Karen O's Eclectic Reading in 2018 - First 75

Welcome to the FIRST page of my 2018 reading thread!

I've been with the 75-bookers for several years now, and I enjoy so much the camaraderie and book talk that happens here. I'm very glad to join with you all again!

The year 2017 was another terrific year for reading. I find myself reading pretty much as the spirit leads, although I participate in the Take It or Leave It project and have a great time doing that. I participated in the American Author Challenge, and plan to continue with them (as the spirit leads). A long-term project of mine is to accomplish reads from the "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die" book, so that may guide my reading a little. What directs my reading more are my friends here on LT, so keep those recommendations coming!

This is my tenth year participating in the 75 Books Challenge. In 2009, I read 94 books; in 2010, I made it to 148!; 153 in 2011; 160 in 2012; 114 in 2013; 92 in 2014; 109 in 2015; 145 in 2016, and 210(!) in 2017. I hope to be reading even more in the new year.

Here's a ticker to keep track of my 2018 reads :




Here's a ticker to keep track of my progress with "1001 Books":




Here's where I'll list the books I read, starting with (the number at the end of each line represents the post number where I placed my "review" for the book):

1. Harry Potter: A Journal Through A History of Magic by British Library - 4
2. Going into Town: A Love Letter to New York by Roz Chast - 5
3. Chasing the Dragon by Cathy Smith - 13
4. Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life From an Addiction to Film by Patton Oswalt - 14
5. Fables, Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers by Bill Willingham - 15
6. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - 16
7. Living Better with Hearing Loss by Katherine Bouton - 17
8. Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich - 18
9. So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson - 19
10. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - 20
11. More Saints: Lives & Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson - 22
12. Fables, Vol. 5: The Mean Seasons by Bill Willingham - 23
13. Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore - 26
14. A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression by Jane Ziegelman - 27
15. The White Album by Joan Didion - 30
16. Whispering Pines: The Northern Roots of American Music from Hank Snow to The Band by Jason Schneider - 31
17. The Rooster Bar by John Grisham - 32
18. Saints: Lives & Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson - 37
19. Shy Charles by Rosemary Wells - 40
20. We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates - 41
21. We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse Book 1) by Dennis E. Taylor - 42
22. Fables, Vol. 6: Homelands by Bill Willingham - 45
23. Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor - 51
24. For We Are Many (Bobiverse Book 2) by Dennis E. Taylor - 54
25. The Help by Kathryn Stockett - 55
26. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare - 56
27. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. LeGuin - 57
28. Zone One by Colson Whitehead - 58
29. Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin - 65
30. Fables, Vol. 7: Arabian Nights (and Days) by Bill Willingham - 66
31. Fables, Vol. 8: Wolves by Bill Willingham - 67
32. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss - 70
33. Artemis by Andy Weir - 71
34. Fables, Vol. 9: Sons of Empire by Bill Willingham - 72
35. Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History by Katy Tur - 73
36. Andre the Giant: Life and Legend by Box Brown - 74
37. The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout - 75
38. Bog Bodies Uncovered: Solving Europe's Ancient Mystery by Miranda Aldhouse-Green - 76
39. This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff - 84
40. A Time for Love and Tartan by Alexander McCall Smith - 89
41. The Farthest Shore (Earthsea Cycle #3) by Ursula K. Le Guin - 90
42. Grandparents Minnesota Style: Places to Go & Wisdom to Share by Mike Link & Kate Crowley - 91
43. Plainsong by Kent Haruf - 92
44. All These Worlds (Bobiverse #3) by Dennis E. Taylor - 93
45. Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet Book 1 by Ta-nehisi Coates - 94
46. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff - 95
47. Fables, Vol. 10: The Good Prince by Bill Willingham - 96
48. Fables, Vol. 11: War and Pieces by Bill Willingham - 97
49. The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Contentment, Comfort, and Connection by Louisa Thomsen Brits - 98
50. Ladycastle by Delilah S. Dawson - 99
51. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid - 100
52. Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran - 101
53. The Keep by Jennifer Egan - 102
54. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling - 103
55. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley - 104
56. Serenity: Leaves on the Wind by Zack Whedon - 105
57. Serenity: No Power in the 'Verse by Chris Roberson - 106
58. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - 108
59. She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton - 109
60. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman - 113
61. Still Me by JoJo Moyes - 116
62. Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy - 117
63. The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes - 118
64. She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History by Chelsea Ciinton - 119
65. Fables, Vol 12: The Dark Ages by Bill Willingham - 124
66. An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn - 126
67. Armada by Ernest Cline - 127
68. The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Hadish - 137
69. Fables, Vol 13: The Great Fables Crossover by Bill Willingham - 138
70. The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish - 144
71. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara - 145
72. Angel & Faith Volume 5: What You Want Not What You Need by Christos Gage - 148
73. Making Money: A Novel of Discworld by Terry Pratchett - 149
74. The Turner House by Angela Flourney - 150
75. Trillium by Jeff Lemire - 151

Here is where I'll list the authors selected for the 2017 American Authors Challenge, the books I will read, and if I complete them (here's hoping!)

2018 AAC

January- Joan Didion - White Album - COMPLETED
February- Colson Whitehead - Zone One - COMPLETED
March- Tobias Wolff - This Boy's Life - COMPLETED
April- Alice Walker - The Temple of My Familiar - Reading
May- Peter Hamill - Tabloid City - Reading
June- Walter Mosley
July- Amy Tan
August- Louis L'Amour
September- Pat Conroy
October- Stephen King
November- Narrative Nonfiction
December- F. Scott Fitzgerald

My 2003 "Books Read" list (casually kept, and probably incomplete): http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2003-reading-list.html
My 2004 "Books Read" list (see above caveats: things get better!):
http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2004-reading-list.html
My 2005 "Books Read" list (most pathetic list yet): http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2005-reading-list.html
My 2006 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2006-reading-list.htm
My 2007 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2007-reading-list.html
My 2008 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2008-reading-list.html
My 2009 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2009-reading-list.html
My 2010 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2010-reading-list.html

Here is a link to my last thread from 2011: http://www.librarything.com/topic/122919

Here is a link to my last thread from 2012: http://www.librarything.com/topic/138897

Here is a link to my last thread from 2013:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/156012

Here is a link to my thread from 2014: http://www.librarything.com/topic/163564

Here is a link to my thread from 2015: https://www.librarything.com/topic/186139

Here is a link to my thread from 2016: http://www.librarything.com/topic/211096

Here is a link to my last thread from 2017: http://www.librarything.com/topic/268142#

Good reading to you!

Welcome back! Happy new year!

>2 drneutron: Thanks! Have a great year!

1. Harry Potter: A Journey Through A History of Magic by British Library

A real treat, an olio (miscellany) (assortment) of illustrations and components of the exhibit that the British Library put on for the 30th? anniversary of "Harry Potter." There are facsimiles of Rowling's drafts, illustrations by the great Jim Kay, and some terrific and charming drawings by Rowling herself. All that, and photos of museum artifacts dealing with the history of "magic." Lots of fun to peruse. Any fan of Harry Potter will love this beautiful book, I think.

2. Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York by Roz Chast

This book is a sort-of guide and also a thank-you letter to my hometown and to New Yorkers everywhere. You know who you are.

It's terrific -- I laughed through the whole thing. And it really would be very helpful to anyone new to the city. Lovely book by a talented writer and artist.

Have a great year of reading!

Happy reading in 2018, Karen!

>6 thornton37814: >7 FAMeulstee: Thank you both, and the same to you!

Okay, here's what I've got going right now:

Chasing the Dragon by Cathy Smith (I searched high and low, and finally found a person in Canada who
had a paperback copy for sale for less than the $50 that Abebooks sellers want. Really? I am thrilled.
It is a reasonably well-written tale of a pretty tawdry life, but I am so curious about this person.)

Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life From An Addiction to Film by Patton Oswalt

Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich (chilling SF-tinged story that I can't read before
bedtime because it is scary)

I've got others lined up (especially for this month's Take It or Leave It challenge) but these three are the current books actually underway. It looks to be a fine month for reading.

Happy New Year
Happy New Group here
This place is full of friends
I hope it never ends
It brew of erudition and good cheer.

Happy New Year, Karen. It looks like you've had a good start to your reading.

>10 PaulCranswick: >11 BLBera: Thank you for stopping by!

I have been reading JUST for fun the last few days. Usually I enjoy all of my reading, but have really gone for just sheer enjoyment so far this year. C'est la vie!

See you around!

(my copy has a portrait of a very sick-looking John Belushi (RIP) on the cover)

3. Chasing the Dragon by Cathy Smith

This book was SO hard to track down, I almost gave up. It was published in Canada, which isn't all that far from Minnesota, but it might have been another world. Abebooks has copies of it, but they're prohibitively expensive for this tawdry little paperback ($50). No US libraries have the book, only Canadian. I was thinking of stopping into a library on the next visit to the Far North, but luckily found a copy that a local Canadian sales site had for sale. Really nice guy selling it, for $15 Canadian, which was only about $10 USD. Paypal international was easy peasy. I got the book Tuesday, finished it this morning (it is not a huge book).

I wanted the book so badly because I am in the midst of reading about northern music, especially the folk music and rock music of the 70s to the present. The author (Cathy Smith) was "a kind of freelance girl friend for musicians" during that time. She was born and raised in Ontario, lived in Toronto with Gordon Lightfoot, but was involved with so many other musicians and, later, Hollywood types. She was the one who went to jail for the death of John Belushi.

I found the book itself surprisingly well-written (did she have help with it?) This was kind of a guilty pleasure read, but I feel like a big itch has been scratched.

4. Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film by Patton Oswalt

I've always liked Patton Oswalt the person and comedian, and the concept of this book is intriguing. Lots of insight into the life of a comedian and into the world of film buffs, but I have to say this book seemed a little slapped together. That said, this book would be worthwhile reading for that aforementioned film buff; there is a cool listing of all the films that Oswalt watched over the five-year period of his film addiction.

5. Fables, Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers by Bill Willingham

Gosh, I like this series--the plots are grown-up, and the illustration and writing are regularly fine. Humor and pathos, politics and love stories--it's all here.

6. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Excellent novel, with a unique and lovely character in her search to leave her past behind and make her way in the world. The book is about friendship and love in all its forms. We confront child abuse and its ramifications. Eleanor remains a shining light, and she is surrounded by a wonderful cast of characters.

7. Living Better with Hearing Loss: A Guide to Health, Happiness, Love, Sex, Work, Friends...and Hearing Aids by Katherine Bouton

Such a useful book! I have experienced hearing loss (not profound, luckily) and have made my way without the kind of "mentoring" that this book provides. It really does have a lot to say about all the categories of living listed in the title. It's got some great information on hearing aids (and hearing assistance devices) which will be so helpful to me as my old hearing aid has given up the ghost (it is over ten years old).

I read a library copy of this book, but I'll be getting my own personal copy.

8. Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich

Louise Erdrich is one of my favorite authors, and nothing has changed with this book. It is a change of pace for the author--this is a bleak dystopia, and the world as we know it is coming to an end, and religious conservatives have taken over and are imprisoning child-bearing women.

This was a difficult book to read; it has moments of humor and beauty, but it overwhelmingly sad and describes a horrific world. Nevertheless, it was worth the read; I would wish only that there be a follow-up, and more hope for the future of the world.

I loved so many passages in the book, but following are two of my favorites:

Sera has always loved presenting Glen and me with artful snacks, with made-from-scratch chicken soup when we were sick, with bowls of garlic mashed potatoes when we were sad, and now, with cornmeal pancakes to stave off the apocalypse.

"How come you've looked after me?" I ask Hiro just as he's about to go. "How come you found me at the hospital? Brought me the messages?"

Hiro looks surprised at my question, taken aback, as though I should know. "You were on my route," he says.

(Hiro is the heroine's postal carrier (under the old system) and he truly is a "hero" (I hadn't made the connection until now!))

9. So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

Eye-opening, sobering look at the modern form of public shaming, shaming that uses the Internet.

The author explains, "A note about the title. For a while it was going to be, simply, Shame. Or Tarred and Feathered. There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. It was a surprisingly hard book to find a title for, and I think I know why. It was something that one of my interviewees said to me: "Shame is an incredibly inarticulate emotion. It's something that you bathe in, it's not something you wax eloquent about. It's such a deep, dark, ugly thing there are few words for it."

But Ronson does very well at portraying the new public shame, utilizing several case studies, starting with one that he himself was involved in (some academic hackers, to prove some point of their own, stole his identity and embarrassed him by having their spambot post strange food-related tweets).

I like Ronson's writing; it's clear and concise. Easy to read, and interesting.

10. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I read this for a Take It or Leave It challenge to read a book that you've always assumed you wouldn't like. A dangerous challenge, right?

But I've always been fond of vampire tales, especially when there's a lot of inner conflict and chance for growth for the characters. I enjoyed this one, although the main character of the human Belle is a bit of a whiner and really got on my nerves at times. Then I had to remember that this is a YA book, and YAs, as a rule, are kind of whiny and aggravating.

So, I ended up not hating this book; in fact, I've got the next volume on my Nook from the library.

Here's what I have in the works right now:

The Sociopath Next Door this one is due in a few days and I can't renew! Aarggh!
Reincarnation Blues about fifty pages in
A Square Meal my current nonfiction read

Good reading!

11. More Saints: Lives & Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson

I picked up this Juvie "lives of the saints" mainly because I wanted to read about Kateri Tekakwitha (Lily of the Mohawks), who was mentioned in Future Home of the Living God (actually, I'm sure she was a major theme character but I haven't quite figured that out yet).

But this book is great, especially for someone as non-versed in the Catholic hagiography (I think that's the term). Well-written little vignettes of the Roman Catholic saints and "blesseds," and gorgeous, medieval-style "illuminations" of them. Very much a historical book.

Now I must back up and read the first volume!

12. Fables, Vol. 5: The Mean Seasons by Bill Willingham

Still liking this series. This one had a WWII battlefield sub-episode which was very gory and strange.

And the politics of Fabletown are all messed up, with a whole new crew of leaders who are hopelessly out of their league; the whole future of the Fables is at question. Must read next volume!

Karen, looks like you are still reading up a storm!

I read The Future Home of the Living God earlier this month as well and Erdrich is one my favourite authors, but this one didn't quite hit as much as her other works. Doesn't change how I feel about her as an author tho. ;)

>24 jolerie: Yes, I know what you mean about this Erdrich. I'm glad to see that she's trying new things, but kinda like the old things. I'll still read anything she publishes, though!

Thanks for stopping by!

13. Reincarnation Blues: A Novel by Michael Poore

Milo, the hero of this book, is nearing his 10,000th reincarnation (and that's the limit, folks). I really liked the book, which is the kind of writing where the author plays with language and surprises us with silliness and clever ideas and a sweet love story, to boot.

Warning: there is one small section dealing with a version of Milo where he works in a slaughterhouse. One scene where he is talking about his job was injurious to my sense of mental well-being. I think I understand why the author included it, but still...if you read this book, you might want to skip those few pages.

I finished this days ago and it is still rattling around in my brain (I think I'll have to read it again). Very much recommended to all those who are willing to suspend disbelief and go with the flow.

14. A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression by Jane Ziegelman and Andrew Coe

I really enjoyed this history of the American Great Depression, from the perspective of what people were eating (or not!), how they were eating, and how the government aided or neglected their duty to make sure their citizens were fed.

Fascinating look at how things developed; from kitchenettes and cafeterias, to the transient aid program and WPA, to the sciences of home economics and nutrition. There are even several recipes (although I didn't really see any that I might be inclined to cook up!)

I loved how this book organized and categorized my knowledge of the times and the topics. There are lots of endnotes, a bibliography, and an index. Excellent nonfiction read!

>20 klobrien2: You liked it better than I did, Karen.
I don't think I ever get to the next books, unless there was nothing else left to read ;-)

>28 FAMeulstee: I have New Moon on my Nook from the library--kind of a failsafe for running out of things to read (yeah, right--like that would ever happen).

Thanks for stopping by!

15. The White Album by Joan Didion

I've read only one other book by Joan Didion--The Year of Magical Thinking--and I really liked that one. I really like this one too. Didion is such a strong writer and isn't afraid to insert herself into these essays. She seems to be such a good observer of events and places (almost poetical at times). These essays serve as both a chronicle of the time--the 60s and 70s--but also a memoir of the author's life.

I do see more Didion in my future reading!

16. Whispering Pines: The Northern Roots of American Music from Hank Snow to The Band by Jason Schneider

I had brought this home from the library when I was going through my Canadian music research phase...which is still kind of ongoing, I guess. Hadn't done much with the book and didn't think I'd get it done this month, but once I got further in, I was drawn in and finished rapidly.

So many of my childhood and young adulthood idols are featured here, and it brings such clarity to have their careers laid out in detail. I like Schneider's writing style and the way he organizes the material (basically chronologically, but keeping the personal connections in mind).

Quite a few photographs (black and white), and a nice discography section.

17. The Rooster Bar by John Grisham

I wanted to like this book, I really did, but it left me wanting. It was a clever-enough idea, I think, students from a for-profit law school, about to graduate owing a horrendous amount of money, facing a bleak future despite false promises made by the school, decide to work the system and start practicing law on the down-low without benefit of actually graduating and passing the bar. It is interesting to see the story unfold, but there is no clear-cut resolution, no moral victory, and I was left with a very bad taste in my mouth.

That said, there was some interesting writing about for-profit school culture and the fears of illegal immigrants in our country. Very timely and topical.

Glad you didn't hate Twilight. I can't say that I truly hated it, but the passion with which people love the books and movies makes me dislike it more than I otherwise would have, I suppose. I shouldn't allow myself to be swayed...but it doesn't deserve THAT much praise!

I've been wanting to read Fables

>18 klobrien2: I have Future Home of the Living God reserved at the library - it will be my first Erdich and I'm looking forward to it.

>33 The_Hibernator: I enjoyed Twilight for what it was worth--the love story, the vampires (vampire baseball!), that's about it. It is very much a coming-of-age kind of book, I think. I'm actually reading New Moon now. It's wordier than the first book, but I really want to see what happens next, so I'll keep reading.

And Fables is great! Very well done, good story lines, great characters. If you give it a try, I think you'd like it.

Thanks for visiting! I read your thread every day; I guess I should comment every once in a while and not just lurk!

>34 souloftherose: I hope you like Future Home of the Living God. It's not Erdrich's usual, but there's a lot to like.

Thanks for stopping by to chat!

18. Saints: Lives & Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson

I read the second More Saints before I read this one--the order in which I read them probably didn't make much difference. This first book focused more on the earlier saints, I think. Lots of saints from Ireland! Beautiful "illuminations" and charming stories. I'm not a Catholic, but I see the beauty of the saints--very much a paternal/maternal resource.

Haha...isn't it funny when you think you will hate a book and it turns out..not as bad as you thought.

I don't think the books are horrible but her writing.......there were some moments I had to laugh out loud because it was sooo cheeeesssy. And her style of having all the action basically crammed into the last 200 pages kills me. I hope you enjoy the rest of the series!

>38 jolerie: I know (cheesy)! But then I remind myself that it is a YA book, and I let it go.

I've started New Moon (maybe 50 pages in) and it is so boring! But she just got a motorcycle, so things are looking up.

Thanks for stopping by!

19. Shy Charles by Rosemary Wells

Such a sweet book with excellent writing and illustrations! A tremendous book for any kids on the shy side.

20. We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates

So much here that was so well-stated, but here are a few of my favorites:

Racism was not a singular one-dimensional vector but a pandemic, afflicting black communities at every level, regardless of what rung they occupied.

The sins of slavery did not stop with slavery. On the contrary, slavery was but the initial crime in a long tradition of crimes, of plunder even, that could be traced into the present day.

Won't reparations divide us? Not any more than we are already divided. The wealth gap merely puts a number on something we feel but cannot say--that American prosperity was ill gotten and selective in its distribution. What is needed is an airing of family secrets, a settling with old ghosts. What is needed is a healing of the American psyche and the banishment of white guilt.

Trump did not spring out of nothingness but from the eight years of crazy, from the hawking of Obama-waffles to shouts of "you lie," from WHITE SLAVERY banners to Obama-phone plots, from chimpanzee memes to watermelon-at-the-White-House jokes.

Historians will spend the next century analyzing how a country with such allegedly grand democratic traditions was, so swiftly and so easily, brought to the brink of fascism. But one needn't stretch too far to conclude that an eight-year campaign of consistent and open racism aimed at the leader of the free world helped clear the way.

Excellent book! The author presents eight sections, one for each year of Obama's presidency. An essay by the author from that year is prefaced by (current-day) notes about the essay and what was happening in the author's life at the time. In this way, the book serves not only as an anthology, but also as a type of memoir.

I have enjoyed this author's writing since Between the World and Me. He writes beautifully and forcefully.

21. We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor

Really enjoyed this first book in the Bobiverse series, although it took me a little while to get into the swing of it. Lots of humor and science (!), which all sounds plausible to me. The book has stayed in my mind since, and I find myself wanting to know how the Bobs are doing (good thing I have the second book ready to go!)

>41 klobrien2: That pretty much speaks for itself.

>43 drneutron: Isn't Coates a great writer?! He's one of those that chooses each word carefully, each word for a reason.

Did you see that I read We Are Legion (We Are Bob)? I believe it was you that recommended the book? I just loved it (once I got into it) and it's been knocking around in my brain since. I've got the next book from the library; can't wait to get started.

Thanks for stopping by!

22. Fables, Vol. 6: Homelands by Bill Willingham

Great episode in the series. The volume starts with a side story of Jack in Hollywood, then into the main story of the Homelands and the real identity of The Adversary.

>44 klobrien2: Yup, I've been warbling about the Bobiverse. Second was also good, I've got the third queued up as soon as I finish my current book.

>46 drneutron: I thought it was you! Thanks for the warbling!

22. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson

If you mention this book to people, a lot of them react so negatively to the idea of even thinking about death and death's ramifications--it's almost funny. This book is so life-affirming! It's about taking control of your possessions and the clutter that surrounds you and making life better for you NOW, and for those you leave behind after you finally pass on.

Our planet is very small; it floats in a never-ending universe. It may perish under the weight of our consumerism--and eventually I fear that it will. If you have no children of your own, you should still be sure to death clean both for the pleasure it can bring you, but also for all the other children out there who you don't know. Recycling and donating can both help the planet and also bring things to people who may need them.

It is hard for me to understand why most people find death so difficult to talk about. It is the only absolutely inevitable happening that we all have in our future.

>48 klobrien2: That sounds like a good book, Karen.
I was very happy when my parents moved some years back to an appartment. They went through everything gathered in nearly 40 years, I always feared we had to do that someday.

>49 FAMeulstee: I've had to deal with the end-of-life business twice: my mother-in-law passed away, and she lived in the house where she had grown up, so there were two generations of things to deal with. And when my mother passed, her house was full of "stuff"--and my siblings and I had to do the cleaning out. I swore that I wouldn't leave that business to my kids, so now I'm striving to do the clean out myself! And this book was very helpful--either to confirm what we had already learned, or to give us new methods to proceed.

Thanks for stopping by to chat!

23. Binti: the Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor

Wonderful series of Afro-centric science fiction. Binti is an amazing character, and she is surrounded by amazing characters. Okorafor is aces at world-creating (actually, galaxy-creating/universe-creating). I can't believe that this is the last in the series? (must go look that up).

>50 klobrien2: We try the same, as we have no children it will be up to nephews and nieces.

On my husbands side of the family everyone is gone now. Frank had to do it three times. As his only sister lives in the USA, it came all onto us. Luckely both his mother and his father (they were divorced) had moved many times, so there was not much accumulated stuff. The third one was his aunt (who had no children), there the house was emptied when she went to a nursing home. This all happened in two years time, his mother died in May 2010, his aunt went to a nursing home in September 2011 and his father died in February 2012. It was tough to do it all in such a short time.

>52 FAMeulstee: Wow, I'm sure it was hard to do it so quickly. We were lucky in that we gave ourselves a lot of time to do both house-emptyings, and then just hauled boxes away to be dealt with later if we needed to. My mother-in-law's death was very sudden; my mother moved to assisted living and was there for almost two years before she passed away. The job there was to get the house emptied so that it could be sold.

I think you would enjoy the book--Magnusson is a very nice writer, and there is humor and lightness. And it is not a very big book.

It's always great to see you here! Good reading!

24. For We Are Many by Dennis E. Taylor

Second book in the Bobiverse, one to follow. I really enjoyed this volume, with many cool concepts and characters that you'd like to know. I have to keep an eye on the passage of time in the books; since the main characters (the "Bob"s) are not subject to sickness or old age, they watch as the "ephemerals" they know and love pass on. So sad. One question in my mind is, how long can a human intelligence live? Will there be deterioration? Or depression?

Fun, informative books, with so many nods to popular culture of the 20th and 21st centuries, especially in the Sci-Fi realm. It's a lot of fun to try and catch all of those.

25. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading this book. It's very nicely written, and the characters are believable (even the awful ones) and compelling. I so wish there was a follow-up book or two. I do have the film version home from the library, so that might give me some relief.

26. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Haven't read this play for a while, although it is one of my favorites. I read this wonderful illustrated version, and the drawings added so much to my enjoyment. The play-within-a-play is so good, so funny, and Bottom is one of my favorite of Shakespeare's comic characters.

27. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. LeGuin

Read this in memory of the author who recently passed away. This is the second book in the Earthsea books. I loved the first book (A Wizard of Earthsea). This one was quite as good, but with a different set of characters, with some touchpoints. I'm sure I'll be working to complete the cycle.

28. Zone One by Colson Whitehead

Please see post >64 klobrien2: below for my comments about this book. Totally involving and interesting book about the time after a zombie apocalypse, this one set mostly in New York. I will definitely be reading more Colson Whitehead this year.

How did you like The Help? It was in my queue for this month but the Olympics have severely derailed my plans. :)

Ooo, Zone One! What did you think?

Hi Karen! I've finally dropped in to say hello. Our reading overlaps enough that I really should visit more often....

>20 klobrien2: I like the Twilight books. They're giddy, goofy, melodramatic fun - popcorn for the mind. Truth be told, I've read them more than once.

>41 klobrien2: I should have joined you this month for We Were Eight Years in Power. Soon.

>51 klobrien2: I finally got Binti: The Night Masquerade from the library - I get it in before the end of the month!

And you need to add to your shared reads on the TIOLI Meter - I joined you for both of the Bobiverse books you listed in Challenge #13. I'll read the third next month - are you interested?

>61 Dejah_Thoris: Yay! for shared reads! I was able to adjust my shared read total up, thanks to you!

And, yes, I am planning to read the third Bobiverse book--just have to get it from the library (I'm a few patrons down on the list).

I've really enjoyed the Binti books--they're so imaginative, they really get one thinking.

And I know what you mean about the Twilight books. I've read Deborah Harkness's All Souls Trilogy more than once! You get witches, vampires, daemons, all interacting. Oh, and time travel!

I'll be keeping an eye on what you're reading. I LOVE shared reads on TIOLI!

Thanks for stopping by! See you around!

>59 jolerie: I loved The Help! I wish Stockett would write another book, especially if she would write about these wonderful characters some more. I just picked up the movie version from the library, so I'll see how it matches up to the book.

I hope you get to The Help and that you like it as much as I did.

Thanks for stopping by to chat!

>60 drneutron: Zone One (I SO have to get my butt in gear and make my little book reports!)

I loved the book! It totally creeped me out (it is about zombies, after all). But there is something sweet in how Whitehead talks about the "stragglers," who continue to try to live their pre-plague lives, living by muscle memory (almost).

I remember thinking that I should read the book when it first came out (and I should have). Thanks to msf59 for his American Author Challenge for prompting me to get it read now. And I think I will get a copy for my husband for his birthday--he's a big "Walking Dead" fan, I think he'd like this one a lot.

Thanks for stopping by!

29. Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin

An amazing book, filled with science presented with humor and understanding. Just some samples of the author's gorgeous writing:

It is no exaggeration to say that this is a fish-eat-fish world. The strategies to succeed in this setting were obvious: get big, get armor, or get out of the water. It looks as if our distant ancestors avoided the fight.

But the story I can't tell him (his little son) until he is older is why I became speechless and emotional (at the Apollo 8 exhibit). The real story is that Apollo 8 is a symbol for the power of science to explain and make our universe knowable. People can quibble over the extent to which the space program was about science or politics, but the central fact remains as clear today as it was in 1968: Apollo 8 was a product of the essential optimism that fuels the best science. It exemplifies how the unknown should not be a source of suspicion, fear, or retreat to superstition, but motivation to continue asking questions and seeking answers.

We live in an age of discovery, when science is revealing the inner workings of creatures as different as jellyfish, worms, and mice. We are now seeing the glimmer of a solution to one of the greatest mysteries of science--the genetic differences that make humans distinct from other living creatures.

What do billions of years of history mean for our lives today? Answers to fundamental questions we face--about the inner workings of our organs and our place in nature--will come from understanding how our bodies and minds have emerged from parts common to other living creatures. I can imagine few things more beautiful or intellectually profound that finding the basis for our humanity, and remedies for many of the ills we suffer, nestled inside some of the most humble creatures that have ever lived on our planet.

My one quibble with this reading is that the physical book I read had been egregiously penciled throughout by some previous reader--messy underlines all over the place, and scribbled definitions of words that the reader had trouble with (and there were a lot of them!). Very distracting! I tried erasing as I read, but that would have taken me twice as long to read and I was getting very POed, so I tried to just ignore the marks. This is one of the hazards of reading library books, I guess.

30. Fables, Vol. 7: Arabian Nights (and Days) by Bill Willingham

Now we learn about the Arabian Fables (Sinbad, etc.), who come to Fabletown and mischief ensues. Lots of fun. Also included is a standalone love story of two wooden people (created by Geppeto); I'm sure we'll be seeing more of them. A great series.

31. Fables, Vol. 8: Wolves by Bill Willingham

This series remains consistently well-done and lots of fun. This one concentrates on Snow White, Digby Wolf, and their brood of little wolves. Very sweet and lovely.

>41 klobrien2: We Were Eight Years in Power sounds good Karen - I've yet to read anything by Ta-Nehisi Coates but I have that one and his Between the World and Me on the list.

>65 klobrien2: And Your Inner Fish has been added to the list!

>68 souloftherose: Can't say enough good about both of those books! Hope you get a chance to read them!

Thanks for stopping by!

32. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

I don't know if I've ever read this book, either as a child or as an adult, but it was due to be read. This book about the sassy cat who likes to have fun was a joy to read, and I helped earn a shared point for TIOLI.

33. Artemis: A Novel by Andy Weir

This book by the author of The Martian: A Novel took me a while to warm to. We find out almost immediately that the heroine of Artemis is a porter on the moon city of Artemis, and one who does smuggling on the side. She's not entirely a likable character, but she has spunk and is very smart and very brave.

Halfway through the book I started to warm up to the characters and to the plot. There's all of the science and practical living in space that made The Martian so compelling.

A fun read, and I love how Weir writes.

34. Fables, Vol. 9: Sons of Empire by Bill Willingham

Quite a meaty episode dealing with the conflict between The Homelands and Fabletown, and will there be war between them?

A set of Christmas stories are charming, as are a set of stories dealing with answers to questions posed by readers.

35. Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History by Katy Tur

Another "find" from "The Daily Show"--I recognized Katy Tur's voice and the events she writes about from the 2016 campaign, but had never knew much about Tur or network/cable news. I don't follow the TV news very closely.

Tur is a great writer, and provides so much insight into the life of a campaign reporter, even in such an "unbelievable" campaign as the 2016 one. She is also very funny.

He (Trump) is the polar opposite of President Obama. Where Obama's rhetoric soars, Trump's rhetoric slithers. While Obama eats arugula, Trump scarfs Burger King. Where Obama is controlled and calculating, Trump is petulant and loud.

But it works for him. Everything he says falls into one of two categories. If it's good it's "we." If it's bad it's "they." "We" are going to have so much winning. "They" are going to hate it. His supporters feel that he is fighting for them. They identify with him. They can relate. "He talks just like us," supporters say over and over again. He's the rich guy they would be if they were rich. And he knows it.

Bannon has only been on the team for two months, but he's already become something of a legend. Not a legend in a Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle sort of way. More like the Sith or Voldemort, according to critics.

Information coming directly from a politician or his team, without being vetted by reporters, is little more than propaganda. No American voter accepts one-sided accounts in their personal life.

The writing flows and is clear and succinct. Although the events of the campaign are so cringe-worthy and it truly is unbelievable to consider what all went on, these are the facts. I'm glad that Tur has documented them.

36. Andre the Giant: Life and Legend by Box Brown

Graphic rendition of the life of the professional wrestler. Pretty tawdry and sad at times, but a quick read.

37. The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout

Easily-read, compelling, disconcerting. The author tells us that sociopathy (simply stated, the absence of conscience in an individual) is really quite widespread--it is estimated that 25%, or 1 out of 4 individuals are sociopaths. While trying to read objectively, I would find myself (from time to time) thinking to myself, "Oh, so that's why that person did that!"

Stout uses case histories to illustrate the nature of the sociopath and their effect on those around them. She presents quite a bit of history and psychology, but with the examples the not-so-clear is made more clear (for me, anyway!).

About emotional attachment: Beginning in our genes and spiraling outward to all of our cultures, beliefs, and many religions, it is the shadow of the whisper of the beginning of an understanding that we are all one. And whatever its origins, this is the essence of conscience.

Conscience, and uniquely conscience, can compel us out of our own skins and into the skin of another, or even into contact with the Absolute. It is based on our emotional ties to one another. In its purest form, it is called love. And wonderfully, both mystics and evolutionary psychologists, who concur on not much else, agree that people by their normal nature are more likely to be loving than malevolent. This conclusion signifies a breathtaking departure from our usual, more cynical view of ourselves.

Book has helpful endnotes containing further reading bibliographic information.

38. Bog Bodies Uncovered: Solving Europe's Ancient Mystery by Miranda Aldhouse-Green

I have a great interest in the prehistory of Europe, especially of the British Isles. I found this book at my library, and it really is quite interesting. Various well-preserved bodies have been found throughout the British Isles, Denmark, North Germany, and the Netherlands, and they have certain things in common--evidence of violent death, physical deformities, but especially, their burial in flesh-preserving bog.

Lots of information about the where, what, how, and when, and the why. The author makes some conclusions but in the end, it seems that there are things that will never be known about these ancient victims.

There is a listing of the instances discussed in the book, endnotes, a bibliography, and an index. Lots of illustrations, including a section of color plates.

The author has "published widely on Celts and their world" and I am sure that I will be searching out her other books.

>76 klobrien2: Sounds like an interesting book. I've read several mysteries involving bog bodies.

Yup, I'd like to find that one too.

>77 thornton37814: >78 drneutron: Hi, you two! The bog environment is so eerie and mysterious, so I think that's why it gets used so often in literature. The "bog bodies" author stressed that the bog is the place between water and land, between living and death...

I really liked how the author urged respect for the bodies and their treatment.

It's a really great book, and I hope that you both get a chance to read it!

Thanks for stopping by to chat!

I've joined paulstalder for a read of the biblical book of Ruth for TIOLI challenge #18. I recently read this, so I'm not including this in my count. SO enjoyed the reread--it is a beautiful story.

I've got a number of books that I'm currently reading and hope to finish this month:

A Time of Love and Tartan by Alexander McCall Smith (TIOLI 2)
Grandparents: Minnesota Style by Mike Link (TIOLI 4)
Plainsong by Kent Haruf (TIOLI 4-Shared read)
All These Worlds by Dennis E. Taylor (TIOLI 4- Shared read)
The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. LeGuin (TIOLI 7-Shared read)
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff (TIOLI 8-Shared read, AAC)
Under a Flaming Sky by Daniel James Brown (TIOLI 15-Shared read)

If I do indeed finish all of these reads by month-end, I'll end with 7 shared reads, very respectable.

I'm also reading Fire and Fury: The Trump White House by Michael Wolff, but can't take too much of that at once (!)

And I recently watched a Masterpiece series of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and am itching to read the book now! Maybe I'll finish up a few of my UFOs (Unfinished Objects) before I tackle that one.

>80 klobrien2: I'm in Judges and suspect Ruth will come up before the end of the month. I'm planning to count the entire Bible as a read at the end of the year, but if I get the book read this month, I'll try to remember to add my name to the challenge.

>82 thornton37814: Ooh, that would be great! Ruth is such a sweet little book, like a little novelette.

And the entire Bible would be one heckuva "book" to count!

Thanks for stopping by!

39. This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff

Compelling and evocative. Wolff's memoir of his early life, with dashes into his later life as the subject matter prompted. Definitely not an idyllic childhood, but it was interesting, and I would like to read more by this author.

>83 klobrien2: It comes up today. I counted the entire Bible last year too, but I'm using a different translation this time.

>85 thornton37814: I'm partway through the Hebrew Bible, and I'm using Robert Alter's books. When I finish one of those, which include both translation and commentary, I count the book (e.g. The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary) once I get through the whole thing.

What translation are you using this year? I'm going to go check out your thread because I wonder if we've had this conversation before :).

I'm glad you can join in the read of Ruth for TIOLI!

>86 klobrien2: I'm using New American Standard Bible this year. I added Ruth to the TIOLI. Good timing on it.

>87 thornton37814: Excellent!

40. A Time of Love and Tartan by Alexander McCall Smith

I'm glad that AMS is as prolific as he is, because I sure love reading his books. They're like a breath of fresh air, full of wit and simple ideas, all about the characters that the author has made us care about (repeatedly). This book is the twelfth! in the "44 Scotland Street" series.

If you don't care for this kind of gentle, easy-going writing, I don't think I can say anything to tempt you, or to even describe the book. But here's a sample, a bit that I found very sweet and funny:

He wondered whether restaurants had mission statements, and, if they did, what they would be. Feeding people would be a good one, or Serving dinner might also be suitable. There was a mission statement for everybody, if one thought about it. Fixing teeth would do for a dental surgery, and Cleaning clothes might be highly appropriate for a dry-cleaning business. This policy of honesty could be taken even further: a bank might say Looking after your money, but making quite a lot for ourselves in the process. One would applaud a bank that said that, and might even place one's hard-earned money in their hands. An airline might say Flying you from place to place, but charging for your luggage, sandwiches on the plane, and so on. Or they might proclaim, We land and we take off, which had a certain direct charm to it. There were so many possibilities, if only people would get beyond the trite protestations of conformity.

41. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin

Luscious third book in the Earthsea series. Excellent series, full of magic and wizards, danger, and philosophy. We're back with Ged, from A Wizard of Earthsea, all grown up and powerful. He's accompanied by the young Prince Arren. These two go in search of an answer to the failing magic of the world.

Here's one of my favorite passages from the book:

"The dragons! The dragons are avaricious, insatiable, treacherous; without pity, without remorse. But are they evil? Who am I, to judge the acts of dragons? . . . They are wiser than men are. It is with them as with dreams, Arren. We men dream dreams, we work magic, we do good, we do evil. The dragons do not dream. They are dreams. They do not work magic: it is their substance, their being. The do not do; they are.

Although this book is labeled for children, it is more than enough for adults, as well. I wish I had read it when it first came out in 1972. I would have been 14, which is, I think, a really good age to be when reading it. Although (mumblety-mumble) is a fine age to be as a reader, too!

42. Grandparents Minnesota Style: Places to Go and Wisdom to Share by Mike Link and Kate Crowley

Excellent little tour book, aimed at grandparents who want to become better grandparents (and have more fun!), although it definitely can be useful to anyone who wants to fill a deeper and larger parenting role with a child.

The "Places to Go" portions are, of course, most helpful to those who live in Minnesota or Wisconsin. But, wherever one is, their are probably similar places and establishments.

The "Wisdom to Share" portions are quite applicable anywhere, I'd say. There are more than seventy attractions and activities listed; each write-up has tips on making the stop a bonding experience, recommendations for every site, and suggestions for grandchildren of all ages. And each "place" has a lovely little quote about grandparents to make you smile (at maybe cry a little).

I read my library's copy of the book, but I'm heading off to get a copy for husband and me. It is a great book!

43. Plainsong by Kent Haruf

Absolutely loved this book! Wasn't so sure when I started; it took me a little while to get into the swing of the book. The chapters are named for the characters that fill the narrative. Once I "met" all of the characters, the book drew me in, and I was impatient to read what happened next.

Haruf had such a gift for dialogue, and for sketching his good, simple people (well, the few bad people too--they were quite abhorrent). Definitely rereadable, and I'll be seeking out the other books in the "Plainsong" series.

Here's one of my favorite passages: the old bachelor farmers are meeting a new baby (and they have little experience of babies):

He took the baby in her white hospital blankets and looked at her, holding her fearfully out in front of his old face as though she were a piece of rigid but delicate kitchen crockery.

My goodness, he said after a minute. The baby's eyes looked up at him without blinking. Well, my, my. My lord almighty.

44. All These Worlds by Dennis E. Taylor

A fitting ending (no! say it isn't so!) to the Bobiverse Trilogy. Lots of technology, although that isn't the main point of the books and one can let attention slide on the high tech if desired. I think the main point(s) of these books are to deliberate what it means to be human, what is our responsibility to the group in which we live, and how can we have a lot of fun taking care of our responsibilities (or reading about how the Bobs do this).

I so want to read more books by this author, and since he says that he quit his day job in order to write books, it seems as if I may get my chance. I wonder what he'll write next!

45. Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet Book 1 by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Beautifully illustrated, compelling plot, but I think that succeeding volumes might be a little better organized and narrated (if that's the right word). Coates is one of my favorite authors, but the graphics genre is new to him with this volume, so I'll grant him a little leeway. It might have helped me to have any foreknowledge of the Black Panther or the mythology of the character, but I tried to catch on as I went.

The book reads quite like a old-style comic book, I guess (I have not read a lot of those). On the other hand, a bonus feature in this volume is the original appearance of The Black Panther (in the early '60s, I believe) and that original book seems so immature and slapdash compared to this modern graphic novel. It was very interesting to have the two takes in the same volume.

46. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff

Reading this book was a mixed blessing/curse: the reading helped me organize events from the past year in my mind, and I loved getting the inside scoop, but it was painful at times to read about how low American politics has sunk. I had to avoid reading this book before bedtime or I'd have bad dreams about disorganization and dysfunction. Yuck!

But, all in all, I'm glad I read the book. It's better to know the truth, I guess.

I did struggle with the author's writing at times--he gets a little convoluted and strings sentences together so that I had to pause and make sure I was getting the right meaning. Also, I don't think I'm overly prudish about bad language, but there was a LOT of it in here. I felt like I had to wash my brain out after a reading session. But that could be the shenanigans and dysfunction along with the language.

Here's a passage that stuck with me:

Perhaps never before in history--not through world wars, the overthrow of empires, periods of extraordinary social transformation, or episodes of government-shaking scandal--have real-life events unfolded with such emotional and plot-thickening impact. In the fashion of binge-watching a television show, one's real life became quite secondary to the public drama.

47. Fables, Vol 10: The Good Prince by Bill Willingham

Another excellent entry from this terrific series. This time, "Fly," who has been serving as the janitor at the Fables headquarters, recovers his memory and shines as the Frog Prince. Great "knights in shining armor" story.

48. Fables, Vol. 11: War and Pieces by Bill Willingham

As the author explains in a note to the 75th issue of the comic version of Fables, this issue is the culmination of the series so far. It tells the story of the Fables pitted against the Homeland tyranny, and it is a smashing adventure. A great side story of Cinderella, who is a spy and operative of the Fables--she takes no prisoners!

49. The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Contentment, Comfort, and Connection by Louisa Thomsen Brits

This book, although a bit unorganized and repetitive, is an interesting look at the Danish concept of "hygge": "a quality of presence and togetherness. It is a feeling of being warm, safe, comforted, and sheltered....Hygge is an experience of selfhood and communion with people and places that anchors and affirms us, gives us courage and consolation."

One of the coolest things about hygge is its pronunciation--"hoo-gah"! Makes me smile every time I read it.

The book would work well as a daily meditation book, but it never flowed for me, and did seem repetitive. I kept reading for the message, which I found very sweet and promising as a way to keep life saner and happier.

50. Ladycastle by Delilah S. Dawson

Fun (and feminist!) graphic novel that I found quite by accident, when looking for a "la" entry for the TIOLI do-re-me-fa-sol-la-ti-do challenge. This is the story of a medieval community, complete with princess in the tower. Almost all of the menfolk are lost due to the king's greed and stupidity. So, now the community consists of almost all females, and they learn their way, and try to do all things equitably in the name of Ladycastle. Well drawn and written. I hope there are more of these coming!

51. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

A very compelling and involving read. I think I'm going to be mulling this book over for a while. It's main message is immigration, and the plight of refugees. It sees the waves of immigration as a social phenomenon, not just north to south, or east to west.

The other main message (you can have more than one, right?) is the love story between Saeed and Nadia. Just beautiful, though realistic.

This one really touched my heart. I want to do more to help refugees and immigrants around the world. That's a terrific end result of reading a book.

...they saw what looked like a refugee camp, with hundreds of tents and lean-tos and people of many colors and hues--may colors and hues but mostly falling within a band of brown that ranged from dark chocolate to milky tea--and these people were gathered around fires that burned inside upright oil drums and speaking in a cacophony that was the language of the world, what one might hear if one were a communications satellite, or a spy-master tapping into a fiber-optic cable under the sea. In this group, everyone was foreign, and so, in a sense, no one was.

...everyone migrates, even if we stay in the same houses our whole lives, because we can't help it. We are all migrants through time.

52. Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran

Sweet little Easy book about imagination and childhood play. Lots of lovely desert-toned illustrations of children at play in their "town" of Roxaboxen.

53. The Keep: A Novel by Jennifer Egan

Really fun and engaging story, with levels and stories within stories. I got hit with a real sense of eeriness and mystery, from the beginning. Complex and moving.

54. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K.Rowling

What can I say? The Harry Potter books are THE comfort books, right?! I read this for a shared TIOLI read, but enjoyed the (re*5-read) immensely. For the Harry Potter books, I usually prefer to read a paper copy, especially the illustrated versions, but this time I read an e-book. It was fine because my memory filled in with my recollections of the reads and the movie viewings I've done.

55. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley

I really love these Flavia de Luce books; this one is one of the best, I think. Flavia is maturing. While on vacation with her family and the "caretaker," Dogger, Flavia finds a corpse and is rapidly involved in the mystery and the small town where the death has occurred. Some interesting new characters who I hope we see again.

56. Serenity: Leaves on the Wind by Zack Whedon

I have become a fan of the "Firefly" TV series and the "Serenity" movie spinoff, a little after the fact. The graphic novels relate the stories of the series/movie, and now begin to pursue new story lines. The illustrations are really pretty good, and the story itself holds true to the original themes and "feeling" of the progenitors.

57. Serenity: No Power in the 'Verse by Chris Roberson

This one is volume 5, and it is a lot of fun and a good read. I was given this one for a birthday present last year (!), and I've finally read it off my shelf!

Well, I've got a few reports to make, don't I?! I'm hopeful that I will get to this tomorrow, as I'm off work, and feeling the need to get organized. Good news is, I've gotten a lot of reading done, and some more to finish by the end of the month.

Here's what I have going right now:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline; just loving this, can't wait to get to it every day
Ancestral Journeys by Jean Manco; really interesting but sometimes a lot of science for me
An Odyssey: A Father, A Son, and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn; fifty-some pages in, and it is a delight to read

I've started up my Bible reading again! Currently in I and II Chronicles; itching to get to the prophets and the poetry!

58. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I loved this book! I alternated between longing to have more reading time so that I could find out "what happened next" and wanting to prolong the reading so that it wouldn't be over! Cline has created an amazing but believable dystopic world (and virtual worlds within worlds). The heroes of the book are truly heroic and the villains are completely horrific. A positive representation of friendship and bravery. Can't say enough good about this one.

I've got Cline's next book loaded on my Nook, and I'm looking forward to getting to it.

59. She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton

Delightful tiny essays about thirteen American women. Beautiful illustrations. Each essay has a quote from each of the women that even more fully tells us about the individuals.

Sister volume, She Persisted Around the World is on its way to me!

>108 klobrien2: Glad you loved Ready Player One! I really should try that one out.

>108 klobrien2: Last year I have read and liked Ready Player One, glad you enjoyed it :-)

>110 The_Hibernator: Oh, you should! I bet you'd really like Ready Player One. You should listen to...

>111 FAMeulstee: Who really liked it, too! I've got Armada on my Nook--it's Cline's next book.

Thank you both for visiting and stopping to chat. I read both of your threads, but I don't often post, just lurk. I should change that behavior!

60. Practical Magic: A Novel by Alice Hoffman

What a fun read! I had started reading The Rules of Magic by mistake. I wanted to read the books in publication order and Practical Magic came first. I quickly switched books and now am on the right path.

The book is described as "magical realism" but I don't think I'd group it with books like 100 Years of Solitude. The women and girls of the book know that they have special abilities and sensitivities, and the older generation might know the truth, but the main thing about magical ability in this book is that it's seen as something to be avoided if at all possible.

The book is mostly about love in all its variations. It's also about second chances and the importance of family.

Can't wait to get back to The Rules of Magic now--it's actually a prequel to this one, which is probably why I got confused.

I had somehow lost track of your thread, Karen, but I'm all caught up now. Wow, you've been doing some great reading. So glad you loved Plainsong; I still have Haruf's last book in the series to read but I've been avoiding it because i don't want it to be over.

>114 rosalita: "I've been avoiding it because i don't want it to be over."

I know that feeling! Lucky for me, I have a few books to go! You know, you can always reread...

Thanks for finding me and stopping to chat!

61. Still Me by JoJo Moyes

I really enjoyed Moyes's other books in this series (Me Before you, After You) and this one is as enjoyable. They are not dark, not dense; but they are about relationships, and the joy of living, and finding one's way in the world. I really hate the term "chick lit" (so patronizing), but others have tagged these books as such. Bllltt! This is a fun read.

62. Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson

Read this to participate in a shared read for TIOLI. I hadn't heard of the series before, but it was fun, feminist, and really sweet. I may follow up with the series if one of my libraries has it.

63. The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes

Classic children's book that I had never heard of. Written by the famous Ted Hughes! Wonderful story of the iron giant who eats metal, and the very smart kid Hogarth who excels at solving difficult problems.

64. She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History by Chelsea Clinton

Loved this! Clinton writes little essays about the 13 women included here, and the essays are beautifully illustrated. AND there is a quotation from each woman (I just love pithy statements, especially if they shed light on the speaker).

Wishing you a lovely Sunday, Karen.

>94 klobrien2: I also struggled a bit with the first three volumes of the TNC Black Panther stories. I've seen some reviews which seem to indicate that the new story-arc which starts in Volume 4 improves so I might pick them up again.

>100 klobrien2: Really glad you enjoyed Exit West - it was a lovely story.

>108 klobrien2: I still haven't read Ready Player One and I need to....

>120 PaulCranswick: How sweet, Paul. Thank you! This was my weekend off and the weather was gorgeous, so I had a great weekend. Hope that yours was as lovely! Thanks for stopping by to chat!

>121 souloftherose: Good to know about Black Panther. I should get started on another volume!

I had Ready Player One on my TBR for so long, I don't know why. And I enjoyed it so much. Can't wait to see the movie! Have you seen the movie?

Thanks for stopping by!

65. Fables, Vol 12: The Dark Ages by Bill Willingham

Excellent entry in the series; quite a bit darker than the usual. But the presence of butterflies (sign of resurrection?) on the cover make me hopeful for the future of the Fables.

And again I have a bunch of little reports to do! It seems sometime like a choice between writing about the books I have read or actually reading books. No contest in my mind, but I do like to keep things tidy, so there will be reports at some point.

What I'm reading now:

An Odyssey: A Father, A Son, and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn; almost done with this. Reading an ebook from the library, and haven't been able to get it to my Nook, so I'm reading it right in the browser on my iPad. Loving it! The words on the Odyssey make me really want to read the actual poem, and the "father and son" parts are moving and compelling.

The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish; another one I'm reading on the iPad. Just starting out (it's a long book) but love the love of history, the individual characters, the sense of mystery.

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish; really funny; she's quite a character.

Armada: A Novel by Ernest Cline (the author of Ready Player One; I'm not too far into this one at this point, but something exciting is going to happen. Again, emphasis on video gaming culture, and the pop culture of the 80s.

Ancestral Journeys: The Peopling of Europe from the First Venturers to the Vikings by Jean Manco; the science in this is pretty dense (well, to me anyway). I'm trying to get the sense of it all, and enjoying the many maps and illustrations.

Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller; I've got an audiobook of this, so it will take me a lot longer than a visually-read book (bah!) I'm hoping that the storytelling aspect of the audio approach will make up for that. Such a good juxtaposition, reading about Circe in relation to Odysseus, and then hearing about Circe here.

So, I've got a range of things going on (no reading slump here!) My reading continues to be truly eclectic.

66. An Odyssey: A Father, A Son, and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn

Wonderful introduction to the classic, and beautiful trip through the relationship of the author and his father. I have to let this one steep in my brain a little, but I am so glad that I was finally able to read the book. Beautifully-written. Amazing look at the connection between father and son, aging parent and grown child, husband and wife. And these themes were all echoed in The Odyssey. It was truly a terrific concept and working out of the concept. A five-star read for me.

67. Armada by Ernest Cline

This one started out a little slow for me, but I think that was because I really didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be as astonishing and earthshaking as Ready Player One, probably even more so. Great focus on friends, bravery, family. I'm really hoping that this will be the first in a series--the possibility is there, I think.

I've been really enjoying a new series on AMC -- "James Cameron's History of Science Fiction." There are 6 parts (2 have aired so far), full of makers, authors, performers, and historians, and tons of footage from SF movies and stills from books. Such a treat! My husband and I watch together and are constantly nodding our heads and saying "yes!" and "that's true!" to each other.

As long as I'm mentioning TV shows, I'll mention that my husband and I are making great progress in our watching of all of the Doctor Who shows that we can get our hands on, in order, no less. We are currently in the 7th doctor, Sylvester McCoy, and I think he is my favorite so far. Not too many more series, and we will be done with the Classic Doctor Whos. It's been so much fun!

Can you tell that I'm trying to use up some posts in order to get to the magic 150th so that I can start a new thread? Feel free to post at any time and for any reason!

Hi Karen - your Doctor Who watching sounds fun. I still remember some of those old episodes from when they were originally shown :)

Are you going onto new Who after you finish the Classics?

Definitely! My husband is very familiar with the new Doctor shows, so it won't be such a big deal to him, but I don't think I've ever seen any of them (except for a Christmas episode or two). We are both completists, so it wouldn't do to NOT watch them all.
By the way, Wikipedia has an excellent list of all episodes, including all of the makers. It is my bible for this project.
Thanks for stopping by to chat!

>128 klobrien2: That. Sounds. Cool! I need to find a way to watch that - hopefully it's on demand.

>133 drneutron: Yes, it's on On Demand (that's where we watch it). I think you'll love it!

>127 klobrien2: You're tempting me with that one, Karen. I liked Ready Player One despite being handicapped by not ever having played video games and not getting a lot of the pop culture references. I'll have to find out more about what Armada is about.

>135 rosalita: I hope you give it a shot! Unfortunately, there aren't any good reviews of the book on LT, but maybe if you looked elsewhere. The book is a little tricky to describe, I guess. But a lot of fun.

68. The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Hadish

I almost stopped reading this one, because the author, although very funny and smart, does use some pretty foul language and describes some pretty tawdry scenarios at times. That said, she has had a wild and crazy life, and that comes across in this book. It reads fast.

69. Fables, Vol 13: The Great Fables Crossover by Bill Willingham

One of my favorite series; the books are uniformly well done and interesting.

I have been having such fun with science fiction lately (see above). From the "Bobiverse" books, to Ernest Cline's game players, to Andy Weir (The Martian: A Novel, Artemis: A Novel), to my discovery of black women SF writers (who knew?) like Octavia Butler and Nnedi Okorafor's Binti books, it's been a blast. SF was really my first reading love, from my early teens, and it does my heart good to be back reading such fine SF.

Besides reading the stuff, I've got a few TV series "festivals" going--well, Doctor Who, of course, but I've recently started on a rewatch of "Babylon 5" and my husband and I are starting out on "Farscape," which was highly recommended by a library friend. Beautiful, exciting, and fun!

Yep, I think we're in a really interesting time for sf. There's a return to harder sf with folks like Weir, more speculative stuff like Anne Leckie, more diversity in authors and stories. It's been fun!

One of the available to me TV stations just did a run of Babylon 5 from start to finish with the films as well. I really enjoyed it.

I don't think I have seen all of Farscape but I hope that is one that will turn up sometime.

>141 calm: Farscape is turning out to be very enjoyable. We are under a time crunch because we got the Season 1 DVD through ILL, so have only a week to watch 22 episodes (!) Later seasons are more available, it seems.

I'm loving my rewatch of Babylon 5--I had forgotten minor characters and how funny the thing can be. I'll make sure not to skip the films as I proceed.

Thanks for stopping by, calm!

>140 drneutron: What is your favorite kind of SF? I'm thinking that you like the hard, emphasis-on-the-science things. I think I do too. I love the problem-solving of The Martian and books like it. I love the way that female characters are included more, and as scientists, astronauts, etc. Yeah!

I'll have to make my way to your thread and see what you're doing. Getting ready for the big launch?

Thanks for stopping by to chat!

70. The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish

What a good read! The author pulls in, weaves together, different times and stories, and the interwoven stories illuminate and complement each other. One story line is that of the young Jewish woman who has fled the Inquisition in Portugal, and now lives in London in the mid-1600s. She serves as scribe to a rabbi because there is no other (even though it is taboo for her to do so). A second story line is in modern day when a trove of manuscripts and letters is found in an English country house. An older woman scholar is enlisted to review the collection and becomes involved in the publishing and analysis of them, and in the discovery of the existence of the young scribe and searcher-for-knowledge.

This is a strong paean to the written word, to truth and knowledge, and to scholars of both female (and male) persuasions. A strong dose of history. Love stories abound. This is one of my favorite reads of the year. I gave it a full 5 stars!

71. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

The main reason I read this book is the backstory: McNamara was married to Patton Oswalt, was in the middle of writing this book when she unexpectedly passed away. The author was a true crime aficionado and had researched this particular killer for years.

The book gave me an interesting look at a genre that I really have little exposure to, but the writing seemed disjointed and it was sometimes hard to follow. The book did seem to be well-researched, and McNamara used a variety of sources and contacts.

>143 klobrien2: I lean to the harder stuff with regard to sf - believe it or not, time travel stories are my fave! 😀 Though I do like quite a lot of speculative fiction.

>146 drneutron: I thought later that I shouldn't ask anyone to put themselves in a box as to what kind of books they prefer. Sorry! Although your comments are quite interesting and there's nothing limiting there!

Have a great weekend!

72. Angel & Faith Season 9 Vol 5: What You Want, Not What You Need by Christos Gage

Another fun episode from the Joss Whedon universe--a reread for me. The drawing seems a little weak, but the story makes up for it.

73. Making Money: A Novel of Discworld by Terry Pratchett

A really fun book! I don't know why I haven't read more Pratchett, but I will remedy that situation in the future. This book had so much to offer, including golems, magic, Igors and clowns (both hereditary), love, villains, trolls, werewolves...and commentary on political and financial matters. And lots of humor.

74. The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

The family house of a Black American family, through the years. It reads like a collection of short stories that help us come to know the family and the world they live in. Excellent book to pick up at the odd open moment.

75. Trillium by Jeff Lemire

Excellent graphic novel, one I hadn't heard of before (thank you, TIOLI!) A love story, which floats in time and space and is really well drawn and compelling.

Congratulations on reaching 75, Karen!

Congrats!

Congratulations on getting to 75, Karen.

Hi, all! I'm not claiming my first 75 until I get my reports done. So, thank you, but I don't consider myself as actually being there yet. I HAVE had a great time reading this year!

Thank you FAMeulstee, drneutron, calm, for visiting!

>155 klobrien2: I will come back to congratulate you on 75 reports, when they are done ;-)

>156 FAMeulstee: Haha! I'm close to getting to them, because I want to start a new thread for my next 75. Must finish this one before I start another, to my thinking.

I work this weekend, so there should be the odd moment to work on the blurbs. I think it will be slow at the library (Memorial Day weekend), but then, I could be way wrong, and it could be really busy as people try to beat the heat.

p.s. Haha! I've finished writing my little "reports" so I'm up-to-date with the books that I've read. Enjoying the reading so much that I begrudge any extra time spent on writing about the books! Tomorrow I'll start another thread.