CBL's Mini-Challenge

Charlas1010 Category Challenge

Únete a LibraryThing para publicar.

CBL's Mini-Challenge

Este tema está marcado actualmente como "inactivo"—el último mensaje es de hace más de 90 días. Puedes reactivarlo escribiendo una respuesta.

1cbl_tn
Editado: Oct 25, 2010, 11:01 pm

I've come up with a few categories to focus on for the remainder of the year. I don't plan to start the 11/11 Challenge until January 1. I'm not going to set any goals. I'll just take things as they come and see what happens!

Categories:

Books for other challenges
Reading Through Time, 50 States, The Europe Endless Challenge

Early Reviewer Books
If I don't snag any more before the end of the year, this category will have only one entry!

Next in series

TBRs
Hoping to make at least a small dent in my stash.

Holiday books
Thanksgiving & Christmas

2cbl_tn
Editado: Dic 31, 2010, 10:30 am

Books for other challenges
The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear - Reading Through Time challenge
The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas - Reading Through Time challenge
Eye of the Red Tsar by Sam Eastland - The Europe Endless Challenge
A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz - Reading Through Time
Malinche by Laura Esquivel - Reading Through Time
The Shield Ring by Rosemary Sutcliff - Reading Through Time

Early Reviewer books
Shadow Pass by Sam Eastland
The Archaeology of Home by Katharine Greider

5DeltaQueen50
Oct 26, 2010, 2:07 pm

Dropped by to star you. Excellent categories to wrap up the year!

6lindapanzo
Oct 26, 2010, 6:13 pm

Great idea. I'll probably have only a month between finishing 1010 and starting 11 in 11 but I'll need to come up with a focus.

One certainty is "holiday books."

7cbl_tn
Oct 31, 2010, 7:59 am

I finished my first post-1010 Challenge book yesterday: The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear. I listened to it in the car this week while driving to and from a meeting in another state.

The latest case for psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs once again requires her to revisit the Great War. Her clients are wealthy Americans whose son, Michael, served with an English cartography unit during the war. His remains, and those of several companions, have recently been discovered in France. Evidence suggests that the missing son may have been murdered prior to the shelling that took the lives of his companions. Starting with the letters and journal discovered with the bodies, Maisie must piece together the events of Michael's last days in order to identify a murderer. Subplots include the continuing story of Masie's assistant Billy's family situation, Maisie's changing relationship with the Compton family, and the physical decline of Maisie's mentor, Maurice Blanche.

Typically for this series, Maisie's investigation unearths secrets in addition to the murder. Maisie's job isn't just to bring a murderer to justice. Maisie helps both clients and witnesses come to terms with unsettling events of the past so that they may find peace. The plot is carried by the psychological and emotional impact of past events, rather than by the details of the murder.

This book seemed less well-organized than is usual for this series. Even though past books have revealed that Maisie has some psychic qualities, she makes some deductive leaps that don't seem to be accounted for by either intuition or reason. However, this is the first book in the series that I've listened to rather than read, and I'm sure that has something to do with my perception of the structure. Even though I didn't like it quite as well as previous books in the series, it's still an above-average historical mystery. Recommended, especially for series fans.

4 stars

8cbl_tn
Oct 31, 2010, 8:22 pm

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas - Books for Other Challenges (Reading Through Time)

How did women endure the hardships of farm life in Depression-era Kansas? The women of Harveyville, Kansas had the Persian Pickle Club for support. Sandra Dallas's novel shows the strength of the bond of friendship among club members as that bond is stretched to its limits by a newcomer.

I thought it odd that the women weren't particularly religious. Although the women all seemed to be members of the same church, no scenes took place at church. The meetings between the women happened only in their homes. The pastor's wife was purposely excluded from the club, and the unwritten code of behavior for the club seemed to trump Christian ethics. I wasn't alive during the Depression, but I have dozens of relatives who lived in the Midwest in that era. I can't see any of them fitting into the community described in this book.

The only date mentioned in the book is in the acknowledgments, where the author references her parents' experience of the summer of 1933 as the inspiration for the book. I began reading with that date in mind. However, several cultural references (Porky Pig, Gang Busters) require a date of 1935 or later.

The book is part women's fiction, part historical fiction, and part mystery. The mystery aspect was the most appealing to me. The mystery doesn't dominate the book, so readers who don't like the mystery genre shouldn't avoid it on that basis.

3 1/2 stars

9lkernagh
Oct 31, 2010, 10:28 pm

You caught my attention with the title - The Persian Pickle Club and held my interest with your review. Sounds like an interesting book!

10DeltaQueen50
Oct 31, 2010, 11:31 pm

I agree. The Persian Pickle Club is going on my wish list.

11cbl_tn
Nov 1, 2010, 6:17 am

I have to admit the title is what initially drew me to the book. The origin of the club's name is explained in the novel.

Of all the TBR fiction I read this month for the Reading Through Time 1930s era, this one had the strongest Depression emphasis. It was a good way to finish up the month.

12cbl_tn
Nov 1, 2010, 6:15 pm

I took the Nerd Test that's been popping up on other threads. My results might have been at least slightly different if there had been any questions about music.



13cbl_tn
Nov 4, 2010, 4:16 pm

A TBR that's been languishing on my shelf for close to a year: Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Lady Georgiana, 34th in line to the British throne, discovers the body of a disagreeable foreigner in the bathtub of her half-brother's London house. Unfortunately, her brother, the Duke, has a strong motive for the murder, and all the evidence points his direction. It's clear the police aren't inclined to look too hard for other possible culprits, so Georgie takes matters into her own hands. It's a good thing her Cockney granddad is a retired policeman who can give her a few pointers.

This is a fun cozy mystery, the first of a promising series. Rhys Bowen blends fact and fiction to create an eclectic supporting cast for Georgie. A few real-life royals make an appearance, including Queen Mary and the Prince of Wales. Queen Victoria, Georgie's supposed great-grandmother, really did have a daughter who married a Scottish duke. While the real Duke and Duchess of Argyll were childless, Bowen invented some believable descendants for her fictional Duke and Duchess of Glen Garry and Rannoch. Georgie is spunky and has a knack for getting into comic situations. I'll look forward to reading about her further adventures. Readers who enjoy historical cozies will want to add this series to their reading lists. Some of the characters feel like they've stepped out of a Wodehouse novel, so some Wodehouse fans might enjoy these books, too.

3 1/2 stars

14cbl_tn
Nov 7, 2010, 8:53 pm

A book for The Europe Endless Challenge: Eye of the Red Tsar by Sam Eastland

Ten years after the Russian Revolution, the Tsar's trusted investigator, Pekkala, is abruptly released from confinement and called into service by the new government. The combination of Pekkala's skills and his knowledge of the Tsar's inner circle uniquely qualifies him to track down the killer(s) of the Tsar and his household.

The author gradually reveals Pekkala's history by interweaving flashbacks with the current investigation. The flashbacks provide essential background information without interrupting the pace of the story. Eastland avoids the mistake made by many other writers who over-tell their stories by including descriptions and scenes that divert the reader's attention from the central thrust of the novel. Eastland's writing is focused. He provides just the right amount of detail to build tension and reach a satisfying conclusion within a reasonable number of pages.

Pekkala's re-introduction to society after a decade of isolation wasn't quite convincing. Pekkala seems to quickly shake off his initial awkwardness. I couldn't help comparing him to Dickens's Dr. Manet in A Tale of Two Cities, who was permanently scarred after his time in the Bastille and who suffered a number of relapses during his recovery. I think Dickens's portrayal is probably the more realistic of the two.

Pekkala's background in osteology is an interesting twist for the historical suspense genre. If the author develops that aspect of Pekkala's investigative technique in subsequent books, the series might appeal to quite a few readers who enjoy the forensic novels and television series that are so popular right now. Enthusiastically recommended.

4 stars

15cbl_tn
Nov 11, 2010, 7:49 pm

Next in series: The Master Quilter in the Elm Creek Quilts series by Jennifer Chiaverini

This entry in the Elm Creek Quilts series finds the quilters soliciting quilt blocks from quilt campers to make a surprise bridal quilt for newlywed Sylvia. Personal problems arise for each of the Elm Creek staff members, distracting them from their project and, even worse, from the business/hobby that drew them together in the first place.

The first 3/4 of the book tells the story of the same weeks from the perspective of each one of the Elm Creek quilters. Each chapter contributes new elements to the story, but not without a lot of repetition. Although the secrets and misunderstandings among the quilters were resolved by the end of the book, each woman experienced conflict with family members, co-workers, or significant others that were left unresolved. The book has an unfinished feel to it. It's the weakest book I've read in this series. Regular series readers shouldn't skip it, though, because it tells about changes in the lives of some of the quilters that will affect subsequent books in the series.

2 1/2 stars

16cbl_tn
Nov 16, 2010, 4:24 pm

Another in my Next in series category (also a long-time TBR): In This Mountain by Jan Karon, book 7 in the Mitford series.

It took me longer to warm up to this book than to any of the other books I've read so far in the Mitford series. I struggled to keep going through the first half of the book. It felt like a rerun of some of the earlier books in the series. For example, Father Tim's health was a major plot point in one of the earlier books in the series as well as in this book. Been there, done that.

I stuck with it and was rewarded by the last half of the book, which typifies what I love so much about this series. The characters resemble the people I encounter daily at work, at church, at the bank, at the mall. Their problems, both physical and spiritual, are realistic, and, just as in real life, they are not neatly resolved. Father Tim's struggle in this book to distinguish his will from God's will reminded me of this passage in Philippians:

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Although the time frame for this books spans from spring to early fall, it turned out to be a timely read for the Thanksgiving season. Father Tim's sermon on I Thessalonians 5:18 is a wonderful meditation on thanksgiving in all circumstances. It's food for the soul.

3 stars

17cbl_tn
Nov 21, 2010, 7:36 pm

In my Early Reviewer category: Shadow Pass by Sam Eastland

Formerly a special investigator for the Tsar, Pekkala now fulfills the same function in Stalin's government. He and his assistant, Kirov, operate outside the boundaries that define other agencies. A discreet inquiry into the sudden death of the developer of a top secret weapon is just the sort of investigation that requires Pekkala's skills.

I loved the first three quarters of the book -- the setting, the characters, and the history. I was disappointed with its ending. While investigating the murder, Pekkala discovered a larger conspiracy. The conspiracy plot was less cohesive than the murder plot. Although the killer was fairly obvious, the motive and characters were interesting enough to compensate for this. Eventually the conspiracy plot overshadowed the murder plot, to the detriment of the murder plot. I would have enjoyed the book more if there had been more emphasis on the motive for the murder, the psychological profile of the suspects, and the forensic examination of the victim and crime scene. The first book in the series spent some time setting up Pekkala with a background in osteology. I had hoped that this would be a defining characteristic of this series, and I was disappointed that it didn't figure more in this book.

Although this is the second book in a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. The author provides some background information from the first book, but avoids spoilers. There is a good bit of gore in the book, but it leans toward the clinical rather than the sensational. If you can handle the visuals on shows like CSI and Bones, you'll probably be OK with the descriptions in this book.

This review is based on an advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

3 stars

18cbl_tn
Nov 27, 2010, 5:56 pm

I counted A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz in my books for other challenges category, but I could have counted it in my TBR category, too.

I paid attention in history class. Either I missed the significance of most of the content Tony Horwitz covers in this book, or it simply wasn't included in my textbooks. Horwitz looks at European contact with the New World of North America preceding the Mayflower's arrival at Plymouth. From this perspective, the settlement at Plymouth marked the end of an era rather than a beginning.

The biggest surprises for me involved Spanish expeditions in what is now the United States. I had no idea that Spanish conquistadors traveled outside of the southwestern states, Florida, and the Gulf Coast. It was a revelation to learn that Coronado's route took him into the heart of Kansas. It was an even bigger revelation to learn that De Soto's route went right through my home territory of East Tennessee. Yes, I knew he had discovered the Mississippi River, but I had formed an erroneous impression that he discovered it by navigating up from the Gulf, not that he came across it during an overland journey that began in Florida.

One of my favorite sections of the book is the note on sources and the 12-page bibliography. Chapter by chapter, Horwitz points the reader to primary sources available for that chapter's topic (often a translated and published diary, journal, or log) and to the best of the secondary sources on that topic. I added at least a dozen items to my TBR list -- some to buy and some to borrow from the library. At the top of the list are books about De Soto's journey that took him through East Tennessee.

Recommended to readers looking for an overview of European exploration and discovery of North America. Readers of travel literature will enjoy reading about Horwitz's experiences as he followed the routes of these early explorers.

4 1/2 stars

19cbl_tn
Nov 28, 2010, 8:09 pm

Another book for the November exploration and discovery theme in the Reading Through Time challenge: Malinche by Laura Esquivel

I knew this was fiction when I picked it up. I hoped it was historical fiction, and that I would learn something of Mexico's history by reading it. I was profoundly disappointed. Instead of historical fiction, I felt like I was reading a mixture of New Age spirituality and a Harlequin romance. The book primarily describes Malinalli/La Malinche's spiritual reflections on life, with occasional breaks of a paragraph or two to describe historical places, people, or events. I'm not convinced that the religious beliefs portrayed in the book were authentic to Malinche's time and culture. Malinalli/La Malinche seemed more like a 21st century adherent to New Age beliefs than a 16th century Nahua woman.

The book's one redeeming feature is its bibliography of sources about La Malinche, Cortés, and the Spanish conquest of Mexico. I've developed an interest in this topic since becoming close to several of my brother's Mexican in-laws. Maybe I'll find what I'm looking for in one of the books in the bibliography. I certainly didn't find it here.

1 star

20cbl_tn
Editado: Dic 4, 2010, 8:28 pm

First in my holiday category is a Thanksgiving-themed book: Dearest Dorothy, Who Would Have Ever Thought? by Charlene Baumbich. Several of the characters decide on the spur of the moment to partner with another church in town to hold a Thanksgiving Dinner for folks who don't have a place to go for the holiday. I had hoped to get to this one before Thanksgiving. I didn't miss it by much!

This is the first book I've read by this author. I think it's marketed to appeal to Jan Karon's readers, but I don't think she writes as well as Karon. It was OK, but there's nothing memorable about it. I rated it at 2 1/2 stars. Full review is here: http://www.librarything.com/work/1821215/reviews/49281120

21cbl_tn
Dic 7, 2010, 2:29 pm

For the Viking era for December's Reading Through Time challenge, I picked The Shield Ring by Rosemary Sutcliff.

I usually think of Vikings as ruthless invaders, but in Rosemary Sutcliff's The Shield Ring they're defending their English Lake District settlements against the Normans. After the Normans burn 4-year-old Frytha's home, she and her father's shepherd, Grim, find refuge with Jarl Buthar in his Lake District stronghold. Frytha soon adapts to life in this Viking settlement. All too soon her childhood companions grow into warriors who must mount one last stand against the Norman invaders.

I hadn't heard of Rosemary Sutcliff until recently, and how I wish I had discovered her in my childhood. This book had lots of elements I enjoyed in children's/young adult fiction: young people at the heart of the action, strong adult mentors/role models, language that evoked the era and yet was still understandable, and a historical setting described so well that I could easily picture the details. (I will admit that the map and the woodcut illustrations at the beginning of each chapter did help my imagination!) I'll be on the lookout for more of Ms. Sutcliff's books.

4 stars

22DeltaQueen50
Dic 7, 2010, 2:44 pm

I loved Rosemary Sutcliff when I was young. As soon as I saw you were reading a viking book by her I rushed to my library's website with the intention of ordering The Shield Ring for myself - unfortunately they don't have that particular book. I will have to keep her in mind for other themes.

23cbl_tn
Dic 7, 2010, 9:22 pm

>22 DeltaQueen50: I'm sorry your library didn't have this one. I think she has one more about Vikings - Sword Song. Did you check for that one?

I definitely have her in mind for other themes, too!

24auntmarge64
Dic 7, 2010, 9:32 pm

>18 cbl_tn: I very much enjoyed A Voyage Long and Strange too. I love history that fills in the gaps in the familiar storyline.

25DeltaQueen50
Dic 8, 2010, 4:53 pm

I just checked and they do have Sword Song, but I've already ordered another YA viking read, so I will add this Rosemary Sutcliff to my evergrowing list of books to order from the library. Thanks.

26cbl_tn
Dic 8, 2010, 9:19 pm

Another TBR: All the Crazy Winters by Deborah Adams

Someone is attacking the first families of Jesus Creek, Tennessee. First arson, then vandalism and murder. Can genealogist and first family descendant Delia Cannon figure out the motive and identify the culprit?

I loved a lot of the elements of this story – genealogy, libraries, a small town in my home state. I enjoyed the light banter between Delia and her Yankee boyfriend, Roger. I even identified with the unusually cold weather of the story, since I'm experiencing the same thing this week. I can usually spot red herrings, but I fell for one this time. However, I was distracted by a few annoyances along the way. For instance, Delia is described as 46 years old, yet she is a retired math teacher. I've heard of early retirement, but at 46? Seriously? Also, the book begins as Delia is returning home from a Thanksgiving visit with her daughter, the events span more than a week, and it's still November at the end of the book.

Minor grievances aside, this was a fun, light read, perfectly suited for curling up with on a chilly winter evening.

3 1/2 stars

27cbl_tn
Dic 11, 2010, 2:01 pm

Another holiday book: Christmas Is Murder by C.S. Challinor

Christmas Is Murder is basically Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None in The Mousetrap's setting. Scottish barrister Rex Graves has been invited to spend Christmas at an inn run by his mother's oldest friend in the south of England. A heavy snow has cut off vehicular access from the village, so Graves arrives on foot to find that one of the guests has died tragically on the previous day. A second death soon follows. With no land or wireless telephone access to the village and no way for the police to reach the inn, Graves takes charge of the investigation.

The author adds nothing new to this much-used plot. All of the characters are two-dimensional. Their behavior is erratic and the dialogue is unfocused. I found unintended humor in some passages, such as when Graves, intending to be helpful, tries to distract another character from dwelling on the second death by asking that character to describe the scene of the first death. How much sense does that make? My recommendation is to stick with Christie and pass on this book.

1 1/2 stars

28cbl_tn
Dic 13, 2010, 8:58 pm

In my Holiday category: Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters

The 3rd Brother Cadfael mystery takes place during the Christmas season. Christmas doesn't dominate the book, but it is an element of the plot. It's not one of those books dropped into the Christmas season for no reason other than to appeal to readers in a holiday mood.

This was my second Brother Cadfael mystery. I didn't like it quite as well as the first. Just as I'd grown completely used to the medieval world Peters created, I felt like some modern elements crept in near the end of the book. A little disappointing. However, I'm still looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

3 1/2 stars. Full review (with spoilers) here: http://www.librarything.com/work/81672/reviews/67657024

29cbl_tn
Dic 21, 2010, 3:35 pm

I downloaded an audiobook from the library to listen to while I work at home: Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie. I'm taking after Santa. I have a list I'm checking twice of things to do before my holiday company arrives. An audiobook allows me "read" and work at the same time!

After art collector and noted party host Mr. Shaitana boasts to Hercule Poirot that he collects successful murderers, Shaitana arranges a party to show off his collection. He balances four suspects with four sleuths: Poirot, Superintendent Battle of Scotland Yard (introduced in The Secret of Chimneys), Colonel Race of the intelligence service (introduced in The Man in the Brown Suit), and mystery writer Ariadne Oliver (introduced in some of Christie's short stories). As the guests prepare to leave, Shaitana is found dead in his chair. Murdered, of course. Which one of Shaitana's four collected murderers committed the crime while the other three were absorbed in a bridge game?

It was fun to experience several of Christie's sleuths in the same novel. Mrs. Oliver turned out to be a delightful foil for Poirot. As a whole, I think I prefer the Poirot novels that include Mrs. Oliver. She livens things up. For me, the one negative aspect of the book is its extensive focus on bridge. I'm not a bridge player, and the detailed descriptions of the bridge game lost me. I enjoyed the story a lot more once the focus moved beyond the bridge game to other aspects of the crime.

I listened to the audio version read by Hugh Fraser, who played Hastings in the British television series. His style is well-suited to the Poirot books. Warmly recommended.

3 1/2 stars

30cbl_tn
Dic 24, 2010, 6:28 pm

Taking advantage of a little break in my holiday food prep to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

31cbl_tn
Dic 27, 2010, 10:58 am

Another holiday read: Manhattans and Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

It's the Christmas season, and Jessica Fletcher is in New York to promote her latest book. Although they say no publicity is bad publicity, Jessica gets her share of unwelcome media attention when she is first on the scene at several murders. Can Jessica solve the case in time for Christmas? Back-up from Cabot Cove friends Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger will help.

The mystery isn't particularly well developed. There are surprisingly few suspects for an increasingly complicated series of crimes and attempted crimes. However, if you're a fan of the television series, the book will feel like a visit with old friends. As I read, I visualized the story as an episode of the TV series. In fact, I felt like it was one I had seen at some point. A comfort read.

2 1/2 stars

32cbl_tn
Dic 31, 2010, 12:38 am

My last holiday book for the season: The Christmas Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

Christmas Eve at Elm Creek Manor revives Sylvia Bergstrom Compson's memories of happier Bergstrom family Christmases, as well as the tragedy and conflict that drove her away from her family home for fifty years. Sylvia's memories are interspersed with plans for the current Christmas. Sylvia sees a parallel between her assistant, Sarah's, rocky relationship with her mother and Sylvia's own unresolved differences with her deceased sister, Claudia. Sylvia does her best to encourage Sarah to make peace with her mother before it's too late.

While this is a heartwarming Christmas story, it doesn't seem to serve much purpose in this series. Although this was the eighth book published in the series, it falls chronologically much earlier – as best I can tell, between the first and second books. Sylvia's reminiscences felt like a rehash of the first book in the series. There wasn't much new information here, other than one new character who seems likely to reappear in future books in the series. I don't think it will spoil the series to read this one out of order, so I recommend saving it for a time when you're in the mood for a light holiday read.

3 stars

33cbl_tn
Dic 31, 2010, 10:32 am

I finished an Early Reviewer book last week, but it was the day my holiday company began to arrive so I'm just now getting around to reviewing it.

The Archaeology of Home by Katharine Greider

Like many Americans, I'm interested in the genealogy of kinship and I want to learn more about my ancestors whose life stories have helped to shape my own. Katharine Greider's book has a genealogical focus, but it's the genealogy of place rather than lineage. Through her research of her home's history, Greider establishes a connection with those who inhabited the same living space in Manhattan's East Village.

The Archaeology of Home is, in a sense, a disaster survival story. However, its victims are limited to the residents of one building. When the architect hired to recommend repairs to the aging building discovered major structural damage, the building's residents were advised to immediately evacuate. The building was owned by a coop, so the decision to invest in repairs or to cut their losses and sell involved, not just the author and her husband, but all of the building's shareholders. In order to discover how the building had degraded to its current state, the author researched the history of both its land ownership and occupancy. Greider interweaves the history of the property and its former residents with an account of the two years of uncertainty she endured as city officials, architects, her family, and the other residents made decisions that would determine whether they would return to their home or move on. Greider often uses the language of therapy, and the book seems to be an attempt to reach peace with the past and put it behind her.

I have an interest in New York's Dutch history, so I particularly benefited from reading about the Dutch connection to Greider's East 7th Street property. I also enjoyed reading about the families who lived at that address in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It appears that some of these families left no descendants, and I was touched by Greider's active remembrance of these otherwise ordinary individuals.

This well-researched and well-written book will appeal to readers with interests in urban sociology, genealogy, architecture, psychology, anthropology, biography/memoirs, and New York history. Recommended.

This review is based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

3 1/2 stars