Familyhistorian's Reads for 2022 - Part 2

Welcome to my thread. My name is Meg and I live on the west coast of Canada in a land of soaring trees and rugged mountains. This place feels like home now because I miss the sight of abundant foliage when I travel elsewhere. But I’d really like to travel elsewhere. I was just getting into the swing of having more time to travel when everything shut down. Still there were things to keep me busy, like writing and reading. I must have been doing a lot of that in the last year because keeping up with the threads was more of a challenge than usual. I’d like to say that I’ll do better this year but, who knows. We’ll see what this year brings.

BLOG



I write about genealogy and history on my blog. You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2022 – 19th Century Europe (& rest of the world, excluding Northern America)
April-June 2021 – 19th Century Northern America (includes Civil War; excluding the Old West)
July-September 2021 – The Old West
October-December 2021 – 20th Century: Before WW1 (1900-1913)

Monthly

January: Eastern Philosophies & Religion
February: Rural Life
March:
April: Technology
May: Beginnings
June: The Golden State
July: Mental Health – Then and Now
August:
September: Harvest Moon
October: Musically Speaking
November: Ends and Endings
December: Reader’s Choice

2021 Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prizewinners and Nominees
February: Welcome to the Anthropocene
March: Espionage (and Counter-Espionage)
April: Armchair Traveling
May: From Wars to Peace
June: Science & Medicine
July: Cross-Genres
August: Books by Journalists
September: Biography
October: From the ‘Middle Ages’ to the Renaissance
November: Books About Books
December: As You Like It

List of books for challenges

Non-fiction:

February: The Making of the British Landscape (start early, close to 700 pages)
March: Agents of Influence: A British Campaign, a Canadian Spy, and the Secret Plot to Bring America into World War II
April: Original Highways: Travelling the Great Rivers of Canada
May: Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power
June: The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, Disease
July:
August: Britain 1940: The Decisive Year on the Home Front
September: Chanel
October:
November:
December:

Reading Through Time

Monthly

January: Jade Dragon Mountain
February: The Black Country
March: In Five Years
April:
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:

Quarterly
January-March:
April-June:
July-September:
October-December:

Little Free Library

Books culled in 2022

January - 7

Books read in January 2022

A Turn for the Bad by Sheila Connolly
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick
Whispers at Midnight by Karen Robards
The Performance by Claire Thomas
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Loyalists and Layabouts: The Rapid Rise and Faster Fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia: 1783-1792 by Stephen Kimber
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
Written Off by E.J. Copperman
1979 by Val McDermid

Books read in 2022

Books acquired in 2022

Acquisitions for January 2022

The Hidden Wife by Joanna Rees
Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb
The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg
The Red Cross Orphans by Glynis Peters
Our Kind of People by Carol Wallace
East of Houndslow by Khurrum Rahman
Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes
The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lojos Egri
I had my Underwear on the Entire Time: A Memoir of Discovering Family through Genetic Genealogy by Michael and Amy Blair

(These are all physical books although I could only finding e-book listings for two of them)

My Thingaversary is on February 10 and I’m currently gathering my 15

Welcome!

Happy new thread, Meg!

>12 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia! You're quick on the draw!

Happy new thread, Meg.

I look forward to seeing what you add for your Thingaversary.

Happy new thread, Meg!

>10 Familyhistorian: My thingaversary is a month later, and I am also gathering ahead.

Happy new one!

Hi Meg, nice picture at the top, even with a smidge of blue sky. Happy new thread!

Happy new one!

Happy new thread! It was nice to see you at the Zoom genealogy chat last night!

Happy Sunday, Meg. Happy New Thread! I hope you are getting some reading in this weekend.

>14 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. It's harder than usual adding books for my thingaversary. Not sure what I'll end up with.

>15 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, it does take a while to gather those thingaversary books, doesn't it? What your target number?

>16 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita!

>17 mdoris: Hi Mary, that picture was downtown Coquitlam from yesterday when there actually was blue sky to be seen! No rain today but we're socked in with fog unless you go high up in the mountains.

>18 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>19 thornton37814: Hi Lori, it was very interesting for me yesterday. I'm interested in the revolutionary war as my ancestors were involved. Does the group military expert have info about the Civil War top of mind as well?

>20 msf59: Thanks Mark. I hope your weekend is filled with good reads and time with Jack.

>22 Familyhistorian: Yes. Craig knows most of the wars. He's well-known in genealogical circles for his military expertise. He loves answering questions too.

HI Meg, fog here too. I was out pruning shrubs ( so many dead branches/needles from the summer drought) and it sure was chily out there, bone deep chilly. Maybe an afternoon of reading is in order.

Happy new one and happy sunshine, Meg.

Happy new thread!

Hi Meg my dear, Happy new thread dear friend.

>23 thornton37814: That's good to know, Lori. I'm extracting information now from an ancestor who fought in the Civil War and I might have some questions as I look into his records from the war.

>24 mdoris: I haven't ventured out yet, Mary, but my computer is telling me it's only 3 C out there. An afternoon of reading sounds like a good plan.

>25 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba, there is sunshine out there its just not here at the bottom of the mountains.

>26 quondame: Thanks Susan!

>27 johnsimpson: Hi John, good to see you here.

>21 Familyhistorian: It will be my 14th thingaversary in March, Meg, so I am looking for 15 books. It will be mainly e-books, as the shelves are almost full. For every new book in, an other book has to leave.

I understand the concept of thingadversary, but what about the books and their number and new books?...

Happy new thread, Meg!

Happy new one, Meg! I cannot wait to see the Thingaversary books you choose.

>31 FAMeulstee: You must have joined in 2008 just after I did, Anita. My goal is 15 books as well. I like the rule of one book out for every book in. Wish I could follow it!

>32 zuzaer: Your Thingaversary is celebrated on the anniversary of the first year you join Library Thing. The rule is one book for every year you have been a member plus one for good luck. So as I joined in 2008 and this will mark 14 years of being a member of LT my goal is to acquire 14 books plus 1, so 15 books.

>33 bell7: Thanks Mary!

>34 Crazymamie: Mamie, you're back! Good to see you. I don't think that my book acquisitions will be that exciting because I'm watching a series of interviews with writers about writing so there will be a large number of books about the craft of writing in the mix.

>36 Familyhistorian: First year you joined LT or first year of 75er's? asking for a friend :)

>38 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, 2008 was the year I joined LT so I'm counting since there. I didn't join the 75er's until 2013. I had no clue there was a social aspect to LT until the later date.

12. 1979 by Val McDermid



At the Edinburgh Book Festival last year, Val McDermid was talking about her newest book 1979 so I had to read it. Her explanation for why she went back in time to the late ‘70s was that she didn’t want to set a book during Covid.

1979 is the first book in a series about Allie Burns, a Scottish woman trying to break into investigative journalism at a time when women writers were relegated to “women’s issues” (fluff pieces from the sound of them). She teams up with a young male reporter in her office to pursue some stories. He’s the investigator and she’s the one who knocks the story into journalist shape. The investigations become pretty dicey at times and tread on some toes. Complicating matters was the sexuality of some of the characters which they were trying to hide. At the time, being gay was still something to be kept quiet in Scotland as, unlike England, it was still illegal.

The book brought this era back to life through the characters and the descriptions of the background life, attitudes and concerns of the time.

13. Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore



I like my romances to be historical. That way I learn something about the historical times the story is set in. Portrait of a Scotsman portrayed the conventions that hemmed in the women of the time, conventions which the heroine fell afoul of thereby facing either ruin or marriage. She chose marriage but isn’t sure that she would be able to live with the dour Scot who became her husband.

The history was interesting, particularly when the couple ended up close to a mining village where the hand to mouth existence of the mining folk was effectively described. A legal device used towards the end of the book struck me as odd but brought the end of the book to its happily ever after.

I'm off to the library again today. Holds beckon and a book is due. It's been cold here with the temperature inversion as the fog is an effective barrier for the sun, at least in lower parts.

>39 Familyhistorian: I had a similar experience. I put our library on LT in 2007 but didn't learn about the really fun stuff until 2011. Glad we both discovered it in the end :)

14. Spellbound by Bishakh Som



I must admit that I was confused by the protagonist in Spellbound. It wasn’t until the end of the graphic memoir that I realized the writer used an alter ego character to filter the memoir through. Now thinking back on what I read I have a better understanding.

It was the story of a young artist finding their niche in a new country when so much was in flux. Their family came from India to the US so there were dual cultures at play. The main character, Anjali wanted to write comics but hesitated to give up the security of working as an architect. Added to that confusion was the uncertainty over being trans which was where the alter ego came in. It was a memoir about coming to grips with life and an interesting story and point of view.

>43 RebaRelishesReading: I took me a long time before I explored further on LT, Reba. Longer than you from the dates you gave. I just thought it was a great place to keep track of my books. I had no idea how my library would grow once I found fellow readers who talked about books. My reading has expanded widely!

15. Under Color of Law



Trevor Finnigan was a detective in the LAPD. The colour of his skin and his fast track through the ranks have made him an outsider. His investigation of the death of a black LAPD recruit put him further on the outs with the force because the signs, as he read them, led him back to the LAPD and his commanding officer didn’t want anything to disturb the uneasy peace between the LAPD and the people they police.

Under Color of Law told the story of a troubled police force through one of its more conflicted members. It was through Finnigan’s investigation and his realization of his part in the troubling ethos of the department that he found himself and a possible path to redemption.

>45 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. Yes LT is the BEST! I think I found the threads pretty early on and explored the vastness of the site and had fun teaching myself how do to things here like import pictures. It sure was a time sucker and continues to be in a different way. Now it's a time sucker for visits and getting amazing ideas for books and having new friends to care about. It is the best! My reading has grown in book numbers and with wider scope.

Another LT fan here, for the books AND the friends!! I think I have given up on getting a Thingaversary stash of books, one for each year. I just get one in the month of December in honor of my join-up date. In fact, I could do one book a month! Now there's an idea. ; )

Hi Meg, I can't believe that I haven't been by your thread before this! Anyway, I have placed a star here so I will definitely be able to find it again. I see you are off to a great start with your 2022 reading - let's hope it's a good one for reading and for everything else as well!

>47 mdoris: I agree, Mary. LT is one of those things that you can sort of see the change in your life before and after because the connections with people and reading life change so many things. It does take a lot of time though. One of the things I really like about it is meeting people through the threads and then meeting them in person. There are already so many things in common to talk about.

>48 Berly: One book a month sounds like a plan, a hard to keep plan, at least for me. I already get more than one book a month. I joined right after my birthday so I like getting books for my Thingaversary, kind of like a birthday present to myself. Friends and books are the best things about LT, Kim!

>49 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, you visited my first 2022 thread, so your not behind the times at all! I think we were complaining about snow then, now we can complain about the cold fog!

Happy Wednesday, Meg. I also liked "Spellbound" but I don't think I could highly recommend it. I much preferred Dare to Disappoint.

>53 msf59: Hi Mark, a visit and a BB all in one. Thanks, I think. I'll have to check out Dare to Disappoint.

>45 Familyhistorian: I just thought it was a great place to keep track of my books.
That was Me all over. And then I saw what talk was like.
OMG! Now my house is littered with BB's and even The Hubs is reading some of the novel series I've been exploring. (He used to be largely a dedicated non-fiction person).

>47 mdoris: Like Mary, I agree, LT is a time sucker for visits, finding out about amazing books, and having new friends to care about. But perfect in this time of a pandemic.

>39 Familyhistorian: I was lucky, Meg, I found the 75ers in the year I joined, halfway 2008 I started my first thread.

>50 Familyhistorian: Most significant difference between before LT and now is my huge TBR. Now it never takes much time to decide on my next book(s) ;-)

I'm only four days late...

>46 Familyhistorian: I think it sounds like you were okay with the read...? I enjoyed the story, but had some issues with the structure...the way Trevor and his dad, um, don't resolve but do resume their closeness? if one can call it that?...but I will read the next one.

Happy days ahead, I hope.

>55 SandyAMcPherson: You did good exploring shortly after you catalogued, Sandy. It took me 5 years to discover talk.

>56 FAMeulstee: You were quick on starting a thread, Anita. Looks like you chose the best group too. I can remember thinking that I might be able to read 75 books in a year - I had no idea how much I read before keeping track on my threads which didn't begin until 2013.

>57 richardderus: I liked the read, Richard. The father/son relationship doesn't really get touched on at the end, that I remember. Seems like the Dad was a vehicle to show how policing used to be.

>51 Familyhistorian: The big splurge is also a plan. ; )

>61 Berly: I think that's it my usual plan, Kim!

16. Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb



My reread of the in death series continued with Loyalty in Death, the ninth in the series. This time the bad guys were trying to take the city down through a series of planned strikes at symbols of the city. At one point Dallas was trying to figure out the next landmark which would be the target and one of the possibilities named was the twin towers. The setting may be the 2050s but the book was published in 1999, I checked. In this series, I’m always interested in how things happening at the time the book was written show up in the imagined future.

The characters continue to evolve. This was the book in which Peabody and McNab stopped snarling at each other. I wonder what the next installment will bring.

Hi Meg. Just catching up.

>64 ffortsa: Hi Judy, good to see you here!

>59 Familyhistorian: I first joined halfway the year, Meg, and I never doubted I could get to 75 books that year. I already had read over 70 books ;-)
I would have doubted, like you, at the start of the year.

>66 FAMeulstee: That would make you confident that you would get your 75 in, Anita! Up until the point that I started my thread I had never counted how many books I read in a year. To tell the truth though, it was probably over 75 now that I think back because, if I could make that number, when I was working full time and going to school taking 2 to 3 courses a semester, the years before I started school must have been a lot higher.

17. The Devil's Half Mile by Paddy Hirsch



In 1799, New York was a rough and ready town, a far cry from the city it is today. Still there was a fledgling stock market although the rules allowed for questionable schemes to gull investors out of their money. Supposedly it was the collapse of such a scheme for which Justy Flanagan’s father had recruited investors that led the senior Flanagan to hang himself, but Justy had his doubts. The memories of finding his father and how his body appeared didn’t jibe with the knowledge he picked up in by studying police techniques in Paris. Newly arrived back in New York with an Irish law degree, Justy was determined to investigate his father’s death.

The story in The Devil’s Half Mile was action packed and peopled with interesting characters, some known to history but the vast majority drawn from the author’s imagination and research. It was interesting to spend time in early New York and see the prejudices and the seedy under belly of the city in the making at work.

I was also intrigued by the main character’s background fighting as a scout in the 1798 Wexford rebellion. I have a book about that rebellion The Mighty Wave: the 1798 Rebellion in Wexford. Given the date and area of that rebellion there may be a clue in there about the origins of my Irish ancestors. Perhaps it’s time to add that book to my reading mix.

I hope you are having a nice weekend, Meg. We are sticking pretty close to home and spending time with our books. The Devil's Half-Mile sounds interesting, I will have to look into that one.

>69 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I'm having a relaxing weekend. I hope yours is the same. I'm hoping that this rain doesn't stay around.

>68 Familyhistorian: I read a book probably 25 years ago or so about early New York and how rough it was. I don't remember the title now. I read it Pre-LT, so it may or may not be in here, depending on whether or not I kept a reading diary at that point.

ETA: It was City of Dreams, and I read it pre-LT, but it is in my database here. It was a novel, but I seem to remember it having a lot of research that went into it. I apparently took it to McKays for trade credit as it is labeled withdrawn.

>71 thornton37814: City of Dreams looks interesting, Lori. It's set in an earlier time than the book I read according to the description at my library. It must have left an impression if you remember it from pre-LT.

18. Canada's Odyssey: A Country Based on Incomplete Conquests by Peter H. Russell



It’s quite surprising the information that can be found on my book shelves. I discovered that while reading Canada’s Odyssey: A Country Based on Incomplete Conquests. It was a history of Canada with a political slant that started from before confederation to close to the present day. Which meant that I lived through some of that history although I wasn’t paying much attention to some of it when it happened.

It also gave me a better understanding of why the English left Quebec in droves in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. I knew about the language laws the Quebec National Assembly was passing at that time but I was not aware of how they affected access to schools. The author distilled this down to one sentence: “Only the children of parent who had been educated in Quebec would have access to publicly supported English schools.” My brother would have had a few years left in high school at that time and my parents had not been educated in Quebec as both of my parents had gone to school in England, my mother having started her education in Winnipeg, definitely not Quebec. Many other parents must have been in the same boat.

It was a well thought out history which brought in the history of the founding nations making up the country: the English, French and Aboriginal, which pinpointed various points of friction between them all. Aside from fascinating details like the effects of the language laws, parts of the history were a bit dry but overall it was a worthwhile read which explained a lot more about this history of this country which brought us to where we are now.

19. Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart



It was a mystery with a change of pace. In Jade Dragon Mountain the culture and setting of Dayan, a place just barely in the Chinese Empire as it bordered Tibet, played a role in the mystery. Li Du, an exiled scholar was drawn into the role of investigator when a Jesuit priest was found dead. Du’s investigation was hampered by the protocol and culture particularly at that time because the Emperor was coming for a visit to usher in the eclipse of the sun because he controlled the heavens. A demonstration of that fact was sure to bring dissenting factions to their knees. Only there was a secret behind the Emperor’s ability to predict the eclipse – the Jesuits had been supplying the astronomical calculations for years.

The setting and culture were well drawn and played into the mystery, a mystery that was hard to solve given the culture and the status of the investigator.

>74 Familyhistorian: That book-bullet was aimed true and struck deep.

>73 Familyhistorian: I'd be interested...not easy to source here, though.

>68 Familyhistorian: Oooooooo (see >74 Familyhistorian:)

>75 richardderus: Looks like there are a few BBs that hit their mark there, Richard. Sometimes I pull some good ones off my shelves.

>73 Familyhistorian: I love reading about how did this or that country changed over time from a specific point of view... It looks like a very good read!

>74 Familyhistorian: and that one looks very intriguing! Eh, there are so many books one would want to read...

20. When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed



Bringing the refuge experience to light in a graphic novel was an inspired choice of medium. The illustrations in When Stars are Scattered were as telling as the narrative of the author’s story. The bleak surroundings of the refugee camp, the waiting and hoping were all there as the reader entered into the lives of Omar and his nearly mute brother.

>77 zuzaer: The history was very in depth and, since it focused on the political, I gained a better understanding of the forces which brought about change.

Hanging about on the threads is dangerous. You never know when you'll get hit by a Book Bullet!

21. Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford



I found Light Perpetual a bit of a slow read because I didn’t like the characters in the beginning. Perhaps that was because none of them had much going for them at the start and most of them seemed to have few redeeming characteristics. But I persisted in picking the book up even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to hang out with the gang of children the author chose as his survivors to follow as they had not died in the Woolworths bombing.

But the characters improved as they mellowed with age. (Do we all?) Perhaps that mellowing was down to all the disastrous and historically topical trials the author chose to hit them with as they grew older.

22. Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne



And now for something completely different. After my last few reads I needed something light and fun to read. Passion on Park Avenue was a fun and quirky romance set in NYC. I loved the way the main character, Naomi, got together with the other women who will no doubt be featured in future books in this series. They all had one man in common, one was married to him, one went out with him for a year and one had a sometimes fling with him – all at the same time. They met each other when they all ditched his funeral and happened upon each other in Central Park. It was from this strange and interesting beginning that Naomi’s story/romance was told. The next book in the series will follow soon.

Hi Meg my dear, hope all is well with you now that we are a month into 2022, we are both well although a little tired after having Elliott all yesterday and an overnight stay and today until we took him home this afternoon after picking Andy up from work.

I see from your book posts that you are motoring along with your reads, 22 so far and i have only completed five so far, even Karen is ahead of me on seven.

I hope that your weather isn't too bad, we have had high winds from last Saturday until Wednesday and since then it has been mild but tomorrow is supposed to be sunny but very cold with a hint of snow. If we see any snow it will not amount to much, maybe an inch if we are lucky.

Sending love and hugs to you from both of us dear friend.

>10 Familyhistorian: Happy Thingadversary! I hope you find 15 books that you enjoy!

>78 Familyhistorian: I very much liked When Stars Are Scattered

>81 Familyhistorian: I read that one at the beginning of the year. It was better than I expected it to be. I will also read the next one.

>63 Familyhistorian: I love when Eve looks over at Roarke and asks him (about the Statue of Liberty), "You don't like own it, do you?" or words to that effect.

>68 Familyhistorian: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Meg!

>74 Familyhistorian: My local library actually has a copy of that one!

Regarding the experience of LT, this site has been nothing short of magical for me. My husband is not a reader so I really cannot share my love of books with him, so having an entire group of people that I can discuss books with, even if we do not agree with each other, is just wonderful. The 75ers are the best thing ever as far as I am concerned :)

>82 johnsimpson: Hi John, I imagine having Elliott for a long time like that would be tiring. Is there any interaction between the young fellow and Felix?

I hope your snow doesn't amount to much. We had a sprinkling a couple of days ago but it disappeared quickly and it looks like we should be seeing more signs of Spring soon. When I took a walk along the river today I could see that the buds were starting to open on the trees.

The books are going down well for me lately. Maybe you'll find a read that you want to devour to bring your reading numbers up.

>83 Whisper1: When Stars are Scattered was a very special read for me, Linda. I'm working on getting my Thingaversary books. I did pretty well so far. Will post my January acquisitions soon.

>84 figsfromthistle: It was hard to put that one down, Anita. I've also earmarked the next in the series to be read soon.

>85 alcottacre: I didn't remember Eve saying that until you brought it up, Stasia. Now I can replay that scene in my mind.

Glad I can add to your reading lists!

It's nice to have a bunch of people to talk books with. Book talk doesn't happen very much for me outside of LT. But the 75ers threads are very dangerous for the BBs that shoot out in all directions!

Happy New Thread and Happy Friday, Meg.

Lots of good reading! My sister recommended Portrait of a Scotsman to me and I enjoyed it, too. I believe Evie Dunmore is Micky’s favorite romance writer.

I liked Spellbound too, and also found it a little confusing at times.

When Stars Are Scattered was a top pick for me. What a way to draw (!) us into the refugee camp experience.

>80 Familyhistorian: I want to read that one, Meg, as I loved his first novel but it isn't available here yet.

Have a great weekend.

>90 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. When Stars are Scattered gave me a clearer understanding of the refugee experience and was a heartwarming story as well. Quite a combination. I didn't realize that Evie Dunmore is one of Micky's favourites. That's probably where I picked up the BB! These threads are dangerous!

>91 PaulCranswick: Strange it isn't available where you are yet, Paul. We seem to be some of the last to get many books, especially British ones. I hope your weekend is going well as are your reads.

All caught up with you, Meg!

>41 Familyhistorian: The first book in this series is currently $1.99 on Kindle, so I snagged it.

>74 Familyhistorian: I love this cover, and this sounds interesting. Adding it to The List.

Hoping your Sunday is full of fabulous!

>94 Crazymamie: Good to see you here, Mamie! I hope you're having a wonderful Sunday. Glad I could tempt you with some of my reads.

Meg, it doesn't look like you've ever read The Sympathizer (at least it isn't in your catalog) and, at $1.99 on Kindle (apparently in Canada, too), it's a very worthwhile investment of eyeblinks.

Happy Sunday's reads.

23. The Bone Garden by Kate Ellis



In the fifth book in the Wesley Peterson murder mystery series, The Bone Garden the excavation was of an ancient garden. The complication was finding the body of a young woman who appeared to have been buried alive about 300 years prior. A present day murder in a caravan at a holiday park may have links to the garden where the excavation was taking place but the solicitor who holds the clue to the link was also found murdered.

It was an interesting case where the events of the old crimes being dug up, had parallels in the murders Peterson was investigating in the present.

>96 richardderus: Thanks Richard but I don't Kindle. Have a wonderful Sunday.

>86 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg my dear, we were tired after having Elliott but his smile makes it worthwhile and we will get used to having him over everyweek. Felix is aware that Elliott is a baby and gives him a bit more leeway and does come up to him and in fact he laid down near him and Elliott did try to stroke him before grasping a bit of his fur. I was nearby just in case Felix snapped at him but he just shrugged it off and then moved. We told Elliott not to grab him but he is only nine months old and i think things will get better between them over time. The more Felix sees him the better it will be, Amy's cat Combie can be a bit of a bugger and both Karen and I have to be wary but he gives Elliott lots more leeway and is not that bothered by him although Amy is always nearby just in case he lashes out.

The snow that was forecast did not venture down to us, instead we had windy conditions which have prevailed all week and are set to continue for a couple more days.

My current book has really grabbed me and i am racing through it and it is 659 pages long, now that Karen is back at work my reading will pick up as i get back in to my normal routine while she is at work.

I hope that you have had a good weekend so far my dear and we send love and hugs to you my dear friend.

Meg, like you, I don't "Kindle." I cannot let go of the feeling of turning a book page, and looking at the cover.

When Stars Are Scattered is a first rate reason for reading young adult books!

>99 johnsimpson: Good to see that Felix gives Elliott the benefit of the doubt. Pets can be good that way but have to be watched because you never know.

Looks like your reading is picking up and sounds like it will get even better when you are back to your regular routine.

Signs of Spring are happening here and it's starting to warm up. It got to 11C today in the sun but we're back to rain again tomorrow.

>100 Whisper1: Hi Linda, I never could get into e-books. I have a Kobo but I've never finished a book on it. It just doesn't have the same feel as a physical book and I spend too much time looking at screens as it is.

I was surprised that When Stars are Scattered was classed as YA and that even the notes from its creators were addressed to younger people. The story has an appeal for all ages.

I think I read print books more deeply than e-books. I tend to read e-books at a faster speed. I do find them convenient for travel, but I often check out books. I've got a stash of print and e-books that I'm trying to make a dent in this year. I do get distracted sometimes by other books when I should be reading what I own. I'm trying to make progress on some of my series this year.

>103 thornton37814: There's something about holding an actual book in your hand, isn't there. I have a problem with reading my own books too, especially with many of the BB's I get hit with being available from the library.

You might be interested in this, Lori. I'm extracting info and sometimes transcribing from the records of a Civil War vet. In 1915 the war office sent out a questionnaire to the veteran asking for info about his marriage like where, when and the maiden name of his wife. It also includes the names and birth dates of their children and if they are living or dead. As the girl died I now know when that happened. It's a genealogical gold mine and I've been sitting on it for about 20 years.

>102 Familyhistorian: >103 thornton37814: Kindle books are easier on my hands and since I never have to worry about bookmarking it's a more seamless experience for me. The Oasis, with it's side buttons has made it even smoother.

>104 Familyhistorian: Sounds like some great stuff in that file!

>105 quondame: It's nice that Kindle books work for you, Susan. I think that a lot of people are of the same opinion from what I've read on the threads.

>106 thornton37814: It's very interesting information, Lori and I have pages and pages of his Civil War records. That's on top of that there are copies of letters that he wrote to his family when he found them again after 40 years.

24. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang



I picked up The Kiss Quotient after seeing the buzz about it on LT threads. The story of Stella, awkwardly trying to read the clues given off by others when her code book was different was a fun one. I was immediately pulled into her corner. Her plan to learn the give and take of a physical relationship by hiring an escort was brilliant and so open to the misunderstandings and romance that followed. What a fun story and the best part was that it educated at the same time as it entertained.

25. All that Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes by Sue Black



Forensics fascinate me – must be the CSI affect. All that Remains looked first at death and the ritual surrounding it, or not. It then delved into the author’s career in forensics which was based in Scotland but took side trips into Kosovo and Thailand post tsunami. Interesting accounts all of them but I didn’t expect it to include information on Scottish Crime Writers. They helped when the author campaigned to raise funds for a new mortuary to enable Dundee University to use up to date methods in their anatomy department. Which just goes to show that I’m not the only one interested in forensics.

>110 Familyhistorian: You deffo aren't. That resides in my Kindle awaiting my free (!) reading time...now higher on that list.

>110 Familyhistorian: Very interesting! CSI (and also NCIS? for me they are very similar) is a great show that really builds a fascination with forensics.

>111 richardderus: Knew I couldn't be, Richard. There are all those books and TV shows. All that Remains started off a bit slow but picked up as the pages went by.

>112 zuzaer: The shows have a similar quality but NCIS draws on the military and CSI is based more on forensics (happening at superhero speed).

These are the books that I picked up in January:

The Hidden Wife by Joanna Rees
Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb
The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg
The Red Cross Orphans by Glynis Peters
Our Kind of People by Carol Wallace
East of Houndslow by Khurrum Rahman
Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes
The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lojos Egri
I had my Underwear on the Entire Time: A Memoir of Discovering Family through Genetic Genealogy by Michael and Amy Blair

(These are all physical books although I could only finding e-book listings for two of them)

That's 10 books toward my Thingaversary goal of 15. I did get another book, Wildcat: The Untold Story of the Canadian Woman who became the West's Most Notorious Bandit, but it was an early birthday present so I won't count it towards my goal.

>115 Familyhistorian: Oooh, so the "Bridgertons" was made based on the book?! (I was planning to watch the series this month, maybe, before the new semester starts)

>115 Familyhistorian: A good start on your Thingaversary obligations.

>117 zuzaer: There is a whole series of books that the "Bridgertons" are based on. Julia Quinn started writing them in the early 2000s. The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After is a book that she wrote after the Netflix program came out. The first book in the series is The Duke and I.

>118 richardderus: It's been difficult to meet my Thingaversary obligations this year, Richard. Something to do with the fact the books are all physical and I'm running out of space. I'll see if I can get the rest of the haul this month.

>120 Familyhistorian: I allow ebooks in my Thingaversary haul. It's the only way I can afford it now that I've been a member so many years!

>120 Familyhistorian: Ah, the old "I need a bigger house for my bookshelves" issue. Familiar indeed.

I must say that, even though I don't buy tree books anymore, I have a similar Kindle problem...I've maxed out the storage capacity of my Fire and now need an SD card to move some stuff onto.

>121 thornton37814: Do you mean due to cost or due to space, Lori? How long have you been on LT? I've got 14 years in so far. I don't allow e-books in my haul as that would be a waste of money. I've yet to read a full book on my device.

>122 richardderus: I don't actually need a bigger house, Richard. More bookcases would do the trick but I really don't want any more. I already have 12. I don't have any on the main floor and could always add some there if I really wanted to.

I didn't know that you could overfill your Kindle but that makes sense. Virtual storage isn't infinite although we'd like it to be.

>123 Familyhistorian: Both. I can pick up many ebooks under $5. I'm most likely to purchase print books if they are genealogy/history-related. I try to get most fiction at the library, but I do keep a list of titles I want to read which are not available at the library. If I can get to a used bookstore, my print haul might be larger, but otherwise, I suspect I'll end up with lots of ebooks. This will be 15 years so 16 books.

>124 Familyhistorian: It's my understanding that once you buy a Kindle book, you can remove it from your device and retrieve it at any time. I keep my on-device list pretty short, and remove the download when I'm finished.

>125 thornton37814: I'm right behind you when it comes to joining LT, Lori. I joined 14 years ago today. You look to be very organized in your reading what with keeping a list of the books you want to read that are not available at the library. My method is much more hit and miss and I tend to buy at retail book stores but mostly read books from the library. It's not an ideal method.

>126 ffortsa: That's interesting, Judy. I didn't know that about Kindle books. Sounds like a good deal for readers.

>127 Familyhistorian: I created a "wish list" account several years back (when we had to pay $25 for LT accounts over 200 books). I have collections on it. I have ebook, audiobook, and print for each of my two public libraries, options for the academic library where I work, and then the "wish list" which includes everything else. I mostly try to keep it to the "next in series" for series books, but I have some older ones in there that are later installments--the ones that triggered my interest. I usually double-check against my regular account for it.

>127 Familyhistorian: Happy Thingaversary, Meg, fourteen more to come.

>81 Familyhistorian: I need this sort of silly-light-contempory fiction. Had a few not so fun reads lately, although some non-fictions were good. I'm trying to read outside of my usual genre, so this might be the thing.

>129 thornton37814: So you have two LT accounts, Lori? That could come in handy especially the way you use it.

>130 richardderus: When you say fourteen more are you referring to Thingaversarys or books?

>131 SandyAMcPherson: I hope that book fits your reading needs, Sandy. I often need light frothy reads to counter balance some of the other things I am reading especially when they are long non-fiction tomes.

26. Smallbone Deceased by Michael Gilbert



Vintage English mysteries tick off both the history and mystery boxes on my preferred reading list. Smallbone Deceased was set in a law office just after the Second World War. It was interesting to see how a London office was run at that time as well as the social clues and taboos which abounded. The murders and clues were very much of their time too. It was a very enjoyable read.

>133 Familyhistorian: Technically I have a third, but it's just my mother's books. I own all the cookbooks; the others mostly went somewhere else. I didn't bother to add her cookbooks into my LT account since they were cataloged. When I set up my 2nd account, I did so because I didn't want to be confused by wish list books being in my catalog.

>110 Familyhistorian: Many thanks for your excellent review. I added All that Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes to my tr pile.

>136 thornton37814: You seem very well organized, Lori. I guess you have to be with all the things you juggle along with the books.

>137 Whisper1: Hi Linda, it was a good read and a plus that it tied in with Scottish crime writers who I've seen a lot of on Zoom while following the Edinburgh Book Festival and other online Scottish book related sessions.

>138 Familyhistorian: I realized a few years ago, it might be the only way to tame my TBR list. It still grows, but it's also easy for me to remove a book if I lose interest in it.

>135 Familyhistorian: Oh, that tempts me mightily....

>133 Familyhistorian: Yes.

Do love a historical mystery -

>140 thornton37814: It's good that it works for you, Lori. I need to come up with a better system.

>141 richardderus: I sourced Smallbone Deceased at the library, Richard. It was a BB from Judy, DeltaQueen50.

That was an either or question, not one that can be answered with a simple yes.

>142 magicians_nephew: It's a good read, Jim.

Wordle 238 4/6

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I got bitten by the bug and finally figured out how to share. Too bad as I did better my last two tries.

27. Death Finds a Way by Lorine McGinnis Schulze



I enjoy books that are written about places I know. Death Finds a Way was a genealogical mystery set in Salt Lake City. The amateur sleuth in this case was Janie Riley, a woman searching for her roots when a researcher she met ended
s up dead. Everyone else seemed determined to class it as a medical problem but Janie knew something wasn’t right. She used her research skills to suss out the murder in spite of threats to her own life.

It was interesting to visit Salt Lake City and the Family History Library again even if it was just through the medium of print. The mystery was pretty good too.

>147 Familyhistorian: I held off reading that one for a long time because I'd made friends with Lorine through social media and was afraid I wouldn't like the book. I'm glad you enjoyed it too.

Happy Sunday, Meg. I am still trying to catch up on the threads, after my absence. Never an easy task. I hope you are having a good weekend and enjoying those books.

>148 thornton37814: I can see how that would happen, Lori. Good thing you liked it. Has she written any more of those mysteries?

>149 msf59: Good to see you back, Mark. I hope you had a wonderful vacation but that you're happy to be on home turf once again.

I was another lovely sunny day here which was a good thing since I drove in to Vancouver to meet some of my writing cohort for lunch. It took me just over an hour to get there but it was nice to be walking on Main Street in the sunshine. The food was good too. We went to a vegetarian restaurant. Much of the talk was about books, reading them as well as writing them.

My scores are becoming consistent, I think.
Wordle 239 4/6

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Happy Monday!

I seem to be getting most wordles in four tries. It would be nice if I could consistently get it in three tries.

>152 Familyhistorian: Sounds like you had a wonderful day.

>150 Familyhistorian: I think she's working on one. I went out to her website to be sure it had not been released. It says "coming soon." The title will be "A Grave Secret."

>154 figsfromthistle: I got today's Wordle in 4 again so it looks like we're on the same streak, Anita.

Wordle 240 4/6

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It was a wonderful day yesterday. It's looking pretty nice out there again now but it was rainier and colder today.

>155 thornton37814: Thanks for that info, Lori. I'll have to keep an eye out for it. I don't remember how I ended up with the first one. Maybe from Amazon?

>157 Familyhistorian: I read it in the last year or two so you may have picked up a book bullet from me and then read it.

>158 thornton37814: That's quite likely, Lori.

28. The Tale of the Mandarin Duck by Bette Midler



I remember the news stories about a Mandarin duck discovered in an unusual places so caught a BB for The Tale of the Mandarin Duck from someone’s thread. This slim book was a delight, combining photography and illustrations with a story told as a modern fable about how New Yorkers, once totally engrossed in their phones were induced to look around themselves and discover what they had been missing when a Mandarin Duck made an unexpected appearance in their midst.

29. Tunnels by Rutu Modan



The story began with Nili’s plan to continue her father’s search for the Arc of the Covenant. She believed she had a head start as she could build on his work but really the opposite was true. Her father’s memory was gone but he was a focus for others who were also interested in the search for their own ends and she also needed to bring her game obsessed son along with her on her trek. Once they get to the Middle East and the searching and tunneling begin there are even more factions to deal with.

Tunnels was not so much a graphic novel about an archaeological dig as a look at the friction and factions such a venture would interest and the potential outcome of such a clash.

I'm currently doing research about an ancestor who fought in the Civil War and I want to know more about what he experienced. I think it's time to read some of the books on the conflict that I have in my personal library. This might take me a while.

I also most often solve Wordle in 4 tries, Meg.

Battle Cry of Freedom - my father had that one when I was growing up, and I remember looking at it and wondering if it was a requirement of adulthood to read really long, boring-looking books....

Once again:

Wordle 241 4/6

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is this good or a rut? I haven't decided yet.

>163 katiekrug: It seems like 4 is my number these days, Katie.

The Civil War books are hefty but at least Battle Cry of Freedom has pictures. The Blue and the Grey is even weightier and a leaf through showed nothing but text. I'm hoping that searching for mentions of particular regiments and battles will make the reads easier and I intend to start small with Scholastic book You Wouldn't Want to be a Civil War Soldier.

Enjoy your Civil War reading. Several of those are chunksters!

>162 Familyhistorian: Both of my father's grandfathers saw action in the Union army - one with an artillery unit. One was a teenager to start with, as were so many others.

>162 Familyhistorian: Good gracious! How daunting a stack that is...unless you're not on a tight timeline, of course.

Enjoy your reading, Meg.

>162 Familyhistorian: Oh boy! Lots of those books look like chunksters.

>162 Familyhistorian: Oooh, wow, good luck with that! I have 3 ancestors who fought in the American Civil War, all for the Union out of New York. It was extremely satisfying getting their pension records from the National Archives in DC. My dad's read a lot more about the war than I have, however, and I believe he owns if he hasn't completely read the Shelby Foote books.

>166 thornton37814: I think I'm going to research where his regiment was and just read those portions of the chunksters, Lori.

>167 quondame: That's interesting, Susan. Did you look into their military records?

>168 richardderus: I think I'll be doing more researching than reading, Richard. It's probably time that I did something with those books I've been collecting over the years.

>169 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, they do make an impressive stack, don't they?

>170 bell7: One of those is a Shelby Foote book, Mary. It's one of the thick ones! I'd be very impressed if your father read them all. I'm hoping that I picked the correct one for the soldier I'm looking into but then any of them would probably be correct since he served from 1861 to 1865 although from the later part of 1864 he was a POW. The guy I'm researching joined up in Illinois which makes sense as he had crossed the border from Canada West. I believe that his brother also joined in the fight but I haven't been able to find out anything about him.

>89 Familyhistorian: Book talk doesn't happen very much for me outside of LT.

Book talk never happens for me outside of LT. I am married to a man who has read exactly 2 books in the 30+ years we have been married :)

>110 Familyhistorian: Glad to see you enjoyed that one. I did as well! Like you, forensics fascinate me and did even before I had ever heard of "Quincy ME" back in the day.

>176 alcottacre: Doesn't he enjoy gaming, Stasia?

>177 alcottacre: I got that BB from somewhere on the 75ers. Maybe it wa your thread. I willingly read those kinds of books and some of the fairly graphic mysteries and historical books too.

>172 Familyhistorian: I know that my cousin got images of documents naming them in the units they belonged to - they were 7 years different in age and probably didn't meet for decades, though they both raised families in Ripon WI.

>178 Familyhistorian: Yes, he does enjoy gaming although not to the extent that I do. He has no hobbies at all unless you call watching TV a hobby?

I have others that I can recommend along that same line. You may have already read them but if you have not read Sir Sydney Smith's Mostly Murder or Dr Keith Simpson's Forty Years of Murder or Dead Men Do Tell Tales by Dr William Maples, I recommend them all.

Hi Meg, and a very belated happy new thread.

>3 Familyhistorian: Your blog is always fascinating, and I like reading your research/musings about Alexander Mathison.

I rarely write letters anymore, but when I do, I’ll make sure to write to named individuals, not their relationship to me!

>7 Familyhistorian: I’m glad you’re re-reading the In Death Series. I’m on mission right now to read all the ‘in between’ novellas. I have 4 to go, then I can read the latest book, #54, Abandoned in Death. And I love Val McDermid. I didn’t realize she had another new series out. I’ve added 1979 to my wish list.

>10 Familyhistorian: Belated Thingaversary congrats. You joined 4 months after I did.

>89 Familyhistorian: I love talking about books here on LT, too. Until the pandemic, I did have a group of folks I talked books with on the Friends Book Sale team, every Tuesday, as we sorted donations. I’m hoping to get back to that this year sometime.

>97 Familyhistorian: I’ve read the first Wesley Peterson and really liked it, but so far haven’t pursued any more. I’m glad to hear you’re still liking it.

>110 Familyhistorian: And onto the wish list it goes! I just got another book about death, A Brief History of Death by W.M. Spellman from the University of Chicago Press book sale.

>129 thornton37814: I converted my second LT account to a wish list account last January. I recently had a discussion with fameulstee about a third account to keep track of all books read since joining LT for charts and graphs purposes since my karenmarie account is only for books that currently reside on my shelves, skewing the stats.

>132 Familyhistorian: Now that all accounts are free, I have to think of a cool name for my third account.

>152 Familyhistorian: Sounds like a lovely time. I’m probably going to start socializing again soon.

>162 Familyhistorian: Impressive undertaking – I have 71 books relating to the Civil War on my shelves, fiction and nonfiction, some read, some still to be read. I have read Battle Cry of Freedom and recommend it highly. One of my favorite Civil War books, with lots and lots of pictures, is The Civil War: An Illustrated History by Ken Burns.

I only have one relative that I know of, so far, who served in the Civil War. He served for the North, got injured early, and that was that. My husband, on the other hand, has several Confederate soldiers in his family tree. We also have some confederate money floating around here somewhere...

>179 quondame: When they joined up were they from the same place and both end up in Ripon after they were discharged from the Union Army? There seems to have been a definite move to the west after the conflict was over. The soldier I'm researching joined in Illinois and finally ended up in South Dakota.

>180 alcottacre: I have Dead Men Do Tell Tales in the stacks. But I don't think I've read it, something I should remedy. I haven't heard of the other two. I'll have to see if I can find them. I have quite a few books about forensics on my shelves, mostly unread. I have a recollection of liking Jessica Sachs' Corpse: Nature, Forensics, and the Struggle to Pinpoint Time of Death when I read it.

Actually both grew up in NY. The older moved to IL and was a surveyor before joining the army. After the war he made money cutting down forests. I can't find much online about the younger, my grandmother's father, which is strange because he was a judge and owned a couple of the utility companies in Ripon which my grandfather administered at least for a time.

>181 karenmarie: Hi Karen, thanks re the blog. There are more posts about Alexander Mathison coming up as looking into and writing about his records has been what my genealogy time has been spend on lately. I believe his brother was also involved in the Civil War which is a bit unusual from where I stand as my roots are British/Canadian.

I have the latest in death books in my stacks but I'm set on reading the series through before I get to the latest ones. I'm currently on Witness in Death which is the 10th in the series.

You're showing more restraint on socializing than I am. I've been doing it all along but I have the excuse that I live alone and a person just needs to have some contact with others.

Thanks for the Thingaversary congrats. I finally got the last of my haul today. Took me a while and I'm a bit late but it's done.

>184 quondame: So did the older one join a NY regiment or an Illinois one? You'd think there would be lots online for someone who was a judge and prominent enough to own utility companies. Have you looked for newspaper accounts about him?

My four streak continues:
Wordle 242 4/6

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>183 Familyhistorian: I am fairly sure that I have read Sachs' book, but I will have to check. Thanks for the mention, Meg.

>186 Familyhistorian: My grandfather's father "enlisted as a private in the Chicago Mercantile Battery on August 7, 1862, and was soon made a non-commissioned officer. He served with this battery through all of its battles and campaigns up to and including the siege and capture of Vicksburg, in which he was injured. He served for a time as engineer and draftsman on the staff of General Carr, and on August 6, 1864, was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned to the 97th U.S. Colored Infantry. He later rejoined his battery and took part in the Red River campaign. He was again assigned to duty with the engineers and was sent to Texas to build forts, and continued this work until the end of the war in 1865."

I just found a record that states that the proto-judge moved with his parents to Green Lake in 1858, and served in Co. B. 1st W. V. C. from Aug. 1861 to Aug. 1863. Also that he was a teacher before he went into law. I'm sure you'll know how to interpret those initials.

The headquarters of the Republican party was for many years in a house the Judge had sold to them as it was too costly to heat as a home. Both his son and daughter lived in houses across the street from him, my grandfather having combined the interior of a Craftsman style house to the exterior of a Federalist structure. My cousin still owns the house.

>40 Familyhistorian: 1979 by Val McDermid sounds interesting. It wasn't that long ago, 1979, and I think it's great to get stuck into that era. It was kind of a nothing decade in some people's eyes...not being either the 60s or the 80s, which each had their iconic aspects.

>153 Familyhistorian: my Wordles are heavily in the 4s- a perfect bell curve of 17x 4's, and 7 either side (for 3's and 5's)

>28 Familyhistorian: I very much enjoy illustrated books with lovely art and a great story. On the tbr pile this one goes!

>188 alcottacre: Another one I have on the shelves but haven't read yet is Val McDermid's Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell Us About Crime. I really should tackle it soon.

>189 quondame: How interesting that the house is still in the family, Susan. I hope that the problem with the heating was fixed. Have you been in the house?

Good that you found more info on the judge. There had to be more written about such a prominent man.

Interesting that your grandfather's father joined a Chicago unit and ended up being assigned to engineering work. I did some research on a Royal Engineer who served in Malta and India. Not exactly the first thing you think of when picturing someone serving in a war.

>190 LovingLit: Val McDermid wrote 1979 during the pandemic. She didn't want to deal with the present so went back to her past as a reporter to come up with the story. It was a good one.

I seem to be on a streak of 4's with Wordle and wouldn't you know it that's when I figured out how to share my results. The two Wordle's before that I got in 2 and haven't had that happen since.

>191 Whisper1: It's a good one, Linda. I liked the mix of photos and illustrations and the text was light and fun - just what you'd expect from Bette Midler.

I'm in a rut!
Wordle 243 4/6

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>193 Familyhistorian: Sorry too many houses. My great-grandparents' house, and I was wrong, they were my paternal grandfather's parents, became the Republican party headquarters,* and the old founding "Old White School House" was moved onto the site. “There was little demand in this locality for a home of such size as this one either for purchase or for renting ... thus the building deteriorated rapidly and was an elephant in the hands of the owners.”
Sometime after 2006 when we were in Ripon for my dad's funeral, we learned that the building was up for sale and teased my older brother to buying it, but he didn't.
The house that my cousin owns was my grandfather's, built in 1908 for his bride across the street from her father's home and cleverly proportioned to look much grander than it in fact is, with a 1/3 scale balcony railing on the second story. It's filled with dark woods and Missionary furniture which suits it, but my taste is for the lighter colored woods of mid-century modern, teak and light cherry.

*OK, it turns out my family mangled the story. It was a fun story, but Great-grandpa did not unload the "white elephant" on the Republican party to be their headquarters. Here is an article which may actually contain some facts.

>197 quondame: Fascinating, Susan.

>196 Familyhistorian: There are worse ruts to be in, Meg. One or two of our pals missed out on that one because of all the optional words available. I got there with my last despairing guess.

>197 quondame: From the newspaper article it looks as though your family was in good company mangling the history of that building. It sounds as though the house that was passed down in your family is a lot more livable.

>198 PaulCranswick: Funny I didn't see the other possibilities in that Wordle puzzle at the time, Paul. I can now though. Good thing I didn't see them when doing it!