rabbitprincess in 2013 -- Bookshelf 4077 -- PART 4

Deviating from my sketchbook theme slightly in homage to S3 of Sherlock wrapping. This was taken in London earlier this year.

Challenge Parameters:

I have 13 categories, whose names are derived from episodes of M*A*S*H, one of my favourite TV shows. I used a random dice-rolling generator to determine how many books would be needed for a category to be considered “complete,” with the exception of the audiobooks and French categories, which are just “one more than last year”.

Category Listing
- “Showtime” (plays): 3/3 COMPLETED MAR 17, 2013
- “The Winchester Tapes” (audiobooks): 2/2 COMPLETED AUG 3, 2013
- “Your Hit Parade” (award winners/bestsellers): 6/6 COMPLETED MAY 11, 2013
- “Movie Tonight” (books adapted into or based on movies and TV): 7/7 COMPLETED MAY 9, 2013
- “I Hate a Mystery” (mysteries): 6/6 COMPLETED MAR 27, 2013
- “Officer of the Day” (work-related reading): 9/9 COMPLETED DEC 10, 2013
- “Foreign Affairs” (livres en français): 2/2 COMPLETED OCT 31, 2013
- “Cementing Relationships” (rereads): 6/6 COMPLETED JUL 18, 2013
- “The Colonel’s Horse” (Westerns, or at least books set in that sort of era): 7/7 COMPLETED NOV 26, 2013
- “The General Flipped at Dawn” (all things military): 7/7 COMPLETED AUG 2, 2013
- “The Red/White Blues” (Canadian fiction and non-fiction): 10/10 COMPLETED SEP 28, 2013
- “Point of View” (short stories/essay collections): 2/2 COMPLETED FEB 5, 2013
- “Mail Call” (everything else): 11/11 COMPLETED JUL 21, 2013

Total: 78 books, which is fairly manageable. Spookily enough, it is also a multiple of 13.




Depending on how desperate I am by the end of the year, I may start overlapping. At the very least I may end up shuffling things around as better candidates for certain categories arise.

I would like 50 of my books read in 2013 to be from The Swamp (i.e. my own shelves). In 2012 my goal was restricted to books I owned and had NOT read, but because I want to get more rereading in for 2013, I decided to make it just “books I already own”.




Full records of my reading will be at the Books off the Shelf 2013 thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/145494

De plus, si vous parlez français, j’aurai également un fil au groupe “Lectures des francophones”: http://www.librarything.com/topic/147280

I will also be working on Operation Going Through the Stacks, in which I read and review older books that were added en masse when I first joined LT.




Bonus Challenges

AlphaCAT

January: Where Eagles Dare, by Alistair MacLean; The Year of the Flood, by Margaret Atwood
February: Before the Poison, by Peter Robinson
March: Player One, by Douglas Coupland
April: The Ploughman's Lunch and the Miser's Feast, by Brian Yarvin; Time and Chance, by Sharon Kay Penman
May: Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch
June: Stuart: A Life Backwards, by Alexander Masters; Steps to the Empty Throne, by Nigel Tranter; Fools Die on Friday, by A.A. Fair
July: The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
August: The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; The Underground Man, by Ross Macdonald
September: The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found, by Mary Beard
October: The Wheel of Ice, by Stephen Baxter; A Body Surrounded by Water, by Eric Wright
November: Unbound, by Julie Kaewert; Yesterday the Children Were Dancing, by Gratien Gélinas
December: Father Knows Zilch, by Linwood Barclay

Awards CAT

January: Small Island, by Andrea Levy
February: none
March: A Trick of the Light, by Louise Penny; The Poisoner's Handbook, by Deborah Blum
April: Late Nights on Air, by Elizabeth Hay
May: Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch
June: Stuart: A Life Backwards, by Alexander Masters
July: The Scientific Sherlock Holmes, by James O'Brien
August: Cold Granite, by Stuart Macbride
September: Rites of Passage, by William Golding
October: Coraline, by Neil Gaiman
November: Redshirts, by John Scalzi
December: none

Random CAT

January (new-to-you author): Translations, by Brian Friel; When Christ and His Saints Slept, by Sharon Kay Penman
February (title/author/character that brings to mind February sort of weather): Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris
March (Judging a Book by Its Cover): The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
April: (Be Good to Your Mother): Seven Rivers of Canada, by Hugh MacLennan
May: (Keeping Up with the Joneses): Don't Look Back, by Karin Fossum
June: (June Brides): A Scientific Romance, by Ronald Wright
July: (The World is a Book) Around the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne; Assassination Vacation, by Sarah Vowell
August: (Family Matters) Devil's Brood, by Sharon Kay Penman
September: (Lab Lit) Enigma, by Robert Harris
October: (The Dark Half) The Dark Crusader, by Alistair MacLean
November: (Tribute to the Pilgrims) Redshirts, by John Scalzi; Past Reason Hated, by Peter Robinson
December: (Auld Acquaintance) One Day, by David Nicholls

Group Reads:

January: When Christ and His Saints Slept, by Sharon Kay Penman
February: none
March: none
April: Time and Chance, by Sharon Kay Penman
May: none
June: none
July: Death at Buckingham Palace, by C.C. Benison (tandem read with cbl_tn)
August: Devil's Brood, by Sharon Kay Penman; The Guns of August, by Barbara W. Tuchman
September: none
October: Lionheart, by Sharon Kay Penman (probably spilling into November)
November: Riders of the Purple Sage, by Zane Grey; Rangers of the Lone Star, by Zane Grey
December: Benjamin Franklin and a Case of Christmas Murder, by Robert Hall Lee (Christmas mysteries group read)

"Showtime" (plays) COMPLETED MAR 17, 2013



I keep buying plays at library book sales and then not reading them. Or at least I used to. This category might encourage that habit to start up again.

1. Translations, by Brian Friel
2. Copenhagen, by Michael Frayn
3. Breaking the Code, by Hugh Whitemore

BONUS BOOKS
4. Othello, by William Shakespeare
5. Yesterday the Children Were Dancing, by Gratien Gélinas

Candidates:
The Birds and Other Plays, by Aristophanes
Yesterday the Children Were Dancing, by Gratien Gélinas
Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett
The Guid-Sisters: A Translation of Les Belles-Soeurs into Modern Scots, by Michel Tremblay
The Misanthrope / Tartuffe, by Molière
Medea and Other Plays, by Euripides

Rereads:
Hamlet, by William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare
Othello, by William Shakespeare
The Tempest, by William Shakespeare
The Mousetrap and Other Plays, by Agatha Christie

"The Winchester Tapes" (audiobooks) COMPLETED AUG 3, 2013



I’m trying to get into more audiobooks, especially when travelling and in a so-far-fruitless effort to start using the treadmill in our apartment’s fitness room. They sometimes also work as motivators for doing housework. Operative word being "sometimes".

1. Sherlock Holmes: The Rediscovered Railway Mysteries and Other Stories, by John Taylor (narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch)
2. The Making of Music, by James Naughtie (narrated by James Naughtie, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hollander, and others)

BONUS BOOKS
3. Doctor Who: The Angel's Kiss: A Melody Malone Mystery, by Melody Malone and Justin Richards (narrated by Alex Kingston)

Candidates:
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned, by Alan Alda
Things I Overheard While Talking To Myself, by Alan Alda
At Home, by Bill Bryson
I Am America: And So Can You!, by Stephen Colbert ("shouted by the author")
The Mission Song, by John le Carré
Sherlock Holmes: The Rediscovered Railway and Other Stories (narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch)
The Making of Music: Volumes 1 and 2, by James Naughtie

"Your Hit Parade" (award winners and the long- and shortlists thereof, bestsellers from years past) COMPLETED MAY 11, 2013



I was putting together bestseller lists from 2012 as part of a time capsule for my baby cousin, which he will receive on his 18th birthday, and thought it might be neat to read some of the older bestsellers, in addition to more recent prizewinners. I also have a list of Top 100 crime novels that I’m chipping away at.

1. The Year of the Flood, by Margaret Atwood (Giller Prize longlist 2009, Canada Reads contender 2011)
2. Small Island, by Andrea Levy (Orange Prize winner 2004)
3. Before the Poison, by Peter Robinson (Arthur Ellis Award winner, Best Crime Novel, 2012)
4. The Poisoner's Handbook, by Deborah Blum (Agatha Award nominee, Best Non-Fiction, 2010)
5. Late Nights on Air, by Elizabeth Hay (Ottawa Book Award Winner)
6. Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch (Kitschie Award finalist 2011, cover art)

BONUS BOOKS
7. Stuart: A Life Backwards, by Alexander Masters (Costa Book Awards nominee, Biography, 2005)
8. The Scientific Sherlock Holmes: Cracking the Case with Science and Forensics, by James F. O'Brien (Edgar Award nominee, Best Critical/Biographical, 2013)
9. Cold Granite, by Stuart MacBride (Thriller Award winner, First Novel, 2006)
10. The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey (combined UK/US crime writers' associations' Top 100 Crime Novels)
11. Coraline, by Neil Gaiman (Bram Stoker Award nominee, Long Fiction, 2002
12. Redshirts, by John Scalzi (Hugo Award winner, Best Novel, 2013)
13. Past Reason Hated, by Peter Robinson (Arthur Ellis Award, Best Novel, 1992)

Possibilities:

AGATHA AWARDS (Award CAT Mar)
- Talking About Detective Fiction, by P.D. James

OTTAWA BOOK AWARDS (Award CAT Apr; local book award)
- Late Nights on Air, by Elizabeth Hay

COSTA BOOK AWARDS (Award CAT Jun)
- Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel

EDGAR AWARDS (Award CAT Jul; most likely to be completed!)
- Resurrection Men, by Ian Rankin
- Black Cherry Blues, by James Lee Burke
- The Eye of the Needle, by Ken Follett
- The Laughing Policeman, by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö (reread)
- God Save the Mark, by Donald E. Westlake
- The Quiller Memorandum, by Adam Hall
- The Long Goodbye, by Raymond Chandler
- The Lineup: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives, ed. Otto Penzler
- Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President, by Candice Millard

MAN BOOKER PRIZE (Award CAT Sep)
- Rites of Passage, by William Golding
- What's Bred in the Bone, by Robertson Davies
- Cat's Eye, by Margaret Atwood
- Solomon Gursky Was Here, by Mordecai Richler
- Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
- Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel

NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE (Award CAT Oct): Read a book by...
- Harold Pinter: The Homecoming
- José Saramago: Death With Interruptions
- Sir Winston Churchill: History of the English-Speaking Peoples, The Second World War
- John Steinbeck: The Grapes of Wrath
- John Galsworthy: I guess I'd try the Forsyte Saga

ARTHUR ELLIS AWARDS
- Past Reason Hated, by Peter Robinson
- Cold is the Grave, by Peter Robinson
- Before the Poison, by Peter Robinson

CANADA READS
- Next Episode (v.f. Prochain épisode), by Hubert Aquin (tr. Sheila Fischman)
- Two Solitudes, by Hugh MacLennan
- On a Cold Road, by Dave Bidini
- The Game, by Ken Dryden
- The Beautiful Mystery, by Louise Penny
- Brown Girl in the Ring, by Nalo Hopkinson
- Colony of Unrequited Dreams, by Wayne Johnston
- Solomon Gursky Was Here, by Mordecai Richler

GOVERNOR GENERAL'S AWARDS
- Two Solitudes, by Hugh MacLennan
- The Precipice, by Hugh MacLennan

“Movie Tonight” (books adapted into or based on movies/TV shows) Completed May 9, 2013



I read a lot of this sort of book, apparently. Extra challenge will be to watch the movies later if I haven’t already. And I love this episode, not least because it includes everyone else in camp doing really bad Father Mulcahy impressions.

1. Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
2. Where Eagles Dare, by Alistair MacLean
3. A Study in Scarlet, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
4. The Man with the Golden Gun, by Ian Fleming
5. Starter for Ten, by David Nicholls
6. August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts
7. The Sign of Four, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

BONUS BOOKS
8. Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin, by Terrance Dicks
9. Prisoner of the Daleks, by Trevor Baxendale
10. Basil of Baker Street, by Eve Titus
11. Twelve Years a Slave, by Solomon Northup
12. The Wheel of Ice, by Stephen Baxter
13. Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion, by Malcolm Hulke

“I Hate a Mystery” (crime/mystery/thriller) COMPLETED MAR 27, 2013



Actually, I love mysteries. I will definitely end up overfilling this category. Image from the Season 6 episode "The Light That Failed", which is about a mystery novel that gets the whole camp reading!

1. Ordinary Thunderstorms, by William Boyd
2. Taken at the Flood, by Agatha Christie
3. Blood Rain, by Michael Dibdin
4. The Mystery of the Blue Train, by Agatha Christie
5. The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter, by Malcolm Mackay
6. Doors Open, by Ian Rankin

BONUS BOOKS
7. Let It Bleed, by Ian Rankin
8. Where the Bodies are Buried, by Christopher Brookmyre
9. Bryant and May on the Loose, by Christopher Fowler
10. Don't Look Back, by Karin Fossum
11. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
12. Fools Die on Friday, by A.A. Fair
13. Hide & Seek, by Ian Rankin
14. The Victoria Vanishes, by Christopher Fowler
15. 66 North, by Michael Ridpath
16. The Man on the Balcony, by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
17. Speaking from Among the Bones, by Alan Bradley
18. When the Devil Drives, by Christopher Brookmyre
19. The Underground Man, by Ross Macdonald
20. Watchman, by Ian Rankin
21. Standing in Another Man's Grave, by Ian Rankin
22. Sherlock Holmes and the Treasure Train, by Frank Thomas
23. Long Time No See, by Ed McBain
24. The Dark Crusader, by Alistair MacLean
25. Artists in Crime, by Ngaio Marsh
26. The Hollow Man, by Oliver Harris
27. Enter a Murderer, by Ngaio Marsh
28. The Hanging Shed, by Gordon Ferris

Candidates: apart from the new and shiny from the library, may I refer you to my "mystery" or "thriller" tags.

“Officer of the Day” (work-related reading) COMPLETED DEC 10, 2013



This is for books that deal with my work in some way or books I come across while doing research. Image from the episode "Carry On, Hawkeye"

1. Translation is a Love Affair, by Jacques Poulin
2. Oxford Guide to Plain English, by Martin Cutts
3. Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, by Mary Roach
4. Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World, by Nataly Kelly and Jost Zetzsche
5. Ask the Pilot: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel, by Patrick Smith
6. The Interpreter's Handbook, by Jean Herbert
7. The Global English Style Guide: Writing Clear, Translatable Documentation for a Global Market, by John R. Kohl
8. Am I the Only Sane One Working Here?: 101 Solutions for Surviving Office Insanity, by Albert J. Bernstein
9. Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything, by David Bellos

Candidates:
The Interpreter's Handbook: How to become a conference interpreter, by Jean Herbert
2000 expressions françaises pratiques et utiles, by Camille H. Mailhot (could also qualify for the "Point of View" category as a book for dipping into)
Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything, by David Bellos
Why Translation Matters, by Edith Grossman
The Mission Song, by John le Carré
Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World, by Nataly Kelly and Jost Zetzsche

Basically anything to do with language, translation/interpretation, effective writing, planes/trains/automobiles, construction, "technical" subjects... and if I find interesting books in Google Books when doing research. This also includes books with translators or interpreters as protagonists.

“Foreign Affairs” (livres en français) COMPLETED OCT 31, 2013



I want to keep up my reading in my second language.

1. Pars vite et reviens tard, by Fred Vargas
2. Les quatre guerres de 1812, by Peter D. MacLeod

Candidates:
Cinq semaines en ballon, by Jules Verne
Pars vite et reviens tard, by Fred Vargas
Les quatre guerres de 1812, by Peter D. MacLeod
Sous les vents de Neptune, by Fred Vargas (started but not finished)

“Cementing Relationships” (rereads) COMPLETED JUL 18, 2013



I read so many new books that I sometimes forget to go back and enjoy books I’ve already read. Image from the Season 8 episode "Old Soldiers".

1. Let's Hear it for the Deaf Man, by Ed McBain
2. The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien
3. Sherlock: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
4. Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs, by Ken Jennings
5. A Scientific Romance, by Ronald Wright
6. Death at Buckingham Palace, by C.C. Benison

BONUS BOOKS
7. The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
8. Around the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne
9. Unbound, by Julie Kaewert

Candidates: most likely books I've tagged as Going Through the Stacks.

“The Colonel’s Horse” (Westerns) COMPLETED NOV 26, 2013



I got hooked on Westerns a couple of years ago (or perhaps more specifically, True Grit) and want to read some more. This category will also include books set in the “Wild West” that may not be actual “Westerns”, and non-fiction that deals with the traditional “Wild West” time and place.

1. Doc, by Mary Doria Russell
2. Appaloosa, by Robert B. Parker
3. Holmes on the Range, by Steve Hockensmith
4. Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry
5. Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch, by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain
6. Riders of the Purple Sage, by Zane Grey
7. Rooster: The Life and Times of the Real Rooster Cogburn, the Man Who Inspired True Grit, by Brett Cogburn

Possibilities:

SPUR AWARDS (Awards CAT Jan)
- Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry (suggested by psutto and clfisha)
- Skinwalkers, by Tony Hillerman (suggested by mamzel)
- Stone Song: A Novel of the Life of Crazy Horse
- Comanche Moon, by Larry McMurtry

ZANE GREY NOVEMBER
- Riders of the Purple Sage, by Zane Grey
- Rangers of the Lone Star, by Zane Grey

OTHER CANDIDATES/SUGGESTIONS
- Appaloosa, by Robert B. Parker
- Doc, by Mary Doria Russell
- Deadwood, by Pete Dexter
- One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd, by Jim Fergus (suggested by dudes22)
- Little Big Man by Thomas Berger (suggested by Zozette)
- The Captured by Scott Zesch (suggested by Zozette)
- Halfbreed: The Remarkable True Story of George Bent-Caught Between the Worlds of the Indian and the White Man by David F Halaas (suggested by Zozette)
- the "Holmes on the Range" series by Steve Hockensmith (suggested by Zozette)
- The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard (or other EL Westerns)

POSSIBLE REREADS
- True Grit (clfisha)
- A Good Man
- The Englishman's Boy
- The Last Crossing
- The Sisters Brothers

“The General Flipped at Dawn” (all things military and war) COMPLETED AUG 2, 2013



I’ve become a military history buff recently (partly thanks to work and partly thanks to some family history). This category will include fiction and non-fiction.

1. Parade's End, by Ford Madox Ford
2. All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque
3. Season of Darkness, by Maureen Jennings
4. Steps to the Empty Throne, by Nigel Tranter
5. Mr. Churchill's Secretary, by Susan Elia MacNeal
6. Two Generals, by Scott Chantler
7. Ice Station Zebra, by Alistair MacLean

Candidates: whatever I've got here, as well as books set during a war (most likely WW1 or WW2, but anything's fair game).

BONUS BOOKS
8. Princess Elizabeth's Spy, by Susan Elia MacNeal
9. The Guns of August, by Barbara W. Tuchman
10. Enigma, by Robert Harris
11. Hope, by Len Deighton

“The Red/White Blues” (Canlit and Canadian non-fiction) COMPLETED SEP 28, 2013



I’m Canadian, eh? Also I read a lot of Canlit. This was a hard category to name, but red and white are the colours of the Canadian flag, so I figure it works. Also, look at that! It's Leslie freakin' Nielsen, in the Season 1 episode "The Ringbanger"!

1. Up and Down, by Terry Fallis
2. Rainbow Valley, by L.M. Montgomery
3. The Body on Mount Royal, by David Montrose
4. A Trick of the Light, by Louise Penny
5. Player One: What is to Become of Us, by Douglas Coupland
6. Until the Night, by Giles Blunt
7. Trust Your Eyes, by Linwood Barclay
8. Athabasca, by Alistair MacLean
9. Seven Rivers of Canada, by Hugh MacLennan
10. This House is Nuts!: Surviving the Absurdities of Everyday Life, by Linwood Barclay

Candidates: O CANADA, OUR HOME AND NATIVE TAG

BONUS BOOKS
11. A Body Surrounded by Water, by Eric Wright
12. Eleven Pipers Piping, by C.C. Benison
13. Miss Montreal, by Howard Shrier

“Point of View” (short stories/essays/books that can be read in bite-size chunks)



An attempt to broaden my reading horizons beyond novels; also I have a couple of essay collections and that sort of thing kicking around.

1. 3 Bits of Fry and Laurie, by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie
2. The Penguin Book of Gaslight Crime: Con Artists, Burglars, Rogues, and Scoundrels from the Time of Sherlock Holmes, ed. Michael Sims

BONUS BOOKS
3. Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris
4. A Dustbin of Milligan, by Spike Milligan
5. Assassination Vacation, by Sarah Vowell
6. Moranthology, by Caitlin Moran

Candidates:
The Sagas of Icelanders
3 Bits of Fry and Laurie
Assassination Vacation, by Sarah Vowell
Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris
Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories, by Robert Louis Stevenson
Scotchman's Return and Other Essays, by Hugh MacLennan
Beware of the Trains, by Edmund Crispin
Raymond Chandler omnibus (contains four novels)

Rereads:
The Complete Father Brown
Arthurian Romances, by Chretien de Troyes
Possibly some books still at my parents' place

“Mail Call” (everything else) COMPLETED JUL 21, 2013



Whatever doesn’t fit in the other categories! Image from the episode "Radar's Report", which was my original name for this category (it was going to be general non-fiction).

1. Just My Type: A Book About Fonts, by Simon Garfield
2. When Christ and His Saints Slept, by Sharon Kay Penman
3. Something Fresh, by P.G. Wodehouse
4. The Beatles Graphic, by Hervé Bourhis
5. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
6. Whispers Under Ground, by Ben Aaronovitch
7. The Ploughman's Lunch and the Miser's Feast, by Brian Yarvin
8. Time and Chance, by Sharon Kay Penman
9. The Bull from the Sea, by Mary Renault
10. The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
11. How to Be a Woman, by Caitlin Moran

BONUS BOOKS
12. Devil's Brood, by Sharon Kay Penman
13. Atlantic: The Biography of an Ocean, by Simon Winchester
14. The Understudy, by David Nicholls
15. The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found, by Mary Beard
16. Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, by Mary Roach
17. Attention All Passengers: The Airlines' Dangerous Descent--and How to Reclaim Our Skies, by William J. McGee
18. A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby
19. Shooting Victoria: Madness, Mayhem and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy, by Paul Thomas Murphy
20. Straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile, by Taras Grescoe
21. Moon Over Soho, by Ben Aaronovitch
22. Lionheart, by Sharon Kay Penman

Wow, for having completed 8 categories so far, RP! Love the thread topper... what a great picture!

That is a great photo at the top - love the matching t-shirt! :)

>15 lkernagh:: Thanks! The last few categories are devilishly tricky to finish, especially the en français category.

>16 -Eva-:: I love that T-shirt too :) And I was even dorkier and got my mum to take a picture of me under an actual Baker Street sign across the street from 221B:



****

Another work-related book (only two more to go, yippee!).

The Global English Style Guide, by John R. Kohl

Category: "Officer of the Day" 7/9
Source: library
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/100909208

This book is aimed primarily at technical writers but I think its precepts could apply to writers of all stripes. The main objective of Global English is to produce a text that is clear AND natural-sounding, as well as easier to translate. Even if you're not having your writing translated, native speakers of English will also appreciate documents that they understand on the first read-through.

That is brilliant! I'm all for being dorky. :)

Speaking of dorky, I love item #6 on this list: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ailbhemalone/reasons-to-love-patrick-stewart

Haha! He is a very funny man.

Love all the M*A*S*H photos. It's one of my all-time favorite TV shows.

>20 -Eva-:: And this is why I am Team Picard :)

>21 thornton37814:: It's one of my favourites too! History Channel airs it a fair bit here so if I happen to be watching TV I usually check to see if there's an episode on.

I'm on holiday at the moment and finally finished a book: Atlantic: The Biography of an Ocean, by Simon Winchester. Review to come shortly. In the meantime, here's a brief update on my adventures at the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF by Numbers (as of Sep 8 2013)

2: days spent at festival so far
16: clippings collected about Benedict's appearances at the festival

5: hours spent in rush line for The Fifth Estate on Sep 5, until I was able to buy a spare ticket off someone else
20: in dollars, how much I paid for the spare ticket
45: in dollars, actual cost of a ticket for that screening
4: new friends made while waiting in line
2: sunburns acquired while waiting in line
1: random promotional item for a new restaurant in the Eaton Centre, given to me in the rush line.
3: features at the Fifth Estate screening: a tribute to Roger Ebert, a short film actually filmed in the theatre where the screening was held, and the movie itself
1: confirmed celebrity sighting at the screening (Zac Efron)
12: SUVs and shuttles waiting behind Roy Thomson Hall, the site of the "actual" gala premiere of The Fifth Estate, ready to take the stars back to their hotels after the screening
30: approximate number of fans hanging around in hopes of a glimpse of Benedict
11: in years, the age of one of the giddier fans present
0: celebrities seen by me at Roy Thomson Hall that night -- I had to get home

7: hours spent waiting on the red carpet for 12 Years a Slave on Sep 6
at least 30: times people asked "So who are you waiting to see?"
6: shifts in position from standing to sitting as we waited
1: interview given by me to Radio-Canada because I was the only one of our group who spoke French
95: in percent, number of people on the red carpet to see Benedict
5: in percent, number of people on the red carpet to see Brad Pitt (who was also in 12 Years a Slave)
15: (approximate) number of photographers penned into a holding area to take official red-carpet photos
40: approximate number of streetcars that went by in between celebrity arrivals; the street was closed to car traffic but you really can't block the streetcars
1: really funny streetcar driver who waved like a celeb and gave thumbs-up to the red-carpet-goers as he drove by
8-ish: non-Cumberbatch celebrities at the 12 Years a Slave premiere (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Steve McQueen, Sarah Paulson, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, and a couple of others whose names I didn't catch)
500: estimated number of fans waiting to see Benedict
15: minutes that Benedict spent signing things and greeting fans (according to the Toronto Star)
1: copy of Starter for Ten (the novel) that BENEDICT SIGNED FOR ME!
0: items left on my bucket list :P

An autograph you say? Well done!

Thanks! It almost feels like a dream now. I have to keep checking the book to see if the signature is still there :P

Sounds like a great time! Congrats on the signature. Don't lick it.

Good job getting the signature! Sounds like you were fairly calm. No screaming or incoherent babbling I take it. :-)

Great TIFF summary! Congrats on scoring the autograph!

Sounds like you had a blast! Too cool!

26: Haha no danger of licking it; he was using a Sharpie so I imagine that would taste bad.

27: Thanks! It happened so fast that I had no time to freak out.

28: Thanks! Best part was when I handed it to him open to the title page, and he said "Oh can I see the cover?" Then he looked at the cover, smiled and said "Cool" as he handed it back :D (This is the cover of my edition)

29: I did indeed! The rest of the festival is really just gravy at this point.

Way to go!

Ha ha, I love your summary! Sounds like you had a great time!

31: :D It was well worth camping out all day on the barricades! Fortunately it was a nice day.

32: I did indeed! Today is my long day at TIFF: three movies in a row, all at the same venue.

#26 hilarious and great advice.

#30 awesome he checked out your cover

Sound like a great time.

It sure was! And the good times have continued to roll.

TIFF by Numbers Part 2

4: movies seen since last update
3: movies seen in a single day
2: number of films that make up The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby so really I should say I've seen five movies
4: actors I like seen at Q and As (Ciaran Hinds, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Brendan Gleeson)
4: actors at the Q and As whose work I saw for the first time at the festival
2: film directors seen at Q and As
2: Proclaimers seen at Q and As
40: Tuesday's humidex reading, which made staying indoors and watching movies a good proposition
2: movies bought at HMV on Tuesday (Star Trek Into Darkness and Parade's End)
1: pint of beer consumed with a friend who works in Toronto
8: time last night at which I had a retrospectively ill-advised cup of tea
2: in hours, approximate length of Star Trek Into Darkness, which we watched last night
5: in hours, a generous estimate of how much sleep I got
3: films left to see

I saw that the Proclaimers-boys had been to TIFF on their FB-page. I do love me some Reid&Reid - my challenge this year is Proclaimers-themed after all...! :)

I loved reading your TIFF stats! I wish I could have gone this year as well, but I least got to enjoy it vicariously through your update. :)

36: You might enjoy the film Sunshine on Leith then. Besides using Proclaimers songs, it was filmed in Edinburgh. The final scene in particular was fab.

37: Glad to be of service :) I'll probably do one more set of stats on Sunday.

In the meantime I have some book stats. Because I've been spending a lot of time in downtown Toronto I have been sorely tempted by book shopping. It was only today that I was finally able to go.

I may have accidentally brought NINE home...

The Understudy, by David Nicholls
One Day, by David Nicholls
The Good Soldier, by Ford Madox Ford
Gideon's March, by J.J. Marric
Goodbye California, by Alistair MacLean
The Black Book, by Ian Rankin
No Great Mischief, by Alistair MacLeod (read before but wanted own copy)
Whispers Under Ground, by Ben Aaronovitch (ditto)
The Lost City of Z, by David Grann

And then I ended up adopting a couple from my mother after showing her what I'd bought.

Maigret Stonewalled, by Georges Simenon (tr. Margaret Marshall)
When Eight Bells Toll, by Alistair MacLean

I also have a few Josephine Teys to borrow from my mum when I'm visiting. So definitely no shortage of reading material.

What a good time. And I would be less calm about seeing The Proclaimers!

->38 rabbitprincess:
I probably will, but I have such a hard time with musicals - I just get irritated when the story stops so that someone can sing about what they have just said. :)

->39 RidgewayGirl:
Right?! :)

Sunshine on Leith came out while I was at university and it was part of the theme music of that time. I just realized that that was twenty-five years ago and now I feel old.

You've reminded me I've got a Proclaimers CD
around somewhere.

Ach Kay, it's just a quarter of a century! :) Such great memories!

Way back then in 1987, I was a aspiring photographer and had applied to be an assistant to a photographer whom I idolized, Nick Knight. I was collecting all his work that I found to make sure I was up to date if I was called in for an interview and Proclaimer's This Is The Story had just come out and since Nick had taken the cover photo, I bought a copy. And there was love. That unapologetic Scottish accent, the fact that they had something to say about real life, and funny lines like "Shetland made her jumpers and the devil made her features" won me over. Loves of my life, music-wise, those boys are. :)

ETA: Oh dear, I'm quite old too... At least I'll be forever childish. :)

39: It was pretty exciting!

40: Fair enough ;) But for the most part the songs they chose work well.

41: Only 25 years? Wow.

42: The movie also reminded me I have some gaps in my Proclaimers collection that need to be filled.

43: What a great story! That song is in the movie :)

Today is the last day of TIFF. 12 Years a Slave won the People's Choice Award, so start your Oscar betting now. I still have to see it, but at least the book is on its way from the library.

One last dose of stats: TIFF by Numbers Part 3

3: movies seen since last update
2: movies that featured Japan in some way
1: video message from Ken Watanabe and the director of "Unforgiven" (the Japanese remake)
2: Q and As with film directors
9: as mentioned, books bought in Toronto
3: band members in the group Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, who my dad and I saw on Thursday
1: particularly famous Shadowy Men song: the theme song for The Kids in the Hall, actual title "Having an Average Weekend"
7: in Celsius, the a.m. temperature on Saturday. Brrr
6: the time I had to be up for the Saturday movie (started at 9:15)
2: books I now need to read: The Railway Man and Journey into the Past
4: approximate number of cups of tea consumed at a tea party (they were smallish cups)
Prefer not to disclose: number of baked goods consumed at the tea party
5: days until the big library book sale in Ottawa (next thing to look forward to :P)

Continue to love the TIFF by numbers! I understand the weather has gone on the chilly side there. My other half has been in TO and greater area for the past week on business and he commented on the recent drop in temperature... he was glad I had insisted he pack a sweater! Silly man though he didn't need a sweater in September. ;-)

#45 Thanks for the updates. I really enjoyed reading them. I now have the theme song for The New Kids in the Hall playing in my mind :-)

46: It sure has! I was glad I'd packed my knitted Sherlock hat.

47: My pleasure! I'll probably review the films I saw as well, later this week.

Now that I'm finally back home with a proper computer (computing on the iPad is rather difficult), here are some reviews!

Atlantic: The Biography of an Ocean, by Simon Winchester

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: library, via Overdrive
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/100046673

An interesting framing concept for this book. My favourite chapter was the one on naval warfare, especially when they discussed the terminology of sailing ships. Good lead-in to the William Golding trilogy, To the Ends of the Earth, which I plan to start shortly.

Enigma, by Robert Harris

Category: "The General Flipped at Dawn"
Source: Imperial War Museum London, May 2012
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/85281561

Read for the September Random CAT. The second half was more exciting than the first. I preferred Tom Jericho on his own to the parts with Claire. More wartime thriller, less romance! I want to see the movie now; Tom Hollander would make a great Logie.

The Understudy, by David Nicholls

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: BMV, Toronto, Sep 2013
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/101873098

A very funny, breezy book that still had a lot going on. I enjoyed it but Starter for Ten is still my favourite of Nicholls' novels. We'll see where One Day fits into the ranking eventually. Also I hope he writes another one soon!

->44 rabbitprincess:
Better story had I actually gotten the job. :)

->45 rabbitprincess:
"Prefer not to disclose: number of baked goods consumed at the tea party"
Larger than the number of cups of tea....?

Welcome home, sorry it was over so fast (I'm assuming it feels fast since it usually does.)

Yes, much larger. We had a whole bunch of those two-bite snacks: brownies, macaroons, scones, cinnamon rolls... they really add up!

Thanks for the welcome back. Fortunately it was fairly quiet at work this morning, so I had a couple of hours to get back into the swing of things. And you're right, the time passed really quickly.

@ 49 -- I really liked the movie of "Enigma"...maybe even preferred it to the book! Of course, that's probably because I saw the movie first.

That could be it. Darn, neither of my libraries has it! But iTunes does have it for rent/purchase...

***

A couple more reviews. Now I'm up to date.

Hope, by Len Deighton

Category: "The General Flipped at Dawn"
Source: borrowed from parents
Rating: 3/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/90494856

After eight books I have to wonder what's left for Bernard Samson. I should have read this one sooner after finishing Faith, its predecessor; it took me a while to get into. But it did relate to events in Enigma, which was exciting.

The Very Last Gambado, by Jonathan Gash -- abandoned

Category: if completed, it would have been "Movie Tonight"
Source: EVM
Rating: 1/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/88387606

Interesting plot, but the narrative voice was very irritating and circular in telling the story. I would probably have enjoyed this more as an episode of the TV show "Lovejoy".

***

Starting to plan my late September and early October reads. I'm reading Rites of Passage, by William Golding, for the September Awards CAT, and will likely continue the trilogy into October. It's a lot funnier than I was expecting; Edmund Talbot is so observant and un-self-aware at the same time.
I'm also about to start A Close Run Thing, by Allan Mallinson, which takes place during the Napoleonic Wars and which I'm hoping will have a similar adventuresome atmosphere, if not quite so funny.

As for my Category Challenge, I have six books to finish:
- two Westerns
- one French book
- one Canlit book
- two work books

The Westerns I will likely read in November as part of Zane Grey November, so no panic yet. For the French book I was planning to read Les quatre guerres de 1812, which would also fit in with my current military kick. For the Canlit I intend to read Volkswagen Blues, by Jacques Poulin, which would also cover the Alpha CAT (I had originally intended The Very Last Gambado to be that book). And for the work books, I will probably end up borrowing language-related books from the library; there are plenty of those on my TBR list.

I remember reading the first two of the Rites of Passage trilogy years and years ago but I never got around to the final one. I've always meant to but now I'd have to read all of them again as I can't really remember what was going on.

It does seem like a trilogy that would particularly benefit from being read all at once. I'm already approaching the end of the first volume. As for my other books, I stopped reading A Close Run Thing and switched to Mary Beard's The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found, which I might count for the AlphaCAT instead.

Cheap books are a dangerous thing... over the past two days I managed to buy 10 books.

On Saturday, I went on my annual trip to the apple orchard, which also hosts a small book sale on behalf of the local library. For some reason they had Doctor Who books in the kids' section, so I bought three, all by Terrance Dicks:

Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen
Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius
Doctor Who and the Dalek Invasion of Earth

Bonus: kids' books cost only a quarter each, so I got these for 75¢. I have paid a good deal more for some of my other Dr Who novels.

Then today I went to the annual Friends of Library and Archives Canada book sale. Since it was the last day, the books were half price. So I bought seven:

Memento Mori, by Muriel Spark (with bonus Maggie Smith on the cover!)
Brideshead Revisted, by Evelyn Waugh
Airframe, by Michael Crichton
The Shootist, by Glendon Swarthout
The Bridge Over the River Kwai, by Pierre Boulle
Death in a White Tie, by Ngaio Marsh
Brighton Rock, by Graham Greene

This despite feeling like the selection wasn't as good as in previous years. The mystery section in particular was really small. I guess those sold quickly on the first two days of the sale. But still, not bad, and it cost me only $3.50.

And now of course what do I plan to do? Read library books.

Nice haul!

"And now of course what do I plan to do? Read library books."
Obviously. :)

It's one way to resist the temptation to read my new purchases immediately! When I pick something to read next I try to be "fair" and choose something that's been on the shelf for a while.

You bought some great books! I can recommend Momento Mori and The Bridge Over the River Kwai. I'm interested in reading your reviews of the Terrence Dicks Doctor Who books...when you're done with your library books. :-)

Good haul! I never knew Dr Who met the Abominable Snowman! & will any of us ever read all our books and be able to shop with a clear conscience? I think not. Just pat your self on your back that your books were cheap and the $ went to good causes.

Looks like you found some good books at those sales. And good prices as well!

Love your TIFF stats (so cool that Benedict signed your book AND checked out your cover!) and English photos! I'd ask you about M. Fassbender, but I suspect that you weren't so much waiting for him. ;) And, excellent book shopping done! Great books for a great deal. :)

>59 craso:: I've seen the movie of River Kwai and am hoping the book moves slightly faster. I spent the whole movie waiting for them to blow up the bridge ;)
What I should do with the Dr Who books is slip them in between longer library books. They take maybe an hour, tops, to read. Nice sense of accomplishment.

>60 cammykitty:: Neither did I till I saw this! It's a Second Doctor adventure so I am not sure if the original TV episode is still extant, or if that's one of the "lost" episodes. And yes I am definitely pleased to be supporting good causes with my book dollars.

>61 hailelib:: Indeed! The Dr Who books were actually deaccessioned from an elementary school library so I guess that's why they were classified as "children's".

>62 LauraBrook:: I know eh!!! I can't believe it actually happened. That book is never leaving my house again :P
Fassbender was very nice too, and he certainly cut a fine figure in his suit!

Nice book haul!

Great book haul, for some reason I have been piling the books onto my Kindle the last couple of days, I think the thought of next year's challenge has me wanting to add more choices. Both Memento Mori and Brighton Rock were memorable reads for me this year.

>64 lkernagh:: Thanks! I like how most or all of them have TV/movie counterparts (I'm pretty sure there was a Roderick Alleyn series...).

>65 DeltaQueen50:: That must be why I went so book crazy this month too. I'm looking forward to reading Memento Mori and Brighton Rock. The latter I borrowed from the library a while ago but never got around to reading it. So I'm glad to have my own copy.

Yes, there was an Inspector Alleyn series! I just watched the first season on Netflix. It's not bad.

>67 cbl_tn:: I assume the Alleyn series is on US Netflix? Have to see if it's on the Canadian one as well. I just looked it up on IMDB and the lady who plays Agatha Troy is married to Hugh Fraser, aka Hastings! What a neat coincidence.

A couple of reviews, one of which completes my Canlit category.

101. The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found, by Mary Beard

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: library
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/100909226

A very good overview of life in Pompeii, explaining what archaeologists over the years have uncovered and the various theories that have abounded about the use and purpose of some artefacts and buildings. Worth reading, especially for Beard's smooth, intelligent but still funny writing style and for the Further Reading section at the back.

102. This House is Nuts!: Surviving the Absurdities of Everyday Life, by Linwood Barclay

Category: "The Red/White Blues" 10/10 CATEGORY COMPLETED
Source: Abebooks, September 2013
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/101947597

Before Linwood Barclay became a bestselling thriller writer, he was a columnist at the Toronto Star, writing three times a week about family life and current events. This book is a collection of his family life columns and brought back many fond memories for me -- I still have a shoebox full of clippings from his and Dave Barry's columns (they're in the same line of work). A good collection to have on the bedside table, if you can get hold of a copy (I had to get this through Abebooks as it's out of print).

Yes, the 1st season of the Inspector Alleyn series streams on the U.S. Netflix. I watched it this summer when I was under the weather. That's interesting about the link between this series and the Poirot series! I've always liked the actress who plays Troy but I didn't know anything about her.

>69 cbl_tn:: Just discovered that my hometown library has the Alleyn Mysteries. Hurray! Now I need to be visiting for a long enough period to justify a library excursion (and remember my library card).

****

How is it the last day of September already? I was mostly successful with my planned reading, although my AlphaCAT ended up being something completely different from what I'd thought.

October plans:

Group read:
- Lionheart, by Sharon Kay Penman

AlphaCAT:
- With Wolfe in Canada, by G.A. Henty
- Journey Into the Past, by Stefan Zweig
- A Body Surrounded by Water, by Eric Wright

AwardCAT:
- Coraline, by Neil Gaiman (Bram Stoker Award)
- The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck (Nobel)

RandomCAT:
- The Dark Crusader, by Alistair MacLean
- Star Trek Into Darkness, by Alan Dean Foster

Of my CAT possibilities, it is most likely that the Wright, Gaiman and MacLean books will be read.

Currently reading:
- To the Ends of the Earth, by William Golding: Vol. 2, Close Quarters
- Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, by Mary Roach
- Twelve Years a Slave, by Solomon Northup

I'm finally catching up with your thread, and loved the rest of your TIFF posts. Also, I'm glad to see the positive review of Barclay's books. I enjoy his thrillers but haven't read any of his humour books. However, I can tell, from having attended a couple of his author events, that he's a funny and entertaining guy!

>71 mathgirl40:: Glad to be of service! That reminds me I still have to review the films I saw. Perhaps tomorrow. Re Barclay's humour books, I find they provoke more smiles and chuckles than belly laughs (Dave Barry provides more out-loud laughter), but they are still enjoyable. A light treat.

Argh! Just saw this and remembered my long-stated promise to review the films I saw at TIFF.

The Fifth Estate 4/5
Benedict really inhabits the role of Julian Assange -- by the end of the movie I had almost forgotten it was him on screen. The movie presents a lot of info about WikiLeaks but is also funnier than I expected, with some good one-liners.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby 4.5/5
Two films for the price of one, this story follows James McAvoy as Connor, whose wife Eleanor (Jessica Chastain) has mysteriously disappeared following a climactic event in their lives. Later we find out where Eleanor has been and her motivations for disappearing. The two versions differ in interesting ways, and there are some very fine performances.

The Grand Seduction 4/5
An English-language remake of the Quebec film La grande séduction, transplanted to the harbour of Tickle Head, Newfoundland and Labrador. Brendan Gleeson plays the de facto mayor who tries to get a city doctor (Taylor Kitsch) to practise in the town; the town is bidding for a factory and having a full-time doctor in town is one of the bid requirements. Hilarity ensues as the townspeople try to cater to the doctor's every like. Gordon Pinsent also steals the show, but when does he not!? :)

The Invisible Woman2.5/5
Ralph Fiennes does a good job as Charles Dickens, and I liked Tom Hollander as Wilkie Collins, but I thought it kind of weird that Fiennes was directing himself as Dickens in this movie, since it's about his mistress. Maybe that's a personal thing for me. Your mileage may vary.

Sunshine on Leith 3/5
A charming musical set in Edinburgh and based on songs by the Proclaimers. It met my expectations so this is a positive three stars. I did feel like some songs were stuffed in a bit less than elegantly, but how could I object? ;)

The Railway Man 4.5/5
A very powerful film. Colin Firth plays Eric Lomax, an actual former British soldier who was a prisoner of the Japanese in WW2. Forced to help build the Burma Railway, he was subsequently thought to be a spy and was tortured. Many years later, he finds out an interpreter for the torturers is still alive and giving tours at the Burma Railway museum. The movie is about revenge and forgiveness and "closure". Very well done but hard to watch at times. It's based on Lomax's memoir, which is being reprinted to coincide with the movie.

Unforgiven 3/5
A Japanese remake of the Clint Eastwood movie of the same name. I probably should have watched the original first, but the remake was still good. An interesting thing with the subtitles: sometimes a character would say something funny and the whole line would appear in subtitles as the character began speaking in Japanese, but the audience waited until he said the funny part in Japanese before they laughed.

A Promise 3.5/5
Alan Rickman plays a German foundry owner, Rebecca Hall is his lovely young wife. Rickman hires a young engineer who eventually rises to the rank of personal secretary and gradually ends up as the de facto president of the foundry. The engineer is also attracted to Hall, as they are closer in age than she is to Rickman. A fairly straightforward story (at least in comparison to some of the loopier things on offer at TIFF), but very well done.

Thanks for the film reviews!

"some songs were stuffed in a bit"
That's what I'm wary about, but I agree, no huge complaints from me either. :)

>74 mathgirl40:: You're welcome! I don't know how people managed to see 40+ films over the course of the festival. Eight was enough for me!

>75 -Eva-:: I think if you're aware of it going in, that might make it easier...?

***

A couple of reviews in my "Mail Call" category.

104. Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, by Mary Roach

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: library, Express Collection
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/102441205

By turns fascinating, hilarious and gross, Mary Roach's book about the digestive system is recommended for those interested in the squishier bits of science. Make sure you have someone else in the house when you're reading, so that you can regale them with anecdotes and interesting facts. "Did you know that we generate a new stomach lining every three days? Did you know that a cow's rumen is about the size of a 30-gallon garbage can?" If you liked the ickier bits of Packing for Mars, you'll definitely like this one.

105. Attention All Passengers: The Airlines' Dangerous Descent--and How to Reclaim Our Skies, by William J. McGee

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: library, via Overdrive
Rating: 3/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/102600495

If you're peeved by the conditions of modern flying -- the crammed cabins, harried flight attendants, indignities of the security screening process -- this book sympathizes wholeheartedly and tells you how the friendly skies became unfriendly. It's mostly about the US, but I imagine some of the problems brought up here are present to a degree in most places. The chapters are linked but can be read separately, like a series of magazine articles (the author writes for Consumer Reports).

Gulp is absolutely on the wishlist! When she's good, she's really great and when she isn't so good, she's quite entertaining anyway. :)

Catching up on your reads (and films). I'm not much of a film watcher. I watch a few, but I don't really feel a pressing need to watch them. A couple of your books have caught my attention. I think we need to find a book on how to reclaim more than our skies right now. I'm about ready to find me a few veterans to help reclaim our national parks and other things. I'm also disturbed by the interruption of some services to person who really need them.

>77 -Eva-:: Agreed! Actually, at the beginning I wasn't quite sure where the book was going, but eventually I got into it.

>78 thornton37814:: I watch more films now than I did in the past -- books were (and are) my default form of entertainment. (I would regularly astound a coworker by rattling off all the classic films I have NOT seen.) But having a BF who is a moderate film buff, and having my own disposable income and cinemas that I can access without a car, have increased my film consumption.

Instead of shutting down government I would like a complete shutdown of partisan grandstanding and mudslinging on both/all sides. Some days I think it would be better for my health if I did NOT read the news.

I am so appalled at the whole shutdown that I can't even talk about it anymore without immediately going into meltdown. :)

OK does anyone have suggestions for history books about Jerusalem/the Holy City/that general area? Non-fiction would be good, well-researched historical fiction also acceptable. I ask because I saw JERUSALEM: THE MOVIE at the Museum of Civilization today. It was interesting to see pictures of many famous holy places that I knew of only by name (the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall). And the narration was excellent! ;) So now I want to read more.

I have Jerusalem: The Biography on the wishlist - it's been getting some great reviews, although some have found it a bit tedious (but that's true of most history books, surely).

Jerusalem is such a fantastic place and one I would urge everyone to visit if you get the slightest hint of a chance to do so.

His TV series to accompany that book was very good. Mind you I have no knowledge of Jerusalem, so can't comment from a position of expertise.
Don't read The Knights of Black and White which is set partly in Jerusalem. Tosh of the highest order.
Both my own opinion - feel free to entirely ignore!

>82 -Eva-: I was going to suggest that one, too. It's a chunkster so I haven't tackled it yet. Karen Armstrong's Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths looks short by comparison. It's a little older and I haven't read it, but based on her reputation it would probably be a worthwhile read.

>82 -Eva-:: I will definitely be adding Jerusalem: The Biography to my wishlist as well! It looks like a pretty comprehensive guide.

>83 Helenliz:: I read the reviews/ratings for all of the books in that Templar trilogy, and interestingly the second book is rated the highest on both LT and Goodreads. But judging from the reviews it is not likely to make its way onto my to-read list anytime soon!

>84 cbl_tn:: Haha yes, "only" 500 pages or so! I'll keep that one in mind too.

>76 rabbitprincess: I don't know how people managed to see 40+ films over the course of the festival

That's a lotta popcorn!!!

I can't wait to see The Fifth Estate. I love Alan Rickman but I might wait until that one comes on HBO.

Wow I am soo behind, so much to catch up on, enjoying all the book/film reviews! TIFF sounds like great fun.

#73 Catching up on your thread. Thank you so much for the movie reviews. It looks like you saw a lot of good movies.

>86 mamzel:: Indeed it is! I did not partake of any popcorn because that would have required leaving the lineup to purchase it. The lineups were loooooooong.
I hope you like Fifth Estate! It contains bonus Dan Stevens and Peter Capaldi :)

>87 clfisha:: TIFF is very fun. This was my first time attending. I'd consider going again if there was a similarly strong lineup.

>88 craso:: You're welcome! I'm trying to keep better records of what movies I watch, so writing movie reviews helps with that.

****

A couple of reviews lined up, one of which, incidentally, is related to TIFF.

Twelve Years a Slave, by Solomon Northup

Category: "Movie Tonight"
Source: library
Rating: 5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/102036631

The shocking but true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man resident of New York who is abducted and sold into slavery in Louisiana, and then spends twelve years trying to get back home. It is plain-spoken with precisely chosen details that really bring his plight home to the reader. Definitely worth a read, especially for students of US history.

Standing in Another Man's Grave, by Ian Rankin

Category: "I Hate a Mystery"
Source: library, Express collection
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/102635033

I saw this in the Express Collection and couldn't pass it up. Rebus is in fine form in this one, and I loved the fact that they toured the Highlands and northern Scotland. Having just been there myself, I could imagine it very clearly. Looking forward to the next book.

Great review of Twelve Years a Slave! It's going on my reading list.

I'm so happy Rankin decided to pick Rebus back up again and that he left us with a few before taking his break from writing. :)

>90 cbl_tn:: Thanks! It's in the public domain, so relatively easy to obtain a copy. I met someone at TIFF who had a copy and I think she bought it off Amazon.

>91 -Eva-:: Oh yeah, I forgot he was taking a break from writing! At the rate I'm going with Rebus I probably won't get around to Saints of the Shadow Bible until after his break is over :P

Don’t know how I got so behind on your thread, you’ve been busy! TIFF sounds like a great time, excellent book haul, nice reviews (a couple of BB), and a completed category! Love your comment about Gulp, By turns fascinating, hilarious and gross… I think that is Roach’s MO : )

93: Thanks for stopping by! I agree, that does seem to be Roach's MO. Hope you enjoy the BB books :)

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Funny book story: I'm visiting my parents this weekend and happened to notice a hardcover edition of Fear the Worst, by Linwood Barclay, on my bedside table. I thought "Uh-oh, I hope they didn't pick that up cheap for me, thinking I don't have it" because I do already own it in mass market paperback. Casually I mention the book to my mum and she says "Oh yeah, I was giving you that back, because I finally read it." Wait, what? You mean that was mine already? Turns out what likely happened is I received it for Xmas or a birthday, read it immediately then left it for my mum to borrow, and by the time the book came out in pb I had forgotten I owned a copy, so bought the pb. Now I feel silly :P

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Reviews!

To the Ends of the Earth, by William Golding

Category: Your Hit Parade (Sep and Oct Awards CAT)
Source: Abebooks
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/work/138928/reviews/101947557

This book has been my bus companion for the better part of a month, and I'm sad to see it end. I also liked that it counted for two consecutive Awards CATs; the first volume won the Booker Prize and the author won a Nobel Prize. A good story that I shall have to revisit.

Sherlock Holmes and the Treasure Train, by Frank Thomas

Category: I Hate a Mystery
Source: adopted from grandparents
Rating: 2/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/work/867874/reviews/72565778

Some elements of this were ok, but the plot was rather convoluted and the writing seemed un-Watsonian in places.

Yeah, like no one else here has ever accidentally purchased two copies of the same book!

I figure if anyone's able to relate to that story, it's LT folk ;)

I wondered why I had so many copies of some books...

A new cover fools me pretty easily.

I accidentally purchase at least one book I already own every year at the annual book sale.... you think I could remember to take a list of my books with me when I go, but no, that thought just never seems to cross my mind. New covers do it to me every time. ;-)

I've bought a second copy of books before as well, nice to know I'm not alone there! I am now buying the discworld books in hard cover, to replace my well thumbed and faded paperbacks. But that's allowed, it's a replacement, not an additional copy.

Oh, yes, a nicer edition totally does not count.

And different titles! We have a lot of duplicate Agatha Christies for that reason.

Funny you should mention that. I just entered a few books I bought when I was traveling this weekend and found that I already have a copy of one of them in my library. I think the copy I already had was one of my grandmother's that I kept after she died. The copy I just bought is better. It's a travel book with color photos. The copy I already owned is a mass market paperback. That's the one I'll get rid of.

Haha - yes, it happens all the time. This even though I started this very LT-account in order to avoid it. At least you had lent it to someone else and it wasn't, like the ones I buy tend to be, nicely sitting on a shelf at home. :)

As you can tell from the comments, you're definitely not alone in grabbing books you already have. I do it at almost every library sale I go to.

I've had a few close calls with library sales, especially with Ngaio Marsh, who has the occasional changed title, and the Archy McNally novels by Lawrence Sanders. Now I carry a list of Archys around at all times as I try to complete my collection.

I also consider my parents' library an extension of my own, so sometimes I buy books only to discover I could have borrowed them from my parents instead (e.g. London: The Biography).

There are books by certain authors, that when a new book is released there is much organizing of who in my family will buy it and in which order we will all read it. Now that I'm in Germany, I think the system will say, 1. not me and, 2. last.

That has happened to me as well. I discovered a few duplicates when I recently went through my books and added to my TBR list. I blame my faulty memory (unless the covers are different then I blame the publisher). I've gotten really irate at authors who publish the same book under different titles and/or names (Stephen King and Piers Anthony among them).

That's a good idea, to have a system for buying certain authors. In our family my mum is the Ian Rankin collector and I am in charge of Linwood Barclay.

I can understand the appeal of using a pseudonym, but it strikes me as silly when the cover then gives away the identity behind the pseudonym. At least hide that information on the "about the author" page!

I ended up being surprisingly productive on my vacation, in terms of reading. One of these books I actually finished on the plane home.

Am I the Only Sane One Working Here?: 101 Solutions for Surviving Office Insanity, by Albert J. Bernstein

Category: "Officer of the Day" 8/9
Source: library, via Overdrive
Rating: 2/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/102726443

I don't think this book is designed for reading in extended sittings. The tone grated after a while and I think there were too many scenarios to explore in any depth. Good title though.

The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey

Category: "I Hate a Mystery"
Source: borrowed from parents
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/102841543

I may have been inspired to pick this one up after reading thornton37814's review of a new Richard III book, The King's Grave. It was just the ticket for whatever vague historical mystery mood I was in at the time. I'd be interested to see how much of Grant's "investigation" of Richard III has been subsequently validated.

Long Time No See, by Ed McBain

Category: "I Hate a Mystery"
Source: Friends of the Library book sale hosted by Mountain Orchards, September 2012
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/78617034

A Go Review That Book! selection. I'm hard pressed to think of a fictional murder victim who leapt off the page in as lively a manner as Jimmy Harris did in this book. The investigation was really interesting, the pacing good, and the solution both unexpected and totally clear once revealed. Also, I'm glad the book was not as weird as the back cover made it sound.

Long Time No See sounds good. Have you read other McBain books? A BB for sure. Thanks ever so.

I've read a lot of McBains over the years and own a few, but of the ones I don't own, I can't remember which ones I've read! So I'm just going to have to read them all again.

>94 rabbitprincess:: Yup, I've done that before too, but having two copies of Fear the Worst isn't a terrible thing. I really liked that book.

I have Daughter of Time on my TBR pile. Maybe next year I'll get to it.

>113 mathgirl40:: It was a good one! I ended up leaving the one at my parents' place behind, since it was hardcover and would have been a bit heavy (also, I had to bring back To the Ends of the Earth and Robertson Davies' Cornish trilogy).

>114 dudes22:: It was a very quick read; granted, I wasn't doing a whole lot else that day, but it moved at a fairly decent clip.

****

Went out to the movies solo today to see a National Theatre encore presentation of Macbeth, starring Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston. It was a very interesting production. I liked the setting of a deconsecrated church, and the costumes had more Scottish flavour than in some other productions. The dagger soliloquy was nicely done, and at one point I made myself laugh because Kenneth Branagh was filmed from above and he had two shadows. So of COURSE I thought of the Doctor Who episode "Silence in the Library", featuring a creature called the Vashta Nerada, which disguises itself as a shadow and eats people alive.

After the play, I left the cinema and found myself wanting to declaim the first lines of the play: "When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning or in rain?" It was supposed to rain today but there had been no mention of a thunderstorm! Fortunately I managed to catch a bus home quickly and avoided the worst of it.

****

A couple of reviews...

A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: library
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/102342248

I'd been meaning to try a Nick Hornby novel for a while now, and when Nickelini reviewed A Long Way Down recently, I thought that was a reasonable place to start. It was very good. I liked the distinct viewpoints and the characters' observations. Will definitely be reading more Hornby.

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman

Category: "Your Hit Parade" (Bram Stoker Award, Best Long Fiction, 2002)
Source: Chapters gift card
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/93427136

I read this for the October Awards CAT and it was a nice quick read. I'd already seen the movie so knew what to expect. Very neat and definitely spooky.

I always enjoy watching Kenneth Branagh in a Shakespearean production.... he seems somehow suited for the stage. Of course, he was quite amusing in his role in the Harry Potter movie the Chamber of Secrets.... the gleaming white teeth smile cracks me up every time!

I read Coraline last year for my Halloween reads. I really loved it.

My best friend's a Tudor historian, and according to her, The Daughter of Time is inaccurate not for what it says, but for what it leaves out. As to Grant/Tey's final conclusions about the Princes, there's really no way to know, but nothing's even been proven conclusively.

Personally, I like the book just because it captures the "agony of defeat" when your perfect argument is ruined by a new document that brings other facts to the table. There's a reason I wouldn't have been a very good academic historian.

>116 lkernagh:: Haha yes he made a very good Prof Lockhart! I also liked him in Wallander -- one of the seasons I watched on DVD had a really neat interview with him and Henning Mankell, where Kenneth asked some very interesting and thoughtful questions.

>117 luvamystery65:: The hand was so creepy!! Loved it.

>118 casvelyn:: I also liked Grant's commentary on the different types of books people brought to keep him entertained on his sickbed: the mystery, the historical fiction, the romance novels, all very much cut from specific genre moulds.

I wouldn't have made a very good academic historian either. My problem is that I don't really have original ideas :P

Finished my October Random CAT selection, and it was a good one!

The Dark Crusader, by Alistair MacLean

Category: "I Hate a Mystery"
Source: according to my tags, the library book sale
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/98728736

This story about the mysterious disappearance of eight highly experienced defence scientists takes a little while to start, but the payoff is worth it. Lots of twists and turns and continual fighting against a seemingly omnipotent adversary. Not as good as The Guns of Navarone, but better than Where Eagles Dare. Recommended if you've already read a MacLean.

****

Yesterday the BF and I went to see Rush (the movie, not the band). It was very good. Based on true events but I didn't know the outcome of those events, so it was like a new story. Daniel Brühl was very good as Niki Lauda, and the racing scenes were quite exciting. I might read Lauda's autobiography, To Hell and Back, for my Cabin Pressure mini-challenge next year. I wouldn't consider myself a huge Formula 1 fan, but I follow it closely enough to know what the BF is talking about on race weekends ;)

Also, Sherlock S3 airdate revealed for the US! http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-10-23/sherlock-series-3-us-air-date-revealed
Pleeeeeeeeease let the UK air it fairly close to that date, to reduce the window for spoilers/crazy memes to proliferate.

Woohoo! Something else to look forward to in January!

Well, now I know -- I need to watch "Sherlock" series 2 in December! I really like the show, but I've been moving through it very slowly so that I can savor it (and not wait too long between seasons!).

>121 cbl_tn:: Indeed! What a happy new year it shall be :)

>122 christina_reads:: Yes, good call. One of my friends has avoided watching the last episode of S2 until S3 starts, because she hates cliffhangers :P

Yey for Sherlock! I think they're deliberately trying to get the dates for US and the rest of the world to be as close as possible, but I'm thinking BBC will at least have started by Xmas.

>124 -Eva-:: Yeah, I should think they would make it as close as possible. But if they can do a worldwide SIMULCAST of the special where they announced Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor (not even the 50th anniversary special itself!), then surely to goodness they can at least air Sherlock in the UK only a day before the US, if not the same day.

And speaking of Doctor Who, finished a book that a couple of folks in the ROOTS group have read.

The Wheel of Ice, by Stephen Baxter

Category: "Movie Tonight"
Source: library
Rating: 3/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103027008

For some reason the library decided to acquire this book. Of course I must strongly encourage them to continue acquiring Doctor Who novels, so I borrowed it. It was pretty good; I always like Second Doctor adventures simply because so many of his actual episodes were lost and it's nice to give him some more. (I feel the same way about Eighth Doctor adventures but haven't read any of those yet.) This was a bit longer than your average Dr Who novel and would benefit from being read as close to all the way through as possible.

I have The Wheel of Ice in my TBR pile. Haven't seen as much of the Second Doctor as the Third, Fourth, and Fifth, but I like him, or maybe I just like Jamie! Thank you for the review.

Just catching up on your thread - I was WAY behind. Took a couple of BBs. Gulp sounds like something I should read, and Am I the Only Sane One Working Here? is something I'm going to skim.

I'm wondering if I should try an Ed McBain book. I have one slot left to fill in my Mysteries category. I don't really read mysteries except for the Stephanie Plum series or some of the ones with cats in them. I don't like serial killers or anything else too scary. But one of my cats was called "McBain" at the shelter, so I'm curious about the author.

>114 dudes22:: I loved the Cornish trilogy. I reread The Rebel Angels recently and plan to reread What's Bred in the Bone early in 2014. Have you seen the Canadian Robertson Davies stamps? I bought myself a pack yesterday.

>126 craso:: Jamie is in fine form in this one. And if one Scottish character isn't enough, there's also a Glaswegian robot!

>127 BookLizard:: Gulp was a lot of fun. Maybe not so much for the BF, because I basically read about half the book aloud to him ("Hey, listen to this...!"), but I certainly enjoyed it.

Re McBain, Let's Hear it for the Deaf Man is one of my favourites and I am pretty sure it doesn't involve serial killers. At any rate the main focus is the Deaf Man, who likes to plot spectacular heists and taunt the detectives by sending them obscure clues.

>128 mathgirl40:: I got an omnibus edition of the trilogy many years ago but never finished the first volume. For the past couple of years it seems I've tackled one omnibus work a year (Parade's End last year, To the Ends of the Earth this year), so I figured 2014 would be a good time to finally tackle Robertson Davies. Just saw the postage stamp -- nice!

****

Yesterday I was quite productive, finishing two books and making significant headway on a knitting project. Still working on the knitting, but in between I've managed to write reviews for the finished books.

The Angel's Kiss: A Melody Malone Mystery, by Melody Malone and Justin Richards

Category: "The Winchester Tapes" (it's been a while!)
Source: library CDs
Rating: 3/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/100615009

Basically, two stars for the plot, an extra star for Alex Kingston's narration, since she IS Melody Malone. Before reading this, it might help to watch the Doctor Who episode "The Angels Take Manhattan", since it is supposedly the book that the characters are reading during the episode. If you want to read this I definitely recommend the audio.

Artists in Crime, by Ngaio Marsh

Category: "I Hate a Mystery"
Source: library
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103119129

In the Roderick Alleyn series, this one can be summarized succinctly as "the one where Alleyn meets Agatha Troy, AWWWWW!" Troy is an artist and meets Alleyn on a ship from New Zealand to Canada (where they will cross the country by rail and take another ship back to the UK), then they meet again when a model working at Troy's studio is murdered and Alleyn investigates. I really liked this book, especially Alleyn's mum making a few appearances. This is easily my favourite in the series.

->125 rabbitprincess:
I'm blaming PBS. They do the same with Downton Abbey. :( It would have been better if BBC America had been the broadcaster.

Such a shame about the plot of The Angel's Kiss: A Melody Malone Mystery, but I do have the audio on the wishlist.

>130 -Eva-:: Makes sense. The Dr Who Peter Capaldi Reveal Special aired here on Space, and they have also been airing Dr Who eps the same day they air in the UK. Maybe we should get Space to air Sherlock. They already air RIPPER STREET, which does not seem to be a logical show for them to air, so Sherlock would not really be that much of a stretch :P

Yeah, it just felt bare-bones in some way. The audio is definitely the way to go.

>127 BookLizard: BookLizard - if you have an e-reader, Evan Katy writes a series very similar to the Stephanie Plum series (3 books so far) and they're pretty cheap. Not sure if they're in print or not.

132> Thanks for the tip. Love the title for January Kills Me - I'm so not looking forward to winter.

You and me both!

I'm playing catch-up! And you've giving me several movie titles (The Grand Seduction, The Invisible Woman & The Railway Man) to put in my Netflix queue. I went to our local film festival for the first time a few weeks ago and saw a great documentary on Antarctica, and then saw one of last year's picks, Take Shelter, starring Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon.

I'm glad you liked The Daughter of Time. I enjoyed that one so much but like you, I wasn't sure how much of the detective work turned out to be true.

So glad to see that we don't have to wait much longer for Sherlock!

>135 mstrust:: Hurray, glad to be of service in the movie recs department. Hope you like them! I'll have to check out Take Shelter as well. Jessica Chastain was great in Eleanor Rigby.

I suspect the truth lies somewhere between Tey and Shakespeare but we will not really know for sure about some aspects of his reign.

Yes, hurray for Sherlock! Off to watch the trailer multiple times. :)

Finally a mystery I can stick in another category! I definitely overfilled the mystery category this time!

A Body Surrounded by Water, by Eric Wright

Category: "The Red/White Blues"
Source: EVM
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/88387557

A pleasant little mystery featuring Toronto cop Charlie Salter, who is called in to investigate a case in PEI while vacationing there with his family. It's a short mystery by modern standards (maybe 200 pages, if that), so that was nice. And since it was published in 1987, it has a nice timeless feel to it. (I particularly liked that the ferries to PEI were still active; the Confederation Bridge takes a lot of the romance out of visiting the Island.)

****

Since it's almost November (ack!), this is as good a time as any to unveil my reading plans for the month.

Group reads:
- Zane Grey November (Riders of the Purple Sage, Rangers of the Lone Star)
- Lionheart. which FINALLY came in for me at the library

Alpha CAT:
- Unbound, by Julie Kaewert
- possibly Yesterday the Children Were Dancing, by Gratien Gélinas

Awards CAT:
- Redshirts, by John Scalzi (Hugo Award Winner for Best Novel, 2013)

Random CAT:
- I might double up Redshirts for this one since John is also the name of a pilgrim, per the challenge.
- I also have William Shakespeare's Richard II in the pile, so if I get to it this month I'll count it for this challenge instead.

Currently reading:
- Redshirts, by John Scalzi (it's proven very dangerous to read on the bus, because I keep choking back laughter every few pages)
- Les quatre guerres de 1812, by D. Peter MacLeod (will probably finish this within the next couple of days, as it's very short)
- Shooting Victoria: Madness, Mayhem and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy, by Paul Thomas Murphy (bedside book; tons of details, very interesting)

****

Also, happy Halloween! Photo by the BF.

Great Halloween costume! Where did you leave the tardis?

On the balcony :)

Excellent costume!!!

I think you liked the Eric Wright book a little better than I did when I read it. Love the Halloween costume. All I had was a Halloween t-shirt that I picked up last year for $3 after Halloween. It had cats on it and also a candy corn "Boo."

>140 -Eva-:: Thanks! I knitted the scarf myself :)

>141 thornton37814:: Halloween T-shirts are good too! Almost nobody in my office dressed up in any way whatsoever :( However, one of the few who did dress up went as Rosie the Riveter, which was pretty darn cool.
I think I read a few of the Salter books before, when I was younger. Simply being around them a lot as a kid probably gives them a bit of a headstart in my estimation.

Great costume! Also love all the books in the background. Impressive knitting job with the scarf too.

>143 LittleTaiko:: Thanks! The scarf was not technically challenging (only the basic knit stitch) but did take a lot of time.
And yes the bookshelf in the background is a nice bonus. You can see why I need another bookcase :P

****

Of the three Currently Reading books in my Halloween post, I've finished two of them. Here is a review for one of them, which I finished yesterday, and which also FINALLY completes my French category!

Les quatre guerres de 1812, by D. Peter MacLeod

Category: "Foreign Affairs" 2/2 CATEGORY COMPLETED
Source: Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, June 2012
Rating: 3/5
Review en français: http://www.librarything.com/review/86686859

English version of my review:

In 2012 the Canadian War Museum put on an exhibit about the War of 1812, in honour of its bicentennial anniversary, called "One War, Four Perspectives", which told the story of the war from the point of view of the Americans, the British, the Canadians, and the Native Americans. I bought this book at a preview event the day before the exhibit officially opened; it was available in both English and French, so I decided to boost the French copy's sales a bit (and practise my second language at the same time).

The book provides a good distillation of the exhibit (which you can see online here). There are four sections, one for each perspective on the war, and it is laid out in an aesthetically pleasing manner: plenty of colour photographs, white space and moderately sized chunks of text. Some of the pictures show artefacts such as General Isaac Brock's jacket, worn on the day he was killed at the Battle of Queenston Heights, and the actual Star-Spangled Banner that inspired Francis Scott Key's poem (and the eventual US national anthem). Others show paintings inspired by the conflict. The text itself also contains excerpts from contemporary documents (mostly translations, as you might imagine, given that most of the combatants spoke English).

This is a good starting point for reading about the War of 1812. From here you might want to try Pierre Berton's two books on the subject: The Invasion of Canada and Flames Across the Border.

****

Now I have only three books left to complete the challenge: one work-related book and two Westerns. This is definitely doable by the end of the year, but it will probably be a very protracted finish!

Catching up on threads! You had the perfect Halloween costume - for you! I had to save that photo :)

Have you read The Ox-Bow Incident? Excellent western.

Thanks! Haha at first one of my coworkers didn't think I'd actually dressed up as anything -- probably because everything except the scarf and vest is part of my regular wardrobe. And even the scarf I sometimes wear at home, as a kind of shawl.

Haven't read that one, but added it to the TBR list!

Love the costume! And kudos for knitting the scarf your self!

>147 bookwormjules:: Thanks! The BBC does have official replicas for sale, but it was easy enough to make for myself. The trick is making sure you get yarn when it's on sale, as it does eat up rather a lot.

****

Continuing the sci-fi vein with this review...

Redshirts, by John Scalzi

Category: "Your Hit Parade" (Hugo Award winner, Best Novel, 2013)
Source: Waterstones Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, May 2013
Rating: 4.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/98147736

This was hilarious. The sort of book that makes you chuckle "Heh heh heh" deep in your throat every few pages. Mildly awkward if you're doing this on the bus. If you enjoyed the movie Galaxy Quest you will probably like this as well.

****

I've added a whole bunch of plays to the TBR list thanks to seeing the National Theatre's 50th anniversary show yesterday, which was broadcast live to cinemas around the world. It was FANTASTIC. So many wonderful actors came together to celebrate the anniversary and perform scenes from plays NT has staged over the years. Highlights included:
- Derek Jacobi and Michael Gambon in "No Man's Land"
- Benedict Cumberbatch as Rosencrantz in "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead"
- Penelope Wilton in "Bedroom Farce"
- Joan Plowright performing a monologue from "Saint Joan"
- Roger Allam as Werner Heisenberg from Michael Frayn's "Copenhagen" (oddly enough, Benedict played the role in a recent BBC radio dramatization, and Roger and Benedict both appear on the Radio 4 sitcom "Cabin Pressure")
- Maggie Smith performing a monologue from "The Beaux Stratagem", and appearing in archive footage of Noel Coward's "Hay Fever"
- James Corden and Dominic Cooper, among others, reprising their roles in "The History Boys"
- Andrew Scott and Dominic Cooper in a scene from "Angels in America"
- Judi Dench performing a scene from "Antony and Cleopatra" (with Rory Kinnear, which is funny since he played her assistant in Skyfall) and "Send in the Clowns" from "A Little Night Music"
- Other musicals included "My Fair Lady" and "Guys and Dolls"
- Frances de la Tour closing the show with a very apt scene from "The Habit of Art", by Alan Bennett

If NT Live decides to have encore presentations of the anniversary show and you are able to go, do go see it. Two hours have never flown by so quickly.

Sounds like a wonderful evening.

I would have loved to see Cumberbatch as Rosencrantz - that's one of my all-time favorite plays!

That sounds fantastic! Like the Oscars, but with people you actually want to see. I'll check if my local museum is showing it.
I had hoped to go yesterday, as they were showing the Branagh Macbeth, but we got in the night before from having Halloween in Vegas and I was too wiped out.

Oh, I got to read Redshirts next year!

And great costume!

>149 mysterymax:: It sure was! And of course the cameras automatically gave us a very good view! Being there in person must have been fantastic though.

>150 -Eva-:: Ask and ye shall receive! http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-11-04/benedict-cumberbatchs-50th-anniversary...
Also Kobna Holdbrook-Smith narrates the Rivers of London books :)

>151 mstrust:: It may also be in the cinemas. Are you on the NT Live mailing list? I've signed up for their updates and regularly check Cineplex as well, which is where I see my NT shows.

>152 paruline:: Enjoy! And thanks! It may need to be repeated :)

****

A hefty non-fiction book (I seem to specialize in reading those):

Shooting Victoria: Madness, Mayhem, and the Rebirth of the British Monarchy, by Paul Thomas Murphy

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: library
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/102970908

Before reading this, I had no idea that Victoria had been on the receiving end of so many assassination attempts. In this book you learn about each of them, as well as the circumstances surrounding each would-be assassin. The book also provides a history of Victoria's reign. A good book to read if you have a basic idea of the history and want some more in-depth information. You will definitely get lots of details!

Oh, good, my museum is showing it at the end of November! Also, they're showing the Rory Kinnear version of Hamlet in December. It also features James Laurenson, who happens to be one of my favorites.
I'm not on the mailing list and didn't know about that, so thanks!

>154 mstrust:: Hurray! Enjoy! :)

Next up in NT for us is Tom Hiddleston and Mark Gatiss in Coriolanus, and then starting in March is a bunch of encores of War Horse. I've seen the movie but should really read the book before going to see the play.

->153 rabbitprincess:
Thanks for the link!! He's just so brilliant.

>156 -Eva-:: I love the bit where he sketches out being in a box. And the gangly, goofy way he ambles over to G at the end and says that line about eternity! Awwww. :D Would love to see a full production of R&G with him and Kobna!

That would be great - I'd travel quite a bit to see that!

UK Sherlock date has been announced: December 15th, so we'll "only" be a month behind. Better than last year, but not good enough, in my mind. :)

>159 -Eva-:: I thought that was just the first episode, and at a special screening? But yes there will likely still be spoilers floating around the Internet as a result. Sigh.

Glad you enjoyed Redshirts. I'm rereading it right now, as it's our book-club choice at work. Still hilariously funny, second time around.

I love the Dr. Who scarf. I may knit one for myself one day. Yours looks great.

>161 mathgirl40:: That sounds like a great book club!

Thanks! The website www.doctorwhoscarf.com provides patterns for all the different variations of The Scarf, as there were several over the years. My scarf is a Season 15 and is actually only about half the pattern because I was running out of yarn, but it's plenty long enough!

>159 -Eva-: notfairnotfairnotfair!

What about those of us what can't knit???!!!

>164 mysterymax: No-one can't knit, they've just not tried. Even I managed to knit an uber long scarf. In rainbow stripes. Fortunately I have long since lost it, as it was one of the most unstylish items ever to grace the earth.

>163 mstrust:: Agreed! Hmph. If my cousin still lived in London I would crash at her place while Series 3 aired :P

>164 mysterymax:, 165: I imagine you could even crochet a scarf as well. And either way, there are plenty of tutorials online (e.g. KnittingHelp.com).
I use my Dr Who scarf as a shawl sometimes, if it's too warm to wear long sleeves but I'm still feeling a bit cool indoors.

No one - can't knit?

My friend, who happens to be an amazing knitter and a VERY patient person - after trying to teach me to knit a very simple neck scarf suggested that I take up drawing (while knowing that even my stick people don't look like stick people)

Neither can I eat with chop sticks.

#137 Love the Tom Baker Doctor Who outfit! I crocheted a really long scarf for my husband one year and we called it the Doctor Who scarf.

#148 Red Shirts is on my TBR pile. Thanks for the review!

168> OK, I stand corrected almost no-one can't knit. I'm just about the least co-ordinated person I know and I got there in the end with almost endless tuition from granny (who had to cast on and start the first row). But the one article I did produce has long since bitten the dust.

PS - me neither with the chopsticks.

I'm glad everyone is enjoying Redshirts! It was one of my better reads last year.

Helen - have you since learned how to start the first row? :)

>168 mysterymax:: I can knit but am very clumsy with chopsticks! ;)

>169 craso:: Thanks! I enjoyed putting it together (and knowing that I have most of the items in my regular wardrobe). Hope you like Redshirts!

>170 Helenliz:: The first row is always the hardest, especially if you're like me and cast on too tightly.

>171 mysterymax:: Yes, it was really fun! I had to try not to laugh on the bus.

171> No. And tbh i doubt I ever will. One scarf, just to say I could do it once upon a time and I moved on. Crafty butterfly, me - done most things once. Although crochet always eluded me...

>173 Helenliz:: Personally I find crochet harder than knitting -- there's only one hook, so I feel like I'm off balance or that I'm dropping stitches everywhere. Holding two needles for knitting feels sturdier.

That's funny. I can't knit because I am always dropping stitches. Comes out all crooked. I am a wiz a crochet. I feel like I have more control with one needle. :-)

Gosh with all this knitting talk I am almost tempted to resurrect the scarf I was knitting over 20 years ago.. Ahem. I think anything else could be beyond me :)

And echoing the the Redshirts love, too much fun.

Redshirts is going on the Christmas list for Mom. She loves Star Trek enough to have an Enterprise Christmas ornament on the front of the tree every year. Press the button and Leonard Nimoy says, "Live long and prosper."

I am just so happy to see others admit they can't use chopsticks! I am usually the only person at the table that has to quietly ask the waiter to please bring me a fork.

>175 craso:: True, it is only one thing to handle! And perhaps it is different when one is crocheting a full item. The only time I've crocheted is when I had to crochet edging onto a (knitted) hat, and my hands were shaking like crazy as I tried to make the stitches.

>176 clfisha:: Theoretically, if you knitted a whole bunch of scarves and sewed them together, you could make garments out of them ;) I would also suggest trying a hat if you're interested in getting back into knitting. With thick yarn and big needles, hats knit up really quickly. Instant gratification is a wonderful thing.

>177 mstrust:: That sounds like an awesome Christmas ornament. I think I saw one of Spock himself as well, when I was at the card store. And I hope your mom likes the book!

>178 DeltaQueen50:: I have an especially hard time with the disposable wooden chopsticks that you sometimes get with take-away food, where they come wrapped like straws and you have to break them in two. I always break them off unevenly and then I can't use them!

Spent the past couple of days at a work conference and arrived at today's session super early. This gave me plenty of time to finish my latest book.

Unbound, by Julie Kaewert

Category: "Cementing Relationships"
Source: Prime Crime Books, Ottawa
Rating: 2.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/70444256

I loved this series in high school/university, so thought it might be appropriate to start rereading the books, especially since the K author fit in with the November Alpha CAT. This is the second in the series (I own all except book 1). I was a bit harsh with the star rating here, mainly because I first read this so long ago and my tastes have changed with regard to writing style. It also reminded me a little too much of The Da Vinci Code, even though the Code came after this book. But I appreciated the London setting a whole lot more now that I've been there myself. So overall I'd say if you like the sound of the series, it's worth a try. But maybe not this one first.

That's the rating I gave the first book in Kaewert's series. I think your review just confirmed that I need to avoid the remaining books!

>181 thornton37814:: It's a shame, because the premise is a good one. I wonder if there are any other series or stand-alone mysteries set in publishing houses?

I do plan to reread the rest of them, and will probably still keep them around for sentimental reasons, but if I had a "secondary bookcase" for less-loved books, that's where they would go.

182> The Jane Stuart and Winky series by Evan Marshall is about a literary agent (and her cat Winky). They're cozies. I enjoyed them, but I don't really read mysteries, so I'm not the best judge of quality.

I read a good mystery not too many years ago set at a literary agent's office. I liked it enough to buy a copy for a friend. If I remember the title, I'll let you know.

I blame LT for all those series and authors whose books I no longer enjoy as much. It's increased the quality of the books I read.

>183 BookLizard:: One of my friends is a pretty big connoisseur of cozies, so I might give her that recommendation as well!

>184 RidgewayGirl:: That's probably a significant factor! I've found the automatic recommendations pretty good as well. Often they will suggest a book that I already have my eye on (I keep my TBR list on Goodreads, because I've had that account for longer), justifying my initial impulse. I also like that LT has increased my foraying into other genres and topics.

****

Review of a book that continues with my high school interest in urban planning.

Straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile, by Taras Grescoe

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: library, via Overdrive
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103362119

I grew up in suburbia but have never really been inclined to learn how to drive. When I went to university I chose a city where I could get around by public transit, and I've lived here ever since. So I was predisposed to like this book, which showcases cities that get public transit right and provides examples of what happens when cities lose their way in that department, as well as cities that have worked to overcome their car-centric planning. A very relevant book these days and well worth reading.

185> I checked to see if our library system has Straphanger, and we do, but the subtitle is "Surviving the End of the Automobile Age." I wonder if the subtitle was changed to appeal to a different audience - i.e. not preaching to the choir.

The best public transit system I've seen was in Toronto. It's been years since I've been to San Francisco, but I believe theirs was pretty good as well (but crowded). I'm from Boston - we had the first subway in the U.S. . . . and it feels like that first train is still in service. LOL.

>186 BookLizard:: Interesting subtitle change! You're probably right on why it was changed. Fortunately the main title is still the same! And I love the cover, with the title done up like a subway map.

San Fran is also covered in the book, mainly as a contrast with LA. I think Boston might have been mentioned as well. It looks like a pretty good system (just checked out the website).

Toronto's system is pretty good but the Yonge-University line in particular desperately needs reinforcement -- with all the new condo towers going up and more people moving downtown, there's not as much room on the trains anymore. But it held up very well when I was in town for the film festival.

Here in Ottawa I'm able to get around relatively easily with the buses, but afternoon rush hour gets a bit chaotic in the downtown core because the buses are tangled up in car traffic (even though they have dedicated bus lanes, they don't get priority signals). We're supposed to be getting light rail with a tunnel through downtown sometime within the next decade. I'll believe it when I see it!

My favourite transit system is probably the London Underground, for iconic history reasons (and it was super handy when we visited). We also enjoyed using Glasgow's little subway loop, the "Clockwork Orange". "D'awww, what an adorable little subway!"

I'm intrigued by Straphanger especially since I live in Dallas which is a very car centered city. We do have a rail system that keeps expanding, but it will be quite a while before the car culture changes here.

>162 rabbitprincess:: The book-club doing Redshirts is the one at work. I work at a software company, so we're a pretty geeky bunch there. We do try to read a wide range of literature and genre fiction, but we probably do more SFF than the average book club. That Doctor Who scarf Web site is really awesome. I really must make a scarf one day.

>187 rabbitprincess:: We're also supposed to get light rail here in Kitchener-Waterloo within the next decade, even though there's still a lot of opposition to it (not from me, though). They're estimating 2018, which means it'll be at least 2020 or later.

>189 mathgirl40:: A work book club sounds really fun! The closest we get to a book club at work is me and a coworker trading book recommendations. We also like to place bets on the winners of Canada Reads and the Giller. (We don't bet actual money; we just like the thrill of making the selections and being right as applicable.)

That timeframe sounds about right!

Is the light-rail just inner-city? or does it go somewhere? I lived in Guelph for several years...

>191 mysterymax:: I imagine it would be mostly within the city, but it would likely hook up with the GO station for intercity travel.

Darn it I'm up to date on a series and have to wait for the next book.

Moon Over Soho, by Ben Aaronovitch

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: Waterstones Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/98147826

I always enjoy visits to Peter Grant's London, and this book is no exception. It reads very quickly, and I love when Grant refers to Nightingale's school as "Hogwarts" or otherwise makes Harry Potter references. You'll probably want the third book on hand once you finish this one. (Unless you're me and read the third book first, in which case this will retroactively explain a few things. I was warned that the series is best read in order, so I take full responsibility for any spoilers or confusion I incurred as a result of not reading in order :P)

Now to wait for Broken Homes...

I kind of like to read series, especially crime series, out of order. Authors get better as they go, so if I'd started at the beginning, I might never have continued (Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson). And it is fun to be reading backwards and discovering why so-and-so was scared of the dark or angry all the time or wearing a knee brace in a later book. Also, good authors know how to let new readers in without boring the ones who'd read from the beginning.

>193 RidgewayGirl:: Yup, that was part of the fun for me with this series. And agreed about reading crime series out of order. The Bryant and May series is like that for me -- I'm reading later books first and then the earlier books shed some light on what I'd already read. Other series I do like to read in order, but that usually happens once I've managed to catch up with all of the back titles.

Another mystery I can stick into a different category for once :)

Past Reason Hated, by Peter Robinson

Category: "Your Hit Parade" (Arthur Ellis Award, Best Novel, 1992)
Source: Friends of Library and Archives book sale, according to my tags
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/70473727

If you like your Christmas with a bit of murder, this might do the job. The murder takes place just before Christmas and is solved shortly after the New Year. Strangely, it did help me get a bit into the holiday spirit! I'd also recommend this book if you've read others in the series.

Oddly enough, I do like a bit of murder with Christmas. I'll have to look for that one!

I like murder just about any time of the year, including Christmas!

>196 cbl_tn:: The murder itself is not Christmas-themed -- it's not a dead Santa or someone strangled with tinsel -- but Robinson does a good job of depicting the holiday season. A lot of these earlier mysteries have been reprinted at least once so I hope you are able to find a copy!

>197 thornton37814:: Indeed! I especially like receiving murder mysteries for Christmas ;) Or at least ones that I've managed to refrain from buying for myself. (My parents have asked for my Christmas list so I am probably banned from book-buying for the rest of the year.)

****

Yesterday my settling in with tea and a blanket was successful, and I finished one of my too-many library books.

Lionheart, by Sharon Kay Penman

Category: "Mail Call"
Source: library
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103469543

If I hadn't read the preceding volumes in this series, I might have given this 4 stars. The battle scenes and campaigning on the Third Crusade were very interesting to read about, especially since I recently saw a documentary about Jerusalem and also only know about Richard's "ransom years" (haha I typed "random" at first) through Robin Hood and Ivanhoe. This can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the larger series.

I just really wish that I could convince my family that I really would prefer for them just to give me Amazon.com gift cards for Christmas! I'll settle for Barnes & Noble, although it requires more discipline since I have to plan for a trip to the big city and have to make myself wait.

>199 thornton37814:: Gift cards are like two gifts in one: the ability to buy stuff AND the fun of planning what you are going to spend it on! Actually I am starting to find that I prefer food gifts for Christmas; they can be shared with my BF and they are eventually consumed instead of taking up space in my apartment.

I just finished Past Reason Hated too and you're right, although it only takes place at Christmas rather than being about Christmas, you do get some of the feeling.

>201 -Eva-:: Indeed, especially the Christmas-party atmosphere, and the weather to an extent.

****

Speaking of Christmas, I had to add these beauties to my list: http://www.sherlockology.com/news/2013/11/18/new-sherlock-books-181113

Actually they were on my list already, just on the off-chance that BBC Books might continue the TV-tie-in treatment of the Holmes canon, but whatever. I might have done a happy dance at my desk when I saw this.

****

And speaking of British TV, finished another Dr Who novel.

Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion, by Malcolm Hulke

Category: "Movie Tonight"
Source: Lothlorien, Moffat, Scotland (May 2013)
Rating: 2.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/98198478

Does what it says on the tin. Sarah Jane is given a couple of stupid moments, but that's not necessarily her fault. The story is probably easier to take in TV format, which would break up the flow a bit, but the special effects are probably better in one's imagination. This would definitely be fun to re-enact with toy dinosaurs and Dr Who action figures.

I'm sure those Sherlock books will sell like mad, if only for the cover photos alone.

Christmas is always better with a little bit of murder. :)

What's the best Christmas mystery? Anyone? Anyone?

205> Well, the highest rated things that I have with the tag mash of Christmas and murder are:

How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
Water Like a Stone by Deborah Crombie
Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie (aka Hercule Poirot's Christmas or Murder for Christmas)

There's a fun anthology of short stories and novellas called Murder for Christmas, edited by Thomas Godfrey. The works are mostly by classic mystery writiers like Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. If I remember correctly, there are very few (if any) duds in the bunch!

I might try to get to that one next month, Christina, if it is on the shelf when I make my next trip to the library. They have it. It's currently on the shelf!

>203 mstrust:: Probably! And they're nice and bright, too. Most of the previous tie-in editions have fairly dark covers.

>204 PawsforThought:: Indeed :)

>205 mysterymax:-208: I love the Christmas mystery discussion! A Holiday for Murder is indeed a good one. My library doesn't have Murder for Christmas (boo!), but it does have Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop, which is on my TBR. I also want to read Rumpole at Christmas.

Also, I found this in the library catalogue and HAD to place a hold on it, with a title like that: Benjamin Franklin and a Case of Christmas Murder.

I read A Rumpole Christmas last year and loved it.

The Benjamin Franklin book sounds interesting!

Maybe we should have a December is for Christmas murders month! The Ben Franklin one sounds good - as do all the others.

LOL - Special effects probably better in one's head. What, you object to tiny model villages being flooded with garden hoses? I dare you to do a gingerbread re-enactment of Dr. Who & the Dinos. I'm sure they sell gummy dinosaurs somewhere.

I received Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop as a gift last year and am planning in reading it next month. Will be curious to see how it stacks up to other Christmas mysteries.

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen was quite fun.

>211 mysterymax: - love the idea of a Christmas murders month. What better way to combat the holiday stress.

Along the lines of re-enacting scenes from a book, the dinosaurs put me in mind of this I saw recently. http://www.quickmeme.com/p/3vpa2h

>210 cbl_tn:: Good to know! If I see it on the shelf between now and Christmas I shall have to snap it up. The Benjamin Franklin book is on its way, so stay tuned :)

>211 mysterymax:: Good idea! I would be OK with setting up a thread this weekend if people wanted!

>212 cammykitty:: Haha not necessarily! Actually a modern film is not necessarily a guarantee of good special effects, I guess…they might CGI everything to death. What they need is to make Dr Who and the Dinosaur Invasion with Jurassic Park-style animatronics.

Mmmmmm gummy dinosaurs. Must investigate!

>213 LittleTaiko:: Ooh, I'll be curious to hear how it is! Also, I need to visit that bookshop.

>214 Helenliz:: That is hilarious! Very cool parents :)

****

Still chipping away at a bunch of library books, as well as my Zane Grey book for the group read. I like the Zane Grey well enough while reading it, but I have to actually sit down and read it. Not tonight though; Space is showing An Adventure in Space and Time, a drama about how Dr Who (the show) came into being. For some reason I didn't think it would be shown over here so I am really excited. Truth be told I might even be more excited about this than about the actual 50th anniversary special tomorrow.

And yes, I am aware of the Google Doodle featuring Dr Who ;)

I just requested Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop from the library. It should come in by Monday. If you set up a thread I'll join in.

Y'all are terrible, just horrible adding to my TBR pile! Bah Humbug! ;-)

So I watched that episode of the Graham Norton show with Harrison Ford and Benedict Cumberbatch and I think I finally get the Cumberbatch appeal. He can make Chewbacca noises.

>216 luvamystery65: and anyone else who's interested: the Christmas mystery thread is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/161380

>217 RidgewayGirl:: Probably the best impression I've heard!

Just catching up with all this great Christmas-mystery discussion. Thanks for setting up the group read. I'll definitely join this one in December.

>219 mathgirl40:: Hurray! The more the merrier (pun slightly intended)!

****

A couple more reviews, finally.

The Hollow Man, by Oliver Harris

Category: "I Hate a Mystery"
Source: library
Rating: 3/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103809228

I think this was on my TBR list because it is set in London. It ended up being a thriller filled with twists and turns and a relatively surprising ending (at least for me; your mileage may vary). Considering it was borrowed from the library, not a bad gamble.

Riders of the Purple Sage, by Zane Grey

Category: "The Colonel's Horse" 8/9
Source: EVM
Rating: 2.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/88362958

I started out okay with this one, but then too many shiny new things came in from the library and my attention span got shorter and shorter. I ended up going to Wikipedia to find out how it ended. Will try another Zane Grey in the future, perhaps when I am less distracted by other books.

Neverwhere, the BBC Radio 4 play based on Neil Gaiman's fantastic novel, will be re-aired over the Christmas holidays!
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-11-26/neverwhere-starring-benedict-cumberbat...
Here's hoping it will be available for playback outside of the UK as well.

I would love to hear that. It would be nice if they released it on CD.

221. Great news! That was such an amazing audio play. I've listened to it several times. Great, great cast.

I don't know about the rest of the world but I've never had any problem listening to the Radio 4 player on the BBC website.

I listen to BBC Radio4 all the time. And the serials usually stay available for at least a week on the listen again thing. That way you won't have to listen in the middle of the night. I like to wait and listen to all the episodes at once.

Also, some of the plays on Radio 3 and 4 get selected as "Play of the Week" and you can download them (the podcast is called "Play of the Week) on Itunes and keep them forever. Radio 4 has tons of exellent podcasts to download, beside the plays.

Mamzel, ask and ye shall receive! http://www.bookdepository.com/Neverwhere-Neil-Gaiman/9781471316470

audible.com also has the Neverwhere BBC radio production for digital download.

>227 luvamystery65: Nice one! ;-)

And from what I can see the Audible recording also stars Christopher Lee. I believe Audible allows one free download. Guess I know which one I'll be going for.

Just need to find out what to do with all the other Christopher Lee recordings there. LOL

>228 IrishHolger:: Yes, Christopher Lee is fabulous in this one! It's a great cast overall. It would also have made a great TV cast but Sir Christopher is not getting any younger (sadly).

And yes I am reasonably certain that the Beeb will make it available worldwide, but part of me always wants to put in a disclaimer :P

****

A bunch of reviews this fine weekend! I was very productive this week on the reading front. Unfortunately I was in a bit of a quality slump; not much was floating my boat.

Enter a Murderer, by Ngaio Marsh

Category: "I Hate a Mystery"
Source: library
Rating: 2.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103933723

I thought I'd read this one before, but if I did it was very forgettable. I like the atmosphere of Marsh's theatre mysteries but the plots themselves seem rather lukewarm.

Rooster: The Life and Times of the Real Rooster Cogburn, the Man Who Inspired True Grit, by Brett Cogburn

Category: "The Colonel's Horse" CATEGORY COMPLETED!
Source: library
Rating: 3/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103747626

An interesting look at a man who lends his name, but perhaps not much else, to one of the best-known Western (in the sense of cowboy, not "non-Eastern") characters. It's short but not too padded. May appeal to fans of True Grit and Lawless.

Yesterday the Children Were Dancing, by Gratien Gélinas

Category: "Showtime"
Source: a secondhand book sale somewhere
Rating: 2/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/70475031

Set during the late 1960s in Quebec, this shows a family divided by the upheaval of the Quiet Revolution. Probably better in French; almost every line of the dialogue in the English version seemed to contain a cliché or well-worn phrase, which was irritating.

Eleven Pipers Piping, by C.C. Benison

Category: "The Red/White Blues" (the author is Canadian)
Source: library
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103954804

This was much better than the first book in the series. Of course, I may be biased in favour of mysteries involving Burns Suppers, but also the backstory has settled down a bit and the cast of characters is more manageable than in the first volume. If you're interested in the series, I suggest bucking tradition and starting with this one.

****

Also, this evening I attended a Q&A with Ian Rankin at the Ottawa International Writers' Festival! He was very entertaining and had lots of stories. He told a very amusing one about Ken Stott as Rebus, about Rebus's football allegiances, in response to a question. Rebus doesn't get involved in Hibs vs. Hearts (the two Edinburgh teams); he does not support any particular team. But in the show, Rebus is a Hibs fan, because in reality Ken Stott is a Hearts fan and the producers decided it would be funny to make Ken profess allegiance to the other team. Ken has apparently said that was the hardest thing he's ever done as an actor :P

Ian also signed a couple of copies of Saints of the Shadow Bible for me; one for a friend and one for my mum, who is the die-hard Rankin fan in the family. We talked about the National Gallery because I mentioned how Doors Open was so fun to read right before my trip to Edinburgh and then to see it in person, wow! He really does bring Edinburgh to life. And now I am tempted to read my mum's Christmas present before giving it to her...

I'm very jealous. That is all.

I agree with you about the Father Christmas series. The second book was much better than the first. I'm also a sucker for Burns Suppers. I attend one every year and I don't even have many Scots in my family tree!

How cool that you got to meet Ian Rankin!

I'm glad you enjoyed seeing Rankin. I'm hoping to see him in January when he comes to a tiny independent near me.

Christopher Lee is great and I love that Tim Burton is a fan too. Here's a giggle, and keep in mind that Lee was 90 when he did this. I like how the chorus includes what looks like one or two production assistants to bulk up the group.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvKRbi2ovDY

Love the video!

>230 RidgewayGirl:: Hopefully he'll be doing some events closer to you sometime!

>231 cbl_tn:: We've got some Scots in the family tree but I don't think we've ever had a Burns Supper. We did try haggis when we visited Scotland earlier this year though.
And yes, it was such a thrill to meet him! He was very patient with my blathering about how great Doors Open and Standing in Another Man's Grave were.

>232 mstrust:: Fun! If you go, you're in for a treat. Ian's publicist was saying that apparently some people go to his talks just to hear him speak; they haven't read the books at all but really love his anecdotes.

>233 mysterymax:: Christopher Lee is awesome. If I get to be 90 I want to be as awesome as he is.

->229 rabbitprincess:
"the hardest thing he's ever done as an actor"
This from a man who has played Hitler. :)

>235 -Eva-:: And who has spent four hours a day for many months in makeup in order to play Balin in The Hobbit!

It's always such fun to meet authors, especially if you already love their works.

226 - alas it is not available but thanks. I have put in a request to be notified when it becomes available again. Thanks so much for the info!

>237 thornton37814:: It is indeed! The interviewer was also very good, and the whole event felt more like a conversation than a formal sort of do.

>238 mamzel:: Dang! In the meantime, I guess Audible/iTunes would do the job. (I just checked, and it's available in the Canadian iTunes store, so I imagine the US store would also have it.)

****

How did it get to be December already? *whines* I am so not ready for Christmas this year. The mini tree is up, and I've sort of arranged my Christmas card list, but other than that nothing much is happening. Christmas is in three weeks and I've barely bought a single thing. I have ideas... just need to get my butt out to the store and buy them!

And because I am feeling scattershot these days, here are a couple of unfinished books from the library:

Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II, by Mitchell Zuckoff

Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103739104
Unfinished because: other new and shiny books were coming in, and I was reading it on iPad. The story itself is interesting, so if aviation and WW2 and the frozen north pique your interest, then check this out. Would be a good read in combination with Arnaldur Indridason's Operation Napoleon.

October 1970, by Louis Hamelin

Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/103981452
Unfinished because: while I liked the idea of the book, I didn't 500-page like it at this time.

****

This week I should really get a work-related book out of the office library and finish off my darn challenge. That's the only category left to complete. In the meantime, I am really excited by the glut of Scottish mysteries I've borrowed. Two are set in Glasgow and one in Aberdeen. So forgive me if I start typing with a Scottish accent ;)

Thought of you and this thread when I was reading Libriomancer. The main character has a tardis hanging from his car's rearview mirror.

226> I found it on Amazon! Christmas gift to myself!

>240 BookLizard:: Ooh, that book sounds very interesting! Added to the TBR list. Books, magic and Dr Who. What's not to love?

>241 mamzel:: Hurray! Enjoy!

October 1970 sounds like an interesting book. I grew up in Quebec so the October Crisis was a big part of high-school history curriculum. I'm not sure I'm ready for a 500-page book on the subject right now either, but I might pick this one up sometime in the future.

Very jealous you got to talk to Ian Rankin!

>243 mathgirl40:: I can imagine! It came up in our HS history curriculum as well, but only very briefly because it was at the end of the school year. Another book I've read about (a version of) the October Crisis is Black Bird, by Michel Basilières, which was fantastic.

It was a great privilege to meet him! :)

****

Speaking of Quebec, another book of mine continues my visiting of La Belle Province in literature.

Miss Montreal, by Howard Shrier

Category: "The Red/White Blues"
Source: library
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/104070661

Book #4 in the Jonah Geller series, book #1 read by rabbitprincess. An old friend of Jonah's is murdered in Montreal and the friend's grandfather wants him to investigate. Montreal is very lovingly described, with the teeming crowds on St-Jean-Baptiste Day, the ramshackle Champlain Bridge (held together with duct tape and prayers), the precarious roads and crazy drivers, the delicious smoked meat sandwiches on the Main, and a brief jaunt to the Laurentians. A very pleasant bonus for me was the inclusion of the Blue Rodeo song "Montreal" at the end. Recommended.

From Montreal to Glasgow now:

The Hanging Shed, by Gordon Ferris

Category: "I Hate a Mystery"
Source: library
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/104151354

Post-WW2 Glasgow was a powerful lure for me in deciding to read this book, and it delivered most amply on this score. The story itself is also suspenseful: the protagonist is called in by an old friend facing a trip to the "hanging shed" at Barlinnie Prison, but innocent of the crime with which he has been charged. I loved the atmosphere (it might have helped that I visited Glasgow earlier this year) and the narrator's voice, not to mention the inclusion of a pioneering female advocate (basically a defence attorney), and will be continuing with this series.

I HAVE FINISHED MY CHALLENGE!!!!! *victory dance* And with a nice four-star read, too. Very pleased.

Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything, by David Bellos

Category: "Officer of the Day" 9/9 Category Completed!
Source: library
Rating: 4/5
Review: http://www.librarything.com/review/104172944

I took so many notes while reading this book. Some of it was new material, such as the many words that Japanese has to describe different types of translations, and some gave me flashbacks to my university days, such as good old Nida with his formal vs. dynamic equivalence. Some parts went over my head, again giving me flashbacks to university, but I liked the rest enough to give the book a good rating. Recommended if you're into the theoretical aspects of translation.

Congratulations!! Nice book to end on. It sounds very interesting.

Congratulations on completing your Challenge!

Huzzah!

Congrats on finishing your challenge! I dodged a BB - only because that book is already on my TBR list!

Congrats on completing your challenge!

rabbitprincess you did it! Congratulations!

Hooray! Congratulations.

Nicely done. Finished and with time to spare. Congratulations.

Congratulations! And what a great way to finish!

Are you moving over to your 2014 thread? Or staying here a bit longer?

Congratulations!


glitter-graphics.com

Woohoo, congratulations!

Congratulations! Time to celebrate!

Thank you very, very much everyone! I've really enjoyed having this challenge to diversify my reading.

I'll still keep an eye on everyone's 2013 threads, but will be continuing my posting on my 2014 thread, so come join me there: http://www.librarything.com/topic/158116

wow, he looks young there.

I'm late but GOOD FOR YOU - YEAH!!!!

>260 majkia:: He sure does! Not sure when it was taken.

>261 dudes22:: Thanks! :D

Congratulations, from both of us!!!!!

>263 LauraBrook:: HAHAHAHA!!! Love it!!!! :D *Saves image* Thanks muchly!

Congrats! Well done!!

Congratulations!

Thank you, thank you! :)

Always good to see someone finish!

Congratulations.

Congratulations on finishing!!!!

Thank you both! :D

Belated congrats!

Thanks! :)

Merry Christmas rabbitprincess!

Merry Christmas, Roberta! :D

And merry Christmas to my fellow Category Challengers!



I did not make this but thought it was appropriate ;)

Seasons Greetings! We've just sent the kids to bed after watching the last episode in the first season of Sherlock -- the kids love it, and we aren't bored (did you hear me, Castle?)

Merry Christmas, Rabbitprincess!

Merry Christmas! Love the reindeer (and elf?) in 274!

Merry Christmas rabbit!

Thanks, and merry Christmas to you too! :)

****

Buried in a sea of books today, just as Christmas should be. These found their way to me via the tree:

The Far Side of the Dollar, by Ross Macdonald
Doctor Who: The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years, by Marcus Hearn
Ten Lords a-Leaping, by C.C. Benison
In the Woods, by Tana French
The Likeness, by Tana French
The Lonely Sea, by Alistair MacLean
Breakheart Pass, by Alistair MacLean
DK Eyewitness Travel: Ireland

I also received Making History, by Stephen Fry, which is a good book but I've read it already :P So I may opt to exchange it for another book on the TBR (should have plenty of choices there).

Hoping all of you are finding good books under the tree :)

Yes, books under the tree are the awesomest! I'll go list mine over on my thread because I am very happy with them.

I'll be very interested to find out what you think of Tana French. She's one of the very, very few authors that I will go and buy in hardcover right when a new book is released.

I've heard a lot of good things about her so am looking forward to reading them. A trip to Ireland is on the agenda soon; hoping these will help me get in the spirit of things!

Congrats on the book haul under the tree.

Season's Greetings. I assume you have spotted the Sherlock prequel and mini-webisode published over Christmas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwntNANJCOE :-)

Let me know what you think of the French books rabbitprincess. I'll probably read the third in the series in 2014.

>282 thornton37814:: Thanks! It is a most pleasing haul.

>283 IrishHolger:: Ooh! Exciting! Just watched it now. Can't wait for January :D

>284 luvamystery65:: Will do! Was not expecting them to be quite so huge, but they should still be interesting. Also, they fit into part of my Category Challenge quite nicely.

>283 IrishHolger: My brother and SIL gave me a Chromecast for Christmas and this video was my "test drive". Now I just have to wait for January to get here!

>283 IrishHolger: Thanks for this. I had not seen it yet. Is it January yet???

Nice Christmas book haul you got! I didn't get as many books but I did get a gift certificate to my favourite local independent bookstore, which is just as nice.

>286 cbl_tn:, 287: *tapping toes impatiently* Only 17 days!

>288 mathgirl40:: Indeed! Gift certificates are pretty good too. The fun of planning AND the actual acquisitions!