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2labfs39
Jan-June: Books Read
1. Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War by Ben Macintyre (NF, 4.5*)
2. Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham (NF, 3.5*)
3. The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine (NF, 2*)
4. The Male Brain by Louann Brizendine (NF, 2.5*)
5. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (F, 4.5*)
6. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (F, 3.5*)
7. The Secret Rescue: An Untold Story of American Nurses and Medics behind Nazi Lines by Cate Lineberry (NF, 4*)
8. My Mother's Secret: A Novel Based on a True Holocaust Story by J.L. Witterick (YA, 3.5*)
9. Fairest by Marissa Meyer (YA, 3*)
10. Winter by Marissa Meyer (YA, 3.5*)
11. Between You & Me by Mary Norris (NF, 4*)
12. Co-parenting with a toxic ex by Amy J. L. Baker (NF, 3*)
13. Will I ever be free of you? by Karyl McBride (NF, 3.5*)
14. The Gaslight Effect by Robin Stern (NF, 3.5*)
15. Fear: A Novel of World War I by Gabriel Chevallier, translated from the French by Imrie Malcolm (TF, 3.5*)
16. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (F, 3.5*)
17. Baba Dunja's Last Love by Alina Bronsky, translated from the German by Tim Mohr (TF, 4*)
18. Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
19. The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 4*)
20. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
21. The Light and the Dark by Mikhail Shishkin, translated from the Russian by Andrew Bromfield (TF, 3*)
22. Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
23. Perfect Chaos by Linea Johnson and Cinda Johnson (NF, 2.5*)
24. Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
25. A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 4*)
1. Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War by Ben Macintyre (NF, 4.5*)
2. Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham (NF, 3.5*)
3. The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine (NF, 2*)
4. The Male Brain by Louann Brizendine (NF, 2.5*)
5. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (F, 4.5*)
6. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (F, 3.5*)
7. The Secret Rescue: An Untold Story of American Nurses and Medics behind Nazi Lines by Cate Lineberry (NF, 4*)
8. My Mother's Secret: A Novel Based on a True Holocaust Story by J.L. Witterick (YA, 3.5*)
9. Fairest by Marissa Meyer (YA, 3*)
10. Winter by Marissa Meyer (YA, 3.5*)
11. Between You & Me by Mary Norris (NF, 4*)
12. Co-parenting with a toxic ex by Amy J. L. Baker (NF, 3*)
13. Will I ever be free of you? by Karyl McBride (NF, 3.5*)
14. The Gaslight Effect by Robin Stern (NF, 3.5*)
15. Fear: A Novel of World War I by Gabriel Chevallier, translated from the French by Imrie Malcolm (TF, 3.5*)
16. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (F, 3.5*)
17. Baba Dunja's Last Love by Alina Bronsky, translated from the German by Tim Mohr (TF, 4*)
18. Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
19. The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 4*)
20. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
21. The Light and the Dark by Mikhail Shishkin, translated from the Russian by Andrew Bromfield (TF, 3*)
22. Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
23. Perfect Chaos by Linea Johnson and Cinda Johnson (NF, 2.5*)
24. Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
25. A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 4*)
3labfs39
July-Dec: Books Read
26. Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 4*)
27. The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz (Y, 4.5*)
28. Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated from the Spanish by Helen R. Lane (TF, 4*)
29. In this Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3*)
30. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (F, 4*)
31. The Accident by Chris Pavone (F, 3.5*)
32. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (F, 3.5*)
33. The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder by Demitiri Papolos (NF, 4*)
34. Love Sense by Sue Johnson (NF, 3*)
35. Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson (YA, 2.5*)
36. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (F, 4*)
37. The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton (F, 4*)
38. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (F, 4*)
39. The bad-ass librarians of Timbuktu and their race to save the world's most precious manuscripts by Joshua Hammer (NF, 3*)
40. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, translated from the Swedish by Henning Koch (TF, 4.5*)
41. A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh (F, 2*)
42. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman, translated from the Swedish by Henning Koch (TF, 4*)
43. The Parson's Widow by Marja-Liisa Vartio, translated from the Finnish by Aili and Austin Flint (TF, 2.5*)
44. The Summer before the War by Helen Simonson (F, 4*)
45. Almost Dead by Assaf Gavron, translated from the Hebrew by James Lever (TF, 2.5*)
46. Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrick Backman, translated from the Swedish by Henning Koch (TF, 4*)
47. Old Filth by Jane Gardam (F, 4*)
48. Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey (F, 3*)
26. Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 4*)
27. The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz (Y, 4.5*)
28. Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated from the Spanish by Helen R. Lane (TF, 4*)
29. In this Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3*)
30. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (F, 4*)
31. The Accident by Chris Pavone (F, 3.5*)
32. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (F, 3.5*)
33. The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder by Demitiri Papolos (NF, 4*)
34. Love Sense by Sue Johnson (NF, 3*)
35. Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson (YA, 2.5*)
36. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (F, 4*)
37. The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton (F, 4*)
38. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (F, 4*)
39. The bad-ass librarians of Timbuktu and their race to save the world's most precious manuscripts by Joshua Hammer (NF, 3*)
40. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, translated from the Swedish by Henning Koch (TF, 4.5*)
41. A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh (F, 2*)
42. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman, translated from the Swedish by Henning Koch (TF, 4*)
43. The Parson's Widow by Marja-Liisa Vartio, translated from the Finnish by Aili and Austin Flint (TF, 2.5*)
44. The Summer before the War by Helen Simonson (F, 4*)
45. Almost Dead by Assaf Gavron, translated from the Hebrew by James Lever (TF, 2.5*)
46. Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrick Backman, translated from the Swedish by Henning Koch (TF, 4*)
47. Old Filth by Jane Gardam (F, 4*)
48. Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey (F, 3*)
4labfs39
Reading Globally:
A list of books by the author's ethnicity (as decided by me):
Finnish:
The Parson's Widow by Marja-Liisa Vartio, translated by Aili and Austin Flint
French:
Fear: A Novel of World War I by Gabriel Chevallier, translated by Imrie Malcolm
Israeli:
Almost Dead by Assaf Gavron, translated by James Lever
Peruvian:
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated by Helen R. Lane
Russian:
Baba Dunja's Last Love by Alina Bronsky, translated by Tim Mohr
The Light and the Dark by Mikhail Shishkin, translated by Andrew Bromfield
Swedish:
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch
Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch
List of books I've read by Nobel Prize Winners can be found here.
A list of books by the author's ethnicity (as decided by me):
Finnish:
The Parson's Widow by Marja-Liisa Vartio, translated by Aili and Austin Flint
French:
Fear: A Novel of World War I by Gabriel Chevallier, translated by Imrie Malcolm
Israeli:
Almost Dead by Assaf Gavron, translated by James Lever
Peruvian:
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated by Helen R. Lane
Russian:
Baba Dunja's Last Love by Alina Bronsky, translated by Tim Mohr
The Light and the Dark by Mikhail Shishkin, translated by Andrew Bromfield
Swedish:
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch
Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrik Backman, translated by Henning Koch
List of books I've read by Nobel Prize Winners can be found here.
5labfs39
Summary of 2016 reading...
Normally I read over a 100 books a year. In 2015 I read 28. Last year I read 35. It's demoralizing. But, in the last couple of months I have found my reading groove again, and I feel like I have bookish things to say once again. So, I am rejoining Club Read in hopes of getting back to myself and my love of books once again. Join me on the journey?
35 books read
25 fiction
9 nonfiction
1 I forgot what I read!
2 young adult (shared reads with my daughter)
5 translated fiction
Reading (not-so) Globally in 2016:
Estonia: 1
Finnish: 1
France: 1
Israel: 1
Italy: 1
Normally I read over a 100 books a year. In 2015 I read 28. Last year I read 35. It's demoralizing. But, in the last couple of months I have found my reading groove again, and I feel like I have bookish things to say once again. So, I am rejoining Club Read in hopes of getting back to myself and my love of books once again. Join me on the journey?
35 books read
25 fiction
9 nonfiction
1 I forgot what I read!
2 young adult (shared reads with my daughter)
5 translated fiction
Reading (not-so) Globally in 2016:
Estonia: 1
Finnish: 1
France: 1
Israel: 1
Italy: 1
6labfs39
Welcome to my new thread! The last time I posted was in November 2015, so it's been a while. Last year was an embarrassingly skimpy one for reading, although things regained momentum in the last couple of months. I'll try to share about some of my favorites soon. In the meantime, sit back, sip some more tea, and read on. I'll be around to your threads once I get sorted.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
8labfs39
>7 NanaCC: Thanks, Colleen. Knitting and listening to good books sounds like a good coping strategy. I have yet to find one that works for me!
Do others have suggestions on good coping techniques?
Do others have suggestions on good coping techniques?
9labfs39
The best of 2016, in brief summaries
Most important read of year:
Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler. Thanks to everyone who was incredulous that I hadn't yet read this one. You spurred me to finally crack open this amazing novel. Solid five stars from me.
Best book by a Nobel Prize winner:
Suspended Sentences by Patrick Modiano. His writing was a pleasure to read, and I am always up for reading about memory and loss (and WWII).
Worst book of the year:
The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall. It was on my shelves. I read it. I donated it to library sale. Enough said.
Book with the most personal locale:
A Brother's Blood by Michael C. White. Set in Maine, my home state, and more specifically in the area where I spent many happy hours as a child at my grandparent's camp. I never knew that the area was the site of one of Maine's German POW camps during WWII. It led me to read a lot of newspaper clippings and articles about the topic.
Series I am most embarrassed to say I read:
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Yup, I read 'em all...
Book I should have read in 2011
Little Bee by Chris Cleave. Selected for "Seattle Reads" in 2011. Better late than never.
Most sumptuous:
Silk by Alessandro Baricco. Thank you steven03tx and KiwiNyx for the recommendation!
Best small press read:
Purge by Sofi Oksanen. Thank goodness for the publishers who include translated literature. Thanks to rebeccanyc, co-president of the Depressing Books Club, for my finding this one.
Oddist premise:
The Year of the Hare by Arto Paasilinna. Couldn't help but think of the Jimmy Stewart movie, Harvey: "The story is about a man whose best friend is a pooka named Harvey — in the form of a six-foot, three-and-a-half-inch tall invisible rabbit." Vatanen's hare is normal sized, but together they have the funniest adventures. Do I have arubabookwoman to thank for bringing my attention to this one?
Most important read of year:
Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler. Thanks to everyone who was incredulous that I hadn't yet read this one. You spurred me to finally crack open this amazing novel. Solid five stars from me.
Best book by a Nobel Prize winner:
Suspended Sentences by Patrick Modiano. His writing was a pleasure to read, and I am always up for reading about memory and loss (and WWII).
Worst book of the year:
The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall. It was on my shelves. I read it. I donated it to library sale. Enough said.
Book with the most personal locale:
A Brother's Blood by Michael C. White. Set in Maine, my home state, and more specifically in the area where I spent many happy hours as a child at my grandparent's camp. I never knew that the area was the site of one of Maine's German POW camps during WWII. It led me to read a lot of newspaper clippings and articles about the topic.
Series I am most embarrassed to say I read:
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Yup, I read 'em all...
Book I should have read in 2011
Little Bee by Chris Cleave. Selected for "Seattle Reads" in 2011. Better late than never.
Most sumptuous:
Silk by Alessandro Baricco. Thank you steven03tx and KiwiNyx for the recommendation!
Best small press read:
Purge by Sofi Oksanen. Thank goodness for the publishers who include translated literature. Thanks to rebeccanyc, co-president of the Depressing Books Club, for my finding this one.
Oddist premise:
The Year of the Hare by Arto Paasilinna. Couldn't help but think of the Jimmy Stewart movie, Harvey: "The story is about a man whose best friend is a pooka named Harvey — in the form of a six-foot, three-and-a-half-inch tall invisible rabbit." Vatanen's hare is normal sized, but together they have the funniest adventures. Do I have arubabookwoman to thank for bringing my attention to this one?
10rachbxl
Great to see you back, Lisa. I read 35 books as well last year, strangely enough. I'm hoping for significantly more this year.
11labfs39
Thanks, Rachel. Compatible minds read the same number of books? ;-) Dropped a star on your thread.
12Rebeki
Hi Lisa, I'm glad you're back! I was also absent last year (and half of 2015) and didn't have the best reading year either. I hope 2017 is a more successful reading year for both of us. That said, it looks like you read some interesting books last year...
13labfs39
>12 Rebeki: Thanks, Rebecca. Since I didn't write a single review last year, I though a quick flyby might be a fun way to remember the few but mighty books of 2016.
14rebeccanyc
Great to see you back, Lisa. I missed your reviews, and you.
15baswood
Nice to see you back here Lisa. Glad you enjoyed the Patrick Modiano book. I think he is a writer that will divide many readers, you either love the atmosphere and mystery that he creates or you don't see the point in the slowness of it all.
16arubabookwoman
Hi Lisa--Glad to see you back in Club Read. I mostly failed to participate in LT last year, but I did have a good reading year. This year, I'm going to try to comment once in a while. Yours is one thread I will be following.
17dchaikin
Welcome back. So glad you're posting again Lisa. Wish you a rewarding reading year. I'm tempted by Game of Thrones...just saying.
19NanaCC
I must say that I am tempted by Game of Thrones, as well. My daughter, whose recommendations for me are usually spot on, told me she enjoyed it and thought I would too.
20Linda92007
I'm so glad to see you're back, Lisa! Although myself largely absent the last few years, I missed your presence on those occasions when I did manage to visit the threads. Looking forward to your reviews!
21labfs39
>14 rebeccanyc: Thanks, Rebecca. I've missed talking books and life with you too. Today was a bit wonky, but I'll be over to your thread soon.
>15 baswood: Hi, Barry! Comment ca va? Modiano was definitely atmospheric. It brought back image memories of Paris. I wonder if people's like or dislike for his books depends on whether they are familiar with the city?
>16 arubabookwoman: Thanks, Deborah. We should definitely get together again. Do you still make it over to Third Place Books occasionally? You are so strict with yourself about your thread, I think you sometimes discourage yourself. ;-) But your reviews are always so amazing.
>17 dchaikin: Hi, Dan! I've never watched the tv series of GoT, and I did get curious. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, although I thought they got weaker as time went on. The violence is quiet astonishing. At least now I know what the buzz is about. Although now the buzz seems to be where is the show going now that it has moved beyond George?
>18 kidzdoc: Darryl, I cannot believe that I didn't get a photo of us to post on my thread! Did you get one? I can't remember.
>19 NanaCC: You like police books, right, Colleen? I am such a baby about fictional violence, and especially sexual violence, that GoT was a bit of a hard read for me at times. But the characters are interesting, that's for sure.
>20 Linda92007: I looked for your thread, Linda. I had your thread from 2015 still starred as a reminder to look for you. Thank you for stopping by!
>15 baswood: Hi, Barry! Comment ca va? Modiano was definitely atmospheric. It brought back image memories of Paris. I wonder if people's like or dislike for his books depends on whether they are familiar with the city?
>16 arubabookwoman: Thanks, Deborah. We should definitely get together again. Do you still make it over to Third Place Books occasionally? You are so strict with yourself about your thread, I think you sometimes discourage yourself. ;-) But your reviews are always so amazing.
>17 dchaikin: Hi, Dan! I've never watched the tv series of GoT, and I did get curious. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, although I thought they got weaker as time went on. The violence is quiet astonishing. At least now I know what the buzz is about. Although now the buzz seems to be where is the show going now that it has moved beyond George?
>18 kidzdoc: Darryl, I cannot believe that I didn't get a photo of us to post on my thread! Did you get one? I can't remember.
>19 NanaCC: You like police books, right, Colleen? I am such a baby about fictional violence, and especially sexual violence, that GoT was a bit of a hard read for me at times. But the characters are interesting, that's for sure.
>20 Linda92007: I looked for your thread, Linda. I had your thread from 2015 still starred as a reminder to look for you. Thank you for stopping by!
22avaland
>5 labfs39: Hi Lisa, I've had a few years exactly as you describe. I've moved into a bit more nonfiction which has had an impact of my reading output as I read it slower. Sometimes, things get in the way, or life swings in a different direction for a while. It is what it is.
I saw A Brother's Blood on your list. I really enjoyed that book also for the same reasons (and Maine is also my home state). I read 3 or 4 of Michael C White's books following that, but haven't looked to see what he's written recently (so many authors!) I thought The Blind Side of the Heart was quite good. I seem to remember associating the location in A Brother's Blood) with the area around Millinocket (my cousin was a manager in a paper mill up there at the time); where was your sense of locale?
I also like Silk by Barricco, read many years ago now and I'm please to see Purge on your list, I remember we reviewed it for Belletrista when it first came out. It's been on my TBR list for ages. I did read her 2nd book, When the Doves Disappeared back in 2015 and enjoyed it (hey, what did I know about Estonia in WWI before that?!). I did a review of it on the book's page if you are interested. Looks like she has a third translation coming out.
I saw A Brother's Blood on your list. I really enjoyed that book also for the same reasons (and Maine is also my home state). I read 3 or 4 of Michael C White's books following that, but haven't looked to see what he's written recently (so many authors!) I thought The Blind Side of the Heart was quite good. I seem to remember associating the location in A Brother's Blood) with the area around Millinocket (my cousin was a manager in a paper mill up there at the time); where was your sense of locale?
I also like Silk by Barricco, read many years ago now and I'm please to see Purge on your list, I remember we reviewed it for Belletrista when it first came out. It's been on my TBR list for ages. I did read her 2nd book, When the Doves Disappeared back in 2015 and enjoyed it (hey, what did I know about Estonia in WWI before that?!). I did a review of it on the book's page if you are interested. Looks like she has a third translation coming out.
23ELiz_M
>4 labfs39: Oooh, this looks fun! I will definitely be lurking on your thread this year.
25SassyLassy
Another one happy to see you back. It's odd how many of us had less a than stellar reading year in 2016, in quantity that is. Darkness at Noon is one of my all time favourites and it doesn't matter when you read it. Now you can go on to rereading it!
26labfs39
>9 labfs39: More best of 2016, in brief summaries
Now I come to my most recent reads, which seemed to lead from one to the next rather seamlessly.
The book that started my newest collection
When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning. Picked this one up on a whim (I've trying to read down my TBR pile), and I'm so glad I did. Not a particularly well-written book, rather like a dissertation, but what a fascinating story. Here's the jacket summary:
"When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books and caused fearful citizens to hide or destroy many more. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks, for troops to carry in their pockets and their rucksacks, in every theater of war.
Comprising 1,200 different titles of every imaginable type, these paperbacks were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy; in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific; in field hospitals; and on long bombing flights. They wrote to the authors, many of whom responded to every letter. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity. They made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon. "
I raved about this story to my family, and for Hanukkah I received six original American Services Editions. I was thrilled! One is stamped by the American War College. The others were likely carried to war. Being a WWII buff and book lover, these little paperbacks are now treasured editions to my library.
Whoops, got to run. I'll try to finish this up tomorrow.
Now I come to my most recent reads, which seemed to lead from one to the next rather seamlessly.
The book that started my newest collection
When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning. Picked this one up on a whim (I've trying to read down my TBR pile), and I'm so glad I did. Not a particularly well-written book, rather like a dissertation, but what a fascinating story. Here's the jacket summary:
"When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books and caused fearful citizens to hide or destroy many more. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks, for troops to carry in their pockets and their rucksacks, in every theater of war.
Comprising 1,200 different titles of every imaginable type, these paperbacks were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy; in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific; in field hospitals; and on long bombing flights. They wrote to the authors, many of whom responded to every letter. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity. They made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon. "
I raved about this story to my family, and for Hanukkah I received six original American Services Editions. I was thrilled! One is stamped by the American War College. The others were likely carried to war. Being a WWII buff and book lover, these little paperbacks are now treasured editions to my library.
Whoops, got to run. I'll try to finish this up tomorrow.
27dchaikin
>26 labfs39: this is really interesting so far.
28kidzdoc
No, unfortunately we didn't take any photos when we met at Ponce City Market last year, Lisa. I thought about that just after we parted. We'll just have to meet up somewhere soon and be sure to take photos then!
Someone else, I think a non-LT friend, raved about When Books Went to War several years ago. I look forward to the rest of your comments about it.
Someone else, I think a non-LT friend, raved about When Books Went to War several years ago. I look forward to the rest of your comments about it.
29labfs39
>22 avaland: Hi Lois. White's books is supposed to be loosely based on the escape at Spencer Lake. Downeast Magazine had a great article with photos of prisoners. It was located halfway between Eustis and Jackman. Millinocket is roughly 70 or 80 miles east of Spencer Lake. My grandparent's camp was on Ragged Lake (township 2, range 13); north of Kokadjo, population "not many". It is northwest of Millinocket on the other side of the 100 Mile Wilderness, south of Chesuncook. Anywho, the book did bring back the feel of the North woods. Unlike you, I was less enamored with White's writing. I know this as a first novel, so perhaps I would like his later books more.
Thanks for the head's up about Sofi Oksanen's other translated novels. I will keep an eye out for them, thanks!
>23 ELiz_M: Thanks! I hope you stop in again.
>24 qebo: Qebo, my friend! Good to hear from you! I've already starred your thread. Do you have new gardening and birds threads too? The big bird challenge here at the moment is keeping my hummingbird feeder from freezing constantly. The Anna's don't migrate anymore, and if people here didn't feed them, they would die, especially in this cold weather (high of 19 today). Looking forward to the Skagit Eagle Festival next weekend. Last time I went I saw 50 or 60 eagles in one afternoon.
>25 SassyLassy: Hey, Sassy, I wasn't on LT much at all last year, and it was a bit surprising to come back and find many others had been taking a break too. Let's hope 2017 is a better year for everyone.
I still can't believe that it took me this long to read Darkness at Noon, but as you say, better late than never, and I can begin queuing it for a reread.
Thanks for the head's up about Sofi Oksanen's other translated novels. I will keep an eye out for them, thanks!
>23 ELiz_M: Thanks! I hope you stop in again.
>24 qebo: Qebo, my friend! Good to hear from you! I've already starred your thread. Do you have new gardening and birds threads too? The big bird challenge here at the moment is keeping my hummingbird feeder from freezing constantly. The Anna's don't migrate anymore, and if people here didn't feed them, they would die, especially in this cold weather (high of 19 today). Looking forward to the Skagit Eagle Festival next weekend. Last time I went I saw 50 or 60 eagles in one afternoon.
>25 SassyLassy: Hey, Sassy, I wasn't on LT much at all last year, and it was a bit surprising to come back and find many others had been taking a break too. Let's hope 2017 is a better year for everyone.
I still can't believe that it took me this long to read Darkness at Noon, but as you say, better late than never, and I can begin queuing it for a reread.
30qebo
>29 labfs39: I don't have a garden thread yet for 2017. I usually start in March, but I may start sooner this year because I've been playing with moss.
We have a local bald eagle web cam: http://hdontap.com/index.php/video/stream/bald-eagle-live-cam , and an associated Facebook page with reports from people on the ground.
We have a local bald eagle web cam: http://hdontap.com/index.php/video/stream/bald-eagle-live-cam , and an associated Facebook page with reports from people on the ground.
31labfs39
>30 qebo: It's great that eagles seem to be making a comeback. Or maybe it's because I moved to WA, but I see them all the time now.
32labfs39
>26 labfs39: My journey through WWII continues
After reading When Books Went to War, I continued in the theme for a while...
Between Silk and Cyanide: A Codemaker's War, 1941-1945 by Leo Marks.
A fantastic, humorous, very well-written memoir by Britain's top codemaker and Director of Communications for SOE during WWII. At age 23 Marks leaves home hoping to do his bit for his country. While everyone else in his cryptographic class heads off for Bletchley Park, Leo ends up on Baker Street with the SEO. He becomes the head of code making for the British. His story is honest, self-deprecating, and funny. But he never forgets the agents lost, especially Violette Szabo and Yeo-Thomas. The title refers to a conversation Marks had to convince the purse-string holders to produce his codes on strips of silk. He says the agents lives may very well come down to his silks, or cyanide. Highly recommended.
Forgotten voices of the secret war : an inside history of special operations during the Second World War by Roderick Bailey.
What made Forgotten Voices interesting was that it was a compilation of dozens of agents' stories about their lives in the SOE and their missions in both the European and Pacific theaters. I enjoyed hearing the different stories, but it was hard to follow at times because the author tried to organize the snippets chronologically, which often broke up the agents' stories so that you couldn't follow individuals. Instead you got a tapestry that covered many of the countries where the SOE conducted operations.
After reading When Books Went to War, I continued in the theme for a while...
Between Silk and Cyanide: A Codemaker's War, 1941-1945 by Leo Marks.
A fantastic, humorous, very well-written memoir by Britain's top codemaker and Director of Communications for SOE during WWII. At age 23 Marks leaves home hoping to do his bit for his country. While everyone else in his cryptographic class heads off for Bletchley Park, Leo ends up on Baker Street with the SEO. He becomes the head of code making for the British. His story is honest, self-deprecating, and funny. But he never forgets the agents lost, especially Violette Szabo and Yeo-Thomas. The title refers to a conversation Marks had to convince the purse-string holders to produce his codes on strips of silk. He says the agents lives may very well come down to his silks, or cyanide. Highly recommended.
Forgotten voices of the secret war : an inside history of special operations during the Second World War by Roderick Bailey.
What made Forgotten Voices interesting was that it was a compilation of dozens of agents' stories about their lives in the SOE and their missions in both the European and Pacific theaters. I enjoyed hearing the different stories, but it was hard to follow at times because the author tried to organize the snippets chronologically, which often broke up the agents' stories so that you couldn't follow individuals. Instead you got a tapestry that covered many of the countries where the SOE conducted operations.
33labfs39
From Britian and the SOE, I went to Russia during WWII:
Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943 by Antony Beevor.
Beevor does an amazing job bringing the Battle of Stalingrad to life. He writes about the German army and Hitler's obsessions; Stalin's ruthlessness to his soldiers and citizens; the horrible conditions in this infamous winter battle; and the civilians trapped between the two armies. Although I didn't always understand the size of military units in various armies, or the advantages to one tank over another, I couldn't put the book down. Thanks to Rebecca for recommending this one.
Just Send Me Word: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag by Orlando Figes.
I read and was impressed with Figes book, The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia, but after the Amazon scandal, I had avoided reading his other books. I finally broke down (he is an excellent writer) and picked this one up. It's the story of two lovers who were separated by Operation Barbarossa. Lev was captured by the Germans in the first month of the war, and interred in camps. At the end of the war he was released and sent immediately to the Gulag: standard procedure for Russians captured during the war. Stalin assumed they were all spies. It wasn't until then, four years after he left, that Svetlana learned he was still alive. They began writing to one another and, over the next eight years of Lev's sentence, exchanged over 1200 letters. It is the largest collection of largely uncensored, real-time documentation of the Gulag experience found to date. Although I would not say that Lev's gulag experience was typical (the fact that he could pass so many uncensored letters alone was rather astonishing), it is a heart-warming story of maintaining one's humanity in the face of incomprehensible treatment.
And now I'm back to Britian with Rogue heroes : the history of the SAS, Britain's secret special forces unit that sabotaged the Nazis and changed the nature of war by Ben Macintyre. I'm nearly done but have paused reading because it was getting quite depressing, and I needed to focus on other things. The story of how the SAS was founded by David Stirling, and it's early days in the Desert War, were utterly fascinating. Once Rommel was defeated and the Allies invaded Italy and France, the nature of the SAS changed as the nature of the war became more brutal and relationships between Allied Forces and the various Resistance groups became more complicated. I'm in the final section, with the SAS moving into Germany, and I decided I needed a little break. I know I may lose my status as co-president of the Depressing Book Club, but sometimes a little levity is a necessary thing!
Edited to add book cover
Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943 by Antony Beevor.
Beevor does an amazing job bringing the Battle of Stalingrad to life. He writes about the German army and Hitler's obsessions; Stalin's ruthlessness to his soldiers and citizens; the horrible conditions in this infamous winter battle; and the civilians trapped between the two armies. Although I didn't always understand the size of military units in various armies, or the advantages to one tank over another, I couldn't put the book down. Thanks to Rebecca for recommending this one.
Just Send Me Word: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag by Orlando Figes.
I read and was impressed with Figes book, The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia, but after the Amazon scandal, I had avoided reading his other books. I finally broke down (he is an excellent writer) and picked this one up. It's the story of two lovers who were separated by Operation Barbarossa. Lev was captured by the Germans in the first month of the war, and interred in camps. At the end of the war he was released and sent immediately to the Gulag: standard procedure for Russians captured during the war. Stalin assumed they were all spies. It wasn't until then, four years after he left, that Svetlana learned he was still alive. They began writing to one another and, over the next eight years of Lev's sentence, exchanged over 1200 letters. It is the largest collection of largely uncensored, real-time documentation of the Gulag experience found to date. Although I would not say that Lev's gulag experience was typical (the fact that he could pass so many uncensored letters alone was rather astonishing), it is a heart-warming story of maintaining one's humanity in the face of incomprehensible treatment.
And now I'm back to Britian with Rogue heroes : the history of the SAS, Britain's secret special forces unit that sabotaged the Nazis and changed the nature of war by Ben Macintyre. I'm nearly done but have paused reading because it was getting quite depressing, and I needed to focus on other things. The story of how the SAS was founded by David Stirling, and it's early days in the Desert War, were utterly fascinating. Once Rommel was defeated and the Allies invaded Italy and France, the nature of the SAS changed as the nature of the war became more brutal and relationships between Allied Forces and the various Resistance groups became more complicated. I'm in the final section, with the SAS moving into Germany, and I decided I needed a little break. I know I may lose my status as co-president of the Depressing Book Club, but sometimes a little levity is a necessary thing!
Edited to add book cover
34SassyLassy
I love it when books go on a roll like these ones did. Each one seems to pick up something from the others.
35Trifolia
Found and starred your thread!
You did some impressive reading last year. I'm glad you enjoyed Purge. I read it in 2010 and it made a big impression on me.
I find Patrick Modiano a writer whose books are to be read in small doses for maximum effect. It's like eating an exquisite dish. I'm also curious to find out what you thought of Alessandro Baricco. I've seen him mentioned here and there and he's somewhere in my list of books to be read, but somehow I haven't managed so far. So he's good?
You did some impressive reading last year. I'm glad you enjoyed Purge. I read it in 2010 and it made a big impression on me.
I find Patrick Modiano a writer whose books are to be read in small doses for maximum effect. It's like eating an exquisite dish. I'm also curious to find out what you thought of Alessandro Baricco. I've seen him mentioned here and there and he's somewhere in my list of books to be read, but somehow I haven't managed so far. So he's good?
36DieFledermaus
Enjoying reading about the WWII books - my BIL is into spy novels/movies/nonfiction so I'm always looking for possible presents.
I share your feelings and reservations about Figes - I still want to read Natasha's Dance.
For your 2016 reading - I read and enjoyed The Howling Miller, also by Paasilinna so I'll have to try and find The Year of the Hare. It sounds similar - odd and funny.
I share your feelings and reservations about Figes - I still want to read Natasha's Dance.
For your 2016 reading - I read and enjoyed The Howling Miller, also by Paasilinna so I'll have to try and find The Year of the Hare. It sounds similar - odd and funny.
37Rebeki
Wow, what an impressive non-fiction reading roll you've been on! I think you deserve some levity after that, and without forfeiting your co-presidency of the Depressing Book Club! I can't really face depressing non-fiction at the moment, and failed to read anything that could be classed as such last year, so my membership of the club should probably be suspended.
I have a couple of Patrick Modiano books on my shelves. You make me think about trying to fit one in this year...
I have a couple of Patrick Modiano books on my shelves. You make me think about trying to fit one in this year...
38avatiakh
Hi Lisa, good to see you back. Taken note of Darkness at Noon, I have a couple of his books but not that one.
39rachbxl
I read Forgotten Voices of the Secret War a few years ago, stranded at my dad's in bad weather (he lives in an isolated little hamlet in the middle of the French countryside); my dad is fascinated by this kind of thing. I really enjoyed it, but like you I found it frustrating that all the stories were divided up into little snippets. I have vague recollections of some marvellous Boys' Own annual-type home-made contraptions, and a fabulously farcical situation involving some mix-up with a hotel in France, so they ended up in the lift with the Germans. I guess the humour was their way of dealing with the danger.
I love the sound of Between Silk and Cyanide; I'll look out for that.
I love the sound of Between Silk and Cyanide; I'll look out for that.
40labfs39
>34 SassyLassy: I like books leading to books, too, Sassy. In this case it was helpful because agents I read about in Between Silk and Cyanide reappeared in Forgotten Voices. Most surprisingly was the connection between Stalingrad and Rogue Heroes. In the former I read about Stalin's deliberate use of rape imagery as propaganda to the Soviet soldiers in Stalingrad; the same soldiers who later raped their way to Berlin. In Rogue Heroes, bands of Russian soldiers who had escaped German captivity (and a subsequent lengthy stay in the gulags) by going west, were noted to be frequent rapists. Mostly soldiers that had fought at Stalingrad. I was unaware of the numbers of Russian ex-soldiers, now partisans, in Western Europe and the similarity of their conduct to their fellow soldiers advancing from the East.
>35 Trifolia: I have not read a lot of Estonian literature, Monica, but what I have has been very memorable. Graves without Crosses in particular.
I have only read the one Modiano and enjoyed it, but many have said that you either love or hate him or that he's good in small doses. I wonder if it helps if you know the landscapes that he depicts in such dreamy language? For me, the evoked imagery was an important part of my enjoyment.
If you are interested in Alessandro Baricco, I would recommend Silk, not because I'm an expert on the author (it's the one book I've read by him), but because it's short and surprising and wonderfully written.
Aside: Touchstones are such odd things. Forgotten Voices links to Dubliners, and Silk links brings up To Kill a Mockingbird...
>35 Trifolia: I have not read a lot of Estonian literature, Monica, but what I have has been very memorable. Graves without Crosses in particular.
I have only read the one Modiano and enjoyed it, but many have said that you either love or hate him or that he's good in small doses. I wonder if it helps if you know the landscapes that he depicts in such dreamy language? For me, the evoked imagery was an important part of my enjoyment.
If you are interested in Alessandro Baricco, I would recommend Silk, not because I'm an expert on the author (it's the one book I've read by him), but because it's short and surprising and wonderfully written.
Aside: Touchstones are such odd things. Forgotten Voices links to Dubliners, and Silk links brings up To Kill a Mockingbird...
41labfs39
>36 DieFledermaus: It's wonderful to see you around, DieF. I missed you last year. It your BF hasn't read books by Ben MacIntyre, I would recommend some of his spy memoirs, Agent Zigzag. A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal, Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies, and A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal. I like espionage books too, both fiction and nonfiction, so if he has any favorites, I would love to get recommendations.
I have a hard time reconciling an author's actions from his writing. Figes has two or three other books I would like to read, but I haven't gotten there yet.
Deborah (arubabookwoman) recommended The Howling Miller, but I haven't been able to find it. I may have to resort to A-----.
>37 Rebeki: I know, Rebeki. I've stalled in Rogue Heroes, not because it isn't a fabulous book, but because it's gotten so depressing, and what with current events and my personal life, I need to take a mini-break and try something light just to keep my sanity.
>38 avatiakh: Welcome, Kerry. I have only read Darkness at Noon; which other books by Koestler would you recommend?
>39 rachbxl: I think I would like your dad, Rachel. Not only his tastes in reading, but his locale, as well. Where amongst the hamlets does he live? In college I did a home stay in Blois, which is probably north of your dad. On my latest trip, I reveled in the local history of Normandy. I stayed a few nights in the little village of Villers-Bocage, which, I learned, was the site of a rather important battle in the hedgerows. The locals were still talking about it, proud of their place in history.
I would highly recommend Between Silk and Cyanide; infinitely more readable that Forgotten Voices, not to belittle the stories or the agents.
I have a hard time reconciling an author's actions from his writing. Figes has two or three other books I would like to read, but I haven't gotten there yet.
Deborah (arubabookwoman) recommended The Howling Miller, but I haven't been able to find it. I may have to resort to A-----.
>37 Rebeki: I know, Rebeki. I've stalled in Rogue Heroes, not because it isn't a fabulous book, but because it's gotten so depressing, and what with current events and my personal life, I need to take a mini-break and try something light just to keep my sanity.
>38 avatiakh: Welcome, Kerry. I have only read Darkness at Noon; which other books by Koestler would you recommend?
>39 rachbxl: I think I would like your dad, Rachel. Not only his tastes in reading, but his locale, as well. Where amongst the hamlets does he live? In college I did a home stay in Blois, which is probably north of your dad. On my latest trip, I reveled in the local history of Normandy. I stayed a few nights in the little village of Villers-Bocage, which, I learned, was the site of a rather important battle in the hedgerows. The locals were still talking about it, proud of their place in history.
I would highly recommend Between Silk and Cyanide; infinitely more readable that Forgotten Voices, not to belittle the stories or the agents.
42labfs39
Today I dropped a house guest off at the airport, so I'll probably have a little more time for LT this week. As soon as I got back, I finished entering my Armed Services Editions to my catalog. I'm so excited about them. Not to read, but because of their role in history. Being a sometimes-archivist, I guess their authenticity is a big attraction.
Anyone else have mini-collections they are particularly fond of owning?
Anyone else have mini-collections they are particularly fond of owning?
43SassyLassy
>41 labfs39: Another one of Koestler's major books that is still easy to find is Arrival and Departure, which I would recommend, although Darkness at Noon will always be on my major favourites list.
>42 labfs39: Interested in seeing your Armed Forces Editions. They were an inspired idea. My own mini-collection that is somewhat offbeat is early books on agriculture, but at present it is very mini.
>42 labfs39: Interested in seeing your Armed Forces Editions. They were an inspired idea. My own mini-collection that is somewhat offbeat is early books on agriculture, but at present it is very mini.
44labfs39
>43 SassyLassy: I'm curious about the "Koestler Trilogy," of which Darkness at Noon is the second and Arrival and Departure is the third. Do you know how they hang together? Have you read all three?
As for my Armed Forces Edition, they can be seen here. As I say, not necessarily all titles I would want to read, but of interest because of their provenance. I only have six, but hope to collect more. What got you hooked on early books on agriculture?
As for my Armed Forces Edition, they can be seen here. As I say, not necessarily all titles I would want to read, but of interest because of their provenance. I only have six, but hope to collect more. What got you hooked on early books on agriculture?
45SassyLassy
I haven't read The Gladiators, but the other two hang together in terms of theme, not repetition of characters, that is they both deal with totalitarian regimes. You have made me think I should look for The Gladiators.
I started looking for early books on agriculture and rural life after reading of some of the disruptions unintentionally caused by movements like the Green Revolution. That got me interested in changes in food production and rural society in general. Those old pamphlets and texts often provide insights into the thinking of the time. Agriculture as an academic discipline is often dismissed in North America but I suspect people outside the field would be surprised to discover that much practical research appears there first and then trickles down to other disciplines and the outside world. I suspect that is because of the huge economic impact of commercial agriculture.
The emphasis in North America is on agriculture as an applied science, which it certainly is. Unfortunately, it doesn't look at the links between farming and social history often. That field is developed far better in the UK and Europe.
That's an interesting variety in your Armed Forces books. I like the idea of Arctic Adventure.
I started looking for early books on agriculture and rural life after reading of some of the disruptions unintentionally caused by movements like the Green Revolution. That got me interested in changes in food production and rural society in general. Those old pamphlets and texts often provide insights into the thinking of the time. Agriculture as an academic discipline is often dismissed in North America but I suspect people outside the field would be surprised to discover that much practical research appears there first and then trickles down to other disciplines and the outside world. I suspect that is because of the huge economic impact of commercial agriculture.
The emphasis in North America is on agriculture as an applied science, which it certainly is. Unfortunately, it doesn't look at the links between farming and social history often. That field is developed far better in the UK and Europe.
That's an interesting variety in your Armed Forces books. I like the idea of Arctic Adventure.
46markon
Hi Lisa! Welcome back, and thanks for stopping by my thread. I won a copy of Rogue Heroes at work, started it and then got distracted. I also won a copy of Swing Time which I'm still reading.
Yes, I am enjoying Epitaph. I am not familiar with the story, so parts of it have been nail biting. Russell does a good job with character in this story.
Got you started! I"LL be back.
Yes, I am enjoying Epitaph. I am not familiar with the story, so parts of it have been nail biting. Russell does a good job with character in this story.
Got you started! I"LL be back.
47labfs39
>46 markon: Hi Ardene! Thanks for stopping by. I read your post to me on your thread and was utterly intrigued when you said Epitaph was "hair-raising." Can't wait to see what MDR has done now. She is one of my favorite authors
I hope you enjoy Rogue Heroes when you get the chance to read it. I've found it fascinating, though I've had company lately and no time to read. I hope to finish it soon.
I hope you enjoy Rogue Heroes when you get the chance to read it. I've found it fascinating, though I've had company lately and no time to read. I hope to finish it soon.
48labfs39
I feel like I've talked about Rogue Heroes enough already that I don't need to review. It was a great book, especially the first half about the founding of the SAS and the Desert War. The battles through Italy, France, and finally Germany, were also good, but increasingly depressing, and not what I personally needed at the moment. Overall I gave the book 4.5 stars and would heartily recommend it to anyone with the remotest interest.
From there I moved to something light that my daughter had also given me for the holidays:
Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
Although I rarely read books by or about celebrities (my only others may have been Me and Kate Remembered, both about Katherine Hepburn), this one was given to me by my daughter because we spent much of her tween-hood watching Gilmore Girls. I needed something light, and this was perfect. The books is a memoir of Lauren's life, with interesting glimpses into her family, her efforts to become an actress, and her work on both the Gilmore Girls and Parenthood (both available on Netflix). Although there was nothing earth-shatteringly insightful, neither was there malicious gossip or self-aggrandizement. I hope my daughter will read it so that we can talk about themes like persistence, resilience, and kindness. For fluff, I thought it was good fluff.
From there I moved to something light that my daughter had also given me for the holidays:
Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
Although I rarely read books by or about celebrities (my only others may have been Me and Kate Remembered, both about Katherine Hepburn), this one was given to me by my daughter because we spent much of her tween-hood watching Gilmore Girls. I needed something light, and this was perfect. The books is a memoir of Lauren's life, with interesting glimpses into her family, her efforts to become an actress, and her work on both the Gilmore Girls and Parenthood (both available on Netflix). Although there was nothing earth-shatteringly insightful, neither was there malicious gossip or self-aggrandizement. I hope my daughter will read it so that we can talk about themes like persistence, resilience, and kindness. For fluff, I thought it was good fluff.
49janemarieprice
>48 labfs39: Have you seen the new little mini-series Netflix produced of Gilmore Girls? I quite enjoyed it.
50labfs39
>49 janemarieprice: I did see it, and I was quite disappointed actually. I felt that the writers had completely changed Rory's personality. I loved seeing all the old characters though, it's amazing that so many came back.
51janemarieprice
>50 labfs39: I was OK with that given her age, but like you mostly just liked seeing the old gang.
52labfs39
I am currently reading my fifth and sixth books of the year and realized that I've only read nonfiction so far this year. Plus the last three books I read in 2016 were nonfiction. Odd...
53dchaikin
Lisa - your nonfiction trend, is it a mindset kind of thing? I went through a phase once where I simply couldn't read fiction; and I was churning (for me) through nonfiction. It went on for six months or so. An odd thing certainly, and yet I could see myself doing that again.
54labfs39
>53 dchaikin: I'm not sure, Dan. Perhaps it's a desire to read things that are "true"? Perhaps history and brain science are trends, with one book leading to the next? I'm not sure, and I don't think it's a bad thing, it's just an oddity in my reading habits that I noticed.
55qebo
>42 labfs39: Armed Services Editions
I'd missed >26 labfs39: last month, but what a compelling story! Will you add to the collection?
>54 labfs39: one book leading to the next
Yeah, happens to me sometimes too; one book raises questions or provides context. You've been on WWII for awhile.
I'd missed >26 labfs39: last month, but what a compelling story! Will you add to the collection?
>54 labfs39: one book leading to the next
Yeah, happens to me sometimes too; one book raises questions or provides context. You've been on WWII for awhile.
57avaland
Just checking in on your reading, Lisa. I've been "away" from Club Read for what seems like a long time and am trying to catch up.
I have been reading more nonfiction in the last year or two than in the previous years (and that doesn't include the current events stuff I read online). I'm not sure I can explain it, but I found your discussion of the "trend" interesting. I can't always concentrate on NF so I always have a fiction book or two nearby.
I have been reading more nonfiction in the last year or two than in the previous years (and that doesn't include the current events stuff I read online). I'm not sure I can explain it, but I found your discussion of the "trend" interesting. I can't always concentrate on NF so I always have a fiction book or two nearby.
58markon
Hi Lisa, I wanted to stop by after you visited my thread a couple of times. Hope things are going well for you.
How are you liking The Bad-Ass Librarians? I'm just coming through a section where the author is talking about the Salafis and Wahabis and their influence in this area, and I've struggled with absorbing it, although I know it is pertinent to the story.
How are you liking The Bad-Ass Librarians? I'm just coming through a section where the author is talking about the Salafis and Wahabis and their influence in this area, and I've struggled with absorbing it, although I know it is pertinent to the story.
59labfs39
>58 markon: Hi Ardene. I'm struggling too, which is why it has lingered on my "currently" reading list for so long. The beginning was organized so randomly, I had a hard time following any one line. Then came the history lesson that was confusing to me too. I'm not sure if I should continue to struggle, or simply call it, and move it to my "bookmark stuck" list. Let me know if you make it through and if I should persevere.
I did read The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton this weekend. I hadn't read Wharton in ages, but picked up this book at a library sale. Her written is so delicious. I must read House of Mirth.
I did read The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton this weekend. I hadn't read Wharton in ages, but picked up this book at a library sale. Her written is so delicious. I must read House of Mirth.
