Rootin Rootin Tess 2016 #2

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Rootin Rootin Tess 2016 #2

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1Tess_W
Editado: Jun 13, 2016, 6:36 am


2Tess_W
Mar 11, 2016, 9:56 pm

Books READ




Pages READ

3Tess_W
Editado: Jun 19, 2016, 3:50 pm

I have chosen a rather low number this year due to the fact that at least 4 of them are BFB's (Big Fat Books--over 500 pages).

READ IN 2016:

1. The Desperate Hours by Joseph Hayes outdated, much like In Cold Blood** (247 pg)
2-4 Once/Now/Then 3 YA books about the Holocaust by Morris Gleitzman 568 pages (all 3 books)So very good!***** (492 pgs. total)
5. War and Peace Leo Tolstoy 1116 pages Classic! ***** (1167 pgs)
6.People of the Wolf (North America's Forgotten Past Book 1) by Kathleen O'Neal Gear Mystical, warfare, same thing throughout entire book *** (452 pages)
7. Alice Parker's Metamorphosis (Alice Parker's Adventures Book 1) E Book YA fantasy *** (152 pgs)
8.War Horse E-Book Fair *** (112 pages)
9. Atomic Summer E-Book cold war--most "action" took place in a bunker *** (384 pgs)
10. The Midwich Cuckoos 1950's book made into 1960 movie Village of the Damned **** (276 pgs)
11. The Complete Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Paul Revere's Ride, The Song of Hiawatha,***** Evangeline, Christus: A Mystery, His re-write of the Bible...I skipped this one) The Masque Of Pandora and More (I did not read his version of the Bible-Christus, so 2270 pages. It took more than a year to read!
12. The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis True football story ***** (347 pages)
13. Daniel Deronda by my 2nd fav author, George Eliot) ***** 5 stars (896 pages)
14. Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason by Nancy Pearl ** (287 pgs)
15. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie *** (276 pages)
16. Whose Body? (Lord Peter Wimsey series Book 1) by Dorothy Sayers ** (153 pages)
17. Italy Out of Hand by Barbara Hodgson 191 pages***
18. Guys and Dolls and Other Writings (Penguin Classics) ***123 pages
19. Uncivil Twilight: The 1920s Death Sentence that Left a Serial Killer Free to Stalk and Kill Children in 1937 (The Colder Case Series) 357 pages **
20. The Far Pavillions by M. M. Kaye 960 pages ***
21. The Gift of Stones by Jim Crace 176 pages *** 1/2 stars
22. Cometh the Hour by Jeffrey Archer}*****416 pages
23. The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfunkel 336 pages 3 stars
24. The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom 288 pages 3 1/2 stars
25. Monster by Steven Jackson true tale of serial killer Tom Luther (528 pages) ****
26. No Pretty Pictures by Anita Lobel "Holocaust" story, but 80% of story takes place in relocation locations in Sweden**
27. The Midwife's Revolt Super Read...but would be less so if you don't know early American history. Not so much about midwifes as about midwifes turned rebel spies. 416 pages *****
28. Therese Raquin by Emile Zola 170 pages very dark ***
29. Anne of Avonlea 202 pages ***
30. A Winter in Mallorca by George Sand 260 pages **
31. Under the Garden a novella by Graham Greene **
32. The Chrysanthemums and Other Stories by John Steinbeck ** 1/2 stars
33. Lorna Doone good historical fiction, too many battles 750 pages *** 1/2 stars
34. Madame De Treymes by Edith Wharton Yawn 87 pages ** 1/2 stars
35. Practice to Deceive by Ann Rule 391 pages ****
36. Far Away Home by Susan Denning 328 pages ***
37. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson 96 pages ****
38. The Red Rooster by Michael Wallace 340 pages*****
39. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt ** (that's generous) 760 pages
40. The Man in the Iron Mask Alexander Dumas 560 pages ***
41. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith 528 pages 3 1/2 stars
42. Homeland: The Crown Family Saga by John Jakes 1200 pages*****
43. A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor ** Boring--only read 300/600 pages
44. Afton of Margate Castle by Angela Elwell Hunt 351 pages **** 1/2 stars
45. Alaska Days with John Muir by Samuel Hall Young. 96 pages ****
46. All My Love, Detrick by Roberta Kagan 339 pages ****
47. Arlington National Cemetery Cornerstones of Freedom 32 pages ***
48. Ancient Rome Young Discovery Library 36 pages ***
49. Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter 22 pages*****
50. Make way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey 28 pages ****
51. Things we Set on Fire by Deborah Reed ** 260 pages
52. The Autobiography of F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes 195 pages ****
53. The Diary of Laura Palmer 194 pages ****
54. Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen giving 4 stars because the language is so bad; when not necessary, especially for a YA book. 272 pages
55. Armoires and Arsenic by Cassie Page free Kindle Book, many grammatical errors, end of story
confusing. ** 292 pages
56. The Righteous: Righteous Series, Book 1 Kindle ebook-Great read about modern day cultish Mormons-fiction. Michael Wallace one of my favorite authors. 338 pages ****
57. The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore no matter how hard I tried, I could not keep up with all the characters in the book, nor did I want to! Very ambitious work. Read 284/355 pages and could NOT finish!**
58. Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad Just awful! Only read 10/45 chapters. *
59. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. *** very mediocre story line. 180 pages
60. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 416 pages *****
61. The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe *** very mediocre, for Poe. 14 pages
62. The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen potential not realized *** 338 pages

I meant for my title to say: Rootin Tootin Tess....but alas and alack auto text changes and a quick mouse finger changed that!

Star Rating System

*-So bad either I could barely finish or I quit after 50 pages/this is literature?
**-Less than average/too slow paced/boring/mediocre/unsatsifying
***-Average/good Read/perhaps could have stood some more WOW!/most people would like, I'm just very critical!
****-Exceptional! Great read, would recommend
*****Superior in all ways!

4connie53
Mar 12, 2016, 3:57 am

Happy New Thread, Tess!

5Jackie_K
Mar 12, 2016, 6:39 am

Happy new thread! I love the picture - blackberry-picking is something I never get tired of! (I, along with another English friend here, are holding out against calling them 'brambles', and going 'brambling', which is what they say here in Scotland! Mostly I'm happy to just go with the local words, but for some reason saying we're 'going blackberrying' is just so much more evocative for me!).

6Tess_W
Editado: Mar 12, 2016, 3:41 pm

>5 Jackie_K: I have both blackberry and red raspberry bushes. I have to cover them with net in the spring until harvest or the birds will pick them clean in a day! I usually net 3-5 quarts per bush per year; enough for a couple of blackberry buckles, a couple dozen muffins, and to eat raw and in salads. The red raspberries I've tried in jam before, but didn't really like my recipe. And P.S.....I have read articles in the U.S. that calls blackberry bushes "weeds"!

7Tess_W
Mar 12, 2016, 12:46 pm

Reading friends: I would be most interested in swapping recipes with other readers. I'm starting a new topic simply called RECIPES!

8avanders
Mar 12, 2016, 8:54 pm

Happy new thread!
And now I'm seeing you're more than halfway done w/ your goal already! Way to go!!

& love the new pic :)

9Tess_W
Mar 13, 2016, 6:41 am

>8 avanders: Yes, Ava, it seems I never set my goal correctly, either too many or too few. I am a sporadic reader. I may read a book a day for 3 days and then not read again for a week. I'm unpredictable, even for myself!

10Jackie_K
Mar 13, 2016, 1:10 pm

>9 Tess_W: I'm very similar to you - at the moment I have several books on the go and that is working for me, but then I'll either go down to just one, or not read for weeks at a time. I deliberately set my own goal low this time in case I ended up with a succession of chunksters, but actually I am enjoying not feeling the stress of having to meet a more ambitious goal.

11mmignano11
Mar 13, 2016, 9:20 pm

I read several books at a time also and then may skip a few days and work on my crafts and get caught up with housework. Then I'll spend a couple of days mostly reading again. I like the idea of trading recipes also. Right now I am not in the greatest place to cook/bake but I love recipes and will save them for the future if I can't execute them in my current kitchen. The oven is unpredictable.

12MissWatson
Mar 14, 2016, 6:07 am

>6 Tess_W: Happy new thread, Tess!
Well, the blackberries certainly grow like weeds along some of our roads and rail tracks. I remember Venetia went brambling when she met Lord Damerel... And raspberries are my favourite fruit ever.

13Tess_W
Editado: Mar 14, 2016, 8:22 pm

>12 MissWatson: Thanks Brigit! Do you like the red raspberries or the black raspberries?

14MissWatson
Mar 15, 2016, 4:42 am

>13 Tess_W: I've never seen black raspberries in Germany, we only have the red variety. I could check with one of the local growers if they have heard of them yet...

15Tess_W
Mar 15, 2016, 9:52 am

>14 MissWatson: black raspberries are a real premium in the U.S.; the red ones are more common and therefore cheaper. The black ones are used a lot for the very expensive jams and pies.

16Tess_W
Editado: Mar 25, 2016, 3:01 am

My latest root was The Midwife's Revolt by Jodi Daynard. It takes place in and near Boston beginning in about 1775. It is the story of the beginning of the Revolution when Lizzie, a widowed midwife (at only age 19) inherits her husband's 40 acres of farm right next to the John and Abigail Adams family. The story line is about the escapades of Lizzy, her "servant", and a runaway teen who is pregnant by her family's slave, unbeknownst to her parents. This is just a great read, but might not be so much if one does not know the history of the American Revolution. This is a very historically accurate historical fiction. There is a second book in the series which follows the life of the teen girl after she gives birth to a mulatto child. I already have it d/l on my Kindle! 5 stars

17avanders
Mar 16, 2016, 4:47 pm

>9 Tess_W: well it's tough to do... it's so hard to anticipate what kind of time you'll have and what kind of ROOTs you'll find :) I have the same issue. I try to set my goal at a "definitely achievable" number and just hope I surpass it :)

>15 Tess_W: that seems to be true.. but I sure do prefer the red raspberry flavor! :D

18mmignano11
Mar 16, 2016, 6:59 pm

I love the big fat juicy sweet black ones. I grew up nwith several bushes in my backyard over the back fence. Yum! I like the red too but they never seem as juicy as the black ones. At least not in New Jersey.

19LittleTaiko
Mar 17, 2016, 11:36 am

>16 Tess_W: - I'm a sucker for books set during that time period. Definitely adding it to my wishlist.

20Tess_W
Editado: Mar 21, 2016, 11:00 am

A "quick" root today, Emile Zola's Therese Raquin. This was 170 pages of some of the darkest stuff I've read which included a murder and 2 resultant suicides. It was probably fairly erotic for its day, too. I think Zola wanted to show the condition of mankind. There are others who I think do/have done it much better, although this was my first Zola. 3 stars



I read this on my Kindle app, but liked this pic anyway!

21Jackie_K
Mar 20, 2016, 9:05 am

>20 Tess_W: hmm. Don't think I'll be taking a BB on that one! :)

22Tess_W
Editado: Mar 22, 2016, 7:48 am

Just finished my first "Anne of Green Gables" book, although I read the 2nd book first...Anne of Avonlea. I never read these as a young girl and if I did I'm sure I would not have enjoyed them. There is so much adult humor in this book that I'm sure I would not have understood it when I was a young girl or even teen. This story picks up as Anne is the school teacher for Avonlea after coming to live with her aunt and uncle after both her parents died. There are several amusing incidents in the book and it was a nice read, but I won't be visiting any of the other books in the series. 3 stars

23Tess_W
Editado: Mar 25, 2016, 9:13 am

Root # 30 was A Winter in Mallorca by George Sand. This tells of Ms. Sand's "vacation" in Mallorca with her 3 children and Chopin, who she refers to throughout the book as "the invalid." The jacket of the book states that over 40 Spanish attorneys met and tried to halt the publication of this book. If this book is true, what an awful experience. Ms. Sand finds the people of Mallorca "lazy, stupid, and thieves", just to name a few. She also condemns anybody with faith as "impossible to have true faith...unless he was completely devoid of intelligence." She does admit that the Mallorcan's shunned her because they discovered that she was married to a Count in France and living with Chopin on the island with her children and they thought her sinful. She was not accepted into simple Mallorcan society. Also, a doctor on the island diagnosed Chopin with consumption (TB) which she vehemently denied he had, and again, the locals, afraid of the contagion, shunned them. I did some research on Chopin and he did in fact several years later die of consumption. I have used the world Mallorcan's to describe those living on the island of Mallorca. However, Sand used the Spanish word Mallorquín. Today the island of Mallorca seems to be a very exclusive playground site for the rich and famous from Germany, Austria, and Great Britain.

I would have liked to read a lot more about Chopin and his experiences on the island, as history tells us it was probably his most productive period.

24Jackie_K
Mar 25, 2016, 1:28 pm

>22 Tess_W: I too didn't read Anne of Green Gables as a youngster, but downloaded the first one from Project Gutenberg so it is on the TBR list to be reached at some point. One of my friends says the film is his favourite of all time.

25karenmarie
Mar 25, 2016, 5:50 pm

#23 - Hi Tess! Sounds very interesting and I just ordered it from Amazon. Definitely not a ROOT for me, but I only committed to 9 ROOTs this year so...... :)

26Tess_W
Editado: Mar 26, 2016, 7:22 am

Root #31 was a novella by Graham Greene entitled Under the Garden. I have a problem with short stories/novellas in that usually: 1) I don't understand them 2) the plot is not well developed. This is no exception. This is the story of W. Wilditch, a man who has been told that he is dying. He goes back to his childhood home and relives a dream? 2 stars



P.S. Touchstones were not correct so I did not include them.

27Tess_W
Editado: Mar 26, 2016, 10:38 am

I think I will just make this a weekend of reading novellas and/or short stories! I can clear 4 spaces off my shelf by doing so and then they will be out of the way because I really don't care for short stories! Book #2 is three short stories by John Steinbeck, not really one of my favorite authors, anyway. The stories were: "Flight" the story of a young man who kills and runs into the mountains to be killed by a bandit himself; "Murder" wherein a man shoots the cousin of his wife, who he finds in bed with her and then he beats her with a horsewhip and while bleeding she fixes him eggs for breakfast, and 'The Chrysanthemums", the story of a farmer's wife who grows the flowers and fondles a man who comes to their house to mend pots and pans. 2 1/2 stars

28Tess_W
Mar 26, 2016, 5:56 pm

Well, as I really don't like short stories, I decided to finish off Lorna Doone today. It is a classic that I had never read. I found it to be violent and dark. Lorna was kidnapped as a babe and brought up by the Doones near Exmoor Highlands. The Doones were outlaws and bandits and pillaged the village in which John Ridd and his family lived, killing the father. John vows to avenge his father's death--that is the plot of the story. There are many battles and many deaths and many wrongs. John falls in love with Lorna and about 600 pages later, they are living happily ever after. A good classic but too many battles for me. I did like the historical background of King Charles II's death and the fight for the throne between the "rightful" heir, James II (Catholic) and his bastard Protestant son, the Duke of Monmouth. 3 1/2 stars (too many battles!)



29Tess_W
Mar 26, 2016, 6:44 pm

A blessed Easter to all my bibliophile friends!

30clue
Mar 26, 2016, 8:15 pm

> 29 And to you Tess.

31Tess_W
Mar 26, 2016, 9:43 pm

Been reading for about 14 hours straight with only ups and downs for bathroom and food! It's good for a day, but any longer and the body grows stiff! I just finished another novella by Edith Wharton, Madame De Treymes. Like all of Wharton's works, this is a play on high society manners and lack of morals. It may be just a tad better than her others as the ending is a bit spooky. 2 1/2 stars

32avidmom
Mar 27, 2016, 12:46 am

>16 Tess_W: That sounds like a really good one!!!

>27 Tess_W: I love John Steinbeck but those short stories sound pretty wretched. Sometimes I think Steinbeck would try way too hard to be "deep." And it just ends up making you want to stick your finger down your throat, you know.

33rabbitprincess
Mar 27, 2016, 9:38 am

>28 Tess_W: The historical background does sound interesting! I'd heard of Lorna Doone but never knew anything about when or where it was set. So thank you for enlightening me! Might have to check it out.

34Jackie_K
Mar 27, 2016, 2:25 pm

>31 Tess_W: That is one of my recent ROOTs. I really didn't like the ending. But at least it was short!

35connie53
Mar 28, 2016, 2:15 pm

Hi Tess. You've been reading a lot, but 14 hours!

36Tess_W
Editado: Mar 30, 2016, 8:49 pm

>35 connie53:, probably more than that if I count the hours I read after I went to bed! I'm sort of on a "vacation"...my husband is 800 miles away taking care of his invalid father for the next 10 days. The house is all clean and I'm by myself!!!!!!!!!!!

37Tess_W
Editado: Mar 30, 2016, 1:54 am

Practice to Deceive by Ann Rule was a true crime story of the murder of Russel Douglas in Puget Sound, Washington, in 2003. Ann Rule is the "queen" of the true crime genre and as usual, this was an excellent book with a lot of interesting information, but not so much technical info as to turn one off. If you are a true crime fan (as I am) or are familiar with the area, this is a good read. 4 stars

Touchstones not working.



I'm going to now begin a John Jakes saga, Homeland: The Crown Family Saga, 1890-1900, that is 1200 pages long. See you much later, friends!

38Tess_W
Editado: Mar 31, 2016, 12:08 am

Just finished Far Away Home by Susan Denning. While the story premise is satisfactory, the movement west, and the history is spot on (Utah-Brigham Young-The Transcontinental Railroad), I find that the characters, all the way from their name to their actions a bit un 1870's ish! Firstly, the "heroine" of the story is Ayslinn who is raised as a good Irish-Catholic girl in New York City. She ends up in Ogden, Utah, chasing her "love". The anti-hero of the story is Liam, a no-good greasy scoundrel who pretends to be a good guy, but he's not. Ayslinn and Liam monikers for the late 17th century? I just checked the top 100 names for guys and gals per the Social Security Administration and neither of those names were in the top 100. And Ayslinn did not act like a good Irish-Catholic girl in the 1870's, sleeping with 3 different men before she married them. This was listed as a YA read---no way! They would be bored out of their mind! I had to suspend my knowledge of the time period to enjoy this book, but I did enjoy it. 3 stars



I'm getting back to reading The Crown Family Saga, 1890-1900. I'm on page 60, only 1140 more to go!;)

39detailmuse
Mar 31, 2016, 2:23 pm

Tess in all seriousness about Homeland: how are you holding it to read? I remember resorting to reading at a table or cutting apart some books like that in order to handle them.

40Tess_W
Mar 31, 2016, 2:34 pm

>39 detailmuse: LOL funny you should ask that.....I actually tore about 1/3 of the book away from the spine.....no way you can hold that book to read it "whole"!

41detailmuse
Mar 31, 2016, 2:51 pm

Makes sense! I just looked and it seems to be a mass-market pb, even harder to manage!

42Britt84
Mar 31, 2016, 2:54 pm

*in shock* you tear apart books? You book murderer!
I actually get the idea, but really, I don't think I could ever bring myself to tear up a book. I usually just read large books at a table...

I really like your description of the Steinbeck stories, it pretty much matches the feeling I often get when reading his work

43Jackie_K
Mar 31, 2016, 2:57 pm

I remember once, in a youth hostel in Bucharest, being absolutely horrified by an American girl who was also staying there who would just tear the relevant pages out of her Rough Guide for wherever she was visiting that day, rather than taking the whole book. I mean, I know it makes sense (particularly if you don't want to be obviously a tourist holding an obvious guide book), but I still couldn't do it!

44Tess_W
Editado: Mar 31, 2016, 3:37 pm

>42 Britt84: >43 Jackie_K: Well this is a paperback book I got for $1.00......no qualms here!

And Jackie, I don't think I have ever sat at a table to read a book, unless I have to take notes on it! Work reading is done in a chair or sofa (often lying down) and pleasure reading is 90% of the time lying on my bed!

45Tess_W
Mar 31, 2016, 6:23 pm

My latest finish is the classic The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. When I saw this was only 96 pages I left my 1200 page saga and thought I would sneak this in today before the end of the month!

This took at least 5-10 pages to acclimate myself to the author's rhythm and prose. The story was narrated by either Dr. Jekyll or his attorney, who was reading a letter from Dr. Jekyll. This book is basically the story of an experiment gone wrong. Dr. Jekyll spends much time pondering the meaning of life and his own mortality and morality. A good read. 4 stars

46Familyhistorian
Abr 5, 2016, 3:40 am

>23 Tess_W: I just did a research paper on TB and saw the information on Chopin having consumption. It affected a lot of creative people. Actually the writer of one of the books that I used for my research thought that consumptive people were more creative because they were outside of the main stream as they were shunned by society and couldn't get regular jobs so would devote themselves to their craft.

47Tess_W
Abr 5, 2016, 12:00 pm

>46 Familyhistorian: Very interesting!

48connie53
Abr 5, 2016, 1:36 pm

Whenever I read a book inside the house I will sit at the table. I never sit on the sofa or in a low chair. I can't sit in those. The only time I'm on the sofa it's because we have visitors.

49Tess_W
Abr 5, 2016, 2:47 pm

>48 connie53: I buy really big sturdy furniture...my husband is 6'5" and 380 lbs....it if stays sturdy for him it's ok for me. However, I really prefer to lie down to read.

50avanders
Abr 6, 2016, 9:00 am

>46 Familyhistorian: that is very interesting! I really know very little about consumption.. basically, what I know, I got from reading Winter's Tale ;p
I didn't realize until I read it this morning that consumption is an archaic term for tuberculosis (wikipedia (quote from here)).

51Tess_W
Editado: Abr 9, 2016, 5:15 am

Just finished a 5 star read: The Red Rooster (Le Cock Rouge) by Michael Wallace. This is a story that begins at the Red Rooster, a restaurant/bar in occupied France in 1940. It has a myriad of characters: prostitutes, destitutes, Nazi's, Zazous, Maqui, Gestapo, and German businessmen. It is the story of Gabriella, a 20 year old whose father is taken by the Gestapo and she does what a girl has to do to survive in WWII occupied France. Once of the best French occupation stories that I've read and WWII is both my passion and the topic of my master's thesis, so I've read a lot of them!

52Tess_W
Abr 9, 2016, 7:28 pm

I got this email today from Abe's Books: The 50 essential historical fiction books:

http://www.abebooks.com/books/features/50-essential-historical-fiction-books.sht...

For what it's worth!

53avidmom
Abr 9, 2016, 7:33 pm

>51 Tess_W: That sounds really good! Another BB....

54Britt84
Abr 11, 2016, 8:33 am

>52 Tess_W: nice link! I have a number of those books on my tbr pile :)

55Tess_W
Editado: Abr 13, 2016, 10:25 am

Still plugging away at 3 chunksters. I hope to finish at least 2 of them before the end of this month, but I can't be sure. My bedtime reading has dwindled to almost nothing since daylight savings time........I can't get acclimated...I'm so tired....how can an hour do that do you?

Currently reading:
Man in the Iron Mask only chapter 1 650+ pages
The Goldfinch about 1/4th of the way through and not very good so far, but the reviews are raving. This if for my real life book club. 800+ pages
Homeland about 1/4 of the way through, 1200+ pages very good read!

56avanders
Editado: Abr 13, 2016, 10:28 am

>55 Tess_W: I know, it's crazy how much of an impact it has! I think I'm starting to adjust, but I'm one of those weirdos who prefers lots of night, so I always like having that extra sun in the morning ;)

Those are quite the chunksters!! I hope to read Man in the Iron Mask in the "not too distant future" -- I loved the Count of Monte Cristo and the Iron Mask was my dad's favorite book as a kid.. so between those 2, I suspect I'll really enjoy it! Hope you are :)

I really liked The Goldfinch BUT I will say that it is a long, slow, kind of plodding read. For me, I had to really commit mentally when I read it. I.e., not be around distracting anythings and devote more time in each sitting to really get into it. I know some people (certainly in my RL book group) preferred certain portions over others.. but for me, I think it was just an overall satisfying read. At the time, I said about it: "My response in a sort of nutshell: It is so well written. Tartt seems to have really gotten into the minds of her characters to draw out their personalities and emotions and philosophies. The "happenings" -- i.e., what is actually going on -- for/in each phase of the book (Theo at ages 13, 14, 19, etc.) are quite interesting. The characters are all lovely -- even the ones you don't like! Of course Hobie is a favorite... reminds me a bit of a really smart Hagrid ;) But. The only real "but" I have is there are a *lot* of pontifications... Theo is often musing on big life questions and Tartt herself seems to be inserting her own reflections by way of her various lists. These lists are not bulleted or numbered, of course, but I mean, she'll take a concept and then take it all the way to the end -- rather than simply stating something like "there were a lot of annoying types of people," she'll go through and list 'em all. Which is interesting and, as I say, SO well written... but sometimes made the whole thing feel drawn out a little bit much." I hope that in the end you enjoy it, even though you're not really loving it so far!

Don't know anything about Homeland... :)

57karenmarie
Abr 14, 2016, 8:53 am

>55 Tess_W: I chose The Goldfinch for our RL book club last year, and I devoured it, loving every page and description. Many of the group, however, thought it too long and/or thought it not "enough" for the Pulitzer. In re-reading the plot just now, I'm remembering how much I loved it.

58connie53
Abr 17, 2016, 8:55 am

I really love daylight savings time. Lovely long evenings to sit in the garden and read!

59Tess_W
Editado: Abr 19, 2016, 2:53 pm

Well.......last night I was sitting watching TV when I saw 2 bugs crawl across the floor. I ran over and gasp....they were giant carpenter (black) ants with wings, the largest I have ever seen. So I killed them and got out my Home Defense and sprayed the door sills and window sills, thinking that is where they could have come in. Then as I was going back to the bedroom, I found 2 more in the foyer; okay, I missed them the first time. On the way back to the kitchen something caught my eye and I turned and in the living room was a wall FULL of these things, I mean hundreds of them. Yuck! My husband and I hurriedly killed them all, they would crawl up your leg if you walked near! So awful! I called the exterminator and he said this was the season that kings/queens swarm to find new nests. He said I must have an already existing nest in the house (which we've never seen ants before). So, today the exterminator is coming to take care of this problem. It will take about 1 year (semi-monthly treatments) to rid the property of these pests!

On a brighter note, I still had some blackberries from last year's crop and I made a blackberry buckle, my all-time favorite dessert. Although I'm a diet (have lost 23 pounds) I'm rewarding myself and consoling myself!

60Tess_W
Abr 19, 2016, 2:54 pm

>57 karenmarie: I'm about half way through and I'm debating whether to finish or not! If it wasn't for a RL bookclub it would have been gone long ago.

61rabbitprincess
Abr 19, 2016, 4:27 pm

>59 Tess_W: Ugh!!! Terrifying!!! I think that definitely called for an emergency application of your favourite dessert.

62Jackie_K
Abr 19, 2016, 4:35 pm

>59 Tess_W: How awful! I would have headed straight for pudding as well!

63Britt84
Abr 20, 2016, 3:38 am

>59 Tess_W: Ugh, I hate it when critters decide to make your home their home... I mean, there's plenty of nice places outside where they can live, why do they have to come and live with us? I had a wasps nest last year, so I had a room full of wasps, it was so annoying! Hope the exterminator will get them out soon!

64MissWatson
Abr 20, 2016, 4:15 am

>59 Tess_W: That's quite a horror story. Good decision to treat yourself to a favourite dessert!

65avanders
Abr 20, 2016, 9:38 am

>59 Tess_W: oh no!!! That is awful! Hope the exterminator fixes the problem!! We had major ant problems last year, but they were just small sugar ants (SO many of them!). I didn't know they find new nests every year.. I wonder if that will benefit us this year? We sprayed a LOT last year, and SO far... haven't seen very many ants..... fingers crossed for you & for us!

Mmmmmmm your blackberry buckle looks lovely! And Congrats on losing 23 pounds already!!

66Tess_W
Abr 20, 2016, 9:56 am

Ants taken care of! They were swarming carpenter ants trying to find a place to nest and mate! We have a 3/4 basement and a 1/4 crawlspace. They were in the crawlspace and had nested in the insulation. Their nest was too small so these swarmers were looking for a new home, but it's not going to be with me! The exterminator sprayed the crawlspace and the foundation of the house. He also put some dessicant powder along the foundation of the house which if an insect steps in it will destroy their skeleton in a matter of hours. I slept well last night.

67avanders
Abr 20, 2016, 9:56 am

>66 Tess_W: that is TERRible!!! But I'm so glad it's taken care of now!!

68karenmarie
Abr 20, 2016, 1:38 pm

>59 Tess_W: Nasty bugs require food consolation. Good for you. And congratulations on the weight loss.

69detailmuse
Abr 21, 2016, 2:02 pm

Congratulations on your weight loss! And on addressing the ant problem so quickly!

70connie53
Abr 23, 2016, 2:23 pm

Tess, Ugh! Do they look anything like this? I tried to get the right translation of the Carpenter ants and this is the closest I get. These are called 'Flying ants' in Holland. We have had them in a vacation bungalow once. Very nasty.

71Tess_W
Abr 23, 2016, 8:42 pm

>70 connie53:, Yes, Connie...ours looked like that only I think they were much larger. Yep, nasty things!

72karenmarie
Abr 24, 2016, 8:24 am

>70 connie53: Yeesh. I scrolled past those ugly buggers faster than greased lightening! *shudder*

73Tess_W
Editado: Abr 26, 2016, 7:47 pm

Just finished my June RL bookclub's choice, and it was AWFUL, with a capital A! Had it not been for the club, I would have ditched this by the time I was into the 1st quarter of the book. The book, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Yes, yes, it won the Pulitzer Prize. Why? Absolutely no idea!

Where do I begin to explain my loathing of this book?

Firstly, let me start with the author's choice of words. I am a word lover! In fact, when I come across a word that is new, I write it down in my word notebook after looking up the meaning and pondering it. However, there were not those "types" of words in Tartt's book. Tartt must have thought she was getting paid by the word. I found her prose to be an extravagant cacophony of words. I read another review where they used the term "pompous tomfoolery." That's exactly it. It was if she was trying to impress the reader, but the opposite occurred.

Secondly, if you want to read 200 pages of adolescent thievery, drug use, and alcoholism, this is the book for you! In fact, drug use is a constant theme throughout the book. Even to the very long dismal end. The book ends with the protagonist logging his drug use daily: 135 mg, 240, mg, 350 mg, 420 mg......

Lastly, the premise for the book is absurd and the actions/scenes unbelievable, especially for n'er do-well teens. This is not serious fiction but 750 pages of interminable monotonous babbling! 2 Stars

74Tess_W
Editado: Abr 25, 2016, 8:05 pm

Sitting in the sun "watching" the peonies "grow"! When the sun passes over the house I will go in and try to finish The Man in the Iron Mask.

75clue
Abr 24, 2016, 9:38 pm

>74 Tess_W: I checked on mine this afternoon and they are only a few days from opening (I live in the South). Last year they were ruined by lots of rain and we have severe weather predicted for Wed. I'm going to come up with something tomorrow to protect them that will not blow away and try to save them!

76Tess_W
Editado: Abr 25, 2016, 8:54 am

The Man in the Iron Mask is the 3rd or 4th of The Three Musketeers written by Alexander Dumas. (Depending upon how the editors/publishers divide the books). I thought this book was going to be about Phillipe, the man in the iron mask and the battle to free him. The book was more about the musketeers and the man in the iron mask was only a subplot. Things do not end well for the Musketeers; they disperse, get old and disappear. 560 pages is a lot of swashbuckling! 3 stars



77avanders
Abr 25, 2016, 9:16 am

>73 Tess_W: oh no! Sorry you hated it so much... at least you'll have a lot to talk about during your book group! :)

>74 Tess_W: pretty! Sounds like a great time :)

78connie53
Abr 25, 2016, 1:48 pm

>73 Tess_W: I did not like De verborgen geschiedenis at all. Now I'm glad I did not give Het puttertje a try!

79Jackie_K
Abr 25, 2016, 5:17 pm

I hope your next read is less of a turkey, Tess!

I've just asked Connie, and will ask you too - how is your new knee coming on?

80Tess_W
Editado: Abr 25, 2016, 8:05 pm

>79 Jackie_K: My new knee is like new! I ditched my cane at 8 weeks and I'm totally free of any pain. The doctor did say it is one year for complete healing....the only inkling of a surgery is when I have to twist my foot to get out of the car, the knee doesn't twist....right in the back there is a little twinge, but the doctor said that is the last area to heal. I'm getting the other one replaced on June 6. Weeks 1-3 are really really bad; after that, it gets much better rather quickly. Thanks for asking.

81MissWatson
Abr 26, 2016, 6:23 am

>80 Tess_W: That's good to hear, Tess. Best wishes that the second operation proves equally successful.

82karenmarie
Abr 26, 2016, 6:57 am

>80 Tess_W:, what MissWatson said! I hope that the second one goes as well.

83avanders
Abr 26, 2016, 11:08 am

>80 Tess_W: yay! So glad to hear your new knee is doing so well!
And ditto Birgit and Karen - hope your second surgery goes perfectly!

84Jackie_K
Abr 26, 2016, 1:19 pm

>80 Tess_W: that is so good to hear Tess, I remember how awful the first couple of weeks were for you and felt so sorry for you! I add my wishes to everyone else's for the second knee to be fixed as quickly!

85connie53
Abr 28, 2016, 1:49 pm

And I add mine!

86Tess_W
Abr 30, 2016, 1:20 pm

April Recap: Not many books, but many pages and I'm still working on my 1160 pager!

38. The Red Rooster by Michael Wallace 340 pages*****
39. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt ** (that's generous) 760 pages
40. The Man in the Iron Mask Alexander Dumas 560 pages ***

87rabbitprincess
Abr 30, 2016, 2:28 pm

Wow, that is a lot of pages!

88karenmarie
Abr 30, 2016, 3:56 pm

>86 Tess_W: Chunksters! Good for you. I'm sorry you didn't like The Goldfinch, but to each her own.

89Tess_W
mayo 1, 2016, 7:14 pm

Finished my first read for May (although read 90% of it in April) a classic, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. This was a coming of age story of Francie Nolan, born into a poor but proud family in Brooklyn in about 1900. This tells of their struggles just to survive. I did like this book, even though there were a few times the book was slow. Also, the ending seemed to skip through very fast, but all in all I would recommend this book. 4 stars

90avanders
mayo 4, 2016, 10:00 am

>86 Tess_W: many pages is quite an accomplishment! Esp. since you really didn't like one of the looong books you read!

91karenmarie
mayo 5, 2016, 9:42 am

>89 Tess_W: I remember loving A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Another good book by Betty Smith is Maggie-Now.

92Tess_W
mayo 7, 2016, 9:42 am

Was hoping for a nice sunny day today, but right now it is sooooooooooo cold! My husband and 3 grandsons doing some landscape work. I'm going to wash and vacuum SUV and then I'm done for the day...can devote myself to finishing my chunksters. Tomorrow is Sleeping Beauty at the Ballet with my BFF.

93Tess_W
Editado: mayo 8, 2016, 12:35 pm



Seeing Sleeping Beauty at the ballet today with my BFF! Can't wait, this is one of the more "beautiful", in terms of costuming with the fairy variations, the Rose Adagio, and the Blue Bird pas de deux.

94readingtangent
mayo 8, 2016, 6:43 pm

>89 Tess_W: I have that one in my ROOT TBR pile, too.
>93 Tess_W: Sounds lovely!

95Tess_W
mayo 9, 2016, 8:35 am

Just finished a 5 star chunkster read Homeland (The Crown Family Saga Book 1) by John Jakes. It was the story of the Crown Family of Chicago and their immigrant nephew, Pauli. This book was an excellent historical fiction of the late 1800's through the Spanish-American War and included such historical figures as the Armours, Pullmans, Thomas Edison, Teddy Roosevelt and Stephen Crane. A lot of the story focused on the rise of labor unions and resultant violence and the Spanish-American War; both of which I teach in American History so this read was doubly enjoyable. There are 2 more books in this series which I will read at a later date; after 1200 pages I need a change!

96Tess_W
mayo 9, 2016, 9:01 am

I think that for the remainder of this calendar year, I will choose and read books by alphabetical order. That will provide me with a wide variety of both fiction and non-fiction books. The caveat will be that if it is an anthology I will skip that book (as I'm already reading one) and that it if it is a trilogy I have the option of reading only one or all of the series, even if the subsequent books don't belong in the list alphabetical. I don't think I will run into that problem with the first set of reads. I think that I can get through the Letter A and a good way through letter B by 2017!

97MissWatson
mayo 9, 2016, 9:50 am

>96 Tess_W: I'm curious to see how that works out!

98karenmarie
Editado: mayo 9, 2016, 9:54 am

>96 Tess_W: What an interesting way to read books! It can certainly give you a wide variety and your rules sound practical.

99avanders
mayo 9, 2016, 10:53 am

>92 Tess_W: Sounds like a great plan for a cold day!
>93 Tess_W: Sounds lovely! How was it?

100Tess_W
mayo 9, 2016, 10:55 am

>99 avanders: I got NO reading done, after the boys went home I fell asleep and then it was dinner! The ballet was wonderful and beautiful, as always. I like the classical ones much better than the modern ones!

101avanders
mayo 9, 2016, 11:04 am

>100 Tess_W: that's okay too ... I always justify sleep -- if you're sleeping like that you must need it!
Glad to hear the ballet was wonderful :) I would like to see more ballets...

102Jackie_K
mayo 9, 2016, 12:23 pm

>96 Tess_W: What do you do if you've read (say) A through C, start D but then buy a new book by an author beginning with A? Would you go back and read the new A, or leave it till you get to Z and then start again? Not that it matters, you can do what you like, but I'm feeling a bit nerdy about your system rules :D

103Tess_W
mayo 9, 2016, 12:36 pm

>102 Jackie_K: LOL, Jackie! Well, I've not purchased any books thus far in 2016, can you believe it? I've gotten over the buying fanaticism that has engulfed me for so long. I think I can confidently say that the issue you described will not occur. However, should somebody buy me a book, I think I will not consider it until after I finish what I set out to do.

104Jackie_K
mayo 9, 2016, 12:55 pm

>103 Tess_W: Wow, no books at all?! I am genuinely impressed!

105Tess_W
Editado: mayo 9, 2016, 3:00 pm

>104 Jackie_K: Took me 4 years to get "there".....but one entire bookshelf is no longer stuffed full and double-stacked, and I like it. Also, I'm spending a lot less $ which is designated for a vacation savings account. In 2017 I think my hubby and I are going on an Alaska Cruise-Inner Passage--now it's not all $ I've saved from books, but I probably spent $300-400 per year on books. If only I could stick to my diet that faithfully! My husband has lost 116 pounds and I lost 26, but have gained 6 back. I'm feeling pressured!

106detailmuse
mayo 10, 2016, 11:08 am

Wow less clutter, lighter bodies -- it feels good doesn't it! Best wishes on your second knee next month!

107Tess_W
mayo 10, 2016, 12:32 pm

108Jackie_K
mayo 10, 2016, 3:36 pm

>105 Tess_W: Oh I hear you re the diet! I am trying to change my thinking about dieting. I did successfully diet about 15 years ago, but since have put it all back on and more (looking at photos of me at my lightest, I really do look too thin, so I'm not surprised it didn't last, I'm really not meant to be skinny). I like being curvy, and really savour good food, but do want to feel a bit healthier, so I think I'm going to have to get my head round not bothering with what the scales say, but thinking more about the quality of food I eat (and amount).

The cruise sounds amazing - Alaska is somewhere I've always really wanted to visit.

109Tess_W
mayo 11, 2016, 8:17 am

>105 Tess_W: My husband and I aren't really "dieting" either as in counting calories and we are only weighing ourselves every 2-3 months lest we become discouraged. We are just eating healthier by cutting out most carbs--which was the bulk of our diet in the past. It's killing me because I like to bake and there is no more pie/cake etc! (except holidays)

110avanders
mayo 11, 2016, 11:51 am

>105 Tess_W: an Alaskan cruise sounds amazing.. it's something I've wanted to do for years! I knew someone who went on one in June, and it sounds like I would absolutely love it - hope you do!
And, like Jackie, I hear ya re the diet! My husband loses weight just by thinking about it, and I struggle and grasp and maybe lose a pound.. that I gain back the next time I think about a dessert.
>.

111karenmarie
mayo 11, 2016, 3:49 pm

Ugh. Diets. Blech. I know what to do, I just don't have the willpower lately to do it.

112Tess_W
Editado: mayo 13, 2016, 8:43 am

I really wanted to like this book--after all, I am a history teacher/professor. However, if anybody could kill someone's love for history, this guy could do it! I even tried listening to him on the radio, but just as boring with a capital B. I only read about half of this book-- (still 300/600 pages) The History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor. 2 stars

113Tess_W
Editado: mayo 13, 2016, 10:44 pm

Just finished my first "A" TBR book (I'm going to try to read my TBR's alphabetically for the remainder of the year), Afton of Margate Castle by Angela Elwell Hunt. This was a very good read picking up at 1100 AD and ending with the battle for the English throne between Matilda, King Henry's daughter and King Stephen, grandson of William the Conqueror. Afton was born a villein, owned by the Lord of the Castle Margate. She had a very tough life, losing her son, her daughter, her mill, and having to put with with a brutally cruel husband. But in the end, as all knightly stories end, her knight came to her rescue. For all it's cliches, this was a great read. 4 1/2 stars! I have read other books by this author and have liked them, also. Now I'm on to Alaska Days with John Muir, a work of non-fiction.

114connie53
mayo 14, 2016, 10:27 am

Hi Tess, trying to catch up on some threads today. Very interesting system though I'm not really sure if I understand it correctly. You are going to read all your books beginning with A. Do you mean by title or by writer? Because your last book would fit both. Afton and Angela ;-)

115Tess_W
Editado: mayo 14, 2016, 11:00 am

>114 connie53: By title! (Unless for anthologies because you can't have more than 1 of them going at once!) And also the exception is I listen to an audio companion of a book I already own to and from work---and I only buy them if they are CHEAP...like $1.99---so my to and from work book may not be in alpha order. But I'm on my 2nd "A" already and it's working--for the time being--until I become bored!

116connie53
mayo 14, 2016, 2:57 pm

>115 Tess_W: LOL, I'm following all your planning and reading with pleasure!

117Tess_W
mayo 14, 2016, 8:29 pm

Reading Roots and not buying anything for more than 7 months has really paid off. Here is a "before" and an "after" pic of one of my bookshelves! I can see great progress!

Before:


After

118clue
mayo 14, 2016, 8:33 pm

Wow, you're an inspiration!

119Tess_W
Editado: mayo 14, 2016, 8:37 pm

Este mensaje fue borrado por su autor.

120Tess_W
Editado: mayo 14, 2016, 9:25 pm

Well I tried to post a pic of my precious #6 grandchild, Autumn Isabelle, on here but it won't allow me--wrong form, I guess? But if you click this link, be prepared to see an angel!

http://www.librarything.com/pic/5317650

121connie53
mayo 15, 2016, 2:38 am

she is a lovely and cute little angel, Tess.

122karenmarie
mayo 15, 2016, 10:19 am

Hi Tess! I'm glad your alphabet ROOT method is working so far, and of course, Autumn Isabelle is adorable!

123Jackie_K
mayo 15, 2016, 4:40 pm

>117 Tess_W: Wow that is such a difference!

>120 Tess_W: She is lovely!

124Ameise1
mayo 16, 2016, 2:35 am

>117 Tess_W: You're really making space. Congrats.

125avanders
mayo 16, 2016, 9:33 am

>113 Tess_W: oh you are also doing the alphabet challenge - good luck! & congrats on finishing your first A!

>117 Tess_W: Oh very cool! I love that you got a before picture so you can compare! & Looks like great progress!

>120 Tess_W: oh so cute!! Thanks for sharing!

126Tess_W
mayo 16, 2016, 9:37 am

>125 avanders: Well Ava, not really "the" alphabet challenge...just my variation..going to read all my TBR's that begin with letter A, followed by letter B, etc, for the remainder of this year or until I get bored!

127avanders
mayo 16, 2016, 9:55 am

>126 Tess_W: sure but it's still an alphabet challenge... certainly counts in my book! :)

128Tess_W
Editado: mayo 18, 2016, 11:22 am

I just finished Alaska Days with John Muir by Samuel Hall Young. This was a great account of Muir's and Young's exploration of Alaska. The descriptions and the exploration accounts are breathtaking as well as interesting! These two men also forged a life-long friendship after the explorations were over. Mr. Young was a missionary and cartographer in Alaska for 10 years. This book is less than 100 pages long and can be finished in one sitting. This book was free from Amazon Kindle and in the public domain. 4 Stars

129Jackie_K
mayo 18, 2016, 4:49 pm

>128 Tess_W: That's on my TBR (virtual) pile, I'm looking forward to reading it sometime!

130Tess_W
Editado: mayo 21, 2016, 2:24 pm

Dark, dreary, hateful rainy day here! Currently raining and 100% chance until 6pm. So...instead of playing in my flower beds and cleaning the car, I will lay around and read!!!! Want to finish my current kindle read, All My Love Detrick and then read two shorter non-fiction reads, which are both A's on my alpha challenge-which I'm going to call Read Through the Alphabet. I'm really liking it so far because it's "forcing" me to read books that I probably would have not picked first. Thankfully they have been really good!

131Jackie_K
mayo 21, 2016, 7:38 am

>130 Tess_W: Aha, your challenge is having a similar effect to my Jar of Fate (and with similar good luck so far in terms of generally good reads!). The weather isn't great here either, but reading is limited with a 2 year old needing indoor entertainment!

132karenmarie
mayo 21, 2016, 10:15 am

>130 Tess_W: It's been raining here off and on for 4 days now with temps not out of the 60Fs, preventing hammock time and being Not Good for tomato plants that like need hot weather. I think if it was blue skies and late-spring warm I'd be outside working on the Dutch Iris Bed..... but like you am lazing about the house. LT, books, and re-organizing my desktop to include a new speaker system for my laptop.

>130 Tess_W: and >131 Jackie_K: Wishing continued good reads for both of you with your unique chosen methods!

133Tess_W
Editado: mayo 21, 2016, 5:02 pm

Finished book #3 in my alphabet challenge, All My Love, Detrick a very good read (fiction) about Berlin in 1926-1945. Though predictable, interesting! This was a free Kindle book 1-2 years ago! Now, still in the "A"'s, I will continue with a book on Arlington National Cemetery and also being Anthology of Best Russian Short Stories, which I will read a short story per day. Will also finish another book of short stories, An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving and Other Stories by Louisa May Alcott. Once I get all those short readings completed I will begin my next novel, Armoires and Arsenic: A Darling Valley Cozy Mystery with Women Sleuths Olivia M. Granville and Tuesday (A Darling Valley Mystery Book 1), another free Kindle book a few years old!

134Tess_W
Editado: mayo 22, 2016, 3:16 pm

Just finished Arlington National Cemetery (Cornerstones of Freedom Series) by Conrad Stein. This was an easy, short read. I picked it up while at the cemetery, the first time, probably around 1995! Yikes!
I knew all of the material contained within the book, but it was a good refresher. It's now off to my grandchildren! I do like this poem at the end though, which also hangs on plaques throughout the cemetery:

On fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread
And glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead.--Theodore O'Hara


135Tess_W
mayo 21, 2016, 5:51 pm

Living in Ancient Rome Young Discovery Library by Odile Bombarde was a very short read. I picked up this cute hardback book in 1988 to "save" for my grandchildren. It's been on my shelf since then and my oldest grandchild is 16! Read and to be passed on!

136Tess_W
Editado: mayo 22, 2016, 8:52 am

While I was cleaning out a shelf............read 2 more children's books, but these aren't going anywhere! I will read these two to my precious Autumn Isabelle, when she is old enough.

Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter I had forgotten much about this story, how Mr. Rabbit had been put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor and how Peter had lost his shoes and jacket in Mr. McGregor's garden. Nice read again after about 35 years!

Also re-read Make way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey.

That brings me to my root goal. I feel I cheated a little with the last 2 (children's books) but then I did read W&P and a 2200 page anthology of Longfellow. Will "donate" the remainder of my reads.

137Jackie_K
mayo 22, 2016, 2:26 pm

Congratulations on reaching your goal! I agree, the short reads and the chunksters definitely even each other out, so you didn't cheat at all!

138rabbitprincess
mayo 22, 2016, 3:30 pm

Congrats on meeting your goal!

139MissWatson
mayo 22, 2016, 5:05 pm

You reached your goal in May, wow, that's great! Congratulations!

140readingtangent
mayo 22, 2016, 7:55 pm

>117 Tess_W: Nice work clearing space on those shelves!
>120 Tess_W: Adorable baby :).
>136 Tess_W: And congratulations on reaching your goal already! Awesome!

141Tess_W
mayo 23, 2016, 3:19 am

Thanks to all!

142avanders
mayo 23, 2016, 10:18 am

>130 Tess_W: oh :( I'm sorry you had such a dreadful day!
>130 Tess_W: >131 Jackie_K: >132 karenmarie: And I'm sorry all of you are having such rainy days... esp. since we're all hot & sunny and I would love a rainy day! ;p

>133 Tess_W: >134 Tess_W: >135 Tess_W: >136 Tess_W: but it looks like you're reading a lot! So at least there's that ;)

>136 Tess_W: AND congratulations on meeting your goal!!

143karenmarie
mayo 23, 2016, 10:21 am

>136 Tess_W: I'll add my congratulations, too, Tess. Well done.

144Tess_W
mayo 23, 2016, 2:21 pm

145connie53
mayo 23, 2016, 2:21 pm

>136 Tess_W: Very good job, Tess!

146Tess_W
mayo 23, 2016, 2:30 pm

>145 connie53: TY Connie!

147Tess_W
mayo 25, 2016, 12:31 pm

Just finished Things We Set on Fire by Deborah Reed. This is really the story of a dysfunctional family, from beginning to end. I think the author attempted to correct the situation to make a "they lived happily ever after" storybook ending, she did not do a good job. This book was just boring! I kept waiting for the climax, kept waiting for the "point" of the book to be made clear, but I never realized any of those things! 2 stars

148avanders
mayo 26, 2016, 2:32 pm

>147 Tess_W: boo! congrats on finishing it all the same :)

149Tess_W
Editado: mayo 27, 2016, 3:07 pm

150avidmom
mayo 27, 2016, 3:09 pm

LOL!

151Tess_W
mayo 28, 2016, 9:19 am

Long weekend here--Memorial Day---I have 3 jobs I want to get done and 3 books I want to finish and just laying around that needs to be accomplished:

Jobs
1. Wash, wax, vacuum car
2. Weed
3. Laundry

Books to finish
1. Armoires and Arsenic This is part of my alpha read (A) Have about an hour left
2. The Righteous: Righteous Series, Book 1 This is about the Mormon cult & very good!
3. Anthology of Best Russian Short Stories Not sure I will finish this one, I have 14/15 stories to go.....but my goal is to read 7 of them--part of my alpha read (A)
4. An Old-fashioned Thanksgiving and Other Stories About an hour left to read

I think I will complete a task and then "reward' myself with finishing a book! I've already got fresh tomato basil soup in the crockpot for dinner. I will toss a salad and that's it for cooking today!

Have a great weekend my fellow readers!

152karenmarie
mayo 28, 2016, 9:49 am

>151 Tess_W: Task, book, task, book, etc. is a good way to pace yourself. Enjoy the holiday weekend!

153Tess_W
mayo 28, 2016, 5:29 pm

LOL---I went in two entirely different directions than my plans!

Firstly, I finished off two different books that I had started some time ago that weren't very interesting, but when I picked them up again-I found them enthralling: The Autobiography of F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes and The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer. These were both written after the TV series, Twin Peaks, which came highly recommended to me. I see that the TV series is free with Amazon Prime, so I think I will begin that tonight.

Secondly, I helped my husband till a few patches of yard, rake, plant grass seed and cover with straw.

Maybe those other books and the car tomorrow!

154Tess_W
mayo 29, 2016, 8:12 pm

Did get the car cleaned but reading went awry, did read, but not what planned. I finished a YA book Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen thta was given to me by my grandson. It was very good!

155Tess_W
Editado: mayo 30, 2016, 8:00 am

Managed to finish a free Kindle book Armoires and Arsenic: A Darling Valley Cozy Mystery, a real clunker! The plot was so-so and the resolution at the end made absolutely no sense at all--it included people that I did not remember mentioned in the book previously. There were many grammatical errors. 2 stars. On to my next "A" which is Ascension Day, another free mystery on Kindle. Hope it is better than the previous one. I have stopped downloading a lot of the free Kindle books because they are less than desirable reads and the editing/grammar errors are obvious.

156karenmarie
mayo 30, 2016, 10:06 am

>155 Tess_W: I've tried a few of the free Kindle books and been seriously disappointed. Unless I see positive LT comments, I hardly bother anymore.

Do you still have a lot of "A"s?

157Tess_W
mayo 30, 2016, 10:27 am

>156 karenmarie: Yes, I have 5 more "A"s!

158karenmarie
mayo 30, 2016, 10:37 am

>157 Tess_W: A manageable number! Good for you.

159Tess_W
Editado: mayo 31, 2016, 7:40 am

My oldest and youngest granddaughters at the pool on Memorial Day! Love these girls! Baby Autumn in her ruby red slippers! My two middle grandchildren, Regan and Waylon have a brief brother/sister moment in the pool! (They usually fight constantly) I have wonderful older grandsons who were at their mother's this weekend....sigh!

160MissWatson
mayo 31, 2016, 8:29 am

Adorable!

161avanders
mayo 31, 2016, 11:37 am

>151 Tess_W: sounds like a very full weekend!
>153 Tess_W: well, the best laid plans... ;) Still sounds like a lovely weekend!
& congrats on finishing so many books@

>159 Tess_W: love the pics - thanks for sharing!
(and I love those ruby red slippers in particular... ;))

162detailmuse
mayo 31, 2016, 11:51 am

Your weekend sounds great -- as planned and then as it actually happened! Wonderful photos! And congratulations on reaching goal!

163Tess_W
Editado: Jun 1, 2016, 3:15 pm

164Familyhistorian
Jun 2, 2016, 12:00 am

>159 Tess_W: What cuties! Congrats on reaching your goal and not buying books - what if you run out of ROOTs? LOL

165Tess_W
Jun 2, 2016, 7:06 am

>164 Familyhistorian: TY, Meg! If I should run out of roots (currently at about 400), then I will go on an emergency buying spree!

166clue
Jun 2, 2016, 7:53 am

Contratulations! I think you deserve a pair of red shoes!

167karenmarie
Jun 2, 2016, 10:08 am

Or, perhaps all the books in the Oz series!

168Tess_W
Jun 2, 2016, 10:11 am

169Familyhistorian
Jun 3, 2016, 12:04 am

>165 Tess_W: I like the idea of an emergency buying spree but don't think I could wait until I read 400 books!

170Familyhistorian
Jun 3, 2016, 12:04 am

>165 Tess_W: I like the idea of an emergency buying spree but don't think I could wait until I read 400 books!

171Tess_W
Jun 3, 2016, 1:16 am

>170 Familyhistorian: I probably won't wait that long, although it's been at least 1 year since I've bought more than 1 that was either free or less than $2 on my Kindle! My wish list is up to 150 now--I'm doing that instead of buying!

172Jackie_K
Jun 3, 2016, 8:45 am

I'm wishlisting too, and finding it has made a big difference. Although I might have a splurge at some point (the wish list is about 150 at the moment, which is probably a bit excessive).

173Tess_W
Editado: Jun 3, 2016, 9:31 am

>172 Jackie_K: I don't feel as "guilty" putting them on my Kindle as I do on my shelves....I guess if they are not physically piling up then out of sight--out of mind? Illogical justification!

174avanders
Jun 3, 2016, 10:11 am

>171 Tess_W: >172 Jackie_K: I'm trying that too -- both on Amazon & at my library -- but I'm not sure how much it's helping. Maybe a little bit... :)

175karenmarie
Jun 3, 2016, 10:50 am

>169 Familyhistorian: - >174 avanders: I either buy a book outright, usually on Amazon for $.01 plus $3.99 shipping used, or put it on my wishlist on Bookmooch, which is currently at 280. I just updated my wishlist. There some I'd never buy but would Bookmooch if they were available. (Bookmooch is a book swap website - you register books to give away and then send them if requested, getting points, and you request books on your wishlist or that you browse for that someone has registered, using points.)

176Jackie_K
Jun 3, 2016, 11:18 am

>173 Tess_W: I'm the same, I'm always really happy to find a cheaper e-version of a book and feel much more justified/less guilty about buying it! And I think you're right, having no more physical 'stuff' is helpful too!

177avanders
Jun 3, 2016, 11:31 am

>175 karenmarie: it's a good plan :)
I've heard of Bookmooch.. seesm pretty similar to paperbackswap, which my sister-in-law uses heavily... I expect to someday participate in either or both..... :)

178karenmarie
Jun 3, 2016, 11:48 am

>177 avanders: Paperbackswap is more structured, I think - it's more of a first-come-first-served setup and the books have to be of a certain quality to be posted. Either way, swapping books is a good way to get them into good hands.

179Tess_W
Editado: Jun 3, 2016, 4:56 pm

Just finished The Righteous: Righteous Series, Book 1 an audio/book--I alternate between car listening and bedtime reading.

This was a book dealing with s specific cultish sect of the Mormons in modern day-it was fiction, but contained a lot of truth such as temple practices, life styles and beliefs. It was a good book--not sure if I will read the others---at least not right away! Michael Wallace is one of my favorite authors. 4 stars

180Tess_W
Editado: Jun 4, 2016, 10:20 pm

I always have an audible book to read in the car as I'm driving. I bought The Serpent of Venice because it came highly recommended. The accent of the reader is so British and the storyline so confusing that I can't follow. Now I've got to buy the book and follow along--no good for the car! This is supposed to be a comedy part Othello, part King Lear, and Poe's The Cask of Amontillado. Got to go back and read Poe (only 8 pages), so maybe I can understand this book better!

181connie53
Jun 5, 2016, 5:32 am

Hi Tess, I love the pictures of your grandkids. All so happy and beautiful.

182Tess_W
Jun 5, 2016, 7:27 am

>181 connie53: TY, Connie!

183karenmarie
Jun 5, 2016, 12:51 pm

Hi Tess! I had a bunch of Christopher Moore but started one didn't like it and got rid of them all. Since then I have read and loved Island of the Sequined Love Nun and wish I had kept his other books. Good luck!

184Tess_W
Jun 5, 2016, 6:09 pm

My 2nd knee replacement @ 8:15 on Monday (June 6) morning. Home either Wed or Thur.

185rabbitprincess
Jun 5, 2016, 7:01 pm

Good luck!

186Jackie_K
Jun 6, 2016, 6:42 am

>184 Tess_W: Ooh, that's today! I hope it goes really well and the recovery in the first couple of weeks is less awful than the first one! Keeping everything crossed for you! x

187karenmarie
Jun 6, 2016, 8:36 am

Thinking about you and hoping everything goes well.

188avanders
Jun 6, 2016, 11:14 am

>184 Tess_W: Hope your knee replacement is going/went perfectly!!
Wishing you a quick recovery!

189LittleTaiko
Jun 6, 2016, 11:34 am

Hope your surgery went well and that you have a speedy recovery!

190connie53
Editado: Jun 7, 2016, 12:51 am

Good luck, Tess! I hope you recover quickly and get home soon.

191connie53
Jun 8, 2016, 5:24 am

How are you doing, Tess! I hope you are feeling better than with the first knee. L&H!!

192karenmarie
Jun 8, 2016, 11:09 am

Thinking about you and hoping everything went well!

193detailmuse
Jun 8, 2016, 4:06 pm

Hoping you're on schedule to come home soon! Wishing everything good for a quick recovery!

194Tess_W
Jun 8, 2016, 5:14 pm

Be home Thursday . This one doesn't seem as painful, I don't think it was as bad going in....surgery was just 2 hours while the first one was 3 1/2 hours. Too tired and drugged up to read!

195connie53
Jun 9, 2016, 3:49 am

Good to hear from you, Tess! And also good to hear the pain is not as bad as the first time!

196karenmarie
Jun 9, 2016, 8:45 am

I'm so glad that the surgery was shorter and doesn't seem as painful, Tess. Thanks for taking a minute to let us know.

197Tess_W
Editado: Jun 9, 2016, 12:48 pm

Thanks everybody for the well wishes. I came home today (Thursday) and this knee replacement seems so much less painful than the other one--I'm pleasantly surprised. I have not taken any pain medication for almost 12 hours and am in no pain. Even getting in and out of the car was not painful. Now I'm off to finish that pesky Christopher Moore's The Serpent of Venice. I've decided the book is a good read, if one can keep the characters separated--Shakespeare is bad enough, but he has combined both Othello and The Merchant of Venice ,,,,,,,

198Tess_W
Jun 10, 2016, 2:34 am

The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore no matter how hard I tried, I could not keep up with all the characters in the book, nor did I want to! Very ambitious work. Read 284/355 pages and could NOT finish!**

199karenmarie
Jun 10, 2016, 8:49 am

Hi Tess! I'm so glad that your experience so far this time is so much better than the first time.

So many books, so little time. I've abandoned books after having read more than half, too.

200avanders
Jun 10, 2016, 1:04 pm

>194 Tess_W: >197 Tess_W: yay! Glad to hear this one doesn't seem as painful as the last :) That's fantastic that you don't need the pain meds!
Sad that you can't read yet though ;p

>198 Tess_W: bummer! Do you think knowing the 2 Shakespearean plays is necessary to enjoy the book? Did you know them? I have that on the shelves and am hoping I enjoy it more than you did ;)

201Tess_W
Jun 10, 2016, 2:03 pm

>200 avanders: I knew both of the Shakespeare's and the Poe, but so many characters, I couldn't keep them straight.....could have been my pain meds? I doubt it, though!

202avidmom
Jun 10, 2016, 3:25 pm

Glad you are doing so well after your latest surgery!

The book I'm trying to read now, Eleanor vs. Ike is giving me the same kind of trouble. The author seems to be just giddy about dropping names of everybody whoever was involved directly or indirectly in politics back then. Not sure how much longer I'll hang with it. *sigh*

203Tess_W
Jun 11, 2016, 9:35 am

The knee day 6: looking good, believe it or not!

204Jackie_K
Jun 11, 2016, 12:03 pm

>203 Tess_W: that does look good! (I was an orthopaedic nurse a million years ago. I always used to enjoy taking the staples out). Hope the pain is still well under control!

205Tess_W
Editado: Jun 11, 2016, 2:40 pm

>204 Jackie_K: Sadistic there, Nurse Ratchet! Having the staples removed after the skin has started to grow over them is one of the most painful things to have done! LOL! Pain under control with Vicodin at night so I can sleep. Can't find a comfortable position for the knee.

206Jackie_K
Editado: Jun 11, 2016, 4:26 pm

>205 Tess_W: Haha, less of the Nurse Ratchet please! I have a lovely bedside manner! :D

(Although I never was much good at hospital corners!)

207karenmarie
Jun 12, 2016, 9:40 am

>203 Tess_W: Yeesh! A reminder that this is major surgery. Good luck finding a comfortable position for your knee and yay pain meds.

208avanders
Editado: Jun 12, 2016, 6:01 pm

>201 Tess_W: blech - that's no good!

>203 Tess_W: eeeeeeeee that looks painful!! Glad to hear it's looking good from your and the medical perspective though! ;)

209clue
Jun 12, 2016, 6:30 pm

So glad you're doing well! I'm getting primed for my sister to stay with me once she has her 2nd in a month. Hope she does as well!

210Tess_W
Editado: Jun 12, 2016, 7:52 pm

My 2nd Root stinker in a row! Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad. I read 10/45 chapters and in two words: boring, monotonous! Tis the story of the sea and a ship sinking or not and the inquest and it was just awful! Conrad is excessively verbose, I could not ascertain a plot, and slogging through this has already killed too many brain cells. 1 star. I know it's a classic, but really!

211Jackie_K
Jun 13, 2016, 6:09 am

>210 Tess_W: oh dear, a stinker is the last thing you need in recovery time! Fingers crossed the next one has you gripped!

212karenmarie
Jun 13, 2016, 8:07 am

Abandon with glee! Life's too short, there are too many (good) books to read.

213Tess_W
Jun 13, 2016, 10:46 am

214MissWatson
Jun 13, 2016, 11:37 am

Hi Tess, wishing you a speedy recovery for your knee!

215Tess_W
Jun 13, 2016, 12:56 pm

>214 MissWatson: TY, Birgit!

216Tess_W
Jun 13, 2016, 1:03 pm

While I'm convalescing I've decided to clear up a few books that I've started multiple times and never finished and either get rid of them or read them--Pearl Rule....the first one is The Great Gatsby. I know that this is a classic, however, to me, it is very mediocre. After I finished the book I watched the movie (there are 3 versions out) starring Miro Sorvino and Toby Stephens. I thought it a tad better than the book, which it followed closely, but all in all it was also very mediocre. I guess that it's the story line I don't embrace: poor lost millionaires with nothing worthwhile to do except drink and have affairs. That is why I'm not a fan of Hemingway, either, because his stories are very much like Fitzgerald's. Didn't like it, but glad I finished it, just because!

217connie53
Jun 14, 2016, 2:11 am

I hope you are doing well, Tess. With recovering and with the reading.

218Tess_W
Jun 14, 2016, 7:38 am

>217 connie53: TY, Connie. Both coming along about the same....mediocre! Although I am clearing out a lot of books that I started and haven't finished...either reading them or purging them! I am re-reading my all time favorite, Wuthering Heights. What with the pain medication, I can't seem to focus or stay awake when I begin reading for more than 10-15 minutes. This too shall pass. Hope you are enjoying your granddaughter.

219karenmarie
Jun 14, 2016, 11:32 am

Hi Tess! Just dropping by to say hi and hope that your recovery is going smoothly, even if you're still on pain meds. Sometimes a comfort read is just what the doctor ordered.

220Tess_W
Editado: Jun 14, 2016, 1:26 pm

>219 karenmarie: Hi and TY, Karen.

221Tess_W
Jun 16, 2016, 10:00 pm

Since I Pearl ruled my last 2 stinkers, I knew I needed a "comfort" book. That was Wuthering Heights. I first read the Gothic Novel as a teenager in the Reader's Digest Condensed Books. I have read it every decade since then. "He is more myself than I am. Our souls are made of the same material." Heathclifffffffffffffffffffffffffffff! 5 stars

222Tess_W
Jun 17, 2016, 12:27 am

This was a Poe short story that I purchased on Kindle hopefully to aid me in understanding another book. It was a OK read, but did not serve the purpose for which it was intended! 3 stars

223LittleTaiko
Jun 17, 2016, 9:00 pm

>221 Tess_W: - I would never consider Wuthering Heights as a comfort read (absolutely hated it) but I'm glad you found comfort in it.

224connie53
Jun 18, 2016, 3:40 am

How are you doing, Tess. Is the knee getting better?

225Tess_W
Jun 18, 2016, 8:49 am

>224 connie53: Day 10, still pretty sore, but I'll be recovering rapidly in the next 10 days, if the same as the last experience.

226connie53
Jun 18, 2016, 1:49 pm

>225 Tess_W: that's good to hear!

227karenmarie
Jun 18, 2016, 5:20 pm

Hi Tess! Just a quick hi and best wishes for a rapid recovery.

228Tess_W
Editado: Jun 19, 2016, 3:27 am

<227 TY! I think I must be on the mend because I'm totally itching all over--especially my knee! I think I'm also ready to ditch the walker for the cane today!

229MissWatson
Jun 19, 2016, 2:12 pm

>228 Tess_W: Sounds like you're making great progress, Tess!

230Tess_W
Jun 19, 2016, 3:47 pm

>229 MissWatson: A snails pace, but slow and steady wins the race!

The latest root that I finished is The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen. It is the story of a family that lives in a basement following a fire, a self-exile, for reasons you come to know much later in the book. This was just an average read, but with so much potential, especially story-wise, that just wasn't realized. 3 stars

231avanders
Jun 20, 2016, 9:36 am

>213 Tess_W: I've seen other reader statistics... that actually somehow feels better than the ones I read, but I think because it's phrased positively -- i.e., x% read. Whereas the one I saw was phrased negatively... i.e., x% don't finish a book.... By my count, it seems like 78% of all adults read at least 1 book a year... hey, that's something!

>216 Tess_W: I agree... I did not think it was that great. (heh heh, no pun was intended ;P)

>218 Tess_W: >221 Tess_W: I also agree w/ you there -- I loved Wuthering Heights! Glad you enjoyed it again!
I am surprised, however, that after all these years, the word "Wuthering" still shows up as misspelled according to computer spell checks. ;p

Also, sorry your knee is still pretty sore, but it seems that overall your recovery is going well, and I'm happy for that!

232Tess_W
Jun 21, 2016, 4:19 am

The root Heart of Darkness was very much like Lord Jim, part of an anthology of Conrad. Thankfully it was much shorter, only about 3 hours to read. It was told through the eyes of Marlow, a 2nd rate ship's captain and told of the brutality of English Colonization along the Congo River. Snooze......Conrad just isn't for me! Won't be reading anything else of his. 2 1/2 stars Going to to start my next root, my first Wilkie Collins read.


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