Donna Begins A New Chapter in 2022, 2nd Quarter

Penny is the dog I thought I’d never have. We were not going to get another dog when we lost our beloved Lab, Lucky, in 2017…and then COVID happened…

Pandemic Penny is a wonderful addition to our family. She is a 5-year-old Boxador (Boxer/Lab mix) that we got from the Humane Society in August of 2020. She is smart, good-natured, and well-behaved. 🥰

Books Read in January
1.❤️A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Always 5 stars!
2. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb. 3.5 stars.
3. The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova. 3.5*
4. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. 3.8*
5. My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk. 3.5*
6. Secrets of Happiness by Joan Silber. 3.5*
7. Henry, Himself by Stewart O'Nan. 3.5*
8. ❤️Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan. 4.5*
9. Kim by Rudyard Kipling; audio by Ralph Cosham. 3*
10.❤️These Precious Days by Ann Patchett. 4.5*
Total pages read in January: 3,153
2 Mine
2 NF
2 Classics

Books Read in February
11. Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson. 3.8*
12. The Good Doctor by Damon Galgut. 4*
13. Bibliophile: Diverse Spines by Jamise Harper and Jane Mount. 4*
14. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith. 3.2*
15. An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten. 3.5*
16. ❤️The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna. 4.5* (Reread)
17. Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa. 3.5*
18. My Promised Land by Ari Shavit. 4.2*
19. Fight Night by Miriam Toews. 4*
Total pages read in February: 3,371
3 mine
3NF

Books Read in March
20. ❤️Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. 5*
21. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.
22. The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine. 4*
23. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer. 4* (reread)
24. The Siege of Krishnapur by J. G. Farrell. 4.2*
25. The Fell by Sarah Moss. 3.5*
26. The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths. 3.5*
27. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. 4*
28. Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor. 4*

Total Pages read in March: 2.542.
2 books were mine. 2 Non-fiction.

End of First Quarter:
Read 28 books, 9,067 pages.
7 Mine, 7 Non-fiction.

Books Read in April
29. ❤️The Promise by Damon Galgut. 4.3*
30. The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam translated by Edward Fitzgerald. 3.5*
31. ❤️The Time of Our Singing by Richard Powers. 4.5*
32. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. 3.5*
33. The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen. 4*
34. Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. 4.2*
35. The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer. 3.5*
36. Simon's Family by Marianne Fredriksson. 4*
37. The Guide by Peter Heller. 3.5*

Total Pages read in April: 3,021
4 books from my shelves. One Non-fiction.

Books Read in May
38.❤️ The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki. 4.5*
39: Piranesi by Susanna Clark. 3.3*
40.❤️ The Sixteen Trees of the Somme by Lars Mytting. 4.5*
41. Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead. 4*
42. The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. 4*
43. The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths. 3*
44. Heaven's Keep by William Kent Krueger. 3.8*
45. Vermilion Drift by William Kent Krueger. 3.2*

Total Pages read in May: 2,811. Only 1 was mine.

Books Read in June
46. Sovietistan by Erika Fatland. 4.2*
47. Sabrina and Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine. 4*
48. French Braid by Anne Tyler. 3.5*
49. Zorrie by Laird Hunt. 4.5*
50. The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar. Reread. 3.5*
51. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. (audio) 4.6*
52. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Reread. Book Group. 4*
53. Sleepwalk by Dan Chaon.
54. The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar 3.8*
55. The Island by Adrain McKinty. 3.5*

Total Pages Read in June: 3,279.
2 were mine. 2 rereads. 2 NF.

***********************
First Half of 2022 Stats:
Total Number of Books: 55
Total Pages Read: 18,178
Mine: 11
Rereads: 7
NF: 10
***********************

Book No. 29: The Promise by Damon Galgut. Library, 269 pp., 4.3 Stars.

There were many changes in South Africa between 1986 and the early years of the 21st century. The three children in the Swart family live through both the political changes and the losses of their parents during this time. Galgut won the Booker Prize in 2021 for his engaging portrayal of Anton, Astrid, and Amor as they navigate life in challenging times. It was interesting to me that he devoted sections to Ma, Pa, and the two oldest siblings, but the youngest, Amor, was at the heart of the story. She is the one who overheard her mother promise their devoted maid Salome that she would inherit the house where she and her son lived. "A promise is a promise."

Hope that I am not to premature in appearing to wish you a happy new thread and a happy weekend, Donna.

It has been lovely to see you back on the threads in 2022 as I missed you in 2021. x

You are right on time, Paul. I am trying to keep my few planned threads on the simple side focusing on the books. Although, since our rescue dog Penny is such a big part of our lives now, I need to post a picture of her sweet self. Coming soon...

I am delighted to back in the fold. I get many smiles and book recommendations from this wonderful group of readers.

Happy new thread!

Happy new one!

>1 Donna828: Aw, Penny doesn’t seem to mind her bunny ears at all! Is she being distracted with a treat? She’s so cute!

Happy new one, Donna!

Extending a warm welcome to Jim, Anita, and Joanne.

>8 Copperskye: I think she is resigned to those bunny ears. The granddaughters dress her up occasionally and she tolerates it fairly well...up to a point.

Happy new thread, Donna! Penny looks like a special and well-loved girl. :-)

Happy new thread Donna. Penny is a good sport with her bunny ears. Having a dog is wonderful isn't it!

>3 Donna828: I am glad to see that you liked that one too!

Happy new thread, Donna!

>1 Donna828: Happy New Thread - Penny looks lovely by the way.
>3 Donna828: The Promise was Mr SandDune’s favourite book so far this year, so he has chosen another Galgut book The Good Doctor for his book club choice in a couple of months.

Happy new thread, Donna. I love the topper!

Happy new thread!

>1 Donna828: any dog that would wear those ears and sit quietly with a basket is indeed "good natured and well-behaved". What else would you expect from a lab/boxer mix though.

Happy new thread, Donna! What a great dog! Love that she lets the kids play with her and even dress her up in bunny ears.

Happy Sunday, Donna. Happy New thread. Love the Penny topper. Most of us are doggy lovers, so she will fit right in. Our very first family dog, when growing up was named Penny. Also, a lovable mutt.

Happy new thread, Donna! What a sweet and lucky pup Penny is!

Happy new threa, Donna!
Addding some more love for the Penny pictures :-)

Happy new thread, Donna! Penny looks adorable - did she actually keep those ears on?

It always amazes me how many visitors I get when I start a new thread. I'm happy to know that people actually want to know what I'm reading! I guess we readers are curious that way because I like to check in with others and discover new books and authors or find old friends that I have already read. So happy to be back on LT this year!

Hello to Carrie, Mary in British Columbia, Stasia, and Rhian.

Carrie and Mary, Penny thanks you for the kind words. It is wonderful having a dog again after the absence of a few years. We hit the jackpot!

Stasia, I have you to thank for the discovery of a new author. I'm thankful there are a few more books by Damon Galgut that I look forward to reading.

Rhian, I'm glad your DH is a Galgut fan. Stasia and I arm-wrestled (not really) over The Good Doctor at a bookstore in Joplin, Missouri. She actually found it first but was gracious enough to send it to me when she finished reading it. LT people are kind that way.

Greetings to Beth, Lori, Reba, and Mary in New York State.

More Penny love! Thanks, Ladies.

It's good to see Mark, Anne in CO, Anita from the Netherlands, and Mary in MA here.

Penny is feeling like a rock star! I'm glad to hear your Penny story, Mark. And, no, Mary, those bunny ears didn't stay on long at all. She has her limits.

I hope no one minds the truncated responses. I am off to pay return visits. My LT time was short this weekend because I got to see my granddaughters that live in town today. They are quite busy with their activities so I was glad that lunch and a trip to the local art museum (where 8-yr-old Molly had a piece on display) worked out. We had a sunny day and even spent time in a nearby park to top off a fun afternoon.

>22 Donna828: Yay for Damon Galgut! I have read several of his books and have several more to go.

>23 Donna828: Molly is an artist! With a work on display at the museum! I'm so thrilled for her! And impressed. Do you have a pic of her piece that you can share?

Happy New Thread, Donna!

Yay for Pandemic Penny! I'm in the same place you were. I haven't replaced my old Golden, but if the right dog comes along ... well

I haven't read anything by Galgut - sounds like I may have to remedy that.

>24 alcottacre: I will second that Hooray! I have a fairly long list of dependable authors. Galgut will definitely be added to that fine group.

>25 Storeetllr: Molly is a creator of what I call Fun Art. She loves to do anything art-related. She doesn't overthink it but it is always a colorful and fun experience for her. I do have a few pictures..can you believe it? Stay tuned. I need to switch to my iPad.

Clay Relief, March 2022.

Busy Bee on canvas, August, 2020

The Bee lives in my kitchen. The owls are still on display at the Art Museum.

>28 Donna828: Yay! And that is the best way to create art - joyously and with an exploring free spirit. I can't wait to see her work.

>28 Donna828: I agree, Mary. She is a free spirit!

>26 streamsong: Hi Janet. I think you would like Galgut’s work. The two I’ve read tell interesting stories set in South Africa. The political aspect is in the background. They have helped give me an idea of what it might have been like to live in times of the upheaval during Apartheid.

You may not have a dog, but you have some beautiful horses to keep you company…and also keep you very busy.

>28 Donna828: Thank you Donna for posting the fun art by the talented Molly! I have pieces framed of art from our kids from when they were little and I love to look at them. The piences are so free and open and colourful.

Mary, a few recent drawings by grands were in a drawer that got waterlogged during our recent leak. I was as devastated at losing them as I was by the wet books. Most of the older artworks are in a safe place so I still have a lot of kid art left thank goodness. Such fun memories.

>33 Donna828: Oh! That must have hurt a lot!

A few years ago, I finally let go of a bunch of my daughter's childhood art. It was so hard! I scanned some of the pics and put the few that I decided to keep in an album, so I don't have a lot. I'm now indiscriminatingly collecting art from my granddaughter. I do have my favorites, some of which I've named and keep on the fridge and a few I've actually framed. If those were ever lost, I'd be so sad.

>28 Donna828: Those are adorable.

>28 Donna828: I love these Donna!

>28 Donna828: Owls? She does owls? I want one!!

>28 Donna828: Those are truly lovely. How old is she now?

Happy new thread, Donna. Those are great bunny ears! The Molly art is fun. So impressive that the owls are on display in the Art Museum.

>35 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. Molly Art makes me happy.

>36 brenzi: Me too, Bonnie.

>37 alcottacre: I thought about asking Molly where her owls were going to live, but I didn’t want to seem too needy.

>38 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. Molly will be 9 on April 20. I think more art supplies will be part of her birthday gift.

>39 Familyhistorian: Thanks for stopping by, Meg. I just came from your thread and enjoyed your spring photos. It’s happening slowly here. Windy and cold (33 degree wind chill) on our morning walk. Penny was the only one who had fun!

*******************************************

I am slowly making my way through In the Time of Our Singing by the wonderful Richard Powers. It has been a long time since I have felt like an inadequate reader. The heavy music themes are too much for my year of piano lessons as an 8-year-old. I am listening to classical music on YouTube and am an enthusiastic listener of Bach and Schubert Lieder music. I had never heard of it(!) and am a new fan.

>34 Storeetllr: Somehow skipped you, Mary. Scanning art work is a brilliant idea. I plan to gift each grandchild with a packet of their art when they reach an age when they might appreciate it. Maybe if/when they have kids of their own. I’ll definitely save a digital file before then. Thanks for planting the seed…

>42 Donna828: Welcome! I tried that with Meg. She told me to dump them. (That was AFTER she had Ruby.) Not much nostalgia in that kid's DNA, I'm afraid.

>43 Storeetllr: Hmmm, that's kind of what I'm expecting from my grandkids. They don't seem to be too interested in family history so why would they want a collection of drawings from their past? Oh well, I'm not giving them a choice. They can dispose of them but I will have my virtual copies.

Book No. 30: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Mine, 191 pp, 3.5 Stars.

Years ago I bought this book from a neighbor who collected and sold fine books to help her out in her small business. I was very much attracted to the beautiful cover and have enjoyed looking at the paintings by Edmund Dulac. Upon reading it (for this month's Asian Book Challenge), I was surprised by the familiarity of some of the quatrains. "A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou" among other lines. This 11th century Persian poet and astronomer was quite a wine lover. After reading through his mystical poems, I came to the conclusion that his intent was to tell the reader that life was fleeting and to enjoy it while it lasts. Not bad advice.

Now my sad story. This is yet another of the books destroyed in the leak that ran through one of my bookcases. Amazingly, the cover is not damaged. I will carefully remove the pages with art and keep what I can of the poems for posterity. I won't be replacing the book, however, mainly because I am not a great poetry lover and because the replacement cost on Amazon for a used copy is $49.99.

Book No. 31: The Time of Our Singing by Richard Powers. Mine, 631 pp., 4.5 Stars.

It took me ten days to read and ruminate on this powerful relentless novel that tells a tumultuous story about a musically gifted black woman who marries the white German Jewish immigrant she bumps into at the Marion Anderson concert at The Washington Mall on Easter Sunday of 1939. He just happens to be a gifted amateur singer and a brilliant physicist who escaped Germany to teach at Columbia University and become a pariah because he fell in love with a black woman. David Strom and Deliah raise two sons and a daughter in times when mixed-marriages were rare and fraught with danger. The conflicts are numerous in the isolated life they chose and Powers doesn't leave anything out. Over seventy years of riots spewing prejudice and hatred are the background for the beautiful music that the Strom family made together until they fell apart.

Powers is passionate and ambitious as he weaves musical theory and the paradox of the relative nature of time through the heartrending Civil Rights injustices in American History. I was aided in my understanding of this variegated master work with help from Wikipedia and YouTube which provided a slight understanding of physics and the background of classical music. Reading this book demanded quite a commitment of time and research but, in the end, the dance of art, science, and history worked for me.

>46 Donna828: Excellent review Donna!

Sounds like some good reading up there but what a shame about your beautiful copy of the Rubaiyat!!

>44 Donna828: Yep, that is the best attitude. When I moved in with the kids, I gave Meg 2 banker's boxes filled with her stuff and told her to do what she wanted with them, but, if she tossed them, she might lose something important because I had no idea what was in them. I don't know if she's looked at them yet (or tossed them unlooked at). Her choice.

>45 Donna828: That is so damn sad. I'm sorry. I have my mom's copy of The Rubaiyat that I'd hate to lose. It doesn't have the beautiful art (or cover) that yours has, but it's precious to me.

Love Molly's artwork! And sorry about the damaged book. Richard Power's book sounds, well, powerful! Happy Monday!

>46 Donna828: Wow that sounds like an incredible commitment Donna. Researching physics is a bridge too far for me. But I'm glad you enjoyed it.

>45 Donna828: Oh, that is sad, Donna.

Great review of The Time of Our Singing, Donna. I was not familiar with this title but you have now placed it firmly on my radar.

>46 Donna828: Great comments on the Powers book, Donna. It does sound like quite a commitment. So sorry about the damaged book.

>47 mdoris: Thank you, Mary.
>48 RebaRelishesReading: I know, Reba. I have other beautiful books, but I still mourn the loss of this one.
>49 Storeetllr: Mary, I wonder why some of us care so much about things that contain memories and others don't. My kids are all in the second category. *shrug*
>50 Berly: Hi Kim. Yup, Richard Powers is a powerful author for sure. I count on his books to help shape my thinking about the world. I think he is a genius!

>51 brenzi: To be honest, Bonnie, I spent way more time on the music than physics. Some things are just out of my wheelhouse.
>52 Copperskye: *sniff sniff* Thank you, Joanne.
>53 msf59: Mark, my goal is to read all of the Powers books, although I will pace myself so I don't strain the brain too much. ;-)
>54 BLBera: Thanks on both counts, Beth. Life is a balancing act. The loss of a few books is offset by the enjoyment of others...at least that is what I am telling myself...

My book group met for the second time since Covid this past week. We had 8 in attendance with an excellent discussion of The Vanishing Half.



Book No. 32: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. Library, 389 pp., 3.5*

I appreciated what Ms. Bennett was trying to accomplish in her book but I think the story got too complicated when it went on to the next generation and the characterization suffered. The consensus of the group was that she should have delved more deeply into the initial story of twin sisters, Stella and Desiree, being separated when one passed for white and left the other behind. It was a good book that could have been better, or at least more satisfying. I was still coming off the "high" from the Powers book who in my opinion did such a superb job of writing about race relations. I should have spaced these books out more.

Book No. 33: The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen, translated by Don Bartlett and Don Shaw. Library in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 268 pp., 4.2 Stars.

"Everything of value on an island comes from the outside, except for the earth..."

I am still processing this quiet story set in the remote setting of Norway above the Arctic Circle. Life was hard for this hard-working and close-knit family. The extreme weather and harsh terrain make survival a daily trial. The writing is sparse but still rich in detail and emotion. I look forward to reading the next two books in this trilogy about Ingrid Barroy and her evolving family.

Hi Donna! I completely agree with your take on The Vanishing Half. I loved the Stella and Desiree story, but was less engaged in the next generation.

Hi Donna - Great comments on The Vanishing Half; it was a good book for discussion, wasn't it? My book club also had a great discussion about it. I was also less enthralled in the kids' stories, but my students really loved the book.

>58 Donna828: This one is already on my WL; I've heard so many good things about it.

>58 Donna828: I also liked The Unseen, Donna. I just got White Shadow (book 2) from the library.

>58 Donna828: Your review makes me want to locate my copy in my stash and read it. I'm not sure which box it is in.

>59 lauralkeet: Laura, we seem to have similarities in our reading thoughts lately. That's why I know I can rely on the recommendations I get from your thread.

>60 BLBera: Yes, the discussion was very interesting. I can see why a younger audience might prefer the more relatable stories of Jude and Kennedy. I hope you get to the Jacobsen book soon, Beth. Retirement is just around the corner!

>61 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita. I wish my library had these books. I need to have them ordered for me from another library. There is no charge, but it's a bit of a hassle. However, I will gladly do it to read the next two in the trilogy.

>62 thornton37814: Oh, a book stash! That (almost) sounds like fun, Lori. I have my books spread throughout the built-in bookshelves in my 3-level house. They are semi-organized, but it is still a bit of a hunt to find a particular book. One of these years, we may downsize to a ranch-style house where I can find things more easily. Sounds kind of boring and my husband really does not want to move, so it may not happen as soon as I would like.

>63 Donna828: awww! Thanks Donna!

>45 Donna828: That is the exact edition that I received for my high school graduation back in 1979. Sadly, my copy was destroyed by mice when I had all of my books in storage for several years.

>46 Donna828: I loved Powers' The Overstory, so I am definitely going to have to get to that one too. I still need to get to Bewilderment as well.

>57 Donna828: That one is already in the BlackHole, but I may skooch it down a bit.

>58 Donna828: Already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

>1 Donna828: Pandemic Penny is a perfect name! Good luck with Penny. The Unseen is on my TBR list. I hope to visit the local library sometime this week. I find such interesting books on your threads!

>64 lauralkeet: You're welcome, Laura. Just speaking the truth. ;-)

>65 alcottacre: Oh no, I would be totally grossed out if mice got into my books. I see why you have cats, Stasia.

I have loved all of Richard Powers books so far. His books are lifestoppers for me!

>66 Whisper1: Linda, I'm glad you find some books you want to look into after reading my thread. Have fun at your library. I need to get over to mine today. It's a beautiful day here to be out and about. We have had such a cold and rainy spring so far.

Book No. 34: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley. Library, 494 pp., 4.2 Stars.

"I never thought about secrets being like a bull's-eye. The smaller the circle, the bigger the secret." (Pg. 77)

There are so many secrets in this book revolving around almost-18-year-old Daunis and her community in Northern Michigan. She is smart and strong and balances her mixed race heritage well. She is Ojibwe on her deceased father's side and has a French-Canadian mother. Her brother is 3 months younger than she is! There are many interesting characters who interact in this Native American and white community. There is some tension between the groups, but the kids mostly get along because they share the love of ice hockey and the beautiful outdoors near the Canadian border.

I don't want to give away the plot which builds gradually. Sometimes it is hard to tell the good guys (and gals) from the bad ones, but the most evil presence in the book is the making and selling of meth. I thought some of the topics were a bit heavy for the typical teenager...like drug trafficking, sexual assault, and murder. I wish there was some way to recommend this book for older teens.

ETA: I rarely read YA books, but Joe recommended this one to me and he was spot on. I adored the setting. I might have rated it higher but the teen angst got to me.

>68 Donna828: Donna, Many thanks for your excellent review of Firekeeper's Daughter. It is on my tbr list, but now I'm bent on reading it soon.

For a few years, my primary reading genre was YA. I felt guilty about reading YA, then when Barnes and Noble opened an entire large area of YA books, I celebrated the fact that there is nothing to feel guilty about. YA books contain such incredible wisdom!!!!

Hi Donna! Happy new thread. Pandemic Penny is adorable.

From your previous thread, I’m glad to hear that your RL book club met in March after two years of not meeting. My RL book club met earlier this month for the first time (except for an afternoon tea last year to say goodbye to a member who was moving to Wyoming). We picked books and set a completely new schedule. Instead of first Sunday of the month at 7 p.m., with most of us now retired we’ve switched to second Thursday of the month at 11 a.m. Our first book will be The Adults, a contemporary fiction that I thought I’d hate but ended up loving. I read and loved The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society in 2009 but have had no desire to re-read it so far.

>28 Donna828: I particularly like The Owls, although both are quite wonderful.

>45 Donna828: Ah, so sorry, about your beautiful copy getting water damaged. I have an old very small unillustrated copy of my grandmother’s, and a slipcased copy bought at a Friends of the Library sale. I should probably re-read it…

>68 Donna828: Great comments, Donna. I will look for this one.

>68 Donna828: A great review. This one has been on my radar for a while. I reserved it at the library a while ago but it's a long wait line.

Have a great weekend!

>69 Whisper1: Linda, I hope you will enjoy Firekeeper’s Daughter as much as I did. I really enjoy learning about Native American culture along with a good story. This book gets 2 thumbs up on that criteria.

>70 karenmarie: Hi Karen. I’m glad to hear that your book group has also started meeting again. I read on your thread that your book sale was a success. Congratulations! It’s great that we are getting some normalcy back in our lives. Thanks for your visit and positive comments about Penny and Molly’s art. I also appreciate the book commiseration.

>71 BLBera: Beth, I think Firekeeper’s Daughter will be an excellent fit for you. I had to overlook some teenage shenanigans but the Ojibwe parts more than made up for that.

>72 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita. I hope your wait isn’t too long. Personally, I couldn’t put the book down once I got started. ;-)

Book No. 35: The Septembers of Shiraz by Delia Sofer. Mine, 352 pp., 3.5 Stars.

“When Isaac Amin sees two men with rifles walk into his office at half past noon on a warm autumn day in Tehran, his first thought is that he won’t be able to join his wife and daughter for lunch, as promised.” (opening sentence)

The author experienced childhood in Iran during the Shah’s reign and for a short while after the revolution that deposed him. She fled to the U.S. with her Jewish/Iranian family in 1982 at the age of ten. Her memories of the chaos come through in this fictional account of a Jewish gem merchant and his family who suffered a sudden reverse in their status when the patriarch is imprisoned.

The horrific jail scenes give a vivid sense of the fear and harsh treatment of those who had prospered under the Shah’s rule. Isaac Amin suffers while his family lives in limbo. The eldest son is safe in the U.S. but does not cope well when his funds are cut off. Amin’s wife and young daughter are hungry, scared, and uncertain about their future.

I appreciated getting a sense of what it would be like to live in a world that inexplicably turned upside down. While I don’t need my books to be tied up with a neat bow at the end, I do wish this one had been wrapped up a bit more satisfactorily. This was Ms. Sofer’s first book. It was engaging, and I look forward to reading more by her.

Book No. 36: Simon's Family by Marianne Fredriksson. Mine, 347 pp., 4 Stars.

The sea was always present in Simon's childhood, flavoring the air with salt, filling the air with its song from its wide expanses, and coloring all light between the houses and hills...The child took this light with him all through his life. It penetrated his skin, through flesh and bone and into his soul, where his longing was born." (48)

I am rather confused about this book originally published in Sweden by a Swedish author. First of all, the title comes up on LT as Simon and the Oaks which is the title of the same book published in Australia. My book matches the fuzzy cover I posted; however, the subtitle on another edition reads 'A Novel of Mothers and Sons'. I think the two-family subtitle is most suitable because the Larsson and Lentov families become very close, which also adds to the confusion. The boys were in and out of each other's houses so frequently that I almost forgot which son belonged where.

However, I really liked the story about two boys who didn't fit in with the others at school becoming friends. They both had plenty of heartache in their backgrounds which became more problematic as the events of WWII heated up. I tend to like realism in my books so I wasn't sure about the continued use of Scandinavian mythology, but it fit in well with Simon's character, a gifted young man whose emotions and imagination fueled his inner world.

I'm definitely keeping my copy of this book for a reread. Plus, it looks at home on the shelf paired with another Fredriksson book, Hanna's Daughters. I don't remember any confusion about that book when I read it in 2005.

Dropping in to wish you a wonderful weekend

>76 Donna828: Good review Donna! The books by Fredriksson sound interesting.

>77 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita. It was a lovely weekend...followed by a rainy Monday.

>78 mdoris: They are very interesting, Mary. I enjoy books by Scandinavian authors. I think some of my confusion came from the translation to English.

Book No. 37: The Guide by Peter Heller. Library, 258 pp., 3.5 Stars.

Jack is back! If you read Heller's The River, you will be familiar with Jack and know that he is recovering from what happened on a trip with a fishing buddy three years ago. That was one exciting book and this one starts out well yet doesn't quite live up to the promise. Jack is still a good solid young man who is an expert outdoorsman and reads poetry but the circumstances of the book are pretty far-fetched. I enjoyed it but it left me wanting further resolution. It was a bit of a disappointment from a favorite author.

>80 Donna828: Sorry The Guide didn't hold up for you. I loved Heller's Dog Stars but haven't followed that up with any of his other books.

Hi Donna - I'm a Peter Heller fan as well. I enjoyed The Guide a lot (although not as much as The River), but I agree that the plot was pretty unrealistic.

>79 Donna828: Yes Donna, I'm waiting for the publication of the Lars Mytting book, the 2nd in the series. I think it is called The Reindeer Hunters: A Novel. I think your enthusiasm got me to read the 1st in the series. With thanks!

>80 Donna828: Hmmm, still gonna read The Guide, I suppose. I liked Jack so much in The River that I can't pass it up. Lowered expectations can be good through!

Happy Wednesday, Donna. I always enjoy seeing what you are reading. I also loved The Unseen & Firekeeper's Daughter. Sorry, to hear about Heller's latest. I did enjoy The River but never felt it needed a follow-up. As a side point- Heller never bothers spending much time on thinking of a title, right? Other than, The Dog Stars, of course.

>80 Donna828: I almost purchased that one for my brother at Christmas, but then I noticed it was the second in the series. I thought he'd enjoy the plot of The Guide better than The River, but I think I opted to get him a book gift card instead.

>81 Storeetllr: The Dog Stars was so good, Mary. I have liked all his books, this one just wasn't quite as good as the others I've read.

>82 vivians: I thought it started out great, Vivian, but the ending was too far out there for me. I do admit that I raced through it on the edge of my seat, though.

>83 mdoris: I am eagerly awaiting The Reindeer Hunters, Mary. It is supposed to be released in the U.S. on October 11. In the meantime, I am happy to have snagged the new copy our library just got in, The Sixteen Trees of the Somme by Mytting. It is a mystery/historical fiction account of a young Norwegian man who was orphaned shortly after WWII. I have sneaked in a few pages, but I need to be reading Peranesi for Tuesday's book discussion first.

>84 drneutron: Hi Jim. I thought Jack was pretty phenomenal in The Guide. It wasn't his fault that the situation he was in seemed over the top. I also thought it ended too abruptly or maybe I just wanted to read more about Jack. :-)

>85 msf59: Hello Mark. You raise an excellent point about Heller's recent titles. Let's see...there's The Painter, Celine, The River, and The Guide. Short and sweet. By the way, that is the order of my enjoyment after The Dog Stars which was my first and favorite.

However, I need to read some of his autobiographical books which have some great titles: The Whale Warriors, Hell or High Water, and Kook: What Surfing Taught Me about Love, Life, and Catching the Perfect Wave. Have you read any of those?

>86 thornton37814:: Lori, the gift card is always a good choice. I really think one needs to read The River before The Guide. I believe he took more time writing The River. It just seemed that The Guide was rushed too much. Do you know what your brother purchased with his book gift card?

Huh, apparently, I have a double post. The first one for me!

Book No. 38: The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki. Library, 548 pp., 4.5 Stars.

"What is real? Impermanence is real. Knowing this, we can appreciate each thing as it is, and love each other as we are--completely, unconditionally, without expectation or disappointment. Life is even more beautiful this way."

A beloved husband and father dies in the beginning pages, but we only learn about Kenji as a "life lived backward." The Book has a speaking part in this novel which the reader will likely either love or hate. Benny Oh, the bereaved teenage son has a close connection--and running commentary--with The Book.

Grief is a major theme and shows itself in many forms. There are piles of clutter everywhere in Benny and Annabelle's small apartment that contain memories of happier days. Then there are the voices in Benny's head that both guide him and mock him as he finds his way back to a meaningful life. Deep stuff but not too surprising when you consider that Ozeki is a Zen Buddhist priest.

>88 Donna828: P got to the library copy of The Sixteen Trees of the Somme before me and I had to return it unread but P thought it was good. I must get back to it! Right now I am completely overwhelmed with library books all coming in at once. I'm sure you know all about this! One is The Book of Form and Emptiness and thanks for your review in >91 Donna828:!

So, I liked The Vanishing Half more than you did, but I also read it for a class along with The Girl with the Louding Voice and stories by Edwidge Danticat. The discussion was excellent. And I enjoyed The Book of Form and Emptiness a little less than you -- 3.5 I loved having the book as a character, but the two dysfunctional main characters made me so sad.

Anyhow, nice to be back here and see what you are reading. Happy Friday!!

I also loved The Book of Form and Emptiness, Donna. Ozeki certainly makes one think.

>89 Donna828: I don't know what he ended up purchasing.

Pleased to see that Ozeki made a positive impression, Donna. I hope to get to that one soon.

It's so nice to log in and find I've had visitors. I am getting over my second case of Covid this year. Today is my sixth day of it and I'm finally feeling better. Still tired and coughing so I won't be getting out and about for awhile. I'm grateful for this time of year with all the blooms I can enjoy. The lilacs are gone but now we have peonies and iris in full blossom. So pretty.

>92 mdoris: Mary, I have more library books than I can handle right now. Yesterday was the first day I even felt like reading so I started The Sixteen Trees of the Somme. It's very good. I hope you enjoy the Ozeki book. It's a long one but worth every page.

>93 Berly: Hi Kim. I agree with you about the sadness of the mother and son in The Book of Form and Emptiness. Benny had a hard time with the grief of losing his father on top of his mental issues. I'm glad he had "The Book" to help keep him grounded. Books are good friends like that. ;-) Your class sounds amazing. I think most people liked The Vanishing Half more than I did.

>94 BLBera: Ozeki writes well on some interesting topics. I've enjoyed all her books that I've read. Like you, Beth, I appreciate books that make me think.

>95 thornton37814: Lori, you will have to find out what he got...or maybe he's holding on to the card waiting for the perfect book.

>96 PaulCranswick: I hope you like the Ozeki book as much as I did, Paul. It's a long one but reads fairly quickly. I'm sure you are still basking in the joy of having your family together again. I will be catching up with you and others soon as I shake off the last few days of Covid.

Book No. 39: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. Library, 245 pp., 3.5 Stars.

"The beauty of the house is immeasurable; it's kindness infinite."

I am so sorry I missed out on the book discussion of this book. I probably would have rated it higher after listening to my well-read group talk about the pros and cons. Piranesi seems to be the sole inhabitant of a huge crumbling building that was a fascinating rambling labyrinth complete with fierce tidal waves, Roman statues, and lots of birds. He spends his days fishing for food and taking copious notes about the bizarre structure that forms his world. There is another main character called The Other who is well-dressed and comes and goes on a regular basis sometimes bearing small gifts of food.

I've been pondering whether this book is about philosophy, insanity, or just an odd psychological mystery. It took almost half the book for me to get caught up in the story. I started it pre-Covid and finished it in a daze so I'm not sure I got the full benefit of the author's imagination.

Second dose of Covid! Ugh. So glad you're recovering, Donna. Hope the post-Covid fatigue, dizziness, weakness, brain fog misses you. I'm going for my second booster next week. Still masking when out and about although I notice I'm getting careless a bit when at home. Like when workmen were here this morning, I didn't have my mask on. (Neither were they masked.) I just tried to stay far away from them. Still, it's like it's all over now.

I tried to read Piranesi but couldn't get into it. Perhaps I'll try again, remembering what you say about it getting interesting halfway through.

Oh dear, sorry to hear of your second bout with Covid, Donna, but glad that you’re starting to feel better. It seems so inevitable that we’ll all get it sooner or later. I’m hoping for later. Much later.

Sorry you have COVID, Donna--I do too. A Mother's Day gift from my adult son. I'm glad you're feeling better, and sorry you've gotten it twice.

I keep meaning to get to Piranesi but so far I haven't. Nice review of The Book of Form and Emptiness--I hope to read that one later this month.

Donna! I'm so sorry you've gotten COVID again. Take care, and I hope you feel better soon with no lasting effects.

Hi Donna, sorry to hear you're having a second bout of the virus. Blech! I hope it passes quickly.

>98 Donna828: I'm sure he's used it, but he purchases a lot of the "cheap" Kindle books to read.

I hope this bout of COVID leaves you soon, Donna!

>100 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, I think Covid is going to be around for awhile. I'm not happy that my natural immunity didn't kick in after being exposed at lunch with friends. There were three of us at the table and only one lucky one that didn't get sick. I was surprised how much I changed my mind on Piranesi as I was reading it. I knew I wouldn't be able to go for the discussion but I read it to talk about it with my friend and sister-in-law who are part of the group. Fantasy is tricky for me and can go either way. It helped that I really liked the main character.

>101 Copperskye: Joanne, there is never going to be a good time to get Covid. My first case was more severe than this recent one, but it's still not my idea of a fun way to spend a week. I'm over all my symptoms except fatigue. Or maybe I just need an excuse to lay around and read?

>102 AnneDC: Oh no, a fellow sufferer. I hope you are recovered by now, Anne. I'm heading over to your thread later to see if any other family members got it. My January case was a gift from my son-in-law and we were the only "lucky" ones to get it. I think you will love the newest Ozeki book.

>103 BLBera: Thank you for those uplifting words, Beth. The tiredness and a bit of brain fog are still with me, but I'm getting stronger every day. I hope I'm done with Covid for a good long time.

>104 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. "Blech" is a good word to describe how I felt the first few days.

>105 thornton37814: Hi Lori. I think your brother is smart to make his gift card go farther. It sounds like reading runs in your family.

>106 alcottacre: I'm ready to kick Covid out of my life forever, Stasia. As you know, it drains the energy. I am back to walking Penny each day but still haven't managed to get my 10,000 steps in, although I might make a push for it tonight as I'm close. Thanks for the visit.

The Sixteen Trees of the Somme by Lars Mytting. Library, 416 pp., 4.5 Stars.

"For me my mother was a scent. She was a Warmth. A leg I clung to. A breath of something blue, a dress I remember her wearing. She fired me into the world with a bowstring, I told myself, and when I shaped my memories of her, I did not know if they were true. I simply created her as I thought a son should remember his mother."

I was hooked from the first page and found it a good book to read around Mother's Day. This was a very mellow book about a young man's exploration of his identity. It starts out slowly, but just keep reading. It's worthwhile to be patient.

Edward was orphaned at age 3 in 1971 and was raised by his Grandfather Bestefar, a Norwegian potato farmer. He dies in the early pages of the book and leaves many letters and documents behind that Edward had never seen before. He follows the clues from Norway to The Shetland Islands, and finally to France where his parents died while on holiday with him. Mytting is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

>109 Donna828: Now I'm convinced after reading your review that I must get it from the library again.
Great review Donna!

>109 Donna828: You got me with another one, Donna!

Sorry to see that you are having to recover from COVID again! There are really so many variables undetermined with this blight that it makes it difficult to be positive about the future and seeing it off all together.

I have triple jabbed friends who have caught the thing three times so the theories about natural immunity and vaccination both don't entirely hold up and I, like most people, am at a loss to know what to do other than continue being as responsibly vigilant as practicable. Masking is still pretty universal here and will be widespread even if not mandated. I don't know honestly how much that helps but if it helps me a little then I will continue with it myself.

Get well soon my friend.

>110 mdoris: Hee hee. I just made that suggestion on your thread, Mary. Thank you for liking my thoughts. I had to take some detailed notes as I was reading the book. The story got rather complicated and I did have a bit of Covid fog going on.

>111 PaulCranswick: Paul, I agree that we are going to be living with Covid for some time. However, I am tired of doing more than my share. Haha! I knew I could get it again but didn't expect it to be this soon. I had a milder case this time and am feeling much better. Thanks for stopping by. I know you've got a lot going on in your life now. Enjoy your family.

>109 Donna828: Adding that one to the BlackHole. I have Lars Mytting's The Bell in the Lake to read first though. Have you read it? If so, what did you think of it?

>113 alcottacre: Stasia, I adored The Bell in the Lake (it was my No. 1 book from last year) and I'm looking forward to its sequel being released in the U.S. this fall. You've got some great reading ahead of you.

Book No. 41: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead. Library, 592 pp., 4 stars.

"The aurora occupies huge swathes of sky in a blink. One moment an arc of light hangs from horizon to horizon, bleeding up into the stars; the next it is gone. You feel you are receiving messages from an unknown sender, of indecipherable meaning but unquestionable authority." (534)

This story about infant twins who were rescued at sea in 1914 and haphazardly raised by their bachelor uncle in Montana was quite a ride. Uncle Wallace allowed Marian to quit school at age 14 so she could somehow earn enough money for flying lessons after a barnstorming couple landed their biplanes near the cabin and put stars in her eyes. So, a lifelong passion was born in a young girl that led to a life of heartbreak and adventure.

While I truly admired Marian's determination and hard work to become a pilot, I felt little connection to her as a person. She was selfish and lacking emotional depth. Truthfully, I wish the story had been centered on her twin brother Jamie. I related more to his gentle nature and struggle to become an artist.

The writing was lovely, especially when the author was describing the natural world of Montana and Alaska. The flight scenes were so realistic that I felt I was up in the airplane with Marian...and wishing I were on land! I will be definitely checking out the author's backlist.

>108 Donna828: I guess it does. He used to work at a place that sold paperbacks. At the close of every month, they'd get rid of some of the paperbacks that had not sold to make room for more. They had to return the covers to prove they'd been destroyed. He'd bring a sack of books home for himself and his wife, and she'd pass hers along to me. I remember reading about 2 books per day one summer--mostly Harlequin type books or mysteries. He read westerns, thrillers, espionage, etc. When he moved up in the company and moved elsewhere, I had to rely on the library again!

Hi Donna!

>97 Donna828: I’m so sorry you’ve gotten Covid again. I hope you’re over the lingering effects. I had a bad Covid exposure scare two weeks ago – 3 hours sitting next to someone at the Audio Visual sale, both of us masked, but he tested positive for Covid the next day – and that was awful enough.

>116 thornton37814: Lori, I remember getting those paperbacks when I worked in a bookstore in Colorado Springs. We could also check out the latest hardcover books for a few days. The owner wanted his crew to be well read, especially in the latest releases.

>117 karenmarie: I’m glad you escaped the Covid Crud, Karen. My cases were fairly mild, although they lasted longer than some. I’m still having fatigue issues.

I dragged my tired self to Kansas City on Friday to attend granddaughter Audrey’s graduation on Saturday morning. It was windy and in the low 50s with thunder rumbling in the distance. We were lucky to stay dry for the 1.5 hours it took for a class of around 400 to get their diplomas.

ETA: Audrey will be attending The University of Kansas (go Jayhawks) and majoring in biology. She plans to be a PA (Physician’s Assistant).

Congratulations to your granddaughter and, of course to you too. Out of loyalty to Hubby I concur "Go Hawks!!"

Hi Donna! Some good reading going on here! I took a BB for The Sixteen Trees of the Somme.

>120 Donna828: Where does the time go Donna. Congratulations to Audrey!

>120 Donna828: Great pictures Donna, thanks for sharing! And congrats to the new graduate!

Oh congrats to Audrey! What lovely pictures, Donna, you must be so proud.

Congrats to Audrey! How wonderful. It looks like I need to add The Book of Form and Emptiness to my list. A few of my LT buddies have loved it, which is good enough for me. Fine review of Great Circle. I loved it, as well.

Hi Donna!

I hope your energy is coming back. Congrats to Audrey, and thanks for sharing the photos.

Great pic! You all look so happy! And for good reason. Congrats to Audrey and best wishes for a fantastic college career!

Congrats to Audrey! They grow up so fast. I love her idea of being a PA. I think that's a good career.

I'm glad you felt energetic enough to go to her graduation. Here's hoping your energy comes back soon - and in the meantime, perhaps you'll get some extra reading time in, if you have the energy to read.

Congrats to Audrey. Those grands grow up too fast!

Congratulations to Audrey! So glad you could attend her graduation and help her celebrate.

Like the rest of my LT friends, I am devastated by the Uvalde, TX tragedy. Other than "outraged" and "heartbroken" I have no words...

>122 cbl_tn: Carrie, I hope you like the Lars Mytting book. I hope he continues to write and that his books keep on being translated from Norwegian so I can get lost in his stories.

Thank you to Reba, Bonnie, Mary in Canada, Mary in Massachusetts, Mark, Karen, Mary in New York, Janet, Beth, and Joanne for the graduation congratulations for Audrey. It was a big day for her...and her proud grandparents. Apologies for the group text, I'm just not very talkative these days. ;-(

I have been cleaning out my closets and took two big bags of clothing to the thrift store. I can't even concentrate on reading, but I will try to write a short review on my latest book.

Book No. 42: The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. Library, 354 pp., 4 stars.

"Humans lose focus easily. Immersed in their politics and conflicts, they get sidetracked, and that is when diseases and pandemics run rampant." (Pg. 273 - words of wisdom from a fig tree)

Yes, there was a fig tree narration running through the book. I found it helpful because she was very knowledgeable about what was going on around her. And it was quite a lot as she witnessed some of the events of the civil war in Cyprus in the 1970s. This was yet another dual timeline book. In the most recent story, Kostes and his 16-year-old daughter, Ada, are in London grieving the loss of their beloved wife/mother.

There is also a tender love story about how Kostes met his wife in Cyprus when they were both quite young and how the civil war between Turkey and Greece separated them. And then, thanks to the unnamed fig tree, there was some great nature writing. This book won't be for everyone, but it worked for me.

The Island of Missing Trees sounds interesting...onto the TBR list it goes!

Hi Deb, I hope you enjoy The Island of Missing Trees when you get to it. Thank you for stopping by. It's been very quiet on my thread recently. I did a little disappearing act for a week or so, but I've been reading.

Book No. 43: The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths. Library, 384 pp., 3 Stars.

The usual red herrings abound in the 11th book of the series as Ruth is called in as a forensic consultant when a missing girl's bones are discovered in a routine archaeological dig. Although I like this series, the ongoing love triangle is getting old. I'm starting to prefer the exploits of some of the secondary characters such as Judy (police investigator) and her partner Cathbad/Michael. There were many flashbacks to the first book in the series. A good test for my memory!

Book No. 44: Heaven's Keep by William Kent Krueger. Library, 336 pp., 3.8 Stars.

A charter plane goes missing in a Wyoming blizzard and Jo O'Connor (wife of Cork, the "star" of the series) is on board. Cork and his teenage son Stephen become part of the search team. There was lots of action, Native American visions that need interpretations, and confusion between the good guys and the bad guys. I gulped it down in a day! This was Book No. 9 in my current favorite series.

Book No. 45: Vermilion Drift by William Kent Krueger. Mine, 320 pp., 3.2 Stars.

I usually don't read two in a row, but I own the book and had to find out how the ending of the last book played out. This one dragged a bit for me. Maybe too much time in the mine where some bodies were found after unsolved crimes over 40 years ago. Some very troubling things were going on back then. I did like the ending with Cork and Henry Meloux (the reclusive Native American sage who has been Cork's go-to person throughout his life). Henry is an ongoing character, although he doesn't get enough attention in my opinion.

ETA: I see others liked this book more than I did. Perhaps I should continue to space them out more. I think I need a break from too much drama and suspense.

>136 Donna828: the strong supporting cast has added to my enjoyment of the Ruth Galloway books too, Donna. I'm up-to-date on the series and your review prompted me to see when the next book is coming out. June 28! Woo hoo.

>136 Donna828: I've read a couple of these Ruth Galloway mysteries, and for some reason they just haven't hooked me. I mean, I don't hate them, but there's just something about them that makes me yawn when I think of reading another in the series. I'll probably read one more, just to be sure it was just those particular books and not my mood, before giving up.

>137 Donna828: >138 Donna828: I haven't read any of this series. Sounds good. I'll have to see if I can find the first in the series.

I'm listening to Vermilion Drift right now, Donna, and so far, I like it more than Heaven's Keep.

I loved The Island of Missing Trees, and can't wait for the next Ruth Galloway book.

Hi, Donna. Happy Friday!

>120 Donna828:. Congratulations!

Joining the accolades for your review of The Firekeeper’s Daughter. I hope that encourages a few more people to try it. So good!

I have to agree with your take on The Vanishing Half. Good, but could’ve been better. Focusing more on the two sisters is a sensible way to do that.

I’m so glad The Book of Form and Emptiness worked well for you! I love the way Ozeki handles the deep stuff.

>139 lauralkeet: That's good to know, Laura. I still have a few to read to catch up with the series. I like knowing they are there waiting for me when the mood strikes.

>140 Storeetllr: I know what you mean, Mary. It took me awhile to get into Ruth Galloway. I kind of feel that way about most series and use them as in-between books. After awhile, it seems more like a visit with old friends.

>141 BLBera: Beth, it had been so long since I read a Cork O'Connor book that I may have overrated Heaven's Keep. I really enjoyed Stephen's role in the book and am glad Krueger didn't quite jump the shark with the ending! I know now that I need to space series books out because I got tired of too much Cork in Vermillion Drift. I really like more family involvement. However, I think the ending with Henry in the sweat lodge was very well done.

>142 jnwelch: Good to "see" you, Joe. Thanks for the congrats for Audrey. I hope she does read and enjoy The Firekeeper's Daughter. She has a busy summer going on with her boyfriend and more hours at work. I just planted the seed... I think my daughter plans to read it for sure and maybe two recommendations will do the trick!

Ozeki is such a thoughtful author. At least she makes me think! I love those kinds of books and will continue to read whatever she writes.

Book No. 46: Sovietistan by Erika Fatland. Jefferson City, MO library loan, 477 pp., 4.2 Stars.

"A thousand years ago, Central Asia was the intellectual center of the world." (431)

I heard about this book over on the Asian Author's thread. It didn't qualify for a "Stans" author because Ms. Fatland was a tourist from her native country, Norway, but Paul and several others read it and commented on it. That really piqued my interest, so I ordered it from an out-of-town library. I'm glad to have that option. And I'm glad I read about Erika's adventures in the five "stan" countries that came about after the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union.

Each one of these countries was interesting in a different way. I knew so little about this part of the world that I took copious notes just for my own edification. Kudos to the author for making history and geography so entertaining as she wrote about the people who shared their personal stories with her. I would never have the courage to do what she did. I was glad to be an armchair traveler and really felt as if I was sharing her experiences. I will have to see if she has written about any other parts of the world that I will never have a chance to visit.

>145 Donna828: So pleased to see that you liked it pretty much the same as I did, Donna. It was my book of the month last month for sure.

I understand about spacing books in a series. Usually when I read two in a row, I am sick of the protagonist by the end of the second one. Best to space them out so I can forget about the things that annoy me.

>145 Donna828: This does sound interesting.

>146 PaulCranswick: Paul, thanks to you and the Asian Author's Group for talking up Sovietistan. I would never have read it without your comments. I'm so glad my attention was drawn toward it.

>147 BLBera: I learned my lesson about pacing in the few series I've started. For some reason I also tend to rate series books lower than standalones. They are dependable but also on the predicatable side. Thanks for visiting, Beth.

Book No. 47: Sabrina and Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine. Library, 212 pp., 4 Stars.

I'm usually not a fan of short stories, but these were really well done. I took a chance while waiting in the library queue for Woman of Light which is in processing. That usually means a longish delay. The stories were good, some exemplary. All were about Latina women in various stages of challenging lives set against the dramatic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains to the west of Denver. Recommended.

Book No. 48: French Braid by Anne Tyler. Library, 244 pp., 3.5 Stars.

I really liked how Tyler connected the title to the storyline:
"...when she undid them, her hair would still be in ripples, little leftover squiggles, for hours and hours afterward... that's how families work, too. You think you're free of them, but you're never really free; the ripples are crimped in forever." (234)

And so it goes. Anne Tyler takes everyday life and creates stories out of the minutiae. It took me awhile to get into the story and then I had my usual reaction of why in the heck did he/she do that? I guess one might say Tyler's books are engaging for that reason. I find myself wanting to shake some sense into them at times! This one details the ins and outs of the Garrett family of Baltimore (of course) from the 1950s to the present day, Pandemic included. It wasn't my favorite book of the 15 Anne Tyler books I've read so far. I still have some of her earlier ones to find and read.

>149 Donna828: Oh! This one looks like something I'd enjoy.

Hope you're doing well, Donna!

>151 Storeetllr: Mary, you are definitely the targeted audience for these stories set in Denver. I'm not even a fan of short stories and I enjoyed them very much.

I am doing fine, just got busy with other things and have been neglecting my thread. Sometimes life is a little too busy. It's all good stuff so I can't complain. ;-)

Book No. 49: Zorrie by Laird Hunt. Library, (176), 4.5 Stars.

"...it was Indiana, it was the dirt she had bloomed up out of, it was who she was, what she felt, how she thought, what she knew."

I loved Zorrie's soulfelt remembrances of a quiet life well lived. Her depression era hard time were recalled with no self-pity. Beautifully written.

Book No. 50: The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar. Mine, Reread, 321 pp., 3.5 Stars.

So depressing. I read it for the first time in 2006 and gave it 4 stars. I had no memory of the unrelenting degradation Bhima, a housemaid, and her granddaughter Maya suffer. Actually, things are looking up for Maya because Sera, Bhima's longtime employer, has taken a shine to her and is paying for her college education. But then something happens that ends that free ride and its back to the hopelessness of living in a Bombay slum. I was so bummed out that I reduced the rating to 3.5 stars.

I read this again before getting the sequel. Let's hope things lighten up and that Bhima and Maya's living conditions improve. To be continued...

Book No. 51: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Hoopla Audio, (408), 4.5 stars.

"In our language it is called wiingaashk, the sweet-smalling hair of Mother Earth. Breathe it in and you start to remember things you didn't know you'd forgotten."

I listened to this wonderful book read by the author over the period of several months. I had to keep checking it out so I could relisten to favorite passages and savor every word in these profound nature essays. I learned about the author's Potawatomi heritage and her views on how science meets Native American wisdom. The words were poetic and inspiring. I will definitely buy a copy for my permanent library. Highly recommended.

Book No. 52: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Mine, (304), 4.3 Stars.

This was another reread, but more recently from 2017. I usually wait longer, however, this was my book group's selection for June. I remembered the gist of it yet still had to heavily rely on the family tree at the beginning.

Two half-sisters were born in different villages by different fathers on The Gold Coast of Africa (present-day Ghana) over 250 years ago. The debut novel follows their fictitious parallel lives through the next seven generations. It was quite intense reading about ancestry and enduring hardships, including the historical events of slave trading and the role that the Africans played in it. As one character pointed out: "Everyone was responsible." The story was huge, but our group was small with only 3 members and the moderator to make sense out of so many interwoven stories. The author barely allotted 20-30 pages to each character to give the novel a sense of urgency. I would have preferred a bit more depth into some of the vignettes.

Book No. 53: Sleepwalk by Don Chaon. Library, (304), 3.5 Stars.

Will Bear (Billy) and his 13+ pseudonyms takes living off the grid to a new level. He brags that "I don't officially exist. I don't have an address or a social security number or a credit rating. I've never had an email or a Facebook page, or a wifi-connected phone. I'm a blank Scrabble piece, and that's not easy to find these days."

'These days' are in the not-too-distant-future. The world has continued its spin into anarchy and weirdness. Billy is not only pursued by drones of all sorts but by a young woman named Cammie who claims to be one of his 167 possible offspring because of his early career as a sperm donor. Billy works for shady people doing the jobs no one else want to do. He travels with his rescued pit bull, Flip, who was my favorite character. Flip comes with a trigger warning. There was one scene that spoiled this unique reading experience for me. It was shaping up to be a 4-star read...

>120 Donna828: Yay, Audrey!

>133 Donna828: I enjoyed that one quite a bit, Donna, and am glad to see you liked it as well.

>145 Donna828: Already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

>153 Donna828: It looks like you and are on the same beam with Zorrie. I gave it 4.5 stars as well.

>155 Donna828: Again, already in the BlackHole.

>156 Donna828: I loved that one when I read it and am looking forward to her next release, Transcendent Kingdom, when I can finally get my hands on a copy.

>155 Donna828: I quite enjoyed that one as well

>166 Donna828: I have this on my shelf. Sounds like an excellent read. I will move it up on my "to read" list.

Happy Monday!

Wow! You have been churning through the books! Your choices always make me smile. I loved Braiding Sweetgrass & Sabrina and Corina, and especially Homegoing. I have had my eye on both Zorrie and Braiding Sweetgrass.

I hope your week is off to a good start, Donna.

>158 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. Yes, I will be reading Transcendent Kingdom sometime. I do enjoy Gyasi's books, although I've just read one. Haha.

>159 figsfromthistle: I'm so glad you visited, Anita. I have been lax about keeping up with the threads. I got out of practice with my sabbatical last year. I'm caught up with you now and hope you name the new kitten soon.

>160 msf59: It's been an interesting week, Mark. We had our hottest day of the summer yesterday (99 degrees, it tied the record) and today was only 78. Now I can live with that. I went to the garden center and bought some hostas on sale, and they are already in the ground waiting for the deer to eat them. ;-)

I hope you like Zorrie as much as I did. It's a quiet little book.
So glad I gave Arctic Dreams another go. I am liking it much better this time. I just had to power through some of the harshness of overhunting in the beginning.

Book No. 54: The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar. Library, 357 pp., 3.8 stars.

'It isn't the words we speak that make us who we are. Or even the deeds we do. It is the secrets buried in our hearts...People think that the ocean is made up of waves and things that float on top. But they forget--the ocean is also what lies at the bottom, all the broken things stuck in the sand. That, too, is the ocean." (243)

These are the words of Parvati, a woman who was sold to a brothel by her father at an early age so the family could survive. Such wisdom from one treated so shabbily in her life. India is harsh to those on the lower end of the caste system, especially if they are female. This book is the sequel to The Space Between Us and continues the story of Bhima and her granddaughter Maya. It was good to get some resolution and understand more about the compassion that helps people in harsh circumstances survive.

Hi Donna. What a wonderful addition to your home. Penny looks very comfortable in her surroundings!

>153 Donna828: Braiding Sweetgrass is on my TBR list. Your review is great!

>163 Whisper1: Hi Linda. Penny fits right in with my husband and me. She was a rescue dog from the Humane Society. I read up on how to give a new dog space and be patient for the adjustment which could take up to 3 months. Penny ran in the house and up and down the stairs, located her food and water bowls and bed (in that order) and settled right in. She was our dog within 3 minutes!

I think you will love Braiding Sweetgrass. It will be on my favorites list this year I'm sure.

Where did June go???--That's a rhetorical question. But seriously, I can't believe this year is already half over. I've read 55 books which puts me on track to make my 100 book goal but the time has gone by in a blur. Two bouts of Covid didn't help.

Book No. 55: The Island by Adrian McKinty. Library, 376 pp., 3.5 Stars.

I don't read a lot of thrillers these days, but this one kept me turning the pages. A Seattle family was on a business/vacation trip in Australia when they ventured off the touristy path to look for koalas on a private island. After an accident, they tried to get back to the mainland, but instead were being held hostage by an irate extended family that made the stereotypical Ozarks hillbilly clan look like a group of boy scouts. Much of the action was over-the-top but I did like seeing how trust developed between the American family and how their problem-solving skills developed.

I haven't reached the usual 250 posts but will go ahead and start a new thread for the second half of the year...

>162 Donna828: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the mention, Donna. I will have to get to The Space Between Us soon. It has been in the BlackHole far too long.