast, and read/listened to The Woman They Could Not Silence, which let me tell you is fascinating reading alongside and after Rebecca. The woman in question is Elizabeth Packard (who appears to be a distant relative of mine), whose husband was able to have to committed to an insane asylum in 1860.

Late morning, it was warm enough to go outside, so I started raking...and raking, and raking. My yard is now clear enough to mow, which was the main goal. I'm about to have lunch, take a short break, and then go back out and mow the lawn. This should be the last time this year, yeah? Though I expect I'll still rake a bit more. As of today, I've officially "put my garden to bed" as one of my patrons calls it, covering it with the leaves for the winter. Evening is Bible study, and I'm bringing snack, which is mostly ready to go.

And in case you're wondering, yes, I've planned some fun stuff and relaxing times too. Today was a big push for yard work 'cause it's the nicest day of the week that I should have time. But tomorrow I'm going Christmas shopping with my sister and going to a hockey game. Wednesday and Thursday should be pretty low key, and I expect to get a lot of reading and knitting in then.

174katiekrug
nov 8, 2021, 1:57 pm

Thanks for sharing the biscuit recipe, Mary. I will definitely give them a try. I guess since you were at work yesterday, you missed the game. Stupid work :)

Enjoy your vacation week!

175bell7
Bewerkt: nov 8, 2021, 2:03 pm

>174 katiekrug: ironically I was originally scheduled next week, but I got mixed up about when my sister was coming and didn't actually need it off 🤷‍♀️ Oh well. I followed it on my phone and caught some highlights later. My parents and my sister were there, though, so I was glad they got to see a nice win.

Edited to add: hope you like the biscuits! They were super easy and I think quite tasty. I just bought a ranch dressing packet instead of mixing my own.

176katiekrug
nov 8, 2021, 2:10 pm

>175 bell7: - Oh, yeah, I will definitely go with the seasoning packet!

177richardderus
nov 8, 2021, 2:19 pm

Ranch biscuits are delish! I'm glad you've discovered them...I used them to serve chicken à la king over in days of yore.

My package arrived, thanks, and the HR Brands first-civil-war book leapt onto my TBRalaya. Funny how that happens....

*smooch*

178SandyAMcPherson
nov 8, 2021, 3:18 pm

>172 bell7: Caveat, Mary!
Book 3 is still graphic, just didn't overwhelm the story.
I'm starting A Murderous Procession as soon as I can make it to the library to pick up the hold.

179MickyFine
nov 8, 2021, 7:19 pm

Glad to hear your first day off was as productive as you wanted it to be.

180scaifea
nov 9, 2021, 7:12 am

Happy vacation, Mary!

I love the sound of those biscuits, too. I love anything involving Ranch, really.

181bell7
nov 11, 2021, 10:35 am

>176 katiekrug: Sooo much easier lol, especially since I have no other purpose for dried buttermilk.

>177 richardderus: Oooh, that sounds like an excellent use as well, Richard. The Brands book is on my TBR as well - if you get to it first, I'll look forward to your thoughts.

>178 SandyAMcPherson: Mmm, well, I'll hold out judgment on whether to continue or not and probably won't seek them out anytime soon. Thanks for the mention of it, Sandy! Fortunately there are plenty of other books to keep me busy in the meantime.

>179 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! It gives me the ability to be incredibly lazy today haha.

>180 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! Ranch is most delicious, isn't it?

182bell7
nov 11, 2021, 10:40 am

Tuesday was a fun day, a morning and early afternoon out and about with my sister, and then a Bruins game with the family - and a win, to boot! I got in late, 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning, and slept to about 9:15. I met up with my parents and sister at my grandfather's and played a few rounds of pitch 'til his girlfriend came to bring him lunch and take him out to cards at a local senior center. My parents, sister and I went out to brunch, and then she had to go back for a grad class she's taking and I went home to watch a bunch of Sliders and knit.

Today is going to be another gloriously lazy day, and I'm hoping to get both some good reading and TV watching in. I'm reading The Woman They Could Not Silence as an e-book ARC and audio, and it's annoying me that the e-book shows I'm just over 50% read with over 5 hours of reading left, while the audio says I'm further along with less than that of listening. I never read slower than the audiobook, so I'm really curious what that means the end of the e-book is like. Tons of notes? Index? Blank pages? Ugh. Either way I should be able to finish it today, but I'm letting my Kindle charge. The paper book is The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina and it's intriguing but not as immediately gripping as Labyrinth Lost was. I'm a little over a third of the way in that one, and it's a fast read.

183MickyFine
nov 11, 2021, 11:46 am

Glad to hear you're having an excellent staycation, Mary. What knitting project are you working on while you watch/ listen?

184bell7
nov 11, 2021, 12:23 pm

>183 MickyFine: I've been working on a wrap that's going to be a Christmas gift for one of my Bible study leaders who I also volunteer with on Friday nights at church. I'm nearly done, I've only got two rows left in the pattern before binding off and weaving in the ends.

185alcottacre
nov 11, 2021, 3:44 pm

Happy Thursday, Mary. It sounds like your week off has been good thus far.

186SandyAMcPherson
Bewerkt: nov 11, 2021, 5:13 pm

>181 bell7: (Re>178 SandyAMcPherson:), I was merciless in commenting on that book!
So yeah. Don't waste good reading time...

187bell7
nov 11, 2021, 6:34 pm

>185 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia, it has! I'm a bit busier the next three days, but in a good way. I'm hoping to make a quick library run (to the one in the town where I live, not work).

>186 SandyAMcPherson: Have you read any of the books she wrote under her own name, Diana Norman?

188bell7
Bewerkt: nov 11, 2021, 7:48 pm

114. The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova
Why now? This was one of a slew of ARCs I downloaded as a result of attending the Edelweiss Bookfest over the summer - I'm a little late in reviewing it, and read the paper book that I borrowed from the library

Marimar and her cousin Rey and their relatives return to their family home where the matriarch, Orquidea Divina Montoya, has called them all back to receive their inheritance. She has always had magic and a deep secret that the family does not know, but it's now coming back to trouble them.

Every other chapter is set in the narrative present, while the others delve into Orquidea's past, so the reader ends up knowing more of her story than any of the other characters who try to discover it. Magic and family secrets should be my jam, but this book did not have the same sparkle for me that Labyrinth Lost did. Don't get me wrong, it's fast paced and entertaining, but it didn't live up to my high expectations. The world of Orquidea Divina is more magical realism than the elaborate world building and magical systems that I prefer, with elements seemingly added in a haphazardly convenient way instead of feeling integral to the story. And it was told more like a fable or a fairy tale, leaving me feeling like I couldn't really get close to any of the characters and their motivations. 3.5 stars.

Edited to add the star rating.

189bell7
nov 11, 2021, 7:14 pm

Not the book I'd expected to finish today, but when I went to pick up my Kindle I discovered I'd forgot to plug the charger in, so I had to recharge it before picking it up again.

I'll be starting The Book of Lost Names next, it'll be my book club book next week Wednesday at work.

190bell7
nov 11, 2021, 7:47 pm

115. Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen
Why now? I enjoyed the first two collections, and knew about a new book coming out but realized I'd missed this one.

A bunch of disconnected comics about art, introversion, social anxiety, cats, and just general life thoughts, ending with a little mini essay for anyone who is interested in sharing art but is afraid of sharing it on the dumpster fire that the Internet has become.

Funny and relatable, much like the content of her first two books. I didn't like it quite as much as either of them, but it was entertaining to page through it. 4 stars.

191richardderus
nov 11, 2021, 8:05 pm

It sounds like there's at least some fun being had! *smooch*

192MickyFine
nov 11, 2021, 10:52 pm

I do love a Sarah's Scribbles collection. Glad you found it fun too.

193msf59
nov 12, 2021, 7:57 am

Happy Friday, Mary. I hope you have a nice book-filled weekend ahead of you.

194bell7
nov 12, 2021, 8:29 am

>191 richardderus: Oh yes! A little more "work" today, but mostly cooking - bringing dessert to my brother's birthday dinner tonight, and candied carrots for Friendsgiving with my other brother and his girlfriend tomorrow.

>192 MickyFine: Glad to find another fan, Micky. Did you know there's a new one coming out very soon? I've got Oddball on hold, but it may be awhile before I can get it from the library.

>193 msf59: Thanks, Mark! The weekend will be a little busier with seeing family and friends, but yesterday (and much of today) will help make up for that.

195bell7
Bewerkt: nov 12, 2021, 2:45 pm

116. The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore
Why now? According to my TBR spreadsheet, I originally added this to the list after hearing about it on ALMA's ALA Midwinter BookBuzz (it's still up on YouTube if you're interested). I've had the ARC on my Kindle for quite awhile, and finally got to it when I the audiobook hold came in from the library so it was my e-book/audio combo.

*DRC made available to me through Edelweiss Plus - thank you!*

Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard was put into an insane asylum in 1860. The reason? Her husband had her committed, essentially for disagreeing with his theology and having the gall to do it in public. All he needed was two doctors to deem her insane; Elizabeth, as a married woman, had no legal rights of her own. But she didn't give up, campaigning for her freedom and insisting on her sanity.

What an amazing, infuriating story. Moore chooses to follow Elizabeth's POV closely, starting almost immediately with the day she was taken to the Hospital for the Insane at Jacksonville, and filling in what led up to it later. This is certainly effective in putting me, the reader, in Elizabeth's shoes and imagining what might have happened if I, also a strong-willed, independent woman, found myself in such a situation. But she also uses it multiple times to spring what other people, such as Elizabeth's husband, Theophilus, or the doctor who treated her, Dr. McFarland, are planning later in the story where it would have the most narrative impact. The story is written in very conversational style, even using quotes from Elizabeth's writing, for example, to recreate dialog. This mostly worked, but meant a lot of brackets needed to be used to make it flow, and Moore adds a lot of conjecture - "she may have smiled" or "did he think about...?" when I thought leaving it alone and letting the historical record speak for itself would have been more effective. Still, it's an eye-opening and important story about an indomitable woman who told the truth and refused to be called "hysterical" for it. 4 stars.

196MickyFine
nov 12, 2021, 10:35 am

>194 bell7: Yup it's been on The List for a while as comic strips fall into my non-fiction selection for work. Probably won't get to it until next year though.

>195 bell7: I love how much more women's history is being published these days. I think the writing style of this one would put me off but I'm glad to see stories like this being shared.

197bell7
nov 13, 2021, 11:20 am

>196 MickyFine: Oh fun, comics and graphic novels fall under my purview in fiction but it's in part because we catalog them differently. The writing style of >195 bell7: put me off a little as you can tell, but overall I liked the story. There's another biography of Elizabeth P.W. Packard that came out in 2010, though I know of at least one factual error (the author apparently mixed up mothers and gives Theophilus's mother's name as Elizabeth's mother) that may be more straightforward.

198bell7
nov 13, 2021, 11:25 am

Happy weekend, everyone! It's been a fun week off and I'm gearing up for going back to work. The hardest readjustment is going to be waking up to my 7:15 alarm, after a few late nights and late risings.

I'm soon off to hang out with my Little, then a Friendsgiving at my brother's girlfriend's house. That should be fun, if exhausting since they're hosting 50 people. I'm bringing candied carrots that are already made and need to leave with me this morning, as I'm going over directly from my Little's.

I've started my book club book, and expect The Book of Lost Names to be a quick read, while my e-book/audio is You Can't Touch My Hair and I'm about 30% into it. I don't know whether to recommend the paper book or the audio for the latter, as the paper/e-book has pictures while the audio allows for the author's delivery which makes a lot of the jokes funnier.

199richardderus
nov 13, 2021, 11:26 am

>195 bell7: I enjoy these microhistories so much, and I *think* I have a DRC of it as well. Can't remember for sure....

>194 bell7: Candied carrots! Yum. Have a lovely time! *smooch*

200bell7
nov 13, 2021, 11:31 am

>199 richardderus: So one thing that was interesting (if sobering) is that I'm probably distantly related to Elizabeth through her father's parents (yes, both of them). I say "probably" because I definitely didn't follow genealogical standard messing about on Ancestry to come up with the connections. But it did make reading it that much more, hm, close to home.

201richardderus
nov 13, 2021, 11:43 am

>200 bell7: It does add a frisson to the story, even though the connection's tenuous, to imagine it happening to a relative.

I don't know why that should be the case, but it is. Two of my three uncles served in the Navy in WWII. I read stories about Naval battles with a great deal more investment than I do Army or Air Force battles. Weird how human brains work, isn't it.

202MickyFine
nov 13, 2021, 6:05 pm

>197 bell7: Ours get a weird split. Graphic novels, comic books, and manga are catalogued as fiction and are selected using an ARP (with input from our adult fiction and kids/teens selectors) but comic strip collections and graphic non-fiction are catalogued as non-fiction and are selected by me.

203alcottacre
nov 13, 2021, 6:43 pm

>190 bell7: Too bad my local library does not have any of Andersen's books. I enjoy reading essays.

Happy weekend, Mary!

204bell7
nov 14, 2021, 7:00 pm

>201 richardderus: Weird how human brains work, isn't it.
Yeah, it is. There's definitely something to it, though.

>202 MickyFine: Ah, okay. We have a sort of weird split, too - instead of using Dewey we use BISAC to categorize, and what would be the 800s, or fiction adjacent plus graphic novels, go next to the fiction instead of on the mezzanine with the nonfiction. I buy poetry and graphic novels, but the nonfiction purchaser buys literary criticism, and literary collections end up being kind of both of us depending on what it is. Interesting how that works differently in different libraries!

>203 alcottacre: Andersen's are generally comics, Stasia, though there was a sort-of essay on the end of this one. Very enjoyable if you can get your hands on them, though. Happy weekend!

205alcottacre
nov 14, 2021, 7:01 pm

>203 alcottacre: Good to know, Mary. Thanks for the info.

I hope you have a lovely week!

206bell7
nov 14, 2021, 7:03 pm

Happy Sunday!

I didn't realize I had nursery this morning, so I didn't show up, but I went to church and came home to do a little bit of tidying and then had my parents and grandfather over to play cards. The men beat the women at pitch in a best of five, winning 3 to our two and it was down to the wire. I watched a couple of episodes of Sliders, but I'm not sure I care to watch much beyond the 2nd season at this point (I'm a little past the midpoint of said season).

I've been knitting socks and a new baby blanket I just started (no one in mind, just wanted to use up the yarn), and I'll turn on the Bruins in a bit. My brother and his wife are at the game.

Tomorrow is back to work, just 9-2, a small grocery shopping, a little cooking, but most of all reading my book club book.

207bell7
nov 14, 2021, 7:04 pm

>205 alcottacre: Hope you do, too! :D

208alcottacre
nov 14, 2021, 7:11 pm

>207 bell7: Thanks, Mary!

209richardderus
nov 14, 2021, 7:40 pm

>206 bell7: It never does very much...I mean, it wasn't genius storytelling or particularly ground-breaking or anything, and nothing ever changed, so....

210Whisper1
nov 14, 2021, 8:56 pm

Hi Mary. I'm simply stopping by to wish you a great holiday!

211bell7
nov 14, 2021, 9:07 pm

>209 richardderus: yeah, every now and then they have an obligatory "I wish we could go back home," but I don't believe them cause they never really *try* to find a way to fix the timer or create a new one... And instead of having much of an arc, it's pretty episodic and gets old watching too many in a row. Anyway, I'd started because I hadn't thought of it in years until one of the Sunday staff mentioned Travelers and it was similar enough for my brain to make a connection. I'll probably focus my TV watching energy on catching up on GBBS/O instead.

>210 Whisper1: thank you, Linda, and same to you! Nice to see you here 😊

212PaulCranswick
nov 14, 2021, 9:32 pm

Still neck and neck with the reading, I see, Mary.

213bell7
nov 14, 2021, 9:39 pm

>212 PaulCranswick: keeping very close, aren't we? I don't think I'll make 150 this year, though it is technically still possible.

214richardderus
nov 15, 2021, 10:17 am

>211 bell7: Travelers is a much superior show, IMO, with its overarching arc. And The Director...so chilling.

Catching up on GBBO is a far better use of eyeblinks than forgettable 90s scifi, in my never-remotely humble opinion; not least because the people who compete are so *nice*!

215katiekrug
nov 15, 2021, 10:39 am

What RD said in >214 richardderus: about GBBO :)

And thanks again for sharing that biscuit recipe. It's such a winner.

216MickyFine
nov 15, 2021, 4:00 pm

Hope the return back to work went smoothly and you're not drowning in email.

217bell7
Bewerkt: nov 15, 2021, 4:15 pm

>214 richardderus: Good to know that Travelers is better, honestly! It's on my watchlist, but who knows when I'll actually get around to it. GBBO will probably come first, honestly. You've just about convinced me not to bother finished the second season hahaha.

>215 katiekrug: Yeah, I'm a few episodes behind but hope to rectify that soon. Glad the biscuit recipe was a hit! I'm going to have to bookmark the Budget Bytes website and use it more often, honestly. I know Darryl's used it for good recipes before too.

>216 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Easing into the work week with a five-hour shift is honestly the best thing ever. I had over 300 emails (some of those were my auto-responder bouncing back), but I cleaned up the inbox and just have a lot of book-related emails to go through, but that's almost always the case.

Edited to take out one too many "honestlys".

218bell7
nov 15, 2021, 4:14 pm

Today was a short day at work, and boy did it go by fast!

No Bible study tonight, so while I'm planning on making lemon rosemary white bean soup for dinner, other than that I'm just using my time catching up on various projects and reading my book club book.

219richardderus
nov 15, 2021, 4:48 pm

>217 bell7: Srsly...skip the rest of Sliders because you already know what the joke is, so watching it iterate time after time after time won't make any difference whatsoever.

220MickyFine
Bewerkt: nov 15, 2021, 6:05 pm

>217 bell7: I'm at the point where I mostly delete the book emails that come in when I'm on vacation (I get the daily LJ round-up plus the BookRiot biweekly round up for librarian). While there's decent stuff in there, it's not the end of the world if I miss a week's worth (or two weeks or three...), especially when I'm desperately trying to get back on top of customer requests.

221bell7
nov 16, 2021, 8:32 am

>219 richardderus: Yeah, I'm gonna pack up the DVD set and return it today :)

>220 MickyFine: I'm not quite there yet, mostly because I sometimes have a backlog of a few weeks' worth that can be useful to have as a go-to when I'm on the desk on Sundays or other quiet shifts. I also like their links, which I sometimes use in an email we sent out every other month about books and reading.

222bell7
nov 16, 2021, 8:58 am

117. The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
Why now? Book club book for Wednesday (I also have had the DRC on my Kindle for a couple of years, so it's nice to help clear out the back log of unreviewed books there)

The story opens in 2005, when a book that had been looted by Nazis is found. Eva, a women in her eighties working at a library, recognizes it as the Book of Lost Names and, though she thought her past was far behind her, she decides to go back and get it. Then we're brought back to 1942, where young Eva Traube is living in Paris with her Polish Jewish parents, and her father is arrested in a roundup. Her art skills come in handy as she crafts new identity cards for her and her mother to travel to a small town in the Free Zone and hopefully to freedom in Switzerland. But then she meets Pere Clement and Remy, resistance workers who could use her skill in forgeries.

This is what I think of as historical fiction lite. It is researched, but it wears this lightly and isn't the focus of the story. The focus is, instead, on the characters' relationships, with the time frame more of a back drop than center stage. And while this sort of World War 2 fiction is very popular with my library patrons (and the book world in general, judging by the number of titles being turned out regularly), at this point in my reading life I'm looking for something with a little more meat to it. So when all Eva and her mother can talk about is that Eva's leaving behind their Jewish heritage but the only Jewish holiday that comes up is Hanukkah (twice), coincidences abound (I can't explain more without major spoilers), several characters' choices and motivations don't get explored, and I figure out a major plot twist early on, I'm left feeling like something's missing. 2 stars.

This was hard because the criticisms I'm leveling basically make it the kind of book it is. It's fine for what it is. But it's not the kind of historical fiction I like, and I felt like everything stayed very surface-y without exploring a lot of things that could've gone a lot deeper. I'll stick with something like A Thread of Grace instead.

223bell7
nov 16, 2021, 9:16 am

118. You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson
Why now? I listen to "All the Books" podcast (I'm constantly a month behind), and one of the presenters mentioned Robinson's new book, which reminded me of this earlier book, so it was in my mind when I saw the e-book/audio combo was available from the library when I was looking for those formats.

Stand-up comedian Phoebe Robinson addresses life as a Black woman in a series of essays ranging in topic from Black hair to the "angry black woman" stereotype to being called "uppity" and much more.

Robinson's demeanor and humor will either charm you or completely put you off, but one thing's for sure, she's completely herself. The audio was great fun to experience: as is often the case in books written by comics, it's an added bonus to hear the delivery of lines. But I can also recommend the e-book/paper version for the photos included (especially when she discusses Black hair, because I didn't always know what a particular hairstyle looked like). The humor mostly worked for me, though she mentions sex, sexual attractive, and her "vajeen" a lot, which I could've personally done without. And she has a lot of pretty serious things to say about race and racism as well as sexism in the U.S. A good readalike for You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey. 4 stars.

224thornton37814
nov 16, 2021, 9:22 am

>222 bell7: I'm hoping I side with the 80+% of my friends who have loved this book. I haven't managed to get around to it yet, but I hope to do so soon.

225bell7
nov 16, 2021, 9:44 am

>224 thornton37814: I'm admittedly very much in the minority, Lori, so I hope it's a book that works for you!

226bell7
nov 16, 2021, 9:47 am

A bit of a different schedule for the next couple of days. I'm spending a couple of hours working from home, attending a library network meeting in my boss's stead, so I'll work a split and go in for sometime around 2 p.m. instead of 12.

And tomorrow, since I have book club, I'll be working 12-8. I expect I'll stay quiet about my true thoughts on the book because the others will love it - as the facilitator I tend to keep from being overly critical because it ends up shutting down conversation instead of furthering it. I'll go over the questions today.

227MickyFine
nov 16, 2021, 11:15 am

Split shifts are the hardest. Hopefully the meeting is a useful discussion.

228bell7
nov 16, 2021, 11:57 am

>227 MickyFine: Eh, it was boring but necessary network stuff, like voting on next year's budget. I haven't been to any in over a year 'cause my boss just went to them all when it switched to Zoom (we had been going every other), so I felt very out of the loop. And being online, it didn't have the same camaraderie as an in-person meeting catching up with other directors and library staff we haven't seen since the last meeting. But I also didn't have the commute I normally do, as I did it at home and was able to keep my video off and knit in front of it, and it only took an hour. All in all, not a bad reason to have a little extra time at home.

229richardderus
nov 16, 2021, 12:02 pm

>226 bell7: Have a good time today! That split shift is a *joy* isn't it!

Well, I hope it goes better than you can expect. *smooch*

230bell7
nov 16, 2021, 12:06 pm

>229 richardderus: About as well as it could. I did win a coffee gift card in a raffle for my trouble :) *smooch*

231charl08
nov 16, 2021, 12:33 pm

Hope the book group getting together is fun even if you weren't such a fan of the book. I know what you mean about the popularity about this setting of book. I try to avoid them now if they're not from a bit of a different perspective (I read one in French translation set in a working class home in Paris just before WW1 ended, which was not a perspective I had come across before, which I would recommend.)

232bell7
nov 16, 2021, 3:38 pm

>231 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. I went through the questions today and I'm not a huge fan of them, either, which is never a good sign. But hopefully it will all go well. I'm with you - I want it to be something new or a different perspective, and I found this one very run of the mill.

This review was more coherent about the problems I had.