labfs39's Literary Peregrinations: Chapter 6

Currently Reading


At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop, translated from the French by Anna Moschovakis

Serial Reader:
"The Darling" by Anton Chekhov

Audio:


Apeirogon by Colum McCann, read by the author

Books Read in 2023

January
1. The Ardent Swarm by Yamen Manai, translated from the French by Lara Vergnaud (TF, ebook, 4*)
2. Nativity Poems by Joseph Brodsky, translated from the Russian by various poets (TF, 3*)
3. No Pretty Pictures: A Child of War by Anita Lobel (NF, 4*)
4. So Vast the Prison by Assia Djebar, translated from the French by Betsy Wing (TF, 3*)
5. A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa, translated from the Japanese by Risa Kobayashi and Martin Brown (TNF, 4*)
6. The Double Helix by James D. Watson (NF, audiobook, 3.5*)
7. Love's Shadow by Ada Leverson (F, 3.5*)
8. Hiroshima Diary by Michihiko Hachiya, translated from the Japanese by Warner Wells (TNF, 4.5*)
9. Revenge of the Librarians by Tom Gauld (GF, 3.5*)
10. The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf, translated from the Swedish by Velma Swanston Howard (TF, ebook, 4*)

February

11. The Madwoman of Serrano by Dina Salustio, translated from the Portuguese by Jethro Soutar (TF, 4*)
12. The Ultimate Tragedy by Abdulai Sila, translated from the Portuguese by Jethro Soutar (TF, 4*)
13. The Tuner of Silences by Mia Couto, translated from the Portuguese by David Brookshaw (TF, 4*)
14. Memories Look at Me: A Memoir by Tomas Tranströmer, translated from the Swedish by Robin Fulton (TNF, 3.5*)
15. Native Dance: An African Story by Gervasio Kaiser (F, ebook, 2.5*)
16. The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Paulina Chiziane, translated from the Portuguese by David Brookshaw (TF, 4*)
17. Five Tuesdays in Winter: Stories by Lily King (F, 3*)
18. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (F, 4*)

March
19. An Altered Light by Jens Christian Grøndahl, translated from the Danish by Anne Born (TF, 3*)
20. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (F, 4.5*)
21. Cherry Ames, Student Nurse by Helen Wells (F, 3.5*)
22. Cherry Ames, Senior Nurse by Helen Wells (F, 3*)
23. Cherry Ames, Army Nurse by Helen Wells (F, 3*)
24. The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta (F, 3.5*)
25. Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse by Helen Wells (F, 3.5*)
26. Moon in Full by Marpheen Chan (NF, 4*)
27. Cherry Ames, Flight Nurse by Helen Wells (F, 3.5*)
28. Cherry Ames, Veterans' Nurse by Helen Wells (F, ebook, 3*)
29. Taken Captive: A Japanese POW's Story by Ooka Shohei, translated from the Japanese and edited by Wayne P. Lammers (TNF, 4*)

Books Read in 2023

April

30. Beneath the Lion's Gaze by Maaza Mengiste (F, 5*)
31. Sigh, Gone by Phuc Tran (NF, 4*)
32. Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed (F, 3.5*)
33. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (F, 3.5*)
34. The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason (F, 4*)
35. Wherever You Need Me by Anna Urda Busby (NF, 3*)
36. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (F, 4.5*)
37. Ru by Kim Thúy, translated from the French by Sheila Fischman (TF, 4*)
38. Paws of Courage by Nancy Furstinger (NF, 4*)

May

39. The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar, translated from the Persian (TF, 4*)
40. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (F, 3.5*)
41. Persuasion by Jane Austen (F, 4*)
42. Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov, translated from the Bulgarian by Angela Rodel (TF, 3.5*)
43. Foster by Claire Keegan (F, 3.5*)

June
44. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (F, 3*)
45. Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (F, 3.5*)
46. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (F, 2.5*)

July
47. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (F, 3*)
48. Come Tumbling Down by by Seanan McGuire (F, 3.5*)
49. First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi (F, 4*)

August
50. Middlemarch by George Eliot (F, audiobook, 4*)
51. Fallout : the Hiroshima cover-up and the reporter who revealed it to the world by Lesley M.M. Blume (NF, 4.5*)
52. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (NF, 4*)
53. Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi, translated from the Arabic by Sherif Hetata (F, 4*)

Books read in 2023

September
54. Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga (F, 3.5*)
55. The Color of Water by James McBride (NF, audiobook, 4*)
56. The Exploded View by Ivan Vladislavić (F, 4*)
57. The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue (F, 3.5*)
58. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwama and Bryan Mealer (NF, 4.5*)
59. This Other Eden by Paul Harding (F, 4.5*)
60. Akin by Emma Donoghue (F, 4*)
61. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (F, 2.5*)

October
62. The Polish Boxer by Eduardo Halfon translated from the Polish by a group (TF, 3.5*)
63. Our Lady of the Nile by Scholastique Mukasonga, translated from the French by Melanie L. Mauthner (TF, 3.5*)
64. Horse by Geraldine Brooks (F, audiobook, 3.5*)
65. Capitaine Rosalie by Timothée de Fombelle (French, 5*)
66. Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital by David Oshinsky (NF, 4*)

November
67. My Brother's Voice: How a Young Hungarian Boy Survived the Holocaust by Stephen Nasser and Sherry Rosenthal (NF, 4*)
68. Half a Cup of Sand and Sky by Nadine Bjursten (F, 3*)
69. New Kid by Jerry Craft (GN, 4*)
70. Five Bells by Gail Jones (F, 3.5*)
71. The House of Rust by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber (F, 4*)
72. I'll Take Your Questions Now by Stephanie Grisham (NF, 3*)

December
73. Ten Years of the Caine Prize for African Writing (F, 3*)
74. State of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang (F, 4.5*)
75. The floating brothel : the extraordinary true story of an eighteenth-century ship and its cargo of female convicts by Siân Rees (NF, 3.5*)
76. Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (F, 3.5*)
77. So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ, translated from the French by Modupe Bode-Thomas (TF, 4*)
78. At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop, translated from the French by Anna Moschovakis (TF, 5*)

AFRICAN BOOK CHALLENGE

January - North Africa: Saharan Sands (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco)
1. The Ardent Swarm by Yamen Manai* (Tunisia)
2. So Vast the Prison by Assia Djebar* (Algeria)
3. Women Writing Africa: The Northern Region* (Tunisia and Algeria)
4. Woman at Point Zero by Nawal el Saadawi (Egypt)

February - Lusophone Africa (Mozambique, Cabo Verde, São Tomé & Príncipe, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, and Angola)
1. The Madwoman of Serrano by Dina Salustio* (Cabo Verde)
2. The Ultimate Tragedy by Abdulai Sila* (Guinea Bissau)
3. The Tuner of Silences by Mia Couto* (Mozambique)
4. Native Dance: An African Story by Gervasio Kaiser (São Tomé and Príncipe)
5. The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Paulina Chiziane* (Mozambique)

March - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie or Buchi Emecheta
1. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
2. The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta (Nigeria)

April - The Horn of Africa (Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Eritrea)
1. Beneath the Lion's Gaze by Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia)
2. Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed (Somalia)
3. "The Museum" by Leila Aboulela (Sudan)

May - African Nobel Winners (Simon, Soyinka, Camus, Mahfouz, Gordimer, Le Clezio, Coetzee, Gurnah)
1. "The Ultimate Safari" and "The Emissary" by Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)
2. "Nietverloren" by J.M. Coetzee (South Africa)

June - East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros)
1. The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi (Uganda)
2. The House of Rust by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber (Kenya)
3. "Discovering Home" by Binyavanga Wainaina (Kenya)
4. "Weight of Whispers" by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (Kenya)
5. "Jambula Tree" by Monica Arac de Nyeko (Uganda)

July - Chinua Achebe or Ben Okri
1. "Incidents at the Shrine" by Ben Okri (Nigeria)

August - Francophone Africa

September - Southern Africa (South Africa, eSwatini, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Madagascar, Seychelles, Comoros, Mauritius)
1. Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe)
2. The Exploded View by Ivan Vladislavić (South Africa)
3. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwama (Malawi)
4. "Seventh Street Alchemy" by Brian Chikwava (Zimbabwe)
5. "Jungfrau" by Mary Watson (South Africa)
6. "Poison" by Henrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa)

October - Scholastique Mukasonga or Ngugi Wa Thiong'o
1. Our Lady of the Nile by Scholastique Mukasonga (Rwanda)

November - African Thrillers / Crime Writers

December - West Africa
1. "Love Poems" by Helon Habila (Nigeria)
2. "Monday Morning" by Segun Afolabi (Nigeria)
3. "Waiting" by EC Osondu (Nigeria)
4. So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ (Senegal)
5. At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop (Senegal)

* means translated

The Baltic Sea theme read
1. Nativity Poems by Joseph Brodsky
2. The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf
3. Memories Look at Me: A Memoir by Tomas Tranströmer
4. An Altered Light by Jens Christian Grøndahl

Graphic Stories
1. Revenge of the Librarians by Tom Gauld
2. New Kid by Jerry Craft

Holocaust Literature
1. No Pretty Pictures: A Child of War by Anita Lobel
2. My Brother's Voice by Stephen Nasser

Nobel Laureates
1. Nativity Poems by Joseph Brodsky
2. The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf
3. Memories Look at Me: A Memoir by Tomas Tranströmer
4. "The Ultimate Safari" and "The Emissary" by Nadine Gordimer
5. "Nietverloren" by J.M. Coetzee

In French
1. Capitaine Rosalie by Timothée de Fombelle

Book Club
January: The Double Helix by James Watson
February: Five Tuesdays in Winter: Stories by Lily King
March: Moon in Full by Marpheen Chan
April: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
May: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
June: The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
July: Beach Read by Emily Henry
August: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
September: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
October: Horse by Geraldine Brooks
November: I’ll Take Your Questions Now by Stephanie Grisham
December: Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

Reading Globally

Books I've read in 2023 by nationality of author (a tricky business):

Algerian: 1
American: 26 (10 in series)
Australian: 2
Australian-American: 1
Bissau Guinean: 1
Bulgarian: 1
Cambodian American: 1
Canadian: 1
Cape Verdean: 1
Danish: 1
Egyptian: 1
English: 6
Ethiopian: 1
French: 1
Guatemalan: 1
Hungarian: 1
Iranian: 1
Irish: 2
Irish Canadian (Northern Ireland): 1
Japanese: 2
Kenyan: 1
Korean Japanese: 1
Malawian: 1
Mozambican: 2
Nigerian: 2
Polish: 1
Russian: 1
Rwandan: 1
São Tomé and Príncipe: 1
Scottish: 1
Senegalese: 2
Singaporean: 1
Somali: 1
South African: 1
Swedish: 2
Swedish American: 1
Tunisian: 1
Ugandan: 1
Vietnamese American: 1
Vietnamese Canadian: 1
Zimbabwean: 1

Check out my Global Challenge thread, labfs39 reads around the world, for a look at a cumulative list since around 2010. And I've broken out the US by state in my labfs39 tackles the states thread.

Book stats for 2023:

I am trying to promote diversity in my reading and, for the lack of a more refined method, am tracking the following:

books total: 78

37 countries
20 (26%) translations
1 (1%) in French

59 (76%) fiction (11 in 2 series)
19 (24%) nonfiction

46 (60%) by women
30 (38%) by men
2 both (2%)

32 (41%) nonwhite and/or non-European/US/British Commonwealth

My last thread was over 250 messages, so I thought I should start a new one, even though there are only two months left in the year. Thank you to everyone who has been following my reading journey this year. We are in the homestretch!

My sister lent this book to me last week, and I immediately read it so that I could return it. Once again the cover is railroad tracks, one of two covers seemingly ubiquitous on Holocaust books (the other being the Auschwitz sign).



My Brother's Voice: How a Young Hungarian Boy Survived the Holocaust by Stephen Nasser and Sherry Rosenthal
Published 2003, 232 p.

Stephen "Pista" Nasser was 13-years-old when he and the rest of his family was taken from a Budapest ghetto to Auschwitz. He and his older brother, Andris, soon seize an opportunity to sneak into a work detail headed for a labor camp in Bavaria. They are transported to Muhldorf Concentration Camp, part of the larger Dachau complex. There they are forced to work building a huge bunker that was intended to become a factory to produce Messerschmitt jet fighters. Despite three brutal beatings, typhus, pneumonia, and starvation, Pista survives and returns to Budapest and high school. Fearing the encroaching Communist takeover, Pista applies for immigration to Canada and eventually makes his way to the US.

Stephen delayed writing about his experience until his Uncle Karoly passed away for Stephen knew the tragic fate of his uncle's wife and baby and did not want him learning the details.

Despite the horrible events of Stephen's youth, he remains a positive and optimistic person. He begins his story at the end, telling of his rescue and rehabilitation. At first he uses the construct of telling a nurse what had happened to him, in bits and pieces, but then transitions into a straightforward narrative, which worked better for me. His story is written in the first person present tense, which immersed me in the story, but does make it less history and more narrative. I found his experiences after the war —returning to Budapest and school, reconnecting with family—members, to be interesting and am glad he continued his story until the point he leaves for Canada.

My Brother's Voice is another important story in Holocaust literature and reminds us of the impact of war on children.

>10 labfs39: This sounds similar in story to Fatelessness by Imre Kertés.

>11 kjuliff: Perhaps a bit in plotline, although this was a memoir, but the style is completely different. Pista is never unclear about his hatred of Nazism and the brutality of the camps. He does draw a distinction between SS officers and Wehrmacht soldiers, who he sees as not wanting to be there either, but that's as far as it goes.

A few recent acquisitions:


Half a Cup of Sand and Sky by Nadine Bjursten
I received this one as an Early Reviewer giveaway. The author is American, lives in Sweden, and was editor-in-chief for the Bolivian Times for a couple of years. This novel was a finalist for the Pen/Bellwether Prize and is set in Iran.


The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin
This was given to me for my Little Free Library, but I snagged it to read first. It's about the 1888 blizzard in the upper Midwest in which many children died on their way home from school. I have read the excellent nonfiction account by David Laskin with the same title.


Buffalo for the Broken Heart: Restoring Life to a Black Hills Ranch
by Dan O'Brien
My mom picked this one up somewhere and it sounded interesting, although very different from my usual fare.

>13 labfs39: ooh, I’ve had half an eye on The Children’s Blizzard for a while. Look forward to seeing what you think.

>14 rachbxl: I've heard others say that it's a disappointment if you've read Laskin's book, because his is so good. But the back cover of this novel says that the author did a lot of research, especially with oral accounts, so I have hopes.

It's time to catch up on October reviews. Usually I write them right away while everything is fresh, but not this month.



The Polish Boxer by Eduardo Halfon
Published 2012, 188 p.

The first novel by Eduarado Halfon to be published in English, it is the third novel by him that I have read. Like Monastery and Canción, the book is a series of interconnected stories that take place all over the world and are the experiences of a semi-autobiographical narrator also named Eduardo Halfon. (Fittingly the epigraph is: "I have moved the typewriter into the next room where I can see myself in the mirror as I write."—Henry Miller.)

The novel opens with the story of Eduardo teaching literature to college students (the author attended college in the US, but returned to Guatemala to teach literature for eight years). Although most of the students are mediocre, one stands out as exceptional. This was my favorite section of the book.

The next chapter is about the author's experience attending a conference (a common theme in his books), this time on Mark Twain in Durham, North Carolina. I love this passage:

Look, how tragic, Lewis said, pointing to a dead deer on the road. Real common said the driver, to see deer run over around these parts. It occurred to me then, as a limousine carrying a Guatemalan and a Mormon rumbled past deer carcasses toward an academic conference on Mark Twain, that I was in the wrong place. Sometimes, just briefly, I forget who I am.

Several of the chapters feature Milan Rakić, a Serbian pianist who wants to reconnect with his Gypsy roots. The title story is from a conversation Eduardo had with his grandfather, the first time he told him about his experience in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Although each story is seemingly separate, they are held together by the common narrator and themes such as identity in a global world, a search for meaning, and, as Eduardo says, the fact that "there's always more than one truth to everything."

I love Halfon's writing, which is personal yet universal, and often with a sardonic humor. I will happily read anything else by Halfon that is translated into English.

>15 labfs39: I haven’t read Laskin’s book so no danger of being disappointed on that score!

>16 labfs39: Nice review. I read this years ago and have intended to read more of Halfon’s ever since.

>16 labfs39: Sometimes, just briefly, I forget who I am. resonates with me.

That’s what I hate about having a surprise party given to me. I tend to have disparate groups of friends from all walks of life, with little overlap. I don’t know how to be when faced with them all together. Which Kate am I?

>17 rachbxl: I know you don't read a lot of nonfiction, but it was quite good though I imagine more so for an American audience.

I would strongly recommend Canción, Halfon's most recently translated book. I thought it was his best.

>18 kjuliff: That's an interesting observation. I have never had a surprise party, but it made me think of the different Lisa's that have existed over the years with different groups of people. In particular, the difference between my family of origin and my career in Seattle is striking.

>19 labfs39: it’s quite disconcerting seeing the people from different groups/parts of your life, talking together. And if you have to give a speach…

Thanks to mom for this book, which she purchased at the Tenement Museum in New York City's Lower East Side.



Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital by David Oshinsky
Published 2016, 387 p.

Mention the word "Bellevue" and most Americans think of a derelict, frightening mental asylum, made notorious by Nellie Bly's exposé in 1887. In truth, Bellevue Hospital's history is long and often revolutionary. In this history, David Oshinsky weaves together the history of a hospital, a city, and medicine itself.

Bellevue Hospital began as an almshouse infirmary in the 1790s. From the very beginning, it never turned away patients, no matter their ability to pay, their religion, or ethnicity (a very unusual stance for the time). Soon it became a dumping ground where other hospitals sent their incurables so as to maintain high cure rates. Whenever epidemics swept through NYC, Bellevue took the brunt of it. Because of the large number of immigrants passing through its doors, Bellevue treated a wide variety of disease and illness, and soon doctors were eager to do a stint at Bellevue in order to gain experience. As apprenticeship gave way to medical schools, Bellevue teamed up with New York University, Columbia, and Cornell to become a premier teaching hospital. Despite its reputation as the hospital for the poor, it's emergency and trauma centers became first-class and if celebrities or visiting dignitaries had a medical emergency, they often chose to go to Bellevue.

Bellevue was often on the cutting edge of medical research and practice as well. The first American civilian ambulance service began here, medical photography was developed, and in 1956 two of its physicians won the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking work in cardiac catherization. The first doctor to reach Lincoln in Ford's theatre was a Bellevue physician as was the doctor in charge of President Garfield's gunshot wound (unfortunately that doctor was not a subscriber to germ theory and probably unwittingly abetted his death). In the 1980s, Bellevue was at the forefront of the AIDS epidemic, both in terms of research and treatment. Although there was never enough funding for a hospital of its size and mandate to treat the indigent, Bellevue achieved remarkable things.

Oshinsky doesn't shy away from the dark side of Bellevue either, such as the murder in 1989 of a pregnant doctor in her office by a squatter, or the use of electric shock therapy on children, but he does put these events into perspective.

I enjoyed reading Bellevue and learned a lot about the history of NYC and of American medicine, as well as of this storied hospital. Oshinsky has a knack for describing the personalities and quirks of those who impacted Bellevue, from politicians at Tammany Hall to the doctors and nurses who worked on the wards to the researchers in its famous pathology labs and morgue. A fantastic piece of narrative nonfiction, I would recommend it to anyone interested in NYC and/or medicine. (Jerry and Darryl, I'm looking at you!)

>21 labfs39: living in NYC the name Bellevue always give me the horrors.

>21 labfs39: Great review - enjoyed learning about Bellevue.

>20 kjuliff: I got a chance to see that in action at my retirement party; along with my colleagues and family, were many of my friends of various background. They managed to all mesh rather well, surprisingly

>24 cindydavid4: I think mine did too. It was me who was weird. I didn’t know how to blend my various persona into a speech.

i dunno, i figured everyone there knew me pretty well so I had no trouble putting it togehter. There were certainly stories I told that not everyone knew about which was humourous. I kinda focused on my career and who in the audience was a major player at the time. It was fun and really not stressful for me, but then I figured I wa in a safe place that I couold be at ease

>26 cindydavid4: I think I’m just neurotic. My work persona was nothing like my personal one. Plus there were different ex-lovers there. It was a bit like having Margaret Mead’s lovers and tribes all in attendance. Plus my mother!

>27 kjuliff: Plus there were different ex-lovers there

Oh wow! that I cant imagine!

>27 kjuliff: I understand. My mother gave me a surprise 25th birthday party in the Philadelphia row house I grew up in. The guests included people from the hippie commune I used to live in, Philly poets and radical feminists. I was in the kitchen drinking shots with my father.

>28 cindydavid4: I could see them talking to each other, and tried to surreptitiously sidle up next to them to listen. One didn’t know the others were ex-lovers. And my work colleagues were people who would never have even thought I had ex-lovers. I could hear people at they party saying with looks of puzzlement to other people, “And how do you know Kate?”

An evening to be remembered, and forgotten.

>29 dianeham: Yes. It was sort of like a gathering of representatives of decades for me. It was interesting to see so many people had not moved on or changed at all. Sort of what they say it’s like if you are in a bad car accident, and think you are going to die, and see your whole life passing before you.

Have you read Kinflicks?

>13 labfs39: Nice variety of new acquisitions, Lisa.

The Halfon sounds really good. I need to read him; your description makes it sound like something I would like.

>32 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. Two were happenstance, but look interesting

Halfon's books are short, so it's not too much of a time investment to try him. Interestingly, some of the books have been pushed in other countries with the chapters in different orders, or even with different chapters in different books. I would like to know if the Bloomsbury editions that I read are in Halfon's intended order, as I do think it makes a difference.

>31 kjuliff: no haven’t read it.

>34 dianeham: Its a very funny and poignant book about a woman trying to find her identity.
From Goodreads age. Bouncing from one identity to the other , Ginny adopts the values, politics, lifestyles and even sexual orientation of each new partner she finds. In this wise, funny and ultimately heartbreaking story, Lisa Alther explores the limited roles offered to women in this period (1975-85) - from cheerleader to motorcycle moll, bulldyke to madonna

Unfortunately despite the promising start to her writing career Lisa Alther didn’t have any other books as successful as Kinflicks (1975). She was a friend of Doris Lessing who she met when she moved to London from the US.

>33 labfs39: That is fascinating about the order, Lisa. I might look for them in Spanish and compare them with the English.

>36 BLBera: It is, Beth. I talk about it a bit in my review of Canción. One publisher has even published all four books as one work. Granted, they are all of a style and theme, but some parts do seem more cohesive. Or is that a case of the reader imposing meaning not intended by the author?

Well, it has begun. It is snowing like mad at the moment, and the ground is white. Although it is supposed to turn to (freezing) rain later and melt away, it definitely feels like autumn is over. I guess it's time to start up the snowblower and make sure it's in good running order. Sigh.

Has winter come too soon?

Enjoyed your review of Halfon and I was quite fascinated by your review of Bellevue.

I woke up to snow on Halloween, but since then it has been in the 50s mainly, which is good for my garage construction.

>39 dchaikin: It does seem a bit early for snow, Dan. I remember it being uncommon to have snow for Halloween or for Passover, but now it seems to be hitting both. That's a long winter.

I have one more Halfon book to look forward to, Mourning, and then I'll need to wait for Bellevue Press to translate some more. I'm glad my review of Bellevue appealed. It was a fascinating account.

>40 BLBera: Hooray for garage construction! It was one of the boxes I was really glad to check when I was house-hunting. Not only does it mean no more shoveling out the car, or running through the rain to get to it, but it protects my car from acorns. I never knew acorns were so mean-spirited. I left my car out one day, and an acorn cracked my windshield. $250 later, I was really wishing I had parked inside. ;-/

It will remain in the 40s all week, but no more snow for the foreseeable future. The snowman I made with Wren yesterday is only a foot high now.

>21 labfs39: Your review got me interested in the history of Belleview. It has such a bad vibe in NYC and is for some reason viewed as a psychiatric hospital. I had no idea of the AID’s research or the other cutting edge research. I’m not a great non fiction reader but it seems the type of book I could read concurrently with fiction.

I checked it out and it is available on audio so will put it on my TBR.

I’m finding everything I read now pales in relation to Study for Obedience which is the best book I’ve read in a long time.

I also was interested: like you i assumed it was a psych hospital, had not idea it was so much more (wonder if people conflat Bellevue with London's Bedlam) will put that book on the list

>42 kjuliff: That's how I thought of it too, Kate. I had no idea it had some a long history or the mission of being there for those who have no where else to go, be they typhoid patients, Irish Catholics, AIDS patients, or the homeless.

I think it would be an easy book to dip in and out of, as each chapter is rather independent, though chronological. For instance, one chapter might by the impact of the Civil War, the next the development of the first civilian ambulances. Some themes run through the entire book, such as Bellevue's relationship with the city and other hospitals, funding problems, and the problem of providing a safety net with limited funds but unlimited demand.

Your review of Study for Obedience made me add it to my wishlist.

>43 cindydavid4: I think most people think of it as a psychiatric hospital first, which although important, was not central. Much of the time it wasn't even co-located with the hospital. I think Nellie Bly's expose had much to do with it's long-lasting impact on public opinion. That's how I knew of "Bellevue".

For those of you who won't read the book, but might be interested, here is a list of firsts (more are listed on Wikipedia):

first maternity ward in US
it's doctors promoted "The Bone Bill" which legalized dissection of cadavers and did wonders for the development of medical science
popularized the use of hypodermic syringe
drs at Bellevue instrumental in developing NYC's sanitation code (no pigs in streets, etc!)
first commissioner of health for NYC was a Bellevue doc, he promoted vaccinations
civilian ambulance service
first to report TB was preventable
Wechsler intelligence test
first immunization for HepB
developed the "triple cocktail" treatment for AIDS
cured an Ebola patient in US

I already mentioned the Nobel for work on cardiac catherization. Tons of advances in pathology, including criminal forensics. Medical photography. As you can tell, I am quite amazed.

I received a copy of this book through the Early Reviewer program. I think the cover is quite pretty. It was a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction prior to publication.



Half a Cup of Sand and Sky by Nadine Bjursten
Published 2023, 389 p.

Nadine Bjursten's debut novel tells the story of one woman's life against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution and the anti-nuclear movement. At first the two seem like strange bedfellows, but in her postscript, Bjursten talks about hearing Iran continually referred to as the axis of evil while working as the managing editor of Arms Control Today. Her own background had made her familiar with the poets of Persia, and she was uncomfortable with painting Iran with the broad brushstroke of religious extremism.

A single story cements our perception of the other. It is devastating, not just because it makes the step to war so much easier, but because it increases misunderstanding and hate. It is this that I hoped to counter when I wrote Half a Cup of Sand and Sky.

The novel opens with Amineh, a literature major, struggling to find her place in the anti-Shah movements in Tehran in 1977. She's always on the edges and is flattered when an older man, a physicist and head of an international anti-nuclear group, takes an interest in her. They are soon married, and with the Revolution as a distant echo in the background, we follow her through twenty years of marriage, child-rearing, and love for another man. Through Amineh, we are given a glimpse into the progression of the anti-nuclear movement, although she remains on the periphery.

The writing is quite good, and I was carried swiftly along through the first third of the book. I particularly enjoyed the details of everyday life: the elaborate dishes she makes with herbs from her garden, the rhythms of family life, and the minutiae that make up a marriage. I became confused, however, at how little Amineh is impacted by the Revolution and its subsequent bearing on the lives of women in Iran. She travels abroad with her husband whenever she wishes, is employed or not at her own whim, and doesn't seem bothered by the restrictions that most Iranian women faced. Being interested in history, I found this lack of historical context to be unsatisfying. Bjursten's descriptions of Sweden (where the author now makes her home) create a lovely sense place that ground the last part of the book.

A quiet book, I would recommend it for those interested in the anti-nuclear movement and in descriptions of domestic life.

>44 labfs39: Sarah Bernstein is such a talented and intriguing writer. It’s hard to believe she’s only in her mid-30s. Born in Montreal and living in Scotland. I’m intrigued by her.

Study for Obedience is still with me. I’m glad you are going to read it Lisa.

I don’t know why, perhaps it’s a generational thing, but so many readers of SoO seem bemused by this timely novel. I will be interested in your thoughts.

>45 labfs39: interesting about the revolution. A lacuna? Was she avoiding making controversy? Or maybe she really wasn’t that impacted.

>46 kjuliff: I'm not sure when I'll get to it, Katie, but your review intrigued me as it had a different impression than other reviews I've read. I am looking forward to seeing for myself.

>47 dchaikin: I think it would have been impossible for an educated young woman to not be impacted by the Iranian Revolution. At first it seemed as though the author had avoided doing her research. But after reading her afterword, I thought maybe she was trying so hard to avoid the religious extremism label, that she avoided the revolution's impact altogether. She never mentioned having to wear the veil, for instance. Or the morality squads. And from the nonfiction I have read, both her travel and employment would have been impacted. In the book, Amineh's world contracted to her home and garden, her family and one friend, yet the author never tied this to the revolution at all. It just sort of happened without context.

interesting, how could it not have? unless she was trying to save her life, which is certainly reasonable.but then why write the book

>48 labfs39: I am shocked that so many press reviews seem to have missed the underlining theme of this book and given lukewarm or negative reviews . They must have little knowledge of the first third of last century, or to expect everything to be spelled out to them in simple terms.

Subtely eludes many of them. And even those who “get it” spend their review on pondering what country the MC’s fled from. It doesn’t matter. It’s not a fictionalized account of an event.

Some reviews get the subtlety and power, but not the underlying reason for the foreboding and menace that emanate throughout Study of Obedience. Given different backgrounds this is understandable.

I liked RidgewayGirl’s review and we both intend to read the book again. Note our reviews are very different.

>50 kjuliff: Just my two cents: While I enjoyed the beautifully haunting writing of Study for Obedience, my issue (and this is obviously a personal one) is that I just couldn't get past how much of a doormat she was. I know that her reaction to everything going on was an integral part of the overall plot, but I think I saw too much of myself in her and it made me really uncomfortable. It's a testament to the power of her writing that she was able to invoke such a reaction in me, however it also coloured my enjoyment and appreciation of it.

>51 Yells: That’s a really interesting comment. I too saw that and saw it as the narrator trying to make herself invisible. I also saw it as a bit of sarcasm. “If that’s what they want, that’s how I’ll be”.

From my review -
“Her whole life has been one of servitude and submission. It’s as if she’s trying to be invisible. She spends much of her time on menial housework duties and making artifacts using crafts of her ancestors who were “put into pits”. She believes herself unworthy, taking her low self-esteem to the level of the absurd.”

A pity your experience of reading was spoiled by you relating to MC’s doormat attitude. Somehow she really got to me personally and emotionally, but in a different way.

>49 cindydavid4: Note that the author was born in New York state and now lives in Sweden. There is no indication that she ever lived in Iran.

>50 kjuliff: >51 Yells: >52 kjuliff: Interesting that this book has generated so many differing reactions. I have requested it as an ILL from the library.

>53 labfs39: Oh! wow ok, Im sure she did tons of research but not sure Ill bite. Glad >52 kjuliff: is championing tho!

>55 cindydavid4: Cindy, I’m confused. I’m not championing the book about Iran.

>56 kjuliff: oh! no, I said that because you said you were enjoying it. I should have used another word, my bad

>57 cindydavid4: I am not even reading it. Have never seen that Iran book. How could I enjoy a book I know nothing of. I looked back and think you are referring to a book Lisa reviewed . You are confused. Using another word won’t do the trick.

>57 cindydavid4: >58 kjuliff: I think the thread is maybe just easy to confuse, with posts about Study for Obedience mixed in with posts about Half a Cup of Sand and Sky. I got confused, anyway.

>59 dchaikin: My post that cindydavid4 referenced was >52 kjuliff: which was responding to yell >51 Yells: all about Study for Obedience. It’s not about a woman in Iran. Apparently Cindy thinks I’ve read the Iran book because Lisa recently reviewed Half a Cup of Sand and Sky.

So to be clear - I know knowing about the book Half a Cup of Sand and Sky
I reviewed Study for Obedience which can be seen on my post here.

>60 kjuliff: Um, sorry? I do admit to be confused at times. Didnt mean to offend or cause anger. Ill go back and delete if youd like . Carry on

We're all good here.

Yesterday I wanted to read something different, and so I picked up a graphic novel that I had acquired this summer. Only my second graphic work of the year.



New Kid by Jerry Craft
Published 2019, 250 p.

Jordan is going into the seventh grade, and his parents have decided that he should attend a top-notch school rather than his neighborhood school in Washington Heights. Jordan would rather go to an art school, but his mother is concerned that he learn the rules of making it in a white world.

On the first day of school, Jordan is picked up by a classmate and his father in an expensive car. The classmate, Liam, has been assigned to show him around and get him acclimated. At first Riverdale Academy Day School seems to be a stereotypical nightmare for a black kid: affluent white kids who tease him and teachers who either overcompensate or are unwittingly racist. But Jordan learns that in becoming the new kid at school, he can become a new kid inside, one who seems shades of grey and not just black and white.

I enjoyed this book about fitting in, that doesn't shy away from issues of race and class, but is ultimately hopeful. One of my favorite parts is when the kids go to a book fair, and there are two kinds of books: mainstream books with colorful covers and stories full of hope, and African American books with a depressingly realistic photo on the cover and protagonists who live in the 'hood in broken homes, and with blurbs like "A gritty, urban reminder of the grit of today's urban grittiness."

The artwork alternates between full color spreads and black and white ones. The pages depicting Jordan's drawings have simple pencil artwork. The text is funny, allowing the reader to laugh, but at the same time is bittersweet about the difficulties of being the new kid. The author wrote two more books in this series.

>62 labfs39: I might get New Kid for my 12 year-old grandson. I’ve been on the lookout for a book he could identify with. Would it be suitable for his age?

>63 kjuliff: I think it would be perfect for a tween-ager.

>64 labfs39: Excellent. I bought a copy online at my favorite Melbourne book store. Seth should get it next week. He’s moving schools from a private elementary school to a state high school.

>65 kjuliff: I hope he enjoys it. I found that I could relate to it (even at my advanced age!) with memories of my own transition from a rural podunk high school to an ivy-adorned college.

I thought you might be interested in these poetry books for children.

Children's Books Top Tens / John Agard's top 10 poetry books for children.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/354998#8281719

>67 dianeham: Thanks, Diane. This is a great list that I have copied into my tickler file for the kids. Since we are doing so much with geography, I was happy to see poets from Jamaica, Africa, and Guyana. My most recent poetry book purchase for them was the National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry. It is a collection of poems by both famous and not so famous poets and fantastic photographs.

>68 labfs39: that sounds good. It has a LT rating of 4.42 - that’s high praise.

This is a book I had borrowed from a friend and wanted to read so I can return it when I see her next. I think this cover is much better than the yellow sunset one, as the setting is so important to the book. The only other book by Jones that I have read (twice) is Sorry.



Five Bells by Gail Jones
Published 2011, 218 p.

A quay, a day, and
Four people who intersect
In surprising ways.

It's a bright sunny Saturday in Australia, and crowds of people converge on the Circular Quay in Sydney, with its views of the landmark Opera House and bridge. Among them are four people who interpret what they see in very different ways due to their histories and circumstances. First is Ellie, a transplant from the countryside, who is meeting up with her former childhood lover for the first time in years. James is eager to meet Ellie, hoping that connecting with her can help him heal from a traumatic event which he cannot overcome on his own. Catherine has just moved to Australia from Ireland and is only starting to recover from the grief of losing her brother. Pei Xing suffered greatly during the Cultural Revolution in China and emigrated to Australia hoping to start a new life, but finding a fragment of her old.

Each character's backstory is complicated and messy, as are most people's, and Jones does an excellent job at threading the stories together. Commonalities pop up in unexpected places—Doctor Zhivago, the ferries, a missing child—yet each character is unique and fully formed. Small acts of kindness among strangers are impactful for all four characters, and the interconnected nature of social interaction is a major theme. Sydney, and the Circular Quay in particular, is like another character, influencing each of the four in different ways, and being interpreted by each of the four in different ways, sometimes differently in the same day. For instance, one person thinks the Opera House resembles a body bent in a graceful curve, another a hooded eye. What one person can see as beautiful and containing hope, another sees as foreboding.

I thought I knew where the book was going, led in part by the jacket flap description, but the ending was a surprise and darker than I anticipated. But the plot is beside the point. The real beauty of the book lies in the character descriptions and the setting and atmosphere. The author reminds us that we are all of us connected in a myriad of ways, if only we could see it.

>70 labfs39: i really loved the prose in Sorry. Enjoyed your review.

Duplicate Post. Sorry!

>70 labfs39: I really liked Sorry, but didn't really connect with Five Bells, not that I think it is a bad book. I can't really remember why I didn't particularly care for it.

Was it on your thread that I heard about A Day in the Life of Abed Salama? I am reading it now and it is excellent.

>70 labfs39: Thank you for your review of Five Bells. I was quite excited when I saw it was written by an Australian. Shows how long I’ve been away. I’ve not heard of Gail Jones. I checked out my audio sources and can’t find any book by her. So I’m disappointed. I can only hope she’ll eventually be published in audio, as your review piqued my interest.

I am quite out of touch with the Australian literary scene and really must get back in touch with it.

>71 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan. Sorry was excellent, and it's one of the few books I've read twice.

>73 arubabookwoman: Hi Deborah! I liked Sorry better than Five Bells, for sure. I tend to like novels more than short stories, and this felt like four interwoven stories. Even though the interconnectedness was the point, I still would have preferred hearing one story in more depth, especially Pei Xing's.

Boy, I'm having trouble with double posts on LT today too. It's glitchy.

>73 arubabookwoman: No, I haven't read Day in the Life of Abed Salama, although someone else may have mentioned it here. I'll look forward to your review. It looks interesting. I'm currently listening to Apeirogon, which is an excellent story, but I'm finding the ultrashort chapters hard to listen to on audio.

>74 kjuliff: I'm surprised you can't find anything by Gail Jones on audio, Kate. Too bad. Sorry was impressive, and I'm eager to read Salonika Burning too. Jones has a talent for creating atmosphere and a sense of place. I would be curious to know if it rings true to an Aussie.

I liked Five Bells more than Sorry, but I read Five Bells first and fell in love with how Jones writes. My favorite of hers is A Guide to Berlin, which I read on the train to and from Berlin. Basically, the order in which I encounter an author's books, as well as the circumstances in which I read those books influenced me greatly.

>76 labfs39: I’ve messaged a friend in Melbourne who is a serious reader. I’ll let you know what she says, if she’s read it.

I checked my former local bookshop in Melbourne, and see it won a number of Australian literary prizes.
Winner of the Kibble Literary Award,
Shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Prize for Fiction,
the Adelaide Festival Award for Literature,
The ALS Gold Medal,
the Barbara Jefferiss Prize and the Indies Award.

>76 labfs39: After my last post on Five Bells I did a bit more digging and discovered more about the book. It’s named after a poem that was based on a real event, and the book is popular in Australia. But Meanjin a an academic-leaning literary magazine gives a critical review.

I am a great believer in putting information into context, so before I begin I should mention that Five Bells is being hailed as ‘exquisite and moving’, ‘magnificent’ and ‘brilliant’. Clearly it has struck a chord with a large segment of Australian society. I wish I could say that I was among the faithful, but for me, the adulation is slightly puzzling. Five Bells isn’t a bad book. But it’s not a very satisfying one either. - Jessica Auck Nicholls

Five Bells sounds wonderful, Lisa. I will look for it.

>73 arubabookwoman: I'm currently reading A Day in the Life of Abed Salama, although I haven't done anything more than post the cover on my thread so I'm not sure you would have seen it there!

I've had Sorry on my shelves for ages, after LT raves. I really need to get to it!

I just finished reading through the past couple of dozen posts here. Interesting conversations about interesting books. Thanks!

>78 kjuliff: I have to admit that I was tickled that there is a Kibble Literary Award. I can only assume that "Kibble" has a different connotation in Australia than it does for our German Shepherd, Rosie, here in the U.S. (It's probably the name of a famous person I should know all about.)

>77 RidgewayGirl: That's interesting, Kay. I'm now wondering if I too, tend to like the first book I read by an author best. As for the circumstances of where I am when I'm reading a book influencing my feeling about the book, I don't think I read in enough interesting situations to tell! I'm usually holding down my recliner, and, as for the books I read in the past when I did travel, I simply don't remember sadly. I am more likely to remember where I bought a book.

>78 kjuliff: I do like Jones' writing, and I can see her winning awards. Looking at her wikipedia page, it seems that every book she has written has received awards and been shortlisted, etc. I definitely want to read more of her works.

>79 kjuliff: I think I would agree with the critic that Five Bells isn’t a bad book. But it’s not a very satisfying one either. I'm not sure what the critic found wanting, but for me it was that I wanted to stay with one character for an entire novel, especially Pei Xing, but also James. As I said in my review, I chalk that up to my personal preference for longer works, and I definitely see what the author was doing with the interweaving of four stories. It would be hard to convey her theme of social interconnectedness with only one protagonist. I can also see how some readers might dislike the ending. There was nothing pat or neatly wrapped up about it. I didn't mind that personally. It was a pleasure not to end up where I thought we were going.

>80 BLBera: I'll be curious as to your take if/when you get to it, Beth. Have you read anything else by Jones?

>81 ursula: Aha! We scour your thread, Ursula, didn't you feel our eyes upon you? Lol.

>82 japaul22: It's not a long book, Jennifer, and this is what I wrote in my review:

What does it mean to say you are sorry? That you regret what happened, whether for the distress it caused yourself or others? That you wished it had never happened? That you wish there were a way to atone? Perhaps it is said as a summation, a closing ritual, either expected or received in surprise, unaware of the silent emotions of the sorry one. Can you know the meaning of another's sorry-ness, of another's sorrow? If saying you are sorry is open to interpretation, how much more so then, the failure to say you are sorry. The expectant pause in the story, the silent internal debate, perhaps an ignorant obliviousness or a nonchalant callousness. What is gained or lost with sorry being said or left unsaid?

A whisper: sssshh. The thinnest vehicle of breath.

This is a story that can only be told in a whisper...

'Don't tell them," she said. That was all: Don't tell them.

...And when for comfort we held hands, overlapping, as girls do, in riddled ways, in secret understandings and unspoken allegiances, the sticky stuff of my father's life bound us like sisters.

So begins the first page of this devastatingly beautiful novel about Perdita, her family, and the ways in which speech and silence can each be a salve and a torment.

Perdita's parents met in England and married with the air of Well, that's done. Neither Stella or Nicholas was looking for romance, and their sterile togetherness reflects their egocentric emptiness. Stella lives in a Shakespearian world that only she can navigate, reciting long passages from the tragedies as her way of interpreting and interacting with the world around her. Nicholas, too, is lost in his own world, composed of imagined academic success as an anthropologist and later of manly posturings overlaying his deep sense of impotence at not being able to join up in WWII. Completely self-absorbed and living in isolated fantasies, the couple has a child shortly after leaving England to live in the West Australian outback, where Nicholas can make his name as the translator of the Aborigines.

Perdita is left to flourish or not in this wrack of a family. When Stella enters a deep post-natal depression, fueled by the emotional extremes of Shakespearian tragedy, Perdita is nursed by two Aborigine servants. Growing up, Perdita exists on the edges of two worlds, the one inhabited by her parents, and the one shown her by the Aborigine people who live on the fringes of that world. When she is ten, Nicholas takes Stella to the clinic in town where she rests, off and on, for much of Perdita's childhood. On the way home, he stops at a convent and takes on Mary, a sixteen year old Aborigine orphan, as a cook and tutor for his daughter. Instantly, Mary and Perdita are bound by a love based on sisterhood, shared hardship, and need. Together with Billy, the deaf-mute neighbor boy, they find and share the affection and community that each lacks.

War intensifies the ugliness of Stella and Nicholas's declines, and then something horrific happens, and the children are torn apart. Perdita is cast into silence and withdraws into herself, until she feels as hardened and dead as an ammonite. Her struggle to find herself and regain her voice is a story that tears at the heart. What secrets does her silence hold, and will she herself ever know?

Evocative of the fears and determination of the war years and eloquent on the beauty of the outback and the generous kinship of the Aborigine, Sorry is a novel rooted in wartime Australia. Yet the story stretches beyond the particular into the nature of introspection and the use of language to create and maintain identity. The language is beautiful, the story heartbreaking, and the ideas thought provoking. Read this novel. You won't be sorry.

I haven't read anything by Jones, Lisa, but I will be looking for books by her after your comments.

>84 labfs39: Great review!

>83 rocketjk: I’ve never heard of the dog food, Kibble. A well-known dog food in Australia is “Meals for Mutts”

The Kibble Literary Awards recognizes the work of established Australian female writers. Nita Kibble (1879–1962) was the first woman to be a librarian with the State Library of New South Wales. She was Principal Research Librarian from 1919 until her retirement in 1943, and was a founding member of the Australian Institute of Librarians.

You can see a list of past recipients HERE

Jones has received many other awards, and was notable nominated for the prestigious Australian Miles Franklin Award.

On googling I see all Gail Jones’books have all been published since I lived in America.

>84 labfs39: It seems I’ve missed out on a lot of Australian novels. I still read Australian books but tend to read authors I already know about such as Tim Winton, Christos Tsiolkas and Richard Flanagan.

The problem for me is that the newer Australian writers have not yet been published on audio. I just have to wait.

You've convinced me - I just started Sorry.

>87 kjuliff: Thanks for that, and also for tolerating both my lame joke and my laziness in not looking up the history of the award's name myself. I assumed the award was named after someone admirable. Again, sincere thanks for the info, and I have put Jones on my radar as someone to look out for next time I'm in a bookstore. All the best.

>70 labfs39: Very nice review of the Gail Jones; an a nice re-visit for me (pssst, I know someone who has possibly 8 of her books:-)

>91 avaland: Now I’m getting really jealous. There aren’t any on audio here in the US. Possibly a copyright thing. I’ve read about her books and they all sound like books I’d really like.

>85 BLBera: I'm looking forward to reading more by her as well, Beth.

>86 japaul22: Thanks, Jennifer!

>88 kjuliff: I am woefully ignorant of Australian authors, Kate. Maybe this coming year I can try and read more Aussie authors. I have five unread books on my shelves, including ones by Flanagan and Winton, and several more on my wishlist, including Salonika Burning and Black Mirror by Gail Jones. I'm astonished that not more Australian lit is available on audio. Are you able to borrow e-books from an Australian library somehow?

>89 japaul22: Lol, let me know what you think! I hope all this talk about it hasn't overhyped it.

>91 avaland: Ha, ha, Lois. Maybe when I return Five Bells, you'll let me borrow some more!

>92 kjuliff: :-(

A special shoutout to friends who have winged a couple of books my way:



So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan

and



State of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang

Thank y'all!

>94 labfs39: Re - So late in the Day - I was disappointed that at least two of the three stories in this collection have been published before in Clare Keegan’s other collections. See my review here .

>95 kjuliff: Since all I've read by Keegan is Foster, it will all be new to me. :-)

>96 labfs39: I understand. But I think better to go with Antarctica for a short story collection as there are more than three stories and the stories offer you a range of her work. My gripe with So Late in the Day was at least two of the three were reprints from other books.

>94 labfs39: Did the book already arrive?

>97 kjuliff: I think interest in Keegan is high right now, so publishers are bundling old stuff with new to keep churning out the books.

>98 RidgewayGirl: It did, thank you!

>99 labfs39: Yes, definitely the publishers. The real creators in the arts have little say nowadays as to how their products are marketed. And with Christmas coming it’s economically advantageous to bundle a few stories together.

See if you can listen to Keegan read the title story. I think I posted the link in my review on my post of so Late in the Day. I think you can listen to a set number of New Yorker audios without signing up.

It warmed up enough overnight to snow. Yesterday morning it was 18F and didn't get to freezing all day. Overnight it warmed up and snowed 3". Sigh. I guess winter is really here.

Do you like to read wintry books when it snows (or hot, sandy reads in summer)? Yesterday the protagonist in the book I was reading was in an icy seascape, and it just made me feel colder.

>200 raton-liseur: I'll make a note and stick it in the book to try the audio. Thanks for the suggestions, Kate.

>101 labfs39: Re SLitD. it’s a pretty short story, but has that edgy feel so many of Keegan’s stories have.

No snow here in NYC. I love the look of NYC immediately after a decent snowfall in New York, before it turns black. Last winter there was no real snow at all. Even though I’ve been in NY for over 20 years I still get excited when it snows. Meanwhile in Australia everyone is getting ready for beach holidays.

>101 labfs39: I like the weather in my books to be opposite of what I'm experiencing. Accounts of polar exploration should be read on the beach or on the back porch during a heat wave. Novels set in the tropics read best when I'm wearing wool socks. Hoping you're warm and cozy inside, Lisa.

>103 RidgewayGirl: I agree! I hate the D.C. summers - they are so hot and humid and I work outside. So I love to read a polar exploration book or something set in a cold climate during the summer. Since I enjoy winter, I usually don't seek out summery books in winter.

>102 kjuliff: I don't think I've ever seen NYC with fresh snow. Whenever I've been, and when my MIL was alive that was fairly often, the snow was always dirty and in the way. The snow that fell here Tuesday night did not melt, despite the steady rain yesterday (how is that possible?) and is now a treacherous, frozen mess. That's what I get for trusting in rain and not shoveling.

>103 RidgewayGirl: Perhaps I need to read Desert next. It's as opposite as I can find at the moment. Unless I reread The Inferno.

>104 japaul22: That hot, humid weather has been creeping northward. I'm with you, Jennifer, I much prefer the cold of winter over the swelter of summer.

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who partake. I am off to my sister's in a bit for some turkey. I don't think I'll have time to write my review of House of Rust before I leave, but I did finish it this morning. I had planned to read it in June for the African challenge, but didn't read much over the summer. Thanks to Ardene/markon for bringing the book to my attention, I really enjoyed it.

I was brushing up on the history of the American Thanksgiving holiday and was interested to learn that the Wampanoag, who graciously aided the Pilgrims and helped them survive (to the the Wampanoag's ultimate detriment), celebrated thanksgiving every month (in addition to their usual prayers of thanksgiving). I was particularly interested in the thanks given to the first tapping of maple trees each year and to the cranberry harvest.

>105 labfs39: Lisa you can see my condo’s little park in Manhattan.
HERE. This was taken a few years ago.

>108 kjuliff: Pretty! It's in the 40s today, so it's finally melting here. This morning my driveway was Slick.

I like this cover, designed by Rachel Holscher.



The House of Rust by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber
Published 2021, 258 p.

Every day people are dying and being born, only men can leave those who depend on them behind and still be called brave. A woman is not praised when she suffers, she is praised for suffering in silence.

This debut novel by Kenyan author Khadija Abdalla Bajaber is a fascinating blend of allegory, fable, and coming of age, set in the author's hometown of Mombasa. Here Islamic faith abuts African myth, traditional storytelling has a rich history, and the sea is omnipresent and both watches and bears watching.

Aisha is the only child of Ali, a fisherman who is at sea more than at home, drawn by a compulsion to go beyond the boundaries even other fisherman are careful not to cross. Her mother having died when she was young, Aisha is allowed at first to accompany her father, but she fails some unspoken test and is thereafter relegated to shore and her grandmother's company. This is an uneasy pairing, as her grandmother wants her to be a docile, obedient girl eager for marriage, none of which are things that Aisha can be. When Ali fails to return from one of his fishing trips, his mother gives him five days in which to reappear or she will have him declared dead. Aisha, however, is determined to find him and bring him back.

The first half of the book is about Aisha's quest on a boat made of bones conjured by a talking cat. She faces three trials which comprise a sort of rite of passage. The novel could have ended at this point with a tidy, if fantastical, coming of age story, but instead the author explores Aisha's life after her adventure. Although Aisha was always regarded as unusual, now she has been changed in ways that make even the local wildlife wary of her. How does one live after such an adventure? What does one owe one's family and village, and what must one do to be true to oneself?

I enjoyed this unusual novel, and with the exception of a transition period between the two halves of the book, I thought the writing was interesting and fresh. The author uses local words and phrases which reinforces the sense of place. I became invested in the characters and part of me hopes the author writes a sequel so that we may learn more about Hamza and the mysterious House of Rust and Aisha's journey's out into the wider world. A promising debut novel.

The House of Rust was the inaugural winner of the Graywolf Press African Fiction Prize. Awarded to a manuscript by an author residing primarily in Africa, the award was founded "to facilitate direct access to publishing in the United States for a new generation of African writers."

Another quote: Aisha forced the wound her rage and fear had slashed to knit itself; practiced little hands stitched back her composure efficiently, as they had done thousands of times before. Then, shutting the door of her heart closed, she sat down again.

Happy Friday, Lisa. Thanks for dropping by my thread. I somehow unstarred your thread, so you have been off my radar. I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. How is Apeirogon? I have had that one on my TBR for ages and I really like McCann too. I also have the latest Keegan on my TBR.

I am currently immersed in Prophet Song, which I highly recommend.

>110 labfs39: how interesting. Great review

>112 msf59: can’t wait till The Prophet Song comes out in audio. Looking forward tío your review. Stuck u\in a hiatus now. Feel like reading something with a storyline like House of Doors. Usually this time of year I goo through the Booker long list. Anything you can recommend there? I’ve. Read Old Gods Time.

Apeirogon is brilliant.

>112 msf59: Hi Mark, I think Apeirogon was the wrong book for me to try on audio. It has a lot of very short chapters (sometimes only one sentence), and I find it choppy to listen to. But I'm not a very experienced audiobook consumer, so others may not have that problem.

>113 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan.

>114 kjuliff: I haven't been in the car alone, which is when I play my audiobook, for a while, so I need to get going again. I may try to borrow a copy of the book from the library, as I think that may work better for me with this particular book.

>115 labfs39: Yes Apeirogon was a good read on audio. It’s easy to break into short reads. I look forward to your review.

I never read political memoirs, so I wasn't particularly looking forward to this book club selection. In addition, I am easily overwhelmed by the negativity of our current political situation in the US, to which I see no solutions, at least not in the short term. So I started the book thinking that I would read just enough to be able to participate at book club on Monday.



I'll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw at the Trump White House by Stephanie Grisham
Published 2021, 329 p.

Stephanie Grisham joined the Donald Trump presidential campaign in 2016 as a junior press wrangler, responsible for getting the press in and out of briefings and meetings. Over the next five years she would rise through the ranks as the First Ladies' communication director, White House communications director and press secretary, and then the First Ladies' Chief of Staff. In an administration with very high turnover, her tenure is quite remarkable. On January 6, 2021, she resigned amidst the chaos of the riots at the Capitol, the first, but not only one to do so. In her book, Grisham walks through some of the pivotal issues and scandals that plagued the administration in a chatty way, telling some funny stories, giving some context to a few incidents she was involved in, and explaining why she served the Trump family so long and why she ultimately left.

I have not read a lot of political memoirs and tend to avoid them, but was pleasantly surprised at not being able to put this one down. Whether it was the informal tone, often humorous, or the fact that the times she describes is like, as she writes, "a clown car on fire running at full speed into a warehouse full of fireworks." There is no easy way to verify the accuracy of her account, and I was a bit annoyed at her habit of inserting quotes, such as at the beginning of chapters, without attribution. She is, after all, an expert at political communications, so who knows the degree of spin being used. Still, it was an entertaining read, if not particularly revelatory.

>117 labfs39: man, I struggle to fight the need to yell at these people, "how you expect anyone to take you seriously after you made that choice to support that thing." But this sounds entertaining. Appreciate your review and wish you a great discussion.

I see your fighting Apeirogon a bit. Good luck. I had some issues with it (the book, not the nonfiction story it tells, which is powerful)

>118 dchaikin: I was pleasantly surprised by the book. The fact that is was happening in the past helped. Things like the Thanksgiving message are harder to find hear without grinding my teeth.

Last night I started my first work on Serial Reader, a free app that allows you to read a public domain work on your phone in 20 minute sections a day. Others on LT have used it to tackle longer works that they never seem to get to, but I started with a short piece to see how I like it. There was a surprising number of works to choose from, and I selected The Captain's Daughter by Pushkin. My daughter paid the $2.50 one-time fee to support the person who does this as a labor of love, and she can read on if she chooses. I just get the 20 minute section. I was able to adjust the font size and background color for optimal reading in bed. So far, so good!

Tonight's discussion of I'll Take Your Questions Now was fairly predictable as everyone there was on the same side of the political divide. Most agreed that it was surprisingly entertaining, but with no smoking guns or deep insights.

ETA: Our book for December will be Dictionary of Lost Words, which I'm much more excited about reading.

I do hope they like it better than my group did. BTW she has a new book the book binder of Jericho which Im eager to get to (not sure why the touchstone isnt working...)

>123 cindydavid4: I have heard mixed reviews of Dictionary of Lost Words, but it's a book that I don't mind trying, whereas some others have been harder to be enthused about reading.

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I bought another bookcase for the classroom during the weekend sales. Nature abhors a naked wall, or in this case space under a window were I can put a small three shelf bookcase. I will then be able to move the kids puzzles, etc out of the tv room and reclaim the bottom two shelves from it for my "read sooner rather than later" books which are currently stacked everywhere.

there is a suddenly shocking episode that occurs towards the end of the book that stopped me in my tracks. I didnt understand why that happened, I certainly wasnt ready for it.

Im now reading her new one the bookbinder of jericho. so far so good

>125 cindydavid4: Which one had the shocking ending. I’m a bit confused about the different Bookbinder books.
>124 labfs39: Which of these Bookbinder books do you recommend?

>123 cindydavid4: I’ve had a few touchstones problems with titles recently. I’ve solved them by finding the author (which I don’t actually need) separately and then looking up the title and that seems to work.

>126 kjuliff: her first book dictionary of lost words I will say tho that despite that scene, the ending was very good

>127 kjuliff: yeah I do that too.

>128 cindydavid4: Thanks. I’ll put it on my tbr. And the Bookbinder of Jericho too.

>126 kjuliff: I have yet to read anything by Pip Williams. I'll be reading Dictionary of Lost Words at the end of December.

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Speaking of December, can you believe it's here? Another year has flown by. I find myself starting to take stock, even as the holidays take up a lot of focus. Do folks have any special December reading traditions or plans? Are you looking forward to starting a fresh, new thread in Club Read 2024?

>129 kjuliff: FYI I have not finished Bookbinder yet, Ill report back when I do :)

>130 labfs39: I really enjoyed The Dictionary of Lost Words so I hope you do too. I was lucky enough to see Pip Williams "in conversation" when The Bookbinder of Jericho (still on Mt TBR) came out. She was very engaging.

No December reading traditions for me. I like the idea of something like Jolabokaflod however my partner doesn't read, so me sitting around reading and eating snacks would be ... just like any other day :-).

I am looking forward to starting a new thread in 2024. I might even attempt a plan!

>132 rhian_of_oz: Hi, Rhian! Nice to have you stop by. Good to hear of another DoLW enjoyer.

I had to look up Jolabokaflod, but what a wonderful tradition! I love the idea and will try to work the word into conversations throughout the month.

The fact that 2024 is just around the corner still seems unreal. I need to get a move on to ensure that there is a Club Read 2024 group ready and waiting for folks on the 25th.

But first, I had to stop by a tiny local library's book sale. I came away with two for my daughter, 5 for the kids, and 2 for me. Not quite a jolabokaflod, but fun nonetheless. I picked up


Best American Short Stories 2008 edited by Salmon Rushdie


Death with Interruptions by Jose Saramago

>130 labfs39: I don't have anything special planned for December, except try to finish at least one of the ongoing short-story book I started earlier in the year, as I don't like to to in a new year with books started the year before.

And I am looking forward to starting a new thread in CR next year, as I missed the beginning of the year in 2023!

EDIT: THe American short story book seems really promising!

>134 chlorine: Salut, Clémence! Thanks for dropping by my thread. It's been great having you around Club Read, and I look forward to following your reading and book talk next year as well. Which reminds me that I want to email you and raton-liseur with an idea.

I have hopes of someday implementing a short story and poetry anthology reading project, either as a between-books palate cleanser like Jerry/rocketj or as a before-bed activity. So I keep picking up anthologies when I see them, but so far they seem to laze on a bedside shelf and collect dust.

That said, I did read an anthology of African short stories this week. Woo hoo! I'll review it next.

I don't read a lot of short stories, and I think I am not the best reader of them. There is an art to the short form that appears lost on me. But a friend offered to send me this collection, knowing that I am trying to read African authors this year. Thank you!



Ten years of the Caine Prize for African writing : plus J.M. Coetzee, Nadine Gordimer and Ben Okri edited by Chris Brazier
Published 2009, New Internationalist Publications, 205 p.

The Caine Prize for African Writing is named after Sir Michael Caine, who chaired the Booker Prize management committee for nearly 25 years. Nicknamed the African Booker, the Caine Prize is awarded every year for the best short story by an African author, published in English. The Prize seeks to connect budding African authors with publishers in England and America. Each year the shortlist is published in an anthology along with the stories written at the Caine Prize Workshops. This particular anthology contains the first ten prize winners from 2000-2009, as well as short stories by Nobel Laureates J.M. Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer, and Booker Prize winner, Ben Okri.

The fourteen stories cover a wide variety of perspectives and styles, but the authors were all from one of six countries. I was a bit surprised that there hadn't been winners from a broader selection of countries, but this collection only represents a single decade, so perhaps there has been a wider range since then. Themes of dislocation, the effects of colonization, and war were omnipresent.

"The Ultimate Safari" by Nadine Gordimer (South Africa) is told from the perspective of a child who is escaping with his grandmother and siblings through a game preserve to a refugee camp in a neighboring country. This story was, predictably, very good.

"Nietverloren" by J.M. Coetzee (South Africa) is about a man reflecting on his grandparents farm, once a source of employment and food, which devolved into a tourist attraction for foreigners.

"Incidents at the Shrine" by Ben Okri (Nigeria) is about a salaryman who is laid off and returns to his village where strange and otherworldly things are happening at the local shrine.

"The Museum" by Leila Aboulela (Sudan) was one of my favorite stories. It's about a young woman who is studying statistics in Edinburgh and trying to navigate between her old world and her new.

"Love Poems" by Helon Habila (Nigeria) is written from the perspective of a journalist and poet, imprisoned for reporting on a demonstration. His warder forces him to write poetry to the woman he wishes to seduce. Also very good.

"Discovering Home" by Binyavanga Wainaina (Kenya) is about a young man returning to his village in Kenya and then going to a family reunion in Uganda after having lived in Cape Town for a year.

"Weight of Whispers" by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (Kenya) was difficult to read. It's about a princeling who flees his country, which has descending into chaos and genocide after the plane carrying the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi is shot down and both men killed. The prince goes from being a diplomat more at home in Europe than Africa, to being a refugee haunted by the role he may have unwittingly(?) played in inciting the violence. His mother, sister, and fiancée pay a terrible price for their life of privilege.

"Seventh Street Alchemy" by Brian Chikwava (Zimbabwe) is about several people whose lives intersect in various ways over the course of a few days.

"Monday Morning" by Segun Afolabi (Nigeria) is about a refuge family in London trying to adapt to their new life.

"Jungfrau" by Mary Watson (South Africa) is told from the perspective of a young girl whose mother teaches children in the townships. She is both jealous of her mother's attentions and happy to be left in the company of her father and glamourous aunt.

"Jambula Tree" by Monica Arac de Nyeko (Uganda) is a stream of consciousness narrative of a girl waiting for her childhood girlfriend and nascent lover to return from abroad.

"Poison" by Henrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa) reads like a dystopian story about a young woman fleeing Cape Town after an explosion at a chemical plant.

"Waiting" by EC Osondu (Nigeria) is about a boy waiting in a refugee camp, hoping to be adopted by a family abroad.

"An Emissary" by Nadine Gordimer (South Africa) is a short social and ecological commentary framed around a young couple on their way to a rave.

>136 labfs39:
Looks like an interesting collection.

On short stories, I couldn’t see much point in them for a while. I like to get immersed in a novel. I’d only read short stories if a collection appeared that was from one of my favorite authors, and I’d read everything of theirs before. I remember picking up Lessing’s Collected African Stories, and suddenly appreciated the art of short story telling.

I also find that anthologies of short stories are a good way of introducing one to writers I’d not been familiar with. So seeing Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer included in Ten years of the Caine Prize for African writing : plus J.M. Coetzee, Nadine Gordimer and Ben Okri makes me want to find out about the other writers.

>137 kjuliff: Yes, the collection was a great way to broaden my exposure to authors, some of whom have gone on to publish novels and short story collections of their own. The writing itself was uneven, but then they were all debut authors. Some had more than a hint of MFA desperation about them. I read that the prize has been criticized for pushing new African writers to write about Africa in ways that they think will appeal to the judges. I don't know enough African literature to know how these authors might have written to an all African audience. Anyway, I'm glad I read it.

My 6th grade teacher read us short stories every day: Poe, Kipling , O Henry, Twain, and others. Loved them and since have explored many different authors, lately in translation. There are some stories that I wish were a novel, and some stories just didnt work, so i often get anthologies. That Lessing looks intresting \

I'm intrigued about your idea involving me and raton-liseur. :)

Regarding short stories, I used to not like them when I was trying to read a whole book back bo back, jumping from the end of a story straight to the beginning of the next one. Now that I read them separately, when making a pause in my current novel for instance, I love them.

The criticisim against the Caine prize is interesting, and the collection also does seem interesting.

>130 labfs39: No traditions, I'm not much of a seasonal reader. This year I did use Halloween as an excuse to read a fair amount of horror, but it started before October and spilled over past it.

I'm actually quite looking forward to setting up a new Club Read thread, even though I don't (at the moment) have plans to do anything new, exciting and different with it!

>136 labfs39: I struggle with short stories as well, but this year I've read kind of a lot of collections. (7 - that is a ton for me) I actually enjoyed most of them, which surprised me.

>136 labfs39: 10 Years of the Caine Prize for African Writing is now on my wishlist. Thanks for the review!

>136 labfs39: Unlike many of you, I like short stories and short stories collections quite a lot. I don't read many of them, but do enjoy them. Coincidently "The Ultime Safari" is in collection of Nadine Gordimer short stories that I read recently and really liked (this exact short story being one of the outstanding ones in the collection): Le Safari de votre vie.
I feel Short stories work well for some genres, like SFF (really enjoyed the short stories by Greg Egan I read recently, although it's labelled hard fiction, so be prepared!) and for some authors. For exemple, I read Louise Erdrich short stories earlier this year, and it was a great read as well.
Nadine Gordimer is an exception, being able to write great short stories and great novels. Many times, I feel some authors are good at short stories or at novels, not both.

When I read a short stories collections , I usually read one, two or three max in a row, so it does slow my reading pace, but I am unable to have an in-between books routine as rocketjk has for example.

While I like short stories, I usually do not read anthologies. I understand the idea and how it can broaden reading horizons, but I feel it’s too difficult with only one short story to decide if it’s an author I want to read more from or not. But I looked with interest at the writers names in this African anthology (and I know none of the authors, except the three famous ones)…

>135 labfs39: What a teaser! Now, I’ll have to check my messages to see what your idea is!!!

>139 cindydavid4: That’s a great way to be exposed to great literature! How old are kids in 6th grade?

>139 cindydavid4: I can see short stories being a great way to engage middle school kids, Cindy. I remember reading short stories by Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and O'Henry at that age too, and the stories stayed with me.

>140 chlorine: I sent you both a message this morning. I don't think I can message you both at the same time, so it's a little clumsy.

I think reading anthologies a story or two at a time makes sense. Since these were all set in the same part of Africa, they hung together a bit in terms of themes, which helped. With the exception of the three headliners, these stories were all by debut authors, so it wasn't the same as reading a "best of" collection. Still it was interesting and I'm still thinking about some of the stories.

I would imagine that the same criticism could be leveled against any prize given to debut authors. For someone just starting out, winning a prize like this is an important stepping stone, so the stakes are high. It seems inevitable that the authors would want to write something that would be seen favorably by the judges. In this case I think the issue is complicated because the prize is named for a white man from a former colonizing country. The judges of this year's Caine Prize were African, although some living abroad, but perhaps it wasn't always the case?

>141 ursula: I don't usually read seasonally either, except in terms of output. I read much more in the colder months when my yard and garden don't demand so much of my time. It's funny how much I enjoy setting up a new thread for a new year. As you say, for me not much changes from year to year, but there is a sense of possibility that is quite invigorating. January is the liveliest time of the year on Club Read too.

What sorts of collections do you prefer, Ursula? Author and/or topic specific ones, or Best of? I have some of each on my shelf (Best American Short Stories, a collection by Tom Hanks, and a collection of Arabic folktales). I should try each and see which works better for me.

>142 FlorenceArt: There are a lot of Caine Prize anthologies, but this one collects the prize winners from 2000-2009. I'll be curious as to your thoughts if you get to it.

>143 raton-liseur: How interesting that you read the same short story recently, raton-liseur. There were two Nadine Gordimer short stories in this collection, first and last. To be honest, I didn't get the last one. By that point I had hit my saturation point, and it required a more thorough reading than I was willing to invest. It was my first time reading Gordimer, and I do want to read more by her.

I think humor is another genre that works well in short form. Some of Mark Twain's short stories are a riot. "The Diaries of Adam and Eve" remain one of the funniest things I've ever read. I didn't know that Louise Erdrich wrote short stories. I've only read her novels. I like her writing, so I'll keep my eyes open for them.

Short story collections do slow my reading pace, yet I haven't yet developed a good routine for inserting them into my regular reading. It's on my to-do list.

I didn't mean to excite expectations! It was just a thought I had for next year's CR.

Next up:

>143 raton-liseur: well 11-12 or so at least in my neck of the woods (I was probably 10 coz I started kindergarten early) btw one thing I only realize as an adult was that they were all english speaking authors. so Id hope current teachers trying this wouls pick more diverse stories. It was a while before I picked up any that were global. This place has solved that problem for me!

>144 labfs39: I like author-specific collections. It at least gives me a sense about what the author finds interesting, their writing style, etc. I have, in the long-distant past, tried reading some anthologies but I have a harder time with those because the switch between writers and styles often doesn't work for me.

>110 labfs39: I was curious to see what you thought of it when I saw you were reading it earlier. I found the transition between the two parts of the story less jarring than you did I think but glad to see that someone else liked the novel as well :)

>146 cindydavid4: I would hope so too, Cindy, but given the current climate in some states around the country, I think teachers are being even more careful than ever. Dead white guys seem to be the safe default.

>147 ursula: Single author collections do seem a safe bet, especially if the author is a known quantity. I think my biggest error is in trying to read straight through anthologies. I need to be better about reading one and then going to something different.

>148 AnnieMod: I did like House of Rust, Annie, and I would read a sequel if she were ever to write one. Seems like the potential is there, with lots of unanswered questions.

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It snowed last night, so we have an inch of pretty fluff on the ground. Nice reading weather. I'm thirty pages into State of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang, and wow, is it good writing. Nothing fancy or poetic, but very solid structure, character development, and pacing.

>133 labfs39: I think I'm glad that I'm on the other side of the lure of the library sale. I have about 100 books packed up to give to the Friends of the Library. But, I keep adding to it - the other day I added my collection of PD James and Reginald Hill mysteries to the pile (that was like 3 ft of shelf space!)

>150 avaland: I put another little bookcase in the classroom yesterday, freeing up two more shelves of space in the tv room. I still have some naked walls, so I'm good for a few more years of library sales. I had hopes that feeding my little free library would help me downsize, but so far I am getting more books in than out!

>146 cindydavid4: A little older than my current pupils then.
I tried reading Kipling and Jack London to 10 to 11-year-old pupils, but the langage seemed to complex for them. But I won't give up and will try again if given the opportunity.

>149 labfs39: Dead white guys seem to be the safe default.
Quite true, this side of the Atlantic as well, and so sad.

>151 labfs39: Your little free library "misadventures" made me jiggle: how to add to your own library while trying to downsize...

>152 raton-liseur: "how to add to your own library while trying to downsize..."

Doesn't this always happen? Or am I just really bad at downsizing... :)

>153 AnnieMod: I am on the same boat as you or Lisa here.
Isn't it the beauty of being a book lover!

try rikki tikki tavi i remember us being spell bound watching how the mongoose stops the cobras from hurting his humans. I dont remember the language being difficult but then this was 50 years ago, so......

>155 cindydavid4: That's my mom favourite short story (from when she was at school). You're right, it's a great one. I'll have to check it!

>136 labfs39: Intersting list of authors from the Caine Prize anthology. I have read and enjoyed two novels by Helon Habila, Oil on water and Travelers. Oil on water was my first ever book provided in exchange for a review, and it grew on me after I finished reading it and tried to write about it - it seemed a very simple story, but was much more layered/complicated on reflection.

I'll have to see if I can find Leila Aboulela's story - sometimes I like her novels and sometimes not.

I also read and enjoyed Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor's novel Dust, set in Kenya, though it's a door stopper and may be too loosely written for some.

The rest, other than the "big three" are all new to me. Thanks for giving us your impressions.

>156 raton-liseur: let me know how it goes if you read it to your guys!

loved Aboulelas book the kindness of enemies opened my eyes up to a history I knew nothing about.

duplicate post

OK, Lisa, the review of the Zhadan book is up (such as it is). I'm in love with this author; he hits all my literary buttons....(of course, I have three more of his books in the pile...:)

I have put The Orphanage on my tbr. (For Audible subscribers it’s free there.) I’ve never heard of this author but with the two of you revealing Zhadan to me. He’s a must.
>161 avaland: - your review really got to me! Thank you.

>152 raton-liseur: Your little free library "misadventures" made me jiggle: how to add to your own library while trying to downsize...

Right? Story of my life

>153 AnnieMod: Doesn't this always happen? Or am I just really bad at downsizing... :)

Always! Any space I clear out is like a siren call to books within a 100 mile radius.

>154 raton-liseur: Could be worse. I could be a collector of bellbottom jeans or vintage flowerpots.

>157 markon: Thanks for the tips on other works by these others. I'm impressed by your breadth of African author knowledge. I don't know if you are a storygraph user, but Liz created a group for tracking reading from every country in Africa. It's here if you want to check it out.

>159 cindydavid4: You might find the storygraph list interesting too, Cindy. You can add your suggestions for each country.

>161 avaland: I was worried when you told me to wait for your review that you ended up not liking The Orphanage, but your review just makes me more eager to read it. You had already put Zhadan on my radar with Sky Above Kharkiv, thanks for introducing me to a new and interesting author.

Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate. I love lighting the candles with their increasing brightness over the eight days.

Tonight was lowkey because I had my covid booster and flu shot on Tuesday (late, I know, but I had scheduling issues), and I've been suffering from some side effects. Should be 100% by tomorrow when the kids will join us. Saturday is the big family get together. Latkes anyone?

Happy Hanukkah, Lisa.

>164 labfs39: & >165 RidgewayGirl: Happy Hanukkah from us here, as well. This evening we went to see Maestro, the new movie about Leonard Bernstein. It was very good, Carey Mulligan is particularly excellent as Bernstein's wife. Tomorrow night will be latke making here, and then Saturday afternoon is the family gathering.

Happy hanukkah to you and yours. Oh weve been wanting to see that. D is working for the n ext four days so well get there eventually

Happy Hanukkah, Lisa.

>158 cindydavid4: Will do (let you know, not sure yet if we will read it).

I should write a post as well on Capitaine Rosalie, that I read to my pupils in November. If I find a bit of time this week end, maybe...

>163 labfs39: Bellbottom jeans... i should consider collecting them. Might be a good alternative to books? Maybe less readable though.

And >163 labfs39: and above, interesting messages on many authors I did not know about, including Leila Aboulela and Serhiy Zhadan.

Happy Hannukkah to you and all those who celebrate it.

Happy Hanukkah, and I've enjoyed catching up on your thread (finally) (I'm procrastinating because I'm working on a Sunday night). Too much to comment on everything, but you've done some good reading. Also:

>41 labfs39: Acorns are responsible for our new dog's fear of walking out on the street! On our second voyage out, a few fell out of a tree and hit him on the butt, hard—he panicked and hid under someone's bushes, and I had to carry him partway home. He's been scared to go for walks ever since. But... we'll get him there eventually. Poor pup.

>165 RidgewayGirl: >168 BLBera: Thanks, Kay and Beth.

>166 rocketjk: I hope your weekend holiday festivities went well, Jerry. I'm glad the Bernstein movie was well done.

>167 cindydavid4: Thanks, Cindy, you too.

>168 BLBera: Always happy to repay the favor and add to your TBR, liseur!

>169 raton-liseur: Oh, poor puppy! Dratted acorns. It's bad enough that I have to bag hundreds of pounds of them, and in the spring pull up all the sprouts from ones I missed, but to damage cars and terrorize puppies is too much!

I've added a few books to my shelves this week:


Paracuellos: Children of the Defeated in Franco's Fascist Spain by Carlos Giménez
Thanks to Clémence/chlorine for the recommendation.


Code Talker by Chester Nez


The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen
Thanks to Deborah/arubabookwoman and others for recommending this one.

And I continue to sneak in a chapter of State of Emergency here and there. It's been busy, so my reading time has been limited, but it's excellent.

>172 labfs39: I hope you enjoy Paracuellos (if enjoy is the correct word for such a difficult topic).

I’ve just started The Postcard by Anne Beret - was it you who recommended it? I’ve finished Prophet Song which is harrowing and brilliant. If im well enough ill write a short review later today.

>173 chlorine: I'm looking forward to reading it, difficult though it may be.

>174 kjuliff: No, not me, although The Postcard is on my wishlist. I'm glad you are still able to listen to audio despite all.

---

A package arrived from the bookstore today with


Grass Soup by Zhang Xianliang
A memoir of the Cultural Revolution recommended by wandering_star


Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
The biography of a family with twelve children, six of whom were diagnosed with schizophrenia. A previous selection of my book club.

And a gift from my daughter:


So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ
Another recommendation from Clémence/chlorine

>175 labfs39: Thanks Lisa - I found the recommender of The Postcard. It was ArubaBookWoman.

- Hidden Valley Road is interesting. I read it a while back.

Health issue dominate but I did manage to finish Prophet Song and even wrote a short review on my thread. It’s gruelling. But brilliant I think.

>176 kjuliff: I hope to read Prophet Song soon. Your review was great.

---

A couple more books from my thoughtful daughter:


Three Ordinary Girls: The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins and WWII Heroes by Tim Brady


The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts by Sian Rees

This was an unexpected pleasure and a solid 4.5* read for me, but I am struggling to write a review. I simply cannot do it justice.

The only other Singaporean literature I've read is How We Disappeared, set during the Japanese occupation, and a couple of Kevin Kwan novels. For Malaysian literature, I've read two of Twan Eng Tan's novels, both set in WWII, and The Night Tiger, set in the 1930s.



State of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang
Published 2017, Epigram Press, 245 p.

First line: Mollie Remedios died in the explosion that tore apart MacDonald House on 10 March 1965.

State of Emergency is the story of an extended family over the course of sixty years of turbulent Southeast Asian history. Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different person, which adds depth and perspective. The book opens with Jason looking back over his life from a hospital bed: the death of his sister from an Indonesian guerilla bombing, his wife's sudden disappearance leaving him with young twins, and his relationship with his children. The second chapter is told from Siew Li's perspective: being imprisoned as a middle schooler for being a Communist, Jason visiting her in prison and their subsequent marriage, and her flight to the jungle. Every chapter adds another layer to the picture, a different perspective of the same family. The result is an impressive interlocking story with fantastic pacing.

I was tempted to speed through the book, as I was pulled along with the story, but the writing made me want to slow down and savor the language and imagery. I loved Tiang's writing and will definitely look for more of his work, although there isn't a lot. He's a translator and author of a book of short stories, in addition to this novel, which won the Singapore Literature Prize in 2018. I have not read a lot of literature from Singapore or Malaysia, so this was a welcome find.

>178 labfs39: I'm glad you liked it, but I thought you probably would. I have another novel Pattie brought back from Singapore for me to read and I'm really looking forward to it.

>179 RidgewayGirl: It was excellent. Thank you for sharing. I hope to get it off to Ardene today.

As I mentioned above (>120 labfs39:) I read my first work on Serial Reader, a free app which pushes a segment of a classic book to your phone daily. The Captain's Daughter by Pushkin is 14 chapters long and was pushed over 13 days. Reading time per day varied from 11 minutes to 21. The app was easy to use, and I was able to change the font to white on black for easier reading at night. My one complaint is that their is no bibliographic information given other than title and author. I would have liked to have seen date of first publication (although I can find that online) and most importantly translator.

The Captain's Daughter by Alexander Pushkin
First published 1836, translated from the Russian

The only completed novel by Pushkin, The Captain's Daughter is a romanticized version of the Pugachev's Rebellion in 1773–1774. Our young hero, on his way to his first posting as a newly minted officer in the Imperial Army, is guided through a snowstorm by Pugachev. Seemingly a friendly fellow traveller, the two play cards, and the naïve Pyotr is fleeced. Later the fortress where Pyotr is stationed is attacked and overrun by the pretend czar, who turns out to be none other than Pugachev. Saved from the noose by Pugachev's lingering good feelings toward him, Pyotr and his manservant are set free to join the garrison in Orenburg. When Pyotr learns that his former captain's daughter, Marya Ivanovna, is being held captive by a scoundrel, he rushes off to save her.

This was a fun, if not particularly masterful, short novel with fast pacing. As our young hero lands himself in trouble after trouble, he is saved by those around him who have his best interests at heart, in particular his elderly manservant, Arhip Savelyitch, and Masha herself.

ETA bolding

>181 labfs39: The story behind The Captain's Daughter seems to keep appearing in various other stories. I enjoyed it as it was a good fit at the time, but as you say, not particularly masterful.

>177 labfs39: I'll be interested to hear what you think about The Floating Brothel. Think what Dickens could have done with it in a novel!

>182 SassyLassy: After I wrote my review of The Captain's Daughter, I read rebeccanyc's, and, as usual, she saw things I did not. I wish I had read the NYRB edition that she did. She said the introduction and notes added a lot.

I had added The Floating Brothel to my wishlist after reading your review. I'm a quarter of the way through and am finding it very interesting. I had never thought about how the American Revolution brought an end to Britain's practice of transporting their undesirables to the colonies and thus they needed to find somewhere else to take them. Or how in the aftermath of the revolution, 130,000 discharged soldiers were suddenly dumped on the British economy, displacing thousands of women from their jobs. Although that always happens after wars, I had never thought through the impact of this particular one. And the business of colonizing with convicts is fascinating. After the first batch arrived in NSW, the governor wrote that they needed more food, more skilled labor, and more women (for wives, for comfort women, and for prostitution). Lovely.

>175 labfs39: >177 labfs39: So many interesting new books!
I hope you enjoy So long a letter.

>181 labfs39:: Pushkin is known for his poetry which is best in the original language. Sadly, I have not seen any translations that showcase his mastery of the language.

>185 annushka: I wish I could read the original. I studied Russian for a couple of years, but did not gain reading fluency. Back in college, (30 years ago!) I read Eugene Onegin and The Bronze Horseman, as well as his complete prose works (all in translation). He was never my favorite, but as you say, it's hard to fully appreciate a work in translation. It was fun revisiting him, but I would need to read some literary criticism to get the most out of it, like I did for Taras Bulba. Serial Reader is great for exposure to the classics, but not the most helpful in terms of interpretation.

Whoops, missed >184 chlorine:. Thanks, my daughter picked out some nice titles for me this year.

Well, we've had no power for six hours now. Fortunately, a) it's not cold and b) I was able to borrow a generator. My neighbors are not so fortunate as the whole street is dark. One person I know had a tree come through the roof, and another had a huge tree fall on their shed, but so far I will only have small limbs and thousands of pine cones to deal with when the rain stops. Lois, Sassy, how are you guys faring?

>188 labfs39: Sorry to hear about all that trouble for you and your neighbors. Last year in rural Mendocino County, we had a lot of trees down all over the place, closing roads and falling on houses. One woman I know had a tree fall on the house she was renting and another on her car. I hope that everyone is OK by you.

>188 labfs39: our backyard is flooded.

Still no power. Almost out of gas for the generator. I heard that the gas station in town was able to run its pumps by generator for a few hours yesterday, hopefully they will again today. No internet of course, and cell towers seem to have been effected as connections are spotty. I guess the only good thing is that it gets dark by 4pm, so we went to bed really early. My daughter has her hotspot working at the moment, so I thought I would pop in with an update.

>189 rocketjk: Thanks, Jerry. After living through Hurricane Michael, this should be nothing, but it's still a pain.

>190 dianeham: Sorry to hear that, Diane. Is your house staying dry?

yikes! hope both of you will soon get back to normal

Sorry to hear of "no power".A few years ago after Toronto had about 5 days of no power in my area ( some parts of the city had power),I ran out and bought a windup combination radio/flashlight.( and other things)

Yikes - I hope the power comes back soon(ish). Stay warm and safe please!

Glad you have the generator to stay warm, and keep the frig cool. Hope your power is restored soon.

Plus it’s a hard year when nearly all the best books have been dystopian or forecasting it.

I started Ladies’ Lunch and for a while there I was back with my Melbourne friends lunching as if the wine was free - which it was for many of them. . But while the bickering and side-talk/swipes brought a smile to my aging face, the Holocaust was ever present.

So it was back to Sedaris for a while but good things don’t last.

I have electricity and warmth so that a plus.

I try to remember the devastating effect Cyclone Tracy had on New Yorkers, but we were all too busy to remember it. Plus NYC had 9/11 and we were not treated well. The amount of anti-American hate mail I received was devastating.

Phew, I'm back online with both power and internet. Had the best shower ever.

>192 cindydavid4: Thanks, Cindy.

>193 torontoc: I have some of that stuff down on the camping shelves in the basement. It's good to have that kind of equipment on hand. You never know what's going to happen with the weather these days.

The longest I've been without power was six days when I lived outside Seattle. My daughter was only six months old, so after two nights with only a gas fireplace for heat, we packed up (including the dog) and found a hotel with power. So I guess that doesn't really count. With Hurricane Michael, things were rough for a while. Made me appreciate potable water, electricity, internet, phone service, and debris-free roads.

>194 AnnieMod: Thanks, Annie.

>195 markon: Generators are the cat's meow. My house is wired to run on a generator, so we could use most things (not major appliances, other than fridge). No one else in the family has power back yet, so they are running on generators (one house is wired, the other house is running an extension cord to the fridge and one lamp).

>196 kjuliff: You've convinced me that I need to pick up some Sedaris. I'm getting a bit bogged down in The Floating Brothel. The women are treated so abysmally, and some were as young as 12 and guilty of stealing only a few pieces of laundry.

How did you end up getting anti-American hate mail?

>188 labfs39: Lots of heavy wind and rain for the third Monday in a row, flickering lights, but no outage in this house. Others were not so lucky, with 62,000 households without power and trees down all over. The power workers are unable to go out until the winds drop below 80kph, so it will take a while for those people to be hooked up again. All interprovincial ferries were cancelled, and the bridge to PEI was closed.

Ground Zero 10/11/21
>197 labfs39: Yes Sedaris.was a life-saver, though you do need breaks from his stories. He reads them all himself and has a really campy voice, which suits the part but it’s be nice if his husband could get a word in.

Re the 9-11 hate mail - I think I might have kept some of it. I also think writer Peter Carey an Australian New Yorker may have had something to say about it. I found an old article of mine, from a blog I have long since closed, but it’s still on line.

Some people like to blame America for everything, and I’m seen as a cop-out by many of our old friends back in OZ. Not surprising, given the current climate. More about what it was like for me at Remembering 9/11

>197 labfs39: Good to hear that things are getting better, this must have been some stressful days.

>198 SassyLassy: I'm glad you weren't personally effected this time. The rest of my family is still without power, but are hoping it comes back online today. Half the state lost power, so it's taking a while.

>199 kjuliff: I will check out the article. I'm sorry you had to experience that.

>200 raton-liseur: It always takes a while for rural areas to get back up. I'm fortunate that I live off a main power line. I usually have power days before the rest of the family.

I read another short piece by a Russian author on Serial Reader: The Lady with a Dog by Anton Chekhov. It's about a bored middle-aged Moscow banker and a young married woman having an affair while vacationing in Yalta. Unexpectedly the banker falls in love and has a hard time settling back into his life with his wife and kids. Although not much happens, Chekhov has a way of inspiring compassion for even the most banal characters.

>202 labfs39: the story sounds good. You remind me I should read more Chekhov.

>202 labfs39: I'm currently reading A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders, where he takes a close look at a handful of short stories by the Russian greats (beginning with Chekhov, of course) and I really do want to read more short stories by those authors. And more short stories in general.

>202 labfs39: & >203 dchaikin: "Although not much happens, Chekhov has a way of inspiring compassion for even the most banal characters."

I've read a lot of Chekhov short stories and loved them, but I did a lot of deep reading of Chekhov's plays in grad school. Chekhov's plays was one of the three subjects I had to pass oral exams on to get my MA. As I recall it (it's been 33 years since those exams), Chekhov's philosophy was that the author's or playwright's job is not to moralize, but instead to simply (ha!) hold a mirror to life as it is.

Also, there is this quote, which I've read as attributed to Chekhov. (Who really knows, right?):

"There are three rules to good writing. Unfortunately, nobody knows what they are."

>204 RidgewayGirl: i so enjoyed that Saunders book.

>205 rocketjk: terrific quote, whatever its source. And interesting about your time with Chekhov. He had a very strategically worked out mirror

I'm glad to hear that your power cut ended!

Hi Lisa - I read through your thread and noted the discussion of Gail Jones. I was lucky to see her a couple of times at the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival back when Five Bells came out around 2011. She was so quietly impressive, I became a fan without having read any of her books. I remember that she was part of a panel with an American writer, David Vann, who was just swooning after hearing her read the opening passage of Sorry.
For a good ongoing coverage of Australian fiction I recommend the ANZLitLovers blog, it's been going for years and Lisa has just listed her best of 2023 Australian & New Zealand books. Her reviews are really excellent & informative and there are several Gail Jones books covered there.
I've read Sorry and Sixty Lights and want to read her latest.

>205 rocketjk: oh I love Chekhov! probably my fav russian author. We acted several of his short stories, and I always found the funny/ironic, yet he was compassionate to his characters. I did watch Uncle Vanya and not sure if it was a bad production or I was just not in the mood. Should read it sometime for myself

>186 labfs39: Interestingly enough, there is a newer translation of his works which is supposedly much better than the previous ones. I have not read it to compare it to the original to form my opinion.

https://www.ft.com/content/337f7190-7350-11ea-90ce-5fb6c07a27f2

>208 avatiakh: Incidently, I came across Gail Jones work while investigating the work by a Francophone translator who happened to translate some of her work. Pardon/Sorry caught my eye, but it's out of print so I hope I'll be able to find a second hand copy at some point.
Re-reading this discussion about Gail Jones makes me want to read this book even more.

You all are getting me very interested in Chekhov. I don’t think I’ve ever read any of his works.

A number of years ago I read Francine Prose's Reading Like A Writer. In it she said she reads Chekhov every day, usually a story a day. I was inspired to buy a 13 volume set of Chekhov's stories (expensive!). Several years ago, I began the year with the reading goal of reading one Chekhov story a day (or so). I fell far short of that reading goal, as I usually do when I try to plan my reading or set discrete goals like that, but I did get through the first 3 volumes of the set. Maybe I'll set that again as a goal for 2024, and get through another 3 volumes.

>204 RidgewayGirl: That sounds like it would be a great project - read the Sanders book and the stories he discusses. It's not going to be on my soon list, but I'm putting it in my hopper for things to focus on.

>210 cindydavid4: Uncle Vanya is my favorite play, I think, with the possible exceptions of Shakespeare's Henry IV Parts 1 & 2. I've seen quite a few productions. My wife and I recently saw a very entertaining production staged in a large room with the audience in folding chairs around the outside of the performance space. It was a newer translation, which was fine, although it seemed to me that the doctor's speech about the need to protect the forests was unnecessarily overlaced with modern allusions. I meant to go look at the original translation to see if my impression was correct while it was all still fresh in my mind, but I never got around to it. I also didn't care for the way the doctor was portrayed as, essentially, a hipster, but on the other hand my wife liked that interpretation quite a lot, so there you go!

At any rate, I highly recommend the terrific movie version, Vanya on 42nd Street, directed by Louis Malle and featuring the incredible Wallace Shawn in the title role and Brooke Smith as a wonderfully played Sonya. Evidently, back in the days before Times Square had been "rehabilitated" into a tourist hellscape, when it still full of abandoned, once-majestic theaters, a small group of actors used to get together periodically in one, inviting only a small group of friends, to perform Uncle Vanya. The movie is based on that. There's a brief introduction as the cast assembles at the theater and then they just move seamlessly into the play itself. To my mind the film captures the true essence of the play extremely well. Again, though, that's just me own take. The trailer says the movie is a "David Memet adaptation," but I'm not sure really what form that adaptation takes, other than perhaps the screenplay (camera angles and such), but I'm only guessing.

Here's Rogert Ebert's review of the movie (a few minor spoilers for those who've never seen the play). According to this column, Mamet did the translation they used:
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/vanya-on-42nd-street-1994

Duplicate post.

>217 rocketjk: thanks Ill try that film. hopefully I will enjoy it as much as you do. didn't realize the director did My Dinner with Andre, which was one of my fav movies

>217 rocketjk: that’s such a lovely movie review. Now i want to check it out.

I've been busy over on Club Read 2024, which I hope to release tomorrow or Monday. Usually people are asking about it by now, but it's been strangely quiet. I hope everyone is excited for a new year of CR conversation and book talk!

>212 annushka: Unfortunately, I can't read the article as I don't have a subscription to the Financial Times and FT has blocked it on the Wayback Machine.

>213 raton-liseur: I loved Sorry. Have you read anything else by her, liseur?

>214 FlorenceArt: I should read more of him. True to form, I read many of the Russian novel classics, but little in the way of short stories or plays. I'm trying to branch out into short stories.

>215 arubabookwoman: I remember when you embarked on the Chekhov short story project. I will love to follow along if you resume reading them. Perhaps I'll even be inspire to read a few myself.

>216 markon: Like you, Ardene, I keep putting things in my hopper. Fortunately my hopper seems as large as Mary Poppins' carpetbag or Hermione's purse. I can put a tremendous amount in it!

>217 rocketjk: I have never seen Uncle Vanya in any of its incarnations. I need to rectify that. Into the hopper it goes!

>219 cindydavid4: The movie may be the easiest way for me to access it as well, other than reading the play. There aren't a lot of options for theatre going around here. The movie is available for purchase for $3.99 on several platforms.

>220 dchaikin: I didn't want any spoilers, so I didn't read the review, but I too am eager to watch the movie after Jerry's comments. We'll have to have a group watch.

Happy holidays!

>221 labfs39: I had never heard of Gail Jones before your post earlier this year... She is not a prominent author here in France, but I'm interested and might order a second hand book online latter this year or early next year as now I am intrigued.

>222 labfs39: Nice picture! Happy holidays too!

ETA: And yes, I am excited about CR2024 (surely I'm not the only one). We are just patient people and we know you're doing a wonderful job at setting up everything nicely for us all. Thanks in advance!

>223 raton-liseur: Exactly! I'm excited for Club Read 2024 to be set up, BUT I remember that you've been doing it around Christmas and so I'm waiting patiently and grateful you're still willing to do it!

But I'm definitely planning already . . .
;-)

Happy holidays and thank you for setting up CR 2024! I'm really excited about joining at the beginning of the year for once. :)

>221 labfs39: That's a bummer. I can't access the article anymore and I don't have a subscription.

Have you read Woe from Wit (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woe_from_Wit)? It is one of the Russian classics although it is rarely mentioned.

I understand why the papers need paywalls, but it’s a pity they cant have options. Like book pages only. I’d happily pay for the Irish Times for the book reviews for example, but can’t subscribe to everything I’d like to. I. Limit myself to The NY Times but that’s it for my budget.

>223 raton-liseur: If you were stateside, I would send you my copy.

Thanks, the photo is of the card that I sent out to bookish friends and the LT card exchange. I signed up to exchange cards with five random people. It's my second year doing it, and it's quite fun.

>224 japaul22: I'm glad other people get excited about the new group and threads, I know I do. It's a nice clean start. Usually I don't set up my new thread until the first, but this year I had created a thread that was subsequently orphaned, so I had to use it for something.

>225 chlorine: I'm excited to have you continue on with us too. I've enjoyed getting to know you this year.

>226 annushka: I had not even heard of Woe from Wit, or its author. So many gems out there that fall by the wayside. Do you recommend it?

>227 kjuliff: Or a single use fee for a single article, especially older ones. I don't mind chipping in, but some of the subscription fees are prohibitory.

I read this novel for tonight's book club. I only started it two days ago, and at 375 pages, I didn't think I would make it, but I squeaked across the finish line. I have to write the review now, because I'll need to return the book tonight, but if anything interesting comes up at the meeting, I'll share it tomorrow.



Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Published 2020, 376 p.

Esme is only five years old, but she's already a fixture in the Scriptorium, the shed where the creators of the Oxford English Dictionary are working. Her father is one of the researchers, and she plays under the sorting table as the men work. Occasionally a word will drift down, discarded or forgotten, and Esme collects these lost words. Over time she realizes that many of these words are women's words, used predominantly by women or first used in print by women. The older white Victorian men responsible for the OED are loathe to put such words in their scholarly work. As the years pass Esme begins actively collecting words that will never make it into the dictionary and reflecting on how language is shaped and by whom. Two major world events impact her twenties and early thirties: the women's suffrage movement and World War I. Through Esme the author explores language and the power of words to effect change or healing in each of these.

I am a fan of the nonfiction account of the making of the OED, The Professor and the Madman, which I read many years ago. This novel was a nice counterpoint, raising some interesting questions about gender and language, and shedding more light on the real women who played roles, such as Edith Thompson. I found parts of this debut novel to be quite moving and parts to be a bit dull. Williams writes well about various types of relationships, many of which were touchingly portrayed. I thought the narrative bogged down a bit when she wrote about the suffragist movement. I was pleased to read in the endnotes about the research that the author had done, always a plus in my mind when I read historical fiction. Overall it was a satisfying read, where I learned some things, was entertained, and will continue to ponder some of the questions raised.

>229 labfs39: I have this on my current TBR but simply didn't get to it. Maybe in 2024. It sounds wonderful.

>230 JoeB1934: I was interested to see that the author, Pip Williams, has written a sequel of sorts about two women who work in the Oxford University Press bindery. I'll probably pick it up at some point.

At the book club meeting tonight, someone brought a copy of a book published this fall called The Dictionary People: The Unsung Heroes Who Created the Oxford English Dictionary. I leafed through it, looking at some pictures and the index. It looks interesting, and I may check that out as well.

>229 labfs39: wow, you flew through that.( Even through the dull parts.) It sounds great.

>231 labfs39: I have both The Bookbinder of Jericho and the Sarah Ogilvie book on my TBR shelves. I saw Pip Williams speak as part of the tour for TBoJ and she was very engaging.

>231 labfs39: what did your book group think of it. Mine really disliked it, and since this was the third time they rejected a book I chose, decided id quit the group

>233 rhian_of_oz: I have that book, and started reading it. the beginning seems dull compared to her first one but I suspect it picks up as it goes on

>232 dchaikin: It was a concerted effort, Dan. I didn't want to miss the meeting or get too many spoilers as a result of attending. I didn't have the girls Monday or Tuesday, so I was able to get lots of reading done.

>233 rhian_of_oz: Nice that you were able to hear her speak, Rhian. I would like to have heard more about her research process. Her afterward was quite interesting.

>234 cindydavid4: Everyone in book club really liked it, perhaps more than I did. It was a smallish group last night, only six others besides myself, and one hadn't finished it yet. The conversation might have been more interesting had someone not liked it. :-)

Which other two books did you recommend? I have found it hard to find a book group whose reading interests meshed with mine. I'm fortunate that this group seems open to all sorts of books, and most of the ones we've read since I joined have been interesting, even if they weren't always ones I would have chosen to read. I wish the members were more diverse, but that's hard to get in Maine where the population is 94% white.

I liked the beginning of the book, when Esme was young. Her relationship with her father reminded me of Scout and Atticus.

Great review of The Dictionary of Lost Words, Lisa; that does sound interesting.

>236 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl.

---

I started reading So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ this morning before the kids arrived. I decided to skip the introduction, as it seemed rife with spoilers. It's short, so I think I'll be able to finish it and maybe some short stories before the end of the year. I think I would like to start 2024 fresh.

In other news, my entire family met at my sister's house Monday for lunch, and today said sister was taken to the hospital with covid. She's on an IV and is having several tests done. Her oxygen levels were low, and since she had two lung embolisms this summer, her doctor is concerned. Although the people in my family are generally healthy, we seem to be particularly susceptible to covid complications and long covid. I wonder why for some people covid is no more than a bad cold and for us it can be life threatening, despite being healthy (and vaccinated now that there are vaccines).

>235 labfs39: yes loved that relationship, as well as the one with the aunts, they treated her so tender. Her decision was a hard one, but one that made sense for all involved. Wish She would have been so proud of her daughter

the other book I remember was zorrie which they complained was too slow and nothing happened. the other was inland again, too slow and nothing happened.

I have better like with my sci/fan group; they loved the Avram Davidson treasury, night circus and circe We will be choosing books this next month and Im suggesting babel which should be interestin

Goodness, I wish your sister well and how the rest of the family stays healthy.

>237 labfs39: oh no! and you had a bout with it if I recall. good question: david has a tendency to get bronchitis really badly in the winter, and but he has been free of then the last two years wonder if the vaccine helped? so weve beeh ridiuclously happy. feel bad for others that are still struggling with it. Hope everyone gets better soon

Oh I loved the Ba book; her second one that was published after her death scarlet song which was not quite as good but still worth reading

I'm sorry to hear about your sister - I hope she recovers soon, and I hope you & the rest of your family stay healthy.

>238 cindydavid4: >240 cindydavid4: I'm glad at least one of your book groups is working out well for you.

Yes, I've had covid twice, the first time back in March of 2020, and I was sick for four months then had a heart problem for a year. My uncle died of the delta variant in only 8 days. Both my daughter and I had long covid. My sister had lung embolisms. It's been a nightmare.

>239 dchaikin: >241 markon: Thanks, Dan and Ardene. She was able to come home after some IV therapy and oxygen. She has pneumonia, but no more embolisms thankfully.

>242 labfs39: Seems like Covid is settling in this winter in the US. I haven’t had it yet but. Most people I know have. I hope your daughter recovers from pneumonia. I was hospitalized with it for weeks last year.

I hadn’t realised you had long Covid Lisa. I hope research can reveal more about it so it can be treated more effectively. I really feel for you and do hope things turn around for you and your daughter this year.

>228 labfs39: I do recommend it. A new translation does justice and showcases the author's work. This site has a nice description of the play and why it is considered important in Russian literature.
https://cup.columbia.edu/book/woe-from-wit/9780231189798

I am so sorry to hear about your sister. My daughter had COVID for Christmas this year as well. Luckily, it's mostly like a bad cold although she is complaining of brain fog.

I hope you don't get it again!

Yikes. I'm sorry that your sister was taken ill with COVID-19, especially given her lung emboli! I hope that she has a quick and complete return to good health.

>243 kjuliff: Thanks, Kate. My daughter and I had covid very early on before vaccines, before Paxlovid, before easily obtainable tests even. Things have gotten better, I just have a hard time moving beyond the fear of it.

>245 BLBera: Fortunately the rest of the family is testing negative at the moment, although we will all test again 48 hours after the first test. I hope I don't get it again too. Twice is enough. I've had the latest booster not long ago, so I should have lots of antibodies.

>246 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl. I fear that the damage to her lungs with make her more and more susceptible to these sorts of infections. Fingers crossed there will be no more complications.

>244 annushka: Thanks for the link to the article, Woe from Wit does sound interesting, as does the author Griboedov. I've added it to my wishlist. Thanks!

And now back to the books. This one has been on my wishlist since reading SassyLassy's review. Who can forget that title?



The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts by Siân Rees
Published 2002, 236 p.

One consequence of the American Revolution was that Britain could no longer transport its convicts to American plantations. As 130,000 returning soldiers and British loyalists pushed women out of the legal trades, women were forced to resort to petty thievery and prostitution to survive. British jail populations swelled, and as even stealing a pair of shoes or some laundry could earn you seven years Transportation to Parts Beyond the Seas, there was a scramble to find someplace else to ship all these "disorderly women". The solution was New South Wales.

In 1787 the first shipment of male convicts and their military minders arrived in Sidney Cove. After two years, they were in dire straits. Governor Phillip wrote desperately for more food, more skilled labor, and more women. The more eligible women would serve as wives to the officers and colonists, and the rest as comfort women to the soldiers. Britain's answer was to pack 220 female convicts aboard the Lady Julian and send them off to join the First Fleet. Some were as young as 12 and all but a few were of childbearing age. This book is a narrative history of who these women were, their crimes, and their trip across the world to join the men at Sidney Cove.

Although the author did a tremendous amount of research, there simply are not a lot of surviving records and very little at all from the women themselves. The first part of the book was the best documented, because of court records, and I found that part the most interesting. Once the women were aboard the Lady Julian, the author was forced to rely heavily on one of the sailor's accounts, written decades after the voyage. John Nichol had fallen in love and cohabitated with one of the women on the ship. She even bore his son. But he was unable to remain with her in Australia. Life on the ships was harrowing, and this is where the author had to cobble together Nichol's memoir and experiences with other women on other ships, to make reasonable suppositions. Despite the lack of records, I think Rees does a commendable job of bringing to life the women who would become the "founding mothers" of the colonists in Australia.

>248 labfs39: As an Australian woman, this book looks very interesting to me. My lot though all came in the 1850s or later and to Melbourne which was not a convict settlement. Your review got me interested in the convicts and I just have to mention this weird factoid. Around a quarter of the convicts had at least one tattoo. So here’s the sort of guy those women would “service” - from State Library of Victoria - Convicts

I'm sorry to hear that your sister is not well. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she'll be well again soon.
I've also been struggling with COVID again for 10 days despite the booster at the end of October. Yesterday I was given an additional medication, just like when I was in hospital. I now hope that it will get better.
Stay safe.

>249 kjuliff: Interesting, Kate. The book has its flaws, but I think it sheds light on an important and oft overlooked segment, the women. I hadn't realized that the women who went were convicts too. I thought they went to be with their menfolk. I forgot to mention that the women had to leave behind any children that were older than 2. By the time they reached Sydney Cove, however, many had babes in arms. Speaking of which, this passage is interesting:

The babies waiting to be born in Rio de Janeiro would be born into circumstances of great singularity, to a convict mother impregnated by—a seaman lover? an unwilling gaoler? a camp guard? John Nicol and his Lady Julian colleagues had had no part in the decisions by which these women were being sent into exile. They were the mercenaries of their trade, merchant seamen who signed on for the most advantageous terms on offer. If it was by their labor that the women were physically transferred from one country to another, they were only obeying orders; and if one took "as wife" a 14-year-old girl, he was only doing what someone else would have done if he had not. (In fact taking women who were on board was sanctioned by British law and practice—my note) Is this how the pregnant women saw the fathers of their babies? Analogies with camp guards who condoned or at least did not condemn the practices in twentieth-century gaol camps are inappropriate. Any analogy which assumes a twentieth-century view of morality and personal choice in an eighteenth-century mind is unreliable. Whatever the relationship between their parents, the ship babies of Rio were born into limbo. Their mothers had been exiled from one state. They were on their way to another no quite two years old, whose identity was still in question: not yet a nation, not quite a colony, not quite a gaol. Even the name of the territory to which their mothers would take them was uncertain. Would they be English? British? New South Welsh? New Hollanders? Antipodeans? Fundamental questions hovered over the extended bellies on board the Lady Julian from which six lost little ship-born creoles would shortly emerge.

>250 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Your experience highlights my desire to understand, why do some of us get it so much worse than others? I was hoping that you were on the mend. I'm sorry to hear that you are still struggling.

>247 labfs39: I didn't realize your family had been having so many difficult issues with Covid complications. Morgan and I have (presumably) had it several times at this point and although we have gotten mightily ill, and had some breathing issues that seemed to linger (but eventually go away), we have not had anything that seems to fall under long covid. I'm considering how to handle the rest of the winter/spring though since neither of us has had/been able to get a booster since sometime in 2022.

Hoping your sister is doing well and you all continue to test negative. It sucks to have that concern hanging over the entire family.

On a shallow/selfish note: I made a typo in the title of my 2024 Club Read thread right here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/356382#
I think you can correct those, as group admin? I'd be eternally grateful, and promise to proofread more carefully in the future. :)

>251 labfs39: Yes ts an interesting period of Australian history in many ways. Because of growing cultural awareness and sensitivity, more emphasis is being put on the aboriginal inhabitants of Australia at the time of colonization. I think the first of such books, and one of the best was The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith but I don’t know if it’s stood the rest of time.

Back to the women, you might be interested in Female Convicts Research Centre Inc.

>253 ursula: Long covid is a mysterious beast. I had a fever every day for four months, which alone would qualify as long covid, but then I developed a heart problem and had to be on meds for a year. My daughter would get a full-body rash every time her body temperature changed (i.e. bathing, going outside, etc.) and had to get monthly anti-IgE shots for it. Three years later she still has temperature dysregulation, but no longer gets the rash, or rarely. Since we got it so early on (March 2020), no one even knew about long covid. The first time I read an article talking about it, I was so relieved to know that I wasn't crazy, that it was real. My daughter's doctor said that her case of temperature dysregulation and rash were the first that the doctor had seen, but since then she has seen many. And heart problems are one of the most common long covid complications, but back then my doctor was dubious, although the cardiologist was not.

I fixed the typo, no problem.

>254 kjuliff: Although the aboriginal population was outside of the scope of the book I read, it did mention that disease killed so many that the convicts took to going to the opposite shore and disposing of the bodies so that they didn't wash up at the convicts settlement.

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

>248 labfs39: Who can forget that title?

Right! I saw it on rebecca's "hope to read soon" list, and ordered it right away.

That reminds me, will that thread show up again in Club Read 2024?

>256 SassyLassy: Monica/Trifolia decided not to transfer the thread again, as it seemed to have lost steam. She added "However, I don’t want to discourage you or anyone else who would like to continue the project. I have saved all the messages and the HTML code that I used to create the thread, and I would be happy to share them with you or anyone else who wants to take over. Just let me know if you are interested and I will send them to you." I love the idea of the tribute, although I have not contributed significantly. If you would like to create a 2024 thread, I would be happy to ask Monica for the code (or you could message her directly).

I thought I might have time to finish one more book before tomorrow night, and picked up the slim, At Night All Blood is Black. I then read it in one sitting. Wowzer, what a book. Dark, dark, dark, but so well written. Definitely one of my favorite of the year.

Yikes, two book reviews to write today to finish up 2023. The first was a recommendation by chlorine and is the first book I've read by a Senegalese author.



So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ, translated from the French by Modupe Bode-Thomas
Published 1980, English translation 1981, 96 pages, Waveland Press

So Long a Letter is an epistolary novel and semiautobiographical. It is a series of letters by Ramatoulaye Fall to her lifelong friend, Aissatou. Both women are betrayed by their husbands, who take second wives, but they respond in very different ways. This is a gentle novel, not forceful like Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood or as anti-Colonial as Nervous Conditions. Instead the reader is brought into Ramatoulaye's personal space as though these intimate letters are addressed to us, and we are invited to understand her perspective even if, like Aissatou, we would have chosen to act differently. I very much enjoyed this short novel and wish that Bâ had been able to continue writing (she died at age 52, shortly after her second work was published). So Long a Letter won the Noma Award for best novel published in Africa in 1980.

Sorry to hear about your sister and all the complications due to COVID in your family! FTR I had pneumonia six years ago and it took me a long time to get strong again even after I was cured because the bacteria damage the lung and after the bacteria are dead the lungs need to regenerate, so don't worry if this happens to her (though hopefully since her pneumonia was diagnosed early she's had the right treatment and the bacteria won't be able to cause to much damage).

I'm glad you enjoyed So long a letter, and see you in 2024!

I also raced to finish a book before the end of the year to try and start the year clean (though I still have a nonfiction and a short-story book ongoing).

So sorry to hear about the Covid issues that plague your family and especially your sister just now. Here’s wishing you all improved health, much happiness, and great reading in ‘24!

>259 labfs39: thats why shes close to the top of the 2023 list, and yes very sad that after the next book there was nothing left What I am glad about that I discovered it through the African Challege, where I found so many gems like this. I did read her second book scarlet song Its much darker than the first, and riviting, hoping the best happens for this marriage. the end is rather devastating, but worth reading I think

>260 chlorine: Thanks, and yes, I think my sister will likely have lung symptoms from now on whenever she gets ill.

Thank you for the recommendation, I liked So Long a Letter quite a bit.

Since I still have one more book review to write today, I doubt I'll start a new book, letting me enter 2024 with a clean slate.

>261 dianelouise100: Thanks, Diane. Since the rest of the family had the most recent booster, we seem to have avoided catching it. Phew!

>263 cindydavid4: I agree, Cindy, the African Challenge introduced me to so many new authors and titles. After two years of geographical challenges, I'm ready to return to free range reading for a while. Someday I'll need to tackle South America, but not this year.

My second book from Senegal, and in a row. I first learned about this title from Darryl/kidzdoc, and have owned it for a while.



At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop, translated from the French by Anna Moschovakis
Published 2018, English translation 2020, 145 p.

But I, Alfa Ndiaye, I understand the true meaning of the captain's words. No one knows what I think. I am free to think whatever I want. And what I think is that people don't want me to think. The unthinkable is what is hidden behind the captain's words. The captain's France needs for us to play the savage when it suits them. They need for us to be savage because the enemy is afraid of our machetes. I know, I understand, it's no more complicated than that.

Alfa is a twenty-year-old Senegalese soldier fighting for the French colonizers in the trenches of World War I. The book opens with Alfa lying beside his dying brother-in-arms, Mademba. The two had been inseparable throughout childhood and on the battlefield, now Mademba is begging Alfa to "finish him off" rather than let him die in pain and indignity. Alfa refuses to kill his best friend, setting off a downward spiral of doubt, guilt, recrimination, vengeance, and madness. Told entirely from Alfa's point of view, the book is brutal and dark, portraying not only the horrors of war but of colonial racism.

Once I began reading, I could not put the book down, and finished it in a single sitting. I then went back and reread the ending twice more. There is so much to unpack in this small volume. It's also beautifully written, even descriptions of horrible acts read lyrically. It's easy to understand why it won the International Booker Prize in 2021. Although it will not be a book for everyone, if you are interested, I recommend it highly.

Yes, I understood, God's truth, that on the battlefield they wanted only fleeting madness. Madmen of rage, madmen of pain, furious madmen, but temporary ones. No continuous madmen. As soon as the fighting ends we're to file away our rage, our pain, and our fury. Pain is tolerated, we can bring our pain home on the condition that we keep it to ourselves. But rage and fury cannot be brought back to the trench.

>265 labfs39: I’ve been thinking of this being my next read since you first wrote about it, but now reading the review I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s too dark for me after my last reads. I’m smack in the middle of Stasiland right now and before that I read All That I Am. I have friends in war zones right now. Maybe I need something not up-bear, but maybe a mystery.

Is the whole of the book set on or near the battlefield?

>266 kjuliff: This book is incredibly violent and dark. I would recommend not reading until you are in the right frame of mind. It's a tough one. Beautiful but brutal.

>267 labfs39: OK. I was sure I’d read it. I’m also interested in the French-Senegalese writer Marie NDiaye as her La Vengeance m'appartient was well-reviewed in the New Yorker. But the two French LT members have not much to say about her. I’m ok with a non-war murder mystery but I’m not up to another war book.

Another quote from At Night All Blood is Black, this one about translation. Double-ness is a theme that runs throughout the book.

To translate is never simple. To translate is to betray at the borders, it's to cheat, it's to trade one sentence for another. To translate is one of the only human activities in which one is required to lie about the details to convey the truth at large. To translate is to risk understanding better than others that the truth about a word is not single, but double, even triple, quadruple, or quintuple. To translate is to distance oneself from God's truth, which, as everyone knows or believes, is single.

I also want to share an article about the book that I thought contained some good analysis, as well as interesting historical background information and photos. It's called In the Trenches With the Colonizer by Jessi Jezewska Stevens. If you read more than halfway through, you will get spoilers.

>265 labfs39: That book hit me like a sledgehammer.

>268 kjuliff: I think that's wise. It's a war book and then some.

>270 RidgewayGirl: That book hit me like a sledgehammer. Exactly. My head is still reeling 24 hours later.

>265 labfs39: One of my favorite books of 2021 - very dark, very unsettling but very very good. Although it did take me awhile to warm up to it - but once I did, there was no way to put it down.

>272 AnnieMod: I can see myself rereading it in the near future.

And now what you have all been waiting for: THE YEAR IN REVIEW! (Ha! Mainly I do this because I love stats and lists, feel free to skip)

The Books:
78 books read

6.5 books per month
High: 11 books in March
Low: 3 books in June and July (each)

59 (76%) fiction
19 (24%) nonfiction

4 audiobooks (Double Helix, Middlemarch, Color of Water, Horse)
4 e-books (Ardent Swarm, Wonderful Adventures of Nils, Native Dance, Veteran's Nurse)
3 on Serial Reader (Captain's Daughter, 2 Chekhov short stories)
2 graphic books (Revenge of the Librarians, New Kid)
2 classics (Pride and Prejudice, Middlemarch)

roughly 300 children's books, some of which are reviewed as labfs39kids

The Ratings:
5 = 3
4.5 = 7
4 = 29
3.5 = 23
3 = 13
2.5 = 3
2 = 0
1.5 = 0
1 = 0
Average = 3.71

This is the first year I have analyzed my ratings. It skews high, I think, because I do not finish books which would rate lower than average.

The Authors:
46 (60%) by women
30 (38%) by men
2 (2%) both women and men

32 (41%) nonwhite and/or non-European/US/British Commonwealth
20 (26%) translations
1 (1%) in French

56 (83%) new authors to me
More than 1 book: Helen Wells (6), Seanan McGuire (5), Emma Donoghue (2)

The Countries:
37 Countries, 11 of which were new to me
USA: 26 (11 in 2 series)
England: 6
Australia: 2
Ireland: 2
Japan: 2
Mozambique: 2
Senegal: 2
Sweden: 2

You can see the full list of countries here

Favorites of 2023:

Fiction:
1. At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop
2. Beneath the Lion's Gaze by Maaza Mengiste
3. State of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang
4. This Other Eden by Paul Harding
5. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Nonfiction:
1. Hiroshima Diary by Michihiko Hachiya
2. Fallout : the Hiroshima cover-up and the reporter who revealed it to the world by Lesley M.M. Blume
3. Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital by David Oshinsky

Children's Book of the Year:
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

Special Delight:
Capitaine Rosalie by Timothée de Fombelle

Disappointments:
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Stinker:
Native Dance: An African Story by Gervasio Kaiser

Best reread:
Some Cherry Ames books that had belonged to my mother

Biggest discovery:
The US government cover-up of the atomic bombings through reading Hiroshima Diary and Fallout

Best title:
The Floating Brothel by Sian Rees

Favorite cover:


Favorite classic:
Pride and Prejudice (a reread)

Favorite book in translation:
At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop

Favorite biography/memoir:
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba

Favorite newly discovered publisher:
Dedalus Books

Favorite newly discovered bookshops:
Ravens Used Books in Northampton, Massachussets and The Strand in NYC

Favorite meetups:
Northampton, MA with Lois and Michael and NYC with Jerry, Lisa, and Liz.

Just now catching up here—what a lot of good reading. I'm interested in The Floating Brothel too. And thinking this might not be a good time for me to read At Night All Blood Is Black, though it's definitely on my radar. Right now I feel like too much of a... weenie is the only word I can think of that fits. I'll get my tough carapace back eventually, maybe. Or not.

Our meetup was a highlight for me too! I hope you can make it back to NYC one of these days.

Inspired by Dan/dchaikin and SassyLassy, I decided to think about my accomplishments of the year, too. Mainly I looked at my goals, formal and informal, and how I did with them.

I always try to read globally, and I am very happy on that front. I read books by authors from 37 countries (every continent except Antarctica) and 11 of those countries were new to me. In part my success in this area is due to the African Challenge. A related stat, % of translations, was a little low for me (26%), due in part because many of the African authors I read write in English.

I also try to read women authors, and I am satisfied with the 60/40 split (women to men) there. I also like to keep my nonfiction numbers up and would liked to have read closer to 1/3 nonfiction instead of 24%. The nonfiction I did read was excellent for the most part, so that's good.

As for goals, my biggest was participation in the African Challenge. I read 19 novels, a novella, a book of short stories, and several other short works from 17 countries. Not as well as I did with the Asian Challenge the year before, but I'm happy with all that I learned. I have about 10 more books by African authors on my shelf, which I'll get to at some point.

New this year was my participation in a real life book club. I read 10 of the 12 books (missing June and July, my low reading months). I like that I was forced out of my comfort zone with some of the books, and I am particularly glad I was encouraged to read Killers of the Flower Moon.

I managed to finally read a book in French, a long standing and unfulfilled goal. Now to build on it. I led the Reading Globally Baltic Sea theme read in Jan-March of this year and read four books that fit the theme. I also read books by three Nobel Laureates and short stories by two others. My one disappointment is that I only read two Holocaust memoirs this year, an all-time low, I think.

So overall, I am pleased with my reading year. Next year I am not going to commit to a yearlong or quarterly challenge, and am just going to read what I want, when I want. It will be interesting to see how next year and this compare.

So, on to 2024! Please join me at labfs39 wanders the world of words for another year of reading adventures. Happy new year!

>277 lisapeet: Thanks, Lisa, I hope I can come back down to NYC too. I had a lot of fun and wish I hadn't had the time constraints that I did last time.

Although At Night All Blood is Black is the better written book, The Floating Brothel presses other buttons and is interesting in its own way. And although it isn't all unicorns and rainbows (the girls and women are treated horribly), it is nowhere as dark as Diop's book.

I am sorry to hear that you had long covid. My nephew has long covid and has been looking into new treatments.
Your summing up of books read is great- a nice way to end the year.

>278 labfs39: I am sure that the book you read is excellent but the more I hear about it, the less I want to read it. Im sure I am missing something great but my heart cant take too much violence right now

>280 torontoc: I'm sorry to hear that your nephew is struggling with long covid, Cyrel. In the US there are now some long covid centers, but there was little available when we had it the worst. I've recovered, but my daughter still has temperature dysregulation. The new normal, I guess. I hope he can find some effective treatments.

>281 cindydavid4: I don't blame you, Cindy. I found it a tough read, even for me, the former co-president of the Depressing Book Club (a fictitious group that rebeccanyc and I used to laugh about).

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope to see you all over on Club Read 2024. My new thread is here.

>278 labfs39: love this post, and your other end of the year posts. You had a terrific reading year.

>284 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan. I was inspired by your take on your reading: to focus on accomplishments not just the numbers (although I do love stats) (and lists) (and lists of stats).

>178 labfs39: I've been intrigued by this but only really because of the rarity of Singapore/Malaysia novels - it's good to hear that you enjoyed it.

If you are looking for more I can recommend Evening is the Whole Day, a Malaysian family saga which also tells the story of the country's complicated history.