Linda Hopes to Pick up the Pace in Quarter TWO of 2024

Everything that comes into the house must meet with Molly's approval---even the Royal Mail is under suspicion until properly inspected.

Hi, I'm Linda, a retired paralegal, though that says very little about me nowadays, as my work life ended in 2015. I live in Northeast Pennsylvania, with the above four-footed tyrant, and my husband, flamingrabbit. Since giving up the legal grind, I have kept busy with volunteer work centered around libraries, cemeteries, and genealogy. I serve on the Board of Directors of the Scranton Public Library, and several of its committees. I am President of the Equinunk Cemetery Association, which is located in my home village along the Delaware River, and do as much grave-hunting and photographing as time and weather will allow for the website Find-A-Grave.com.

LT has been an essential part of my life since I joined in 2005, after my daughter lycomayflower told me about "this site where you can catalog your books." My response was something like, "Why would I want to do that?" HA! I simply can't imagine life without it anymore. I never knew how much I needed a reading community, until I found one. There are links on my profile page to my earlier reading threads.

I've been hosting an American Authors Challenge in the 75 Book Challenge Group since 2019, and details of this year's monthly challenges can be found downthread.

Finally, as some of you know, I'm averse to gifs and list-serve-type greetings, but I LOVE visitors who comment on my reading, or on other topics introduced here. Everyone is welcome to lurk or engage, as you see fit.

The ticker where I will keep track of my numbers, and how pitifully I fall short of my 100 book/year reading goal. (For four years after retiring, I routinely surpassed that goal. The pandemic, for some reason, plunged me back to the low 80s, which is less than I was reading those last several years when I was still working full time.) I actually made a list of my totals for the last dozen years, and was surprised by the consistency:

2023: 81
2022: 82
2021: 85
2020: 84
2019: 104
2018: 110
2017: 100
2016: 112
2015: 86
2014: 100
2013: 82
2012: 88

Here will be a list of the books I read in the current quarter of 2024.

I use some shorthand to help me keep track of my reading trends:

ROOT identifies a book that I have owned for at least a year at the time I read it.
CULL means I put the book in my donation box for the library book sale after finishing it, or otherwise gave it away.
DNF means I didn't finish the book, for one reason or another, usually explained in the related post.
ER means I received the book from LT's Early Reviewer program.
GN refers to a graphic novel, GM a graphic memoir This is not a category I use much.
An * asterisk indicates a library book.
LOA means I read a Library of America edition;
SF means the book was a Slightly Foxed edition, (NOT science fiction, which I so rarely read);
VIRAGO means it was an original green-spined Virago edition from my own collection;
FOLIO indicates a Folio Society edition.
AUDIO and e-Book are self-explanatory, and probably won't appear very often.
AAC refers to the American Author Challenge.
NF indicates a non-fiction read.
TR indicates a work in translation
RR means it's a re-read for me

Clicking on titles in this post will take you to the message in which I reviewed or commented on that book.

APRIL

22. Harm Done by Ruth Rendell CULL
23. ZABAR'S by Lori Zabar NF, AAC, ROOT, CULL
24. Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres ROOT
*25. The Hunter by Tana French
*26. Kissed A Sad Goodbye by Deborah Crombie
27. The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams NF, CULL

My first quarter reading went like this: (Title links should take you to the post in the previous thread where I commented on the book.)

JANUARY

1. Sula by Toni Morrison ROOT, CULL
2. Heading North by Holly M. Wendt
3. In Between; Creativity Set Free by Don Freas NF
*4. Force of Nature by Jane Harper
5. Calico Lane by Judy Kiehart
*6 Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
*7. Dreaming of the Bones by Deborah Crombie

FEBRUARY

*8. North Woods by Daniel Mason
*9. Track of Sand by Andrea Camilleri
10. People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman CULL
11. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk CULL, TR
12. The Tree of Hands by Ruth Rendell ROOT
13. Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. ROOT, NF
14. The Commonplace Book of Pie by Kate Lebo ROOT, RR, NF
15. No, I Won't Bow Down on That Dirty Ground by Maurice Martinez ROOT, NF
16. Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe NF

MARCH

17. Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote AAC, ROOT, CULL
18. The Broken Shore by Peter Temple ROOT, CULL
19. Mr. Timothy by Louis Bayard ROOT
*20. Dry Bones by Craig Johnson
21. The Black Box: Writing the Race by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. NF

Here is where I will keep a list of my new acquisitions throughout the year. Trying HARD to keep this total down, given the size of my TBR collections.

1. In Between; Creativity Set Free by Don Freas
2. Conamara Blues by John O'Donohue
3. Blind Descent by Nevada Barr
4. The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman
5. People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman
6. Colorful Palate by Raj Tawney
7. Upcountry by Chin-Sun Lee
8. A Widow's Curse by Phillip DePoy
9. James by Percival Everett
10. Sammy Two Shoes by Phillip DePoy
11. Sinister Graves by Marcie Rendon
12. Girl Gone Missing by Marcie Rendon
13. The Black Box: Writing the Race by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
14. Five Novels by Ursula Le Guin
15. Stony the Road by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
16. The Light of Truth by Ida B. Wells
17. Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
18. The Prospector by LeClezio
19. The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin

In an attempt to ameliorate the consequences of >4 laytonwoman3rd: above, and to prevent something like THIS from happening, I have an ongoing mandate to move books out of the house,
,

so I will keep a list of those titles here.

1. The Rag and Bone Shop by Jeff Rackham **
2. Sula by Toni Morrison
3. The Optimist by Joshua Mehigan
4. Collected Poems of Edith Sitwell
5. Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon by Pablo Neruda
6. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafron
7. Consolation by Garry Disher
8. Mercy of a Rude Stream by Henry Roth
9. A Diving Rock on the Hudson by Henry Roth
10. Requiem for Harlem by Henry Roth
11. From Bondage by Henry Roth
12. When the Frost is on the Pumpkin James Whitcomb Riley, Ill. by Glenna Lang
13. When a Wolf is Hungry by Christine Naumann-Villemin
14. Giant Treasury of Peter Rabbit
15. Giant Treasury of Beatrix Potter
16. Sarah and Simon and No Red Paint by Edward Ardizzone
17. A Wolf's Tale by Eva Montanari
18. The Weather in the Streets by Rosamund Lehmann
19. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
20. The Little Ottleys by Ada Leverson
21. Invitation to the Waltz by Rosamund Lehmann
22. Elegy for Iris by John Bayly
23. The Red and the Green by Iris Murdoch
24. Under the Net by Iris Murdoch
25. The Bell by Iris Murdoch
26. Changes at Fairacre by Miss Read
27. Cry Wolf by Aileen LaTourette
28. Dear Ijeawele by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
29. The Green Knight by Iris Murdoch
30. The Strange Necessity by Rebecca West

31. through 50. are itemized in >96 of my previous thread. And I will continue here with:

51. Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
52. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
53. In America by Susan Sontag
54. Essays of the 1960s and 70s by Susan Sontag
55. Later Essays by Susan Sontag
56. Sontag by Benjamin Moser
57. Writing Lives ed. by Mary Chamberlain
58. Michael Chiarello's Bottega
59. The Mitford Girls by Mary S. Lovell
60. The Summer Without Men by Siri Hustved
61. Intuition by Allegra Goodman
62. A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie King
63. Gunnar's Daughter by Sigrid Undset
64. Walking Across Egypt by Clyde Edgerton
65. In Memory of Junior by Clyde Edgerton
66. Werewolves in Their Youth by Michael Chabon
67. The Final Solution by Michael Chabon
68. High Country by Nevada Barr
69. Borderline by Nevada Barr
70. Winter Study by Nevada Barr
71. Classic Ghost Stories by Charles Dickens et al.
72. Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
73. Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
74. Zabar's by Lori Zabar
75-110. Box of books left with LEK and she purged a few more of hers that were here (most were not in my catalog, but they WERE in my house, and now they are not, so I'm countin' 'em.)

** I actually kept this one on hand, thinking I might give it a second chance. I Pearl Ruled it initially.

Here's the line-up for the 2024 American Authors Challenge:

(I put links here to each month's thread as it is created.
And, I will update this post periodically with my personal choices and completions in the challenge.)

JANUARY: Mark Twain
January thread is here.

FEBRUARY: Susan Sontag
Her thread is here.
Read and skimmed portions of the Moser biography and first section of "Against Interpretation" Enough.

MARCH: Truman Capote
The Capote Thread
Finished Other Voices, Other Rooms

APRIL: General Non-Fiction (with host Caroline Caroline_McElwee)
Here is the April thread
Finished Zabar's by Lori Zabar
MAY: William Maxwell
JUNE: Queer Authors (with host Dr. Laura Koons lycomayflower)
JULY: Susan Power a/k/a Mona Susan Power
AUGUST: Jeffrey Lent
SEPTEMBER: Living American authors who were born outside the US but adopted this country as their home.
OCTOBER: Katharine Anne Porter
NOVEMBER: Jewish American Authors (with host Kristel kristelh)
DECEMBER: The Heartland (regional authors from the middle of the country)

WILD CARD : 2015 Redux Pick an author from the 2015 Challenge

EXTRA POINTS CHALLENGE
Complete the challenge by reading at least one work from the author or category featured each month AND one work from the Wildcard list each month.
(Just like the main challenge, this earns you no points whatsoever.)

The general discussion thread for the 2024 AAC Challenge is here.

Happy new thread!

Happy new threadddd!

New digs look nice, Linda3rd.

Happy new thread, Linda!

>1 laytonwoman3rd: I am glad to see senior Post Mistress Molly has her eye on the bag! That wouldn't be a book would it!

You have fewer in than me this year, and more out. I need to get back to regular evictions Linda. Not being a driver slows that down.

Happy new thread, Linda! I hope it passed the cat scan. ;-)

Happy new thread, Linda.

Offering up some ear scritches to Molly if she accepts such things.

Happy new one, Linda.

Happy new thread, Linda (and Molly! - Security is an important detail!)

Happy new thread Linda!

Happy new thread, Linda. x

Happy new thread, Linda!

Happy new thread, Linda.

>3 laytonwoman3rd: I like that your plan is flexible.

>4 laytonwoman3rd: I always enjoy new threads because it gives me a chance to review the year-to-date reading. You've read some great ones. I loved Sula and look forward to reading some Gates.

Happy new thread!

So many lovely visitors! Shortly after I created this thread, we lost power, due to a wicked long windstorm. Although we have a generator for necessities, we try to limit our electricity usage while it's online, for various reasons. So I haven't spent much time on the computer the last couple days. Commercial power was restored earlier this afternoon---YAY!

So, welcome, Foggi, Lilly, Stasia, Richard, Caroline, Katie, Carrie, Shelley, Susan, Paul, Micky, Beth, Anita and Lori! Thanks for stopping by. AND...

>10 richardderus: I admire your civility, RD, as I'm sure you grimaced ever so slightly over the sweetest babeh kitteh evah.

>12 Caroline_McElwee: The bag did indeed contain bookS, Caroline. It was a Christmas gift order from a few years back. The Royal Mail no longer sends things in the pouch, I guess, because the last few orders from the UK came in boring shipping boxes. Although Molly does enjoy those once emptied.

>13 cbl_tn:, >16 jessibud2: Inspection and Security are Molly's primary duties. She even opens cupboards on occasion to make sure the pots and pans are in good order, and monitors the yard, porch and patio from all accessible windows.

>14 MickyFine: Molly absolutely adores skritches, although it might take you several years to get her to accept them directly from you in person...she is shy with people other than those who live here.

>20 BLBera: I keep that list mostly for myself, but I like knowing someone else finds it useful. Sula wasn't my favorite of Morrison's novels, but she never produced a dud.

22. Harm Done by Ruth Rendell Rendell overdid herself a bit with this one. Two young women (teenagers, really) disappear and then return home, refusing to say much at all about where they've been. Both insist they were not molested or physically harmed in any way other than being mildly drugged initially, but were confined, required to change into "more appropriate" clothing, and ordered to perform household chores for several days before being allowed to leave. Inspector Wexford and his team piece things together bit by bit, but as it truly appears there was "no harm done", and the victims aren't interested in pursuing the matter, the cases are about to be buried in limbo when a 3-year-old disappears from her cot in the middle of the night, reminiscent of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping generations before. Neighbors of a convicted pedophile, absent any evidence or likelihood whatsoever, convict him again without benefit of trial, certain he has somehow snatched the toddler from the bosom of her family almost immediately upon being released from a lengthy prison term. Protests in front of a police station get ugly, and a policeman who is not even involved in the investigation is gruesomely killed by a petrol bomb thrown by an unidentified member of the mob. Too many subplots, secondary characters, back stories and red herrings; too little detecting. A lot of social commentary, dysfunctional families, willful ignorance and class prejudices running amok in all directions. Although I truly wanted to know the who, how and why of all the separate crimes, I felt this novel was a tangled-up mess. If it had been cut in two, with each half given fair treatment, that might have resulted in two much better novels.

Phew! Glad you have the power back. Happy newish thread!!

>24 Berly: Thanks, Kim! Our new whole house generator (installed last summer) got a good workout, 45 hours without commercial power. It's the first time we had to rely on it, and we were very well pleased. In fact, I called the gas company to let them know we were running the generator and would probably need a fill-up before our next scheduled delivery, and they came the same day!

23. Zabar's by Lori Zabar Exacty what it says there on the cover..."A family story, with recipes", this is the history of the Zabar family from the early 20th century (when Louis fled the the pogroms in Ukraine that had killed his father, wounded his mother, and left him a hunted man) through the next hundred years of retail endeavors in NYC culminating in the gigantic, iconic purveyor of smoked fish, caviar, artisanal breads, imported cheeses, coffee, housewares, deli meats and coffee on Broadway. Zabar's has appeared or been referenced in any number of TV shows and movies, is beloved by resident New Yorkers, celebrities and tourists, and prides itself on offering high quality products at reasonable prices. It was an interesting read; I learned a few things (the difference between smoked salmon and true lox, for example), and intend to try one or two of the classic recipes included. Written by a granddaughter of its founder, it is something of a book-length ad for Zabar's products and services, but the author pulls no punches in describing some of the personal failings, familial conflicts and legal battles over policies and ownership through the decades. Sadly, Lori Zabar succumbed to cancer just a few months before her book was released.

>26 laytonwoman3rd: - I think I saw a piece on this, perhaps on CBS Sunday Morning, or maybe elsewhere. I like this sort of book and will seek it out.

>25 laytonwoman3rd: Isn't it awesome when things work out right? : )

>26 laytonwoman3rd: That looks fascinating, Linda.

Happy new thread and I love the photo at top! Ours are all about investigating anything that comes into the house too.

>27 jessibud2: I wish I had seen that piece. We nearly always watch CBS Sunday Morning, but occasionally have to miss it for one reason or another.

>28 Berly: Indeed!

>29 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul! I've had a craving for a bagel with smoked salmon and the fixings ever since reading it.

>30 ursula: Today Molly's inspecting a new paint job in the kitchen...not sure she's approving of it just yet!

24. Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres A historical novel of the very best kind...full of actual history, human stories of love, sacrifice, joy and sorrow sweeping the reader along with all the emotions. I saw the movie based on this novel, and remember being relatively unmoved by it. That probably kept me from visiting the book for years, unfortunately. I read it now as part of the Memorial for Rosalita project in the 2024 ROOTS CHALLENGE.

In World War II, a Greek physician and his lovely young daughter on the Isle of Cephalonia live through the occupation of their paradise by both Italians and Germans; the privations and horrors associated with war in general; the treachery and brutality of an army on the verge of defeat; and the ultimate insult added to those injuries: the massive earthquake of 1953 that destroyed their homes. Through it all, the islanders manage feats of bravery and resistance; find some sympathy, friendship, and even love among the occupiers; question the ancient gods, philosophers and poets; endure. The lively irreverent Captain Antonio Corelli and his mandolin lighten the mood, and encourage hope for the future, but circumstances do not bode well for any sort of happy ending. Reviewers have aptly compared this novel to Tolstoy and Dickens, for it is tragic and comic in equal measure. Sometimes it's hard to know which mask you're seeing. My first 5 star read in a while.

>32 laytonwoman3rd: I can't believe I have still not read this Linda, though it has been on the shelf for years. Your 5*s will get it shoehorned in this year.

>32 laytonwoman3rd: I've had this on my shelf for years as well, Linda. Time to dust it off, I guess.

>33 Caroline_McElwee:, >34 BLBera: You both make me feel better about letting my copy languish unread since 2007!

25. The Hunter by Tana French A winner, follow-up to French's The Searcher, in which we learn more about Trey's family situation when her long absent father returns to a lukewarm welcome, with a scheme that aims to involve the whole town in an enterprise Cal is certain will come to no good. Every conversation in it is full of subtext, sometimes to the detriment of the narrative flow when a character ruminates on what So-and-So was actually saying. Other than that technique being a bit overdone, I loved the way the Irish modes of expression worked here, especially in pub scenes. Grand.

>36 laytonwoman3rd: I'm happy to see this review, Linda. I'm still waiting on a library copy.

>36 laytonwoman3rd: You remind me that I haven't read the Tana French books already on my shelf, Linda. I really should do something about that.

>27 jessibud2: My library hold came through a lot sooner than I expected. Hope you get yours before long, Laura.

>38 Familyhistorian: Oh, I'm a little jealous of having some unread...I really enjoy spending time in her world.

Picked up a few new titles yesterday. Unfortunately, the small hybrid independent bookstore/library branch our public library had been operating for a few years in the downtown mall closed, as the revenue didn't justify the operating expense any longer. (Initially, the mall owner donated the space to us, but that stopped a couple years ago, and paying rent made the whole thing unsustainable.) lycomayflower and I brought home a few bags of bargains from their last day.
These are mine:

26. Kissed a Sad Goodbye by Deborah Crombie No. 6 in the Kincaid/James series. A beautiful, successful businesswoman is found dead in a London park. The careful way her body and clothing are arranged suggest she was killed by someone who knew her, and there is no lack of potential suspects when Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James begin their investigation. A lot of family history comes into play, and Gemma wonders how far back in time the cause of this murder may extend. Interspersed with the modern mystery are sections telling the story of how three of the characters came to know each other as children, after being evacuated from London to an estate in the countryside during WWII, and how their lives became entwined, leading to the current situation. A few too many "bits" and complications here, in the personal lives of the victim, the suspects and the investigators; it's a minor quibble, but I do wish Crombie had left just one or two plot elements out.

>41 laytonwoman3rd: I need to get back to this series. I enjoyed the first book and have every intention of continuing, but got distracted by Sean Duffy.

>41 laytonwoman3rd: - I just finished a Crombie (#17, I believe) and felt she threw a bit too much into that one. I don't remember much about Kissed a Sad Goodbye, but it sounds like it had a similar issue.

Still, I love the series.

>42 lauralkeet: And I need to get back to Sean Duffy! Trouble there is my library doesn't have those...

>43 katiekrug: I think I've whinged about this issue before, Katie. It doesn't put me off, but it does mildly annoy me. I love the main characters and their life story line, too.

27. The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams Subtitled "A Survival Guide for Trying Times", this volume is based on several conversations between the authors about how important it is to humans to have hope for the future, and how we can sustain that hope in the face of wars, pandemics, political upheaval, personal tragedy, climate change and other global catastrophes. Full of examples of positive change through individual and communal efforts, it is a pep talk for anyone who thinks we are doomed by our own stupidity, and that humanity is beyond (or not worth) saving anyway. Goodall is no Pollyanna, and her life experiences have shown her plenty of unpleasant realities, but she has also seen the good we can do when we unleash our "amazing human intellect...the power of youth, and the indomitable human spirit". Her view that these three human attributes, together with the resilience of nature, are grounds for hope that the planet may be brought back from the brink. Definitely a worthwhile read, although I found the style a bit clunky---Abrams took the many hours of discussion between him and Dr. Goodall, and attempted to make a narrative dialog, which sometimes felt forced. Nevertheless, the content rises above that, and the final chapter, written by Jane Goodall herself, is a call to action we should not brush off. Recommended.

>45 laytonwoman3rd: - That sounds a worthwhile read. Goodall visited my high school when I was a.... junior (?), and she was wonderful.

>46 katiekrug: I'd love to have heard her voice in my head while reading this--her own words are vibrant and enthusiastic. I'm sure I have heard her speaking in documentaries about her work years ago, but the voice just wasn't there -- it would have helped ameliorate the style issues for me.

I have seen and heard Jane Goodall speak here in Toronto 3 times over the years. She is such a calm, soft-spoken person, that when she does her chimp call/hoot, it comes as a surprise! She also sometimes has a slide show and she can be quite funny, also (for me anyhow) coming as a bit of a surprise. The was a terrific documentary film made of her, in 2017, called *Jane*:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRlUJrEUn0Y

>26 laytonwoman3rd: I already have that one in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

>32 laytonwoman3rd: Same with that one. . .I am sorry for the reason you are reading it now though. *sigh*

>36 laytonwoman3rd: Another new series I need to start one of these days.

>40 laytonwoman3rd: Nice reading there. I will especially curious to see what you think of the Ida B. Wells book. Courageous lady.

>45 laytonwoman3rd: My local library has a copy of that one. I need to get to it soon!

Have a wonderful weekend, Linda!

>26 laytonwoman3rd: I've come across a mention of that one before and thought it sounded interesting.

>32 laytonwoman3rd: I'll be keeping an eye out for Corelli's Mandolin. It sounds like a winner!

>41 laytonwoman3rd: It's been long enough since I've read that one that I really don't remember much about it. The one right before it, Dreaming of the Bones, is one of my favorites in the series, and the next one is the one, A Finer End, is the one I've liked least in the series.

>40 laytonwoman3rd: That's a nice haul! I read The Songlines last year. It's different and really interesting.

>45 laytonwoman3rd: I could use a sunshine enema...sounds like the right time to read this one.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads, Linda3rd.

>40 laytonwoman3rd: Nice haul Linda. I loved Songlines but some while since I read it.

>40 laytonwoman3rd: That is sad. I recall you mentioning this library/nook thing some time ago and it sounded like a good thing.

>48 jessibud2: I sought out some videos, Shelley, and now I do remember her voice. She mentioned in the book that she was initially terrified of public speaking, but came around to enjoying it quite a lot.

>49 alcottacre: I have read the introduction to the Ida Wells book, Stasia. I didn't know an awful lot about her before. She was indeed courageous, and resolute.

>50 cbl_tn: I think I'll try to dispatch the next Crombie fairly soon, if my library has it; I do better with series fiction if I don't space them out toooo far (but don't read several of them back-to-back, either).

>51 richardderus: Sunny, with scattered clouds...it should work for you, RD.

>50 cbl_tn:, >52 Caroline_McElwee: Good to know Songlines has approval...I'm pretty sure it was you, Caroline, who introduced me to Chatwin.

>53 RBeffa: As a Board member of the library, I had very mixed feelings about closing Library Express. There isn't another independent bookstore in the vicinity (we have a BAM, but that's so different). When we embarked on the experiment, it was bringing in some revenue, but once we had to pay rent, it was costing us money, and we just couldn't justify keeping it open.
HOWEVER, we are still affiliated with Bookshop.org (as are many other indie bookstores), so we can reap some small benefit from shoppers who go that route and pick Scranton Public Library as their beneficiary. And this weekend, Bookshop.org is offering free shipping, so there's no reason to go to that other site...

DNF Beach Read by Emily Henry A romance novel, my daughter's description and review of which led me to think I might enjoy it as a bit of candy, even though I am rarely taken with the genre. I was wrong. Couldn't make myself care about the journey to the inevitable happy ending, and I found the main character's immaturity quite annoying. (She was old enough to KNOW better, y'know?)

Hi Linda. I love the photo of Molly in >1 laytonwoman3rd:.

>40 laytonwoman3rd: Nice haul! I'm a fan of Paulette Jiles.

>41 laytonwoman3rd: I'm interesting in digging into this series. It has been on my "series I'd like to read" list for a while.

And I have a copy of The Searcher that I really need to read so I can read The Hunter as well! lol

>56 EBT1002: Molly appreciates the love!

I enjoyed the movie version of News of the World, but haven't yet read Jiles.

>57 laytonwoman3rd: I saw an interview with Jiles and found her really interesting. I read News of the World back before I started writing reviews religiously, so I must not've liked better than 3 stars or less than 2 stars. Who knows now. I'm very interested in Chenneville.

>54 laytonwoman3rd: I suspect it was me Linda, I've long been a fan.