Tess Reads her own Tomes--page 2

Author Richard Powers: "“I want literature to be something other than it is today. There was a time when our myths and legends and stories were about something greater than individual well-being. "

Hi, my name is Tess and I'm a college professor-Western Civ, American History, and The Holocaust. I teach in real-time and also online.

I've been married to my husband for 45 years; have 2 sons and 7 grandchildren ranging in ages from 2 to 20 years of age. I live in the midwest USA, Ohio, on about 5 acres in a rural area; although a grocery is only 1/2 mile from my house.

Besides reading, I love to cook, garden and travel. I also play the tenor saxophone in a community band.

I've been reading since age 4 when my mother taught me to read from the Bible. My favorite genres are historical fiction (not romance), Victorian, the classics, and Gothic literature. I also like stories about western U.S. settlement and psychological thrillers as well as true crime. I have a great interest in Russia and the Soviet Union. I hardly ever buy a paper book anymore, preferring e-books and audiobooks.

My rating system:
1 star--waste of paper and ink
2 stars-Is this literature? -major flaws or mind numbing boring
2 1/2 stars-not so bad I had to stop reading
3 stars-average, but still quite enjoyable
3 1/2 fun, informative, thought provoking
4 stars-excellent read
4 1/2 exceptionally good, among my favorites
5 stars-in all ways a superior read




BEGINNING TBR: 542

Virtual Bookshelf--This can be an e-book or an audiobook



1. The Strangled Queen by Maurice Druon
2. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
3. When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica
4. Caravans by James Michener 449 pages 4 stars
5. Blacklands by Belinda Bauer 242 pages 4 1/s stars
6. I'll Be Gone in the Dark Michelle McNamara 456 pages 3 stars
7. Demelza by Winston Graham 429 pages 5 stars
8. The Devil's Grin 226 pages 4 stars
9. Maids of Misfortune 337 pages 4 stars
10. City of Silence by Kim Wright 336 pages 4 stars
11. Whisper my Secret by JB Rowley 180 pages 2 1/2 stars
12. The Middleman by JT Conroe 254 pages 3 1/2 stars
13. Song of Years by Bess Streeter Aldrich 429 pages 4 1/2 stars
14. The Story of a Bad Boy by Thomas Aldrich 122 pages 3 1/2 stars
15. The Monk by Matthew Lewis 232 pages 2 1/2 stars
16. Queen Margot by Alexander Dumas 533 pages 3 stars
17. Tread Softly on My Dreams by Gretta Browne 403 pages 5 stars
18. The Painter by Peter Heller 368 pages 2 1/2 stars
19. Mary Rose by Geoffrey Girard 272 pages 2 1/2 stars
20. Their Eyes were Watching God by Zola Neale Thurston 3 1/2 stars
21. Villette by Charlotte Bronte 638 pages 3 stars
22. The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff 369 pages 4 stars
23. My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray 635 pages 5 stars
24. The Silent Patient 297 pages 5 stars
25. A Fall of Marigolds 399 pages 4 stars
26. 438 Days by Jonathan Franklin 288 pages 5 stars
27. Wolf 359 podcast from Stitcher
28. Mrs Dalloway vy VIrginia Woolf 178 pages 2 1/2 stars
29. Dusty Deals by Rae Davis 323 pages 3 stars
30. The Bad Seed by Jory 18 pages 3 stars
31. Giants of the Earth by Ken Follett 865 pages 5 stars
32. The End of the World by Andrew Biss 99 pages 2 stars
33. Thaw by Ryan Dunn 240 pages 4 stars
34. Winter of the World 957 pages 5 stars
35. Maud's House by Sherry Roberts 200 pages 2 1/2 stars
36. Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett 957 pages 5 stars
37. The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel 757 pages 4 stars
38. America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money: Your Guide to Living Better, Spending Less, and Cashing in on Your Dreams 288 pages 3 stars
39. Five Presidents by Clint Hill 464 pages 5 stars
40. The Wife's Tale 336 pages 3 stars
41. To the Edges of the Earth: 1909, the Race for the Three Poles 352 pages 5 stars
42. Journey by James Michener 389 pages 5 stars
43. When Christ and His Saints Slept 762 pages 5 stars
44. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper 352 pages 3 (just) stars
45. The Thief of Auschwitz 276 pages 3 (just) stars
46. Secrets Can be Deadly by Nancy Roe 271 pages 2 1/2 stars
47. Booked to Die by John Dunning 369 pages 3 stars
48. The Master Butcher's Singing Club 416 pages 3 stars
49. Fantomas read 48/254 pages DNF 1 1/2 stars
50. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 174 pages 5 stars
51. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells 184 pages 3 stars
52. No one Cares About Crazy People by Ron Powers DNF Read 125/384 pages 1 1/2 stars
53. The Poisoned Crownby Maurice Druon 320 pages 4 stars
54. I, Claudius by Robert Graves 471 pages 3 stars
55. The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace 329 pages 3 1/2 stars
56. The Ragged Edge of Night by Jessica 4 stars
57. Dancing with the Enemy by Paul Glaser 5 stars
58. Circe by Madeline Miller 372 pages 3 stars
59. The Violins of Saint Jacques 160 pages 3 stars
60. The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Swordfight, Mutiny, Shipwreck, Gold, War, Hurricane, and Discovery 320 pages 5 stars
61. A Shot in the Dark (Mydworth Mystery) 220 pages 2 1/2 stars
62. Little Miss Sureshot: Annie Oakely
63. Brooklyn
64. Whistling Past the Graveyard
65 Caleb's Crossing 307 pages 3 stars
66. Mustard Seed Laila Ibrahim 282 pages 3 stars
67. If you lived here I'd know your name by Heather Lende 298 pages 3 stars
68. Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham 304 pages 5 stars
69. The Accused Kings Series Book 4 305 pages 4 stars
70. Warleggan Poldark Series Book 4 5 stars
71. Nothing Ventured 326 pages 3 stars
72. She-Wolf of France by Maurice Druon 464 pages 4 stars

Paper books



1. The Stalking Moon by Theodore Olsen 240 page 3 1/2 stars
2. Farewell My Lovely by Raymond Chandler} 292 pages 3 stars
3. Charade (Classic Screenplays) (Volume 1) 192 pages 3 stars
4. The Sleeping Tiger by Maurice Moiseiwitsch 247 pages 3 stars
5. Hell House and Other True Hauntings From Around the World 20y pages 2 1/2*
6. The Man With The Broken Ear by Edmond About 91 pages 3 1/2 stars
7. The Tower of London by William Ainsworth 448 pages 3 1/2 stars
8. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carre 292 pages 3 1/2 stars
9. The Moon and the Bonfires 176 pages 2 1/2 stars
10. Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham 4 stars 438 pages
11. Mary Donoho: New First Lady of the Santa Fe Trail by Marian Meyer 143 pages 5 stars
12. Plain Meeting Houses 217 pages 5 stars
13. Tamar by Ann Chamberlin 468 pages 3 stars

Shakespeare--I've read all the comedies and a sprinkling of others.



1. Macbeth COMPLETED
2. Henry V COMPLETED

Reading Through Time



Quarterly Reads
1. Prehistory The First Dog READ
2. Ancient and Biblical Times Brothers (Legacies of the Ancient River) READ
3. Arthurian Britain A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court READ
4. Medieval Times (plus the Vikings) Great Tales from English History: The Truth About King Arthur, Lady… READ

Monthly Reads
1. Jan 19th century Ireland Changing Skies: Manchester Irish Writers READ
2. Crime/Mystery Death of a Red Heroine by Xialong Qiu READ
3. March Mothers and Daughters The Kitchen God's Wife READ
4. Off With Her Head! The Tower of London by William Ainsworth READ
5. May Explorers Journey to the Center of the Earth READ
6. June Get thee to a nunnery The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie READ/The Apostate's Tale READ
7. Seashore-Moon and Sixpence by S. Maugham READ
8. August Epidemics, Famine and Other Health Disasters Fever 1793 Laurie Anderson READ
9. September- I'll Trade You (economics) Poldark #3 (Mining) READ
10. October Deceptions Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies READ
11. November Author Biography Brontes and Their World READ
12. December Predicting the future Legacy by Angela Hunt

GEOCAT



January-Geo Area Asia I Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan - My Dear Son: The Memoirs of Stalin's Mother by Keke Jughashvili READ

February--Geo Area: Europe (Excluding Great Britain) -Past Imperfect (France) READ

March Northern Africa & The Mideast: Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Turkey (others) Reading Lolita in Tehran READ

April Australia, New Zealand, Oceania the Daughters of Mars READ

May: Any place you would like to visit! Swan Loch (Maine) READ

June: Space: The Final Frontier...WIll finish listening to Wolf 359 on Stitcher (Pod Cast) READ

July: Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean Like Water for Chocolate READ

August: Asia II: Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan Southeast Asia Dragon Seed

September: Polar & Tundra Regions Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition READ

October: Great Britain, Canada, US Tales from English History: The Truth About King Arthur, Lady Godiva, Richard the Lionheart, and More READ

November: Africa II All countries excluding those from March. Possibilities: Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia and others Tarzan and the Apes READ

December: Catch up month or read another one from your favorite CATegory! What Alice Forgot READ

Books published in 1955 It was a very good year!;)



1. Lolita FINISHED
2. Marjorie Morningstar FINISHED
3. The Talented Mr. Ripley
4. The Quiet American
5. Harold and the Purple Crayon FINISHED
6. The Sleeping Tiger by Maurice Moiseiwitsch 247 pages 3 stars FINISHED

BIG FAT BOOKS--books with 500+ pages


1. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie FINISHED
2. Russka FINISHED
3. The Fall of Giants FINISHED
4. Kristin Lavransdatter FINISHED
5. The Overstory FINISHED
6. Vanity Fair FINISHED
7. Winter of the World FINISHED
8. Edge of Eternity FINISHED
9. The Mirror and the Light FINISHED
10. Dombey and Son FINISHED
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck by Gary Kinder FINISHED
11. The Last Hours by Minette Walters 547 pages FINISHED
12. What Alice Forgot 524 pages
13. Time and Chance 545 pages
14. The Stranger from the Sea 521 pages
15. The Black Moon 592 pages
16. The Angry Tide 624 pages

KITastrophe



Jan Fires The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy FINISHED
Feb Invasions 1812 Napoleon's Fatal March on Moscow FINISHED
March Epidemics/Famines Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic FINISHED
April Riots/Uprisings/Sieges The Plot Against America FINISHED
May Geologic Events Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded, August 27, 1883 FINISHED
June Man Made Disasters: The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede FINISHED
July Weather Events Cont Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson FINISHED
August Transportation & Maritime Transportation Without a Trace 1970-2016 FINISHED
September Columbus' 4th and Final Voyage FINISHED
October Pre 1900 Firestorm at Peshtigo: A Town, Its People, and the Deadliest Fire in American History FINISHED
November Outside your home country 57 Hours: A Survivor's Account of the Moscow Hostage Drama FINISHED
December-Industrial/Chemical/Technology Midnight in Chernobyl

Welcome to my new thread!

Happy new thread, Tess!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread! You're closing in on your 100th book of the year, that's phenomenal reading!

>14 Jackie_K: Thank you! My reply: Well, I have to do something while I'm stuck at home! Since March I've only been to grocery twice and doctor's once. I'm reading, but I've been doing so much of it I think I'm going to take a break after I finish the two books I'm currently reading.

Happy new thread! Without books and reading these last few months I would have gone crazy and brought my husband along to crazytown as well!

Happy new thread!

>16 DeltaQueen50:
>17 lkernagh:

TY!

100. Tamar by Ann Chamberlin was a work of historical fiction based on the Biblical Tamar, daughter of King David. This work doesn't really align too well with the Biblical characters so I sometimes became confused. For example, the Biblical Amnon rapes Tamar but in this book, his cousin, Jonadab rapes Tamar and Amnon is the kind, loving step-brother. Since I was familiar with the story from 2 Samuel 13 (where Tamar is only named twice and the incident is only about 6 verses) I was confused when the characters were changed around. Not sure why an author would do this. The author does create quite a story for Tamar as the "Snake Sleeper" who controls snakes for her ceremonies and is immune to their bite. 468 pages 3 stars (barely). CAT: Tree book

101. The Moon and Sixpence by Somerset Maugham This was Maugham's fictional account of the life of painter Paul Gauguin. Maugham paints (!) Gauguin as a beast, having absolutely no feelings or considerations for others in his all consuming, unapologetic quest to become a painter. In the book, Gauguin is known as Charles Strickland, an ex stockbroker who deserts his family in England and moves to Paris. In real life, Gauguin did leave his family in Denmark, though, to move to Paris and eventually Tahiti. Gauguin used people ruthlessly for whatever purpose was expedient. One of the women that he lived with committed suicide and Gauguin did not attend her funeral or visit her in the hospital as she was dying. He also did not support his wife and five children and had no remorse. I have no desire to read more about Gauguin, however, I wish I had read a book that was more of a true biography because this book, told by a first person narrator, was just too predictable. 184 pages 3 stars CAT: Reading Through Time/July/Island

102. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse was a great YA read about the Yellow Fever Outbreak in the Eastern U.S. in 1793. (most cases in Philadelphia, the capital of the U.S. at that time) The fever had a 10% mortality rate, so 5000 people died from July-Oct, 1793. A very interesting and entertaining book that is able to be read in one sitting. 243 pages 5 stars CAT: RTT August Plagues

What a great thread.

>20 Tess_W: I know about Paul Gauguin so I like a book that has facts that are true.

>23 mnleona: This was supposed to be "true" as Maugham and Gauguin were 'friends.' But ?????

103. The Thief of Auschwitz is a work of fiction by Jon Clinch centering on a painting of a dead Jewish girl. This book was gifted to me. There have been more evocative tales of Auschwitz than this one. It seemed as if the characters were flat, and I did not become emotionally involved with any of them. 276 pages 3 stars (barely) CAT: Virtual bookshelf.

Many years ago, I attended an author event/reading retreat at which Jon Clinch was there promoting his book, Finn. At the time, he was with Random House and the book itself was intense and very well written. Shortly afterwards (within a year or two of 'Finn') however, RH and he parted ways and he wrote and self-published a few things-- all of which showed how much a writer needs a good editor! I just did a quick check on this one and, yep! Self-pubbed! I do have his latest offering, Marley which I am hoping will be better. It's published by Atria--so we'll see!

>26 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I'll be watching for your review of Marley!

104. Dancing with the Sun by Kay Bratt was the story of a mother and daughter reconnecting after fraught teen-aged years. This book was really just--meh. Had it not been so easy to read, I would have quit at least 50% of the way through. Not really worth the effort. Free book from Kindle. CAT: Virtual bookshelf 276 pages 2 1/2 stars

105. Secrets Can be Deadly by Nancy Roe was a free Kindle book from 2015. It is the story of lies and deceit and what an unbalanced family member will do to get revenge. Very predictable 271 pages 2.5 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

106. Booked to Die by John Dunning was a novel about Cliff Janeway, one time Denver policeman turned rare book and first edition book collector. The action centered around a murdered book scout. I liked this book for my acquisition of knowledge, but the number of characters was difficult to remember. Perhaps if I had read a hard copy instead of listening to an audio, I would have liked the book better. It was good enough that I will be selecting book two in the series to read. 369 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>30 Tess_W: - I really liked this series by John Dunning. I wish he had written more.

>31 dudes22: Me too although I haven't read them all, I think I've read 3. I bought the whole series at a library sale for $5.

>32 clue: Great deal!

Our county has just moved to Zone 4--the highest for Covid-19 cases. Likewise, my school is sticking with opening 5 days per week (which is ok with me), BUT no masks for students (and I teach 14-19 year olds). That is absurd. My doctor says it is morally and legally irresponsible. Therefore, today I officially resigned. I would not have done so had the mask policy been different. But I'm not going to work in fear each day (6 classes x 24 unmasked students per class). I'm sad, but also a burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I'm a bit excited! I may retired from teaching, but I'm in no way ready to sit at home. P.S. I still teach online 1 course for a university.

Late, but I hope not too late to wish you Happy New thread! Love your red coneflowers header.

>34 Tess_W: Congratulations on your retirement! I'm sorry it wasn't in happier circumstances but you (and your doctor) are right in being so concerned.

>34 Tess_W: Well, congratulations on retirement, but I'm sorry about the lack of choice you had. Is there any possibility of picking up more online work at the university? I hope that you thrive in this new period in your life, whatever you end up doing!

I too am sorry you were somewhat forced into this decision. You don't say how soon classes were to start but was there a possibility they might have changed the rules? Are parents ok with this. Here in RI, it's almost the opposite. Even with distancing and mask wearing, most parents don't think it's safe enough.

>37 dudes22: I've waited since July 1 for them to change the rules. Retiring now gives them 2 weeks to find another teacher--in this day and age I think they will be hard pressed to find one; but we all live with our choices.

>34 Tess_W: I wish you well Tess! I have a next door neighbor who is a teacher at the elementary school just a few blocks away. She's not too worried about the virus situation, they will social distance the desks and have shields for them and everyone in the building will be required to wear masks. The problem is that most of the decisions trickled in, it's only been a week ago that masks became mandatory, so in the meantime most of the teachers who were near retirement notified the school they would retire.

Out of this one school, as of a few days ago, 6 were leaving and she expected 2 more. She has two kids to worry about too, her youngest is 12 and she did not do well with online learning even with her mother at home. The older son, an AP student, seems to be able to learn regardless of how it's presented. I just feel sorry for everyone; teachers, administration, parents and students. Administration because regardless of what they decide to do they will be criticized by someone. I'm glad I'm retired!

>34 Tess_W: Good for you! I hope this "retirement" enables you to pursue projects and pastimes in a safe and happy environment! :-)

Congrats on entering a new life stage, Tess! But it is awful to have the decision forced on you in such a way. I hope you enjoy your leisure!

Hi Tess, I am echoing what has already been said, but congratulations on your retirement and I am also sorry that you were backed into this decision. I definitely feel the same way as you - masks should be mandatory especially as we are seeing the numbers rising just about everywhere and whatever we can do to keep the teachers, staff and students safe should be done.

My first day as a "free" woman, relatively speaking. By now I would be busily updating my syllabus, etc. Instead, it's like this is surreal. I'm thinking, "what am I going to do next?", although I have a million things to do around the house that have been somewhat neglected. Today I'm just wondering and wandering!

>43 Tess_W: I remember those days! I was used to getting up very early, I was usually at work by 6:30, and the first night I slept all night without waking until 7 or so in the morning it scared me. I told a friend that and she laughed and said that's what normal people do! I'm sure you'll find plenty to do when being home is "normal".

By the way, if you go into a Dollar Tree, the next time check their books. I got 2 of the Poldark titles for $1 each. They are later in the series but I'll be reading them eventually.

>44 clue: Thanks, Luanne! It's great to know that I'm not that odd. Good buy on those Poldark's. I will need to stop at the dollar tree the next time I go to the grocery, it's about 15 miles away, so only go every 2 weeks these days.

July Statistics:

Books read: 15
Favorite Book: When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Penman
Least Favorite: Dancing with the Sun by Kay Bratt

On target for all my CAT's and yearly total.

TBR on Dec. 24 2019 (the beginning of my reading year, although will change this year since I'm not working): 542
TBR currently: 495!!! My goal was to get below 500 this year, and I've done it, and I have even read some library books and bought 11 books for my Thingaversary! Yeah me!

107. The Master Butcher's Singing Club by Louis Erdrich. This is very difficult for me to evaluate. It's like a book of short stories that are loosely connected. There are at least 5 characters (of 12) who we are introduced to in depth (1-3 chapters), and then never see again. As well, in all of Erdrich's books, so I'm told, she works her native American heritage into the book; this time I think in dream form. The book is brutal; the way people treat each other, the hardness of life and death, and WWII. For me, it was enjoyable in parts, but I wanted those parts to be continued instead of stopped immediately, never to re-appear. Choppy, is perhaps the word I would use as well as abrupt. 416 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>47 Tess_W: - I have this on my TBR, where it might stay for a while longer.

>48 dudes22: Others have rated it higher; but it just didn't float my boat!

108. The Rosary by Florence Barclay was a best-seller in 1910. It is definitely a romance and a bit too long on melodrama. The Rosary has nothing to do with an actual beaded necklace or the Catholic Church, but is a song, whose stanazas are repeated ad nauseam throughout the book. 288 pages 2 1/2 stars. This was a free Kindle book. CAT: Virtual Library

>34 Tess_W: goodness, that's a big decision to be forced into. I'm sure you'll find something to fill your time, but there's no need to rush into it. Good luck.

>36 Jackie_K: Yes, Jackie, I probably could pick up more classes. However, at this time, I'm really "done" with education. I've been teaching or in administration for 30+ years now, so I'm ready to move on. At this time, though, I'm not contemplating doing anything but staying home, cleaning, reading, cooking, etc. I really don't want another job in the middle of this corona "thing"!

>51 Helenliz: TY Helen!

109. I just finished Pearl Buck's Dragonseed as as always with Buck, it was a winner. This is the story of a farm family from a small village during the Japanese invasion of China during WWII (the Rape of Nanking). Buck was very graphic and did not flinch at writing about the death and rape scenes. There is no happy ending, not even after this long time as the Japanese government is still being accused of not mitigating/paying enough reparations for the atrocities. Buck is one of my favorite authors. Only 200 pages, but packs a wallop! Next, I want to read The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang which is more contemporary. (Chang committed suicide following the large amount of hate mail and damage to her personal property following the completion of her book, which is controversial.)

110. Fantomas by Marcel Allain was supposed to be a farcical book in the vein of James Bond featuring Fantomas, a sinister master criminal. I didn't find anything amusing or interesting. I didn't even see the point of the book! I did not finish, reading only 48/254 pages. Life is too short to read lousy books! 1 1/2 stars (a waste of ink and paper!) CAT: Virtual Bookshelf/DNF This is considered a classic by many, it is free on Kindle. It was very popular in England/France in the early 1900's with 11 novels in the series. There were also several films made (2 silent) featuring Fantomas. Not for me!

111. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass was a superb read about the life of a slave from 1820-1845. This book was penned by Douglass and I think he withheld emotion and just gave the facts (as emotional as they were) so the reader could really understand the evils of slavery. I really enjoyed chapter 16 (the final chapter) in which Douglass finally lets go and compares and contrasts religion and slavery. I could hear his fiery speech and I wanted to shout Amen! I also learned that Douglass did not approve of the underground railroad, because it to was too public and he said it actually hurt the remaining slaves as it gave the owners ideas of how and where the slaves could escape and they did more to prevent it. Loved this book! 174 pages 5 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>56 Tess_W: Totally agree with your review!

112. Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens. Whewwwww! Did not think I was ever going to finish this one. This is classic Dickens, the poor and the oppressed women put upon by the rich. I really enjoyed this work of Dickens more than some of the others (The Pickwick Papers, Nicholas Nickelby). Some of the descriptions which went on for 20 pages or so, could have been cut down to one paragraph and the story would not have been lost. This is now my 4th favorite Dickens. (following: Bleak House, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities) 1004 pages 4 stars CAT: BFB

113, No One Cares About Crazy People: My Family and the Heartbreak of Mental Illness in America by Ron Powers. Really thought I could learn something from this non-fiction book; however, I was almost completely wrong. I am quite aware of how many of the mentally ill slip through the cracks. I hoped to learn something about schizophrenia, but into the book about 100 pages and the author is still telling about family vacations when his children were 5. I feel for the author, but he has got to get the point much sooner than he hopefully does! This is going to be a DNF for me. Read 100/384 pages CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

I love LT, especially this group! You are keeping my hopping--2 new vocab words this week:

1. twee
2. bildungsroman

114. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells is what one thinks it would be! The story of the invisible man who resorts to crime to live. The book was interesting for the first 50%, but it waned after that. 184 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

115. The Poisoned Crown by Maurice Druon was book 3/7 of the Accursed King Series. While still historical fiction, this book was more history than the first two books, making it a tiny bit dry. It was still very interesting, but more along the vein of political intrigue than the first two. It was the story of the short reign (2 years) of Louis X of France. Louis had his first wife imprisoned for 10 years before he had her strangled or poisoned, history is unsure. However, Louis X had a marriage contract for a new wife, Clementia of Hungary, before Margaret of Burgundy was dead. Clementia was on her way to France to marry Louis before Margaret was dead. Louis and Clementia were married just 5 days after Margaret died. I do know that in general, and this series in particular, (which I will continue to read), that I must have a hard copy of the book along with the audio because I can't make name distinctions auditorily due to the fact that many of the names sound alike, especially for a non French speaking person: Robert of Artois, Charles of Artois, Count of Eu, Mahaut, Charles of Valois, Charles of Patrois, etc. The political intrigue in this book focused on Louiis' ill-fated campaign against Flanders. 320 pages 4 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

116. I, Claudius by Robert Graves was written in first person with Claudius, the stutterer, as the narrator. This book portrayed the increasingly brutal and mad reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula. The least "impressive" of the caesars was Claudius. With several important people named Tiberias and Nero, it was a bit difficult to keep people straight. I actually had to pull a family tree off the net to follow along intelligently. Most of the time I don't really like to work that hard to follow along. 472 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

117. The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson. When I purchased this, I thought it was historical fiction, but it was a non-fiction read. Who knew about this whole underground of fly-fisherman who paid thousands for a feather to catch a specific salmon? Who knew there is a huge underground dealing with dead birds on the endangered species list? This is the story of Edwin Rist and his theft of millions of dollars of birds and feathers from the Natural History Museum in Hertfordshire, England. Birds and feathers from extinct species and some collected by Russell Wallace (Darwin's contemporary) were included in the heist. For the most part, the book was a good read. However, 2-3 chapters were all about how to tie one of these flys, and it was sooooooooo boring! 3 1/2 stars 318 pages CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

118. Without a Trace 1970-2016 by Sylvia Wrigley was a compilation and summary of numerous aircraft/flights that have disappeared from 1970-2016. The information was cursory and I felt that I knew more about Malaysia Flight 370 than was contained in the book. However, there were many other "missing" flights that I was unaware of. It was a good overview. If you are looking for something substantial about a specific flight, this would not be the book. However, in the back of the book were the stories of at least 30 people who claimed to be DB Cooper, the man who jumped from a plane between Portland and Seattle in 1971 and was never found. None of the marked $200,000 has ever been located, either. 202 pages 3 stars CAT: Kitastrophe-Transportation

>34 Tess_W: There are so many who have resigned. I'm not looking forward to a Thursday faculty meeting. They are holding it in the field house which is basically the basketball gym with bleachers. We'll be able to spread out. They are not requiring attendance. I don't think it will be a long thing, but they are giving honors and recognitions at it so we feel the need to be there. Active cases are declining where we are now, but there are still too many to be too comfortable.

>67 thornton37814: I'm glad cases are declining where you are at. Our county is only 1 point below Zone 4 (the highest level) and there is no safety in going back to school. I feel sorry for those who for financial reasons must go back.

119. The Ragged Edge of Night by Olivia Hawker is based on a true story. This book is very much like All the Light We Cannot See in that it is suspenseful and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. All the parts just come together to make for a dramatic true story written as a novel: An ex friar, euthanized children, a widow who places an ad in the paper for a husband, The Red Orchestra, the SS, church bells, etc. 352 pages 4 stars CAT: Virtual bookshelf Deducted one star because of the author's notes, which then politicized this book--very unnecessary.

>65 Tess_W: When I saw this in the library catalogue I added it to my list because I'd seen it mentioned here on LT. Thanks to your review I've removed it. Doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy.

>65 Tess_W: I hate to be the reason you might not read a book!

>69 Tess_W: - I recently got her book One For the Blackbird, One For the Crow although I probably won't read it til next year.

>72 dudes22: I have put most of her books on my wish list. I think she is an author that I will really enjoy; especially if her other books are as good as this one.

120. Dancing with the Enemy by Paul Glaser was a really good story about one man's search for his "past" in the 1950's-1960's as it pertained to WWII. The story centered on his aunt, Rosie. Paul's father was still alive but refused to talk about WWII or his sister. The story alternated voices; those of Paul and his great aunt Rosie, whom he succeeded in contacting. Rosie was a survivor by any means that did not hurt others. Many people will fault her for sleeping with Nazi officers in the camps, but I don't know what I would do when faced with starvation or cremation. Rosie survived 3 camps, including Auschwitz, although she was sterilized with x-rays by Dr. Mengele's assistant. What I really found shocking is the way that the Dutch government treated Dutch citizens who had survived the war, no better than the Nazis, from these accounts. This was a great non-fiction read. 320 pages 5 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>72 dudes22: >73 Tess_W: I read One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow earlier this year and really liked it partly because it is so different from other novels about the West but believable. The Ragged Edge of Night awaits on the TBR.

121. Circe by Madeline Miller was more like a biography of Circe to me than a myth or a story. The first 25% of the book was interesting as we got to know Circe, her parents, her family, and her first love. However, once she was banished to the island, the story really stalled for me and never picked back up. Circle seemed to be very distant, much unlike the main characters in Millers' The Song of Achilles. 352 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

122. The Violins of Saint-Jacques by Patrick Fermor was a novella about a mythical island in the Caribbean with an active volcano. The story is told through the eyes of Berthe, the only survivor of a 1902 volcanic eruption. The author was a well known travel writer and this was his first (and only???) foray into fiction; hence the lush descriptions of everything from the foliage. food, personages, leather goods, etc. The descriptions overshadow a thin plot. 160 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

Stopping by to get caught up. Happy retirement, Tess, and best wishes on this next stage of life. Sorry that you were forced into making this decision but on the positive side, you are now free to pursue whatever you wish with your time, and not have to teach under such trying conditions.

>79 lkernagh: TY!

123. A Quiet Life in the Country by T.E. Kinsey was book number one in the Lady Hardcastle mystery series. Lady Hardcastle was a 70 year old, "retired" genteel English lady. Florence was her assistant. The ladies had an unconventional relationship, more as equals, for 1908. They moved to the country so their life would not be so busy. This is a cozy mystery. I found it to be light on the plot. I probably will not read another in this series. 278 pages 2 1/2 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

124. The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Swordfight, Mutiny, Shipwreck, Gold, War, Hurricane, and Discovery Martin Dugard was a great non-fiction read. I knew little about Columbus other than he sailed the ocean blue in 1492! I like this book because it shows the bravery, wisdom, and seamanship of Columbus as well as what we would call his racism; although for his day and age, he was very progressive. He was not above enslaving others, not for his personal economic gain, but to return to Spain and “show off” what manpower was available in what he thought was the Indies. A good read that shows both the good and bad in a 15th century explorer. 320 pages 5 stars CAT: Sept. Kitastrophe

125. A Shot in the Dark, book one in the Mydworth Mysteries series by Neil Richards and Matthew Costello was a mediocre cozy mystery that I had figured out in the first 10 minutes. Won't be reading further in this series. I listened to the audiobook and even the narration was not that good. (142 pages) 2 1/2 stars

126. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn This was the story of Nick and Amy Dunne, who, for the most part seem to be the average couple. That is, until Amy comes up missing on their fifth anniversary. This is a great view of a sociopath. My sister told me there is a movie out starring Ben Afflek, but I'll wait till it's free on Amazon prime! 422 pages 4 stars KAT: Virtual Bookshelf

More on retirement.....I had not been in the classroom since March due to Covid-19, so retirement was not abrupt. However, during the first 1-2 weeks I sobbed, because in my mind, I was not ready to retire. Colleagues called and we sobbed together! I've been a teacher since my youngest son was 10 and he's now 40. I didn't know who I was. If I wasn't a teacher, who was I? I thought this week would be really stressful as school began on Monday and for the first time in 30 years, I wouldn't be there. However, surprise! Instead of the despair I thought I would feel, I actually feel relief and joy! It is so nice not to have to get up at 5:15. It's a joy that at noon I can ask myself, what am I going to make for dinner? It's a joy that I can sit outside and watch the birds and animals in the peaceful quiet of my space. Although I do not yet feel safe to go anywhere other than the doctor and the grocery, I am for the moment, content. We saved money for a vacation this year, that we did not take. Now we have money saved! Hopefully, next year we will take off. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you because you all make my life better, even if online.

>85 Tess_W: that's lovely. >:-D

I’m glad to hear retirement is treating you well so far despite the circumstances. Sitting outside and enjoying the sounds of nature sounds perfect.

It does sound lovely - wishing you many many happy years, Tess!

>86 Helenliz:
>87 rabbitprincess:
>88 Jackie_K:

Thank you all!

So happy to read that retirement is proving to be a lovely experience for you!

I remember when I first retired, I went into a slight depression. My life had changed and I didn't know what the next step should feel like. Luckily, I got over that fairly quickly but please ensure you talk to people that care about you if you start to feel down. Trust me, retirement is great and once you hit your stride you won't look back with any regrets.

One of the harder aspects of beginning retirement for me was not seeing my work friends every day. Eventually, as I got involved with other things that got a lot better. It's a big adjustment though and it sounds like you're doing fine.

>92 clue: That's most of my battle. I "lived" 10-12 hours per day with these people for 20 plus years. We went to sporting events, graduations, dinners, funerals, etc., together. I didn't have a lot of time to make outside friends.

127. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin was a poignant novel about a young Irish girl who leaves Ireland for Brooklyn with the help of her sister, her mother, and the local parish priest. She was to be the shining star of her family. She does quite well in Brooklyn, earns a college degree and even marries (secretly) and then suddenly is called back to Ireland upon her sister's death. The dilemma then becomes: stay in Ireland where she is very comfortable and can care for her mother or return to Brooklyn. A great period piece. 257 pages 4/5 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

128. Little Miss Sure Shot: Annie Oakley's World by Jeffrey Marshall was a great biography of America's little "Missy." I'm glad that I read this because although from my own state, I never learned anything about Annie Oakley in school. I especially enjoyed the stories about her meeting world leaders such as Queen Victoria and the Kaiser. Annie and her husband were just really good people, giving unselfishly to disadvantaged children and orphans. Annie Oakley set a world record for making 100/100 shots in skeet shooting. That record has since been broken. The only criticism I have of this book is that it needed a good proof reader as there were multiple spelling and grammar errors. 148 pages 4 stars

129. Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall was just a great read even if I had to suspend my imagination slightly for a couple of times. The story is set in the 1950's and is really an expose on race matters at that time. The book takes its name from an old southern saying that if one is scared, they ought to whistle as they walk past the graveyard, as if nothing is happening. The physical setting of the story varies from inner Mississippi to Nashville. I would highly recommend this read. 321 pages 4 stars

August Recap:

Number of books read: 23

Favorite: The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Swordfight, Mutiny, Shipwreck, Gold, War, Hurricane, and Discovery by Martin Dugard

Least favorite: Fantomas by Marcel Allain DNF 2 stars

130. Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. This book would better be titled "Bethia's Crossing." I picked up this book because the blurb said it was about Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard. However, Caleb played a minor role in this book. Most of the book was consumed with Bethia, telling her story. It wasn't a bad story, life in the mid 17th century for a woman was tough. For whatever reason, I failed to identify with any of the characters and that left this book wanting. I listened to this on audio and the reader's voice droned. 306 pages 3 stars (barely) CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

Hi Tess, dropping by to say hello! You stopped by my thread in early August and I managed to mark your message read, and then not respond! So sorry. Upstate New York is indeed beautiful and quite large. I'm a transplant from southern California, so I have much to discover still. I did make it to Saratoga a few years ago, and particularly enjoyed the plentiful 19th century architecture. The water, not so much.

>96 Tess_W: I have Whistling Past the Graveyard sitting on my Kindle - sounds like a good one! :)

>99 Tess_W: Hmm, I've got this on my tbr. Here's hoping it's more engaging in book form!

>99 Tess_W: - I've read all the books she's written and I think this is my least favorite. There was a lot of interesting information on Harvard in it, but it might not have been as engaging as an audio.

>103 dudes22: This is my 3rd Brooks, and I'm trying to like her, but so far nothing more than a 3!

>100 NinieB: Wow, that is a big move from one coast to the other. The weather alone would be a shocker!

>105 Tess_W: Yes, as I said to someone the other day, my southern California cold winter day is a nice mild fall day in upstate New York!

131. Bunburry 1-3: A Cosy Mystery Compilation by Helena Marchmont. I was real disappointed at this trio of whodunnits that takes place in the Cotswolds. The intro of the first book was a bit interesting, but it quickly went downhill and was overwhelmed with the predictable mundane. I read 2/3 of the mysteries but could not stomach the third. Read 192/289 pages. 2 stars DNF CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

132. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was purchased in "error" in 2014, thinking it was a book about a circus. I had no idea it was a fantasy circus! I read 25% of the book and did try to make sense of it, but it was too absurd for this historical fiction reader. 2 stars Read 100/401 pages CAT: Virtual bookshelf Off to charity it goes! Two DNF's in a row. I need to get back to some good reading!

>108 Tess_W:. I can't say it floated my boat either. Hoping the next one is better.

Here is hope your next read is better!

>85 Tess_W: I'm so glad that you have been able to accept your retirement and are enjoying it. It's a big step and the finality is like stepping into a void. When I retired we immediately moved to a new town quite distant from anywhere we lived before. We knew no one - double void! Soon after the move, through someone I met at the gym, I was offered a position as a library trustee, which made the transition so much easier. Tess, I hope you enjoy every moment of your retirement whatever you choose to do.

I see you have had a few disappointments recently. That means your reading is about to pick up!

>111 VivienneR: Thanks, Vivienne! I'm already enjoying retirement. On Thursday I picked up my 3 and 4 year old granddaughters and brought them to my house for a book reading of Mrs. Wishy Washy, about a lady that washed her pig so much, he ran away; but eventually returned. Following that we had a craft with finger paints! We then went to the park for a picnic. I missed all of this when I was working! So while retirement is certainly different, I am loving it and now wonder why I didn't do it sooner! I have agreed to teach one online course for a university each semester, so that will keep my brain active and current in my field and I can do it in my jammies at home.

As to the disappointments, I'm in the process of reading all those free ebooks I downloaded in 2014-2016. Half of them I delete, but do try to read the ones that still sound interesting. Sometimes I ask myself, "whatever was I thinking"?

I have a bunch of those free e-books that I never seem to feel like reading either. I wonder if there are any gems hidden in them.

>113 dudes22: I have found some gems!

133. Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck by Gary Kinder was a great non-fiction read about the search for and recovery of the USS Central America, sunk in 1857 in the Atlantic, about 300 miles off the coast of Virginia. The gold coins and bars recovered were the largest monetary recovery to date. This book was written in 2009 and we really didn't get the entire story, so I went researching and am really disheartened to find that the lead man on this mission, absconded with almost $58 million and left his investors high and dry. He is currently sitting in prison until he "remembers" where he stashed the $ or gold. It was just odd because he was always giving lectures on doing things ethically! 527 pages 5 stars CAT: BFB's

134. Mustard Seed by Laila Ibrahim was the loose sequel to Yellow Crocus. It was an average tale of the reconstruction period following the U.S. Civil War; not much new to me. I could feel the author put a lot of emotion into this work, but for me was just very average. 282 pages 3 stars. This book is free right now on Amazon for prime members. CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>116 Tess_W: I have enough books on Kindle and print for the moment without adding a mediocre one. Sorry it wasn't better.

135. The Last Hours by Minette Walters was the story of the plague, which entered Dorsetshire in 1348. The main story takes place on the Manor of Develish, which is led by an unusually strong, but quiet and gentle Lady Anne. Her serfs look to her since her husband died of the plague. The action was a bit slow, but all in all this was a great period piece. The ending is a cliff-hanger, so I am compelled to read the next book in the series! 547 pages 4 stars CAT: BFB

>118 Tess_W: I didn't know Minette Walters had started writing historical fiction! Her modern psychological suspense is excellent, so this is something for the wishlist.

>119 NinieB: I didn't know she wrote psychological suspense, which I love. Will check into that!

136. Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition by Caroline Alexander was the tale of Mrs. Chippy, a male tabby on Shackleton's last voyage. The story was told from the point of view of the cat. Meh....176 pages barely 3 stars CAT: GeoCat-Polar/Tundra

137. If You Lived Here I'd Know Your Name by Heather Lende is a memoir of a small slice of the author's life spent in Haines, Alaska. Heather wrote obituaries for the local paper. She went to each family who had a death and asked them for information about the deceased. The author was also involved in the arts, education, and even city council as well as church activities. This was mildly interesting. 298 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>85 Tess_W: Just stopping by to catch up on your comments and reading progress. It must be comforting that you ended up being at peace with retirement, especially in the midst of all that is going on right now. It helps (me) to remember that work is just one aspect of personal identity and most people wear many different "hats" during their lifetime. Enjoy your ability to sleep-in and relish that extra reading time.

>123 This-n-That: Thank you so much for the kind words!

138. Jeremy Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1790-1791 (The Poldark Saga Book 3) by Winston Graham is just yet another great read. This sees Verity marrying the love of her life, although I think waters will be choppy because of her step children, which she has yet to meet. Jeremy is the new born son of Ross, and although the book is named after him, he didn't make an appearance until the last 1/3 of the book. I've seen Ross make a few bad calls in judgement during this book and I hope that turns around as the next book in the series is entitled the name of his nemesis. 305 pages CAT: Virtual Bookshelf, Group Read

139. The Royal Succession (The Accursed Kings, Book 4) by Maurice Druon was another great book in this series. I've liked this series as it's very historical and accurate. This is the first book in which there has been a "doubtful" event, but even then it is in French literature and other conspiracy theories. This book began with the death of Louis X and ended with the crowning of Phillip V, the brother of the late king. Louis X was married to Clementia of Hungary, who was pregnant when Louis died. (rumors that he was poisoned, but not proven). She did give birth to a son, John I, but he lived only 5 days. Also rumors that he was poisoned or spirited away and raised by his wet-nurse. This particular episode in French history gave rise to the Salic Law, which was that females could not inherit the throne of France. 354 pages 4 stars CAT: Virtual library

September roundup, a really slow reading month for me!

Books read: 8

Favorite book: The Last Hours by "Minette Walters Poldark Book 3

Least favorite book: Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern This was my 2nd attempt to read this, but I couldn't!

Challenges: I'm all caught up!

140. Warleggan, number 4 in the Poldark series. I won't review now because of the group read, except to say it was the best one so far. 5 stars

141. Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer is book number one in his new series featuring William Warwick, of Scotland Yard, Art Theft Division. William gets put here as a 'punishment', but he loves art so it works out. I'm a great lover of books by Archer and have read them all, but this one falls a bit short as it's very predictable. However, since Archer is probably in my top five favorite authors, I'm willing to give book number 2 in this series a chance to impress. 326 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

142. Great Tales from English History: The Truth About King Arthur, Lady Godiva, Richard the Lionheart, and More by Robert Lacey This is volume 1/2. These are short historical episodes, or rather longer ones, condensed. I find nothing wrong with the history (very well researched), but the grammar and punctuation errors are multiple! I read volume 2 last year and do not remember the very poor proofreading and editing. Among my favorite "episodes" were Tyndale and the Plague. 272 pages 3 stars (would have been 3.5 but for the errors) CAT: RTT Medieval Period (not all stories were in the medieval age, but enough!)

143. The Black Moon by Winston Graham is book number 5 in the Poldark series. This is more about the life of Cornwall in 1798-1800. The French Revolution is taking place and there are reverberations in Cornwall. This book,more so than the others, has demonstrated what a tough life it was for women and those of little social standing. Ended in a cliffhanger and I'm on the waitlist at the library for book number 6. I would say this and the Druon series are the best I've read in probably 20 years. 564 pages 5 stars

CAT: Virtual bookshelf

Setting a new goal for myself between now and Jan 1....read books 6-12 in the Poldark Series.

>69 Tess_W: While updating my tbr lists last night, I just realized that I own the Kindle version of The Ragged Edge of Night. I have put off reading it, as I have own a few war related HF ebooks and got burnt out on the subject. Good to know you liked the story and writing.

144. The She-Wolf of France by Maurice Duron is Book 5/7 in the Accursed Kings series. This series takes place in medieval France (sometimes England) and is most interesting and informative as I'm not very familiar with the early history. This particular book told the story of Edward II of England his marriage to Isabella II, the sister of Charles V of France. Come to find out Edward was gay and Isabella found several lovers; although Edward and Isabella claim they did sire 4 children together. Most of the action in this book took place in France as Isabella returned there for prolonged periods as she hated the English court. The only downside to this book is there are just pages and pages of the Pope of Avignon arguing with Charles V over religious matters. (snooze) However, the read is still a solid 4/5 and I'm on to read the next one. 466 pages 4 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>134 Tess_W: This series sounds really interesting. It's just the sort of historical fiction I enjoy. I'm actually trying to read more books in French and maybe I'll attempt the first in this series. However, if it's also 400+ pages, I might have to opt for the English version as I read excruciatingly slowly in French. :)

>134 Tess_W: This series sounds really interesting. It's just the sort of historical fiction I enjoy. I'm actually trying to read more books in French and maybe I'll attempt the first in this series. However, if it's also 400+ pages, I might have to opt for the English version as I read excruciatingly slowly in French. :)

>136 mathgirl40: I envy you being able to read, whatever speed, in French!

145. Love Does by Bob Goff is about discovering that life can be incredible in a very ordinary world. Goff takes an entire chapter to explain that love is a verb, not a noun! He gives some great examples of "love does." This is a short book, but poignant. 222 pages 3 stars

146. Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben Macintyre was a non-fiction book entailing what great energy and manpower was expended in the effort to get the Germans to believe that the cross channel invasion of WWII was going to be at Calais instead of in Normandy. This was a program that began as early as 1940. There were so many MI5 and MI6 officials, spies, double agents, handlers, etc., that at times it was difficult to keep them all sorted. What was really new to me was the number of both German and Nazi officers who opposed Hitler and were working as spies to hasten his downfall. A very good read. 450 pages 4 stars CAT: RTT (Not What it Appears)

>139 Tess_W: Love Ben Macintyre! Operation Mincemeat is my favorite of his, if you're looking to try another.

>140 christina_reads: I will check that out! TY!

>139 Tess_W: Double Cross is one of my favourites of his! I also liked Agent Zigzag. Going to clear my schedule to read his newest, Agent Sonya.

>139 Tess_W: - I took a BB from rabbitprincess for Agent Zigzag for my husband and he enjoyed it quite a bit. I still haven't gotten to it yet.

All of those , going on my list! Also, I read where Popov write a book called Spy, Counterspy that I'm going to look for, also.

Why did the Turkey cross the road? Cause he wanted to be like the chicken!

That's great. We've seen that a lot lately. I think they're running away so they wont' be Thanksgiving dinner.

147. Firestorm at Peshtigo by Denise Geiss was a non-fiction about a wild fire that took place in northern Wisconsin in 1871 killing between 1500-2500 people. It is America'a deadliest forest/wildfire. While some of the material was interesting, this book was mostly dry and a chore to finish. This is often what I encounter with non-fiction and why I don't read it as much as I probably should. Had it not been for a challenge, I would have quit about 25% in. Not sure if it was because it was a paper book and I couldn't adjust the font or not! 219 pages 3 stars (barely) CAT: Kitastrophe

148. Four Swans by Winston Graham was book #6/12 of the Poldark series. This book introduced a lot of new characters in detail and so broadened and widened the story. A lot of action in only four years in the book. A bit disappointed in Demelza, Poldark's wife. As always, Poldark is a superior read. 592 pages 5 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>139 Tess_W: I also liked Double Cross and, like >142 rabbitprincess:, enjoyed Agent Zig Zag and have added Agent Sonya to the wish list. >140 christina_reads: Operation Mincemeat is another good one.

149. This short story (24 pages) by Alexander Pushkin begins at a late-night gambling party given by the Russian army officer, Naroumov. The story centers on Naroumov's channeling a ghost to win more at the poker table. 24 pages 3 stars CAT: Virtual Shelf This is free on Amazon

>150 Tess_W: I think I gave that short story the same rating as you (I got it free on Project Gutenberg, I think). It was in the year before I tackled War and Peace - I'd never read any of the Russian classics, so started off with a couple of short stories to get me in the mood! I must admit I remember next to nothing about the story of The Queen of Spades now.

150. The Angry Tide by Winston Graham was book 7/12 in the Poldark series. The title was very apropos as both man and nature seemed to explode during this book. I've already d/l number 8 from the library and will begin reading tonight. 624 pages 5 stars CAT: Virtual bookshelf



I have promised myself I will finish the Poldark, Druon, and Penman series by Jan 1

>150 Tess_W: ETA I'm sure I won't finish! I would prefer to finish my CAT challenges, so I will be reading Poldark, Druon, and Penman exclusively when my CATs are finished!

151. The Stranger from the Sea by Winston Graham is book 8/12 of the Poldark series. I see that the action is fading away from Ross and Demelza and evolving into more of a story line of their children, now young adults. This was my least favorite of the books to date as it included lots of Parliamentarian machinations and the Napoleonic Wars, instead of life in Cornwall. As to the title character, he was only introduced, and he gives me the chills. Will have to keep my eye out for him. 512 pages 4 stars CAT: Virtual bookshelf

152. Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano was a great treat after reading several heavy history books over 500 pages. I bought 2 copies of this book and on Sunday I'm going to read them to my granddaughters aged 3 and 4. After that we are going to do a turkey in disguise craft project. I can hardly wait! This is the story of Turkey, who is trying to avoid being eaten by disguising himself as other barnyard animals.

153. Historic New Lanark: The Dale and Owen Industrial Community since 1785 by Ian Donnachie (and others).

Since I must teach about experimental communities next semester, I thought I would become knowledgeable about one of them.

New Lanark, a former cotton spinning village in southern Scotland, is remembered for pioneering technology and social change during the industrial revolution.

I was particularly interested in Robert Owen's community building including schooling for infants amongst other Utopian ventures both in Europe and North America. Loved the idea of Friday night dancing for children. It was a time for 7-12-year olds to learn to move their bodies in rhythm to classical music. Parents were permitted to sit and watch. Girls danced with girls and boys with boys. The Quadrille was taught. The Quadrille was the most popular dance at the time beginning in the court of Louis XIV.

While bit parts of this book were quite interesting, on the whole it was very very very very dry! (but I wasn't too interested in the business and economic sides) 288 pages 3 stars

>156 Tess_W: What a shame the book was so dry - New Lanark is such a fascinating place to visit (it's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site so very well preserved). There's no need for such an interesting place to be written about in boring prose!

>157 Jackie_K: I'm so jealous of people who can travel and see more than 200 years of history! Most of America's is less than 200 years old, and many of them have been recreated. Add to that some of them are 3500 miles apart in distance. It was so nice in London, Paris, and Jerusalem to travel at tops 3 hours to see almost everything.

154. 'Night Mother by Marsha Norman is a play about Jessie, a divorcee who returns home to live with her widowed mother. Jessie is very unhappy and wants to commit suicide. She announces this to her mother and her mother tries to spend the night convincing her that would be wrong. She is unable to talk Jessie out of it, though. 3 stars 54 pages CAT: Tree Book

155. How My Parents Learned to Eat This was a great book about another culture and how they ate with chopsticks sitting on the floor and drank out of bowls. I plan on reading this with my 2 youngest granddaughters (Evie age 3 and Autumn age 4) followed by lunch sitting on the floor, eating with chopsticks and drinking out of a bowl! Can't wait! 32 pages 5 stars

156. Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams. This was the first play I've read by Williams. It had so many characters in it I'm really at a loss as to a synopsis. Basically, it is the story of Maxine, who is a widow who owns a hotel in a remote Mexican village. Many different people come to the hotel and they each have a story to tell, many not so nice. The title of the play takes its name from the Iguana tied up under the porch, which Maxine is fattening to kill and cook. Just as the iguana is always trying to get free, many of the hotel guests are also trying to get free from something. 191 pages 3 1/2 stars CAT: Paper Tree

>159 Tess_W: I saw that play on the stage around 1990. Unforgettable.

I adore your gorgeous pumpkin in the opening post!

>162 VivienneR: Not my pic, I snagged it from Google!

157. The Lily and the Lion by Maurice Druon was book 6/7 of The Accursed Kings series. In this novel the throne passes (is stolen) from the House of Capet to the House of Valois and the curse of the Knights Templar upon the House of Capet comes to end. The curse was that all of the Capetian kings would die before the age of 35, and they did. (Which wasn't too far of a stretch in Medieval Times.) This book could have concluded the series, as far as I'm concerned because everything and everybody that we have read about in the last 6 books were tied up historically in a neat little box. I've read that book 7 was written 17 years after book 6, as an after thought. Not sure I want to read it, but I must! 433 pages 4 1/2 stars

>164 Tess_W: I really have to get back to this series! I lost my historical fiction mojo from earlier in the year. I'm still only two books in.

>165 rabbitprincess: I'm on the last one, a very good series! I hope you get back your historical fiction mojo, it's my fav genre!

158. Night Rider by Robert Penn Warren. The setting for this story was the Tobacco Wars in Kentucky in the early 20th century. It was the big tobacco company versus the planters. Of course, the big tobacco companies had the upper hand and then the planters association (small time) resorted to violence and vigilantism. The main character in the book, Percy Munn, began as a civic-minded young attorney. However, over the course of the book he became a 3-time murderer and rapist. He justifies all of his actions in that he believes it was for the betterment of all in the long run. In the end, he is shot in the back by U.S. troops sent in to quell the violence. This was a violent and bleak book. I really didn't want to finish it, but for some reason I did! This was more history than fiction, which I liked. At 477 pages, I felt it was too long. 3 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

159. Time and Chance by Sharon Penman was the story of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Thomas Beckett, through Beckett's death. This was book 2/3 in the Plantagenet series and surprisingly good for a middle book. I especially enjoyed the author's note where she explained what liberties she took (very few) and what was verbatim history. For example, there were five eye-witness accounts to the murder of Beckett, and as they were clerics, they all wrote it down. What a fantastic piece of history. Looking forward to the last book. 544 pages 4 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

160. The King Without a Kingdom by Maurice Druon is book 7/7 in the Accursed Kings series. No need to read this book! Books 1-6 are a superior read and the end of book 6 ties up all the story lines. Book 7 was written 17 years after book 6 and it's just a summation of book 6 with a few bits about John II. This book was narrated by an unknown cardinal telling his life story to his nephew or cousin. What a sad way to end such a wonderful series. The author could have written about the fate of Eleanor of Aquitaine as well as Henry II's Rosamund. I would give this series a rating of 5 overall, but this particular book only a 3, and just barely! 368 pages. CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

161. Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks was a great premise, how music affects the brain. However, I found the book disjointed. It reminded me of somebody with ADD who can't focus on one subject long enough to finish it! The book was disjointed with every 2-3 paragraphs changing topics, while I felt the previous paragraphs were not resolved. I read 100/400 pages. This was DNF for me. 2 stars

>169 Tess_W: Thanks for doing the heavy lifting on this one, Tess!

162. The German and Viennese Cookbook This was a 1973 cookbook that is in pamphlet form. It is only 63 pages in length and I read them all! I think that I'm not interested in rabbit, goose, oxtail or hare and I already have some good recipes for pork contained in this book. However, I'm going to try some of the sweets, probably honey cakes and anise cookies. 63 pages 5 stars.

163. 57 Hours by Vesselin Nedkov. This was the story of the Moscow Theatre Hostage incident that took place in Moscow in 2002. Fifty armed Chechens took 850 people hostage and demanded that the Russian war against the Chechnya be halted. Of course, Russia does not negotiate at all with terrorists. The hostages were actually more scared of the Russians who were going to mount the rescue attempt than they were of the terrorists. After 57 hours a gas was pumped into the building which caused everybody to pass out. Russian troopers then stormed the building and killed all terrorists (who were passed out) and disarmed all the bombs. There was very little shooting as the gas incapacitated all. All the terrorists died and 170 of the hostages, only 3 from gunshots; the rest from the gas. To this day, all the Russians will say that is was vaporized fentanyl, which is a anesthesia. However, Russian and German doctors say that other unidentified gasses were found in the bloodstream of both survivors and those that died. This was a very grim book, but also told the story of Russian oppression of Chechnya. It may no longer be the Soviet Union, but Putin still runs it like Stalin. I cried several times while reading this book. 229 pages 5 stars CAT: KITastrophe/read a book outside your own country.

>170 Tess_W: Trish there are a lot of interesting health articles on AARP website although I don't know if nonmembers have access to them. They have a good one on the effect of music on the brain and encourage older people to use music for brain health.

>173 Tess_W: That sounds really harrowing. I remember this well, and the Beslan incident too. I'm not sure I could bear to read about either of them.

164. The Brontes and their World by Phyllis Bentley was a biography of all of the Bronte children: Branwell, Emily, Anne, and Charlotte. Two other sisters died young and not much is written about them. This biography was greatly interesting. It included acquaintances of the Brontes as well as their business dealings and their plentiful "failures." I was surprised to learn that Wuthering Heights, claimed to be the favorite of all the sisters, was not commercially successful at all when published. I can say that the Bronte sisters did amazing things in their short lives considering the abject poverty they endured and lack of education that they received. 127 pages 5 stars CAT: Reading Through Time-Nov. Author Biography

165. Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I used to watch Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan each Saturday afternoon on TV as a child and I loved that show! When I came across the first Tarzan book free on Kindle years ago I thought I would like to read it. Not so much! The book is entirely different than the television show; much more violent and much less believable. In the book, Tarzan kills plenty and also learns to speak French! At the end of the book, Tarzan finds out that he really is the heir to the Lord Greystoke fortune, but forgoes claiming it. I'm not sure that I ever saw that in the television shows. I read this book to satisfy the Geocat for November. I had read that the probable locale for this story was the horn of Africa (Somalia, Eritrea, etc.). However, once reading it, I'm not so sure, although no place I can trace is mentioned. All in all, I found the book to be too far-fetched to entertain me. 338 pages 2 1/2 stars Cat: Geocat-November.

166. A Woman Like Her by Marc Levy was one of those free Kindle books, and usually, you do get what you pay for, and I did in this case. This was a very boring story about an elevator operator that got into some trouble, through no fault of his own and the wheelchair bound girl who helped him get out of it. Ho hum The book jacket reads "The most widely read French author in the world" REALLY? 261 pages 2 1/2 stars CAT: Virtual bookshelf

November Recap:
Read: 18 books
Best: Any of the Druon Accursed Kings Medieval
France books
Any of the Poldark Books
Worst: Musicophilia

December Reading plans: I am on point to finish all of my challenges. I need to read:
Finish Capote's Christmas Memory
Finish Journey by Angela Hunt (Book 3/3)
Read: The Death of Ivan Ilyich and
Master and Man

167. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote was a book containing 3 short stories which were lightly Christmas themed. As I find with most short stories, they were heavily descriptive and short on plot. 128 pages 3 stars

168. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. I had read one of this author's works before and enjoyed it---she writes chick lit! I've been doing some heavy reading and thought I would take a break. However, this book was not satisfying. It's the story of Alice, who suffered a hit on the head and temporarily lost her memory of the last 10 years. Ninety percent of the book focuses on Alice's "suspicions" about her past. Snooozzzzzzzze. I only kept reading because I thought surely, it would better, but it didn't. 546 pages 2 1/2 stars

This is my 10th thingaversary, so of course, I was mandated to purchase 11 books! I did some pre-Christmas shopping for myself!

Lord and Master: Master of Gray Trilogy 1 Nigel Tranter
The Leopard Giuseppe Lampedusa
Prisoner of Conscience: My Steps Through Insein Ma Thida
Nor Iron Bars a Cage Ma Thanegi
F*ckFace: and Other Stories Leah Hampton
A Change of Heir Michael Innes
Little Man What Now Hans Fallada
The Kalahari Typing School for Men Alexander McCall Smith
Stomping Grounds: A Pilgrim's Progress Through Eight American Subcultures by Hampton Sides
Time of the Octopus: Based on the True Story of whistleblower Edward Snowden Anatoly Kucherena
Winter: A Novel Ali Smith

Now, how to fit them in my cats......I'm not sure they will fit anywhere. Will probably have to be in my Because I wanna CAT!

Happy Thingaversary, Tess! That's a great list. I am waiting for my new copy of The Leopard to arrive, I feel in the right mood for it now.

Happy Thingaversary! I've only read The Kalahari Typing School for Men out of your list (just a couple of weeks ago, coincidentally), but enjoyed it. Mma Ramotswe is always good for a couple of hours of gentleness that doesn't need too much brainpower or angst.

Happy Thingaversary! Interesting list.

Happy Thingaversary! Glad to see Nigel Tranter on the list :)

>182 Tess_W: What a great haul.

Happy Thingaversary, Tess. I am looking forward to your comments on all your new books.

I have an audio version of What Alice Forgot but I am in no hurry to get to it.

>181 Tess_W: I really liked Big Little Lies so read two more of Moriarty's books, including What Alice Forgot. Not nearly as good.

Back to wish you Happy Thingaversary. A nicely varied pile of books.

Nice Thingaversary haul.

Thank you all so much!

169. Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham This is the most horrific, terrifying book that I have ever read. Because of the secrecy of the government of the USSR, I'm sure that the world will never know the actual danger that we all are in. The USSR finally conceded that there was a known design flaw concerning the cooling of the rods within the reactor. For years technicians constantly had to manually cool the rods until it got so hot that steam was formed and blew up the reactor. The Soviet response was just ludicrous--it was much more important to report to the world that things were under control than to ask for help or actually tell the truth.

This book did an excellent job of telling about individuals and groups that were sacrificed wholesale in the so called clean up. Just horrifying. The sarcophagus used to entomb the reactor, made of concrete, is now decaying. There is now 57,915 sq miles contaminated with 200 times more radiation than a normal human can tolerate. Wild animals such as deer and boars are still contaminated so badly they can not be eaten. Cattle in France and Finland have been tested and some countries have banned meat from those countries due to the high levels of radiation contained within their meat. God help us all. The entire truth is still not told. 560 pages 5 stars CAT: Kitastrophe Industrial/Technology

>192 Tess_W: This is on my wishlist - there have been a number of Chernobyl books recently, all highly rated. It's fascinating, and chilling. I remember the explosion (I was 16, coming up 17), and the gradual drip-drip-drip of information as countries in western Europe realised something terrible had happened.

>192 Tess_W: I hope you enjoy it (gasp in horror) as much as I did!

170. Nightmare Abbey by Thomas Love Peacock was an early 19th century English fiction of manners. I found the love life of Scythrop to be both hilarious and unbelievable. This book was also a criticism of other authors of the day, which I'm sure went straight over my head! This book reminded me of a string of paper clips, all clipped together, it wasn't cohesive. I stuck with it since it was only 122 pages. I would rate this a 2.5, but since I know I didn't understand it and didn't bother to look up all the satire about the other authors, I'm going to rate it a 3. CAT: Virtual bookshelf

>194 Tess_W: I had a similar reaction to this book. Missed a lot!

171. The Death of Ivan Ilych This was the fourth Tolstoy I've read (War and Peace, Anna Karenina, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich), and while it rates fourth in my "likability", it was nonetheless interesting. Most of the book is focused on Ivan's life and his climb up the corporate ladder in the Ministry of Justice as a lower-level judge. Ivan was very careful to live his life according to the social class that he wanted to become. He was very respectful of all, but he was a toady. Ivan's wife was a bitter harpy, thinking Ivan should have done better financially for the family than he did. One day Ivan falls and injures himself and from that point he has a long, drawn-out death. He ruminates about many things while lying on the divan contemplating his life; but the biggest question was: Did I live a life worth dying for? He then agonizes and finally resolves that (IMHO) his life was both selfish and also compassionate.

After I finished reading this book, it reminded me of Socrates, "the unexamined life is not worth living."

After doing some background reading (again) on Tolstoy, it seems that The Death of Ivan Ilych was the culmination of 9 year writing hiatus for Tolstoy after writing Anna Karenina. This was written in 1886 after his spiritual conversion at which time Tolstoy began focusing on his own death.

The version I read was published independently in 2019 and was translated by Louise Maude. Interestingly, LT does not have a touchstone without spelling Ilych with an "i"!

85 pages 4 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

Is there such a way..............to access books that have a 4 star rating or higher?

172. Death by Water by Michael Innes is aslo called Appleby at Allington. This was the first in the Appleby Series. Appleby is a retired police detective, but it seems he's always called by friends and friends of friends when there is "trouble". I picked this up for free as an e-book. This so lost my interest that I literally had to restart reading about 5-6 times and really had to focus. I don't think it was a bad book, but shorter stories and mysteries really aren't my reading preference. 159 pages 2 1/2 stars CAT: Virtual Bookshelf

>192 Tess_W: Interesting (and disturbing) review of the Chernobyl book!

See you all in about a week. Some "minor" surgery--hernia repair and a little tuck of the pelvic floor--due to gravity. Will be in hospital 2-5 days. But will be home and well on my way to recovery by Christmas. The Dr. said it would be easier on me (and him) if I lost weight, so in March I began dieting and have lost 20 pounds! Was it easy--oh heck, no! I can honestly say I went to bed hungry almost every night. I thought that would get better, but of course, it didn't. I would almost kill for some fried potatoes and onions about now! I was/am a carb junkie, and that was the most difficult thing to curb. I'm not cured, but curbed!

Congratulations on losing 20 lbs. It's a lot. And good luck with the surgery.

>200 Tess_W: fingers crossed all goes to plan. Well done on the weight loss, and for sticking to it.
Don't forget to pack a book or two...

Wishing you all the best for your surgery, Tess!

I am late stopping by but Happy Thingaversary. Have fun with the new books. And good luck with surgery. You worked hard for it (20lbs isn't easy).

Best wishes on the surgery. Hope you have lots of books or a loaded Kindle to get you through the recovery.

Good luck! I hope the recovery is smooth. Weight loss is hard! And with luck it will pay off in making recovery easier too.

Best wishes for a quick recovery!

Best wishes for a quick recovery, Tess. And losing any weight during this pandemic is amazing, let alone twenty pounds!

Congratulations on sticking to a diet! and best wishes for a quick recovery from the surgery.

Congratulations on losing the weight, Tess. Also best wishes for a speedy recovery. I love your new picture in your opening post.

Hoping you get well quickly!

Fingers crossed for the surgery!

Wishing you all the best for your surgery, Tess, and a speedy recovery with lots of lovely books. I admire you for achieving such a weight loss. Sitting at home all day is not helping with it, I bet.

I'm home! It was only a 2 night stay, but that is sure long enough. I'm on a liquid diet until I see the doctor on Tuesday. He actually ordered me to eat popsicles!

Thank you for all your well wishes. I did not get one thing read at the hospital---I was loopy from a pain medication called dilauded--some powerful stuff. The nurses said I giggled!

So just wine and popsicles? Enjoy.

So glad to see you back, enjoy the popsicles!

Glad you got home quickly. Rest up.

Make sure you are pampered all the way to full health!

Take care and enjoy those popsicles. Hopefully you'll be able to start reading soon.

Popsicles are yummy - enjoy. I remember loving all the flavors but having a special place in my heart for the green ones.

Take care and recover well.

Thank you all for the good wishes. I am recovering nicely and don't have to see the Dr. for 6 weeks.

173. Journey was book number 3 in the Ancient Rivers Trilogy by Angela Hunt, one of my favorite authors. This continued the story of the Biblical Joseph, vizier to Pharoah Amenhotep. I did not like this book as well as the first two because there was much more speculation in this book concerning the events and personages. However, I know that during the last years of Amenhotep's reign there doesn't seem to be a lot of historical evidence. That being said, it was still a good ending to the trilogy. Glad to have finished this as I read the first book 4 years ago. 431 pages 4 stars

I think my 2020 reading year is a wrap. I may or may not get anymore read and therefore...drumroll, please!

Number of books read: 173

Top 5
1. Poldark Series (Read 8/12)
2. Druon Series (Read 7/7)
3. My Dear Hamilton
4. Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck
5. The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Swordfight, Mutiny, Shipwreck, Gold, War, Hurricane, and Discovery

Books on TBR on 1-1-2020 542
Books on TBR on 12-23-2020 480

Yeah! My goal was to get below 500 this year. I'm setting a goal of below 420 for 2021. Slowly but surely whittling away at that TBR. The great difference between what I read (173) and the number removed from the TBR (62) was due to reading library books; because I purchased less than 20 books during 2020.

My specific goals for 2021 is to finish reading the last 4 books in the Poldark series.

>223 Tess_W: - That's a good reading year. And below 500 too!

>223 Tess_W: Those are some impressive accomplishments! Imagine a tbr that is getting smaller rather than larger. I don't know how I'd feel about that.

Well done! I hope your recovery continues and the people around you are taking good care of you.

I'm glad to hear that your recovery is going well. Those are impressive stats for 2020! Good luck with your 2021 reading.

Wow, you are doing an excellent job of reducing your TBR. I have read mostly from my TBR this year, but it is still growing - obviously I am buying faster than I am reading!

Glad to hear that you are recovering. :)

>224 dudes22:
>225 RidgewayGirl:
>226 mathgirl40:
>227 DeltaQueen50:

Thank you all!

Well done on the shrinking TBR! I'm aiming for that too. I had hoped to go below 400 by the end of the year, but won't quite manage it (plus of course Santa is very generous). I think I'll have reduced the TBR by around 20 this year. I think I'm going to aim for 370 by the end of 2021.

Congratulations, those are impressive numbers. Wishing you similar good reading success in 2021!

Glad your recovery is going well. And double congratulations on reducing weight and tbr!

Hope you are enjoying your Christmas!

Got an Audible giftcard on the 25th and spent it on the 26th! Here's my haul:

The Librarian of Auschwitz
Cold Mountain
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris
The Book of Eels
Owls of the Eastern Ice
The Personal History of Rachel Dupree

Woot! Let the 2021 reading commence!

Excellent listening haul!
Enjoy.

Merry Christmas, congratulations on your reading year. Impressive stats. Best wishes for 2021.

>233 Tess_W: Hurray audio hauls! Enjoy!

>233 Tess_W: You have chosen some good ones! I hope you like The Personal History of Rachel Dupree as much as I did. I've read and enjoyed all of her books but this, her first, is my favorite. I was thinking I would put Cold Mountain on next year's reread pile, it's one of my favorite historical fiction books too.