Kaida's Reading Adventures, Part 2

Welcome to my new thread!
The old one: (New Year, new book challenges! kaida46's Voyage round the world from my shelves!) needed a refresh.
Although I did not take this picture myself, we've had a lot of snow over the past week, and I wanted to share what a scenic place it is around here in the winter. Also it's one place where you can experience seeing American Bison without having to play with the crowds at Yellowstone National Park. (Antelope Island, Utah, USA.)

Reading Update:
Voyage Around the World Reading Challenge Log-
(Books on my shelves and supplemented with library/loaned/possible newly purchased books, etc. Each category/month must include at least one book I already own.)
January- (Arctic/Antarctic):
1. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the Ocean by Jennifer Armstrong
2. The White Darkness by David Grann (About British SAS officer, husband and
father, and a man fascinated by Shackleton, Henry Worsley. NF)
3. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
4. How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel
5. At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

February- (Western Europe)
1. Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith (England)
2. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (England and Scotland)
3. Christ Stopped in Eboli by Carlo Levi (Italy)
4. Flawless Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History by Selby & Campbell
(Belgium and Italy)
5. Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys (Spain)
6. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (England)

March- (Eastern Europe)
1. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Bosnia and around Europe)
2. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (Germany, Poland, Latvia, overlaps geographic
categories)

Islands: Moloka'i by Alan Brennert (Hawaii)
Middle East: Kalila and Dimna (Dubbed the Arabic Aesop's Fables) ed. by Tanvir Hossain
Northern Asia: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (China)
Japanland by Karin Muller (Japan)
General Asia: The Sultan of Byzantium by Selcuk Altun (Turkey)

Current year stats-
75 book challenge: 29/75 read
10 books culled from my bookshelves (recycled, donated, etc.)
Duds (not interesting enough to finish or I regret reading): 7
Outstanding reading: 5
SF and Fantasy genre: 5
Historical Fiction: 5
Fiction: 21
Non-Fiction: 8
Takes place in the US: 3
Takes place outside of the US: 24
New Authors: 17

Something I've had to learn more about this year:

*If you can't keep track of the characters

*If you'd rather go to sleep than read awhile

*If you feel agitated or the book is depressing you *(exceptions could be non-fiction on a historical subject you want to learn about). Personally, I've noticed with some books, if the spirit of the book starts making me overly emotional in a negative way or starts leaving a bad taste in my mouth its a signal to find some thing else to read).

*If you dread seeing how many pages you have to still suffer through...
it's time to move on to another book.

Three months into the year and I've racked up 7 duds (defined above) so far, which is the most I've ever encountered in a three month period of time. I'm either reading at an unprecedented pace, thus encountering more not so interesting books, or I've become more discriminating as I get older in what I will continue to read. Probably some of both!

another pic of Antelope Island

Kalila wa Dimna (Kalila and Dimna)
Ancient fables originally written in Sanskrit. This picture shows the Tale of the Monkey and the Tortoise.
Read for Voyage Around the World and The Arabic World reading challenges.

Happy new thread, nice to see you traversing the globe so successfully in your reading year!

Happy new thread! mrsdrneutron and I just recently got back from Yellowstone (winter tour - no crowds!) and got some great pics of bison. I posted my fave on my thread. They are wonderful animals, aren't they!

Wow, gorgeous photos. Utah is beautiful. I'm sad that I've never been there but I have lived in the Eastern Rocky Mountains... Colorado Springs in the 1990s. My son and family live in Denver so we get to see the mountains once or twice a year.

PaulCranswick- I am really enjoying my globe trotting through books since in the before covid world I liked to travel frequently and have sorely missed it. I'm finishing up one about Japan and having visited twice before wanted to revisit the place.
I am just getting started with the Arabian Nights but fear it will take a while to get through, since its thick as a brick with tiny print, but after just 20 pages in I'm hooked. It might be one to delve in and out of for a while, one story a night might work....

drneutron- Thanks for visiting! My last visit to Yellowstone was during the total solar eclipse of 2017, and it was quite crowded then, (too many tour buses disgorging infinite amounts of tourists) but watching the eclipse was one of the most fascinating experiences of my life.

Donna828- I've had family in the Denver area for many years so I have had the pleasure of enjoying the beauty of the Rockies from both the east and the western sides. From zipping over for the weekend on the 'peanut' flight deals they used to have to Denver to taking your life in your hands on the drive across ice and snow covered I-80 in Wyoming to get to Mom's in time for Thanksgiving. There was inevitably a big snow storm every year a few days before and as you observed all the overturned semi- trucks along the road you wondered if it was worth it, and vowed never to do it again, but of course you did. Now that covid seems to be taking a breather I can get back to visiting my loved ones on the other side of the mountains on a more regular basis.

Happy Reading to all!

29. Japanland by Karin Muller (310 pgs.) An entertaining read, but also deserves the tag line of "fiercely independent, self-centered, and quite rude non-Japanese woman wonders why she can’t fit into traditional Japanese society.” She didn't really try. (I have not seen any of the documentary she was supposedly filming while there.)
30. The Key to the Keplian by Andre Norton and Lyn McConchie (292 pgs.) For an escapist read! Typical 90's fantasy, strong female lead with Native American heritage wanders into a fantasy world filled with magic while fleeing danger....

Belated happy new thread!

>1 kaida46: Lovely picture, we had no snow at all this year.

Read over the weekend: The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio for the Arabic World reading challenge. I wanted to read some Alexander, it's YA and funny, engaging, if somewhat stereotypical characters, a good choice for an emotionally challenging weekend for me. I am slowly working my way through The Tales of the Arabian Nights, as part of that challenge and my book voyage around the world.

>11 kaida46: I need to read more Lloyd Alexander but his books are not easy to come by over here.

Completed:
Dark Night by Paige Shelton #3 Alaska Wilds Mystery
Strange Happenings by Avi Five tales about transformation.
The Venice Sketchbook Historical fiction WWII Era set in Venice. Venice makes a great backdrop for all kinds of good books.
The Thief Lord set in Venice also.
And continuing on with Tales of the Arabian Nights......

Lately my reading time has been interrupted with watching a large amount of episodes of Downton Abbey while I cross stitch a 'welcome the new baby' gift, for my niece!!

Now I am off to my volunteer shift at the local Natural History Museum....

Happily enjoying a small food coma tonight after dinner. I love Indian food but my other half does not, so when he goes on a business trip, guess what's for dinner?

Oh my! That stuff is soooo good!

Yeah, occasionally mrsdrneutron heads to her sister's place in Texas, so I usually get something that I like and she doesn't. That does look good!

Hello!

I'm new here and have just been browsing around. I love your theme idea and was thinking maybe I could use a bit of that for my current (late) attempt. I've wanted to explore what other cultures/groups have done with the horror genre.
((that food looks so good, btw, and not just because my lunch break is coming. Only Indian food I've managed to make is tikka masala with help from a jar))
I saw the Mountains Of Madness was on your list and wondered if you'd had the chance or if it got discarded? I tend to read Lovecraft in small doses and haven't tackled a full book of his yet.

>14 kaida46: That does look tasty, Deb. I think curry will be the order of the day today in my household now - Malay/Indonsian style chicken curry, with biriyani rice.

>16 Ravenwoodwitch: I've had a fascination with creepy, old fashioned gothic type and ghost stories for a while now and have tried to explore the genre, I do not go for heaps of gore or any kind of horror involving abuse, but like a story that creeps you out a bit.
The Willows remains one of the best I've ever read, but it can seem to go on endlessly if you're not in the right mood for it. Another one of the best that I can think of off the top of my head is The Yellow Wallpaper which I already recommended on your thread. The Black Cat short story by Poe and The Cats of Ulthar are some other good shorts.

I have a blog https://adarkandstormynightgothicreads.blogspot.com/ that I used to do but have not done any updates since 2019. I got too busy and had lots of health challenges to deal with and stopped updating, but it's still there. You can find other good recommendations on it if you decide to wander over to check it out.

Mountains of Madness was pretty good Lovecraft, but one of the longer ones I've read of his. He's great at painting a good atmospheric picture. He's better in small doses, I agree or else the flowery language starts bogging you down and getting in the way of the story.
Lefcadio Hern does Japanese ghost stories and you can get some free stuff of his on the kindle app. Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, Japanese Ghost Stories, etc.

>17 PaulCranswick:

This is another one of my favorites at the local Japanese place, and also when I was in Japan!

>19 kaida46: A favourite of my son - katsu curry!

>19 kaida46: Oh that looks divine. My favorite's actually Oyakodon but nowhere nearby makes it; it's a tragedy >_

TIOLI Challenges:
Read a book with a title in which the middle letter is also a letter in the word APRIL.
The Sultan of Byzantium by Selcuk Altun (a in Sultan)

Read a book whose title includes a closed compound noun.
The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

Read a book recommended on Facebook or another public forum, name the forum.
How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior

Read a book whose title includes at least three one-syllable words.
The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson

Read a book that is set in a country that is a member of the British Commonwealth.
The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (Scotland)

Read a book with a Maritime setting.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Read a book with a birthstone in the title (add the month).
Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History by Selby & Campbell (April)

Thanks to an idea from alcottacre, I am going to add the 'Shelf Challenge' to my reading- you pick one of your bookshelves and proceed to read every book on it. I still need to pick the shelf, which I will do after I get my allotted work done for today.

Goal of reading 75 books: 38/75 as of today.

>20 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul
It's amazing how satisfying posting pictures of favorite foods can be! Almost like eating it (but happily without the calories)!
This is one I would have probably never tried without the urging of someone more experienced in Japanese foods than I was, but is quite delicious. Happy reading.

>2 kaida46: Have you read The World Between Two Covers by Ann Morgan? I thought it was interesting reading and she gives a reading list that covers every country in the world - or every country that was when the book was written. It might be helpful for lesser known countries.

>24 alcottacre: I've watched Ann Morgan's TED Talk and check her blog, thanks for the suggestion. I may wind up making a spread sheet of countries to keep track. Right now I have been using a more general approach of regions of the globe.

I've been considering how to approach picking a shelf for the 'read a shelf challenge'...all of my shelves seem have at least 20 books on them, not counting trade size paperbacks double stacked in front of the ones lining the shelf. So I'll do at least 20 books from a shelf for that challenge. Since in a week I will be taking a trip with limited luggage capacity, I will need to take just a few easy-to-pack books from the chosen shelf or get a few e-books of the same titles to bring along. There's no way I'm stuffing a book brick into my bag!

>26 kaida46: I've made that mistake with my college backpack. Never again.
Have a safe trip!

I decided to try my hand at making a little canvas (5x7) for my granddaughters upcoming birthday. She likes cats, so it's a little cat picture and the link is coming up broken so the pic is gone that I had here. I've always been a person who has enjoyed crafting such as sewing & embroidery, painted ceramics and wood stuff but not a painter of canvases. This is the second thing I have painted on actual canvas. The first time was one of those 'painting with a twist stores' where everyone paints the same picture together as the teacher instructs.

75 book goal: 40/75
newest books finished-
The Tuscan Child and The Left-Handed Booksellers of London

The Tuscan child is the second book I've read by Rhys Bowen, as in the previous book I read by this author The Venice Sketchbook, it has a dual timeline which connects a modern day story with one that happened during WWII, and connects the places, plots and characters together as the story moves forward. They both have happy endings, which I happen to like in a story but both are pretty similar stories. In the Tuscan Child the story starts with a British pilot being shot down and landing in the hills of Tuscany. I liked the Venice Sketchbook better for atmosphere and story line, as Tuscan seems to be pretty simplistic and a bit more stereotypical with the characters and all to convenient earthquakes. I'd recommend Venice if you wanted to try Bowen as a new author. Both are good lighter reads, or if you need something quick to get through or a palate cleanser between heavier reading.

I just grabbed this one off the shelf from the library when I was looking for some of the Abhorsen series (Sabriel, etc.) books by this author that I could not find that day.
I had no idea what to expect and just dug into it. It's kindof funny, a bit dated with some references to pop culture at the time the book was written, and a bit odd and crazy, but nevertheless a fun romp, YA book with teen protagonists, set in London with fantasy & folklore elements. The left-handed booksellers have certain duties and responsibilities and the right-handed have their own set of duties as well. I'm generally always up for a book about booksellers or bookshops.

I'm about half-way through Time and Again from recommendations of other LT threads, and am loving it.

I've been busy packing today for a trip with some of the family to South Carolina's Atlantic Coast & also Georgia.
My kindle will accompany me for the voyage and the slim volume Big Fish for some 'beach' reading, (sans the sand) which might not mix well with the kindle!

Ah, to enjoy a vacation from the every day grind, and then enjoy being home again!
We went to the 'low country' of South Carolina, Daufuskie Island (near Hilton Head but must less touristy), and also spent time in Georgia (Savannah and Augusta) where my daughter lives. The island has stunning, beautiful, mostly empty beaches, not touristy at all with only one restaurant surviving there now after covid. In fact you can only get there by boat and there are few cars, with most people getting around on golf carts or bicycles. You must bring most of your groceries with you as there are few resources to get them on the small island. I wanted a low key relaxing beach time, and it was just what I wanted, but definitely not for every one as it is pretty rural with limited beach houses for rent, might be considered a boring place for some that like to go go go, and has a small population of residents. There's a golf country club for those who like the links, but I'm not a golfer. I love the beach and the amazing wildlife associated with the sea, the swamps, the Savannah River, etc. It's the place Pat Conroy wrote about and taught in the tiny school The Water is Wide.

My reading, while there had a definite southern, small town vibe with a bit of fantasy thrown in.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Kindle)(Fantasy)

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop

Big Fish

Some book related entertainment posted by L-ter PC. I saw this posted on one of the threads about a month ago and thought it would be fun to do. I will try to fill in the empty categories as the year goes on.
PC’s Book List Fun:
1. Name any book you read at any time most recently that was published in the year you turned 18: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The White Dragon, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut, Dreamsnake.

2. Name a book you have on in your TBR pile that is over 500 pages long: Caribbean, Chesapeake.

3. What is the last book you read with a mostly blue cover? Salt to the Sea

4. What is the last book you didn’t finish (and why didn’t you finish it?) The Joy Luck Club; gossipy, hard to follow- so many different characters, did not like the characters very much.

5. What is the last book that scared the bejeebers out of you? Lot 249 by Arthur Conan Doyle, Werewolf Book by F. Marion Crawford, that I downloaded for free on Kindle, true stories of horrifying things done by people who thought/believed they were werewolves. (Taking into account that I do not really read very gory horror stuff at all.)

6. Name the book that read either this year or last year that takes place geographically closest to where you live? Animal Dreams One state away, read in 2021.

7.What were the topics of the last two nonfiction books you read? Japan, and The Apostles of the New Testament.

8. Name a recent book you read which could be considered a popular book? (?)

9. What was the last book you gave a rating of 5-stars to? And when did you read it? The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop. Sequel to Fried Green Tomatoes. Finished yesterday. I'm on a southern kick and it was heartwarming!

10. Name a book you read that led you to specifically to read another book (and what was the other book, and what was the connection).
Books by Ruta Sepetys and Fannie Flagg. The Fountains of Silence was historical fiction about Spain in the Franco years, it was very good, it led to my reading of Salt to the Sea also by Sepetys which was hist. fict. taking place near the end of WW2 and about the sinking of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff. Same author, both historical fiction.
I read Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café last year and loved it, it really had me engaged with the characters and was a great story about humans caring for other humans and living ordinary but worthwhile lives. The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop was a sequel to Fried Green Tomatoes, I also really enjoyed it. Same author, same setting, sequel.

11. Name the author you have most recently become infatuated with. See above. Ruta Sepetys and Fannie Flagg.

12. What is the setting of the first novel you read this year? The Antarctic.

13. What is the last book you read, fiction or nonfiction, that featured a war in some way (and what war was it)? The Venice Sketchbook and The Tuscan Child, both by Rhys Bowen, WW2. (Venice Sketchbook was better).

14. What was the last book you acquired or borrowed based on an LTer’s review or casual recommendation? And who was the LTer, if you care to say. Time and Again, Paul C. and Alcottacre listed it as a favorite.

15. What the last book you read that involved the future in some way? Annihilation but I did not like it.

16. Name the last book you read that featured a body of water, river, marsh, or significant rainfall. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, Once Upon a River, Piranesi, To Say Nothing of the Dog, all read in 2021 and 2022.

17. What is last book you read by an author from the Southern Hemisphere? One is on the TBR by Isabel Allende, and read one by Garth Nix of Australia in April.

18. What is the last book you read that you thought had a terrible cover? (?)

19. Who was the most recent dead author you read? And what year did they die? Carlos Ruiz Zafon 2020.

20. What was the last children’s book (not YA) you read? Dr. Seuss, to my grandchildren, The Sneetches, The Pale Green Pants, Too Many Daves.

21. What was the name of the detective or crime-solver in the most recent crime novel you read? Beth Rivers in Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild series. Thin Ice, Cold Wind, Dark Night, and #4 to come out in 2022, Winter’s End.

22. What was the shortest book of any kind you’ve read so far this year? Strange Happenings by Avi at 141 pgs.

23. Name the last book that you struggled with (and what do you think was behind the struggle?) The Zhivago Affair - started but could not continue, interesting premise, boring execution, and the author of the famed Dr. Zhivago book is so un-likeable I had no interest whatever in anything that happened to him or about the book.

24. What is the most recent book you added to your library here on LT? Gone With the Grits: A Grits Cookbook by Diane Pfeifer, and What Can I Bring?: Southern Food for Any Occasion Life Serves Up, two cookbooks filled with Southern cooking acquired on my recent trip to South Carolina and Georgia. We made the Smith Lake Cake out of the book and it was yummers.

25. Name a book you read this year that had a visual component (i.e. illustrations, photos, art, comics). Time and Again by Jack Finney, drawings portraits, etc. that enhanced the story.

>29 kaida46: I have The Tuscan Child around my house somewhere to read. I may get to it one of these years, assuming I can find it. I loved The Left-Handed Booksellers of London and really hope that Nix writes a sequel at some point. I would like to discover more of Sarah's world.

I hope you ended up enjoying Time and Again.

Welcome back from your vacation!

>33 alcottacre: Yes, I enjoyed Time and Again and wanted to travel back in time to that old fashioned New York City, which seems such a far cry from the city today. I have From Time to Time stacked on the shelf behind me to get to after I finish Sovietistan for the Asian Challenge and another time travel tale Orphan of Ellis Island that I am reading along with my granddaughter as we prepare for a trip to the metro area later this summer.

>34 kaida46: Yeah, the ability to travel in time is one I would love to have!

Happy Tuesday, Deb!

Book Stats as of 18 May 2022
Total Books Read this year: 45
Total Pages Read: 13,091 (minus kindle books and 1 library book)
Duds: (Not finished/Partially read and mostly not included in category totals) 7

Category Totals:
Fiction: 32 Non-Fiction: 13

Sub-categories:
Historical Fiction: 7
Sci Fiction/Fantasy : 10
Books read for my ‘Read Your Shelves’ Challenge: 15
Books Read for ‘Read Around the World Challenge’: 28
Countries/Regions visited while ‘reading around the world’: 16
Arctic, Antarctic, China, United Kingdom, Italy, Palestine, Belgium, Spain, Hawaii, Bosnia, USA, Turkey, Germany, Poland, Arabia/Middle East, Japan
Books that are part of a series: 12
Author Gender: M- 28 F-17
New Authors: 25

Book Sources:
Public Library: 23
Owned: 22

Purchased new this year: 2
Purchased Previously (new or used): 19
Purchased Used: 15
Owned Kindle/Audible: 3

Book # 46

Sovietistan by Erika Fatland: A Journey Through Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (2019)
This is a combination travel and history book about these five specific countries in central Asia. The author is a brave Nordic woman who travelled to the area in two separate trips around 2013 and 14. It was a good introduction for me as reader who before reading the book, had very little knowledge about the area. It’s a very readable book, if not all inclusive. These countries all have threads that tie them together as formerly being part of the USSR, which has an effect on how they are governed today while each country is in the process of forging their own new identity now as independent nations. Ecological, social, political, and economic insight is also explored with its consequences, for good or for bad, on the population. There is rich history here, there are also historical lessons to be learned. Many topics are covered, the silk road, nomads of the steppes, the drying up of the Aral Sea, people persevering in the face of steep odds, use/misuse of the environment, exploration of the outcomes of government forced programs on the population, and the list goes on. I found it an enlightening read.

#47 From Time to Time
If you enjoyed Time and Again, just leave it there and don't give in to any impulse to read the sequel written 20 some odd years later. You will be disappointed unless you like pages and pages filled with minutiae down to the colors of pajamas, endless descriptions of vaudeville that don't move the plot along, and not much of a time travel story. This was hard to get through, not a very coherent attempt to give more about Si Morley and his time traveling adventures. Si himself, (after reading the first book) would never have agreed to do what he attempted in this book. While it is clear the author is enamored with this period of history and very knowledgeable about it, every little detail gets quite boring, quite fast, and there's not much story in there. Oh well, moving on....

Meets TIOLI Challenge: Read a book with a tie to a book you read in the first quarter.

Update: total read= 50
Recent finished include The Hungry Tide and a YA read with my granddaughter as we prepare to visit the Statue of Liberty park/Ellis Island in a week The Orphan of Ellis Island.

Both were very good reads, just have not been able to put together decent reviews yet....

For all Top Gun fans out there...run to your local theatre and see the sequel Top Gun Maverick!
Everyone needs an occasional escape from the grind and the stress of crazy inflation!

While I have been trying to cut down on collecting books, as part of a larger goal to de-junkify at home, I gave myself permission to add 13 books because of my thingaversary! 13 years on LibraryThing, best 20 bucks I ever spent years ago for the lifetime membership, (now free I understand, but that does not matter). Of course some years have been more active than others, but I keep coming back, so I guess that says something.

I'm savoring each and every one of the 13 purchased...here's the list so far:

1. Clifford Simak, various collections on kindle (classic SciFi)
2. What can I Bring? Southern Food for Any Occasion.
3. Gone With the Grits two cookbooks I picked up after my trip to South Carolina and Georgia in May, I love cookbooks and have a nice collection of them.
4. Purpose not Perfection for some personal development and introspection.
5. The Lost Species: Great Explorations in the Collections of Natural History Museums Yay science!
6. The Courage to Write, Do most book lovers harbor a secret desire to become an author? You tell me.
7. 365 Days of Art, Yes! Now that I'm not doing the 9 to 5 thing anymore, I'm going full steam ahead on all the things I repressed and did not have time for before!
8. Heroic Hearts, a new collection of stories by the likes of Jim Butcher and other similar authors.
and TBA...
9.
10.
11.
12
13.

on a roll tonight...
Loving the clematis and peonies blooming in the yard this time of year!

Current read:

A bit melancholy but still very good. Set on the island of Cyprus and in England.

I've noticed a trend in my reading lately, a lot of the story telling is being done with timelines of the present and the past and switching between the viewpoints in the story.
Has anyone else noticed this or is it just possibly the types of books I'm reading?

Book Stats June 23, 2002:
Total books read: 51
Total Pages Read: 13,928
Duds: 8
Fiction: 36
Non-fiction: 14
Historical fiction: 11
Sci Fi/Fant: 11
Total books read for my 'Read Your Shelves' Personal Challenge: 30
Total books read for my 'Voyage Around the World with Reading Challenge': 18
Areas/Regions visited: Arabia/Middle East, Arctic, Antarctic, Belgium, Bosnia, China, Cyprus, Germany, Hawaii, India (Sundarban Islands), Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Poland, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, USA.
Part of a Series: 13
Author breakdown: Male: 30
Female: 21
New Authors read: 28
Book Sources: Public Library: 26
Purchased this year: 2
Purchased before 2022: 20
Kindle/Audible: 3

Recent 5 star reads:
The Orphan of Ellis Island
The Hungry Tide
The Island of Missing Trees
Now that I am home from my recent trip to the New York City metro area, maybe I can eventually catch up on my book reviews...yes, we visited Liberty Island and made it to the top of the pedestal balcony near where the beige stone and the green of the coppery statue meet 200 steps up for some awesome views, (but I just grabbed this pic from the internet).

Hi Deb. I really liked Sovietistan and want to thank you (and others) for calling it to my attention on the Asian Author Challenge thread. I’m glad you enjoyed The Island of Missing Trees.

Your trip to NYC looks like fun. Great pictures!

>48 Donna828: You are very welcome Donna!

Looks like you are having a good reading year so far, Deb.

I want to get to Island of the Missing Trees soon too and am encouraged by your positive review.

Hi Paul, thanks for visiting!

I really loved Island of Missing Trees and hope to do a more in depth review soon. With regards to the book, I was not sure how I would like having a fig tree narrate a story, but it has become an endearing part of the uniqueness of the story and a brilliant way to tell it by a talented author.

I'm getting back into the swing of things here after a good trip, but with horrid airport delays coming home leaving me sleep deprived. Post-covid air travel leaves a lot to be desired. Luckily I had my tickets months ago before all the hikes in fares or else I would not have gone. I have family on the other side of the country so I have to endure it or I don't see them. (Spending a week driving there is also out of the question now with the inflation of gasoline prices.)

I'm about 1/3 into Caribbean, every time I look at that thick brick of a book I think that it is going to be a chore getting through it, but amazingly it is not.
Even though I have pulled a few thin books, 'short reads' out from the book shelf for a quick finish gratification read, I find myself never picking them up. I just want to read more of Caribbean.
Kudos to Michener for being such a talented author. I picked up my hardback copy from a thrift store last year and started reading it because; My previous Michener reads were good (even though they all seem to be bricks), I wanted to use it for my read your shelves challenge as I already owned it, and my read the world challenge for June theme was 'Islands'.

Its a good read without any book challenges needed. It does seem like there are certain tropes for the way pirates, oops my bad, 'privateers' act though, Long John Silver in Treasure Island (1883), Pirates of the Caribbean (2008), Cup of Gold (1929), etc. Makes for exciting reading but sometimes they were just horrible degenerates. Micheners book was published in 1989.

Book Reviews (June)
The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh
This book takes place in the Sunbardan Islands, India/Bangladesh, a mangrove area in the Bay of Bengal where three rivers mesh and intertwine. An area of extremes, from the rising and lowering tide to the tigers and other forms of wildlife (many dangerous) that live there and the people who eke out a living in such a place. The author creates a great sense of place in the story and the setting is truly another character in the book. The thoughtful writing, while telling an interesting story, gives your mind something to chew on as you read. It keeps your interest and invites you to continue reading for an immersive experience. The past and the present continue to influence the lives of the people in the area, and you get a bit of background to why things are the way they are and its affect on the residents as you follow along with a dolphin hunting marine biologist, a brave 20 something of Indian descent but born elsewhere. Skillfully constructed and a good read. (5 stars)

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
I’ve never read a book like this one. When I heard the story included a talking tree I wasn’t sure what to think or whether I would enjoy reading it. I gave it a try and continued all the way through, now feeling it will be one of my best reads this year, one I will remember. It starts out a bit unconventionally, but after learning the background as you read, you can see the relevance at the end of the book.
Not having much knowledge about events in Cyprus in general, and with only vague memories of the Turkish invasion as a child in 1974, I went rather blind into this book. None the less, I feel I learned much, since the events described in the book are based on things that did happen, even though they are stylized in a novel. The author has a way with words and her love and anguish about the place is reflected through the eyes of the characters. Not too sentimental, it can also be uncomfortable reading at times (human and animal cruelty, etc.). The fig tree is an important allegory for the story that is being told and is surprisingly perceptive making this a unique, sometimes heart wrenching, and interesting read. I have to echo the words of another reviewer who stated: “This book felt like a journey that was wonderful and sad at the same time”.

Books read in 2022 as of July 13th: 56

Recently added to the completed list:

Edgar Allen Poe Classics- (Goldbug, The Fall of the House of Usher, William Wilson) (Audio Book)

A Rare Benedictine A Brother Cadfael Mystery

Sanctuary Sparrow (Meets TOILI challenge for July read the 7th book of a series) (A Brother Cadfael Mystery)

The Law by Jim Butcher (A new Dresden Files Novella) (Kindle) quondame pointed out on her thread that this one meets TIOLI July challenge #17 Read a book that fewer than 200 members have in their catalog. So I guess I can chalk that one up for this title as well.

Nine Continents (Reading Around the World Challenge and Asian Book challenge for July- authors from China) It's a really good but melancholy book.

>55 kaida46: Hey, if too many people read The Law it won't qualify any more!

I haven’t read Caribbean, but have enjoyed others of his. I’ll have to give this one a try.

>37 kaida46: I already have that one in the BlackHole or would be adding it again.

>38 kaida46: Too bad about that one. I loved Time and Again.

>41 kaida46: Sorry I missed your Thingaversary. I hope you enjoy all of the books.

>44 kaida46: I enjoyed that one quite a bit.

>55 kaida46: It's a really good but melancholy book. Good summary of the book.

Have a terrific Tuesday, Deb!

Thanks for visiting quandame, alcottacre, and drneutron!!

While in the midst of reading two 600 page bricks, Caribbean and The Forgotten Garden for my read around the world challenges, (Islands and Aust. N.Z) I just had to have a break for a 'quick finish- gratification read'.

Two more to add to the list bringing my 2022 completed total to 58.

The Rose Rent 190 pgs. (#13 Brother Cadfael Mysteries) because even though these books have murders in them they are still a positive, quick, and satisfying read.

The Cat Who Saved Books 198 pgs. (for August LT reading around the world -Japan). What a odd little book, follows the formula of a fable, throws out advice for life here and there, and puts a shy 'shut-in' high school boy into a hero role, with a Japanese twist. It includes lots of literary references- among them one reference to I am a Cat, by another Japanese author.

I enjoy the Cadfael books and the TV series.

>55 kaida46: OH my darling Eddie Poe.
Usher is a fantastic piece. One of those stories where the atmosphere and setting steal the entire show.

>59 kaida46: I enjoyed both the Cadfael books and series quite a bit.

Some great reading over here, Deb.

I must get back to Cadfael soon.

Back to tackling Caribbean now. 2/3 of the way through and I hope to finish it in the next few days. It's a compelling story covering a vast period of time starting with the native people, conquering Spaniards, pirates, slaving and sugar plantations, and even the French revolution and its affects on the region. Yes I realize it's a novel but in some degree is based on real events that are recorded in history.

Its infuriating how humans treat other humans. After just reading Nine Continents, and now Caribbean, my opinion of our species is kindof low right now. I guess I need some more of gentle Cadfael or good old story where the good guys and gals actually win.

And thanks for visiting my thread.

>63 kaida46: Its infuriating how humans treat other humans.

Yeah, I am reading a biography right now of Chinese dowager empress Cixi and one of the things mentioned in the book is the 'death by a thousand cuts.' Yikes and ouch!

>63 kaida46:, >64 alcottacre: I started At the Hands of Persons Unknown, a history/sociological study of lynching in the US. So yeah, people are pretty low on my list right now.

My goal this weekend is to finish Caribbean, 40 pages left......

Yay! I figured out how to place the counter!

(Thanks to cyderry in the 2022 ROOT CHALLENGE I discovered today)

Reached my goal of reading 24 books from my own shelves this year. So now that I can put a few tickers in I will!!!

I am still continuing my read around the world challenge and will still read books from my shelves this year, but was happy to 'celebrate' reaching that goal.

Total books read as of today: 61

Additions:
The 13 Crimes of Science Fiction 400 pgs. Ed. By Asimov, Greenberg, and Waugh
A book of 13 tales each featuring a device used in the telling of classic mystery stories but in a science fiction story-such as hard-boiled detective, spy story, locked room mystery, trial, and police procedural. As with most story collections there are some good and some not so good. In this collection they were either really quite good or boring. Not a bad collection. My favorite story in the collection was: How-2 by Clifford Simak (robots 1954), Other good ones include-The Green Car by William F. Temple and The Detweiler Boy by Tom Reamy, even though those last two titles seem like ghost or paranormal stories to me, but in 1979 when the book was compiled those genres were loosely included in the Sci Fi genre.
And: Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction Firsts 200 pgs. Ed. By Asimov, Greenburg, and Waugh. A story collection featuring science fiction stories that were the first to introduce a new concept such as clones, antimatter, the generation starship, invisibility, overpopulation, and microscopic worlds. As with most story collections they were either very good or just so-so. My favorites include- The Test by Richard Matheson (overpopulation, written in 1954), The Voyage That Lasted 600 Years by Don Wilcox (generational starship, 1940), The Faithful by Lester Del Rey (earth repopulated by another species-in this case super dogs-1938), What Was it by Fitz-James O’Brien (invisibility, 1859), The Diamond Lens by Fitz-James O’Brien (microscopic world, 1858) The Land Ironclads by H.G. Wells (tanks used in warfare before tanks were ever used in warfare, 1903), and Yesterday House by Fritz Leiber (Cloning, 1952).

>67 kaida46: Yay!

>69 kaida46: Sounds like interesting reading. I will have to see if I can track down a copy.

We had a family outing today with my other half and our son and his family. Hubby and son are train buffs. We all went to the Evanston Roundhouse Festival (Wyoming). They have restored the historic railroad roundhouse (beautifully done), had working model train layouts, a steam engine in the process of being restored, roundtable rides, and even a quilt show! It was a bit of a drive for us, but it was nice to do a little road trip. We have severely limited our travel by automobile because of the outrageous prices of gasoline, but for this we loaded up the car with 7 of us and all had a nice day trip.

Now we need to work up the courage to go for it and visit my sister in Denver, just have to decide to cough down the price of the gas (8 hour car ride), one of these days before the winter hits making the route dangerous and often impassable. Air travel is so unreliable these days and becoming outrageously priced! I used to pop over to her house for the weekend a few times a year, but everything has changed, and not for the better, since the dreaded virus hit the world.

If you are a train buff you can read the article about the engine here: https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/105-year-old-train-returns-to-evanst...

>71 kaida46: They like trains *insert ASDAF joke here*
But those do look really cool, and I'm glad you managed to make the trip. My own family struggled with that a lot when I was a kid, but the trips we did take are still very strong in my memory. So, however little it is, know you're doing a good thing :)

>71 kaida46: I used to be more of a train buff when I was younger due to a grandfather and uncle who worked for the railroad their entire lives. Those trains are cool looking! I may have to talk my husband into a trip to Wyoming.

Have a fantastic Friday, Deb!

>73 alcottacre: If you do wind up visiting Wyoming (Evanston), make sure to catch a view of the white bison and other (live) bison and elk at the Bear River State park, the welcome center also has a great taxidermy display of local wildlife in the area that are very interesting to see and its just within a few minutes drive of the roundhouse. Seeing white bison means good luck!

Two more books to record:
The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm- Ed. By Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
(536 pgs.) (Library Book)
A collection of stories featuring some aspect of faeries and the faerie world. My favorite story was The Annals of Eelin-Ok by Jeffrey Ford, its a fantastic one, this is a story I heard years ago on a podcast and it sent me in search of other material written by Ford, which I have also enjoyed. Other favorite stories from the collection- Catnyp by Delia Sherman, The Faery Handbag by Kelly Link, The Price of Glamour by Steve Berman, Screaming for Faeries by Ellen Steiber, Undine by Patricia A. McKillip.

Firebirds Rising Ed. By Sharyn November (502 pgs.) (2006 Library Book) A collection of Fantasy and SF stories. This is a sequel to the first Firebirds volume of original Fantasy and Sci Fi stories. It's a good collection in a wide range of subjects by popular authors at the time.
I hunted for both volumes at two different branches of my local library and wound up checking out the sequel before the original one so that one got read first. I could not find the first volume in the stacks, then later I found out it was shelved in the YA section and checked it out once I knew where to look. The majority of stories are good, featuring authors such as- Tamora Pierce, Charles de Lint, Diana Wynne Jones, Patricia McKillip, Tanith Lee, and others. There were two rather dark tales and one story that did not hold my interest, so I wound up skipping that one. The book includes lots of suggestions for further reading if you like the authors and nice explanations of how they got their ideas with short bios of authors.
There's evidently another volume Firebirds Soaring, that I will need to seek out.

I wanted to take a break from my reading around the world. Fantasy and Sci Fi is a fav genre for me so I am enjoying the diversion.

Total read: 63/75

Book Stats Compilation- 21 Aug 2022:
Total Books Read: 65 Yearly goal 75, 65/75 finished
Total Pages: 18,029
Running total of duds for the year: 8
Fiction: 48 Historical Fiction: 15
Non-Fiction: 15 Science Fiction and Fantasy: 20 (some categories overlap)
Total read from my shelves: 31 Yearly goal 24, 31/24 finished
Voyage Around the World Reading: 37
Areas/Regions visited: Arabia/Middle East, Antarctic, Arctic, Asia, Belgium, Bosnia, Caribbean Islands, China, Cuba, Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Germany, India (Sundarban Islands), Italy, Japan, North American Continent, Palestine, Poland, Spain, Turkey, USA, United Kingdom- including England and Scotland, Western Europe.
Books that are part of a series: 18
Author Stats: Male-27
Female-27
New authors that I had not read before-34
Book Sources: Library:34
Purchased before 2022: 31
Kindle/Audible: 4 (owned)

Two more read: 65/75

The Ruins of Gorlan-Ranger’s Apprentice Book 1 by John Flanagan (249 pgs.) 5 stars. YA read, for sharing with my grandkiddos but good enough to read for my own enjoyment.

The Locus Awards-Thirty Years of the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Ed. by Charles N. Brown and Jonathan Strahan. (2004) Some stories very good, some tedious, noteworthy: 6 of 18 stories (400 pgs.- adjusted for skimming through the tedious ones). Favorites: Jeffty is Five by Harlan Ellison, Souls by Joanna Russ, The Only Neat Thing to Do by James Tiptree Jr., Bear Discovers Fire by Terry Bisson, Rachel in Love by Pat Murphy. Most Favorite Story: Buffalo by John Kessel.

Almost done with The Forgotten Garden, about a dozen pages left, I wanted to finish last night but started falling asleep too much while reading.

I chose it because the description mentioned part of the book took place in Australia, so I grabbed it for my Reading around the World challenge (Australia and New Zealand area) but only a tiny bit takes place in Australia, the action is mostly in Cornwall, England. Oh well, that was my second try for Australia and NZ since the first book I purchased for that challenge arrived all water damaged, smelling of cigarette smoke and basically fell apart, so I returned it to the seller. Two strikes for trying to find Aussie books!

I have an old edition of The Thornbirds sitting on my shelf, which I considered, but the print is so very tiny I have been reluctant to start it. I guess I need a new edition or more powerful reading glasses.

The Forgotten Garden is good, but is not really quite right for that reading challenge, although the author is Australian, maybe that counts a bit! Lol!

Total: 66/75 Forgot to post this earlier in the week...

Firebirds ed. by Sharyn November (2003) 420 pgs. 4 stars
A collection of Fantasy and Science Fiction stories, which was mostly fantasy with themes of fairyland and fairy themes. Authors such as: Nancy Farmer, Diana Winn Jones, Patricia McKillip, Garth Nix, Delia Sherman, Sherwood Smith, Kara Dalkey, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Laurel Winter, Megan Whalen Turner.

I enjoyed almost all of these stories. One was quite dark and violent, that was my least favorite (by Nix). Favorite stories include:
• Flotsam by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• Little Dot by Diana Wynne Jones
• Byndley by Patricia McKillip
• The Baby in the Night Deposit Box by Megan Whalen Turner

>79 kaida46: The Lost Man does take place in Australia, if you haven't read it yet. It's a detective free, well almost, who done it. Well there's a primary assumption of self or accident, so ...

>82 quondame: Thanks for the suggestion!!

>74 kaida46: Seeing white bison means good luck!

Good to know. I could use some right about now.

>80 kaida46: Glad to see you enjoyed that one. I probably need to give it a re-read at some point as it has been around 5 years since I read it.

Have a happy Friday, Deb!

Adding book 67 out of my 75 book goal to my list:
It took me a few days to read it. (335 pages, 2013, library book)
Just One Damned Thing After Another
Here's my reaction:

This is the first book in The Chronicles of St. Mary’s series. It started out entertaining and quirky funny, but after leading into an unbelievable romance with two ridiculous sex scenes, and another truly disturbing sexual incident with the research partner, then a few chapters later the author thinking she’s being clever (and to get a few more tongue in cheek laughs I guess,) trying to claim to the reader that it’s not ‘that kind of book’.

It didn’t work for me, maybe I don’t appreciate the satire. It was just irritating, and the story became more chaotic and tedious, and not that funny anymore. It reminded me of the situation where my husband can’t stand to watch old I Love Lucy shows, while other people are just rolling on the floor with laughter. Oh well, I was curious about the series, now I know my personal reading time might be better spent elsewhere.

On to To Kill a Mockingbird, a more serious and hopefully a better read.

>85 kaida46: Alas. I did think the original sex scene was a bit over the top, but more is going on than is immediately available to the reader. The series isn't any one thing, that's for sure, oscillating between slapstick and serious, and heartbreaking, not always well enough, but on the whole, I'm a fan.

>86 quondame: I could probably become a fan as well, and may give the series a second look in the future, but it just needs to hit you at the right time I guess.

>85 kaida46: Well that's unfortunate. If you try again later and it hits better let me know :) I find myself curious.

And while my school did not have us read Harper Lee, I am told that book hits pretty hard in the right way. Hope you like it!

>85 kaida46: I am sorry you did not enjoy the book more, Deb. OTOH, To Kill a Mockingbird is just awesome.

Have a marvelous Monday!

Reading update: Total books read so far this year 69!!! I am happy to say I feel confident about reaching that magic number of 75 before we sing Auld Lang Syne!

To Kill a Mockingbird (USA,1960, 299 pages) 5 stars. There’s a reason this one is a classic, very highly recommended. I really think this qualifies to be one of the best books I have ever read over the course of my life.

Firebirds Soaring Ed. (500 pgs., 2009) about evenly split between bad and good stories. Half of the 19 stories are good and very good, half of them are confusing, hard to follow, yada yada- This is about par for story anthologies there is always a range of fantastic ones down to ones that are not worth reading, you just have to sift through the book to find them.

My favorite story was: The Ghosts of Strangers by Nina Kiriki Hoffman, it was mesmerizing and quite unlike any other fantasy story I've ever read, if that was the only good story I got out of this collection it would have been worth reading the book just for that one. There were other good ones as well such as: Something Worth Doing by Elizabeth E. Wein, The Dignity He’s Due by Carol Emshwiller, Court Ship by Sherwood Smith, Three Twilight Tales by Jo Walton, Ferryman by Margo Lanagan, A Ticket to Ride by Nancy Farmer, and Kingmaker by Nancy Springer.
With anthologies like this there is always an opportunity to explore new authors and find suggestions for reading if you like an author’s style. That’s one reason I like collections such as this.

RIP Queen Elizabeth. Sad day, the end of an era.

For the weekend read-a-thon, I will be finishing my first Agatha Christie mystery, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Then I will move forward with my read around the world goals with some books already on my shelves.

Waiting on the nightstand are The Poisonwood Bible, also waiting in the wings are- The Flame Trees of Thika, A Passage to India, Cutting for Stone, and some Isabel Allende, I have City of Beasts, any suggestions from other readers more familiar with her? As I have not read any of her books yet but want to venture off into Central and South America near the end of the month.
For the Korea challenge here at LT I've ordered a copy of My Brilliant Life, since my library does not have it.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, was my first Christie. I do get tired of all the English stuffiness of the characters, and it is a bit dated having been written around 1930's. I find it tedious when the female characters are constantly presented as gossips whose main concern in life are the 'ribbons on their frocks'. It was a good mystery that I could not figure out until the author wrapped it up at the end. Read carefully in the beginning if you decide to try it. Mystery is not my favorite genre, but I dabble here and there for reading variety.

Continuing on...The Poisonwood Bible, I'm about half way through, it's for my read around the world stop in Africa and I have been slowly making my way through Earth Abides, originally pub. in 1949, on cd for my ongoing quest seeking out older Sci Fi stuff. I can handle a bit of end of the world stuff now that the past few years of covid are in the rear view mirror. (Let's hope it stays there.)

Poisonwood is a mix of serious and humor together, the author balances it well in the book. The family leaves their home in Georgia to be Baptist missionaries in the boonies of the Belgian Congo around 1960 (fiction), (author briefly lived there in her youth and always wanted to write about the place). The story is told from the different perspective of the four daughters, and the mother's. The father is a strong presence but the reader just hears about his POV from the other characters. He is a preacher, was a chaplain in the ARMY, and also the victim of PTSD from horrifying incidents in the Pacific during WWII. It's not a religious book, but the family does see everything through the filter of their faith.

This is my 3rd book by this author, and I keep coming back for more. The first two being-The Bean Trees and Animal Dreams, she is knowledgeable about the places featured in her books. She writes about people and their endurance in less than ideal conditions.

I wrote a long review of The Poisonwood Bible after I finished reading it today. Then, I could not figure out how to get the spoiler tags right, so I heavily edited it when leaving my review here on LT so as to not spoil any one else's reading experience if they had not read it yet. It's a good one for book discussions. (3 stars)
I've also included the edited version here on the thread:

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed it until about 75% of the way through, there’s clever, engaging storytelling and with a healthy dose of humor thrown in with the tragic events that are occurring. After that point in the book the tone changed, there was no humor anymore, it turned bitter and went on for way too long.
This is the fictional story of an American family that decides to live in the wilds of the Congo in 1960, as Christian missionaries. They are woefully unprepared emotionally and spiritually for the task and had the bad luck to step into a very dark period in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once known as the Belgian Congo, the Congo and for 20 some odd years while being governed by a dictator who sold out his own country, as the nation of Zaire. All of the people in the Price family become victims of life, even the horrible father, but only the mother ever did anything about it to change her life. The rest of the family react, in different ways, to the circumstances they have been placed in. It’s a sad book.

It’s unfortunate that some people feel the need to punish themselves for the things other people do, and just as unfortunate that some other people feel the need to punish everyone else for things that they do.

This book appears to have become a ‘book club’ mainstay ever since it was published and chosen for Oprah’s special list. Do I regret reading this book? Not really, but it sure left a sour taste in my mouth. I like to read books that make me think. The issues within the pages of this book are worth thinking about, but ultimately, the book becomes rather nihilistic, with a tiny bit of redemption offered at the very end when the youngest daughter Ruth, co-mingled with the land of Africa, speaks to the reader. I needed to write a long review to process the book, which left a bit of poison in my mind.

#72 done
Earth Abides(book on CD) (1949) (USA) Old school Science fiction, one of the earliest apocalyptic stories, written just after WW II. Uses symbolism and allegory in the overall theme, quotes used, and even the names given to the characters. Reading a brief history of the work and why it has been regarded as one of the classics or seminal titles in the genre, may help the reader see more value in the work. Explores humankind and their relationship to the world, what is valued or important in a modern or urban vs. simpler tribal and non-technology-oriented society. Ecclesiastes 1:4 is used in the title and the theme of the book: "Men go and come, but Earth abides".

Now I might have to hunt down the 1959 movie starring Burt Lancaster.

>94 kaida46: I think someone recommended this one to me as I was suffering through I Am Legend (can't remember if it was you or someone else, sorry!) but I'm glad to see it holds up!

>90 kaida46: Completely agree with you about To Kill a Mockingbird, Deb.

>94 kaida46: >95 kaida46: I very much appreciated Earth Abides when I read it several years ago. I am glad to see you did too.

Have a marvelous Monday!

Thanks for visiting Angela and Stasia!
Happy reading.
Two more done over the weekend: Living Free I vagely recalled these stories about Elsa the lion from when I was a small child. I've had this book in my possession since I was a teen, it fit the bill for the Africa read-around-the-world challenge, but is getting pretty age worn. I was amazed at the rapport the Joy and George Adamson had with nature and the creatures around them, petting lions? Having them sleep with you in your tent? They raised Elsa the lioness from when she was orphaned as a cub, but still it shows an incredible amount of trust. After finishing the book and doing an internet search I was saddened to find out that that they were safer with the lions than with people as they were both murdered in their senior years by other Africans. So very sad! Joy stabbed by a disgruntled employee and George killed by a Somali bandit as he was helping to look for a lost tourist in the African bush.

Fantastic Cat or Catfantastic Vol II, is a mixed bag of fantasy stories featuring cats, the good ones are very good, making the slog through the not so good ones worth it.

In process: My Brilliant Life (for the Korean author challenge), and Don't let's go to the dogs tonight, continuing with my Africa read around the world challenge for Sept. Only a few more days for Sept!

>98 kaida46: That first book had me at the cover. The concept was the promise that I needed to read this.

Raven, the Catfantastic book is part of a series of fantasy stories featuring cats from the late 80's and early 90's which was edited by Norton and Greenberg. I purchased the set as a birthday present to myself a few years ago and am slowly making my way through them, that one was volume 2. They all have very interesting covers.

>98 kaida46: When I read Catfantastic II a couple years ago I was surprised how much I enjoyed the stories. I haven't read any others in the series.

I somehow have not catalogued Living Free, but I've had it since i was a young teen also. Coincidently, a couple days ago I was looking at my copy of Virginia McKenna's memoir The Life In My Years. I browsed it a bit when I bought it but never gave it the full read as I should have. (McKenna played Joy Adamson in Born Free the movie)

>98 kaida46: Living Free brings back memories! I think I read all of the books in that series when I was a teenager. I remember the television series as well.

>99 kaida46: I very much enjoyed My Brilliant Life, Deb. I hope you do too!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

I've hit #76 today!! Ring all the bells!!
After perusing some of the threads I now have 6 more titles on the TBR, oh my!

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (301 pgs)(2001 Rhodesia-Zimbabwe, Zambia) 3 stars. Starts out good, continues along good, fizzles out. Interesting, but the parents have serious emotional problems and are soused more often than not- I guess that’s how you cope living in a civil war zone and with cobras in your pantry. Why put your family in such mortal danger and loose 3 of your 5 children as well? They're expats, just go back to England for crying out loud!
I think I am happy Sept. is over and I can leave reading around the world in Africa in my rear view mirror. You have to be brave or crazy to live there from the books I've read this month.

>104 kaida46: Congratulations on reaching 75, Kaida!

>104 kaida46: Congrats!
*Cue the google confetti cannon*

#77 My Brilliant Life Just finished in the early a.m. as I was in bed, it was too early to get up but I couldn't sleep anymore. I really loved it and tears were streaming down my face as I finished it.
This is really a unique story told from the point of view of a 16 yr. old Korean boy. His parents were a bit of an anomaly to their societal norms as they were about his age in high school, when his Mom became pregnant with him. They leave school, get married and try to grow up while becoming parents, at two years of age their child is diagnosed with Progeria, a disease in which a person ages rapidly. All these things mix together to create one funny, crazy and earnest look at family and human relationships.

I'm working on the October Asia challenge with In the Field of Fire, a book of stories written to depict the experience of the Vietnam war (pub.1987). I was really too young as a child to know what was going on at the time and have had a desire to learn more about it, so here's one opportunity. I also made the 'mistake' of just dropping by the local library to have a look-see and now there are three more books calling for my attention to distract me from my reading plans! (I'm sure none of you here on LT have ever made that same mistake, right?)

Congrats on reading 77! Yay!

I don't do family dramas all that much but this one sounds like it may make the Empath in me emotional so we'll add it to the list. Hope things are going well for you! :)

Well done on completing the challenge! btw those catfantastic books remind me of Jennie by Paul Gallico, worth considering imho so I thought I'd mention it.

Hi Sam, thanks for visiting and for the suggestion!

3rd Quarter Reading Roundup (Jul-Sep)
Total number of books read: 24
Total pages read (physical books): 5615
Reading around the world places visited: England, USA, China, Japan, Caribbean Islands, Africa (Dem Rep of the Congo, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia).
From my own shelves: 11
Local Library: 13
Kindle/books on CD: 3
New Authors: (not including those in the story collections): 9
Fiction: 21
Non Fiction: 3
Genres: Science Fiction and Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Story Collections

Reading Roundup for 2022 (including 3rd Quarter):
Total Books Read: 78 Yearly goal 75 78/75 finished
Total Pages: 23,644
Running total of duds for the year: 8
Fiction: 69 Historical Fiction: 18
Non-Fiction: 18 Science Fiction and Fantasy: 32
Total read from my shelves: 41 Yearly goal 24 41/24 finished
Voyage Around the World Reading: 45
Areas/Regions visited: Arabia/Middle East, Antarctic, Arctic, Africa (Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia) Asia, Belgium, Bosnia, Caribbean Islands, China, Cuba, Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Germany, India (Sundarban Islands), Italy, Japan, North American Continent, Palestine, Poland, Spain, Turkey, USA- including Alabama, New York, Hawaii, Ohio, Utah, United Kingdom- including England and Scotland, Western Europe.
Books that are part of a series: 28
Author Stats: Male- 37
Female 40
New authors that I had not read before: 43
Book Sources: Library- 49
Purchased this year: 7
Purchased before 2022: 28
Kindle/Audible: 7

79. City of the Beasts read for my book voyage around the world- South America. Allende is a new author for me. This book was a weird mix of silly juvenile troupes, serious issues and explanations of Amazonian tribal beliefs with Bigfoot along for the ride. All at the hands of a long-winded author. Sigh.

80. Like Water for Chocolate (Mexico) Fun exaggerated characters, tongue in cheek, uniquely told story shared in book form with chapters as ‘monthly’ installments- each one begins with their own traditional recipe for some kind of Mexican cuisine at the beginning of the installment. A foodie romance?

>115 kaida46: They showed us a clip from the beginning of that one in my Food and Culture class in college. It got me curious enough to pick that one up at some point; exaggerated it was, the daughter character we're following had a story that really spoke to me.
(Edited for now accidental spoilers, sorry)

Back to some Sci Fi after visiting Korea, South America and Mexico in my reading around the world in books challenge.

#81 Old Man's War, Interesting concepts and I liked the story.

Still slogging through the stories representing the Viet Nam war book, (best taken in small doses.)

Spent the weekend here...Hubby competed in the piping events at the Scots on the Rocks festival, but it is still a difficult feat to gain entrance to Arches National Park, the parks have become too popular for tourists from all over the world. Luckily I've been able to visit there previously, an amazing place, but you must plan your visit carefully to get into the park.

So far I found 5 ghosts in the LibraryThing hunt!

#82 In the Field of Fire, got through most of it, just could not take it any more, grim subject matter and beating a dead horse. Favorite story: Brothers by Ben Bova
#83 S is for Space for my October Bradbury reading, which includes two stories from The Martian chronicles.

I've been enjoying a visit to my daughter's, she adopted former racing greyhounds and I enjoy walking the dogs with her. good food, good company, and we both enjoy reading.
the two books I am working my way through are:
The Sicilian, and Up From Slavery, that seems like a weird combination after thinking about it. One read has been entertaining and engaging for traveling purposes and waiting in airports, etc (Puzo). The other read is a really interesting life sketch from an outstanding man who started out life as a slave with nothing, and went on to do amazing things with his life. Mr. Washington's positive attitude is just amazing, we need some of that positivity in our country today.

Finished two good ones....

And one really bad one- Habibi Graphic novel, NOT recommended. Every bad stereotype is used in what the author says was written to be positive about the culture of Islam/Middle East. I think the author has issues with women as well. (Warnings-graphic violence/rape). Do yourself a favor, read something else.

Current reading: The Midnight Library

Been wanting to read The Midnight Library. I hope you enjoy it!

The Midnight Library is pretty good so far but the author is kindof beating to death the fact that the main character is depressed and wants to change her life for the better. I will stick with it for the time being, but I took a little detour after a visit to the library and had to read a sample from the books I checked out yesterday: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs and The Golden Apples of the Sun. The story The Fog Horn is one of my favorites from Bradbury.

Now I'm off to bake some shortbread and taste test the tiramisu I already made for our dessert guests this evening...

>126 kaida46: The concept of The Midnight Library sounds so intriguing and I've had it on my list to read, but I keep seeing subpar reviews and issues people have it with it so it keeps getting pushed further down the list. I'll be curious to see your overall thoughts on it when you finish.

I've been putting off The Midnight Library because it seems to be bogging down, but yes, as you mentioned WhiteRaven, the concept is so intriguing.

Two others finished: A Sound of Thunder, a mixed bag collection of Ray Bradbury stories and Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs, which was moderately interesting but mostly geared for a younger audience.

Currently reading: The Fortunate Pilgrim and Ghosts of the Golden West, and oldie from ghost hunter Hanz Holzer.

It seems to be getting more difficult to keep up my reading pace with the holidays coming on, life seems to be so much busier. It also does not help to chip a tooth and have 4 dental appointment in a matter of about 2 weeks either- evaluation, temporary crown, lots of aching after its messed with, more evaluation and then a surprise root canal, with the permanent crown to be set next week. Whew! I'm worn out and have been relieved of a pile of $$$ for all the fuss, but I'd rather keep the tooth. So it goes.

#89 Finished, The Fortunate Pilgrim.
Here's my review:
The Fortunate Pilgrim, by Mario Puzo. (283 pgs, 1964)(About the experience of being an Italian immigrant and the children of Italian immigrants in NYC in the first half of the 20th century), 5 stars. This man is such a talented author and this book, which is partly biographical for his life, really spoke to my heart because my Grandparents were Italian Immigrants. Weep bitter tears for Lucia Santa and her family and laugh out loud for the way he accurately describes all your Italian relatives in this most extraordinary book. Then be thankful your parents and grandparents were the fortunate pilgrims, and you can live the carefree life of Gino (throughout most of the book) living in the ‘burbs’ in the land of opportunity.

Well I tried to get through The Icepick Surgeon, and read about 3/4 of it but have become annoyed with the author's preaching. I have read two previous books by Kean The Violinists Thumb and The Disappearing Spoon and enjoyed them but this one is different and not as well done. A lot of inferring to certain 'popular' causes/points of view is going on in this book. He's trying to tie the pursuit of natural history specimens to the evils of slavery, and laying guilt on the present day reader for eating a chocolate bar because he says an unscrupulous person in the 1800's was associated with slavery in something to do with the development of chocolate. The Aztecs drank chocolate 2000 years ago, wasn't that before a white person of European descent ever dreamed of using people from Africa to harvest sugar cane in Jamaica, cotton in Alabama, etc.? Now on page 219, he's taking pot shots at people's religious beliefs and specifically mentioning flaws of certain political parties but trying to convince you he's being objective in the next sentence.

I think I've had enough. Yes, the so called 'scientists' within the pages have done shocking things, they also qualify as sociopaths and self important jerks. They have serious flaws in their moral reasoning, they should be roundly denounced. Why is the author reveling in all the gory details and promoting his podcast every few pages? What a disappointment.

Why does every single stinking thing need to be political now a days? Sigh. Done.

Finished- The Midnight Library (2020) 3 1/2 stars. The premise is very interesting for this book, but the execution is lacking. Starts out with a bang but quickly gets repetitive by beating the depression angle to death and turns into a bit of a slog. I almost put it down without finishing. If you can get through that, it gets better after about halfway when the protagonist finally stops being so pathetic and starts taking charge of her life. After that, you will read through quite quickly, it picks up speed and ends well.

Finished- Ghosts of the Golden West (1968) 3 1/2 stars, for my Read around the World, North American Continent. A bit dated but some interesting ghost stories from one of the first ghost hunters, Hans Holzer mostly taking place in California and the Western United States.

#93 I Heard the Owl Call My Name 4.5 stars. A classic, a look at one of the tribes of the Pacific Northwest through the eyes of a young Bishop/missionary as he lives and works among them, earning the honor of becoming one of them. Though it is a fictional story, it contains folklore and information about the lifestyle of these people. The author actually spent years studying the peoples she has written about. Filled with descriptive writing that lets you imagine being there along with the characters. (Reading around the world-North American Continent)

Thank you as always for books, thank you for this group and thanks for you. Have a lovely day.

Thanks Paul!

#94 The Ghost Brigades, good second installment from Scalzi, amazing Sci Fi feats and interesting story line. 4 stars. I'll be looking for the next one in the series soon.

Present Read: The Kaiju Preservation Society for some lighthearted Sci Fi. (Yes, I am suddenly on a Scalzi kick.)

#95 The Last Colony, book 3 in the Old Man's War Series, so far this is a good series with interesting takes on genetic engineering, an good mix of Sci Fi concepts, aliens and space exploration with some politics thrown in, a touch of romance and lots of action. (4 stars) The only hole in the story is the sudden disappearance of an alien race that was part of the plot who then mysteriously never show up again in the rest of the story line, what happened to them?



#96 Cursor’s Fury. While Butcher has created an interesting world in the previous two books, this book which is #3 of the Codex Alera series is a disappointment. There are just too many characters to keep track of and this installment consists of over 600 pages of the author being obsessed with Roman Legion fighting tactics and gory battle scene descriptions. It's endless and boring, I started skimming over those parts and nearly quit the book altogether, and this was after a several months hiatus while the book just languished in my night stand because it was not motivating me to finish it. No story, just endless fighting against impossible odds but the main character always seems to pull a trick out of somewhere and win! Amazing right! Stretching credibility in every battle scene exasperates and exhausts me as a reader. There are precious few bits of story thrown in and a few sappy lovey dovey scenes between Amara and Bernard. No thanks, I think I am done with this series, just tiresome with not much going on. (3 stars)

>137 kaida46: I must have liked Cursor's Fury more than you did, but my last read of it was just before I started reviewing books on LT so I don't have any clue as to why it left a better impression. Then again, I kind of like Roman legion stories.

I did a reread of Codex Alera recently and I found Amara and Bernard's story extremely tedious. I was hoping they would stop being point of view characters, but they did not. I did like Tavi's PoV, but I generally enjoy military stories and history.

Quandame and kgodey, glad you liked it better than I did, no problems there. I too like Tavi as a character, but I just got tired of very little story and a whole lot of fighting. Some other reviewers have said this volume suffers a bit from middle of the series syndrome, but since I generally like Butcher's stuff I may revisit the series at a later date. I kindof wish he would do more of the Cinder Spires series since The Aeronaut's Windlass is one I remember liking and I've read all the Dresden Files over and over.

>140 kaida46: He said recently that the next Cinder Spires book should be written by Christmas, so hopefully it'll come out in a year or so.

I've been busy preparing for the holidays and have missed reading as much as I am used to. Now that the family party is over, I can relax a bit.... December always winds up kindof crazy at my house with 3 of my children's birthdays and our anniversary along with Christmas and New Years. No, we didn't plan it that way, but that is how things worked out!

I sent out four cards and received two fun cards from the LT Christmas card exchange, what fun! (Thanks! to Peace 2 and Nicole W.)

Best Wishes, everyone.

>142 kaida46: Merry Christmastime to you. I am going to focus on series reads next year (all from off the TBR shelves I hope) and the Old Man's War series is one of my maybes.

My reading is in slow/pause mode this month as well

Skimmed through: Zoe's Tale as it was a rehash of The Last Colony but just told from a different POV, and it answered a few lingering questions about things in the Colony book, such as what happened to/with werewolf type beings the colonists found on the planet.

Who else is thinking about what book challenges they would like to do next year?
I was reading over the LT Non-Fiction Challenge Monthly Themes thread and it sounds interesting to me...an 'award winner', which is January's theme that resides on my shelf is Omnivore's Dilemma, so I am going to pick that one for starters.

I still want to concentrate on my own shelves again for the bulk of my reading, with a goal of at least 75 so I guess that would be classified as a '75 ROOT' or a 'ROOT 75' thread. I was tossing around the idea of an alphabetical challenge where you pick one book title or author name (first or last) for every letter of the alphabet. I happen to have Xenocide on my shelf, so that one is already a given for that kind of reading challenge, and it fits into a series finishing challenge as well....

Other ideas are to a finish off a series you've been reading, do a rainbow challenge with the colors of book covers, or read several books by the same author, pick one of your book shelves and read through it. Many ideas are rolling through my head.

Fill in the questions/phrases with book titles you read in 2022…

Describe yourself: The beloved songsmith. Songsmith Habibi (beloved)
How do you feel?: Brilliant and like a firebird soaring. Firebirds Soaring My Brilliant Life
Describe where you currently live: In the white darkness. The White Darkness
If you could go anywhere...? Other worlds than this, or to outer space. S is for Space Other World’s Than These
Favorite form of transportation: Circumnavigating the world in a ship. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her own Making
Your best friend is: The Sicilian
You and your friends are: The sultanas of the Kaiju club. The Kaiju Preservation Society The Sultan of Byzantium
What's the weather like? Dark as night. Dark Night by Paige Shelton, (no touchstone available.)
Your favorite time of day is? Midnight. The Midnight Library
What is life for you? Just One Damned Thing After Another
You fear: The Mountains of Madness and The City of Beasts.
Best advice: You were Born to Change the World.
Thought for the day: Enjoy Living Free.
How you would like to die: When the owl calls my name and when my cat eats my eyeballs. I Heard the Owl Call My Name, Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs

Merry Christmas!

>146 quondame: Thanks! Same to you!

It's been a good reading year for me. I've been concentrating hard for the past few years on reading the books I already have. For 2022 I did a Read Around the World Challenge with emphasis in picking books that fit the place categories from my own shelves.

My new thread for 2023 is already made and the challenge for the coming year is going to be picking and reading books for each letter of the alphabet, using book titles. First picks will come from my own shelves, then I will supplement with the library or purchases as needed.

Total books read: 99 From my shelves: 45

My Top 5 Books for 2022: (in no particular order)
1. To Kill a Mockingbird
2. The Island of Missing Trees
3. How the Penquins Saved Veronica (which seems to only come up with a touchstone if you write it Away With the Penguins for some reason)
4. The Fountains of Silence
5. My Brilliant Life
Reading around the world challenge areas in the top 5: North American Continent, Cyprus, England, Antarctica, Spain, and Korea.

Honorable mentions and Notable Reads for 2022:
Nine Continents
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
The Hungry Tide
Old Man's War
The Sicilian
The Fortunate Pilgrim
The Kaiju Preservation Society

Outstanding YA:
The Orphan of Ellis Island
The Ruins of Gorlan

New thread for 2023 here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346768#n8019642