Leslie's Plunge 2023

My theme in 2023: Commit and I shall prevail! (Maybe I'm spending too much time with the Stoics lately)

The last two years I've just missed reading a book/week, and I SO VERY MUCH want to get through the ever increasing pile of books waiting my attention, so here it goes ... plunging in to a LibraryThing Group to increase my motivation! I'm still figuring out LibraryThing, and want to explore the app not just organize, so here I go!!

Currently reading "The Ice Diaries" by Capt. William R. Anderson and listening to "Madam" by Debby Applegate.

Welcome to the 75ers! We'll hopefully help with motivation, but we definitely won't help the size of your TBR pile. 😀

>2 drneutron: Thanks so much for the welcome! I look forward to following others' progress to motivate my own ...

Welcome to the group

Thank you! Good luck to you in your pursuit as well!

January, 2023 books read:
1. Madam: The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age, Debby Applegate ... Audible.

>6 PocheFamily: First one finished in the group, Leslie. Haven't come across that one before.

>7 PaulCranswick: Paul -
Welllll ... it's interesting. Apparently the print version has lots of footnotes/endnotes but of course these are unavailable in the Audible version I enjoyed. It's a definitive biography, as a friend aptly described it, although a lot is based upon the subject's rather unreliable memoir and second-hand source material. The subject is a Madam, set in NYC during the 1920s-1930s, and the author rather exhaustively researched her subject. An interesting social network is revealed, if again, a little unreliable as to the depth of the relationships in many cases. I'm definitely more informed about this period of American History than I was prior to reading the book: the author spends a lot of effort giving context to her subject, a strength of the book. Giving shelf space to the lives of women during this era seems to be part of the success of the book.

I'm doing my best to be polite w/o being wishy-washy. One of the bookgroups I enjoy had a good discussion using this as a springboard ... but I don't think it'll make anyone's "Favorites" list for the year!

Thank you for inquiring.

Happy reading in 2023, Leslie!

>8 PocheFamily: Politeness successful, Leslie, but you got me even more intrigued as a result!

>9 FAMeulstee: FAMeulstee, thank you, and good wishes to you as well!

>10 PaulCranswick: PaulCranswick, politeness may mask an unwillingness to criticize ;)

And, happy to report a couple more finishes:
January, 2023 books read:
1. Madam, Debby Applegate ... Audible.

2. An Event in Autumn, Henning Mankell ... Kindle, re-read

Un#d. Discipline is Destiny, Ryan Holiday ... Hardbound. Begun in 2022, just finished last bits off, so not counting towards my 75 in 2023 goal.


Still steadily making my way through "Ice Diaries", which is proving far more interesting than I would have thought - but I'm no closer to understanding the different types of ice in the Arctic!

January, 2023 books read:
1. Madam, Debby Applegate ... Audible.

2. An Event in Autumn, Henning Mankell ... Kindle, re-read

Un#d. Discipline is Destiny, Ryan Holiday ... Hardbound. Begun in 2022, just finished last bits off, so not counting towards my 75 in 2023 goal.

3. The Ice Diaries, William R. Anderson ... Kindle


Really enjoyed the stories in this last: it's part adventure and exploration, part history, part technical-stuff-explained, and lastly, partly written to commemorate the event of the first submarine cruise under the North Pole. The author thanks everyone involved by noting their contributions and this ends up demonstrating the team effort aspect, from behind the scenes to those who also experienced the Arctic weather up close and personal. I definitely have a better understanding of the history of the fire-fighting and back-up breathing apparatus systems on subs today. Glad I read it as I have a much better appreciation for what heading into the unknown without a map really means, especially for submarines.

Currently reading two fiction works: a Martha Grimes mystery and an Italo Calvino novel.

January, 2023 books read, continued:

4. Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino ... Paperback.


Thank goodness for the interwebs: various comments and descriptions of this book helped me appreciate the author's intent and get some type of handle on it. Alternately described as a travelogue or perhaps a cross between math and prose, it really triggered my daydreaming tendencies and was very challenging for me personally as I had a hard time focusing! It is a very creative work from a great author, but I couldn't help but wonder if some of the beauty was 'lost in translation', literally and figuratively. For me it was ultimately about Venice, and there is a popular GoodReads review that also references Venice. Anyways, I read it for Bookclub1, and I'm grateful I'll be able to get others' impressions of it in the near future.

P.S. Beautiful cover on the paperback for those who enjoy such things!
=================================================
editing ... to add this VERY helpful lecture given by the author about this book:
"Italo Calvino on Invisible Cities"

The following is a lecture given by Italo Calvino to the students of the Graduate Writing Division at Columbia University on March 29, 1983

* * *

Invisible Cities does not deal with recognizable cities. These cities are all inventions, and all bear woman's names. The book is made up of a number of short chapters, each of which is intended to give rise to a reflection which holds good for all cities or for the city in general.

The book was born a little at a time, with considerable intervals between one piece and the next, rather as if I were writing poems, one by one, following up varying inspirations. Indeed, in my writings I tend to work in series: I keep a whole range of files in which I put the pages I happen to write (following the ideas which come into my head), or mere notes for the things I would like to write some day. In one file I put the odd individuals I bump into, in another the heroes of myth; I have a file for the trades I would like to have followed instead of being a writer, and another for the books I would like to have written had they not already been written by somebody else; in one file I collect pages on the towns and landscapes of my own life, and in another imaginary cities, outside of space and time. When one of these begins to fill up, I start to think of the book that I can work in into.

This is how I carried on the Invisible Cities book over the years, writing a piece every now and then, passing through a number of different phases. At one stage I could only write about sad cities, and at another only happy ones. There was one period when I compared the cities to the starry sky, to the signs of the zodiac; and another when I kept writing about the garbage which spreads outside the city day by day.

In short, what emerged was a sort of diary which kept closely to my moods and reflections: everything ended up being transformed into images of cities - the books I read, the art exhibitions I visited, and discussions with friends.

And yet, all these pages put together did not make a book: for a book (I think) is something which has a beginning and an end (even if it's not a novel, in the strict sense of the word). It is a space which the reader must enter, wander round, maybe lose his way in, and then eventually find an exit, or perhaps even several exits, or maybe a way of braking out on his own. It may be objected that this definition holds good for a novel with a plot, not for a books such as mine, which is meant to be read as one would read a book of poems, or essays, or at most short stories. But the point I am trying to make is that a book of this sort, if t is to be a real book, must have a structure of some kind. To put it another way, one must be able to find a plot, a route, a "solution".
-Excerpt from Calvino, Italo. “Italo Calvino on ‘Invisible Cities.’” Columbia: A Journal of Literature and Art, no. 8, 1983, pp. 37–42

Also regarding Calvino's work: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/03/06/the-worlds-of-italo-calvino

Edited 3/4/2023 to add Calvino notes/essays

5. Dust, Martha Grimes ... MTLibrary hardbound.


Wanted something easy and entertaining, but this is the first time Grimes has disappointed. I'm literally pouting. Will be careful to pre-read reader reviews in the future before picking up another Grimes. Sigh. Back to the serious stuff ...

Un#'d (read half in 2022): The Melting Pot, Israel Zangwill ... hardbound, 1909 copy


Had read that this is one of the first references to the term, "Melting Pot," describing a type of American culture. The term was frequently used in my social studies books of the 1970s. The "book" is actually a hardbound, book version of the play - so rather than a novel, it's an actual play with roles/cast, direction, etc.

It's a little melodramatic, to say the least. And has inflammatory statements to this 21th century reader's sensibilities (if not to those when it was written in 1909). Nonetheless, interesting as it tries to mold the audience's acceptance of people, especially immigrants, from many cultures and even conflicting historical origins into a new entity, an American Identity. Looking up the references and history along the read, as well as a little about the author (a Zionist then not), added to my appreciation and depth of understanding of the term "Melting Pot" quite a bit. Glad I read it, but would warn any other readers that there is racist language, used to make a point, and that one has to be aware of 1909 versus 2023. Seriously: thank goodness for 2023! It may be difficult in its own way, but we've come a long way, baby!!

6. Nutshell, Ian McEwan ... paperback.


Every time I read a McEwan book I have a fantastic reading experience. This book was no different, and I thoroughly enjoyed every pleasurable page as his writing is that good. That said, I would avoid thinking you're getting a Hamlet story: I found the blurb on the back of the paperback very unhelpful. Worth reading for its own sake - and by the end you can think what a marvelous way to re-examine The Danish Play. This is the kind of book that makes me fall in love with reading - a scant few hours well spent: thank you, Mr. McEwan!

7. Tom Clancy: Shadow of the Dragon, Marc Cameron ... audible.


This story is part of the stable of Tom Clancy characters: a fast-paced, action-filled adventure with military missions/geopolitics as structure. The usual criticism, "show don't tell" could be applied but I didn't read this book to criticize it, just to enjoy a little guilty pleasure reading. Sometimes I just need to watch stuff blow up (or read about it). Having just read about the Nautilus in the Arctic, I enjoyed that part of the book the best. It was a good enough listen while I did other stuff ...

8. The Quiet Warrior, A Biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, Thomas B. Buell ... paperback.


An enjoyable/easy and informative read about a "lesser known" (not previously known to me) WWII Pacific USN Admiral. This book provided me a different perspective on the naval war and battles, particularly the period between Tarawas and early 1945 when Capt Carl Moore was Adm Spruance's Chief of Staff. Much material in the book brings forth unpublished primary source and eyewitness accounts. There are a lot of interesting facts, but I also leisurely read this work and looked up a lot of places on Google Earth and read online biographies of personnel mentioned. The author successfully argued that Spruance's character was the means for him to become a great naval leader.

This work is considered a must-read for naval history, and although unneeded, I will endorse that opinion but think many people beyond naval historians would enjoy this book.

9. Matrix, Lauren Groff ... MTLibrary hardbound.


Set primarily in 12th c. England, the novel tells the story of an Abbess of a fictionalized Shaftesbury Abbey who saves then builds an inconsequential abbey under the protection of Eleanor of Aquitaine into a Great Abbey with a backdrop of the Angevin Empire. The author speculates that the poet Marie Le France is the same as the Abbess - we know so little about either, so why not??

I'm not a fan of historical fiction, as I'd rather read history quite frankly. This attitude of mine absolutely touches into the age old argument of fact vs. the art of fiction, and usually I can take either side, but I spent a good year+ of my life studying the history of 6th c. - early 12th c. medieval history, so this book was really not something I would ever pick up because I'm simply more interested in the scholarly research. Read it for a bookgroup, so it was a "forced" reading. It was more enjoyable to me as speculative fiction (but not as creative-speculative as say, Octavia Butler). I hesitate to criticize because I think anyone without expertise in this period of history would actually enjoy the book quite a bit, as long as they can overlook the anachronistic feminist bent. My last words on the book will be that the author did some research, invented a story, and wrote an easy/fast to read novel with lots of interesting themes.

I'm mid-way through a couple of others, so should have a few more to post shortly.

10. Brain Food, Lisa Mosconi ... Audible.

Saw this on another LibraryThing reader's list and was intrigued. Interesting book, and definitely preferred the first 2/3 of the book that dealt with scientific studies as opposed to the last 1/3 that had a quiz, diet suggestions, menus and recipes. Found it educational, easy to understand, and encouraging for better diet choices. Even if you don't live in Manhattan you can incorporate healthier food - and know why and how it will benefit you.

11. Family Happiness, Laurie Colwin ... MTLibrary hardbound.

This book had come up during a bookgroup discussion and I thought I would check it out. It is a little difficult to describe because while it absolutely is about Family Happiness, it's really about a woman's happiness as an individual. The woman makes conscious decisions but is exploring emotional material. It is intriguing to think about this work in terms of the history of fiction: obviously I'm thinking of Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, Olive Kitteridge and another book that is just beyond memory's finger tips ... an English woman institutionalized by her family as hysterical set in the first half of the 20th century in England (google search isn't helping me!). There are some complex themes and gentle exploration of a taboo subject which make this a book I hope to discuss with my book friends some day! An easy read.

12. The Lottery and Seven Other Stories, Shirley Jackson ... Audible.


I was familiar with "The Lottery" but the other stories were new to me. A quick listen. The stories are designed as cliff hangers, or to be a little spooky and unsettling: this is not the book for an anxious mind! The stories generally remind me of a writer's workbook - although the stories are fully fleshed out the writing is not super sophisticated and the stories end a bit abruptly.

I sometimes have to remind myself that it's okay that every read isn't a new BFF or mentally taxing. In fact, when trying to read a certain Quantity, one can't always expect Quality! In sum, it wasn't what I was looking for, but enjoyable enough and not so long in duration that one suffers to get to the end of any of the stories.

13. The Death of the USS Thresher, Norman Polmar ... Audible.


This book informs the reader of the technical issues involving the possible causes of the loss of the USS Thresher in April, 1963, without being heavy on the technical side. My deeper appreciation goes to the coverage of the history of submarine losses, deep sea submersibles and sea rescue, which put the loss of the USS Thresher into historical context (hint: it's not a one-off). Lots of material is covered and yet it isn't a long book.

I have a different primary cause stuck in my head for the loss (freezing of the fluid in a narrow pipe), which Polmar doesn't focus upon as much as other causes, so now I have to go read something else to ascertain if this book is up-to-date and reliable. Lastly, I think the author hit exactly the correct tone of respectful mourning for the families' loss without being maudlin or invasive.

It was included with an Audible subscription. A good narration/moderately easy read.

14. The Numbers, Nick Pirog ... paperback.


A fun mystery with loads of action by quirky characters - and a prequel to the Thomas Prescott detective series by the same author (5 other books). I'm a fan of the author as his stories are original, interesting, and include unexpected twists; his characters colorful; his action descriptions exciting; and, really! I've never read a story by him that wasn't entertaining. I had pre-ordered this book and although I had to wait to start it after it arrived, it was every bit as fun a read as I was anticipating.

15. Memorial, Bryan Washington ... Audible.


This novel explores the complex relationships of a couple and their families. I've seen a lot of 'meh' reviews out there, but I'd actually rate this pretty high, including the voices used in narration on the Audible version, because the characters are well-drawn and there is a lot of character growth. The atmosphere of the book is subtle in some ways, and not in others. At any rate, glad I read it and will be thinking about it for a while no doubt. I'll miss the characters!

16. God & Spies: Based on a True Story, Top Secret Operation, G.M. Matheny ... Audible.


The author recounts his experience aboard the USS Halibut as a deep sea diver during the Ivy Bells project/mission. Although I'm sure his personal perspective, which includes witnessing his religion, would not be well received by all, I can certainly appreciate that as part of his auto-biography. It should be mentioned that he carefully explains many aspects of submarine life without being a submariner. I found it an interesting, quick read, and an excellent description of Ivy Bells, from his perspective.

17. Against the Tide: Rickover's Leadership Principles and the Rise of the Nuclear Navy, RADM Dave Oliver ... Audible

An acolyte's rebuttal at some level, but also an interesting perspective on not just Rickover's battles within the Navy but also the cultural shifts the Navy had to make. Technology changes society, afterall. The author also throws in management lessons and each chapter ends as a management text might, with questions meant to draw forth the themes, promote reflection, and encourage application of lessons learned. This work gives some sense of who Rickover was in lieu of an autobiography.

18. Surface at the Pole, James Calvert ... Audible

Another exciting adventure in the Arctic with lots of firsts from 1950's explorers. Having read The Ice Diaries by William Anderson recently (#3 above), I can say this is the better book, or more exciting adventure in many ways. It includes a lot of references to previous Arctic exploration: I can't help but feel that this work would make a nice subject for a compare & contrast to the space exploration of the 1960s. The author, the former commander of the USS Skate whose adventures are recounted, also was an interesting personality study in view of just having finished Oliver's book (#17 above). The types of commanders recruited by Rickover in the earliest days of the nuclear submarine program, according to Oliver, were the adventurous, squeaky-clean, charismatic type - in stark contrast to Rickover's own physical presence and publicly visible personality. Regardless, the Skate crew had a tremendous adventure, and it was the kind of book that elicits appreciation for the adventure's challenges and whets the appetite for more of the same.

19. U.S.S. Seawolf: Submarine Raider of the Pacific, Gerold Frank and others ... Audible

I love books like this one: told by the witness to two ghostwriters who created a first person narrative of an enlisted man's experience during the first half of the Pacific War. This is when things weren't going well for the Allies in the Pacific, yet the USS Seawolf SS-197 had some remarkable success. The reader definitely gets a sense of what it was really like on a Sargo-class sub, and what the transition to wartime patrols felt like to the crew. There is a "moment captured in time" aspect, and the era in which it was written, which seems invaluable. A most enjoyable "listen"/read with plenty of adventure.

I'm slowly making my way through the Brothers Karamazov with some friends, but won't be writing about this wonderful book for many months yet. In the meantime ... up the hatch and back to the Russians!

20. The Dictionary of Lost Words, Pip Williams ... MTLibrary hardbound

A novel focused on the life of a woman within the close knit community creating the Oxford English Dictionary. Rather a slow read, even for me, as I just couldn't get into it or get terribly vested in the main character. Or really any character. Not that they weren't interesting, but somehow elusive. There were interesting class and political dimensions to the work, and not preachy, but ??? I'd seen it here on LT, heard people discussing, but ??? I'm sorry, I just can't put my finger on it. I did learn some interesting words and etymology, so I'll be grateful for that and the highlight on the women who contributed to the OED in those earliest days.

21. Silent Chase: Submarines of the U.S. Navy, Steve Kaufman ... MTLibrary hardbound.

A photographic, coffee-table type book with beautiful pictures of submarines at work. Really enjoyed the Panama Canal transit with a Steel Beach picnic and the (few) shots of the interior, such as the JO running laps through missile silos on a boomer. There were brief synopses of different roles/jobs on the boats, but really it was about enjoying the beauty of these engineering marvels. (I almost feel guilty about posting it as a "read", but I did spend about 3+ hours reading it, looking up a few things, and enjoying the pictures, so it's making my "75" list!)

22. TR's Last War: Theodore Roosevelt, the Great War, and a Journey of Triumph and Tragedy, David Pietrusza ... Audible.

An interesting read/listen I'd seen someone else review here on LT. I don't know much early 20th c. history, and read this for the "Reading through Time" WWI challenge here on LT. Teddy Roosevelt is an interesting guy, and I certainly have a very different view - yet the same opinion - of him. I'd read River of Doubt years ago, and this was an interesting book to juxtapose. I'd call this another "exhaustive review" like Madam: The biography of Polly Adler above, not always enjoyable to listen to, but perhaps that's an audiobook problem more than a writer's problem.

Finally a quiet moment to catch up my list!

23. Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond ... Audible and paperback.

This, the Audible included version, was an abbreviated version as I discovered while listening and tracking along in a paperback version. I did read some of the skipped text, but felt ultimately that having an abbreviated version would allow me to complete the read. Many others have written praises and critiques of this book, and I have nothing new to add to their just words. Suffice it to say that no work which attempts to explain everything will ever succeed! Glad I read the shortened version, and now I will understand the references to this work.

24. Sub Tales: Stories That Seldom Surface, Charles Hood ... Kindle.

Really enjoyed this book, although apparently it is a sequel to Poopie Suits & Cowboy Boots, so now there's yet another book on my reading list. The stories included in this book were the recollections of submariners of all sorts of ranks on many different boats. Some of the stories go to great length to explain submarine operation and culture, which make for an informative read. Other stories are geared towards entertaining the reader. A nice balance, therefore, and the author(s) go to great lengths to verify the yarns that are spun. I have no doubt I'll eventually get through the whole series, because I enjoyed it that much.

25. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte ... Kindle and hardbound.

I'd never read this as a young person, although I'm familiar with the old b&w film. Picked by one of my bookclubs, it was a surprisingly interesting read. I've been aware for some time that the Bronte sisters incorporated more of the Romantic era into their works as opposed to Jane Austen's works. And, yes, there is a lot of high melodrama and Gothic literary style. Since this is Emily's only work, there is also a mysterious quality: it is a highly evolved style of writing and the structure of the work is quite sophisticated. I came away from it rather disregarding Heathcliff and Catherine (their story is the tiresome part one needs to get through in order to see the novel in my view), and really thinking about the servant Nelly and Mr. Lockwood, who pair together to tell the drama. Nelly really is the driver of all the action: she is the eye-witness who relates the story to Mr. Lockwood, and I think like anyone relating the story, she puts herself as the primary character to some degree - although we really don't know a lot of her own backstory. Thus, I feel the novel achieved a very sophisticated structure. You know, if you can get through all those protestations of and dying for love scenes! :) I remain a Jane Austen fan in terms of 19th c. literature.

I'll add this one last note about 19th c. British literature for contemplation:
1817: Jane Austen dies. Northanger Abbey and Persuasion published posthumously.
1843: The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens' first novel published.
1849: Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
1859: Adam Bede, George Elliot
1891: Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy

26. Aunts Aren't Gentlemen, P. G. Wodehouse ... Audible.


Although it looks as though I'm not doing much to lengthen my list, I'm actually reading several heavy tomes and some other slow-reading non-fiction. But earlier this week I wanted something fun, funny, and lighter in tone ... and P.G. Wodehouse delivered once again! The creative descriptions and lingo/slang only made me regret it was over far too soon. I'm now highly tempted to buy a few copies and send to my nephews (as a warning). Maybe I'll just go re-read Travels with my Aunt instead: it's good to be fun and silly!

27. Lindbergh, A. Scott Berg, Lloyd James, Narrator ... Audible.


Wow... What a wonderful book! Loved this book all the way through - 30+ hours of listening. I confess I did choose the audio book version because of the length - and because so many of the biographies I've encountered lately are hit or miss. But this was perfect as it is and I'm ever so grateful it was written.

Scott Berg manages to firmly place the man and hero within the context of the 7+ decades of world events he lived. He also writes of Lindbergh without over-explaining, beautifying a flawed human, or burying unpleasant realities, while simultaneously displaying Lindbergh as a relevant figure with many talents throughout many decades and disciplines, not just aviation. Scott Berg's subject is an extremely complex character and reserved personality and yet I feel his work managed to penetrate myths about Lindbergh's life and work to present him so that one can sympathize with him, celebrate him as a hero, and all the while recognize his shortcomings as one of us human beings. To accomplish this with a hero of such mythical stature is really a tour de force, as far as biographies go.

Yes, this is an exhaustive, definitive biography. In comparison with Debby Applegate's Madam or TR's Last War, however, Scott Berg manages not to bog the listener/reader down in the details without illuminating an important nuance or point to the Lindbergh story, and not once did I feel I was being given a lazy list instead of the author explaining why the information was relevant. For example, rather than just say Lindbergh was a master networker/problem solver Berg describes the advent of a problem and shows how Lindbergh worked to solve it, who he pulled in to discuss it with, and how he got things done. Lindbergh was absolutely a mover-and-shaker, and utilized his fame to bring attention to problems and get them solved.

(I disagree with one LT reviewer who thought his contributions were overblown in this book. Lindbergh was constantly working on small or large endeavours in many fields throughout his life.)

I chose this book on a whim while searching for a book for the 'Between the Wars' challenge in the 'Reading Through Time' LT group. I'm ever so happy I did (if I haven't made that clear), even though the book covered far more than those two decades. Lindbergh lead a fascinating 20th century life: the story beings before WWI as a boy, struggles with many aspects of his life, and ultimately shows how he becomes reflective on innovative technology and its impact on indigenous populations and civilization as a whole in the last decades of his life. There is an evolution of the engineer into the humanitarian in Lindbergh's life that is itself a fascinating perspective in this narrative. One can't help but be impressed ultimately at both Lindbergh and Scott Berg's ability to capture him. Berg credits the prolific writings of the Lindberghs and their archive, but there is absolutely something more here, and I give that credit to Scott Berg as the author who created this cohesive narrative from so much material.

Seriously: can you imagine what it would be like to wade through the volumes of information regarding the Paris landing? Charles Jr.'s kidnapping? And those are only two of the events in the first decade of 5 that Lindbergh lead in the public eye!

I'm new to rating books, but no question, this is a 5-star work, and I wasn't surprised to learn Berg earned a Pulitzer Prize for it. I enthusiastically anticipate his upcoming biography of Thurgood Marshall - I have no doubt it will be worth the wait.

28. The Code of the Woosters: Jeeves to the Rescue, P.G. Wodehouse, ... Audible.

Because one Wooster & Jeeves always leads to another, and thankfully P.G. Wodehouse was a prolific writer! The usual madcap adventures as pits of doom open before Bertie Wooster but, thankfully, as per the promise of the title, Jeeves is forever to Bertie's rescue. There were many LOL moments but one I am just waiting to deploy on one of my lads at the appropriate moment: ".... (he) had only a couple more ounces of brain than a cuckoo clock."

29. We Come Unseen, Jim Ring ... Hardbound.

An interesting book for an American to read - it is a recounting of the British submarine's role during the Cold War, including their role in the sinking of the Belgrano during the Falklands War. Still just exploring submarines within the greater field of naval history, I found it fascinating to review the history of British and NATO missions in the Atlantic with a fresh perspective from the American sub history. There were quite helpful descriptions of Soviet submarine activities to balance the narrative. And, of course, quite a lot of information about the Falklands, the naval strategies of that war, and lessons learned.

The book starts with the premise that the Dartmouth class of '63 was a good example of the careers of submariners within the period 1963-1990s, as several participated in command positions during the Falklands War and later went on to positions in the admiralty. That structure was a bit helpful in terms of understanding the training and progression (quite different from US' training which I'd read about to date), but wasn't really adhered to strictly when the book got outside of the training and early years as officers.

It was a slow read for me, having to look up a lot of terms, geography and periphery history to make sure I was getting the most of the book. Not that it was necessarily incomplete, but it wasn't an exhaustive treatment on the subject by any means. Glad I read it and I learned a lot, so overall a positive experience.

30. Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver ... paperback.

I had NO interest in reading David Copperfield ... until I read this ingenious retelling by Kingsolver. (Not a Dickens fan - but now expect to be listing that book below in the not distant future.) Kingsolver creatively blends contemporary themes in with the tale that makes it fresh and relevant. Hard not to be in awe of such talent.

This is a tremendously good read - I found myself sucked in before the end of the first paragraph. Maybe it's that first sentence that does it.

There is a whole 'nother thread here in the 75 group with discussion, so I won't give a synopsis beyond stating that it adheres faithfully to Dickens' critique of society regarding children and generational poverty. I particularly appreciated the many facets of addiction covered (but the best description of addiction remains Infinite Jest imo), and the demand for respect and dignity.

A VERY hard book to put down. 5-stars, without question.

31. Submarine boats: The beginnings of underwater warfare, Richard Compton-Hall... MT Library hardbound.

Totally for the submarine nerd. This is a very thorough review of the earliest boats in many nations. Authored by a retired RN Commander and Director of the Submarine Museum at Gosport, it covers the earliest days of submarine history with decent endnotes and more pictures than I would have imagined possible. Lots of small stories contained within the larger review and not very technical - but enough to occasionally make the non-expert look things up.

I got more out of the book than I anticipated: I found that two of the earliest Holland boats are within an hour of me in Patterson, NJ, so I went to visit them. Very cool! I had recently seen the raised Hunley, so knew a little more than the author about that boat and its fate. Also went to visit the Becuna in Philadelphia while reading this book: so much later than the subjects of this book I expect to have my socks blown off by the time I visit the Nautilus later this summer!

32. The Quiet American, Graham Greene... Audible.

A self-indulgent listen: I'd read the book more than a decade ago, but a reference in another LT group kindled a desire to re-visit. I love Graham Greene's writing, and so far every book of his I've read only makes me appreciate that much more his skill and genius as a story-teller. I really enjoy the characters he creates - they're not all lovable, but they are very complex and human. The real genius of this book of course is in its prescient story. It turns out there are autobiographical aspects to the work as well. And if one considers it was written/published before Catch 22 ... well, I can't claim to know enough about literature in the '50s but the more I do encounter, the more important this book seems. I think Greene is overlooked in error - and I resolve to not make that mistake in my own journey through his work.

33. Stolen, Ann-Helen Laestadius... Kindle.

I enjoyed this story even with a few rough spots. Maybe due to language differences, the translation, or just a first novel attempt, the book does have some pace changes and/or a few places where the reader may feel a bit bogged down. Nonetheless, the story is interesting, the characters memorable, and the book itself informative about the Sami peoples, history, and culture of northern Europe.

As I contemplate the book I am also somewhat unsure as to whether it is simply the coming-of-age story it professes to be. It reminds one a bit of the sagas: a history being retold. Yet when I look up the novel vs. saga literature definitions it seems to tip ever so slightly into the 'novel' bucket. That it comes from a culture rich in saga storytelling, I have no doubt. A good read!

34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens... Audible.

I enjoyed listening to this book very much. More so, no doubt, because of having finished Demon Copperhead so recently. It was a commitment - nearly 40h of listening - but I'm very happy to have read it. I've never been a big Charles Dickens fan but this book may have changed that opinion. It's less sappy and perhaps a little more realistic in its sentiments than others I've read. Or something. I'll also give the narrator, Richard Armitage, some credit for the positive experience because his voice certainly conveyed a lot of meaning along the way, and his various characters were all easily distinguishable, even if the old people were all a bit out of breath... Anyways, it was worth the time spent. Thank goodness for Audible because I have a hard time sitting for a long time!

My ideas for compare/contrast between Demon Copperhead and David Copperfield are still brewing. The Kingsolver novel varies enough that it stands well on its own. I appreciate some of the differences in plot and very much still admire why she set her version of the story where and when she did: that genius still stands very strong. And it took some chutzpah to tackle the David Copperfield story - it's an extremely good novel and I expect to read opinions that it is Dickens' best. The one thing missing from the Kingsolver novel is the comedic relief, and Dickens serves his readers well by interspersing funny characters throughout his work. I anticipate more erudite comparisons of the two books to be found elsewhere - and I will probably spend a few hours reading those, too!

Definitely a 5-star.

35. The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Agatha Christie... Audible.

A quick, fun listen-read because I wanted something light inbetween the long literature or serious non-fiction: this served its purpose well. It's an introduction of the Poirot character, so all the little descriptors are certainly present, but it's an interesting mystery because of the twists as perceived through the character Capt. Hastings.

36. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Franklin... Kindle.

Enjoyed reading this work for a bit of insight into Benjamin Franklin's character as well as a description of mid-18th century colonial life. Glad I read it - read it in chunks rather than straight through, and learned things all along the way.

37. Poirot Investigates, Agatha Christie... Audible.

Richard Armitage is a terrific narrator, and this collection of short stories is an enjoyable treat.

38. The Midnight Library, Matt Haig... Audible.

I'd seen this written up elsewhere on LT and sounded interesting - it was. Imperfect, in that I think the author felt compelled to explore a few more scenarios than really needed, but it never got tedious even when I felt it was a bit repetitive. Definitely a 4 star - but I'd say that the first half really wasn't SciFi, that it wasn't until things started getting to the explanations that one could perceive this as sci fi. I'd put it more in the Speculative Fiction column.

39. Stalking the Red Bear, Peter Sasgen... Audible.

This book explored the Cold War missions of a fictional submarine to give examples of the types of action underway. Written to have thrills and chills, it was a quick listen and honestly better than some action adventure novels out there.

Was a physically demanding fortnight, so relied on Audible to keep my list moving forward. Hoping to wrap up two more this coming week to keep up with the goal. Would love to be 44 books in (for ~58% of the year passed), but I'm not so far behind that a little more time should see me caught up and on track again: fingers crossed!

I've been lax in keeping up the list, so please excuse this sprint through my completed reads in the past 3 months:

40. Red November, W. Craig Reed... Audible.

Cold War submarines and the adversarial relations between USSR and USA.

41. The Man Upstairs & Other Stories, P.G. Wodehouse... Audible.

A fun bit of odd comedy in short vignettes from Wodehouse.

42. Trust, Hernan Diaz... Paperback.

Read with a group, and although most enjoyed the unique story, I really didn't. Perhaps just not in the right mind/mood for this work, I didn't find it all that engaging. I wouldn't go higher than 3.5 stars, but that is largely just because I didn't enjoy reading it - not that the writing wasn't good or that there was sloppiness in the stories wound together or anything. Just didn't take to it I guess.

43. The Street, Ann Petry... Audible.

This is a very good book, even though the story is harsh and ends in a way one would never guess in a thousand years. I had to take a long time to get through the very painful parts - I could only read it in short bursts - but very grateful to the author for having written it, and for having a chance to read it. Powerful writing. 5 stars

Catching up continued ...
44. The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky... Paperback.

Okay - NOT a big fan of Russian literature - I lean towards the Stoics rather than the Romantics on any day of the week - but I enjoyed this book. I'm fortunate to participate in a group that likes to challenge themselves with the long and complex works at least once/year, and this was our read of 2023. If one could cut out all the emotive rending of garments level of emotional dialogue I would've been happy every moment (I'm an eye-roller even if by myself at these moments in books), but I definitely looked forward to reading it each time I picked it up. I'm not of the Eastern Churches, but nonetheless could understand quite a bit of the religious references, and discussing in a group helped. 5 stars - who am I to say otherwise anyways!?!

And finally ... The Confession.

I picked up one because I was curious, had always been dissuaded from even seeking them because I'd been told they're "schlock" and not worth the time/effort, but recent circumstances allowed me to indulge in "just trying one" ... for what harm could it do? Have I not read plenty of serious works so far this year that any stranger perusing my list would think, "Well, we don't understand this one, but otherwise she seems a normal sort of human being?"

So I indulged. In what you ask? Something slightly scandalous or salacious? Something she'd be ashamed to have her mother or children come across? Uhm, no and yes - but I've already confessed to the pertinent family members, dear interwebs, so I'm over the worst of the embarrassment. Besides. My son took the first chance he got to copy them all down to his Kindle and start reading them, too.

So here's my brave act for the day: I confess I read Star Trek novels. I read one straight through. Then another. Night after night last month. Totally hooked. ME! A Star Trek geek?? Oh, yeah, baby - my inner geek outed itself BIG time.

I'm not an addictive person so much as an occasional binger, and I indulged in purchasing the whole series of the Star Trek Enterprise series, which is a companion to the TV show that ran from 2001-2005. The stories written in the books in a few instances capture a particular episode, but mostly tell stories between the TV episodes. Nearly half of the series takes place after production of the show ended. I'm not quite finished, but decided to get my public confession over and done ... because of the guilty pleasure in these fast action books with characters I enjoy so much.

I will just list my completed ones ... and will follow-up later as I finish the others.

45. Broken Bow (Star Trek: Enterprise Book 1), Diane Carey
46. By the Book (Star Trek: Enterprise 2), Dean Wesley Smith
47. Star Trek: Enterprise: Shockwave, Paul Ruditis
48. What Price Honor? (Enterprise), Dave Stern
49. Surak's Soul (Star Trek Enterprise), J.M. Dillard
50. The Star Trek: Enterprise: The Expanse, J.M. Dillard (accidentally read out of order)
51. Star Trek: Enterprise: Daedalus, Dave Stern
52. Daedalus's Children (Star Trek: Enterprise), Dave Stern
53. Rosetta (Star Trek : Enterprise), Dave Stern
54. Last Full Measure (Star Trek: Enterprise), Michael A. Martin
55. The Good That Men Do (Star Trek: Enterprise), Andy Mangels
56. Star Trek: Enterprise: Kobayashi Maru, Michael A. Martin

And that's how far I got before I had to attend to some other matters. I get to continue tonight! Yay! And, yes, I highly recommend the series to any other Trekkies out there ...

Briefest of notes: Phlox is not in these as much as in the series, and I don't like the T'Pol character as much as in the TV series, but Archer is more comprehensible and I actually like Reed. Trip is the only one who was equally good in book and TV series.

57. Middlemarch, George Eliot... Paperback and Audible.

What a wonderful book! Not even a question of 5 stars or not. I'd read Adam Bede a couple of years ago and appreciated that, but that is a dry tome compared to this Great Work. Seriously ... how the heck did Mary Ann Evans write this? Just keeping the characters and all their back stories straight had to be an immensely taxing job. Yes, it's long and dense. And there are references to nineteenth century religious, social, and political struggles throughout which ~2 centuries later we're not familiar with, but wow! This was ever so worth the time. So entertaining!! A book which one hates to reach the end, despite the length!

Now I have to go find what else she's written and regret having waited this late in life to discover the joy of reading her works!

(and all caught up on my list for now ... yes, I'll need to get busy to hit 75 by the end of next month!)

58. The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing, Michael A. Martin ... Kindle


59. The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm, Michael A. Martin ... Kindle


Two more novels in the Star Trek Enterprise series. I actually liked these stories quite a bit as I've always felt the relationship between Star Fleet and the Romulans was never well explained, not in the original TV series nor in the subsequent spin-off series. These two books really do a deep dive on who the Romulans are. Unfortunately, there's more than the usual suspension of reality required (imo) for the main character, Trip Tucker. But the story is full of adventure and the resolution of the various tensions was entertaining reading.

60. Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures, Christopher L. Bennett ... Kindle

The Star Trek Enterprise series then takes on the challenge of describing the establishment of a new government comprised of different species on different planets. I think the review posted here on LT by another member was quite fair: it was harder to get through all the explanations at the beginning, and the "voice" of the new author was noticeable and disruptive. There are four more books after this one, which I'll read, but while I appreciate having any additional stories about some favorite Star Trek characters, I have to again say I really don't think the changes to the Trip Tucker character are all that believable. But I shall see if that first impression holds up as I continue through the series.

61. A Girl's Story, Annie Ernaux ... Audible


Wow - loved this memoir. The work seeks to recall 2-3 years of a twenty-ish year old young woman in Normandy, France, by the same woman when she is 72 years old. Sorry for phrasing that so awkwardly! But it's a very self-aware basis for the story which really adds something remarkable to the tale. The writing is excellent and I found it so easy to visualize the young woman, understand her feelings and motivations, and so couldn't help but really appreciate the author's deftness in retelling the story of a deep love. 5 stars

62. Joy in the Morning, P.G. Wodehouse ... Audible


A light-hearted listen. I may have read it some time in the distant past as parts seemed vaguely familiar. Loads of fun material in it to tweak the nose of my favorite boy scout was a bonus! Bertie Wooster remains a favorite.

63. Making a Submarine Officer, Alex Fleming ... Audible


A re-listen for me: I'd last listened to this book almost exactly two years ago. It is a very detailed story of the struggles a young officer faced while becoming accustomed to life aboard a submarine, in the USN, and while attempting to earn his dolphins (a required qualification for service on subs in the US Navy). There are many leadership lessons in this book, both good and bad, but also lessons for those who will be lead.

64. The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History, Joseph M. Marshall, III ... Audible


5 stars! So very glad I read/listened to this wonderful biography. The author reads the version available on Audible, always a bonus. I don't know a lot of the history of the westward expansion: I'd say I'm ignorant of 99% of it beyond just a general idea. I've spent some time working in N. Dakota, and loved the landscape, so was drawn to this book partially from simply wanting to know more about the Lakota people. This was a great book to read to understand the mid-nineteenth century history of the Lakota, not just the biographical events of a great leader. Yes, again I'd have to say there are many great leadership lessons found throughout this book. I'm definitely going to read more by this author.

65. All Systems Red, Martha Wells ... Audible


66. Artificial Condition, Martha Wells ... Audible


67. Rogue Protocol, Martha Wells ... Kindle


Came across the first in the "Murderbot" series as a mention in a LT sci fi group where everyone commenting on it had good things to say about it, both as entertainment and an exploration of AI/what it means to be human. Oh, yes indeedy! It's fun to contrast this book with Klara and the Sun, which I read earlier within the last year or so (let alone I, Robot etc.). This series is very action packed, the AI a little cheeky and often annoyed at human incompetence, and yet so very human itself. As a lover of mysteries I can't help but enjoy the reveals as the author jumps in and expects you to figure out just enough to keep the book mentally engaging without being tiresome. Quick, short stories: the first is my favorite so far, but the author hit her stride in the second and I definitely intend to read the whole series. Would give these books between 3.5 and 4.5, so they average a 4 (if you like action and sci fi). Bonus: currently included with Kindle and Audible, but there are also other versions available for purchase.

68. Exit Strategy: The Murderbot Diaries, Martha Wells ... Kindle


69. Network Effect, Martha Wells ... Kindle


70. Fugitive Telemetry: Muderbot Diaries, Book 6, Martha Wells ... Kindle


Hard to put these down! Will mention that Network Effect is a full length novel, while the others are definitely on the shorter side. The stories are imaginative, and I especially enjoy the cheeky inner thoughts of the AI. The other world/time is revealed as the author requires it for the stories, so one definitely can enjoy understanding more of Murderbot's universe as one continues reading each book. I have one more to go and am saving it for the holiday weekend as a greatly anticipated treat!

71. A Visit from the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan ... Audible


72. The Candy House, Jennifer Egan ... Audible


Listened to these two wonderful books back-to-back. And to be clear: The Candy House has nothing to do with the season of gingerbread! I found both books immensely entertaining, although I skipped one 8 minute scene in the first because I wasn't in the mood for the topic. I think the author is brilliant and certainly organizes well, and has interesting observations to make about the aging process, generational relationships, and what AI will potentially mean to our society, at least on a speculative basis. These books are not novels in a linear storyline but are interwoven short stories where sometimes characters from previous stories appear in others, but to have any sense of the author's purpose in writing these stories one benefits from reading them all, of course.

I will also mention that the email exchange in "See Below" was absolutely the best epistolary story I've ever encountered: the revelations in the many simultaneously occurring email chains was a brilliant way to move a plot forward, and I've never seen it done quite as perfectly as it is in The Candy House.

73. 3:53 a.m.: The 3 a.m. Series, Book 6, Nick Pirog ... Kindle


I'm starting to clean up my lists, comparing everything in my handwritten notes and digital LibraryThing, and realized I'd neglected to mention this fun one. I am a Nick Pirog fan, as his books are very entertaining, often action-packed, and quite creative. The very original 3 a.m. series is silly enough for all ages - but you have to start at the beginning so that you're sure to understand the ongoing mysteries (and enjoy the lovable characters). This one is quite likely just a bridge book, but no matter, it was fun to read!

Thinking about you during the festive season, Leslie

>51 PaulCranswick: Thank you for your kindness! Wishing you and your family a joyous New Year, Paul!

74. System Collapse, Martha Wells ... Kindle


Torn: the lists are all in sync and the risk assessment is looking good, I'm going to make my goal this year, but simultaneously saddened to have caught up to the author in the fun-to-read Murderbot series. So glad I came across the recommendation over in the Sci Fi LT group. These books are both fun and funny. A different take on what a future with sentient AI might look like.

I have a few books that I've begun, so now it's just deciding which will be lucky #75... Kuddos to those who did so much more this year and even to those who tried but didn't quite make it... it's about the challenge to oneself and the fun of both documenting and sharing, afterall!

75. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne ... Kindle and Audible (both/together)


Woo-hoo! YAY!! #75 achieved in 2023 ...

Seemed an appropriate book (~1870) to end the year's reading with after having visited both the Hunley in Charleston, SC (1864) the Paterson, NJ museum with the early Holland boats (c. 1878+) during the past year. This book neatly symbolizes my year's heavy reading of naval history, fiction, and sci fi too - it was a really good year, as I look back!

20,000 Leagues starts out quite imaginatively but the pace of the book lags due to the adventure story laden with a cataloguing of the Earth's seas (and the flora and fauna contained in each). I'd say 20,000 Leagues has more in common with Moby Dick than I realized before I started reading it, but that's not just saying that there's an awful lot of embedded lists. And as I write this note on LibraryThing, as part of a list of books read this year ... let's just agree that listing things obviously has its place!

I've decided not to go all geeky on the number of pages read (or hours listened) this year, tempting as it is, but content myself in reflecting that although to date my favorite Greek phrase has been Mega Biblion Mega Kakon (please forgive the lack of Greek characters), or a Big Book is a Big Evil, this year the long books won me over and you're not likely to hear me complaining about page length any more (so long as there's good writing involved). That Lindbergh biography was fantastic! And Italo Calvino and Joseph M. Marshall, III are definitely authors I'll be seeking out in the near future. Also enjoyed Charles Dickens for the first time: after reading Demon Copperhead I just had to see what David Copperfield was like. As much as I thought Demon Copperhead was simply brilliant, I think Dickens the better writer.

Lastly, I will conclude the year with the thought that still I have so much to learn. Reading in new areas has opened up worlds for me and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to read others' recommendations and share on this website. 2023 wasn't too awful, and the books were really rather marvelous! Time to look forward ...

>54 PocheFamily: Congratulations on reaching 75, Leslie!

Congrats!

>55 FAMeulstee: and >56 drneutron:: Thank you both for the comment! Really appreciated reading your threads as well. Happy New Year and new reading!