Lynda (Carmenere)'s Book Nook- The 3rd nook

Welcome to my book nook, version 2019!

Hi all, I'm Lynda, retired since June 5, '09, LTer since October 14, '08, mom since April 5, '99 and wife since October 2nd '93....reader since..... forever!

2019 Ground Rules to self:

In an attempt to have some structure to my reading life, I will attempt the following categories monthly.......
April......
Off my Shelf A Russian Journal - COMPLETED
Library The Siege Reading
NetGalley Dutch Girl Reading
Other Freebies Boy Swallows Universe
Finish it up Becoming - COMPLETED
Library loan Educated - COMPLETED
Library discussion - none this month
Neighborhood Book Swap - Barefoot Season Not feeling it
Tournament of Booxs winner/Women's Prize 2019 Longlist - My Sister, the Serial xiller - COMPLETED

Library book discussion group:
January: Small Great Things DONE
February: Homegoing DONE
March: American Fire - DONE
April: Daughters of the Samurai - I'll be out of town for book club so not reading
May: The Woman in Cabin 10
June: In Sunlight or in Shadows: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper
July: Ginny Moon
Aug: Anything is Possible
Sept: Grocery: The Buying and Selling of food in America

Neighborhood Book Swap:
January: Sourdough by Robin Sloan DONE
February: Of Bees and Mist - Erick Setiawan Not doing a reread of this one.
March: Educated Tara Westover DONE
April: Barefoot Season Not feeling this one
May: Necessary Lies I've read this one a couple of years ago
June: Before we were yours
July: Little Fires Everywhere
August: Once we were brothers
September: An Odyssey, A Father, A Son and An Epic by David Mendelsohn
October: ?
November:

January

1. Desert Solitaire - Kindle - TIOLI Challenge #14 - 4.5 star
2. Small Great Things - library book club - TIOLI Challenge #9 - 4/5
3. Less - off my shelf - TIOLI Challenge #13 - 3.5/5
4. Mouse House - TIOLI Challenge #18 - 4/5
5. Sourdough - TIOLI Challenge #11
6. The Last Romantics- Lead Read - TIOLI Challenge #10

February

7. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek - Net Galley & TIOLI Challenge #2
8. Homegoing - Library book club
9. The Man from St. Petersburg - Off the shelf - TIOLI Challenge 4
10. Quiet Girl in a Noisy World - Library - TIOLI
11. Comfort in an Instant: 75 Comfort Food Recipes for Your Pressure Cooker, Multicooker, and InstantPot®- Library-Kinde
12. Ghost Wall - Library
13. The Sense of an Ending - TIOLI Challenge #1 - Off the shelf

March

14. American Fire - Library Book club
15. The Madonnas of Leningrad - OTS - TIOLI
16. Bibliophile - Library - TIOLI
17. Daisy Jones & The Six
18. Lumberjanes: A Terrible Plan #3
19. Infinity in the Palm of your Hand

April
20. Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max #2
21. Becoming
22. My Sister, the Serial Xiller
23. Out of this World The surreal art of Leonora Carrington
24. A Russian Journal
25. educated - Library/former neighborhood book swap/TIOLI

May
26. Fathers and Sons
27. If, Then
28. The Girl in the Tower
29. The Woman in Cabin 10
30. Frida Kahlo An Illustrated Life
31. The Spy in Moscow Station

June
32. Lumberjanes Out of Time Vol 4
33. The Siege
34. Dutch Girl NetGalley
35. Turbulence NetGalley
36. The Winter of the Witch
37. The Escape Room NetGalley

July
38. The Turn of the Key - NetGalley
39. The Good People - Library (evening book discussion)

August
40. The Great Alone - Library (evening book discussion)
41. Lanny - Booker Long List
42. The Wall - Booker Long List
43. Lost Children Archive - Booker Long List
44. Zeitoun - TIOLI

Happy new thread, Lynda. Good to be first for a change.

Happy New Thread, Lynda!

>4 PaulCranswick: Welcome, Paul! Congratulations Mr. Numero Uno! As my first visitor I will share my favorite spring flowers with you

>5 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah!!

>7 Carmenere: And very nice too, Lynda. Charmed, I'm sure. xx

#20-2019
Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max #2
Stevenson & Ellis
Graphic Novel
4/5
Library

The gang at the Camp of Hardcore Lady Types take a game of Capture the Flag with the fellas at a neighboring camp to mythic proportions. Some will lay down their lives for the sake of their friends. Another winner with lots of action and camaraderie. Once again, the illustrations are outstanding.

>9 PaulCranswick: xx

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Lynda!

>12 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>13 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita!

Happy New Thread , Lynda!

Lynda--Love your coffee mug up top and the "Committed Relationship." Also Sponge Bob, Done and Done! Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Lynda. Yes, I love the mug.

Happy Wednesday, Lynda. Happy New Thread! Pushing 60 today! Yah! And hooray for Lumberjanes!!

>15 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah!

>16 Berly: I love them too, Kim and thanks!

>17 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! Isn't that the perfect mug?!

>18 msf59: Happy Wednesday, Mark and thanks! Pushing 60? ooooh! The tempurature! hahaha for a second I thought you might have thought it was my age "snork" Yeah, and they're forecasting 70 for our Indian's game on Sunday!
:0D Lumberjanes are awesome

Happy New Thread, Lynda. The Lumberjanes are awesome, agreed. Sounds like you'll have a beautiful day for the baseball game.

First I must say, the letter between the j and l is not worxng on my laptop so until I send it out to have it fixed I will be using the x xey in its place.

>20 jnwelch: Thanxs, Joe! The Lumbarjanes are my go to reads when I need something light and fluffy. Joe, anything above last years 34f would be delightful but to have it at or near 70 is the bomb!
Cleveland is hosting the All-Star game this coming July so, or course, I need to buy some All-Star swag.

Morning, Lynda! Happy new thread!

Thanxs, Mamie! Is the pool open?

Not yet, but it will be soon.

24> BTW: How's the Pecan Orchard looxing this spring?

>25 Carmenere: Sad and tragic. They finally finished cleaning up all the downed trees and taking care of all the hanging limbs. And then they burned all of the debris, which took days and left everything in our yard, on the deck and in the screened-in porch covered in ash. Next will be replanting - no harvest this past year as they lost everything. But, at least part of the grove is still standing - it looks good to the eye that hasn't spent hours observing it from year to year, knowing just how many trees should be there and are not. It will look more cheerful when the green fully arrives.

Happy new thread!

>26 Crazymamie: I always associate Pecan groves with you and yours Mamie and that it has been depleted is very saddening.

Have a lovely weekend.

>26 Crazymamie: Awe, Mamie! How sad! To know what the grove looked like before the hurricane and what it has become must be disheartening. I'm happy to know a part of it still stands and only time can heal the rest.

>27 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle!

>28 PaulCranswick: Yes, I agree, Paul! The pecans were/are a huge part of what makes Mamie's place the Paradisio that it is.

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With my laptop boxed and ready to be sent to Dell for repairs, I'm back on the desk top with a functioning "K". So back to reviews!

#21-2019
Becoming
Michelle Obama
Audio (Overdrive)
5/5

Like it or not, I tend to always give memoirs a 4 or 5 star rating. It's the authors personal story, for goodness sake. If it sounds plausible and the writing is effective how could I give the author anything less.
In Mrs. Obama's book, I found both. From her childhood on Chicago's Euclid Avenue to turning over the keys of the White House to the 45th President she tells her story with graciousness, intelligence, emotion, honesty and not without a little humor.
Within these pages, Mrs. Obama humanizes the positive and the negative affects of a life in the public eye, with heart felt sympathy she discusses the tragedies taking place on the streets of her childhood and the importance of female friendships which help her to stay the course and grounded.
I would hope readers put their politics aside and enjoy her story. Readers may find she shares more similarities to their own story than they might have imagined.

This is a fun little game brought to you by Goodreads.............

I am the Liar on the Midnight Train.

Whoop! Will's home for his birthday weekend and today we're headed to Progressive Field so see the Indians vs Blue Jays. We've been on a bit of a winning streak, hoping it continues today.
Expected to be near 70f, a bit overcast, maybe a shower but we'll take that over the game we attended last April with a temp that hovered around 32f and here's the proof:
From USA Today - CLEVELAND (AP) — April 8, 2018 -- The temperature was 32 degrees, the lowest for the start of a game in the 25-year history of Progressive Field, when starter Cleveland Mike Clevinger threw the first pitch to Kansas City's Jon Jay on Sunday.

The previous record was 33 degrees for games against Toronto on April 5 and April 7, 1996.

Neither club took batting practice, and players on both teams were bundled up when they came on the field. Several wore hoods under their caps to try and stay warm to combat the frigid conditions, which have been fairly common throughout Major League Baseball in the season's first two weeks.

I'll just add, the game went into extra innings and ended with Yan Gome's walk off homer. We stayed for it all.

Morning, Lynda. Happy Sunday! I am so glad you loved Becoming. I felt the same way. I am enjoying Bibliophile and I hope to get My Sister, the Serial Killer soon.

I am getting ready to go on an organized bird walk and I am hoping the rain holds off. Enjoy your day.

>31 Carmenere: Happy new thread, Lynda. I'm 'The Body In the All-Night-Diner.

>32 msf59: Enjoy the bird walk, Mark! Always more pleasant without raindrops, I'm sure.

>33 Ameise1: Snork! Sounds like its an intriguing thriller to me, Barbara!

Morning, Lynda! I am The Body on Flight 42. Thanks to both you and Paul for your thoughts on the pecan grove.

A very Happy Birthday to Will!

Lynda - I'm trying to think of what to say so you have to use your "k"! It sounds like spring has arrived.

Well, my book worked out to be Death in the Landfill - Ugh! Sounds like a 1950's hard-boiled detective who has to spend some time at the local garbage dump!

The Willy Weekend was terrific! The Indians added to the joy with a win on Sunday. Will's back at college and more than ready to finish up his Sophomore year.

>35 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Hope that flight isn't a log one! P-ewe! Thanks, Will's teenage years are officially over!

>36 BLBera: Yes, Beth, Spring is here! The crocus have finally stuck there purpley heads out of the dirt! The defunct "k" will be on it's way to Dell this morning. Once again, I'm using the desktop and the hubsters is hovering waiting for his turn at it.

>37 DeltaQueen50: Hahaha, It certainly does, Judy! What an awful way to go!

#22-2019
My Sister, the Serial Killer
Oyinkan Braithwaite
2019
Library - TIOLI
3/5

"It takes a whole lot longer to dispose of a body than to dispose of a soul....." Korede

Korede's sister Ayoola has a man problem. Korede is dedicated to her younger sister so she helps her out with this problem no matter the hour of day or night, even to the detriment of her own life.
This book starts off strong, short chapters make it a fast paced read. The conclusion however comes sudden and stalls leaving an "oh, well" sort of feeling.
Braithwaite is still honing her craft and I expect her writing will mature in time and I'm looking forward to her next offering.

Here's the Booker International Short List:

2019 shortlist is:

Jokha Alharthi
(Arabic - Oman) Celestial Bodies

Annie Ernaux
(French - France) The Years

Marion Poschmann
(German - Germany) The Pine Islands

Olga Tokarczuk
(Polish - Poland) Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead

Juan Gabriel Vásquez
(Spanish - Colombia The Shape Of The Ruins

Alia Trabucco Zerán
(Spanish - Chile) The Remainder And Other Stories

I am glad you had fun with Willie this past weekend. And only 3/5 for My Sister, the Serial Killer? Everyone has been raving bout it. Hmmmm. Which one of the Booker Intl Shortlist are you going to read first? I know none of them!

>41 Berly: I know, 3/5 came as a surprise to me too, Kim! It just didn't bowl me over and turned out rather average to me. It won the Tournament of Books so I guess I'm missing something that everyone else is seeing.
I am familiar with only Juan Gabriel Vasquez and I have The Shape of the Ruins home from the library. I'm not sure I can finish it is he allotted time so hoping a renewal is possible.

Hi, Lynda. The Booker Short List looks interesting. Not sure I'll get to any of them beforehand, but I will be watching for thoughts from my pals.

Thanks for chiming in on the Russian authors, over on my thread. Hey, would you have any interest in doing a shared read, with Fathers & Sons? I have been meaning to read that, for several years and I have a copy on shelf.

>43 msf59: I'm in for a shared read, Mark! I'm ready when you are :0)

Morning, Lynda. Sweet Thursday. I have pulled my copy of Fathers & Sons off shelf and have it sitting nearby. I started Daisy Jones yesterday. I know you were lukewarm about it, but I am finding it fun and diverting, in the early going. It works real well on audio. Definitely no new ground here. It reminds me a bit of the film Almost Famous, which I loved.

And a Sweet Thursday to you too, Mark :0)
>45 msf59: Lol, I don't know what's with me, Mark! I suppose I'm a tough person to impress. I was also lukewarm towards My Sister, the Serial Killer when everyone else really enjoyed it. Maybe I would have enjoyed Daisy Jones more on audio *shrugs*
UPS tracking tells me Fathers & Sons is to be delivered to my mailbox today.

Now the Fleetwood Mac angle is starting to take shape. This novel also reminds me of the latest remake of A Star is Born. Have you seen it?

Funny, I am waiting on My Sister to arrive on audio. Hooray for Fathers & Sons.

>47 msf59: Yes, yes, yes! I definitely saw the Nicks-Buckingham angle in Daisy Jones and also A Star is Born. I think that's why it didn't click with me, it wasn't something new and fresh. Not insightful. Perhaps it was new to those who weren't old enough to know what the 70's & rock n roll was like in those days.

Hi Lynda - I was another one underwhelmed by My Sister, Serial Killer.

>49 BLBera: Really, Beth?! I'm sorry you felt that way but relieved that I'm not the only one. Yay! Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

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Sunday will be an excellent reading day. 100% chance of rain - all day!! Yahoo!

Morning, Lynda. Happy Sunday. Hooray for a reading day. Enjoy! We have an early Easter gathering this afternoon, with my BIL and his crew, so any reading will have to get done beforehand. I am starting The River: A Novel. It is relatively short and I have Fathers & Sons lined up, after that, so sometime later in the week.

How are your feeders doing? You should be seeing new visitors.

#23-2019
Out of this World The Surreal Art of Leonora Carrington
Michelle Markle
Illustrated by Amanda Hall
2019
Library - TIOLI
5/5

'....she became the woman she wanted to be."

Unbeknownst to me, Leonora Carrington was actually one of the few female surrealists of that cultural movement which took off in the 1920's. This colorful book demonstrates how her vivid imagination was honed by her grandmother's fantastical stories, which led her to expand her ideas on canvas. Her distraught parents saw another kind of future for her but she saw things differently, in more ways than one. Her travels throughout the world and the contemporaries she became acquainted enriched her life and contributed to the life she wanted to live.
I'd recommend this to little kids everywhere but especially young girls. The message "Do what you love, love what you do" and everything else falls in line.

Thanks to Joe of Joe's Cafe for posting Illlustrator, Amanda Hall's artwork which led me to this lovely book.

Here's an example of Ms. Carrington's artwork courtesy of wikimedia

Bill and I watched the movie adaption to the book I've never been able to read past the 2nd chapter. Bel Canto Oh my goodness, what a good, yet so sad, movie. Bill says I can't choose any more movies because I pick such depressing ones.

Speaking of sad and depressing. Cathedral of Notre Dame! Ugh, the destruction of an 800 year old artistic, historical and religious treasure. Although, I never saw it in person, it came to life for me in Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame. Hugo's writing is so exquisite, I saw what the Cathedral and surrounding streets of Paris must have been like in that era. If you haven't already done so, now would be a good time to read THoND.

Also, we here in Northern Ohio are stuck in eternal winter. Leaves are still hiding in their cozy little bubble. One good thing, I've seen several robins and a couple of beautiful bluebirds.

In other news: FedEx lost my laptop :0X

Happy new(ish) thread! I lost you for a few weeks, but now you're found.
You're still in winter and we're suppose to hit around 98F in a few days. I hope your laptop shows up soon!

>54 mstrust: Hi there, Jennifer! Spring is slow to arrive but it's beginning to feel more like it should rather than autumn. Yikes! 98F, that's a bit toasty,isn't it?
I hope it shows up at Dell soon but I'm beginning to have my doubts. *sigh*

#24-2019
A Russian Journal
John Steinbeck w/ Robert Capa
1948
220 pages
4/5

I liken this bit of photo-journalism to Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. Rather than Parisian cafe's Steinbeck and photographer Robert Capa travel to and within Russia in 1947 with the intent to debunk misconceptions about Russian people held by Americans at that time. To capture the typical, everyday life of Russians; the type of food they eat, clothes they wear and schools they attend, all while keeping a perfectly neutral view.
Steinbeck and Capa traveled to Moscow, Ukraine, Stalingrad and Tiflis, Georgia. Along the way they were treated generously by farmhands and sometimes suspiciously by others but always with an over abundance of food, vodka and wine. Their conversations were enlightening and their fears similar to those back home.
Steinbeck's conclusion is heartfelt and just as relevant 70's years hence.

^I think you may have missed me up there, Lynda. Happy Wednesday. I will finish my current print book, The River: A Novel, tomorrow, so I will be starting Fathers & Sons on Friday. Just sayin'...

>56 Carmenere: I have been curious about A Russian Journal since I am such a big Steinbeck fan. I will have to get to that one.

>52 Carmenere: You're very welcome, Lynda - and you're sure returning the favor. After reading your review, I want to get my hands on Out of This World The Surreal Art of Leonora Carrington asap! I'm #2 in line at the library, so it shouldn't be long.

>57 msf59: >51 msf59: Oops, indeed I did, Mark! Sorry about that. I hope you had a lovely early Easter gathering. Alrighty then, I'll begin Fathers & Sons tonight, I'm a slow reader to I'll give myself a handicap ;0)
Yeah, I know your a big Steinbeck fan. I don't think you'd be disappointed with A Russian Journal

>58 jnwelch: Ooooo, I'm so excited OoTWTSAoLC will be on it's way to you shortly, Joe!! Savor Hall's illustrations, the closer you look, the more you will see. :0)

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I think I'm getting somewhere in regards to my missing laptop. FedEx tells me that since Dell created the return sticker they sent me to use on the box they should be able to locate it. Apparently, Dell should have activated the tracking number but didn't *sigh*

Still reading Educated? I have that on Kindle, and am looking forward to it. If only I didn't have so many nonfiction books from NetGalley that I've got to get to.

Happy Friday, Lynda. Not far into Fathers & Sons, about 30 pages, but it quickly lured me in. I was completely surprised how smooth and easy the narrative flows. I will still take my time but this is shaping up to be a winner. What do you think?

>60 The_Hibernator: LOL, Not any more, Rachel! I've just finished Educated this morning. What a good memoir. I hope you enjoy it when you get the chance to read it.
I've got a few NetGalley's to read too, I try to read them in order of the publication date so I don't feel overwhelmed.

>61 msf59: Happy Saturday, Mark! I'm not far in either but the translation is very absorbing and yes, easy to read. I agree, it's shaping up to be a winner!
Have a wonderful weekend!!

#25-2019
educated
Tara Westover
2018
377 pages
5/5

There must have been something special in the DNA of Tara Westover that set her apart from her siblings. In her memoir, Westover, details how they all were mentally and physically abused by their father, a man who perverted the teachings of the Mormon church and feared government interference. While most succumbed to their fathers strong and somewhat twisted beliefs, Tara had a deep desire to learn and despite not having even a grade school education, self taught her way into Brigham Young University.
An inspiring read and a document as to how a formal education frees the mind from irrational thought that tends to be ingrained in a person's psyche when alternative thoughts are not presented to challenge it.

This is shameless, though well-meaning. Stop by my thread for a review of The Mueller Report. (See! It already has a touchstone.) No, it isn't my review; haven't read the whole thing yet.

Happy Easter weekend, Lynda.

>64 weird_O: Hey Bill, The Mueller Report is also included in my local library's top 10 list this week. I don't know if I should look for it in the fiction or non fiction section. Where is your thread anyway?

>65 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara! Lol! I can imagine the Easter Rooster may get a bit aggressive when hunting for Easter Eggs!

Morning, Lynda. Happy Easter. Good review of Educated. I loved it as well. I am about 60 pages into Fathers & Sons. I am continuing to enjoy it but I find myself reading it slowly, which is perfectly fine with me. I hope to read a chunk of it this A.M.

Happy Easter, Lynda!

Morning, Lynda! Hoping they track down your laptop soon - YIKES!

>56 Carmenere: You are reminding me that I have that one in the stacks - I need to get to it.

Morning, Lynda. Sweet Thursday. I ended up loving Fathers & Sons. I am so glad I got to it. How are you coming with it?

>67 msf59: Oopsies, I'm a bit behind here. Yeah, Eduated is quite a story. Glad you're enjoying Fathers and Sons. I am too, just haven't had the opportunity to read much of anything.

>68 mstrust: Thank you, Jennifer! Boy, that pic brings back memories!

>69 Crazymamie: hey, Mamie! Both Fedex and Dell have opened cases to review what happened to my laptop. I just knew something would go wrong. I've had bad luck with Fedex. I sent 8 soup bowls through Fedex and only 2 arrived unbroken. I'm very happy I took the extra time to delete everything on the laptop and took it back to factory setting before I shipped it.

>70 msf59: Good Thursday morning to you too, Mark!
I'm only half way through F & S. Completely enjoying it and beginning to wonder what effect the women will have on these guys, if any.
Glad you loved it!

------
I've been cleared by the orthopedic dr! No more therapy needed for shoulder. Yes!

Willie's sophomore year is completed after today's two exams and we'll pick him up tomorrow! College, at least for me, is going even faster than high school, how's that possible?!

Back to tidying up. Hopefully, some reading.

>71 Carmenere: - Sounds like a doubly good news day!

>71 Carmenere: Sounds like a good entry into the weekend, Lynda. Hope it continues to go well for you all. xx

I can't believe Will's already through two years of college! The time does fly. Good news about the shoulder. Take it easy and don't abuse it.

>72 lkernagh: Yes, Lori, things are peachy when Will's home. Therapy for my shoulder is complete but my knee is driving me nuts. The orthopedic guy took x-rays but everything looks reasonably well. So, he suggests I go to therapy to strengthen my muscles. Nope, no, uh-uh I'll work on it at home and save the $.

>73 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! It went very well :0)

>74 BLBera: Beth, Bill and I sincerely believe Will's college years are going faster than High School. Can we just put everything on slow-mo for awhile?

Laptop update: Dell can't find it anywhere. At this point, they are considering replacing it. (fingers crossed)

Mom things and Willie things are keeping me pretty busy and I haven't been reading as I'd like. But it's ok.

#26-2019
Fathers and Sons
Ivan Turgenev
1862
191 pages
4/5

I can't say this novel was a page turner or kept my interest to the point I just couldn't put it down but what I can say is this is a solid story. The characters were well defined and memorable. As the title indicates it concerns two fathers in their 40's or 50's. Their sons have just graduated from university and see the world in a much different way than their fathers.
What unravels is a tug of war - young vs old, moral vs immoral, gentry vs serf, male vs female. Romance and politics consume their days and what they each believed to be the way to live a good life may not end up the way they thought. The way society says one must live.
It's not Anna Karenina but it is a good and brief look at Russia in the last decades of the 19th century.

Hope Dell manage to sort the laptop situation: how frustrating.

Wishing you a good time with the young man. I have no idea where the time goes.

Morning, Lynda. Happy Friday. Good review of Fathers and Sons. We had similar thoughts on the book. I am glad we finally got to it.

No rain today? Yippee! See any hummingbirds yet? I gave not. Sad face.

>77 charl08: Hi Charlotte! Frustrating it is, yet, I'm feeling more optimistic they will make good on the situation. I would think replacing a $150 laptop wouldn't break Dell's bank account.
We are enjoying Will's company and thankfully he enjoys ours as well.

--- I've started If, Then and The Girl in the Tower -
--- Sorry I've got to rant and vent: My mom's wellness expenses which are separate from her rent are being increased by 100% - This is no small price increase and will definitely hit hard . My mom who is as sharp as a tack is upset. I am fuming. How can they do this to seniors?
I'm meeting with the company's rep on Tuesday to talk this over.

>78 msf59: Happy Friday, Mark! Yes, I'm glad we can say we read Fathers and Sons but I'm in no hurry to read another Turgenev.
It looks like rain here but it seems to be skirting around us.
Nope. No hummingbird sitings here. We do have a couple of awesome bluebirds which visit us regularly and add some vibrancy to our feeder.
Squirrels continue to attack my suet feeder which I've secured with zip ties and hot cayenne pepper suet. Somehow they get to the suet and the hot pepper doesn't seem to bother them. I'm at a total loss.

>79 Carmenere: 100% increase?! That's so unethical. What happens when someone can't pay?

>81 mstrust: Yup, the injustice is the fact that whether the RA is changing a colostomy bag or making the bed it's still a level one $13 charge for each task. Sigh-when her funds run out-I'm not sure what we'll do.

-----------I'm sorry to say, I've had it with feeding the birds with suet. They are a pleasure to watch but the frustration involved with varmints stealing it, hiding it, knocking over the shepard's hook etc is too much! I've replaced the suet feeder with a flowering plant. We'll still fill our regular bird feeder but that's it.

Hey all, Reading is slower than normal, which is normally slow. So yeah, call it sluggish. Not that the books haven't been good, just stuff on my mind.
-Update: Never met with the wellness rep. Apparently, she came on Monday, when I took my mom to a scheduled drs. appt. So the wellness director left a message on my phone offering a conference call with the out of town rep. Left a message for wellness director on Monday afternoon and so far, she's not returned it. Cute, huh?
-Then if you haven't seen me ranting on facebook, there's this. All the small size wheelchairs at Cleveland Clinic where my mom sees her PCP have been replaced with wheelchairs too large to go through examining room doors- More cuteness, huh?
-Will's set to study abroad from Mid June-Mid August and for me Mid August can not come fast enough. - More on that later.
-Dell is replacing my lost laptop with a new one within 12-15 days. *big smile*
-Surprisingly my blood pressure at my drs appointment yesterday was a cool and relaxed 110/78. For that, I thank the wine gods
- and I finished a book.

#27-2019
If, Then
Kate Hope Day
2019
256 pages
3.5/5

Counterfactuals, Metaphysics, Multi-universes and tagged northwestern spotted frogs. All of these theories play with the lives of the well defined characters in Day's novel.
It's a very good read, gripping at times, thought provoking, for sure, yet the punch to bring all the ideas home just didn't materialize in my reality.
Nonetheless, the book shows much promise and I look forward to what Day has in store for readers in the future.

Morning, Lynda! I am sorry that you have so much on your plate right now. How very frustrating the stuff with your mom must be - sending you good mojo and praying that when you do get to talk to the wellness rep, you have the perfect words to convey what you want to say. I always think of exactly the right wording for things like that after the conversation has occurred.

I do not facebook, so I am guessing you are not thrilled about wherever it is that Will is going - I will await further info.

Hooray for the new laptop and for the miracles of wine. Hang in there, my friend.

>85 Crazymamie: Thanks for good mojo, Mamie! It's always appreciated. Sorry, I don't think I was clear...on facebook I posted a pic of the extra large wheelchair and the narrow door they expect it to go thru :0/
I'm cool with Will's trip but I want to go with him! Waaaa! It's like putting him on the school bus for the first time, or the first time he road his bike out of view to a friends house. I think you know what I mean.

Just raked the leaves out of my little gardens and shredded the leaves for mulch. Quick shower and off to mom's, library book sale, grocery store - I'm not sure in what order.

Mini haul from today's library sale:
The Tiger's Wife
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls
The History of the Siege of Lisbon
And the Mountains Echoed
Omar! My Life on and off the field - My favorite baseball player - Hopefully, soon to be a Hall of Famer

Sweet Thursday, Lynda. Glad to see your updates. We miss our LT pals, when we don't see them around for awhile. Hooray for the book sale.

I saw my first hummingbird the other day, and I just saw one land twice at the feeder. Sooooooooo darn cute.

>86 Carmenere: Nice haul, Lynda.

>84 Carmenere: I think I liked this more than you did; it was kind of a brain twister, so one would have to be in the right mood to enjoy it. I especially liked the twist at the end.

>88 msf59: Hiya, Mark! No hummingbirds for me. I did see an unusual sight at my birdfeeder this morning. A sparrow at one end of my bird feeder chowing down and quite an unusual bird on the other end finishing up his feeder haul. He looked like this I identified it as an eastern chipmunk. Lol it was cute but by the time I grabbed my phone they'd flown away.

>89 BLBera: Hmmm, did I miss something, Beth? Please! Refresh my memory, enlighten me. I could've been off the mark completely but now I'm not sure. Thanks

Morning, Lynda. I hope you had a nice Mother's Day. Love the chipmunk. We usually have one visiting our feeders regularly, but have not seen it around, these past few weeks.

Howdy, Mark! Mother's Day was lovely - right now our cat, Mittens, is making eye contact with a chipmunk which is sitting on our deck. I think they're hatching a plan of some sort. I'll keep you updated. ;0)

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The second annual best picture nominee festival is underway. This is in answer to reading the book Pictures at a Revolution last year which included the 1967 best pic nominees, movies which broke the mold in many different ways. This book was recommended to me last year by Mamie and embedded the idea in my head about viewing the movies. Which we did.

This year we are viewing the best picture nominees from 1969. So far, we've watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Hello Dolly. On deck are Midnight Cowboy, Anne of a Thousand Days and Z. Some of these are groundbreaking in their own way. So far, Butch is beating out Dolly. Interesting fact: Cornelius - in Hello, Dolly, is played by Michael Crawford. "The" Michael Crawford who went on to become the original Phantom in Phantom of the Opera.
Stay tuned.

Here's something fun you may want to try. The Tournament of Books Summer Camp. The winning book will automatically be entered in TOB 2020. Here's the list, it seems doable and I'll give it a shot.

Our Camp ToB 2019 Reading Schedule

As a reminder, we'll spend two weeks per book, then gather to discuss on Wednesdays. We'll specify pages and chapters in an upcoming announcement, but here is our overall summer schedule:

June 5: Bowlaway, first half
June 12: Bowlaway, second half
June 19: Daisy Jones & the Six, first half
June 26: Daisy Jones & the Six, second half
July 3: VACATION
July 10: Lost Children Archive, first half
July 17: Lost Children Archive, second half
July 24: Trust Exercise, first half
July 31: Trust Exercise, second half
Aug. 7: American Spy, first half
Aug. 14: American Spy, second half
Aug. 21: Black Leopard, Red Wolf, first half
Aug. 28: Black Leopard, Red Wolf, second half
Sept. 4: Summer champion announced

#28-2019
The Girl in the Tower
Katherine Arden
2018
4/5

This is book two in The Winternight Trilogy. After the events of Book One, the reader finds heroine Vasilisa Petrovna having fled her childhood home, in the forests of northern Russia. She considers herself a traveler, one who wants to discover the world beyond the only one she's ever known but finds herself in the midst of a Tatar coup. Villages are being set aflame and young maidens being abducted. Strong willed and independent, Vasilisa (Vasya), fights to return the girls to their villages and distraught mothers. Vasya is accompanied by her enchanted stallion, Solovey and her illicit love Morozko who bring her to the safe haven of Moscow where she is reunited with her brother and sister.
Yet, Moscow is a very dangerous place where treacherous alliances are seeking to ruin the ruling Prince.
Vivid imagery, danger, deception and thrilling action are the ingredients which power this historically accurate story forward. I'd consider this trilogy, perfect for pre-teens and of course anyone else looking for a great way to while away the long days of summer.

Morning, Lynda! You are reminding me that I still have to get to the first book in The Winternight trilogy - I bought it in hardback when it was new and then got distracted. Oops.

>92 Carmenere: How fun that you are continuing with watching the best picture nominees from years past!

#29-2019
The Woman in Cabin 10
Ruth Ware
2018
3/5

This was a reread for book club. My original review is from 2017:

I'm having a like/hate relationship with this book. Hate it because it is so similar to another book I have mediocre feelings for, The Girl on the Train. An unreliable, irritating, nosy protagonist is involved with what appears to be a murder. Hate it because if, said protagonist, Laura (Lo) Blacklock, that shortened name makes me cringe, said "stupid, stupid, very stupid" or "drunk, very drunk" one more time I would toss this book overboard.
Like it because the setting is an unfamiliar one, a luxury yacht cruising Norwegian fjords. Perhaps, it was a bit of ambiguity that kept me reading till the end. Ultimately, it's a thriller wannabe, but the snooty characters make it a I really don't care.

Today:
I feel pretty much the same way. Actually, I like it even less now. I do not like the unreliable narrator nor any of the characters involved in this flimsy murder drama. Plain ole bored with the whole ordeal.

Hi, Lynda! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the 1969 pics. I like old movies :-)

Morning, Lynda. Happy Friday. Back to cool weather. Back to long pants. At least, it rebounds to much warmer weather tomorrow.

>96 Carmenere: This is the reason, I have no desire to try Ruth Ware.

>98 msf59: "This is the reason, I have no desire to try Ruth Ware." I know, right?! Yet, I keep buying her novels (still unread, naturally) in the hope they will be better. The jury is still out.

News alert! My faith in Dell has been restored!! Fedex delivered a refurbished laptop to my front door and it seems to be working just fine. Best of all the "k" key is working :0)

In other weird news: Mittens has a chipmunk friend. The chipmunk taps on the sliding glass door to let Mittens know he's there. Mittens, in turn, runs to the door to watch him run around the deck.

Hooray for the new Dell! And hooray for the chipmunk buddy!

Happy Saturday, Lynda. When is spring going to arrive and STAY? Sighs...

(Thinking out loud) I may switch from the 1st Monday Library book group to the Tuesday evening book group. The selections are more enticing and our Monday morning moderator has been promoted and transferred to the county's main library so it wouldn't be the same anyway. If I decide to join in June, we'd be discussing The Good People. Perhaps, just for the summer months as I tend to hibernate come October when I could return to Monday mornings.

>101 msf59: Howdy, Mark! It's gloomy and rainy here but I hear the sun will come up later this afternoon and temps will rise to the low 80's.
My new rose bushes have taken very nicely gladiola bulbs I planted a couple of weeks ago have pushed through the soil. I suppose all the rain has played a part in it.
Next week looks great. 70's all week long. Hopefully, it will STAY!
Have an outstanding weekend!!

Hooray for the working computer.

>104 BLBera: Hooray, indeed! I'm ready to get back to working on my Shutterfly yearly photo album, 2018 edition. It's so much easier on my laptop, my husband doesn't hover around me like a bumblebee waiting to get back on it like on our desktop.

I will not read Ruth Ware. I just will not. Call me stubborn and snobby. :-)

Hi Lynda! The TOB Summer Camp looks fun and there are at least a couple of books in there that I really want to read: Lost Children Archive; American Spy; Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I won't "join in" officially but I will watch for your comments about them as you read.

>106 EBT1002: Hahaha, not stubborn or snobby, at all, Ellen. But, I am curious. Have you read something by her that makes you feel this way, reviews you've read?

>106 EBT1002: I've got Bowlaway at home with me. I hope I can find the time to read it before the library takes it back.

#30-2019
Frida Kahlo An Illustrated Life
Maria Hesse
2016
3
5/5
Thanks to Joe aka Joe's Book Cafe for leading me to this wonderful GN!

I thoroughly enjoyed this Graphic Novel which is both written and illustrated by the author. Using quotes taken from Kahlo's letters, diary and interviews and weaving in her own narative, Hesse paints a clear picture of Frida's life, loves, passions and pain.
Through her illustrations, Hesse interprets the artists painings in a cute and rather whimsical fashion while at the same time keeping the integrity of the original work.
I look forward to checking out Hesse's other GN's particularly, Bowie. Hopefully, it too, has been translated.

Oh good, Lynda! Isn't Frida Kahlo An Illustrated Life excellent?

Oh, I hadn't thought of looking for other translated ones by Hesse. I'll watch for what you find. Bowie?! That could be special.

>109 jnwelch: Sadly Joe, my local library does not have Bowie. I have other sources to check out. I'll keep you posted.

Update: We've viewed two more entries from the list of best picture nominated movies of 1969.
Z which, I can best describe, as a political thriller. Sort of a reenactment of a true story.
Midnight Cowboy - I guess you can call it iconic and groundbreaking, which was why it was originally rated X.

So far, this is are order of favorites
1. Z
2. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
3. Midnight Cowboy
4. Hello Dolly

Still to watch is Ann of the Thousand Days.

>108 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda. Sweet Thursday. I will also have to request, Frida Kahlo An Illustrated Life. I would like to know more about here.

It rained again last night but it looks to be another nice one today. Yah!

ETA- I also really enjoyed "Z" but it has been decades since I have seen it.

>112 msf59: Sweet Thursday, Mark! I hope you get your hands on Hesses book soon.
We haven't seen the sun for days but haven't gotten any rain either. It's just gray and chilly.
Most all of these movies are new to me and it's been enjoyable watching them now, with Will and Bill, and discussing how they've held up 50 years on. (Egads, did I just say 50 years!? Unbelieveable.

#31-2019
The Spy in Moscow Station
Eric Haseltine
2019
264 pages
4.5/5
Thanks to quondame for mentioning this book on the TIOLI thread

I found this read insigtful, thought provoking and timely. Much of this book surrounds Charles Gandy, a high ranking National Security Agent tech specialsit, who in 1978 was summoned to the American Embassy in Moscow to determine how leaks were escaping through a secure environment. Over a six year span what he discovered was far more than originally expected.
Using declassified information and interviews, Haseltine clearly exposes, in laymans terms, the threat the US faced in the early 1980's and does to this day with a different group of players. Very readable.

Morning, Lynda. Well, it is turning out to be a pretty good holiday weekend, weather-wise. Rain was in the forecast every day but we managed to avoid it. Lots of graduation parties going on, so that is a good thing. We are attending one later this afternoon but it is supposed to rain. LOL.

The Spy in Moscow Station sounds really good.

Hey Mark! We've been skirting scattered storms all weekend but all the events we attended got by with only a couple of drops. Today is beautiful but more storms this evening.
TSiMS is an eye opener. The infighting between our intelligence agency's was and still is ridiculous.

Hi Lynda. I was tad behind here, but...

Glad the shoulder is all better and I hope the knee can be rejuvenated at home.
Hi! Bye! To Will. (How do they grow up so fast?)
The film festivals sounds like great fun and I am jealous. : )
Also, the bookclub sounds awesome. I have Lost Children Archive from the TOB summer club, so maybe I'll try to get to that with you in July.

Happy Monday!!

Hey Kim!

The film festivals have been great! They bring the family together to view and discuss. Now, it's become a tradition and we love it!

Two books I really want to get to in June are The Good People for library book discussion and Bowlaway for TOB. Always a sucker for a challenge, I signed up for Goodreads summer challenge.

Will leaves for his study abroad program in a couple of weeks so we're squeezing in as much summer vacay as we can. When he returns it will be time for him to head back to college for fall semester and his new apartment.
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I'm getting extremely excited! Rocketman opens in theatres tomorrow! As a huge Elton John/Bernie Taupin fan I'm really looking forward to it. Eeeeee!

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I should finish both The Dutch girl and The Siege by then end of May. fingers crossed

We saw Rocketman last night! Loved it! Very well done, lots of good music, great acting. At first, I thought the guys would dislike it because of the musical type of format - turned out I was dead wrong. Will gives it a 9/10 and Bill really enjoyed it too. I know the story, but the guys didn't and were saddened about his broken home and unaffectionate, detached parents. which were the basis of his somewhat sad and needy young adulthood. Highly recommend!

#32-2019
Lumberjanes Out of Time Volume 4
Stevenson - Watters - Allen - Laiho
2016
GN
4.5/5

Another solid addition to the Lumberjane Series. The woods around camp supply new discoveries and bring back old memories and feelings to some. Lots of excitement and danger at every turn.

Morning, Lynda. Happy Saturday. Hooray for Rocketman. I am a big fan of Elton John, especially all the early stuff, pre-Captain Fantastic. I also saw him in concert, mid-70s.

I am loving Furious Hours, so keep this one in mind.

Hey Mark! Good Monday to you!! I saw Elton in concert twice, once in 1980 then again in '92. Love it all, but there's that little span of time when he got into disco which was just plain aweful. Bernie was not working with him at that time, smart fellow.

Furious Hours? Sounds intriguing. I will keep it in mind.

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Finally viewed the last of the 1970 Academy Award nominees for best picture, Ann of the Thousand Days. Not bad but meh. Sooooo, Will liked Z the most and that it should have won best picture. Bill liked Butch Cassidy the most, I would say, Z was the most memorable and should have won.

The envelope please: The winner is Midnight Cowboy!
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Just finished The Siege. I'll type up a small review after my emotions settle down.

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Last week, my mom's leg swelled up a bit. Yesterday she told me she had a blister which broke. I went there to clean and bandage but I'm extremely concerned. Her leg was very cold and toes were red. I called the vascular surgeon this morning and they're squeezing her into their schedule tomorrow morning. *sigh* She's just so exhausted and fears, of course, about losing another leg. I think, because they've brought this up before, an arterial bypass may be necessary. We'll see.

The Siege
Helen Dunmore
2001
291 pages
4/5
Thanks to Judy for recommending this novel to me many years ago and since then others have done so as well.

I just finished Helen Dunmore's historical novel and I am spent. I have read novels of the siege of Leningrad before and have been touched by them but never more so than Dunmore's version.
The book begins with a Top Secret telegraph from Berlin to German armed forces:
"Re:The future of Leningrad
.....The Fuehrer has decided to have Leningrad wiped from the face of the earth. The further existence of this large town is of no interest once Soviet Russia is overthrown. Finland has also similarly declared no interest in the continued existence of the city directly on her new frontier."
By using a blockade to keep food, supplies and medicine out of Leningrad it's citizens slowly starve or freeze to death. Those who are able agree to things they never would have done in order to survive The elderly,young children and babies are the first to die. Those who survive the first winter of the blockade find innovative ways to bring food and supplies into Leningrad, still half the population has been wiped out and the siege will continue for another 600 some days. But for now, as this novel comes to an end there is hope amongst the sadness.
The characters Dunmore created are so very human, imperfect yet strong and willful, trying to believe there will be a tomorrow but knowing too, there may not be. Highly recommend!

Poor Mom! I don't blame her, and you, for being worried about what they'll say. I really hope all goes well for her tomorrow.

>123 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer! I changed my mom's bandage this afternoon because it's not good to have a wet bandage on good skin, it deteriorates it. So glad I went as the bandage was soaked. I mentioned to my mom, the doctor may again recommend the bypass procedure. She doesn't want it. I think she may have to rethink that.

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Think I'll grab my ipad and try once again to finish The Dutch Girl then get to bed early.

I'm glad that you found The Siege a worthwhile read, Lynda. This reminds me that I have more by Helen Dunmore on my TBR that I need to get to. I hope everything goes well for your Mom.

Sorry to hear about your mom's leg, Lynda. Fingers crossed that it will be a little thing.

I also loved The Siege.

When does Will leave?

>126 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. We spent about 4 hours in the drs office yesterday basically because the PA wanted an ultrasound done to investigate what's going on behind the wound. The results show she has a couple of blockages and only 1 artery suppylng bloodflow to the lower portion of her leg when there should be 3 (the other two have closed). Then we had to wait for the vascular surgeon to advise. He determined we'll give the leg a month to heal and make a decision about angioplasty at that point. In the meantime, a visiting nurse will tend to the wound as PA advised.

Will leaves in two weeks.
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Looks like a stormy day here. Another day without sunshine. Overcast and cool - Blah!

#34-2019
Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II
Robert Matzen
2019
NetGalley
4/5

At its most basic, the Dutch Girl is the story of a Belgium born, girl named Adriaantje, later she would become Audrey Hepburn.
The book recounts the events which shaped Audrey Hepburn's life during her formative years. From her early childhood in Belgium to her education in England then to the Netherlands where Audrey continued her education but found that it was dance that most interested her and she excelled in it. She took lessons not far from her home in the Velp - Arnhem area where she lived with her brothers and mother, Ella. She began to perform at various venues through-out her neighboring communities.
The bulk of this book, however, is WWII . Ella was a Nazi sympathizer and somewhat infatuated with Hitler. When Nazi personnel work their way into the Netherlands, Ella welcomes them with open arms but things soon turn sour when the Velp - Arnhem region becomes their main area of command.
If the reader is not familiar with the the affects of WWII in this area, he or she will find this book enlighteining as well as horrifying . Also of interest, of course, was the lasting impact the war had on Audrey. She was struck by the imprisonment and assasination of her Uncle and the diary of a young girl, very similar to her in age, named Anne Frank.
Author, Matzen has written a wonderful portrayal of a much loved actress. Many readers who have enjoyed her as an actress may not have known just how much she had lived through during the years of World War II.
Thank you NetGalley, Good Knight Publishing and the author for an Advance e-ARC of this book.

Morning, Lynda. Happy Saturday. We have been enjoying a very nice stretch of weather. Yah! Good review of The Siege. I loved that book. The Hepburn bio sounds interesting too.

>128 Carmenere: This sounds really interesting, Lynda. I never knew that Hepburn was Belgian.

Fingers crossed for your mom's wound.

>129 msf59: Good Monday to you, Mark! It seems we get one nice day followed by two rainy days. Today is one of those rainy days - 100% chance. We've not been able to finish our Spring yard cleanup which will probably stretch into the hot humid days of summer - Ugh.
The Hepburn bio was quite good but I'd say it's 25% Audrey 75% WWII.

>130 BLBera: Hey Beth! I always wondered about Audrey's accent. It was just different. Now, I understand it was an amalgam of several.
Thanks, keep your fingers crossed, she's so concerned, and rightly so, that she may lose another leg. I tell her she's no where near that point but it doesn't alliviate her fears.

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Yesterday, We all went to mom's appartment and celebrated her birthday a month early so Will could join in the celebration. While we were at it, also celebrated early Father's Day. (Will is abroad for both actual events) Also, celebrated Will with a study abroad gift of personilized pen and journal.

That's a lot of celebrating! Sounds like quite a party.
It's been at least seven or eight years, but a read a biography of Hepburn written by her son. It was full of personal stories as you'd expect, and he adored her, but he also addressed her thin figure. His theory was that she had been starving at a critical point of her development and that's why her throat was so lean, making her look very thin no matter what she weighed. I'm sure all that dancing had something to do with it too.

In a recent read, The Epigenetics Revolution, Audrey Hepburn's thinness and health problems were put down to the hunger winter of 1944-45 in the Netherlands, which affected her at a critical time in her development before she was born. Some children conceived prior to the famine ended up thin, like Audrey, and some ended up the opposite. It all depended on where they were in their development when their mothers were faced with starvation.

I hope things turn out well for your mom and her leg, Lynda.

Morning, Lynda. Happy Wednesday. It sounds like you are enjoying your various celebrations. I hope you are also squeezing in some reading time.

>133 Familyhistorian: Hepburn was born in 1929.

>135 mstrust: Ah yes, I misremembered how Hepburn was mentioned in The Epigenitics Revolution. She suffered malnutrition as a child due to the hunger winter which led to her being thin and suffering poor health for the rest of her life. I should have just gone and looked at the book but Goggled it instead and came up with this http://iconbooks.com/2011/08/is-audrey-hepburn-the-key-to-stopping-the-obesity-e...

>132 mstrust: >133 Familyhistorian: >135 mstrust: >136 Familyhistorian: Dutch Girl didn't really touch upon their lack of nourishment while Arnhem was occupied. Audrey's mom was a Dutch aristocrat and i got the impression that they had it a bit easier than others. But that's just my impression. During the occupation, Audrey continued to perform in dance at the local theater so she must have had the strength to do so.

>134 msf59: It's been crazy over here, Mark! We drove Will to Toronto to catch his flight for study abroad and now he's in Russia and Bill and I just sit around awaiting his every text message.
We haven't seen the sun in days and the ground is saturated. Squishy and rather depressing. Trying to read but just not feeling it.

>137 Carmenere: Wow, Russia?! What an amazing opportunity. Hope he has a good time. I'd love to see the Hermitage - I watched an art documentary about it and I hadn't realised just how much amazing stuff they have.

I get the “waiting around for him to text”. Pretty much sums up me and my kid. 😀

>138 charl08: Yes, Charlotte, Russia. He's been a history buff since a wee child and has been learning the language since 6th grade (because the teachers were soo cool and made it fun to learn). The Hermitage is high on his list of things to do. The group took a bus tour during orientation and was totally impressed by the structures exterior

>139 drneutron: Haha! You're so right, Jim! But I'm thankful such a thing as texting even exists! How did parents survive without it!
Really though, Will's been pretty good it's just the 7 hour time difference which sometimes hinders timely responses.

I've finished about 75% of the Pride Celebration Treasure Hunt but time and travel hindered me from doing more. Great fun, just the same.

Mom to the dr's office again to check on wound. Thankfully, an early appt so I can crawl into a book. Nothing much else to do when all you have is rain, rain, rain.

Turbulence
David Szalay
2019
ebook (160 pages)
4/5

After discovering author, David Szalay a couple of years ago, I was very excited to read his latest book, Turbulence.
Twelve chapters are cleverly titled with departure and arrival airport codes. The first chapter lays the ground work of relating a story as to why the character has traveled to their destination. Each proceeding chapter builds on the story preceding it. Usually, a character has traveled by plane to get to a destination for a specific reason but once at their destination they are faced with tragedy, deception, infidelity and sadness making the stories a bit depressing.
We see through the well written stories that, on every continent, humans share the same struggle, We are not so different after all.
I was hoping the story would bring the characters full circle but instead we return to the airport where the book began which, in a sense, infers there will be more stories with each go round the globe.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for allowing me to read this e-ARC.

Next up is another NetGalley, The Escape Room.

Morning, Lynda. Happy Tuesday. Sorry, about all the damp, gloominess, but it looks like you are finding some solve with the books. How are your feeders doing?

>143 msf59: Happy Wednesday, Mark! Yes, a little resolve in the books - yet this time of year I should be reading on the deck and soaking up some Vitamin D. Maybe today. They've been relatively slow. Perhaps their taking cover too.

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Mom's visit to cardiovascular dr didn't fair well. Her wounds are slow to heal and she's retaining too much water making her face puffy and her legs swollen which leads to more blisters. Blood tests were administered and she'll probably need an echo-cardiogram

From Will's texts and blog, things in Russia are going well. Today, as a group, they will visit the Hermitage . He likes his host family and they are quite helpful in getting him settled in. Tomorrow, classes officially begin.

Sorry your mom isn't doing better, Lynda. Fingers crossed.

Hooray for Will! I took Russian lit in college and started Russian but couldn't keep up. It's a fascinating country.

>145 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. This episode worries me more than any other. She's weaker now and more disheartened than ever before.
Yeah, that darn Cyrillic alphabet makes learning Russian a tough go.

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Will says the "White Nights" on northern Russia are cool but weird. The sun rises at 3:30am and sets at 10:30 pm. Lots of time to get things done.
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Today is a wash out, (the ground is too soggy to do anything in the yard) so I'll be working on 2018 shutterfly album. I'm determined to finish it today!! Interspersed with a little reading of course!

Morning, Lynda. Sweet Thursday. Rain here again but it is moving out, leaving an unseasonable chill. Hey, my last work day before vacation, so I will still bop along. Enjoy your day.

>147 msf59: Woo Hoo, Mark!! I'm sure the bag will seem lighter today knowing that a vacation is soooo near!!

Just saying, this was fabulous last night, chicken so tender - I've never made a bad meal from this website Pressureluck Chicken Marsala

Glad to see that Will is enjoying Russia so far!

>150 ChelleBearss: He's really enjoying it, Chelle! The program he's in mixes classes with cultural outings and fun things to do with fellow classmates and Russian students attending the University. If he's happy we're happy, although were a tad jealous we're not there.
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Bill and I are working really hard outside to get things done in the yard before the next batch of rain comes in on Monday. I'm thinking, I may be ready for apartment living sooner than I thought. hahahaha

#36-2019
The Winter of the Witch Winternight Trilogy #3
Katherine Arden
2019
audio
4/5

This book does not disappoint and is a marvelous conclusion to the Winternight Trilogy! If you've read, and you should have by this point, the previous two novels you will continue to find Russian folklore interspersed with history and magic. This novel seems to be a bit darker than the former two but it works nicely in setting up atmosphere of the unknown and unseen forces surrounding our heroine.
Highly recommend this trilogy.

Quick update: My mom is now in a rehab facility after suffering congestive heart failure this past weekend. She's worn out and I'm very concerned.
Will is living the life of true Fellow! Studying, exploring and making new friends both American and Russian.
Me and Bill, just counting down the days till he returns home. 44 to be exact :0)

Sorry I haven't been visiting, I'm just not feeling it. Hope you're all well

>153 Carmenere: I am so sorry to hear about your Mom. Sending best wishes, for that. Hooray for Will fitting right in.

Morning, Lynda. Obviously, I have not had time to visit any threads, since I left, so I will have to play catch-up, over the next few days. Nothing planned for today, other than some yard work, so I will spend some time online and plenty of time with my neglected books.

Stay positive, my friend.

I'm so sorry to read of your mom's condition. And that you aren't well either. I hope you both see an improvement soon. Best wishes!

I'm so sorry that your mom's had a setback. I'll be keeping you both in my thoughts, Lynda.

Stopping by to get caught up and very sorry to learn about your mother's health setback, Lynda. Sending good health wishes.

Lynda: I am so sorry to hear about your mom. Best wishes for all of you.

>154 msf59: Hey Mark! Thanks for the good wishes, mom's breathing seems to be less labored and swelling is going down slowly. She needs to focus on therapy but, let's face it, it's tough for someone 88 years old.
Will continues to thrive. 40 more days till he's home.

>155 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer!

>156 scaifea: Thank you, Amber!

>157 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

>158 BLBera: Thank you, Beth!

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I've been visiting mom daily, Bill's been ok with take out food which I appreciate but know it's not as healthy as home made.
I see a little improvement but her wound is bandaged so I can't see how it's going.
This afternoon has been so quite and pleasant on the deck. I'll soon have a bite to eat and get back to my book. It's called The Escape Room and apparently it's a game that's played in some circles. Has any one done this type of challenge?

Update from study abroad!

Georgian food -

The Bronze Horsemen -

Hi Lynda, I'm so sorry to hear that your Mom is having some difficulties and I hope they are soon overcome. What a great experience for Will - something he will remember for the rest of his life.

Hi Judy! Thanks, I think it's going to take mom a little longer to recover this time, she's much weaker now than during her last two stints in rehab. She's trying and hopes, at some point, to return to her apartment .
Will is having a blast! He says he's learning just as much outside the classroom as in. 37 days to go :0)

37-2019
The Escape Room
Megan Goldin
July 30, 2019
368 pages
3/5
NetGalley E-book

A thinly veiled mystery of revenge in the world of high finance, Goldin's novel begins with the conclusion. The reader is then taken through the circumstances as to how the revenge was deemed necessary.
It's a well written drama but no surprises here. I was hoping for some sort of twist which didn't transpire but turned out the story line became a bit contrived and over the top.
With that said, I look forward to Goldin's next novel and intend to see how this new author's technique matures.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an objective review.

Next up is another NetGalley which I began reading last night, The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. Now, I was not a fan of The Woman in Cabin 10 but this one is off to a good start. A perfect deck read on a 90f day.

I'm loving the Dog Days of Summer! Bring on the heat I've got to recharge my inner solar panels for the cold months.

My own internal solar panels are overblown in this tropical climate, Lynda - give me a little cool anyday!

Hope your mom is now a lot better.

Did you get the heat you were waiting for, Lynda? I hope that you are out on the deck with a good read, your mom is continuing to improve and that Will is still enjoying his studies in Russia.

>165 PaulCranswick: Hey Paul! tonight we are experiencing the remnants of Hurricane Barry. I love a good storm just so long as our electricity, phone and water are not affected. Mom's had a setback but I've removed her from the rehab facility she was at and sent her to another which seems to offer better care. fingers crossed

>166 Familyhistorian: Oh yes indeedy, Meg, and I am loving every minute of it. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing too much deck reading. My summer has been filled with hospital and rehab visits - still plenty of summer to go, so maybe I'll get back to it! Will is having a wonderful summer in Russia. What an amazing experience! Besides his classes, he's enjoying the culture of st petersburg, the food, the history, the architecture, a long weekend in Moscow and short trips around st petersburg. Wish I was there to experience it with him.

>163 Carmenere: This sounds like an interesting premise, Lynda, and maybe the author's next one will be better. My daughter and sisters have done an escape room. They had a great time.

Fingers crossed for your mom.

38-2019
The Turn of the Key
Ruth Ware
2019
Kindle
NetGalley
4.5/5

TBH I requested this book from NetGalley with both trepidation and hope. I had read Ware's bestselling hit, The Woman in Cabin 10, a couple of years ago and was surely in the minority when I panned it as just another unreliable narrator novel but I wasn't ready to give up on this author just yet. I'm so glad I didn't!
The Turn of the Key is an atmospheric gem, a Gothic tale with modern day nuances. Among the questionable characters are a creepy old house equipped with modern "smart" technology, a new nanny, absent parents, a sexy handyman, an odd housekeeper and four sisters of various ages and abilities.
The structure of the novel is that of a letter written by the nanny, Rowan, from a Scottish prison to her prospective solicitor. She's accused of a murder she says she did not commit and proceeds to tell the solicitor, a Mr. Wrexham, exactly what happened during her short but highly volatile tenure as nanny to the Elincourt children.
Everyone is suspicious in there own way and the house itself has a tragic past which adds a touch of the supernatural to the story and makes the tale a spine tingling page turner.
The conclusion is well thought out and strikingly sad in an understated way.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this selection prior to publication which will be released on August 6, 2019.

>168 BLBera: Hi Beth! So, Escape Rooms really are a thing, huh? I can see where they might be a fun form of entertainment if you want to so something different, like instead of a mystery party, or maybe for a batchlorette party.
Mom's at a different rehab facility after needing to return to hospital for a blood transfusion. Hopefully, she's ready to give therapy another shot and try again.

Morning, Lynda. Sweet Thursday. Not looking forward to the next 3 work days. Send cool thoughts. I hope the week is going well for you and you are enjoying those books.

Hey Mark!! It's gonna be a struggle for sure! Sending air conditioned thoughts your way!

Just for safekeeping....my Goodreads initial pics for the Booker Longlist:

MY VOTES

1
No More Boats by Felicity Castagna
No More Boats
by Felicity Castagna
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2
Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli
Lost Children Archive
by Valeria Luiselli
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3
An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma
An Orchestra of Minorities
by Chigozie Obioma
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4
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
by Ocean Vuong
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5
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
The Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead
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6
Women Talking by Miriam Toews
Women Talking
by Miriam Toews
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7
Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
Gingerbread
by Helen Oyeyemi
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8
Cherry by Nico Walker
Cherry
by Nico Walker
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9
The Golden State by Lydia Kiesling
The Golden State
by Lydia Kiesling
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10
The Book of Science and Antiquities by Thomas Keneally
The Book of Science and Antiquities
by Thomas Keneally
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11
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Queenie
by Candice Carty-Williams
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12
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House
by Ann Patchett
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13
Turbulence by David Szalay
Turbulence
by David Szalay
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14
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
The Friend
by Sigrid Nunez
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15
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
Once Upon a River
by Diane Setterfield
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16
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
Unsheltered
by Barbara Kingsolver
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#39-2019
The Good People
Hannah Kent
2016
Audio
4.5/5

This spellbinding novel takes the reader to Ireland circa 1825. There is a culture where religion, medicine and the old ways are fighting for validity and it is in this culture that Nora Leahy must make her way. Newly widowed and the caregiver of her disabled grandson, Michael, she first seeks the help of a young woman, Mary, who, like Nora, struggles with the grandson but loves him deeply. When the local priest and doctor say nothing can be done for him, Nance, an herbalist practicing in magic and superstition declares him a changeling, a fairy has taken him over and offers her methods to rid him of it. A trial by their peers concludes their sad story of hope and resilience.
Kent's writing is exquisite, I recommend the audio version as narrator, Caroline Lennon's voice gives life to the author's words and brings her characters to life!
Very close to 5 stars but the story of Michael's life with his father is undefined and makes me wonder about a lot of things.
Highly recommend.

>174 Carmenere: Good review. Thumb. I enjoyed this one, as well.

Morning, Lynda. Third, straight, beautiful day. Keep 'em coming. We deserve it. Really enjoying Big Sky.

>174 Carmenere: This one sounds really good, Lynda.

I hope your mom is doing better.

Interesting picks for the Booker. I've read a few of your choices. I wasn't that impressed with The Golden State, but I loved The Friend and Lost Children Archive

>175 msf59: Thanks for the thumb, Mark! Really well done, the characters will stick with me. This week is absolutely perfect! A little rain but mega doses of vitamin D!

>176 BLBera: I think you'd like The Good People Beth! Try the audiobook, I can listen to Caroline Lennon brogue all day long!
Mom returned to ER for a blood transfusion. After 4 days in hospital She's back at rehab but I've chosen to take her to another one. The former, where she rehabbed twice before, had changed. They Cut staff and were not responsive to her needs. I'm really impressed with the new place. Fingers crossed they can fix her.
Lookie here, Beth! The Booker longlist was just posted...........

The 2019 longlist, or ‘Booker Dozen’, of 13 novels, is:

Margaret Atwood (Canada), The Testaments (Vintage, Chatto & Windus) - on order, placed hold
Kevin Barry (Ireland), Night Boat to Tangier (Canongate Books) - on order, placed hold
Oyinkan Braithwaite (UK/Nigeria), My Sister, The Serial Killer (Atlantic Books) READ
Lucy Ellmann (USA/UK), Ducks, Newburyport (Galley Beggar Press) - not available
Bernardine Evaristo (UK), Girl, Woman, Other (Hamish Hamilton) - not available
John Lanchester (UK), The Wall (Faber & Faber) - Downloaded to Kindle
Deborah Levy (UK), The Man Who Saw Everything (Hamish Hamilton) - on order - placed hold
Valeria Luiselli (Mexico/Italy), Lost Children Archive (4th Estate) - placed hold
Chigozie Obioma (Nigeria), An Orchestra of Minorities (Little Brown) - placed hold
Max Porter (UK), Lanny (Faber & Faber) - placed hold
Salman Rushdie (UK/India), Quichotte (Jonathan Cape) - on order - placed hold
Elif Shafak (UK/Turkey), 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World (Viking) - not available
Jeanette Winterson (UK), Frankissstein (Jonathan Cape) - on order - placed hold

Oyinkan Braithwaite (UK/Nigeria), My Sister, The Serial Killer is the only long lister I've read. Off to check my library to see which books are available to borrow.

Most of the Booker selections are on order or not available. I've downloaded The Wall to my Kindle so I started that before I fell asleep. Starts out feeling like I'm looking at Jon Snow's wall. It's cold.

Lynda, I will be looking forward to reading your comments on the 2019 Booker nominees although I have to say that some of the books you listed as your personal choices seem more interesting to me.

Lynda, I’m sorry to hear about your mother’s congestive heart failure. That’s tough. I’m glad she has a good advocate in you and that you got her transferred to a more responsive rehab. I hope she’s able to return to her own home soon.

>173 Carmenere: I sure like your picks for the Booker Prize more that the official one. It looks a lot more reader friendly. I think I’ll wait for the short list before I make any Booker commitments.

Linda - A couple of books from your list made it! I've read My Sister, the Serial Killer and Lost Children Archive. The later is deserving, but I'm puzzled by the inclusion of My Sister, the Serial Killer. I'm obviously missing something...

Hope your mom does well in the new rehab place.

>180 DeltaQueen50: Hey Judy! I look forward to diving into the Booker but my reading life has been rather scattered lately. I think my list was rather conventional where the actual list takes some risks and will certainly introduce me to some new authors. I like the challenge :0)

>181 Donna828: Hi Donna! Good to see you! We went to her cardiologist yesterday and says her echo looks good, keep your leg elevated during the day. Yeah, she has some little issues but I got the feeling at 88 he's not going to intervene too much.
An unsatisfying 15 minutes.
I've got to agree with you about waiting for the long list! Yet, I'll attempt it and keep crossables crossed that some of them advance. :0)

>182 BLBera: Ha! You and me, both, Beth!! I thought MS,tSK a little off the beaten track, when I read it, but that's the sort of book that will advance.....again for puzzling reasons.
Thanks, as weak as she is she does her therapy - eats as best she can - drinks her Boost etc but other days she says she can't go on anymore. Ugh- an emotional roller coaster, for sure!

>174 Carmenere: This sounds great! I loved Kent's Burial Rites, but I didn't know that she had written another book!

>184 Cait86: Hey Cait! I've heard a lot of good things about Burial Rites, so I've got to get my hands on that one. I'm told it is better than The Good People so compare and let me know what you think.

Help Wanted! My friend, Laura will be flying to New Zealand in November and would like me to recommend a book regarding this area. To be honest, I don't have a clue. When she went to Barcelona I suggested she read The Shadow of the Wind. She loved it and is depending on me to come thru again. So, I'm coming to you my LT book buddies for recommendations with this criteria: Preferably fiction but memoir would be nice - must take place in New Zealand -and it would be nice if New Zealand or any of its cities are just as much a character in the book as the people in it as was Barcelona in Shadow of the Wind.
Thanks all :0)

>186 Carmenere: I've been doing some research and wonder if The Luminaries would fit. I haven't read it but I know it's won the Booker Prize just not sure it fits my criteria. Would anyone recommend this one for a New Zealand bound traveler?

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I got a steal at a sidewalk sale yesterday. I saw a stunning ankle length dress hanging from a patio umbrella at a rather expensive shop I would not normally go to but this bronze and black sequined side slit beauty caught my eye. I took it down to check the price and size. Huh, I'll try it on. Mmm, fits pretty well - double check the price with the clerk and she confirms that this $395 dress is marked down to $25. Shazam! I've got nowhere to wear it but I bought it anyway. Just too good to pass up - Even if I just use it for a Halloween costume it's a bargain.

#40-2019
The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah
2018
435 pages
5/5

What a stunning story! Kristen Hannah takes the reader to the wild terrain of Alaska, which is just as much a character in this novel as the exquisitely drawn characters of Ernst and Cora Allbright, their daughter, Leni and neighbors Large Marge, Tom and Matthew Walker and the Harlan clan.
Hannah touches on controversial topics of abuse, PTSD, gentrification and love in its many forms.
This novel is sure to make you a bit emotional, the untamed vistas will take your breath away and Kirstin Hannah will be put on your to read list for many years to come
Highly recommend.

>186 Carmenere: Is your friend going to North or South island as I guess that might make a difference.
My own favourite books by NZ authors:

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
Crime Story by Maurice Gee
Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff

An obvious one which I have started but not finished is The Bone People by Keri Hulme.

Have a great weekend.

>189 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul for responding to my question. They (my friend and her husband) will be flying into Auckland to meet up with their daughter who is studying abroad.
I will share your entire list with her so she can pick and choose what best suits her fancy and are readily available.
All the best to you and yours!!

#41-2019
Lanny
Max Porter
2019
210 pages
4/5
Booker long list

My second read from the Booker Long List and this one rockets to the top. Mystical and innovative, with a charming young protagonist, I could not put this book down.
Lanny is said protagonist, he is a thoughtful, caring and precocious kid who relates with nature and art. Lanny's mum hooks Lanny up with a bohemian sort of artist in the neighborhood for after school art advice, gardening hints and as it turn out, even life lessons.
When Lanny doesn't come home one evening, a close knit community is quick to point fingers and a man who lives an unconventional lifestyle is deemed the perpetrator.
How the reader hopes and reads at a feverish pace to see the safe return of Lanny.
An unconventional novel that's a bit difficult to get into but well worth sticking it out.

Booker ranking:
1. Lanny
2. My Sister, the Serial Killer

Currently reading The Wall
Starting Lost Children Archive

Good morning, Lynda!

Good morning, Jennifer!

#42-2019
The Wall
John Lanchester
2019
3/5
Booker Long List

Something about my third read from the Booker long list compelled me to finish it. In a dystopian world where "The Change" has brought guilt to the older generation and where beaches have ceased to exist and only the "Elites" may travel by airplane, Kavanaugh is drafted to serve two years defending "The Wall" from "The Others". Here, he becomes acquainted with other members of society, "The Breeders" and "Help". The punishment is quite severe for Defenders who are on duty when a breach of the Wall occurs.
The message, in the first section, is timely, clear and Green New Dealish but in subsequent sections the message becomes lost.
I credit Lanchester's rhythmic prose for marching me to the conclusion which begs for The Wall II.

Booker ranking:
1. Lanny
2. The Wall
3. My Sister, the Serial Killer

Currently reading - Lost Children Archive

RIP Toni Morrison

>195 Carmenere: OMG - I was just thinking about her because I finished her collection of essays, The Source of Self-Regard!

Great Booker reading, Lynda. Lanny and The Wall both sound good.

Morning, Lynda. I also enjoyed The Great Alone. I will start Lanny soon. I hope you are enjoying Lost Children. I liked that one a lot.

I am glad it will work out with Hollow Kingdom. I love spreading that book joy.

>196 BLBera: Hey Beth, I've only read Beloved and thought it amazing! I owned a couple more but donated them to a friend for a very worthy cause. I'm fortunate I basically have her whole canon to discover, enjoy and think about.
Lanny and The Wall are well worth your time.

>197 msf59: I am enjoying Lost Children, Mark. Very easy to fall into the story.
Hollow Kingdom, I'm glad it worked out too! Thanks a lot!!

----------------
Updates:
Mom's making a little progress and seems to be getting stronger. She gets winded with little exertion. I suppose that's part of the congestive heart failure diagnosis but I've messaged the doc for advise.

Hard to believe Will's study abroad program is winding down already, the time went by so quickly.

It is certainly a happy Sunday at my house!
Will's home, Will's home!!

Happy to hear that your son is home safe and sound from his travels, Lynda. I am enjoying your reading and ranking of the Booker nominees, even though my wish list is expanding!

I'm glad your mom is making progress, Lynda, and that Will is HOME! You must be on Cloud Nine.

Hooray for the return of Will. Good to see your mom making progress, Lynda.

>200 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! It's a short stay as he's moving into his first apt later this week near his campus. About the Booker finalists: I wish I could read faster. The two I'm reading right now have little dialog so definitely not quick reads.

>201 Donna828: Yes, Donna! Cloud Nine for sure!!

>202 BLBera: Thanks, Beth!! Hopefully, I'll be able to sleep a little better but first lots to washing and drying to do, then pack for college.

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I'm waiting for 7 Booker nominees from my library but all remain "pending" . If it is this difficult to get these books I may, in the future, just follow the National Book Award and Women's Prize in Literature.

Happy Wednesday, Lynda. My friend/co-worker is loving Hollow Kingdom and should be done with it in a couple of days. Have you ever seen Mary Doria Russell at an author event? I know she lives in your area. I am currently enjoying her latest, The Women of the Copper Country.

Hooray for the return of Will!

Sounds like you're having a good week with Will arriving. Hooray!
But sorry about all the laundry and packing ;-)

>204 msf59: Happy Friday, Mark!! Yes, I believe she lives on Cleveland's east side but No, I've never seen MDR, although, I did register for one of her events but couldn't make it. Yay for reading her latest! It's on my radar, for sure!!

>205 mstrust: It's been a busy week, Jennifer! Good week in that Will returned safe and sound from Russia but only had a few days with him as we returned him back to campus yesterday and his first apartment. Time is going too fast.

----------
OK, I've got some goals I need to tend to. Firstly, got to focus on finishing 2018 Shutterfly album and read and review a few NetGalley's - Continue to read Lost Children Archive and begin An Orchestra of Minorities. So I'm hanging up the "Gone Fishing" sign and I'll see ya later

The Willmeister is moved into his apartment! It went so smoothly.....we moved in prior to the move in day for underclassperson's so traffic was relatively light. The apt bldg, I love it! Everything clean when we arrived - nicely coordinated so no long lines and empty parking spaces. It is furnished so just needed to bring the necessities which fit snuggly in our Equinox.

Assisted where we needed to then enjoyed a nice early dinner with him before we headed back home and Will went to meet up with some friends.

And now you breathe a sigh of relief that the hard part is over...

Yes!! I've already finished another month on the Shutterfly album - finished through May, 2018. Just worked in the yard, now off to mom's place and then a relaxing evening! Maybe i'll cook something and hahaha maybe I won't

Happy Sunday, Lynda.
Finally all caught up. Oh dear, what an year you had so far. I hope your mom's improvements are going steadily up well. I'm glad that Will had a great time abroad. Yeh, your shoulder is much better.

Hello Barbara!! I must admit, it's been quite a roller coaster kind of summer. Will's back at school so that's back to normal, mom is still at rehab - tomorrow we're having a "care conference" with the staff there and determine my mom's release date and what kind of care she'll require. I'm afraid it will be more than she had before the summer began.

---------------
Well, I'm getting my life in order! I've finally finished my 2018 Shutterfly photo album!
I'm just about finished with Lost Children Archive review and Booker standing update will come tomorrow.
I've also started Zeitoun. It's hard to believe it is the 19th anniversary of Katrina!
I have so many books half read it's mind boggling!
My library has still not received 9 of the Booker long list I've requested. Very disappointing and I've decided to not follow the Booker lists after this year.

OK back to reading :0)

Hi, Lynda. I hope you had a nice weekend. Zeitoun was excellent. My favorite Eggers.

BTW- MDR lives in Lyndhurst.

>212 msf59: Yes, I thought it was either Lyndhurst or South Euclid, they neighbor each other. I went to high school in South Euclid so I know the area relatively well.
2005 must have been an active hurricane season. This time in 2005 the names were at K(atrina) and today were just at D(orian).

#43-2019
Lost Children Archive
Valeria Luiselli
2019
3.5/5
Booker Long List

To be honest, I was, at first, intimidated by this book. Its wordy paragraphs and lack of dialog informed me this was going to be a tedious read. Yet, this was not the case. The author wisely broke the narrative down into sections of 3 to 6 paragraphs which made for easier reading.
First and foremost, this is a story of a road trip - New York to Arizona. Included on this road trip are a husband and wife, their troubled marriage is unlikely to survive after they reach their destination, the husband's son from a previous marriage, age 10 and the wife's daughter from her previous marriage, age 5. The relationships among the steps are really sweet and loving. As a whole, they get along well and the children are indeed endearing.
Secondly, the story is about relocation, mainly forced. The author weaves two tales into the main body of work describing how, within the United States, the youngest and most vulnerable are taken from their parents and scattered to parts unknown.
Luiselli's work, which documents not only the times in which we live but also the tragedies of human relocation over the past 100+ years, asks questions which can not easily be answered but brings to light events which shouldn't be forgotten. Her writing is beautiful and her use of an antiquated form of media turns the reader into a voyeur of sorts, peering into the loneliness and hugeness of America. Still, be warned, it is a slow, tedious read with little action but worth the time if you can see it through.

Booker ranking:
1. Lanny
2. Lost Children Archive
3. The Wall
4. My Sister, the Serial Killer

Currently reading - An Orchestra of Minorities

It's so interesting how many people have recently given Lost Children Archive a rather lukewarm evaluation. I'm nearly done reading it and I'm quite loving it --- probably 4.5 stars for me.

I thought My Sister, the Serial Killer was sub-par for a Booker nominee, although a worthwhile read. An Orchestra of Minorities was good but that one got tiresome for me.

I don't think I'm going to be able to get through the whole long list before the winner is announced. Several of them are available only in hardcover and, although I'm reading Lost Children Archive in that format, I would greatly prefer to wait for softcover release.

I'm glad you got some time with Will before he returned to campus. It's amazing how fast the time goes, isn't it?

>215 EBT1002: I must say, Ellen, I wavered between a 3.5 and 4. I think ,subconsciously, I Iook at Booker nominees a bit differently than a regular read. Like, will it stand the test of time. I don't know, it's weird.

Obioma's book looks even more daunting. The lack of short breaks in narrative which Luiselli utlized is not utilized in Obioma's.

I'm extremely disappointed in my library's lack of depth. Only 5 of the 13 Long listers are available from their system. They've been ordered and I have them on hold so I'm hoping , at least, some of the short listers will be available soon.

Will's coming home for an Indians vs Twins game in September. If we are still in a pennant race with them it could be an exciting series!!

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It's the little things, right? I received my LT t-shirt in yesterday's mail. I chose the burgandy Stamp T. It's still on sale for $7 including shipping. Nice quality! I think I'll wear it today :0)

#44-2019
Zeitoun
Dave Eggers
2009
4.5/5

I thought I knew everything there was to know about this hurricane but little did I know this book would be such an eyeopener. On the surface, this is the story about mega Hurricane Katrina, which in 2005 brought devastation to the city of New Orleans and it's residents, in particular a Syrian-American named Abdulraman Zeitoun and his family.
Known as Zeitoun throughout the city for his dependable and conscientious painting and construction business and by his family as a loving, devoted father and stubborn workaholic he chose to stay in New Orleans and weather out the storm while his family left for higher ground.
The storm raged and cleared, the flooding soon subsided but then...... the levees burst. Urged by this family to leave the city, Zeitoun again chose to stay. He was rescuing people and animals, surely it was God's will that he remain. Yet, the affects of another storm still had the country and government on edge, 9/11.
What happens to Zeitoun in the days and weeks following Katrina reveal the fear, ineptitude and incompetence of a nation facing two catastrophes with little guidance and too much bureaucracy.
Highly recommend.

Happy Sunday, Lynda. Hope you are having a great holiday weekend. Good review of Zeitoun. Thumb! I loved this book, as well and own a "keeper" copy.

>217 Carmenere: I also loved Zeitoun when I first read it, and I even used it in some classes. Students gave it a positive reception. But, you should check out what happened later with Zeitoun. Very sad.

Hi Lynda.

>218 msf59: Hey Mark, lovely weekend with comfortable temps. We're sitting on the deck as i type enjoying a beer from our friends up north and ribs are cooking in the Instant Pot. Thanks for the thumb. I'm not sure who could read Zeitoun and not in some way be affected by it.

>219 BLBera: Happy Sunday, Beth! Ya know, I was thinking about Zeitoun's family in Syria as I read this book and wonder how the years and circumstances in Syria changed their lives. Or Kathy Zeitoun and what happened to her failing memory. Now that you mentioned it, I will certainly Google him and see what's what.

>219 BLBera: Oh my goodness, Beth! Of all the things I imagined, this was not one of them!! Indeed, very sad!

Many of us who taught the book felt bad about the situation, but decided we needed to choose something else.

>222 BLBera: Sure, under the circumstances, it's understandable. What did you choose in its place?