Oregonreader in 2014

Happy new year and new challenge, everyone! Here's my initial entry.

Indifferent Heroes by Mary Hocking The second in her trilogy of three sisters growing up in London before, during and after WW II. This volume follows them and their friends and family through the war. The cast of characters experience all areas of the war from the Pacific, North Africa, and Europe with incredible realism. An amazing writer.

Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie. Not one of her better ones.

Death at the Bar by Ngaio Marsh This was one of the most complex plots in her Inspector Alleyn series and one of the most enjoyable.

Surfeit of Lampreys by Ngaio Marsh. Very enjoyable.

Welcome back!

Thanks!

At my 10 year old granddaughter's urging, I read Penny From Heaven by Jennifer Holm. The story is set in 1953 New Jersey. Penny is just turning 12 and lives with her widowed mother and grandparents. Her father was from a big Italian family which she definitely prefers. Penny discovers why there is a mystery about her father's death and so much tension between the two families. It is a wonderful story, full of interesting characters. It is obviously intended for young readers but I found it very fascinating. I'm going to take my granddaughter's recommendations seriously!

I have just started The Kennedy Half-Century by Larry Sabato. His premise is that the Kennedy legacy, real or imagined, has effected our national life long after his death. It is interesting to read Sabato's take on the battle for the vice-presidency in 1956 and the election of 1960, having read about this in detail in Caro's LBJ biography.

Hi! Fellow Oregonian here, just stopping by to say hello and leave a star.

Hi Jan! Welcome back!

Hi SuziQ and Rhonda. Always good to hear from fellow Portlanders or almost Portlanders (Rhonda)! We've really got the weather for reading, haven't we? Cold, gray, and wet! Time to curl up on the sofa.

You are off to a good start!

Yep - spent much of the weekend indoors reading.

Thanks for stopping by, Lori.

SuziQ, one of my retirement goals was being able to spend an afternoon reading, during the week! And I have succeeded. I do have to fight off feelings of guilt from time to time.

Hi Jan- Good luck in 2014! I will be visiting my sister in Salem, in 2 weeks and we set up a Portland Meet-Up for Saturday Feb 1st. We have several people attending, from Washington, Idaho and a couple locals. Interested? How far is Tigard?

Hi, Jan, and Happy New Year!!! I'm relieved to see you with a thread again.
I do love Ngaio Marsh. I'm also glad that you're enjoying Mary Hocking. Why had I never heard of her before LT???
And to read in the afternoon (and maybe morning too) and night was certainly my wish for retirement. I lapse, but it's pretty great!

Hi Mark, I would love to meet up with fellow LTers. Tigard is right next to SW Portland, sort of a suburb. We have a thread we use for Portland meet-ups if you are interested in enlarging the group. Here's the link:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/143121. I'll save the date.

Peggy, I discovered Hocking on someone's thread but I can't remember whose. I think her books are not readily available here. I found them used on Amazon and shipped from the UK. What a treasure they are. I've been thinking of you as I'm reading The Kennedy Half-Century because Sabato covers so much of the same material as Caro, the 1960 election, Kennedy's 1000 days, and Johnson's presidency. It's looking more directly at Kennedy and pretty much agrees with Caro but with a much different emphasis. I'm really enjoying it.

Oh yes - excellent retirement goal - also my favorite way to spend a vacation day at the coast.

Thanks for the link to the Oregonians thread - hadn't seen that before but I've got it starred now.

Hope you can make the meetup on the 1st!

Great to hear I'll have a chance to meet you. It's so nice to be able to put a face to a thread!

Jan- I put more information on the Meet-up thread. Everything is taking shape. Are you a beer lover?

You bet! My late husband used to brew his own and I developed a real taste for it.

I think I found a new friend.

Mark, I found the new thread. Love the pictures of Powells.

Newest purchase is Longbourne by Jo Baker. This is timely because I just discovered the Pride & Prejudice tutorial thread. This will definitely be my next book.

Right now I'm still finishing up The Kennedy Half-Century

The Kennedy Half-Century by Larry Sabato The author's premise is that the Kennedys have affected our national political history since JFK's election. This includes our strained relationship with Cuba, the Viet Nam war, the prominent role of anti-communism in all our foreign policy decisions (Joseph Kennedy was closely connected to Sen. Joseph McCarthy) , Keynsian economics with it's tax cuts and deficit spending, the space program and subsequent progress in technology and medicine, all of which began with Kennedy's presidency. One of the biggest legacies he sees is the general distrust of government which he feels began with the assassination and the inept Warren Commission report. He goes to great lengths to list all the conflicting witnesses and evidence which can prove either Oswald acted alone or that there were others involved. I found it a bit tedious to wade through all of this although he makes a good case for much information being ignored at the time. It was also interesting to look at how JFK's and Jackie's image was protected by the press, hard to imagine in this day of 24 hour news talking to death any small misstep. An interesting book which proposes that Kennedy didn't have the liberal agenda that he is credited with. It is well researched with many end notes and references cited.

The Kennedy Half-Century sounds fascinating! I now have it wish-listed.

Rhonda, I think you'll enjoy it. I'm busy refining my shopping list for our trip to Powells. So many books, so little money!!

Longbourn by Jo Baker This novel parallels the story of the Bennett servants during the events of Pride and Prejudice. Housekeeper Mrs. Hill and two maids, Sarah and Polly, are featured. I liked that the author mentioned the events upstairs (Darcy and Bingley's coming and goings, etc) but placed emphasis on events that really affected the staff (Mr. Collins and the Gardiner's and their children coming to stay). A new male servant arrives and much of the plot concerns him. There is a long section set in a location far from Longbourn that seemed a little awkward. I suspect the author was reaching for a plot line beyond the personalities and daily routines of the servants. Life downstairs was definitely not as exciting as upstairs. I don't think this book would satisfy those who are looking for more stories involving Jane and Elizabeth. The worst thing for me is that I'll never be able to read about Elizabeth going for one of her muddy walks without thinking of the girl who will be cleaning her shoes and petticoats.

Jan--so nice to see you again at the meet-uop!

Rhonda, so good to see you again as well. I had so much fun, I want to meet again before too long. I watched the Superbowl today and cheered the Seahawks thinking of our Seattle LTers!

I've been going through my new acquisitions.

The Guns of August Barbara Tuchman
The Passing Bells Phillip Rock
How It All Began Penelope Lively
The Last September Elizabeth Bowen
Peter the Great Robert K. Massie

I think I heard about all of these books from LT threads. I'm dipping into Guns of August first!

Hi Jan--it was great meeting you at the great Portland Meetup, and it looks like you got some great books. The only one I've read is The Last September, which I quite liked. Coincidently, I also bought a book by Robert Massie at Powells--his latest Catherine the Great.

I've got The Kennedy Half-Century on my Kindle and am looking forward to it. I read Dallas 1963 last year which was quite interesting.

Hi Jan- It was lovely meeting you in Portland! It looked like everyone had a great time. It just goes very quickly. Nice book haul. I've been neglecting my nonfiction, these past few months. I need to get back on it.

Hi Jan! Just stopping by to star your thread and say how nice it was to meet you on Saturday. I'm hoping there are more Pacific Northwest meetups in our future!

Hi Jan, I wanted to add my voice to the chorus saying I'm glad we had a chance to meet in Portland this weekend, but I wish we had had more of a chance to talk. Wrong end of the table.

I see that you have a ten year old grand-daughter. My daughter is ten also. She too loves Jennifer Holm, and we have read and would highly recommend Our Only May Amelia, set here in the Northwest and based on the diaries of the author's grandmother. We also read the Boston Jane trilogy about a girl who moves from Boston to Washington in the 1840s. We loved that too, but it does involve a love triangle, FYI.

Hi Lisa, I hope we get a chance to talk more at the next meet-up. It seems we have a lot in common. Thanks for the recommendations for my granddaughter. Isn't it wonderful to have a child who loves reading? I am looking for birthday present ideas for my granddaughter (turning 11) and you've given me two good ideas.

I have been housebound for two days with several inches of snow. The second part of the "Big Storm" has just begun with a steady snowfall. I made a big pot of soup and arranged my books to be read so I'm feeling pretty comfy. But by tomorrow I'll probably have cabin fever!

Welcome Strangers by Mary Hocking This is the third and final book in her trilogy of the Fairley Sisters. World War II is over and England is searching for normality. I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this book the least of the three. I think it was that there was so much drifting and complaining by the main character, Alice, that I got a little tired of it. But still well worth reading. I can't remember who recommended these (Peggy?) but thanks.

13 At Dinner by Agatha Christie Christie is always a treat and this one contains one of the most narcissistic and amoral characters in her pantheon.

I'm in the middle of The Guns of August and that's how I'll be whiling away my snowy days.

How are you enjoying The Guns of August, Jan? I have it on my shelves, I believe, and this year would be a good time to read it. I'm a little intimidated though because I know so little about the beginning of the war.

Edited to add: I don't have The Guns of August, I have the one that covers the years right before the war (1890-1914) called The Proud Tower, also by Barbara Tuchman.

Lisa, I just finished The Guns of August and it is an amazingly detailed description of WW I from the first act of aggression, Germany invading Belgium, to the Battle of the Marne, which takes place during the month of August, 1914. Tuchman gives detailed descriptions of the military leaders of all the countries involved and describes their general mindset at the days leading up to war. I found it hard to follow the actual battles. I can't visualize a flank attack or troop movements. But still very worthwhile.
I also read The Proud Tower and found that more interesting. She gives a short biography of the royal heads of England, France, Germany, and Russia and their governments. Most of the royals were cousins but that relationship didn't seem to help. I don't know that there are many good reasons for war but the events leading up to the first world war seem frivolous beyond belief. I'll be curious to know what you think.

The Guns of August sounds like one I might want to read this year.

Interesting, Jan. Did your copy of The Guns of August have good maps? That would seem essential for the type of writing you are describing. I'm not sure when I will get to either, but I have good intentions!

Lori, Tuchman is such a readable historian, I think you'll like it.

Lisa, You are right that the maps are important. I have a paperback copy and the maps were horrible. I had to resort to getting out my atlas and getting a sense of the battle areas from that. I hope your copy is better. By the way, I haven't been able to locate your thread through the wiki.

Carry Yourself Back to Me by Deborah Reed I'm going to have to start writing down where on LT I learn of books so I can say thanks. I can't remember where I heard of this one but it was a very entertaining read. A young woman is abandoned by her music partner/lover and becomes alienated from her family and unable to perform. Because of a murder, all the characters are reunited and reconciled or at least reach some closure. The actual crime is not central and the author doesn't spend much time on the solution. It is more of a catalyst for the characters to change. I would definitely read more of her books.

Wiki?

I'm on club read: http://www.librarything.com/topic/169060

Found you, Lisa! I don't know why I always assume everyone is a 75er.

I have been remiss in posting. RL has been incredibly busy. My gr-dtr just had her 11th birthday and that involved kids parties and family parties. I have just turned 70 (how did that happen??) and my children are giving me a large, catered party with lots of family and friends flying in. I am so busy helping to make arrangements. I have had time for one book.

How It All Began by Penelope Lively I really enjoyed this story. It starts with the mugging of Charlotte, an elderly lady, and then grows to include the stories of a group of people all affected by this, including her daughter, son-in-law, her daughter's employer, and others. Wonderful characters and interesting stories.

:-) I started off in 75ers, but migrated.

I understand about RL. What a week it has been! Congratulations on your birthday and wonderful celebration. I hope you receive lots of books ;-)

Jan, I was long overdue for a visit. A belated happy birthday to you and your gr-dtr. Sounds like a great party! My best high school friends and I (6 of us) are planning a long weekend at the end of April to celebrate our 70th year. We've rented a house at Montreat in the mountains (the Presbyterian conference center) and are planning lots of treats for ourselves.
Meanwhile, I expect I did recommend Mary Hocking to you, and I'm glad to catch up on all your good reading. I have the 2 Massies mentioned yet to read. You bought some wonderful stuff at Powell's and while I'm glad that you enjoyed the meet-up, I'm a bit envious too. Doesn't anybody ever drive south on I-95???

Peggy, your weekend retreat sounds perfect. There is nothing like old friends, is there? So many shared experiences and laughs. I know you'll have a great time. You are going to enjoy the Massies. I have read Catherine and will be starting Peter soon. We are lucky to have a number of LTers here in the northwest who love to gather. Maybe someday there will be a national convention. Wouldn't that be something!

Lisa, thanks for the congrats. We have sure had our share of crazy weather but I'm hoping it's back to normal for my party. I have family coming from California who think high 40's weather is freezing!

Happy birthday to both you and your granddaughter!

Hi Rhonda, thank you!
I started reading How It All Began and just couldn't get into it. It may be that at another time it will be more appealing. The characters seemed uninteresting and so many were introduced right away that I was having trouble keeping them apart. So I jumped to The Passing Bells and I'm really enjoying this one.

Hi, Jan. I see that it's been almost a month since you were here - hope you are well and prospering and reading to your heart's content!

Thanks, for stopping by, Peggy. I am finally back after a birthday party, out of town visitors, and numerous other distractions. Not much reading done. My life has settled down and I went to Annie Blooms' bookstore to use a gift certificate I received. I picked the memoir by Sonia Sotomayor (I attended a talk she gave a couple of weeks ago when she was in Portland) and An Officer and a Spy. I have read so many good recommendations of Harris's book that I couldn't resist.

I also read and reviewed an ERC, The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger, a ho hum story with lots of flaws. I gave it 2 stars.

I'm going to have to buy a copy of Officer and a Spy too, as I'm number 65 in line at the library!

Jan, I think you will really like Sotomayar's book.

Lisa, 65 sounds like a long wait! I was so grateful to have a gift certificate. It was the excuse I needed to buy it. It is next on my TBR list.

Rhonda, Sotomayor was so engaging in her talk, that I'm sure the book must be good. The Schnitzer sold out and a thousand people watched a simulcast at the Art Museum (that was me).

I've picked up my reading again, starting with The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt. It is a description of the efforts of Poggio Bracciolini to discover ancient texts from monasteries in the early 15th century. His big discovery was On The Nature of Things by Lucretius. Lucretius was born in approx 99 BC. and wrote the first description of Epicureanism. The amazing thing was that he described the world as being made up of invisible particles in a constant state of motion in an infinite void, with nature ceaselessly experimenting. How he came to this without the benefits of microscopes, etc amazes me. He was criticized by most of the leading philosophers of the day since he denied, among other current beliefs, the existence of gods who involved themselves in human lives.
Now from the sublime to the ridiculous, so to speak. My next book was Ginger, My Story by Ginger Rogers. I've always loved the Astaire/Rogers movies with their amazing art deco sets and watched one the other night with commentary by a dancer. It piqued my interest in Rogers enough to pick up her autobiography. It was interesting although I skipped through a lot of it. I've concluded that no matter what you accomplish in life, no one is interested in your infancy and early childhood.
Now I'm on to a real treat, An Officer and a Spy.

I've just finished An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris. He does an amazing job of bringing suspense to a story, the Dreyfus affair, where the reader already knows the outcome. His writing is very good. This is the first book I've read of his and I plan to read more.

I've also finished The James Joyce Mystery by Amanda Cross This is another Kate Fansler mystery. I've read several of them, being attracted to the academic settings. But I am finding the characters and dialog much too arch to appeal to me. In this one, a detective investigating a murder sits down with three English lit professors and asks them to explain James Joyce to him rather than giving evidence. He apparently thought this more important than solving the crime. This struck me as absurd and a ploy to let the author expound on Joyce.

HI, Jan! Glad to see you posting again..... I'm a bit afraid to go back to Kate Fansler. I was a real fan as they were coming out, but I expect your disappointment is well-founded.
I want An Officer and a Spy too, but I can easily wait until it's widely available and cheap.
I'm interested in your comment about infancy and early childhood since I'm reading the early pages of Blonde. Honestly, it's tearing me up. Marilyn's mother was such a sad, disturbed, needy woman that it's a wonder that her daughter was as stable as she was. Anyway, I'm mesmerized.
*Swerve* is in my library, and I look forward to it sometime. I've always been amazed by Lucretius too - read a very little in translation.
Meanwhile, my main reading right now besides the JCO is R. Massie's Peter the Great. It is both Massive and Great!

Peggy, *Peter* is on my reading table ready to start next week! I've heard such great things about it. I read Massie's Catherine the Great and was completely hooked on his writing and fascinated by Catherine. I'll be interested in your comments on Peter when you've finished.
It sounds like Blonde is an exception to my observation on including infancy and early childhood in biographies. If it gives you a greater understanding of the subject, I can see how that would make it interesting and pertinent. But in my reading, that's not usually been the case. I remember reading Daphne Du Maurier Myself When Young and thinking she could have skipped straight to adolescence. The same with Ginger Roger's biography. Early childhood not that interesting.
But no reading today. We have two or three days of sunshine before the next rainstorm hits. So I'm off to plant some hostas in a very shady spot in my yard.

I'm well into *Peter the Great* and can't put it down. Massie is such an amazing writer. He gives such a good background of life in Russia at that time. Every time I can put down my Easter preparations, I race back to the book!

I love Massie! Peter the Great is a huge book but it has to be to tell the story of Peter. I did get to an 'almost ready to skim' bit in the later sections about his ongoing wars with Sweden but I didn't. Such a great book - enjoy!

Juli, I've come to the part of *Peter* where he wars with Sweden and I know what you mean. My eyes have glazed over from time to time. So I decided I needed a break.

Cloche and Dagger by Jenn McKinlay As you can tell from the title, this is a gimmicky cozy and, at other times, I might have not been interested but it fit my mood exactly. A very light story about the owners of a hat shop in London, the murder of a customer, and not too many red herrings. I spent an enjoyable evening reading it.

>54 Oregonreader: - good to hear I'm not the only one who felt that way in that section.

Well, it was an amazing experience but I've finished Peter the Great by Robert K. Massie. Massie is a great biographer, covering not only the individual but the background of influential people in his life and a sense of history and how people lived. I am haunted by Peter's ham-fisted efforts to control Alexy, his heir. No wonder the poor young man was terrified of him. I have also read Massie's Catherine the Great and couldn't choose between them.

I just found out I'm getting The Plover by Brian Doyle as an ERC. I'm excited about that.

Oooh! I want to read The Plover -- I love Doyle's columns in the Oregonian.

>56 Oregonreader: Catherine the Great has been on my radar. I may have to add Peter the Great as well.

Rhonda, I love reading a book by a local. I'll have to watch for his columns in the Oregonian. I haven't seen many.
Lori, I suspect you'll love them both. I don't think it matters which you read first, they are equally good.

I just finished an ARC, The Transcriptionist by Amy Rowland. An interesting book but I'm having to really think about how to review it. The book was low on plot and contained pages of descriptions of inner thoughts of the main character. I'm trying to put together what it all meant. But it was definitely very readable.

I was in the mood for light diversion last night so I picked up Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay, part of a series set in a library in a small town. It really wasn't very good and I found myself skimming ahead at the end to confirm "who dunnit". When all the characters in a book are nice, friendly locals who probably appear in every book, and one stranger is in town, guess who it was.

My mystery binge continues....
Uncertain Voyage by Dorothy Gilman This was the first of her books I've read that wasn't in the Mrs. Pollifax series. It really seemed very dated, dealing with cold war issues. The heroine was recently divorced, traveling alone, recovering from a mental breakdown. She should have been sympathetic but was mainly tedious.

Glass Houses by Jane Haddam It's been awhile since I've read one of her Gregor Demarkian series and I'd forgotten how good she is. I would put her in a class with Louise Penney, ahead of other mystery writers I've read. Her Cavanaugh Street setting with all it's wonderful characters is a great background for Demarkian's sleuthing. This one was a bit grimmer than others, involving a serial killer and pedophile, but it wasn't so gruesome that I couldn't handle it (and I'm a wimp).

Hi, Jan. I haven't read a Demarkian in years either, and I put her ahead of Penney (I've read only her first 3 though). I'm glad that you enjoyed *Peter* as much as I did. Marching through the Civil War with Shelby Foote made Peter's wars with Sweden almost a stroll in the park!
I'm still reading and admiring Blonde. I feel as though I'm getting the essential woman - or some essential woman. My copy of The Plover is beckoning, but I do want to put Norma Jeane away before I embark on it. If you're already reading, I'll pop in to see what you think!

Peggy, I haven't received my copy yet. Maybe it takes longer getting all the way out west.

I've never enjoyed reading Joyce Carol Oates but your review of Blonde has me intrigued.

Jan, I'm looking for your review of The Plover. I've finally started it, and I'm not liking it as much as I think you were. I maybe need instruction or an attitude adjustment.

Maybe you just need to be near the Pacific!

Seventy Seven Clocks by Christopher Fowler This is part of a mystery series featuring the Peculiar Crimes Unit of the London police. They handle cases that are beyond the mental abilities of the regular force, such as a man dressed in 19th century clothes throwing acid all over a painting in a national gallery. It is a mind-boggling plot with dozens of characters, many twists and turns, but still understandable and can be followed by the reader. I plan to read more. Lots of fun.

Vienna Nocturne by Vivien Shotwell This is an ERC. Anna Storace was an English operatic soprano, well-celebrated in Italy and Vienna. She was a friend of Mozart, Hayden, and Salieri. This is a fictional biography covering her life and career up to her retirement. The author describes a romance between Storace and Mozart for which no historical evidence exists. She gives a good description of the music and what it means to be a musician for the non-musical reader. But Storace is a bit of a flat character and never really came to life for me.

The Plover by Brian Doyle This is an ERC. Here's the review.

I have spent my life along the edge of the Pacific Ocean and was drawn to this book in part because of that. Doyle does an amazing job of describing the Pacific as a living entity with its incredible vastness, depths, subterranean mountain ranges, and sea life still being discovered. The main character, Dec, leaves his troubled life behind and sets sail in a small boat called the Plover. For the first part of the book, this ocean is the other character he relates to. He was looking for solitude and gets everything but that as his boat slowly fills with birds, old friends, new friends, and challenges. I found the writing often difficult, much of it stream of consciousness, as he muses on what has brought him to this point, what is true, and the profundity he finds in Edmund Burke's writing. But the characters are wonderful. I found myself caught up in each of their lives and histories and was interested in watching their relationships grow and change them. I found the book well worth reading.

I just read that James Patterson is giving $1 million to independent bookstores this year and Portland's own Annie Blooms is a recipient. Very happy news. The store is a treasure.

Bleeding Hearts by Jane Haddam One of the earlier ones in the series and good as ever.

Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay A cozy mystery you can read in an evening and entertaining enough.

Hi there - looks like you've been doing some great reading while I've been to busy to either read or catch up on LT threads for the past couple of weeks.

Still uncertain whether or not I'll be able to make the meetup on the 21st at Powell's but I'll try.

I know what you mean about being too busy. My entries here have been a little sporadic for the last few months. I hope you can make the meetup. It would be good to see you again.

I've already slipped into my summer reading pattern, less reading, more mysteries.

A Great Day for the Deadly by Jane Haddam This is one of my favorite series and she is such a prolific writer, I could be reading them for a long time.

Our Portland meet-up has been postponed until fall. It seems everyone is busier than ever.

Almost forgot one!

Blood in the Water by Jane Haddam Lots of interesting characters but less Demarkian and none of his friends. Actually, a refreshing change.

Hi Jan! I just wanted to let you know that I've started reading the Robert Caro, and it is great.

Hi Rhonda, I'm really glad you are enjoying it. Isn't it amazing the amount of research Caro did? Not to mention what an incredible writer. I can't wait to hear your impressions of LBJ. He's larger than life!

Hi, Jan. You might know that I've been a big Jane Haddam fan too from the days when I was reading mostly mysteries. I also like her Oriana Papazoglou books --- in fact, Sanctity is one of my all-time favorites.
I think it will soon be time for me to drag down LBJ/Caro 4; I've been hoarding it. HOW I hope he is able to bring out the next volume in good time!

>73 Oregonreader: Caro's research is amazing. I love that soil conditions and climate are discussed. I read Timothy Egan's book on the dustbowl last year, so that background was helpful. LBJ seems like a creep--but a very interesting creep!

>74 LizzieD: I'll have to look for Sanctuary. I find that mysteries fit in to my reading life so well when things get really busy. My two oldest grandchildren are spending a lot of time with me this summer. They call it "Camp Grandma" so you can imagine I'm usually pretty tired at the end of a day. Curling up with a good mystery just fits the bill.
Caro's fourth was the most interesting to me. He brings a whole new perspective to the Kennedys and LBJ's relationship with them.

>75 banjo123: He includes so much information about the hill country in Texas and local people and politics, I felt like I had a real sense of what it was like to live there. No wonder it's been a life's work for Caro. I recently met one of our senators (Sen. Merkley) and what I really wanted to ask him was if the Senate now was anything like it was when Johnson was in charge!

I've been reading but not posting so here's the list.

Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris The main character, Framboise, has returned to her family farm under a false name. The story alternates between rural France during the Occupation and present day. During the war, the local residents are not much harassed by the German soldiers; they mainly come to the farms collecting food for themselves. As the story unfolds, the reader discovers what happened to Framboise's family and why they were hated by the villagers and had to flee. The author looks at why a child might engage in evil behavior, betraying family and friends. Even with such dark themes, I couldn't put it down.

Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland. A fictional rendering of the relationship between Clara Driscoll and Louis Comfort Tiffany. She was one of the first women hired in the glass industry and was a gifted designer. It is believed that she invented the glass shades for which Tiffany is famous. Very well written and a good look at the lives of working women during the end of the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century. The author goes into a lot of detail about how the glass is made and I found that very interesting.

Walking Across Egypt by Clyde Edgerton A short humorous novel about a southern widow still living at her small family farm after her children are grown and gone. They check in on her regularly and are concerned that she has grown too old to handle it all. She loves to cook and invites every one, from a handyman to the town dogcatcher, to join her for a meal. She is a regular churchgoer and takes to heart the biblical injunction that what we do for others is done as well for Christ. When the opportunity comes for her to befriend a young boy in a reform school, she takes up the task to her children's chagrin and neighbor's fears. A charming book but it ends abruptly and unsatisfactorily.

The Water Room by Christopher Fowler This is the second in the series about the Peculiar Crimes Unit of Scotland Yard. Two elderly detectives, John May and Arthur Bryant, are assigned cases that are unsolvable by the regular force. I love these books but this one is a little too detailed about the underground rivers of London and, although they are crucial elements of the plot, I found myself skipping over the detailed history of them. But I'm ready to try the next one in the series.

>77 Oregonreader: Five Quarters of the Orange was one of my top reads of the year when I read it. I completely understand the not being able to put it down part.

>78 thornton37814: Lori, It is amazing how the author was able to deal with so much misery and not bury you under it. I plan to read some more of her books.

Just got news that I'm receiving the new Alan Furst novel from the ER giveaway. I've read about five of his novels and am a big fan.

Busy summer but I'm managing to squeeze in some reading.

Pure in Heart by Susan Hill This is the second in the Simon Serailler series and I'm really enjoying it. Hill is a wonderful writer and I'm looking forward to the next one.

A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer I grabbed this off the shelf one night when I couldn't sleep. It has always been one of my favorites, a little different from her other Regencies. Our young hero has to sell out of the army and return home when his father dies and he finds the estate is bankrupt. At the urging of his elders, he marries a very rich young girl from the merchant class. She is a wonderful character and the story revolves around their getting to accept each other.

Saturday my youngest grandaughter turns one year old and I'm off to plan the party!

I received a copy of Reunion by Hannah Pittard from Hatchette Publishing as part of the Early Reviewers Giveaway. Here's my review:

Two sisters and a brother return to Atlanta after the suicide of their father. The story is told through the eyes of Kate, the youngest and an inveterate liar. She admits her lies to the reader and seems to need to confess. She has a lot of self-awareness but lacks the ability to make any changes in her life. Kate does not want to return for the funeral. She hates her father because of his lifetime of serial infidelity. Kate and her brother and sister have no sense of family outside of the three of them but getting to know their father's estranged wife sets in motion changes for all of them. The three are joined by four ex-stepmothers and a number of half-siblings but they are secondary characters. A family reunited after the death of a parent is not a new concept but Pittard manages to make it her own. There is a real honesty in the unfolding of each of the children's history and character. I read the book straight through and enjoyed every minute.

I went to Powell's today and finally remembered to take along my list of books I've put together from recommendations here on LT. I wish I could remember who recommended each of these so I could thank them but I never remember to write that down.

My first read will be The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell. Sometimes you can just look at a cover and know you're going to love it!
I also picked up The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill and I do know who to thank. Thank you, Peggy!

Coastliners by Joanne Harris

Skeleton Key by Jane Haddam

Brittania Mews by Margery Sharp This is an old hardbound that seems to be a Book of the Month selection from 1946.

I'm off to my favorite reading chair.

Enjoy your summer reading!

Thanks for stopping by, Rhonda. I'm enjoying the little bit of rain the last couple of days although the heat is coming back. Hope you've been staying cool!

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell was not at all what I thought it would be but I was really impressed with this novel. The author takes a look at what was expected of well-to-do women early in the twentieth century, which was to marry well. Esme Lennox is an intelligent and creative young woman who rebels against what her family expects her to do. She gains a reputation among their social set for her behavior and the family reacts by committing her to a mental institution. Apparently, all it took at that time were signatures from the father and the GP. Her life is contrasted with that of her modern day great-niece when they are brought together. It is a good reminder of the struggle women have made to reach where we are today. A very well-written and disturbing story.

I'm beaming that you're enjoying Susan Hill, Jan!
I trust that the birthday party was fun all around.
And I'm interested to see what you think of Margery Sharpe. I have at least one of hers that I've been meaning to read for 20+ years.

Peggy, we are leaving on Friday for 10 days at Sunriver, in the high desert of eastern Oregon, and the third Susan Hill book is my main read for the trip. I'm passing them on to my daughter who is loving them as well.
The birthday party was great fun. Our one year old is walking and has made a few stabs at saying Grandma. I am pleased to say she already loves books and will sit and point at a page and talk to herself. I'll be so glad when she starts speaking English!
I'll probably start the Sharpe novel when I get back. Her books seem to be hard to find.

Two quick entries.

Skeleton Key by Jane Haddam Another in the Gregor Demarkian series. One thing I really like about these is the amount of detail she gives about all the characters. They are not just stick figures there to further the plot.

The Coastliners by Joanne Harris Although Harris is British, both books of hers that I have read are set in France. This one is set on a small island with two communities. One town is favored by tides and its beaches bring tourism and money. The other has its beaches being slowly eroded and life for the fishermen and townspeople is getting harder and harder. The main character, a daughter returning after many years, questions whether the tides are a natural phenomenon or being affected by a breakwater built on the prosperous side of the island. She clashes with the natives who are fatalistic and see everything as a blessing or punishment from God. Not a great novel but I've enjoyed reading it.

Wow - you have been reading a lot. I like the Simon Serrailler series but I haven't picked up the third book yet. It's on my shelf so one of these days . . .

I also enjoyed The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. You're right it was disturbing but a good reminder of how far we've come.

Hope you had a great time at Sunriver!

Juli, I finished the third Serrailler novel, The Risk of Darkness and enjoyed it but didn't think it was quite up to the previous two. But every series has its ups and downs and I'll continue with them.

Midnight in Europe by Alan Furst This was an ERC I was thrilled to get.
I am a fan of Furst's novels and was not disappointed in this one. As with his other books, it is set in 1937 Europe, on the brink of WW II. This novel focuses on the Spanish Civil War. The protagonist, Christian Ferrar, is a displaced Spaniard living in Paris and New York. He is a lawyer with an international firm and becomes involved in providing arms to the Republican side. The arms trading throws him in with spies, Russian gangs, and other unsavory characters. As with his other novels, Furst is able to create great suspense as the hero travels to hostile cities and is in great physical danger. What is different in this story is that Ferrar enjoys much greater protection than the heroes of previous novels because of his status as an international lawyer. Furst is a master at recreating the mood of Europe at this time and how the political and military uncertainties affect the people living there. I highly recommend this one.

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe I picked this up on a whim and found it more interesting than expected. Lowe's memoir scans his professional and, to some degree, his personal life from childhood to present. What I found most interesting were his detailed descriptions of what is involved in creating a film career and actually making films. One of my favorite anecdotes was when he was taken to a huge warehouse where a film was being made and his puzzlement over the sets he saw there. It turned out to be Star Wars.

After the Funeral by Agatha Christie Vintage Christie

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith / JK Rowling After trying to read The Casual Vacancy I thought Rowling could only write HP novels (which I love) but this mystery is very good. She has created a private detective named Cormoran Strike (love that name) who is fascinating. Her strength is in creating characters you want to know more about. I will definitely read the sequel.

If It Bleeds by Linda L. Richards This was an ERC that left me puzzled. I was surprised at how short it was, 159 pages of fairly large print. Then I noticed it was a "Rapid Reads" book. It is apparently part of a series of novels aimed at those who want to read an entire book in an hour or so. Who would that be? The book itself had promise. Richards creates a protagonist who is a young society reporter who wants to do serious stories. When an artist is found dead at a gallery opening she is covering, she sees her chance. But from there it goes down hill. Supporting characters are never developed, just there to help the plot speed along. Clues are never really shared with the reader, just apparently stored in the main character's head. At the end, she announces who the murderer was, without any real explanation, and there it ends. Richards seems to be a good writer and I plan on tracking down her other works.

The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell This is the second of her novels I have read and she is rapidly becoming a favorite. There are two parallel stories here. The first is set in the mid 1950's and concerns a young girl who leaves her country home for London. We follow her journey as she meets the love of her life and begins a career with an art magazine. The second story is set in current day and is about a young couple who have just had their first child. This event brings up disturbing early memories in the young man. The author does a good job of bringing the two stories together.

Wow! You're having some good reading time. I own an A. Furst and want to read it soon. I don't own *Cuckoo* but will when people start getting rid of their copies and I can pick it up 2nd hand.
"Rapid Reads*???? What a peculiar concept! Maybe it's for people who want to expose themselves to reading. Parents of Latin and piano students used to say that to me all the time - as if Latin or music or reading were a disease and a little shot of it could make them immune. What a world!

Peggy, I think you will really enjoy your Furst novel. I think he is an amazing writer.

I got a laugh from your comment about "exposing yourself" to Latin, piano, and reading. I am always amazed when I meet people who seem to be proud of the fact that they don't read. I guess their vaccination took!

At the suggestion of my son, I read Game of Thrones by George R R Martin and really enjoyed it. Martin has done an admiral job of creating an alternative universe and the characters are very interesting. I understand there is a TV series based on these books but i would not be able to watch it. The level of violence would be too much. But somehow, reading about the wars and killings is easier to handle. I plan on reading the next one in the series at some point.

I can read violence all day long, but I can't watch 30 seconds worth. I still have the last GRRM to read, but I've been putting it off because I was so disappointed in the one before. It's not as though I don't have anything else at hand. In fact, I've just begun (barely) The Bone Clocks from ER, bless them, and I've been sucked right in. I can't imagine how or even that he's going to keep this up.

I'll be interested to read your review of The Bone Clocks. I'm not sure I could tackle it. When I read Cloud Atlas I was conscious of not liking it as much as I should have and feeling guilty about it. I've read enough of your reviews to know you'll find what's good there.

Just finishing the second volume of the Game of Thrones series, Clash of Kings. I haven't enjoyed this one quite as much as there is so much fighting and long descriptions of battles. I find them hard to visualize. But the violence and bloodshed are something else! Even so, I'm interested in the characters and will read the next one.

Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill A Simon Serailler novel and a good one. This one has a background story on end of life issues and euthanasia.

Hi Jan! You might want to quit on GOT while you can--the characters are great, but they just get more and more violent. Some people handle that better than others.

>95 banjo123: and this is why I haven't been able to start reading GOT yet.

>97 banjo123: It is good reading, if you can handle all your favorite characters either being killed or turning evil. I finished it, but was kind of mad that I did. My daughter is now totally immersed, and put up a poster in her dorm saying "All Men Must Die." She says it's OK, because she put it at the foot of the bed, so visitors to the room won't see it right away.

Love your daughter's poster. I get what you mean about death and dismemberment. But I'm starting #3 soon. I must be a glutton for punishment.

The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin I'm about 1/4 of the way through and it is really interesting. Much of the early part is about TR's relationship with Taft, who I knew nothing about.

In Pale Battalions by Robert Goddard Goddard is a new discovery for me and I loved this book. He is so good at drawing interesting characters and building plot turn upon turn. I'm looking for more of his.

I've been absent for awhile due to multiple health issues. I have been too ill to read much which doesn't happen often. My final illness has been pneumonia from which I'm recovering but so slowly! I know recovery is slower when you get older but what a depressing thought!

Oh, Jan, so sorry you have been sick! I hope you are feeling better soon.

Chiming in to say that I'm sorry you've been ill, too, but happy to hear that you're recovering now!

Goodness, Jan! I'm sorry to hear about the pneumonia. Do take care of yourself!!! Feeling too bad to read is feeling very, very bad for sure. Maybe as you recover the reading time will increase! Take care!

Thank you all for your good thoughts. I hope to be back to my normal reading self soon.

Sorry to hear you've been battling illness. Sending healing thoughts and hoping you're feeling better soon.

Thanks, Juli, I'm almost up to speed but keeping indoors because of this cold weather!

Glad to hear you are doing better! Do you think that you would be up for a meet-up one of these days?

Most definitely! I enjoyed the last one so much. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Cool! Maybe I will post something on the Oregon group and see what interest there is.

It's been awhile since I posted. First illness and then a very busy RL has taken up my time and energy. I'm looking forward to starting fresh in the new year.

Merry Christmas, Jan, and a joyful Happy New Year!
I'm sorry that you've been ill, but I'll look forward to seeing you more in 2015!

Hi Jan! Hope you have been having an enjoyable holiday.

Happy reading in 2015!