Caroline's 2022 Book Bolt Hole (pt 3)

READING 2022


By Vita Schagen

Fiction
A month in the Country (JL Carr) (*) (02/01/22) *****
The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro) (*) (10/01/22) *****
Shuggie Bain (Douglas Stuart) (17/01/22) ****1/2
Unsettled Ground (Claire Fuller) (22/01/22) ****
Once There Were Wolves (Charlotte McConaghy) (29/01/22) ****
Agent Running in the Field (John le Carré) (01/02/22) ****
Foster (Claire Keegan) (02/02/22) ****
The Gardener (Salley Vickers) (06/02/22) ***1/2
Lincoln's Dream (Connie Willis) (13/02/22) ***1/2
Love and Saffron (Kim Fay) 14/02/22) ****
Wide Sargasso Sea (Jean Rhys) (20/02/22) ****
When the Emperor was Divine (Julie Otsuka) (19/03/22) ****
The Buddha in the Attic (Julie Otsuka) (22/03/22) ****
Mornings in Jenin (Susan Abulhawa) (02/04/22) ****1/2
Rizzio (Denise Mina) (02/04/22) ****
1979 (Val McDermid) (05/04/22) ***1/2
Sankofa (Chibundu Onuzo) (10/04/22) ****1/2
A Year of Marvellous Ways (Sarah Winman) (17/04/22) ****1/2
The Réparateur of Strasbourg (Ian. R MacLeod) (18/04/22) ****1/2
Station Eleven (Emily St John Mandel) (23/04/22) ****1/2
Zorrie (Laird Hunt) (21/05/22) ****
The Island of Missing Trees (Elif Shafak) (28/05/22) ****1/2
Lessons in Chemistry (Bonnie Garmus) (02/06/22) ****1/2
Silverview (John Le Carré) (07/06/22) ***1/2
Mr Cadmus (Peter Ackroyd) (11/06/22) ***1/2
Great Circle (Maggie Shipstead) (22/06/22) ****1/2
The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje) (*) (14/07/22) *****
Arctic Summer (Damon Galgut) (24/07/22) ****
Will and Testament (Vigdis Hjorth) (28/07/22) ***1/2
Plainsong (Kent Haruf) (*) (31/07/22) ****1/2
State of Terror (Hillary Rodham Clinton & Louise Penny) (02/07/22) ****1/2
The Personal Librarian (Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray) (09/08/22) ****
After Sappho (Selby Wynn Schwartz) (24/08/22) ****
Flush (Virginia Woolf) (17/08/22) ***

Non-Fiction
How Poetry Can Change Your Heart (Andrea Gibson/Megan Falley) (03/02/22) ****
Jews Don't Count (David Baddiel) (07/02/22) *****
Redemption Ground (Lorna Goodison) (essays) (07/03/22) ***1/2
Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath (Heather Clark) (14/03/22) *****
Night Haunts (Sudhdev Sandhu) (18/03/22) (essays) ***1/2
On Love and Tyranny (Ann Heberlain, trans. Alice Menzies) (09/04/22) *****
Letters to Gwen John (Celia Paul) (14/04/22) *****
Real Estate (Deborah Levy) (15/04/22) ****1/2
The Cost of Living (Deborah Levy) (15/04/22) ****
She's Not There (Jennifer Finney Boylan) (02/05/22) ****1/2
Why Women Read Fiction (Helen Taylor) (11/05/22) ****
Unprotected (Billy Porter) (22/06/22) ****
Arctic Dreams (Barry Lopez) (10/08/22) ****1/2

GN N/NF

Here (Richard McGuire) (GN/NF) (AAC) (09/01/22) ****

Poetry
Call Us What We Carry (Amanda Gorman) (Poetry) (14/01/22) *****
You Better be Lightning (Andrea Gibson) (28/01/22) *****
In the Lateness of the World (Carolyn Forché) (08/02/22) ****
Is, is not (Tess Gallagher) (16/02/22) ***1/2
The Trouble With Poetry (Billy Collins) (25/02/22) ***
Alternative Values (Frieda Hughs) (28/02/22) *****
Gold from the Stone: New and selected poems (Lemn Sissay) (09/03/22) ***1/2
Vita Nova (Louise Glück) (14/03/22) ***

(*)= reread

Total Read= 55

Fiction: 34
Non-Fiction: 13
Poetry: 8
Rereads: 4
GN/NF (no3 counted in total): 1
Female: 32
Male: 16
Non-binary/other: 1
UK: 21
US: 21
British/Turkish: 1
Australia: 1
Dominican/UK: 1
Jamaica: 1
Japanese/American: 2
Palestinian: 1
Swedish: 1
Nigeria: 1
Canada: 1
Sri Lankan/Canadian: 1
South Africa: 1
Norway: 1

I will be continuing a shared read with Paul and Stasia, and anyone else who wants to participate in the 20 classics by people of colour, chosen by people of colour. We aim to do 1 a month. Thread:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/337035

The Nakano Thrift Shop (2021)
Redemption Ground (Lorna Goodison) (essays) (07/03/22) ***1/2
Night Haunts (Sudhdev Sandhu) (essays) (18/03/22) ***1/2

I also dip into the American Author Challenge (AAC):

https://www.librarything.com/topic/337915#

'Here' (Richard McGuire) GN (Jan 2022)
Is, Is Not (Tess Gallagher) (Feb 2022)
She's Not There (Jennifer Finney Boylan) (April 2022)

The British Author Challenge:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/337720

and this year will also participate in the Asian Book Challenge:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/337731

Welcome to my bolt hole.

Happy new thread, Caroline. I love the Vita Schagen painting.

Happy new thread Caroline. Such gorgeous art work over here and inspirational reading lists.

Happy New Thread, Caroline. I love the toppers. Joe lent me his copy of You Better be Lightning, so I plan on getting to that one soon.

Happy new thread, Caroline. xx

happy new thread!

Happy new thraed, Caroline.
Love your toppers, who painted the reading woman?

>5 BLBera: Isn't it great Beth, so simple yet so vibrant.

>6 mdoris: Thanks Mary.

>7 msf59: I would be surprised if you don't love it Mark. There may even be a bird poem in there.

>8 PaulCranswick: Thanks Anita.

38. She’s Not There: A Life in Two Gender’s (Jennifer Finney Boylan) (02/05/22) ****1/2



A fascinating memoir about a transgender woman who finally seeks transition. Jennifer Boylan is a professor and writer, who in her 40s transitioned from James to Jennifer, after a life-time of knowing that she was living in the wrong body. As James she meets and marries ‘Grace’ and they have two sons. Boylan gives us this journey up to shortly after her transitional surgery, with a follow-up chapter 10 years later. She has subsequently written two further memoirs.

I found being on her journey inciteful for itself, and for the perspective on female-hood, which although she has felt female for so long, living in a male body she hasn’t experienced those experiences that a birthed female grow up with in relation to how they can be treated by the male of the species!

I could have done without the ‘Explosive Bolts’ Chapter near the end, which I presume is just a humorous fiction, a letter exchange where Boylan asks to be considered as the first transsexual in space – I suspect the need of the comedic writer to get a foot through the door, but for me it didn’t add anything. I’m not really sure the afterword with Richard Russo did for me either.

That said, I will certainly continue my journey with JFB, and will read some of her fiction down the line too.

Read this for AAC

Hi Caroline - thanks to your thread I'm reading Sankofa and really enjoying it so far!

Happy new thread, Caroline. Lovely toppers, in the first 2 posts!

>13 vivians: I'm glad it s hitting the spot Vivian.

>14 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley.

Happy new one Caroline. Lots of new-to-me poetry tempting me in your "read" list!

>12 Caroline_McElwee: Great review, Caro. I actually found Russo's afterword moving. I like him as an author, and wasn't aware of his connection with Boylan. He was amazing throughout her journey, and I also appreciate his candor regarding his own feelings about how Jenny's transition might impact their friendship.

Happy new one!

>16 charl08: Yup, some really good stuff so far this year Charlotte, though I've slipped off reading a few poems before work each morning. Will add something for my hols next week.

>17 lauralkeet: I liked the honesty of Russo in the main book too Laura. I'll reread his afterword. I just wasn't sure it added much.

>18 drneutron: Thank Jim.

New-thread orisons, Caro.

>20 richardderus: Thank you RD.

>19 Caroline_McElwee: Ooh the holiday book choice decisions. I love the hope involved (if not the weight it invariably adds to the bag!)

Happy new thread.
Oh! the excitement of picking books for holidays.
I'm travelling with work next week (first time in over 2 years) and am debating how many books I need for 2 flights. Probably more than one.

>23 Helenliz: The only time I only have 1 book with me is when I go for Saturday brunch at a café Helen.

At the moment, holiday reading looks like this:

Shipping News (Annie Proulx) - reread after 25 years for this month's RL b/group (novel)
Zorrie (Laird Hunt) (novel)
Essays on the Self (Virginia Woolf) reread
Why Women Read Fiction (Helen Taylor) - just started
Out of the Ashes (Frieda Hughes) (poetry)

And of course there are tempting bookshops at my destination....

>24 Caroline_McElwee: And of course there are tempting bookshops at my destination....

Which is why leaving some room in the luggage always used to win in my planning!

>24 Caroline_McElwee: I hope you have a wonderful holiday Caroline, and that your book choices are satisfying. I always spend ages picking the perfect books, then when I arrive I wish I'd chosen completely different ones!

Happy Friday, Caroline. Enjoy your holiday. Ooh, The Shipping News. I loved that book. I am curious about Zorrie, so I will watch for your thoughts, along with the poetry collection.

I am currently reading Helen Taylor’s Why Women Read Fiction and have been interested in women’s experiences both as children and adults in when they were able/permitted to read. So thought I’d ask you your memories or reading as a child – ie when permitted, where done etc, and how/when/where you made time during different parts of your adulthood.

Reading some of the readers quoted, I clearly was pretty lucky. Although I did get the odd comment about ‘… go out and get some air’ etc, I remember long Saturday/Sunday’s laying on my bed reading – I would get up for breakfast, then take a sandwich back to bed for lunch, and not be expected to be seen until the evening. Most evenings I read for a while in bed (a number of small torches were confiscated throughout my childhood). I couldn’t duck the request to do some chore or other ‘now/immediately’ which I found endlessly irritating. I would have had no problem with chores at an allocated time, but would get furious at being commanded to put down a book at a crucial point.

Of course as an adult I know I am lucky as a solo liver to be able to read whenever I choose, at whatever time of day or night (when not working), able to ignore any other activity beyond the most urgent should I wish to (and far too often I do!). That said, although I am guilty of saying I am having a reading day, often it isn’t really the whole day.

Although the book focuses on women's reading as their lives probably dictate differences in habits/expectations/permissions from the male of the species, I'm more than happy to hear from our male/non-binary or other reading compatriots.

>29 Caroline_McElwee: From the time I could read, at four, I always read a lot. Like you with a torch in bed, and further almost anywhere. Indeed annoyed when I was disrupted for chores, meals, or family outings. We had a lot of childrens books at home, I read all of those more than once, some even dozens of times. When I got my own library card, I went at least four times a week.

I did read in class, with the book I was supposed to have in front of me for class over the book I was actually reading. One year I had a teacher who really disliked me, and sended me out of the classroom a lot. I started to take a book under my clothes, but only dared a few times to actually read.

Sadly in highschool my love for reading vanished, required reading wasn't my thing. It took some time to get back to reading, again reading everywhere, even at work in spare time. Then anti-depressants disrupted my ability to read for many years. Bounced back, and now again back to reading a lot, whenever I want :-)

Like Anita, I was reading at 4, and read under the covers, as well. The mantra of my childhood, it can be said, would have to be: "One more chapter!" because I never liked stopping in the middle of a chapter.

My mother's cousin lived with us for a few years when I was very young and she worked in a bookstore (or maybe library, I can't remember). I do remember her reading to me every night before I went to bed. I remember she read me Anne of Green Gables. She also bought me my first book that I was able to read by myself and I still have it. It was Joan Walsh Anglund's A Friend is Someone Who Likes You. I don't ever remember being forbidden to read anything and I was so very lucky in high school to have wonderful English teachers who introduced me to great literature. I especially remember my grade 11 teacher, who was from Jamaica and loved to talk! She was so creative, way before her time. For every book we read, she either brought us a film to watch (eons before video exited, never mind computers), or assigned us something to watch on tv. Examples: our introduction to Shakespeare was Hamlet. That year, it was on tv, starring Richard Chamberlain in the title role. This was really homework! After reading Irving Stone's Lust for Life, she brought the film to school, the one starring Kirk Douglas. Plus she brought a coffee table sized book of Van Gogh prints. And it goes on this way, for the whole year.

As an adult, I am never without a book when I leave the house. You know, just in case there are 30 seconds or more that I might have to wait for something. Like yesterday, when I waited in line in my car at the gas station as people scrambled to fill up before the overnight price hike. I got almost a whole chapter read of my current book!

Fun question, Caroline.

This should be interesting, seeing the responses. Although this is likely to be a biased sample; one imagines that we're all readers.

I can't remember a time I couldn't read, I went to school able to read so it was certainly pre 5 yrs old. On one occasion my parents thought they had a child prodigy on their hands. Aged 3(ish) I was apparently reading a Noddy book. Word perfect, pages being turned at the right point. Only they then realised I'd just heard it so many times that I'd learnt it, as I was, apparently, a page out.

I grew up a school meals child, there wasn't a lot of momey so used to max out my library card at both the local and school library on a regular basis. My request for birthday and Christmas presents was always books and clothes (in that order), as that was the only time I got new of either. On one occasion I had read "everything" and so started reading the dictionary. I don't remember where I was when I fell asleep. Nothing was off limits, that I remember. I encountered Miss Marple and Brother Cadfael at 10 or so and I still enjoy a good murder mystery. First literary crush was Peter Wimsey, take of that what you will!

These days I tend to read fairly widely, always aware of a lack of depth of reading. I tend to have 2 on the go, an audiobook in the car and a paper book by the bed. I routinely read for 30 minutes each night, sometimes longer.

I've been trying to read a book first published in each year I've been alive, so have been returning to some of my childhood books. Some of which I have literally read until they fell apart.

Happy New Thread, Caroline.

I don’t think I started reading until I was five, but once I started it was always a big part of my life. I remember my college roommates being surprised that I read for pleasure so much even though we were assigned so much reading for classes.

Love these reading memories. Up to the age of about 13 we lived 3 doors down from a park, but as the oldest I was supposed to go and supervise my younger siblings. I wanted to stay in my room and read. I was generally chivvied into getting "some fresh air".
I can't remember exactly when they were allowed to go on their own, but oh, the freedom.

Also recall a conversation with my gran about staying up late and reading. As a kid she read under the bedclothes with a candle, much more dangerous than my attempt at subterfuge (cover up the reading light with a blanket). There was a bit of a mix up with someone putting in a super-hot bulb and I ended up nearly setting a blanket on fire, though.

When people talk about kids staying up late and watching tv - I think I read until midnight most nights around 11-13 (the school library was amazing, and you could go every day and change books. Which I pretty much did.).

I'm enjoying Lyme Regis.



The sculpture honouring Mary Anning.
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/mary-anning-unsung-hero.html

And a visit to Portland (where Portland stone originates from, used on St Pauls Cathedral among other places).

>30 FAMeulstee: >31 jessibud2: >32 Helenliz: >33 jnwelch: >34 charl08: Thank you Anita, Shelley, Helen, Joe, and Charlotte for your reading stories, love them.

I came from a family of readers so it was pretty common for my parents to be sitting in the living room with a book (usually of wildly different genres). I think it was natural to mimic the adults and grab a book and a spot on a couch and lots of weekend time was devoted to reading.

I also remember long car rides to visit grandparents and such and being expected to entertain myself on the trip so I would bring books. Dad would typically drive and my sister would get motion sickness if she read in the car so the challenge was keeping her distracted/entertained while mom and I would read.

Reading was such a large part of family life that mom had to impose a no books at the dining room table rule or everyone would sit and read while eating. The fact that I can recall her snapping at all of us to put our books away suggests that it was not always rigidly enforced.

Now, I am typically too busy until the evening hours to read so often that means that I will stay up too late while reading. My kids are not as big a reader as I am/was but I have established a few reading rituals that have stuck. Namely, a habit of putting up a fire in the winter and reading around the fireplace while tucked under blankets late into the night.

>37 Oberon: That sounds lovely Erik. I'm like your sister, wouldn't be able to read in a car or bus, my parents didn't drive.

I love your reading ritual with your kids.

I can't remember when I learned to read, Mum says it took me a little while but then it clicked and there was no stopping me. I've always been a fast reader - once in primary school I borrowed a book from the classroom to read at home and returned it the next day. The teacher didn't believe I'd read it all and made me take it home again!

My aunt and an ex-colleague of my mum's could always be relied upon to give books for birthdays and Christmas; other relatives knew to give book tokens. I still have fond memories of opening a package containing the next Swallows and Amazons book to add to my collection!

>37 Oberon: Like your sister I can't read in the car, but I kept trying with disastrous results! It got to the stage where I had to be frisked for books before I was allowed to get in the car!

Like you Caroline, one of the things I love about living alone is being able to read whenever I want. I do read at the table (usually catching up with magazines) and if I wake up in the night and can't fall asleep again I put the light on and read until I'm sleepy again.

LOL! My brother and I likely would have killed each before we hit double digits in age, if I hadn't been able to read in the car! I am so thankful that has never been an issue for me, especially these days as I travel (by train) to and from Montreal to visit and care for my mum. It's a 5 to 6 hour trip, each way!

I can read on a train, or a bus, but not in a car. But that's OK with me, since if I'm not driving, I just love watching the scenery go by.

I can't read in the car either. In fact, as I get older, I find even map reading problematic. If on my own I enjoy a good audio book, or the radio for company.

39. Why Women Read Fiction (Helen Taylor) (11/05/22) ****



An interesting exploration of the reading lives of women. Lots of reader responses to questionnaires that we will all recognise in our reading lives.

I fell outside the majority perspective being a solo liver not constrained by the needs and wishes of others. My book group also doesn't quite fit the 'norm' in that, pandemic aside, it is open, has a couple of regular male attendees, has had people of colour and with origins outside the UK, currently a Polish and American attendee. It has been running for 20 years with three founder members still attending. I have been attending for 13 years.

Not much new to me, but nice to have collected together. Lots of nodding went on.

>35 Caroline_McElwee: Great photos, Caroline. Thanks for sharing. I love the Mary Anning sculpture.

>43 Caroline_McElwee: ...because they want to...? Still, the fact is there are readers and then there are Readers, so study is surely warranted to define the spectrum. (I suspect most of us here on LT will be the readerly equivalent od ultraviolet.)

>45 richardderus: Quite so RD.

>43 Caroline_McElwee: I want to read this. Although I do think a lot of it is about the marketing (the perception of what people are 'supposed' to read. See pink covers.)
Kind of related: my mum dropped off some books for me yesterday at our local library, as I couldn't get there during working hours. We both use the branch a lot and most of the staff know us. The librarian yesterday was new, and went and asked permission to see if she could also give my mum some reservations of mine.

Apparently a recent patron had chewed out the library staff linked to requests: a neighbour had dropped off a book for return, and been given a book to take back to her from the reservation shelf. The library patron was not happy about their reading choices being shared with the neighbour (I find this so bizarre on many levels, but am intrigued as to what the book might have been about! What did she not want her neighbour to know she was reading? How to grow leylandi? Extension building for beginners?)

>47 charl08: There's a bit of that, but not overwhelmingly so Charlotte. I generally enjoyed it, with as many nods as head shakes. The latter coming from certain social presumptions (that most women have children for example, hence have less reading time - many do, but not maybe most now, certainly in the 'first world' that this book speaks too).

Funny about the neighbour issue.

A beautiful day for a visit with a friend to Chelsea Physic garden. Lots of young robins in evidence.

>49 Caroline_McElwee: Such a beautiful place to visit! Are the golden flowers poppies?

Happy week-ahead's reads!

>50 richardderus: I think they are of the poppy family RD. I try and go once a month. Not having a garden, its a real retreat in a clanging city. We take sarnies, or sometimes I will make a nice picnic of goodies. And their café does good cake. I had carrot cake today.

>41 laytonwoman3rd: & >42 Helenliz: I have no problem reading in the car but from the back seat. For some reason sitting in front makes it harder to read.

>49 Caroline_McElwee: Does make me long for a fresh day of English spring, Caroline. x

Hi Caroline. I'm loving the reading stories. My sister is 17 years older than me and she has told me that, when I was three years old, she told my parents that I was ready, that she could teach me to read. They prohibited it because they were apparently worried that I'd be bored once I got to school. I find this astonishing but not unbelievable. I read whenever I could once I was able to do so. I remember buying scores of books from Scholastic at the end of each school year and reading them, one after another without pause, all summer long.

As much as I am a reader, I'm also relatively distractible. As an adult, I'm less able to sit for hours at a time with a book. But it is still my favorite way to spend an hour or two.

As a young teenager, things at home were pretty intense and I had difficulty concentrating. I read a lot of Harlequin Romances because I could buy them by the handful at the local five-and-dime and I could easily get lost in them. My father (an English professor) told me if I was going to read trash, I should read "good" trash and gave me a copy of Lady Chatterly's Lover. I was 13 years old and it just didn't take. But when I was sixteen, I was visiting my older sister for spring break and she handed me a copy of The Dreadful Lemon Sky by John D. MacDonald. I was hooked; I read every mystery I could get my hands on. John D. MacDonald, Ed McBain, Dick Frances, Evan Hunter, Agatha Christie. They got me through high school.

Thanks for the invitation to wander down memory lane.

>52 PaulCranswick: It is a lovely retreat Paul.

>53 EBT1002: Thanks for your story Ellen. I was one of those kids who learn't to read early and was then bored with the school reading fair. I hope now they are better equipped for the variety of starting skills.

Happy Saturday, Caroline. I like the look of the Chelsea Physic Garden. The robin is cute too.

>53 EBT1002: >54 Caroline_McElwee: That happened to me too. I could read, and knew the basics of calculating when I came from kindergarten. The first months at primary school were not good, after Christmas break I was allowed to skip a class, and went on in the next.

>55 msf59: Good to see you peak round the door. That robin was enjoying the sun Mark.

>56 FAMeulstee: Glad you got to skip a class Anita. I don't think they did that here back then.

40. Zorrie (Laird Hunt) (21/05/22) ****



A beautiful, quiet novel, that follows the life of Zorrie Underwood. It put me in mind a little of the work of Kent Haruf, although these characters are slightly less eccentric.

>57 Caroline_McElwee: It was highly unusual, Caroline, but my mother could be very persuasive. My oldest sister was also allowed to skip a class eight years before.

>58 Caroline_McElwee: Ooh, that sounds promising. I have Zorrie on hold at the library.

>60 EBT1002: And it's almost a 'one sitting' book too Ellen.

CURRENTLY READING

The Island of Missing Trees (Elif Shafak) - loving it
Out of Africa (Karen Blixen) - 5th or 6th reread, it holds up

>58 Caroline_McElwee: I read Zorrie last year and really liked it. I love quiet fiction and agree with your comparison to Kent Haruf.

Zorrie does sound good.

I loved The Island of Missing Trees!

>58 Caroline_McElwee:, >62 lauralkeet: I don't know how I missed your review of Zorrie last year, Laura, but am so glad I spotted yours, Caroline. This is JUST what I need to have standing by for those reading doldrums. And it appears the author has a body of work to explore if this one suits me. Thank you both!

>62 lauralkeet: Glad it was a hit for you Laura.

>63 BLBera: It's a good one Beth.

>64 laytonwoman3rd: He is a new author to me too Linda, and I look forward to exploring more of his work as well.

Went to see the biopic of the WWI poet Siegfried Sassoon, Benediction. Movingly done, with b/w documentary footage of the war intercut in the first part of the film. And many of his poems, some letters and his statement about why he was refusing to return to battle in voice over.

I hadn't realised he had become so brittle as a man in the latter part of his life. Or that he lived to 1967.

I shall pull the volume of WWI poetry off the shelf again soon. It is one of the first volumes of poetry I bought as a mid-teenager.

>66 Caroline_McElwee: You've really got back into the habit of the cinema, Caroline. I've yet to go back (I think more due to inertia and funds rather than anything else.) This one looks fascinating.

>67 charl08: I have Charlotte, though many weeks there isn't anything I want to see. I mostly go in the afternoons when few others are there. Sometimes a friend comes along. Yesterday there was just one other person there, so a private screening.

>68 Caroline_McElwee: I love an afternoon matinee. Always feels like a treat! Did you see Mass? The reviews sounded great, but inertia again. Sorry if I missed you posting about it.

What do you think of the new Mary Anning statue in Lyme?

>69 charl08: I liked the Anning Statue in >35 Caroline_McElwee:, but the other I've seen mentioned wasn't in situ when I was there. It looks like it is on the seafront route to Charmouth. Below my favourite reading bench, so will see when I'm next there. Difficult to judge from photos. Great though that young people may learn more about her. The Lyme museum is on the site of her house.

Wow, hadn't heard of 'Mass' - the one with Jason Isaacs? (seems there was one of the same name the year before) watched the trailer, powerful stuff, will look out for it. Thanks for the heads up Charlotte.

ETA: It's on Now TV.

>66 Caroline_McElwee: Interesting how that generation's undergoing a re-excavation since the centenary of war's end. I'm glad the film was a success! And the cinema-going habit recrudescing is hopeful, as well.

41. The Island of Missing Trees (Elif Shafak) (28/05/22) ****1/2



A wonderful novel about a young couple across the divide in Cyprus, with much of the history and mythology told by the old fig tree. Love, civil war, migration, climate change, yet told with a light touch.

My two latest Cyprus reads, Monodromos and The Nightingale Won't Let You Sleep, weren't raging successes...I'm getting leery of trying again with Cypriot subjects.

>72 Caroline_McElwee: I did like this one a lot (but unlike Richard I don't think I've read anything else set in Cyprus).

>73 richardderus: I think you will be safe with this one RD. it is a novel, and not over detailed, but giving enough of a sense of the lives of its characters.

>74 charl08: It was my first read with Cyprus as the topic as well Charlotte.

The young eagle testing its wings:

>76 Caroline_McElwee:. 😳. Wow! Where was this taken, Caroline?

I still haven’t read Elif Shafak. Don’t worry, Debbi’s on me about it. Your review has got me on the hook for this new one. You’ve also got me wanting to read more Siegfried Sassoon. I didn’t know you were such a fan.

Debbi and I have The Chelsea Physic Garden on our “to visit” list. If I remember right, Claire S. took Darryl there and he loved it.

>72 Caroline_McElwee: Loved The Island of Missing Trees as well, Caroline. We read all the Costa shortlist books for my RL book group and I would have awared the prize to that one, rather than Unsettled Ground.

>76 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for sharing, Caroline.
Such an impressive and beautiful bird, this young eagle.

We have a pair nearby in the Oostvaardersplassen. Sadly their nest was distroyed in the January storm, so they had to make a new one. I don't think they laid eggs this year.

>77 jnwelch: I take the shots from the Dulles Greenway webcam Joe.

https://www.dullesgreenway.com/eagle-cam/

I took both Claire and Darryl to Chelsea Phys at different times. My membership allows one guest. They both enjoyed it. I'd be happy to take you and Debbi when you are next here.

I think you will love Elif Shafak Joe. This is a good one to start with.

>78 SandDune: I agree Rhian. Unsettled Ground was interesting but not as good. The Women's prize shortlist is strong though (from other folks comments, this is the only one I've read from it so far, though Great Circle just landed).

>79 FAMeulstee: Ooo, sorry to hear about the loss of the nest Anita. This youngster is really growing up fast.

Great eagle pics. Caroline.

I also loved Island of the Missing Trees.

Hi Caro! *smooch*

Hi RD, *smooch* back.

I'm in the queue for The Island of Missing Trees and really looking forward to reading it.

And I love the images of the young eagle! Go eagle, go!

>76 Caroline_McElwee: Those photos are glorious!

>77 jnwelch: You and Debbi would love the Chelsea Physic Garden! The day Caroline took me there was wonderful.

42. Lessons in Chemistry (Bonnie Garmus) (02/06/22) ****1/2



It is actually hard to imagine how much fun a book can be whilst still covering a lot of pretty serious issues (loss/abuse/misogyny/plagiarism/fraud on the negative side. Friendship, love, support, growth, inspiration, the counterweight).

A page turner, witty, wry. You would like to know Elizabeth Zott, Calvin, Maddy, Harriet and Six-Thirty.

>81 BLBera: Oops, sorry, missed you Beth. It's great to see the progress of that young eagle.

>84 EBT1002: I'm sure you will enjoy The Island of Missing Trees Ellen.

>85 Sakerfalcon: Lucky timing Claire.

>86 Caroline_McElwee: Sold! A fun book sounds perfect for me just now.
I'm making a bit of a meal of my attempt to finish Devil's Dance. It's pretty dense.

>88 charl08: I think you will like it Charlotte.

>58 Caroline_McElwee: I am starting Zorrie and I think I am going to like it.

>66 Caroline_McElwee: I have Sassoon's War Poems on the shelves and will possibly re-read them next month.

>86 Caroline_McElwee: I haven't heard of that one before but I shall certainly look for it.

>86 Caroline_McElwee: This one is very popular in my library, so I am waiting for it. It sounds like one I would enjoy.

>91 BLBera: I think you would Beth.

I went to see 'Bergman's Island' today, but it didn't really cut the mustard for me. I was hoping it would be more about creativity, but instead it was just really about a slightly out of kilter marriage. It was interesting to see Bergman's Island, but even that somehow was under played. 3*. Not awful, but not what it might have been.

I'm not sure where The Telegraph reviewer on the poster saw 'whipsmart'!

43. Silverview (John Le Carré) (07/06/22) ***1/2



Not the last written, but the final published novel of Le Carré. A quiet look at the behind the scenes world of the secret services.

In an afterword by his son Nick, he took a while to understand why his father did not publish this complete novel after completion. He came to the conclusion that on some level, a novel about the unravelling of what was once a finely tuned machine was too painful for him.

>93 Caroline_McElwee: How disappointing! I sometimes wish I could have a conversation with reviewers, to find out more about why they saw / read something a particular way.
I am going to see if the library can find me a copy of Zorrie, it sounds good. (ETA: They do! :-))

>95 charl08: I'm not keen on unattributed reviews Charlotte. You get to know whether a certain reviewer mostly shares your taste and hence can generally trust their reviews. There will always be the odd one you disagree on though.

Yay for Zorrie, I hope you enjoy. I shall certainly be looking for more of his books.

>94 Caroline_McElwee: I can certainly see Nick's point. It is The End, and that's hard to cope with even when it's of one's own manufacture.

Watched this fascinating documentary about the Japanese musician Ryuchi Sakamoto. In 2014 he was diagnosed with cancer and had to pause his career for a year. The documentary starts just before he starts work again, both a retrospective and a here and now, about the things he is concerned about in the world, and his first album after his diagnosis. At the beginning of the film you find him in search of the piano that survived the Japanese tsunami.

I love anything about creativity, and it was wonderful watching him explore sound in the world, to incorporate in his music.

I have long loved his work, but not played it for a while, so definitely I will be returning to it.

>97 richardderus: True RD.

44. Mr Cadmus (Peter Ackroyd) (11/06/22) ***1/2



A dark little adventure from Ackroyd's pen. No-one is quite who they seem, and there are hidden histories.

The denouement wasn't as satisfying as I would have liked, but feel it may have been caused by some clumsy editing, as I also found a continuity glitch (I suspect an episode was cut earlier in the novel, and they forgot to edit out mention of it later).

An enjoyable short read though.

My reading isn't as slow as it looks, as I have several non-fiction books on the go as well, including Billy Porter's memoir Unprotected which I should finish tonight.

On the fiction front though, I just started and am enjoying Great Circle

Yes sometimes the reading seems slow for me too as several long and more complicated books are being read at once, somewhat slowly!

>101 Caroline_McElwee: Longer non-fiction reads can play merry old hell with your outward-facing statistics, but the pages-read one stays solid. All good, all good.

I've had to give up trying to write a review for The Kingdom of Sand for now. It simply would not cohere. So tomorrow's review won't flow smoothly from today's in any way at all. *sigh*

>101 Caroline_McElwee: Mine is pretty slow right now. Hoping I will pick up something that grabs my attention soon! I loved Great Circle, would be happy to see it win the Women's Prize.

>102 mdoris: I sometimes take breaks in NF books Mary, other times I read them like novels, other times I'm dipping and diving between several.

>103 richardderus: Good luck with your review RD.

>104 charl08: I'm already getting the sense that Great Circle would make a worthy winner Charlotte. It is only the second I will have read from the shortlist.

Just put Great Circle on reserve at the library, with thanks!

Not even trying to catch up, Caroline, but I wanted to wish you a wonderful week!

>107 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. Lovely and sunny here this week.

>108 Caroline_McElwee: It is sunny here too - it is supposed to be almost 100 degrees F today.

I don't have a garden, but these are flowers I enjoy on my local walks in some of the front courtyards.

Fuchsias, hibiscus, and banksias! All very lovely, Caro. Thanks for sharing the joy.

>110 Caroline_McElwee: Lovely colors, Caroline, so many flowers to enjoy in this time of year!

Happy Wednesday, Caroline. I caught a couple of BBs over here- Zorrie & The Island of Missing Trees.

I also like the eagle pics. Do you know what kind it is?

The "Coda" doc sounds good too.

>110 Caroline_McElwee: Lovely. There are times when I wish I had a green thumb - and this is one of them.

>111 richardderus: >112 FAMeulstee: >114 alcottacre: Thanks Richard, Anita, Mark and Stasia. It is lovely to see some brightness and delicacy.

>113 msf59: They are American Bald Eagles Mark.

You won't be disappointed in either of those novels Mark.

As someone interested in the creative proces, Coda was very satisfying. I liked Sakamoto a lot.

I love your flower pics, Caroline.

>116 BLBera: Thanks Beth.

Happy weekend's reads!

>118 richardderus: Thanks RD. Hoping to finish both Great Circle and Unprotected. Enjoying both.

Went to see 'Good Luck to You Leo Grande', although it deals with serious and still somewhat taboo subjects (an older woman paying for sex/sex working), I haven't laughed out loud so often at a movie in a while. Perfectly pitched performances from both Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack.

>120 Caroline_McElwee: I think Emma Thompson deserves an award simply for making this film. I don't even think that her performance in it is important...just that she *made* it!

That said, I can't wait to see it.

>121 richardderus: The only thing I would change RD, is that clunky title, taken from a line at the end of the film.

Went for a walk with a friend around Lloyds Park, which is behind the house where William Morris was born, and I think were originally its gardens. The House and gallery are closed on Mondays, but the park was lovely in the sunshine. The smell of the linden trees on the breeze was wonderful.

I wasn't able to go here in lockdown as it requires two buses, but I plan to try and go most weeks going forward.. We walked and sat chatting. Had coffee and pistachio ice cream.

The rose was actually in someones garden on my way home and smelt divine. So few roses here have scent.

The street art with bird was also near the park on my way home.

>123 Caroline_McElwee:.That looks like a lovely trip Caroline. I see you're making the most of your day off.

>123 Caroline_McElwee: If roses can convince big, drooling apes to do their biologically imperative colonization for them by showing off their sex organs more, why should they fuss about attracting pollinators with very systemically costly pheromones?

>123 Caroline_McElwee: I am always disappointed when a beautiful rose has no scent. All roses in my garden were picked because of looks AND scent. I love to walk through the garden this time of year, and smell the roses.
In the last years scented roses are slowly making a come back. David Austen did a lot of good work with his roses.

What a nice scenic walk. That pistachio ice cream sounds good too :)

>126 FAMeulstee: A fragrant garden really gives a lift Anita.

>127 figsfromthistle: The ice cream was lovely Anita.

45. Great Circle (Maggie Shipstead) (22/06/22) ****1/2



I really enjoyed this novel about the life of a young woman, Marian Graves, whose dream is to become a pilot, and the family and friends around her. It has a big arc, and all the characters are three dimensional with full lives of their own. I especially like the the tone of this novel.

The second thread is more contemporary, set in Hollywood, and follows an actress who busts her success, and is coaxed into playing Graves in an independent bio pic. I own at the outset I was less enamoured of this storyline, but it grew on me in the last third of the book.

The interweaving of the threads and movement through time was skilfully done.

Shortlisted for both the 2021 Booker and 2022 Women's Prizes.

Recommended.

46. Unprotected: A Memoir (Billy Porter) (22/06/22) ****



An extraordinary creative who has broken down boundaries, succeeded against many odds (race/sexuality/abuse at the hands of his step-father for five years, religious hypocrisy, currently surviving with HIV). He has achieved now because of his determination, because of his 'angels', those who supported and valued him through his life, because his travails have kept him humane beneath the flamboyance. And he is clearly paying forward as an angel himself. I love all that, his style, his great voice. If there is one thing I could have done with less of it is 'WERK', but we have to accommodate the foibles of all those we enjoy.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, BP singing in the break of the Tony Awards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCbJwsl-vts

>110 Caroline_McElwee: Great flower pictures! So bright and full of color.

>120 Caroline_McElwee: I saw a video where the two actors were being interviewed about the film and it does look intriguing. Emma Thompson is a constant delight.

>130 Caroline_McElwee: His verve and style make him completely irresistible to me. I'm just delighted that he's alive and full of the will to keep on keepin' on in spite of those who don't wish him well.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads, Caro.

>131 kaida46: Thanks Deb. Glad you enjoyed them. Nice to e-meet you.

>132 PaulCranswick: I suspect a lot of people will give it a miss Paul, but I thought it got the balance right.

>133 richardderus: I too think he is just a joy RD. i'm glad now he can just be himself, he has given himself consent to be that, and with his success has come a broad fanbase which means more choices for him.

Last night I went to hear the German Auteur Wim Wenders talk about his work, and to see again 'Wings of Desire' on the big screen after 35 years.





Plenty of fascinating anecdotes. Re WoD, he never had a script for this movie. Just a one page outline about an angel who falls in love with a human, and decides to cross over. They made it up as they went along. They were two thirds through the movie before he came up with the idea of an ex-angel who had crossed years before, and rang Peter Falk on spec to see if he would play the part. Peter flew out three days later. Wenders said that Peter was so loved in Germany, that he was followed everywhere. He was also always wandering off and getting lost, so they had to send a team member to keep track of him.

Peter was also an artist, which was used in the film too.



Wenders said he would never be allowed to work this way now, this film would never be made under the current film system. Director Stephen Poliakoff said the same thing several years ago at a similar event. Poliakoff said how lucky he was to have started his career when he had.

Wim Wenders was wonderfully personable, engaging, open and interesting. He spent a lot of time after talking with young film students in the bar, where I snatched this photo:



Wings of Desire certainly stood up after all these years. I need to do a bit of research to find out if it was one of the first German films to make some comment about its Nazi past. Certainly it was the 1980s before some German novelists were starting to do so (Bernhard Schlink in The Reader for example).

Everything ran a bit late so I didn't get home until just before 1am, the latest for some years! At least my 'carriage' didn't turn into a pumpkin!

Wings of Desire looks great—I’ve just requested a copy from my lib. Not the same as your experience(!), but your comments will certainly bring me closer. Thanks!

Karen O

>135 Caroline_McElwee: Oh my heck, what a magical event to attend...and for such a gloriously wonderfully happy film. (It was to me, anyway, and I stick to that idea of it.)

I'm so glad for you that re-experiencing it on the big screen was a fun occasion. No, really. I'm grinding down that jealousy hard as I can.

>136 klobrien2: I hope you enjoy it Karen.

>137 richardderus: I wondered what that strange noise was RD. He he. It is, and after last night remains, one of my all time favourite movies. Some films don't hold up years later, because you as the viewer have moved on, or the film has less to say now, or something else has tarnished it. If you love the film Death in Venice you may not wish to read what follows: (Visconti's recently exposed abuse of the young actor who played Tadzio has spoiled the film Death in Venice for me).

>123 Caroline_McElwee: I love the pictures, Caroline. Thank you for posting them!

>129 Caroline_McElwee: Dodging that BB as I have already read it.

>135 Caroline_McElwee: What a wonderful experience despite the lateness of the hour! I do not believe I have ever seen that film. I need to seek out a copy.

Have a wonderful weekend, Caroline!

>139 alcottacre: Glad you enjoyed the photos Stasia.

Sorry I can't take the credit for that BB.

As the weekend for me starts at 3pm Fridays, when I log off work, and runs to the end of Monday, I got off to a good start Stasia. I'm meeting a friend for coffee and cake tomorrow, and another at Chelsea Physic Garden on Monday, where more cake will be involved (not normally a double cake in a week eater, but sometimes... one just has to do it).

>138 Caroline_McElwee: It was never my favorite movie, or story (queer dies because we can't have one of THEM live happily ever after narratives make me angry), but that truly is the moldy cherry on the poo sundae of an experience.

>135 Caroline_McElwee: Wow, that looks amazing. Now I want to watch the film.

>135 Caroline_McElwee: You saw Wim Wenders, Caroline, how special!
Back in the days I loved "Paris, Texas" and "Der Himmel über Berlin" (Wings of Desire). Have them both on DVD.

Today's visit to Chelsea Phys.

The purple flowers mid bottom row are actually the blooms on the tree bottom right.

>144 Caroline_McElwee: Fascinating plants there Caroline. Do you ever go to events or talks there (assuming they have some)?

Isn't this a wonderful time of year? Our clematis and roses are out and I am so enjoying them. Great pictures in >144 Caroline_McElwee:!

>145 charl08: >146 mdoris: Thanks Charlotte and Mary.

>145 charl08: They do have events Charlotte, but so far I haven't gone along. Some are very much aimed at gardeners, and I don't have a garden.

>144 Caroline_McElwee: Glorious bloomin' things, Caro, thanks for sharing them with us.

>135 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for posting this, and also >130 Caroline_McElwee: regarding Billy Porter...loved them both!

>141 richardderus: I guess I was 14 when I first saw DiV. I was a Dirk Bogarde fan. The story broke my heart in it's literal and metaphorical sense the love of an older man for a younger. The loss of the older man's youth represented by the younger.

>142 charl08: I hope you enjoy the film Charlotte.

>143 FAMeulstee: Yes, a real treat Anita. His film 'Pina' is superb too, if you like dance. Pina Bausch was a long time friend of his. He had to wait 25 years before the technology was available for him to make that film and feel he gad done her art justice.

>148 richardderus: I like to share RD.

>149 Whisper1: Glad you enjoyed Linda.

>144 Caroline_McElwee: Love the flowers, Caroline. I was birding in the prairies today. So many lovely plants and flowers. I should have taken photos.

>151 msf59: Yes Mark, would love to see some prairie flowers, though I appreciate your gaze is usually up rather than down.

The Billy Porter clip was phenomenal, Caroline. Thanks for sharing that.

>144 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for sharing your photos from the garden! Almost as good as visiting oneself!

Your photos are, as always, Caroline, stunning, and it's almost like being there, without the heat and humidity of being here! (mind you, it's been deliciously cool and humidity-free the last couple of days but it isn't going to last.).

And none of those gorgeous blooms seem plagued by what my flowers in my garden seem to be lately: *something* eating away at the leaves.

>153 laytonwoman3rd: Glad you enjoyed it Linda. He's a dynamo isn't he.

>154 Sakerfalcon: It's such a lovely oasis, as you know Claire.

I love the flowers photos, Caroline. I will look for a copy of "Wings of Desire." It sounds fabulous, and the event sounds worth a late night.

>157 BLBera: Definitely worth the late night Beth.

Went to see Baz Luhrmann's biopic about Elvis Presley, which wasn't bad. Austin Butler (who I don't remember hearing about before) did a reasonable job, though didn't nail him until the Vegas years. They totally embedded EP's musical roots in black music, which hasn't got the attention it deserved before. The thing it lacked was Elvis's playfulness, which comes across in the 30 seconds of footage of the real Elvis at the end of the movie. But no hairs up on the back of the neck moments, that watching some Elvis footage can still bring me.

Tom Hanks did a pretty good job of the leech 'Colonel Parker'. I was concerned as in the trailer I'd seen he wasn't pronouncing certain English words the way a Dutch person would - most have trouble with the 'th' pronouncing it 'de', but mostly that is what he did, without over doing it.

I was a big Elvis fan in my teens. My EP fan club membership ran out on the day he died 16 August 1977. I was 17. My sibs and I sat on my bed listening to his music played on the radio all night. Probably radio Luxembourg.

Hi Caro ... I'm making the rounds, post-vacation. I have no hope of catching up; rather, I'm just zipping to the bottom of threads to say hello and I'll start fresh from here.

Went back to the William Morris Gallery to see a wonderful exhibition by Trinidadian British textile artist Althea McNish.

Stunning patterns:





Her work was used among others by Liberty of London.

Those particular shades of green/blue/teal/turquoise, whatever the heck it's actually named, are among my favorite colors to this good day. I like her work a great deal!

>162 richardderus: me too RD, and always liked those combos with orange too. Typically the gift shop didn't have anything in my favourite designs. Maybe for the better.

Thanks for sharing feedback regarding the movie Elvis. My childhood memories include Saturdays at the movies (for .25) and all the Elvis movies that I saw.

I thought my first boyfriend (fourth grade) looked like Elvis.

Hi Caroline. I love the photos of the sights along your walks. I wonder if you'd enjoy A Dog Called Fig. It's about the writing life and dogs, but walks in parks and forests play a large role, as well.

>161 Caroline_McElwee: I've never been, but would love to go to this gallery. Thanks for sharing the pictures, it's a lovely impression of the exhibition.

>164 Whisper1: I enjoyed the movies then too Linda, not sure many would stand up now though.

*smile* re the bf look-alike.

>165 EBT1002: Glad you enjoyed the photos Elen. Will add the book to the list.

>166 charl08: As those colours are very much my favourite, the exhibition was especially appealing Charlotte. I had not been aware of her work before. The gallery has 2-3 exhibitions a year, as well as a permanent Arts and Crafts exhibit, and the park behind is lovely. I'm trying to go more often. It requires two buses, but really isn't that far from me. There is a nice café at the gallery, and another in the park.

>165 EBT1002: Fig is an intriguing dog name - is he/she still alive at the end of the book?

Thank you.

>168 m.belljackson: I think you might need to take that to Ellen's thread Marianne, as she only pops in here once in a while.

>161 Caroline_McElwee: Stunning is a great word to describe this exhibition. Thanks for the great photos.

>135 Caroline_McElwee: Sounds like a great evening. Glad he was approachable and was able to give extra time.

>144 Caroline_McElwee: What wonderful flowers!

>170 BLBera: Glad you enjoyed them Beth.

>171 figsfromthistle: It was a special evening Anita.

Chelsea Phys is a lovely little oasis in the metropolis Anita.

Happy weekend's reads, Caro.

>173 richardderus: Thanks RD. Got a couple of books I want to finish up.

Happy Sunday, Caroline. I hope you are enjoying the weekend. I will probably see the "Elvis" film at some point, although it isn't really calling to me.

>135 Caroline_McElwee: We watched a DVD copy of Wings of Desire yesterday. So beautiful and heartwarming. I’ve got some extras on the second disk to watch today—a Sunday treat!

Karen O

>175 msf59: Most people I know who have seen it, enjoyed it Mark.

Getting hot here for a few days.

>175 msf59: Glad you enjoyed it Karen.

47. Arctic Dreams (Barry Lopez) (10/08/22) ****1/2



I really loved going on this journey with Lopez. His passion for the landscape, the people and the creatures that live here. Wonderful prose, you could quote half the book.

It lost half a star for when Lopez's voice describing his experiences disappears in the last few chapters to narrate the previous explorations. Maybe those chapters should have been appendices, they didn't give enough information to be fascinated by, and felt a bit like awkward lists.

****

Feels like an age since I finished a book, but the detail of this one deserved the time.

48. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje) 14/07/22) *****



My sixth reread since it came out in 1992.

I've always been most engaged with Sapper Kip's story, and the story that least engaged me was Katherine's. If anyone, she is the least fleshed out as we rarely see her through her own eyes.

This is one of those novels for me that gain *'s for its tone.

>176 klobrien2: I also LOVED Wings of Desire. I am due a rewatch on that one. I just saw his film Paris, Texas a couple months ago and that is an absolute gem too.

Happy Friday, Caroline. Hooray for Arctic Dreams & The English Patient. A reminder- We will be starting Plainsong sometime next week.

>180 msf59: My streaming service are doing a retrospective of WW work, so I will catch up with other favourites, and a couple I haven't seen Mark.

>181 msf59: I have Plainsong to hand. Will probably start next Friday.

Great comments on Arctic Dreams. It sounds like one I would like. I should give The English Patient another read. I wasn't a big fan the first time.

George Monbiot has won the Orwell Prize.



https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/15/george-monbiot-wins-george-o...

I'm a fan of his books, journalism and occasional documentaries.

Hopelessly behind but making another go at keeping up on LT. Happy weekend from an English Patient fan. : )

>184 Caroline_McElwee: The author of Feral got the accolade! Yay!

We are experiencing weather in London and beyond in the mid to high 30c's. 40c is possible today and maybe tomorrow. Brits rarely have AC, so it is a struggle to get comfortable in our homes. I had a couole of days with my siblings, at my bro's and they have a small but shady garden which has been wonderful to sit in. But we went out for lunch yesterday and the wall of heat at the front of the house briefly stopped us in our tracks. We soon got under trees last night.

In the evening we watched the tough but moving:

>185 Berly: Good to see you peep round the door fellow 'English Patient' appreciator.

>186 richardderus: Feral: Rewilding the land, the sea and Human Life is a very fine book RD. I have a couple of his other books still to read. He is the person I trust on environmental and socio-political subjects.

We're expecting a hot week here as well, Caroline. Stay cool. Good reading days.

>161 Caroline_McElwee: I love the William Morris stuff! Thank you for posting the lovely pictures of Althea McNish's work. I admit that I have never heard of her before.

>178 Caroline_McElwee: I thought the book lost steam too, Caroline, but I am glad to have read it, if only for the first part.

>179 Caroline_McElwee: I tried watching the movie version and did not care for it. I wonder if I would enjoy the book more?

Have a wonderful week, Caroline!

>189 BLBera: Thanks Beth, you stay cool too.

>190 alcottacre: I almost always prefer the book Stasia. There are a handful of films that match the book IMO. The film of The English Patient focuses more on the romance than the book. I plan to rewatch the film soon, to see where the differences are.

It got up to 33c in my lounge today. We Brits don't have A/c as generally we don't get such heat. Outside temperatures have gone above 40c in some areas. Way too hot for me. I've stayed very still while working at home. The 90 mins each way on hot transport didn't tempt me to go into the a/cd office.

Cool shower time soon.

I am *ap*pal*led* at the Saharan jet stream's effects on y'all's weather. I am used to it, and still think it's horrifying.

I hope it ends soon.

>193 richardderus: Thanks Richard. I need to think of some way of being more comfortable going forward. They predict we will now get bouts of these temps every 3 years going forward.

>194 Caroline_McElwee: Every three years? Wow. I hadn't heard this. My office has been so warm this past month, I'm really glad not to be there this week. Hopefully workplaces will look for solutions that are low energy though, I love A/C but don't love the power costs.

>191 Caroline_McElwee: Like you, I almost always prefer the book. I really need to get that one read.

>195 charl08: agreed. Yesterday the office was so cold that I needed a cardigan indoors, which is completely unnecessary.
We're also due an increase in temperatures again as we go into August, although not as hot as it has been the last 2 days.
Today we're forecast 26C which feels cool after the last few days but would, in normal times, be a perfectly acceptable summer day.

I was in Gloucestershire last week and the highest the car showed was 40 degrees on Tuesday. And of course that was when we decided we'd take a stroll around Cirencester - everyone fancies sightseeing in blazing heat! Did us no harm, though, and a bit of cloud cover came in that felt like it dropped things a few degrees. Definitely a hot few days. We were very fortunate to have an outdoor pool to ourselves which got plenty of use.

>195 charl08: >197 Helenliz: Colleagues have said they were cold in the office because of the AC Helen. No AC where you work Charlotte?

>196 alcottacre: I hope you enjoy it Stasia. Among the films I felt honoured the books were those of A Month in the Country, On the Black Hill, Howards End (Anthony Hopkins/Emma Thompson version) and The Remains of the Day.

>198 AlisonY: Glad you had the pool Alison.

49. Arctic Summer (Damon Galgut) (24/07/22) ****




Portrait of Forster by Roger Fry.

A novelisation of the life of EM Forster (Morgan), focusing on his coming to terms with his sexuality; his friends and his travels. Deftly written, catching sometimes the tone of Forster's own work.

My favourite Forster to date is Howards End which I've read several times.

Today's visit to Chelsea Phys. Strangely very few birds in evidence. Odd.

>201 Caroline_McElwee: Beautiful outing!

>200 Caroline_McElwee: I've really only heard good things about this book. I'll keep asking the library to get an ebook of it.

>201 Caroline_McElwee: lovely.

>200 Caroline_McElwee: I have not read that one by Galgut. I will have to see if I can get hold of a copy some time!

>201 Caroline_McElwee: Lovely pics! Thanks for sharing them.

The Galgut sounds good, and I love your photos!

>202 richardderus: I hope you get your hands on a copy Richard.

>203 Helenliz: Thanks Helen.

>204 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia.

I'm a sucker for books on writers, fact or novelisation.

>205 BLBera: Thanks Beth.

I think it was my second Galgut. I'll certainly be looking to read more.

50. Will and Testament (Vigdis Hjorth) (28/07/22) ***1/2



A painful tale of a family with a secret that is struggling to be seen/acknowledged/witnessed by all. Four siblings in their 50s and 60s whose lives have been impacted differently by their raising. Finally the banks of the most damaged burst, and everyone has a position.

At the core the exploration is about how to deal with history for which there can be no evidence, leaving one of them both the victim and the one of whom most of the others blame.

Thought provoking, but quite repetitive. A case of the writer not quite getting that a novel should not explicitly replicate reality for their story to succeed.

Read for my RL Book Group tomorrow night.

***

ETA: Most of my RL book group liked the book, and felt sympathy for the narrator, some sharing stories of their own family dynamics. One group member felt she was an unreliable narrator, and didn't believe her. Which brought us to my point above, how do you deal with abuse that rarely has a witness or evidence. An interesting discussion.

Hi Caroline, I think I have you to thank for the recommendation of Virginia Woolf's Garden. It is a gorgeous book to look at and interesting to read the bits and pieces about V&L's life. The photos are beautiful!

>208 mdoris: Glad you enjoyed it Mary. I was lucky enough to stay in the garden cottage several times (no longer possible to do so). So the garden was mine before midday and after 6pm. I spent many hours in it.



Leonard put the glass house in later, so it wasn't there when Virginia lived there, but there are photos of them leaning on those pots.

>207 Caroline_McElwee: I liked Will and testament a lot better than you did, Caroline. Probably because the family dynamics were very familiair to me.

>209 Caroline_McElwee: Wow, must have been great to be able to stay there!

Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend, Caroline!

>207 Caroline_McElwee:, >210 FAMeulstee: I also liked Will and testament quite a lot. I interpreted the repetition as a reflection of the narrator's mental state, that she needed to go over things in her mind and restate them slightly differently each time to make sense of them.

>210 FAMeulstee: Sorry you had so much to contend with growing up Anita. I know that hasn't totally stopped either, and being able to see your experience is helpful, as well as educational to others.

>211 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. You too.

>212 Sakerfalcon: Absolutely, but it was just a bit too often for me Claire. I know we all repeat things when we get into a psychological circle, and could empathise with that. I'd have just done it a bit less.

I'll report on the book group consensus.

Added a note to >207 Caroline_McElwee: about my RL book group response to the novel.

>207 Caroline_McElwee: No one ever *really* knows what another person's going or has gone through. Believing people, seemingly so simple, is a hugely fraught and often unattainable goal. And then we have to consider those who will abuse any situation to achieve some goal unrelated to it...etc etc etc

A very interesting way for Hjorth to approach a story.

The garden photos are beautiful Caroline. I was tempted by seeing that a NE ighthouse visited recently has accommodation available to rent: they had little gardens next to the sea you could sit in with a book (it helped that I visited on a sunny day, of course).

Happy Sunday, Caroline. Has it begun to cool off there? I sure hope so. Have you been enjoying any poetry? I am currently reading Time is a Mother. Much of the prose is beautiful but it hasn't really grabbed me yet. I truly loved my reread of Plainsong.

>213 Caroline_McElwee: I was mostly struck by the way the family got divided, and how ignoring problems worked between them.

51. Plainsong (Kent Haruf) (31/07/22) ****1/2 (reread)



I joined Mark's group (mostly) reread of this wonderful novel, which I first read in 2015. It certainly holds up, and later in the year I will read the remaining 2 volumes in the trilogy, which I have not yet read.

The novel tells the story of seven main characters, who live in or near the town of Holt. All fully drawn and draw you into their lives easily. They have a deep feeling of authenticity, and I love the tone of the novel.

>215 richardderus: Well Richard, we have all too much evidence of those who have no conscience about abusing any situation to benefit themselves at the moment. Among other circumstances I am thinking of those predatory males who slipped through the net to take in Ukrainian refugees to fulfil their sexual mores.

>216 charl08: The lighthouse garden sounds lovely. I must get to Derek Jarman's garden in Dungeness sometime.

>217 msf59: I have slipped off the regular poetry reading that began the year Mark. However Ada Limone's new volume lands next month, so I will start again there.

>218 FAMeulstee: That was interesting Anita. The younger and older siblings seemed to have been raised almost by different parents. I don't think that is uncommon even in less damaged families, but it as very evident in this family.

52. State of Terror (Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny) (02/08/22) ****1/2



I don’t really want to say too much here because I don’t want to offer up any spoilers, and it would be hard to avoid.

The novel’s title pretty much tells you what to expect. After a couple of dozen weaker pages, this political thriller really is a page-turner, and I was impressed by its dexterity. I would say the H Clinton/Penny combo is a winner. It isn’t a foregone conclusion that a good non-fiction writer would be able to write a good novel, though I suspect in this instance those skills travelled well.

Ellen Adams is the Secretary of State in the new Democratic government, following the outgoing ‘trumpesque’ administration. Appointed by the new President with whom she has a history of antagonism. A series of 3 bombings in Europe draw them into a complicated web of circumstances that mishandled would result in national and global disaster.

Astute, full of fully fleshed out characters and events that are not unrealistic possibilities, though heaven forbid they ever occur.

I’d be fascinated to hear how the two worked. The acknowledgements give a glimpse into how they came together, but the process would be interesting to know.

Thanks for that great review, Caro. I've picked it up once but did not get beyond the first few pages. Thrillers are not usually my thing. My husband, though, has offered to read me the sex scene....

>222 avaland: I think they must have taken that out of the UK edition Lois! I was going to add 'or I nodded', but there wasn't much chance of that.

>223 Caroline_McElwee: I guess I nodded, too. I read it. I liked it less than half as well as you. But there's a reason for chocolate and vanilla ice creams, isn't there.

>221 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for the State of Terror review! I’ve had that on my list since it came out, but need to nudge it forward. Your review helps me do that.

Karen O

>224 richardderus: Variety is the spice of life RD, and if we all liked the same stuff reviews, for a start, would be pointless ;-)

>225 klobrien2: I hope you enjoy the ride Karen.

I really enjoyed series 1 of 'The First Lady' (Eleanor Roosevelt/Betty Ford/Michelle Obama). The stories shuttle too and fro through the eras. Interesting how often there were similar issues in the women's lives, progress isn't as advanced as we imagine/think/hope.

Fine performances from all, though the actress playing the brief appearance of Hillary Clinton (unknown to me, and doubtful will be used when it is C's turn) didn't work. Series directed by a woman (on Paramount+).

>227 Caroline_McElwee: Sounds good Caroline. Hope that it will be available more widely in due course. I may be breaking my cinema drought soon, first time since the pandemic, which seems unbelievable (particularly since I have been listening to film-related podcasts throughout!)

>219 Caroline_McElwee: Oh, yeah. That is such a good one! Please let me know when you are reading the other books in the trilogy. I need to re-read those too.

>221 Caroline_McElwee: Dodging that BB as I have already read that one.

Have a thunderous Thursday!

Great comments on the Clinton/Penny book, Caroline. I was on the waitlist at the library for a while, but there were so many people that I eventually gave up. One of these days I'll get to it.

>230 BLBera: I hope it hits the spot for you Beth.

This made me chuckle:

>237 msf59: - LOL! Love it!

>232 Caroline_McElwee: That's great fun.

Went up to Lloyd Park again.





Very hot out, and not many benches in the shade, but comfortable under the trees when walking. The café in the park do an all day vege breakfast, so enjoyed that for late lunch. There was a local ukulele band playing as I left.

>235 Caroline_McElwee: That top one looks like a painting. And I love all the intersecting ripples in the one below.
I spent most of yesterday under a sunshade, trying to move my chair to stay in the shade.

Hi, Caroline. I hope you had a nice weekend. I like the Lloyd Park pics. Nice place. I am assuming those are mallards.

>232 Caroline_McElwee: LOL!

Wonderful photos, very tranquil!

>235 Caroline_McElwee: I could see myself just spending the day strolling along there. It looks a very peaceful place.

Happy Tuesday!

>235 Caroline_McElwee: Looks like a great place to relax.

>235 Caroline_McElwee: So beautiful!

Happy hot days and nights, Caro.

>236 charl08: Thanks Charlotte. Hotter today phew.

>237 msf59: Yes mark mallards.

>238 mdoris: >239 alcottacre: >240 figsfromthistle: Thanks Mary, Stasia and Anita. It was quite busy on a Sunday, but you can usually find a quiet spot.

>241 richardderus: Yup, too hot for those of us without a/c, which is most Brits RD. It's lovely in the shade in Lloyds park though.

53. The Personal Librarian (Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray) (09/08/22) ****






A novelisation of the life of Belle da Costa Greene, a young coloured woman, who passed as a white woman and became the personal librarian of the JP Morgan (American financier and investment banker – his business still runs today). Morgan was obsessed by manuscripts and incunabula, as well as art. Da Costa Green was brought to his attention by his nephew Junius Spencer Morgan II, who had met her at Princeton.


Belle's office

Not only did Belle succeed as a high profile woman in a time when they had little power, especially outside high society, but she successfully passed as white, although there were rumours about her origins.

The novel captures both her hutzpah in working as the only woman in the field, bidding against powerful men to attain the prizes she wanted for the Morgan collection and her working relationship with the collection’s owner, but also the conflicts in her family. Her father was an early proponent of racial equality, and split from the family when his wife decided to take their family to New York and live as white.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF38bQcjAeg

Duplicate

>243 Caroline_McElwee: Fascinating woman, and there aren't many things I wouldn't do to get that office for my own!

Enjoy the summer. As it slithers into autumn, it seems likely to get more like its usual cold, dank self.

>245 richardderus: Errr... the back of the queue re the office RD.

I'd not come across Belle until I read this novel. Fascinating indeed.

I'm quite looking forward to Autumn it has to be said. I like all the seasons if I'm honest, but Spring and Autumn are my favourites. I'm ready for Winter when it arrives, but wish that Spring would come sooner than it does sometimes etc and so forth.

>243 Caroline_McElwee: - I have this book in the piles, Caroline so good to hear that it was a winner for you. I hope to get to it sooner rather than later.

>247 jessibud2: I'm sure it will be a hit for you Shelley. I may suggest it for the quarterly work book group.

What I also liked about >243 Caroline_McElwee: is they gave a list at the end where they took dramatic licence (mostly in regards to dates of real events in order to maintain momentum, but also, of course in imagining her internal voice). They tried hard to stick to known facts otherwise.

>232 Caroline_McElwee: I love it.

>234 Helenliz: Great photos.

>243 Caroline_McElwee: She sounds like an amazing woman.

>250 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I think you would enjoy the book too.

>243 Caroline_McElwee: that sounds like a really interesting book, Caro. I've been to the Morgan library but didn't know this part of its story.

>243 Caroline_McElwee: Excellent review. I already have this one on my radar and look forward to reading it as well.

Just back from a couple of days in Oxford. Among other things visiting one of my favourite museums the Ashmolean.

My fave painting by one of the lesser known Pre Raphs, John William Inchbold is top right, 'A stream with a large standing stone'.

The drawings were exquisitely delicate.



Bottom left is a rare portrait by Henry Wallis (most famous for his Chatterton painting). The writer George Meredith posed as Chatterton, and Wallis drew his wife who would visit while the painting was underway. Wallis had a brief affair with Mrs Meredith.

Third in bottom row Violet Manners, Duchess of Rutland, by Edward Coley Burne Jones. Violet was an artist and sculptress.

I also enjoyed revisiting the Eastern ceramic Gallery (I know which will be your faves RD).

In case you don't know the Chatterton painting (another of my faves)

>254 Caroline_McElwee: The Wallis image is one of the glories of the Ashmolean, I'd bet...and that's saying something, given the glories they possess. I'm bitterly disappointed that I can't have a dinner service of the middle-left pattern! Why do museums neglect this revenue stream?! I'd even order a place setting for myself from England, though I'd have to save up a year to afford it.

Inchbold? Hm. I'll have a cyberfurtle for some educational images. And hi there, bottom-right lady!

>255 richardderus: The Wallis Chatterton is actually in London's Tate Britain RD (I should have said), which means I can see it more often (they have a great PBR collection which I've loved since a kid), and there is a second version in Birmingham I think.

The Ashmolean does have a lovely shop (as do the British Museum), but unfortunately they haven't yet got to taking orders!

>254 Caroline_McElwee: 'A stream with a large standing stone' looks very nice, Caroline. I am sure it stunning to see in real. Thanks for sharing, I hope you had a good time in Oxford with the other things.

>257 FAMeulstee: I guess that painting drew me as i spent much time in Avebury with its standing stones, over the years my sister lived there.


NMP

I did have a lovely visit Anita. Day two was spent with a friend I have know since I was 11 years old. She lives in Oxford, and we remain close despite long gaps of not seeing each other.

Happy Sunday, Caroline. Arctic Summer sounds really interesting. I have added to my list. I am so glad you joined us on the reread of Plainsong and I will forward to your thoughts on the next 2 books. I am planning on doing a reread of Eventide but that might not be until next year.

>254 Caroline_McElwee: What great photos, Caroline. I'd love to see that exhibit.

>254 Caroline_McElwee: Your post reminds me I've not been to the Lever gallery in Port Sunlight since before lockdown. They have some lovely Millais and Rosetti paintings (and at the Walker too).

>243 Caroline_McElwee: Already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again!

>254 Caroline_McElwee: I am a big fan of the pre-Raphaelites, Caroline, and am jealous of your visit to the Ashmolean, lol.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, Caroline!

54. After Sappho (Selby Wynn Schwartz) (14/08/22) ****



An interesting novel in the early modernist form I would say. Hung on the structure of fragments by Sappho without direct quotes. To quote one of the characters ...this is an age of chapters and portraits.... The novel comprises chapters and portraits of women who were the precursors to contemporary feminism. Women who resisted being trapped by the rules of State and men. Most of those drawn were early ancestors of those now striving to be who they are in regards to gender and identity. This is a novel where these persons will find themselves seen.

It is quite horrifying to read some of the Italian statutes that shaped what women could or couldn't do (and I suspect most European nations had variations on the theme).

Long listed for the Man Booker 2022. It is good to see a small press on prize lists.

****

I was reading this while in Oxford to see the Pre-Raphaelite Drawings and Watercolour exhibition, and not that I hadn't thought about it before, but it made me think more about how these exquisite works were works representing women, almost exclusively, in the male gaze; and wondering how different they would be, as in this novel, if seen by the female gaze. Certainly less idealised.

55. Flush (Virginia Woolf) (17/08/22) ***



If it hadn't been written by Virginia Woolf, I probably wouldn't have read this novel. The only novel of hers I hadn't so far read. Perhaps because I have read about Elizabeth Barrett Browning's life in the past couple of years, the story was too familiar. At the beginning of the novel though, Flush's descriptions of the material are engaging, because it is a perspective we rarely notice, and because an animal's sense of smell is more heightened than ours, different.

It is the least complex of Woolf's novels, and as a dog lover and owner (Vita Sackville West gifted her a spaniel), she would certainly have an understanding of her subject. A pleasant afternoons page turning.

>263 Caroline_McElwee: that's the second good review I've seen of this in a week. It sounds like a worthwhile read, I'll keep an eye out for it.

>263 Caroline_McElwee: Glad you liked it: I'm hoping it gets shortlisted, at least. It made me want to take notes and find out more about the women mentioned.

I've been impressed at visits to recent exhibits where the curators have acknowledged gender. In the Sickert one I went to they had even tracked down and contextualised the art of some of the women he worked with, and in one case, co-credited her on his later paintings.

>264 Caroline_McElwee: Funny, with me it was the other way around the first time I read Flush in my teens. I picked it up because it was about a dog. At that time I had no idea at all who Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Virginia Woolf were ;-)

>265 Helenliz: It is a fascinating novel, and as Charlotte says >266 charl08: it is a novel that makes you want to know more about the women it fictionalises Helen.

>266 charl08: Interesting re the Sickert exhibition Charlotte, I just added to my list of 'to see' recently.

>267 FAMeulstee: There was one novel told through the voice of a dog that I loved Anita, have you read James Herbert's Fluke (I'm sure you have, but if not you are in for a treat)?

>268 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline, I never heard of Fluke.
It is now on mount TBR :-)

>269 FAMeulstee: Yay, I look forward to hearing your thoughts Anita. It is years since I read it.

It was this one Caroline.
https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/walker-art-gallery/exhibition/sicker...

I think the one at at Tate is a different one, but it does seem odd that there were two on him in the same year.

>263 Caroline_McElwee: I do want to read this one, Caroline. Great comments. Siri Hustvedt has a collection of essays about this very question, about the male gaze. A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women.

>271 charl08: Aha, hadn't realised there were two Charlotte, will go to the London one.

>273 Caroline_McElwee: I have that volume Beth, I really like her writing, novels and essays.