Copperskye Reads In 2019 - Part 2

It’s time for a springtime thread. Welcome to all!

Time keeps flying by. I can hardly believe that these two will be turning 7 years old - Boomer the cat’s birthday is tomorrow and Skye’s birthday is next month. They’ll both always be my good little girls.

2012

2019

Some 2018 Favorites in the order I read them:

Fox 8 by George Saunders
American Wolf: A True Story Of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Have Dog, Will Travel by Stephen Kuusisto
Into the Raging Sea by Rachel Slade
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Don’t Look Now by Daphne du Maurier
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Bibliophile by Jane Mount

And now for the birds:



Eurasian Collared Doves. I was worried about these two after our last blizzard because only one showed up in the yard for a couple days. Soon enough, though, they were together again (assuming/fervently believing they are the same two). They visit almost every day and are Boomer’s favorite since they spend a lot of time wandering around our patio. Kitty chatter lets me know they are here.

Mark mentioned adding a list of his backyard birds on his thread and I thought I might do the same on mine. I’ll squish them in on this post and update as any new birds are spotted throughout the winter and into spring and summer. We feed sunflower chips, Nyger seed, and suet, and have two water bowls. We live in the Denver suburbs at about 5,500 ft.

Daily Visitors:
Black-capped Chickadee
House Finch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Dark-eyed Junco - The juncos have moved on for the summer
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Bushtit
Lesser Goldfinch
10/9 along with the cold weather, the juncos are back

Occasional Visitors:
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch - these are here every day now that it’s spring
Spotted Towhee
Blue Jay
Eurasian Collared Dove - also here most days
Mourning Dove
Crow
Broad-tailed hummingbird 5/3 (FOY)
Chipping sparrow - 2, 5/3 (FOY)
White-Breasted Nuthatch
Hairy Woodpecker
Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s Hawk
Western Tanager 5/8 (FOY), 5 males, 3 females 5/21 (snow), 5/25 many still hanging about
Swainson’s Thrush 5/9 (FOY)
House Wren 5/10
White-crowned sparrow 5/25 (FOY)
Bullock’s Oriole 5/26 (FOY)
Black-headed Grosbeak 5/26 (FOY)
Wilson’s Warbler 9/2 (FOY)
Green-tailed Towhee 9/25

Spotted on Our Neighborhood Walks/Lake
Red-Tail Hawk
Magpie
Canada Goose
Mallards
Kestrel
Raven
Western Wood-Pewee FOY 5/12
Turkey Vulture FOY 5/13
Western Kingbird 6/9
Bald eagles - 2 circling near County Line and Lucent
White Pelican
Cormorants
Hooded Warbler 10/7 (A lifer!)

2019 Reading List:

January 2019
1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (reread) OTS #1, 4.75 stars
2. An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten 3.75 stars
3. Nerve by Dick Francis 3.5 stars
4. Call Them by Their True Names by Rebecca Solnit OTS #2, 4.5 stars
5. The Power by Naomi Alderman
6. High Rising by Angela Thirkell OTS #3 3 stars
7. Phases by Chris Van 5 stars
8. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 4.25 stars
9. The Truro Bear and Other Adventures by Mary Oliver (poetry) OTS #4, 5 stars

February 2019
10. To the Hilt by Dick Francis 4 stars
11. The Reckoning by Rennie Airth OTS #5, 4.25 stars
12. The River by Peter Heller (ARC) OTS#6, 4.25 stars
13. Tenements, Towers & Trash by Julia Wertz 4 stars
14. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney 4.75 stars
15. Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung 4 stars
16. The Crossing by Michael Connelly OTS #7 3.5 stars

March 2019
17. Book Love by Debbie Tung 3 stars
18. A Cold Treachery by Charles Todd, 4 stars
19. A Long Shadow by Charles Todd, 3.25 stars, OTS #8
20. My Ranch, Too by Mary Budd Flitner, 4 stars
21. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths, 4.5 stars
22. Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson (poetry) 4 stars
23. The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves, arc, OTS #9, 3.75 stars

April 2019
24. Forfeit by Dick Francis, OTS #10, 4 stars
25. The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin, OTS #11, 4 stars
26. A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie 3.25 stars
27. A River Of Words: The Story Of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant (reread) 4.5 stars
28. Felicity by Mary Oliver (poetry) OTS #12, 4.25 stars
29. Henry, Himself by Stewart O’Nan OTS #13, 4.75 stars

May 2019
30. Old Baggage by Lissa Evans OTS #14, 3.75 stars
31. The Wrong Side Of Goodbye by Michael Connelly OTS #15, 4.5 stars
32. The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths 3.25 stars
33. Commander in Cheat by Rick Reilly 4 stars

June 2019
34. Reflex by Dick Francis 4 stars
35. Two Kinds Of Truth by Michael Connelly OTS #16, 4 stars
36. Southern Lady Code: Essays by Helen Ellis
37. Recursion by Blake Crouch, OTS #17, 4 stars
38. Gallows View by Peter Robinson, OTS #18, 3.5 stars
39. A Dedicated Man by Peter Robinson, OTS #19

July 2019
40. Big Sky by Kate Atkinson, 5 stars
41. Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong, 4.25 stars
42. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan OTS #20, 4.5 stars
43. Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy, 4 stars
44. Darktown by Thomas Mullen, OTS #21, 4.5 stars
45. The Late Show by Michael Connelly OTS #22, 4 stars

August 2019
46. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei , OTS #23, 5 stars
47. Killing And Dying by Adrian Tomine, 3 stars
48. Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton, OTS #24, 4.25 stars
49. Rat Race by Dick Francis
50. Aloha Rodeo by David Wolman
51. Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country by Pam Houston, OTS #25, 5 stars
52. The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell, OTS #26, 4.25 stars
53. Goodbye, Mr Chips by James Hilton, 4.75 stars

September 2019
54. Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly OTS #27, 4.25 stars
55. Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher 3.75 stars
56. Break In by Dick Francis OTS #28, 3.75 stars
57. A Better Man by Louise Penny OTS #29, 4.25 stars
58. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane, 4.5 stars
59. The Long Call by Ann Cleeves, 3.25 stars

October 2019
60. The Hearts Of Horses by Molly Gloss, OTS#30, 4.5 stars
61. Guts by Raina Telgemeier, GN, 3.75 stars
62. A False Mirror by Charles Todd 3 stars
63. Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, 3 stars
64. Haunted Castles:The Complete Gothic Stories by Ray Russell, OTS #31, 3 stars

November 2019
65. Know My Name by Chanel Miller, 4.5 stars
66. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout, 4.5 stars
67. Dear Ijeawele by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 4 stars
68. The Library Book by Susan Orlean, OTS #32, 4.25 stars
69. The Jump-Off Creek by Molly Gloss OTS #33, 4.25 stars
70. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson OTS #34, 4.5 stars
71. Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions by Amy Stewart OTS #35, 3.75 stars

December 2019
72. Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory: Stories by Raphael Bob-Waksberg 3.5 stars
73. 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie OTS#36, 4 stars
74. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote, OTS #37, 5 stars
75. The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side by Agatha Christie
76. The Apple Tree: A Ghost Story for Christmas by Daphne Du Maurier
77. The Judge’s House by Georges Simenon OTS #38, 3 stars

Some books I finished last month:



20. My Ranch, Too by Mary Budd Flitner

A memoir of a Wyoming cattle rancher and a look at ranch life from the late 1970s to current from the perspective of a ranch partner who happens to be a wife and mother. I seem to be the only one with this book in their LT library and that’s a shame. Author Sandra Dallas has an occasional Sunday column in the Denver Post where she reviews books of regional interest. I’m glad I noted this one.



21. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

A very good stand-alone mystery told from multiple perspectives. Highly entertaining and highly recommended!

22. Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson

A moving collection by a spoken-word poet.



23. The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

This is more chick-lit than I usually like but aside from a little occasional eye rolling on my part, I really did like it. Annika and Jonathan meet and fall in love while students at the University of Illinois in the early 90s. After a chance encounter in a Chicago grocery store in 2001, they rekindle their relationship.The story jumps from the early 90s to the early 00s, and the reader becomes aware that Annika is on the autism spectrum and learns why the couple drifted apart. A thought provoking and sweet love story that I don’t hesitate recommending despite my initial bias.

Aw, happy birthday to Boomer and Skye! Mario's 4th birthday was Sunday, and Tuppence will be 14 next month.

And happy new thread to you!

Happy new thread!

Boomer and Skye are adorable. Nice that they get along :)

>5 Copperskye: Both of those sound good.

Happy new thread!

Beautiful pictures!

I'm another one who enjoyed >5 Copperskye: Hope it's a series.

Happy new thread, Joanne!

Lovely toppers, so cute when they were young, Skye and Boomer still make a nice pair:-)

Happy new thread, Joanne.

Those two patiently waiting you up top are proof that cats and dogs do occasionally get along.

Happy New Thread, Joanne. I LOVE that topper. How adorable. I am so glad you got to Lord of the Butterflies. I loved that collection, and I know Joe did, as well.

I am nearly done with Bibliophile and it has been a lot of fun. I decided to go with The River, as my next print book. I have put it off long enough.

Happy birthday ear rubs for Skye and Boomer! What the heck, give yourself one, too, Joanne. :-)

>1 Copperskye: Look at those darlings!! Happy new thread, Joanne.

I just started Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk this morning after reading your recommendation. I like it so far - thank you!

>7 scaifea: Thanks Amber! And happy birthday to Tuppance and belated good wishes to Mario. 4 already. Next you’ll be telling me Charlie is starting high school!

>8 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita! They mostly get along in a jealous sibling kind of way. :)

>9 thornton37814: I recommend them both, Lori!

>10 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>11 charl08: Thanks Charlotte! I was also thinking it’d make a good series. I loved the detective.

>12 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita! They’re both pretty cute! :)

>13 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul! They both love to hang out in the kitchen and wait to be fed, no matter the time. Together they try to make me think I forgot their dinners.

>14 msf59: Thanks Mark! Bibliophile is such a beautiful book and fun to to flip through. I’ll be interested in your thoughts on The River. Enjoy!

>15 rosalita: Hi Julia! And thanks...that felt good! :)

>16 AMQS: Hi Anne! Oh, I loved Lillian Boxfish and I hope you do, too! Our storm was a bit of a bust, down here, at least. But be safe out there in the morning!

Happy birthday to the pets. Lola, my daughter's younger dog is seven as well. She's sick now, Fingers crossed that she recovers.

I'm waiting for The Stranger Diaries from the library. I think I'm the next one on the list. I've heard good things about it.

And, happy new thread.

>19 BLBera: Oh dear, I hope Lola is doing better!

Happy New Thread, Joanne!

Boomer and Skye look like good pals.

As Mark said, I'm another one who loved Lord of the Butterflies. We got to see Andrea Gibson live (our second time) earlier this week, and she was terrific. She's the best performing poet out there, IMO.

>21 jnwelch: Hi Joe, Thanks!

Andrea Gibson really is a talent and I’d love to see them perform their spoken word live. Are you familiar with Megan Falley? She did a guest performance recently at the poetry slam my son and his friends run up in Ft Collins. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make it that night.

Happy new thread! I love your bird list and am reminded that I want to post mine. I have seen a hummingbird each of the past two days and one of the males took a break at my feeder. We've also been seeing what we call "butter butts," also known as yellow rumped warblers. And our goldfinches stay all year but they are bursting into the beautiful yellow just now.

Aah...love the birds!

Happy Birthday to Boomer and Skye. I still think of Skye as a puppy. She has turned into a lovely lady in the prime of life. We went over to see our grandpuppy Maverick this afternoon. It's like having a baby in the family again. I have to make frequent visits to keep up with the changes…and see the places where he has chewed carpeting and furniture.

Elly Griffiths is on my radar. Our library book sale is coming up in early May so I'll be on the lookout for some of her books.

>18 Copperskye: It was a dicey commute, and as is often the case, much worse "down the hill" than up in the mountains! Marina asked me to drive her to school and I'm glad she did as Union hadn't been plowed and Kipling was a sheet of ice. We saw a car upside down wrapped around a pole. Rough night for that driver :(

>23 witchyrichy: Hi Karen, we had Lesser Goldfinches at our feeders all winter and the American Goldfinches are starting to come back with their drab yellowish grey definitely turning a bright, beautiful yellow. I haven’t heard any hummingbirds here yet. I haven’t decided yet whether or not to put up their feeder. We seem to attract much more wasps than hummers!

>24 Donna828: Puppies (especially goldens) are so much fun and they grow up too fast. I think you’d especially enjoy The Stranger Diaries, Donna. And I love her Ruth Galloway series but haven’t tried her other one.

>25 AMQS: Ugh, I’ll say! The north/south running streets always seem to be the worst and the problem with the traffic lights getting snow covered especially needs to be addressed! Fingers crossed that that’s it for the season!

24. Forfeit by Dick Francis

I’m having fun reading Dick Francis again. This one was less about horse racing and more about betting as a racing reporter gets involved in exposing a scheme to defraud British racing fans. There was an unexpected love story, redemption, and a main character I’m sorry I won’t get to meet again.

>27 Copperskye: So glad you liked this one, Joanne! As we've discussed on the shared read thread, the betting stuff was a hard to follow since the key feature doesn't exist in U.S. race wagering.

Re your comment about being sorry we won't meet up with Ty again, I've felt that way about a lot of Francis' protagonists, Joanne. We will get to a read a little two-book miniseries later in the year which features one of my favorite Francis characters, Kit Fielding, so you have that to look forward to!

>28 rosalita: I wonder why he didn’t “reuse” his protagonists more. At least with Ty, and Alexander from To the Hilt, as well, there was certainly an interesting backstory that could have been expanded into one or two more storylines. Did he tire of the character or just have too many more waiting to be voiced? I’ve read the Kit Fielding books although I remember nothing about them. (I only know I’ve read them because I own hardbacks of both and bought them back in the time when I read everything I bought.) I’m looking forward to rereading them later in the year!) I’ve also read a couple of books with Sid (I think) as the main character.

Anyway, it’s great fun revisiting this author!

>29 Copperskye: Not only the backstory with Ty, but his career as a racing journalist would seem to set up all sorts of interesting plot possibilities. On the other hand, I do love the glimpses into various professions that we get with all the different protagonists. I just re-read Proof and now want to own a wineshop. And when I read Shattered I had a hankering to learn how to do glassblowing. The descriptions are so vivid and seemingly true-to-life.

We should be having this discussion on the shared-read page! Things are a little slow this time.

>30 rosalita: I totally agree - both about Ty’s journalism background potential for storylines and discussing this on the group thread!

25. The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin

The story of four siblings who, after their father’s early death and their mother’s subsequent long bout of paralyzing depression, learn to rely upon and support each other. I thought the insights into the sibling relationships was particularly strong and well done (maybe because it was three sister and one brother and I come from a family of three sisters and one brother). It was interesting that Conklin chose to start the story in 2079 and then go back 100 years and move forward. It allowed the life stories to be wrapped up but the dystopian aspect was a little odd. Overall, a good family saga, but especially early on, I didn’t necessarily find it compelling. I’m glad I stuck with it though. 4 stars

I’m currently reading A Share in Death, because I really needed to start a new series (ha!) and Stewart O’Nan’s latest, Henry, Himself (Henry, missing from, but so important to Wish You Were Here and Emily, Alone.

>32 Copperskye: My comments matched yours on this one, Joanne. I loved the family descriptions, but wasn't sure how the dystopian element fit. I don't think she really needed it. Still, all in all, I did like it.

Happy Easter weekend, Joanne.

>33 BLBera: It did seem superfluous, Beth. I wonder if the first drafts of the book expanded on it a bit more. I do think the characters will be memorable for me. I picked up a copy of The House Girl at a recent library sale. Have you read it?

>34 Ameise1: Lol! How very true! Happy Easter to you as well, Barb.

I haven't read THe House Girl, Joanne. However after reading this one, I will definitely read it at some point.

>36 BLBera: I think I would’ve passed on buying The House Girl if I hadn’t just finished The Last Romantics. $2 well spent. :)



26. A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie

How odd to begin a detective series with the detective on holiday and only in telephone contact with his partner! But it was pretty good. I’ve been wanting to start this series for a while and I’m looking forward to continuing.

27. A River Of Words: The Story Of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant

My library had this on their display for National Poetry Month and I brought it home again. I first read it in 2011 and since I feel the same about it, I’ve cut and pasted what I said about it 8 years ago. (I was chattier then...) Adding too, an aside - a couple years ago, my husband reconnected with a friend from high school who still lives in NJ. When he heard I was from Rutherford, he mentioned that his cousins lived in town, in the Williams house.

A beautifully done biography of the poet William Carlos Williams written as a picture book for younger readers. Williams followed his dream to be a poet and this is an inspiring little book of his life. The illustrations are unique – done as collages made from discarded books. They fit in perfectly and this is a Caldecott Honor Book.

I grew up in the town where Dr Williams was born and later practiced medicine. I knew just where the Williams house was even though he died when I was very young. Rutherford is justifiable proud of this very good man and so, of course, we all learned about WCW and his poetry beginning in elementary school. In high school, I remember doing a calligraphy project using one of his poems and it’s a favorite of mine:

This is Just to Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

>37 Copperskye: This is one of my favorite series, Joanne. I'm delighted that you liked it enough to continue. And that cover is so much better than the one on my library copy!

>39 rosalita: That’s high praise, Julia, and I’m glad to hear it! I loved the cover, too. I read a large-print edition from the library which works much better for me than the little mass market paperback that was my other option. I can read much longer at night although it does make me feel a little old. Lol :(

>40 Copperskye: I sometimes feel a little self-conscious when I bump up the font size on my ereader, but gosh it does make it so much more comfortable to read! The only "problem" is having to turn the pages more often :-)

>41 rosalita: That’s very true, Julia, and it’s my favorite e-reader feature.

My husband glanced over at my Kindle screen once and said, "Exactly how old are you?"

:-/

Happy Wednesday, Joanne. I have had The Last Romantics on my list. Do you think it would be a good fit for me?

BTW- I really enjoyed The River. Heller is back!

>43 katiekrug: Hi Katie! That’s pretty much why I won’t take a large print book out in public. It makes me feel old... Also, I noticed you said “once”...

>44 msf59: Sweet Thursday, Mark! I think you’ll like The Last Romantics. It wasn’t perfect, but there was a lot to like. I’m glad you liked The River. It was definitely better than Celine. (Thank goodness!)

>37 Copperskye: You are so lucky to be starting this series. You have a lot of good ones to look forward to.

>38 Copperskye: I love this one.

>46 BLBera: So you’re another Crombie fan, Beth! I really need to start reading faster...

I’m absolutely loving Stewart O’Nan’s latest, Henry, Himself, but for some reason, it’s taking me forever to read. I need to find some uninterrupted reading time.

Enjoy them, Joanne!

>38 Copperskye: I like the anecdotal stuff there, Joanne.

Made me go and pick up William Carlos Williams In the American Grain and I'll read it next month all being well.

>38 Copperskye:

What an astonishing 5 STAR book - thank you for the reminder!

>22 Copperskye: Megan Falley: yes, she (they?) performed with Andrea Gibson that night. (I'm still not very good yet with "they/them", and I'm not sure which Megan prefers?). Megan was terrific, and a wonderful surprise, and Megan and Andrea even did a funny one together at the end, about arguments they've had with each other. I want to read more of Megan's work.

Yay for Dick Francis! I'm really enjoying re-reading him, too. His books have stood up well over time.

>48 BLBera: I think I will, Beth! :)

>49 PaulCranswick: Good to see you, Paul, and yay! for WCW!

>50 m.belljackson: It’s a lovely book and I’m so glad my library had it on display!

>51 jnwelch: I’d love to see them perform together. They live nearby in Boulder so if I pay attention, I should be able to at some point! I think Megan prefers she/her pronouns. It’s a new world for us “older” folks to get used to. I just picked up Reflex for May. I’m ready!!

29. Henry, Himself by Stewart O’Nan

I loved this and am so glad I finally got to meet Henry, himself, in this prequel to both Wish You Were Here and Emily, Alone. A quiet, affectionate, year in the life of 74 year old Henry, his wife, Emily, their children, and Rufus, the dog. Enjoyable, I’m sure, without having to read the other two books about the Maxwell family, but much richer for having done so. I plan on a reread of the first two. Fans of Anne Tyler would appreciate them all. 4.75 stars

>53 Copperskye: Sounds like it's great! It should arrive this week. Of course, if it comes Friday, we're tied up with graduation (and then I'm out for 3 weeks), but I am preparing the item records so they can just check the books off on the packing slip and mark the date, put on the barcode assigned to the book, and add security. They'll be good to go!

Hooray for Henry, Himself! Glad you enjoyed it so much, Joanne and I am glad to hear it is about Emily's husband. Of course it has been quite a few years since I read that one, but I am sure it will all come rushing back.

So glad the new O'Nan is worthy, Joanne! I am a big fan of his. Strangely, though, I haven't read Wish You Were Here or Emily, Alone yet - both are on my shelf. Guess I better get going!

Just a few more pages from finishing Henry, Himself, Joanne. Great minds and all of that :-) I have also read Emily, Alone and really loved it.

>54 thornton37814: Hi Lori, it’ll be worth the wait! Three weeks off...lucky you.

>55 msf59: It will, Mark. It’s very self contained. Have you read Wish You Were Here? I loved that one.

>56 katiekrug: Hi Katie, I highly recommend all three!

>57 vancouverdeb: Oh, I hope you like it as much as I did, Deborah!

Hope you are well! Just stopping by to say hello after being offline for a bit.

Good morning, Karen! Thanks for dropping by. Hope you’re having as lovely a spring day there as we are having here!

Hi Joanne, I guess I need to give Stewart O'Nan a whirl since so many people seem to like him including you.

Hi Bonnie! I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with O’Nan. I’ve read quite a few of his books and loved, or at least liked, them all. I am truly an outlier in my “meh” feelings about Last Night at the Lobster but it’s probably his most popular. I hope you check him out!

Birds have been a good balm for the soul this week. Our cold, wet weather is bringing several different migraters to the feeders. Lots of hummingbirds and a Swainson’s Thrush today. We’ve had Western Tanagers come through right around this time in May for the last 10 years or so and two spent most of the day today eating suet. They don’t seem to stay for long but I think they are the prettiest birds we get.

>62 Copperskye: Wow! This is a beautiful bird. I WANT to see one. We get Scarlet & Summer Tanagers here. I have not seen the latter. There have been recent sightings of a Western Tanager in the Chicagoland and outlying areas. How it got this far east, nobody knows.

Despite our erratic weather, I have had a good birding week. Migration is in full swing. I have seen Baltimore Orioles and Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, along with some colorful warblers, which I do not think you get.

I just wish they’d hang around longer, Mark! Hopefully you’ll get to see one! The two here the last couple days were both males, one a juvenile with a little less red on his head. I was hoping a female would stop by. They probably were, too.

I haven’t seen any warblers yet this year. We do get Bullock’s Orioles but it’s been years since one of those dropped by.

Multiple book bullets for the O'Nan books. I'm a sucker for a book with a cute dog on the cover. I'm heading out your way a week from today but not sure how much time I will have for a meetup. This is probably not a good time for Anne with end-of-school activities. It's been almost six months since I've seen Hope which is way too long. I'll let you know more when my plans firm up.

Hi Donna! You can’t go wrong with Rufus, the dog.
Let me know if you have a chance to get together. I know it’s hard when you’re visiting for a short time. I should be around!

>62 Copperskye: What a beautiful bird! My husband got a picture of a rose-breasted grosbeak when it stopped by the feeder for just one day.

Hope you are well!

Hi Karen! What a coincidence, we had a Black-headed grosbeak in our yard this morning. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen one before. I took a picture but I don’t think it came out very good. I’ll post it later. He seemed more nervous than the rest of our regulars. We also had a Bullocks Oriole, I think. To me it looked more like a Varied Thrush, but they don’t live around here, as far as I know. Our crazy cold weather has given way to more seasonal temps in the 60-70s, thank goodness, but the birds continue to be interesting, the tanagers are still here - three weeks now- which is pretty unusual.

Hope you have a good long weekend! We have family coming over for a bbq today but tomorrow I’m hitting the books! 😀

30. Old Baggage by Lissa Evans

Old Baggage is the story of two suffragettes who had spent their lives working in the movement to give women the right to vote. With that right won, they are still trying to make a difference in the lives of young British women, post WWI. I loved the characters, the light humor, and learning about the woman’s sufferance movement. The historical elements and the location, Hempstead Heath, had me googling historical figures, maps, and photos, which is always fun and enlightening. The book is also a timely reminder that for women, the right to vote was a hard-fought battle. Unfortunately, the plot was a bit weak and the story never really took off for me. It would start to move along and then get bogged down in a lecture. Still, the ending had me wishing for more and then I discovered that this is actually a prequel to the author’s Crooked Heart, which I haven’t read. I’m looking forward to it now. 3.75 stars

31. The Wrong Side Of Goodbye by Michael Connelly

My new series favorite. Bosch is retired and volunteering on the police force of a small city near LA where a serial rapist is on the loose. He’s also working as a private investigator, tasked with discovering whether or not a reclusive billionaire has any heirs. The two plot lines were equally interesting and I never minded when the story veered from one to the other. Quite a page-turner! 4.5 stars

Lots of birds dropped by over the weekend. The western tanagers are still here - about three weeks now. There seem to be a lot of them around this year, more than usual. Also new at the feeders were Bullock’s orioles and black-headed grosbeaks. No oriole photos because they didn’t hang around very long. :(

Black-headed grosbeak


Western Tanagers (male and female)


Broad-tailed hummingbird

Hi Joanne - what lovely bird photos! I just managed to get my feeders up, and the birds are slowly coming but of course the squirrels are all over them.

You got me with Henry, Himself. I just finished Emily, Alone a couple of weeks ago, and really enjoyed it. I haven't read Wish You Were Here, so I guess I'm going in reverse order. Pretty sure I "discovered" Stewart O'Nan because of you.

>71 Copperskye: Great pictures and I can't wait to get home and put an orange half on the crook I have.

And adding the O'Nan books to my reading list.

>72 AMQS: Hi Anne, Thanks! Our neighborhood squirrels are, so far, being very polite and eating off the ground only. We’ll see how long that lasts. Yay for Stewart O’Nan! Since you liked Emily, Alone, I’m sure you’ll enjoy getting to know Henry and learning his perspective. I plan on rereading both it and Wish You Were Here.

>73 witchyrichy: I hope your tanagers enjoy their oranges! Our Western Tanagers loved the orange halves. Also the berries and watermelon I put out for them. Along with the suet, I hope they were well fed while they bided their time here before heading up to the foothills. Our weather has warmed up and I probably saw the last of them last evening when one lone female was at the suet. They were here most of the month of May which was rare enough that one of our local news programs did a story about them. Happy to hear you’re adding O’Nan to your reading! Have you read anything by him yet?

32. The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths

This is the 11th Ruth Galloway mystery. I’ve liked some of the books more than others but this one was kind of meh. The story line seemed to meander and I kept thinking “but why?” because elements of the plot sometimes went nowhere or made no sense to me. Also there didn’t seem to be a lot of character development. Just more of the same. 3 stars

33. Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump by Rick Reilly

I picked this up at the library for my husband and he enjoyed it and thought I would, too. Rick Reilly is a funny and engaging writer and he manages to make reading about Trump’s blatant and serial cheating and lying both on the golf course and in his golf business affairs truly hysterical. And also truly horrifying and absolutely insane considering who he is now beyond the con man he’s always been. This is a quick and eye opening read. 4.25 stars

>71 Copperskye: Great photos, Joanne.

>69 Copperskye: I have the Evans on my desk to read this summer. I LOVED Crooked Heart and did not know this was a prequel.

>75 Copperskye: Oh, too bad the new Griffiths is meh. I was looking forward to it. I love Ruth.

What Beth said about the new Ruth Galloway, Joanne. I've been looking forward to it, too. Oh well. I'll still read it, but I won't get my hopes up too high.

>75 Copperskye: Aw, I kind of liked it! I liked the emergence of Erik's son, although the denoument of his storyline was a bit of a letdown. I don't believe I've ever 'shipped (as the kids say) two literary characters as hard as I do Ruth and Harry! I'm worried it's starting to become a romance series for me. :-)

>77 BLBera: Hi Beth, I’m glad I have Crooked Heart here waiting for me. Please continue to look forward to the new Ruth Galloway - I think I’m a bit of an outlier in my feelings for it. I love Ruth and Nelson and am looking forward to the next one!

>78 jnwelch: Same to you, Joe - all the reviews here on LT are certainly favorable!

>79 rosalita: And see, Julia liked it! That’s one of the things that bothered me. The storyline there went nowhere... But like I said, I really like Ruth and Kate and Flint and their home on the salt marsh and look forward to book #12!

>71 Copperskye: I love these photos, Joanne. Are you taking them? If so, impressive job. Love that grosbeak and the tanagers. I have never seen either. Funny, I just checked on my own feeders, it is just after 8pm here and I saw the female hummingbird stop to feed. She gets up, early too.

Commander in Cheat sounds like a hoot. At least the laughing keeps us from crying or hurling.

>81 msf59: Good morning, Mark! Thanks, yes, they are my photos. Taken through the window of the back slider. Lol. Sadly, our migraters have moved along. Always looking for something new and interesting but then I’m happy with the regulars! The trump/golf book was surprisingly entertaining even though I have zero interest in golf. I honestly don’t uunderstand why he’s allowed to get away with what he gets away with...

This week’s NYer cover. Yup.

>74 Copperskye: I haven't read O'Nan so am looking forward to adding a new author to my list. Right now, I feel like I am overwhelmed with books, both digital and analog. But that's what a TBR/wishlist is all about, right?

>84 witchyrichy: I’m absolutely overwhelmed as well, Karen. Not a bad thing, necessarily, and not the worst problem, but...

O’Nan is definitely an author to check out!

>83 Copperskye: LIKE!

I am quite impressed with your photos, Joanne. What type of a camera are you using? I need to really start practicing.

>83 Copperskye: I love it, Joanne. I will still read the new Ruth book, but my expectations are tempered.

>86 msf59: Thank you, Mark, that’s kind of you to say! I have a Canon EOS Rebel T6. I’ve had it for a couple years but I’d say I’m very new at using it. It can do more than I can. Birds are fun to practice with!

>87 BLBera: I think a lot of us can relate to that, Beth! My book piles aren’t quite as neat, though.

Always ready to smile and be kind.

34. Reflex by Dick Francis

I’m indebted to Julia for leading a group read of a selection of Dick Francis’ books. Until this year, it’d been decades since I’d read one of his suspenseful stories with the wonderful steeplechase backdrops. This one also had the jockey/sleuth solving a photography puzzle and the whole thing was a lot of fun.

>89 Copperskye: So true!

>88 Copperskye: I have a Canon too. An Sx50 HS. I need a lot more practice and need to experiment with the settings.

I like your photos.

>90 Copperskye: I'm delighted that you are enjoying your re-discovery of the Dick Francis mysteries, Joanne! I am having a great time as well. This one has always been one of my favorites, with the photographic puzzles.

>91 scaifea: I know, right?! :)

>92 msf59: Mine came with an instructional DVD. I really should watch it sometime... Have a good Saturday!

>93 rosalita: Good morning, Julia. They are so much better than I remembered!

Happy weekend everybody!

>89 Copperskye: I love it!

>89 Copperskye: Wonderful! Dogs are just the best. I have been away a lot in June and they are always there at the door, tails wagging, no reproach.

Hi, Joanne! I love the photos!

Stewart O'Nan is a favorite of mine, but I haven't read Henry, Himself yet.

Hi Joanne! Love all the birds, and can never get enough of Boomer and Skye.

>95 BLBera: It’s so true! :)

>96 witchyrichy: I love being greeted with a wagging tale!

>97 tymfos: Hi Terri! It’s a companion book, if you will, to Wish You Were Here and Emily, Alone, although they don’t need to be read in any particular order. I loved them all.

>98 PaperbackPirate: Hi Pirate! Nice to see you!

I have some books to mention before I lose track.....

35. Two Kinds Of Truth by Michael Connelly

I love that Harry is volunteering his detective services with a small city’s police department. It certainly has given him a softer edge. I hate that I’m just about caught up with the series.



36. Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis
Southern Lady Code - "A technique by which, if you don't have something nice to say, you say something not-so-nice in a nice way."

“One of Mama's parenting mantras was: "Oh, Helen Michelle, I have yet to begin to embarrass you.”
― Helen Ellis, Southern Lady Code

A very entertaining and light-hearted collection of short essays mostly centered on love and marriage and life in the city. You don’t have to be from the south to appreciate it. I think her short story collection, American Housewife, was a bit more memorable but both were a lot of fun.

37. Recursion by Blake Crouch

A phenomenon called False Memory Syndrome creates havoc in this sci-fi thriller. Interesting concept and very entertaining as long as you don’t think about it too hard. A great beach read!



38. Gallows View by Peter Robinson



39. A Dedicated Man by Peter Robinson

These are the first two books in the Inspector Banks series, about a detective in a small Yorkshire city. I’d been meaning to try them for a while and then after watching the BBC series, DCI Banks, which I loved, I knew I had to get to the books. The book character and the tv character were very different, but not in any bad way. The mysteries in the tv series were based on some later books and I plan on continuing.

>100 Copperskye: Almost caught up with Harry Bosch? What a chilling prospect, Joanne! Which reminds me it's time for me to read the next one for me in the series. I'm far behind you, thankfully, so I won't have to fret about catching up any time soon.

Hi, Joanne. I have not been by in awhile. I hope all is well. I have Recursion on my list. What did you think of the Meloy collection?

I was wondering about the Robinson books, Joanne. I watched the first series and thought I might try the books. It was a bit gory for me. So I might do better reading than watching.

>100 Copperskye: I am sorry to say I have only read the first Bosch. I liked it and may just binge read the series at some point.

>102 rosalita: I know, right?! I just looked to see when I read the first one, The Black Echo. It was July 2016, so three years. I’m going to read the first Renée Ballard book, The Late Show, before I continue on with Harry. You have lots of good stories ahead of you!

>103 msf59: Hi Mark, Recursion was fun, I think you’ll enjoy it. I’m enjoying the Meloy. I’ve read the first 5 stories so far. Still liked the first story the best (the cowboy and the teacher). The brothers on the ski trip kind of fell flat for me. Great variety!

>104 BLBera: We loved watching DCI Banks! The first two books were good and I always think series tend to improve. I’ve got the next one ready to go!

>105 witchyrichy: Ah, the first Bosch, where he seemed to spend an awful lot of time looking for a public phone booth! :) they’d be fun to read one after the other!

40. Big Sky by Kate Atkinson

Well worth the long wait for this latest installment of the Jackson Brodie series! But please don’t make us wait another 9 years for the next one. 5 stars

(I loved young Harry and his idea of “Cranford World” and tea with Miss Matty and readings with Captain Brown.)

>107 Copperskye: I am creeping up the library holds list for this one, and I am champing at the bit to get my hands on it! Agreed on not making us wait another nine years for another.

>108 rosalita: I hope the other library patrons are fast readers, Julia!

Me, too!

>107 Copperskye: Five stars! I must catch up with Jackson Brodie myself very soon.

Have a lovely weekend, Joanne.

>107 Copperskye: I also loved Harry, Joanne. And I loved Jackson's interior dialog with Julia! I laughed several times.

Hi Joanne! Ooh wow, it's hot. Hope it cools down like it's supposed to this weekend.

You got me with Recursion - I always like a good beach read!

>110 rosalita: Did you get it yet? Did you? Did you? :)

>111 PaulCranswick: Hiya Paul! Yes, it’s always a treat to spend some time with Jackson. Lovely weekend here, hope you are having/had the same!

>112 BLBera: Yes, there were some very funny asides! Her books are so much fun!

>113 AMQS: Hi Anne! It’s lovely out there today! I think you’ll have fun with Recursion.

Happy Sunday, Joanne. I am starting Big Sky tomorrow, on audio. Looking forward to it. Hey, what are you reading and has John been reading anything exceptional?

>114 Copperskye: I did, Joanne, I did! And I raced through it and now it's done. :( I was #TeamCrystal all the way and liked how everyone's story was wound up.

>115 msf59: Hiya Mark! Lucky you to have Big Sky in front of you! I have about 50 pages to go in Darktown and it’s one of those “why did I wait so long to read this great book” book. John’s between books at the moment. He really liked Commander in Cheat and he’s asked me to pick up All the Way, Joe Namath’s new book, from the library. Our heat wave of the last week finally broke - hope cooler weather is headed your way!

>116 rosalita: Yay!! I’d love to follow some of those other characters in another book (or two). It was such a satisfying read.

Happy weekend! Our heat wave also broke and am hoping we can get through the rest of the summer without another stretch. I like being outside and it was too hot to even sit by the pool or on the porch.

I could do with some seasonal weather here too Joanne as the constant heat and humidity here is getting on my nerves more than usual.

Have a lovely weekend.

>118 witchyrichy: Hi Karen! I love sitting outside and reading and I’m already thinking that summer will be over too soon. :( I hope it’s cooled off some for you!

>199 msf59: Hi Paul! I’m so lucky to live somewhere where the humidity is usually low (90°F and 5% humidity is not uncommon), but I know how oppressive it can be. I hope you’re feeling better!

Hi, Joanne! I'm glad you're starting Peter Robinson's series. You may find it almost makes up for being just about caught up with Harry Bosch (another series I love, though I have quite a few ahead of me yet). Let me tell you the best of the Inspector Banks series is ahead of you -- Robinson's skills as a writer grew by leaps and bounds after the first couple. There's an occasional one I don't like a lot, but most I've read so far are very good. (I think I'm on #12 or 13 -- darn FictFact for going out of business! So much harder to keep track of series reading!) My favorite so far is In a Dry Season.

Happy Friday, Joanne. Glad you are having a good time with Hollow Kingdom. I am doing the same with Recursion and Lanny has also been terrific. Keep this one in mind.

>121 tymfos: Hi Terri, thanks so much for chiming in with your thoughts on the Banks series! I’ve discovered several excellent series/authors from your recommendations. Oddly, I’ve already read In a Dry Season - someone (maybe you?) had recommended it years ago and said that it’d work well as a stand-alone, so I picked it up. I’ll reread it when I get to it in the series as I don’t remember much about it. I’m looking forward to #3!

>122 msf59: Hi Mark! My reading has suffered of late - I’m only on page 96 of Hollow Kingdom! I’m sitting down with it now (we’ll, as soon as I put the iPad down...). We were sort of in your neck of the woods the last few days. We drove out with Chris to Champaign, Il to help him move. He’s starting grad school at University of Illinois (MFA in Creative Writing). I’m excited for him and sad for me. I was used to him being 90 miles away, but now it’s 1000 miles. It’s still tough when they leave, even when they’re older...

Wow, that is a long trip to Illinois to see Chris! Good luck to him and his studies.

I just finished my first Stewart O'Nan book and loved it. I know you're a fan. He really gets into the inner feelings of his characters, at least in the one I read. I like quiet detailed books so I will definitely seek out more books by him.

Hi, Joanne! I hope your trip to Illinois went smoothly, and Chris enjoys his time in C-U. My condolences on your former governor bowing out of the presidential race. I think the huge field put at a disadvantage the candidates who did not already have national name recognition. Hopefully he'll find another way to stay involved in Dem politics (maybe the Senate?).

>124 Donna828: Thanks Donna! I see you finished Wish You Were Here which is one of my favorites. Henry, Himself, which I finished recently, is a prequel to it. As the title implies, Henry is the main character. I’m glad you liked it enough to read more by O’Nan! Each of his books, except for the three that follow the Maxwell family, are very different, and I’ve loved just about every one I’ve read.

>125 rosalita: Thanks Julia, I hope so too! Hick is well loved here in Colorado as he was an excellent mayor of Denver and governor, (although a bit too easy on the oil and gas industry, IMO), but to the rest of the country is a nobody. I think he should have went after Gardner’s seat from the get-go. I hope he does get in the race but I feel bad for Andrew Romanoff whom I also like.



41. Goodbye Vitamin by Rachel Khong

This was so good - I didn’t want to put it down and read it in a day and a half! Goodbye, Vitamin is a wryly funny and poignant novel about a young woman who returns home for a year to help with her college professor father who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

42. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

This has been on my shelf for a while and I’m glad I finally got to it. It’s a well-written adventure story, with lots of fantastic elements, about a young slave who escapes from Barbados and travels to Virginia, the Arctic, London and Morocco. I loved it until about the last 30-40 pages when it seemed that the story just started to fizzle out. For the most part, though, it was a rollicking tale that I never wanted to put down. And I love the cover.

43. Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy

An intriguing collection of short stories of love, loss, and desire, some will stay with me for quite some time. Thanks Mark!



44. Darktown by Thomas Mullen

Excellent police procedural/historical fiction that takes place in 1948 Atlanta. Boggs and Smith are two of the first black police officers in the city but are constrained by the Jim Crow laws of the time as they patrol Darktown and attempt to solve the murder of a young woman. The historical elements are really horrific but folded in well with the investigation to tell a great story, both the real story of racism and imagined crimes. Highly recommended!

45. The Late Show by Michael Connelly

I’m speeding my way through the Bosch series but the next Bosch book on tap for me is also the second book in Connelly’s Renee Ballard series so I figured I should read this, the first book in the Renee Ballard series. The first 90-100 pages were a little rocky with a lot of explanations and not much happening but the rest of the book made up for it. I’m looking forward to Ballard and Bosch working together in the next one!



46. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

George Takei, past star of Star Trek and current social activist, tells of his family’s experiences in a Japanese internment camp during WWII. Should be read by everybody.

Good luck to Chris with his MFA program, Joanne. How exciting. If you guys ever have enough time to visit the Chicago area, let me know. It would be nice to see you.

Nice lightning round. Lots of good reads. I have had Goodbye, Vitamin saved on my Kindle, forever. I should make room for it.

I just requested They Called Us Enemy.

47. Killing And Dying by Adrian Tomine

Short stories in a graphic novel format. I liked the title story best but mostly found it to be just meh.



48. Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton

Oh boy, this one was fun! A wildly imaginative, profane, and just plain funny first-person/crow tale of a domesticated crow and heroic bloodhound struggling to adapt and survive in a post-apocalyptic Seattle. Yeah, it sounds silly but it’s a great lesson in teamwork, trust, and resilience.

49. Rat Race by Dick Francis

Matt Shore is a pilot and more peripherally involved in horse racing than most of Francis’s protagonists. But someone is trying to kill one of his passengers and when loved ones are endangered, Matt, in typical Dick Francis style, works to solve the mystery. I thought the beginning was a little slow but it picked up, as expected!



50. Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World’s Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History Of the American West by David Wolman

A quick history of cattle ranching and the paniolo in Hawaii, the Parker Ranch on the Big Island, and the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Hawaiians were herding cattle on horseback long before there were cowboys on the American West so the performance of three highly skilled Hawaiian paniolo were a shock to the Wyoming rodeo goers in 1908.

^^I hope I don't get lost in the shuffle up there. That was quite a flurry of mini-reviews. Whew! And hooray for Hollow Kingdom!

>130 msf59: >133 msf59: Hi Mark! Thanks and I will let you know! Today was my catch-up day - I even balanced my checkbook after three months of guessing. Goodbye Vitamin was a quick read, especially since I didn't want to put it down. Hollow Kingdom was delightful. I’ll never look at crows the same way again.

I’m reading Pam Houston’s Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country. You would love it!

>134 Copperskye: I have heard good things about Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country. I will have to add it to my audio list.

Wow, we've lots of reading in common right now, Joanne. I'm having fun with Hollow Kingdom thanks to Mark; not quite halfway through yet. Washington Black: I loved it until about the last 30-40 pages when it seemed that the story just started to fizzle out.That's about right for me, too. The ending was a bit unsatisfying, but I'd still recommend the book. I thought Darktown was excellent, too.

I'm an Adrian Tomine fan, but Killing and Dying was meh, wasn't it. Shortcomings was much better. Rat Race was a solid outing from Dick Francis; I'm so glad the group read inspired me to re-read his mysteries. They hold up really well.

I'm reading They Called Us Enemy right now, and it's encouraging to hear your reaction.

>132 Copperskye: I'm happy to see you enjoyed visiting with Matt Shore in the clouds, Joanne!

>136 jnwelch: And you too, Joe. I'm going to miss the group read when the year's over. It's been fun.

>135 msf59: Good, good, good! I think it will work well on audio.

>136 jnwelch: Hi Joe! Wow, we really are on a similar bookish wavelength! I’ll look out for Shortcomings. It may be here, somewhere, in the cartons of books left, temporarily, behind.

>137 rosalita: I’m looking forward to next month’s read, Julia. I believe it will be a reread for me. I’ve never kept up on a group read before - yay me! And, um, how about we continue into 2020? I hate to see you sad. :)

>138 Copperskye: I'd love to continue with Dick Francis next year, Joanne, but I'm not sure many people will be up for it. We haven't had a lot of chat in the threads since the first book, so I'm not sure how many people are still reading along. I know I'm not always great about posting in group read threads even when I'm reading all the books, and I assume others are the same.

>139 rosalita: Well, they’re no fun! But yes, I noticed that that seems to happen and makes it discouraging to start out the books with info you dig up to post if no one seems to read them....maybe things will pick up? I’m such an optimist.

Hi Joanne, I loved Darktown and it's follow up Lightning Men was just as good. Excellent on audio.

Group reads never worked real well for me. No idea why. I guess I'm better as a solitary reader🤷‍♀️

>141 brenzi: Hi Bonnie! I’m looking forward to Lightning Men. This is the only multi-book group read that has ever worked for me.

Wow, Joanne, what a lot of good reading. I also loved Goodbye Vitamin; it didn't get much attention here, I think. I'm waiting for They Called Us Enemy from the library. I think I'm # 4 on the list.

>140 Copperskye: Too true. I'll probably ask for a show of hands over on the shared-read thread in a month or so to get a feel for whether people want to continue next year.

Sounds like a bunch of good reading!
I have Hollow Kingdom on my wishlist. A friend of mine is reading it and half enjoying it, but you and I have closer reading tastes so I'm encouraged.
XOXO

>143 BLBera: Hi Beth, I’m glad to hear you liked Goodbye, Vitamin, too. It makes me sad when books I like don’t get the attention I think they deserve! I found it through an automatic recommendation on Goodreads, which I usually ignore because they are generally really off-base, but I wonder if in the back of my mind I remembered hearing about it on your thread...could be.

>144 rosalita: Sounds good, Julia!

>145 PaperbackPirate: Hi Pirate! Hollow Kingdom is definitely not for everybody but I honestly think you’d get a kick out of it!

51. Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country by Pam Houston

A memoir in essay form as Houston takes us to her high country ranch in Creede, CO. Beautifully written, honest, and hopeful, with a wonderful sense of place.

52. The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell

This is the story of the 1913 copper mine strike in Calumet MI and the influence of Annie Clements and the Women’s Auxiliary of the Western Federation of Miners. Russell is a wonderful storyteller and researcher.

53. Goodbye, Mr Chips by James Hilton

The charming reminiscences of Mr Chipping, a classics teacher at a British boarding school in the early years of the 20th century. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but even at just 132 pages, it was so much more. The edition I read had some lovely illustrations, too. Thanks to my library for having it on their classics shelf when I stopped by this week!

>147 Copperskye: >148 Copperskye: >149 Copperskye: Lots of good reads!

>149 Copperskye: Oh, glad to hear Good-bye, Mr. Chips charmed you, Joanne. I've thought many times about reading it. The movie is a such a heart-filler. Adding the book to the WL.

>148 Copperskye: I really need to read this soon I think I've read everything else that Russell has written. Like you say, she's a wonderful storyteller and researcher. Have you read A Thread of Grace?

>148 Copperskye: Hooray for MDR! She has delivered again.

Happy Saturday, Joanne. I just started Deep River and it is shaping up to be another gem. Did you read Matterhorn?

>150 thornton37814: Hi Lori! Yes, I’ve been having a good reading month!

>151 jnwelch: Oh, do try to get to it, Joe! It’s very short and a perfect way to spend an afternoon!

>152 rosalita: I haven’t read A Thread of Grace yet, Julia. I’ve actually only read Doc and Epitaph and loved them both. I also have The Sparrow here. Not sure what I’m waiting for but I’ll get to them eventually!

>153 msf59: Hi Mark! Hot, hot Sunday! No, I haven’t read Matterhorn but I remember reading about it when it came out. I’m not sure if it’s for me but you never know.

Hi Joanne - I have The Women of the Copper Country from the library, so I hope to get to it soon. It sounds great. I've never read anything by MDR. Maybe the last person on LT to say that.

Goodbye Mr. Chips sounds good, too. I've only seen the movie.

>155 BLBera: Good morning, Beth! I hope you get to The Women of the Copper Country before it’s due back. Sadly, I return a lot of library books unread. :( I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the movie of Goodbye, Mr Chips or if I did, it’s been a long time. I know there are a couple of them...I need to figure out which one was the best and watch it.

>147 Copperskye: It looks like we are continuing on the same reading path, Joanne. I just finished Deep Creek and loved it. What’s not to love, right? It’s set in the Colorado mountains which puts it in home run territory!

Hi Donna! Oh, yay for Deep Creek and Pam Houston! I’m so glad you loved it, too, and really, you’re so right, what’s not to like! I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts on it!

Adding The Women of the Copper Country to my TBR list. Thank for the recommendation! Hope all is well!

>159 witchyrichy: Hi Karen! It’s a well-told piece of history and I’m sure you’ll like it. Have you read her Doc? It’s even better!

>160 Copperskye: I have not...guess I'm adding another one to the list!

Hi, Joanne! I have Deep Creek very high on my audio list. Maybe, by the end of the month? Currently, I am LOVING my revisit of Beloved, narrated by Morrison herself. I gave it a well-deserved 5 stars the first time I read it but now I am thinking that it is one of the Great American Novels.

Also really enjoying Deep River. Nearly done...

>161 witchyrichy: You can’t go wrong, Karen!

>162 msf59: Hi Mark, Deep Creek is one that I would love to revisit on audio whenever I listen to an audiobook again! I’ve never read Beloved and I know I should. Chris left his copy here, so no excuse not to. The only Morrison book I’ve read is A Mercy
and I loved it so I don’t know why I haven’t read more.

54. Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly

This is the 21st (!!) Bosch installment and the second book in the newer Renee Ballard series. I'm very glad that I read the first Ballard book, The Late Show, to get to know her a little bit. I like both characters and think they really compliment each other. Connelly alternated character perspective which kept one strong protagonist from overshadowing the other. The main story line had Bosch and Ballard working on a cold case, searching for the killer of a 15 year-old runaway who was the daughter of a woman Bosch met in Two Kinds of Truth. 4.25 stars

Well, I had to return The Women of Copper Country unread, but I added my name to the reserve list again. :) I'll give it another try.

>165 BLBera: That happens to me too many times, Beth. Better luck next time!

55. Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

I’ve been wanting to read this for a while and the timing finally worked (saw while perusing the library shelves and then needed a small paperback to tuck in my boat bag) and read it in an afternoon. Besides Stuart McLean, authors rarely make me laugh out loud but this book of letters had me laughing several times. Lots of snark as a burnt-out lit professor pens passive-aggressive letters of rec and then some.

56. Break In by Dick Francis

Another good thriller with a steeplechase backdrop.

57. A Better Man by Louise Penny

The 15th book in the Three Pines/Insp Gamache series so I can’t stop now but wow, those sentence fragments still take some getting used to. And my favorite character lately is Jean Guy. Has he really left? :(

58. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

Excellent family saga and love story. Two NYC cops, partners for a short while who become suburban neighbors, and their wives and families and a fateful night that changes everything. One of those books you want to keep reading to find out what happens but don’t want to end. Very reminiscent of Alice McDermott.

>167 Copperskye: I *love* this book! I'm so glad you did, too!

>167 Copperskye: I loved that one, too, Joanne. I just finished the sequel, The Shakespeare Requirement, which wasn't quite as good but still had some very funny moments.

Well, it looks like I NEED to read Ask Again, Yes, Joanne. Sounds great. I am starting The Dutch House tomorrow. Love me some Patchett!

>172 rosalita: Wait, what? There's a sequel?!

>174 scaifea: Yes! I read about it in the Washington Post earlier this summer, and my library finally got it a little while ago.

>175 rosalita: Ooof. Onto the list...

>169 Copperskye: my question exactly Joanne.

>171 scaifea: I’m sure it was right up your alley, Amber! :)

>172 rosalita: And yours, too, Julia! Sequel? Hmmm, I didn’t realize.

>173 msf59: Yes, I think you’d enjoy Ask Again, Yes, Mark! I went back and forth about buying The Dutch House and in a frugal moment, decided I’d either get it from the library or wait until the paperback release. I still have State of Wonder to read and should try to get to it first.

>174 scaifea: >175 rosalita: >176 scaifea: added to the list!

>177 brenzi: She’s keeping us guessing, I guess.

Green-tailed Towhee

This little cutie was under our feeders yesterday. When he first landed, the brown spot on his head was up like a little crest. Very cute! I thought it was a new bird for me until my husband got out our old bird book where I write notes. Last seen in the yard and noted in 1999.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

I haven’t seen any hummers since Tuesday evening and since they’ve been around every day, I think they’ve moved on for the winter. I’ll keep sugar water out for another week, just in case.

Late summer and more ducks, cormorants, and sea gulls at the lake than boats or people. Just the way I like it.

And finally, our library district’s big annual sale was earlier this month. We were out of town last year so I was determined to make up for it this year. I think I did pretty well! I didn’t accidentally buy anything I already owned and only one book that I’ve already read (a like new hardback of Snow Angels, which I loved).

>179 Copperskye: Lovely bird, Joanne, rather rare if the last time you saw it was 20 years ago!

>182 Copperskye: Nice haul!

>179 Copperskye: Ooh, I want to see a Green-Tailed Towhee!

>182 Copperskye: Nice book haul! Lots of goodies! I especially loved Just Mercy. Excellent NNF.

I have not read State of Wonder yet, either. Maybe you will finally nudge or kick me into reading it. Either would be acceptable.

>183 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, I think they just migrate through. I haven’t seen him again.

>184 msf59: Hi Mark, I’ve heard good things about Just Mercy and was happy to come across it. I picked up What is the What for Chris and he spirited it away when he was back in town for a wedding. He’s a big Eggers fan. I hope to get to State Of Wonder sometime this winter. I’ll try to remember to give you a gentle nudge! I absolutely loved Commonwealth so I don’t know why I’m stalled on it. Have you read The Magician’s Assistant? An oldie but a goodie.

59. The Long Call by Ann Cleeves

This is the first in a new series and I’ll happily read the next one. It was pretty good, with an interesting new detective, but honestly, I finished it a week ago and I’m hard pressed to remember much about it. After loving the Shetland series, I trust it can only get better.

>186 Copperskye: I loved Shetland too. I have high hopes for this one. I prefer Shetland to the Vera Stanhope series. I'm hoping this one will at least be in-between the two for me.

>186 Copperskye: I didn't realise that Ann Cleeves had another series starting.

I really must get to some of her books soon.

>187 thornton37814: Hi Lori, As much as I love the Shetland series, I haven’t read the Vera books. I’ve tried to start The Crow Trap a few times but just can’t seem to connect with it. I was thinking of just picking up the 2nd book in the series and seeing if that one clicks. The Long Call is certainly worth giving a shot!

>188 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Raven Black, the first Shetland book is excellent!! *Nudge, nudge*

Congrats on the hooded warbler sighting, Joanne. It is great seeing a "rare"bird, especially one as nice looking and elusive as this one. You will be happy to hear, that I am starting Deep Creek today. It looks like Houston writes short stories too. Ding, ding, ding. Got my attention. Did you know Terry Tempest Williams has a new one out, or coming out?

>190 msf59: Thanks! I was surprised that the warbler has stuck around so long, about 2 weeks now, I think. The weather is supposed to change dramatically around here in a day or two and I wonder if that will send him away. Such a gorgeous little bird! I feel very lucky! Yay for Deep Creek! You’re going to have fun digging into Houston’s other works, too. And I did notice TTW has a new one. Lots of good reading ahead! :)

Nice haul from your book sale, Joanne.

I also loved Ask Again, Yes.

>192 BLBera: Hi Beth! I was happy with the books I found - now I just need to read them! :)



Lesser goldfinches

It was 80° yesterday. Currently, 21° and still dropping. I’ve lived here for so long, you’d think I’d be used to this by now. :(

60. The Hearts Of Horses by Molly Gloss

I let this languish on my shelves for years - the cover and title put me off even though I’d heard good things about it.

Nineteen year old Martha Lessen, armed with a strong independent spirit and a knack for gentling horses, travels to a remote Oregon valley where she is befriended by a ranching family and is soon contracted to train the horses of neighbors in the valley. It’s the winter of 1917-18, and as she rides her circuit, the backdrop is WWI and the lives of the local ranchers and homesteaders. This is a quiet, gentle book full of characters I cared about and didn’t want to leave. Not at all the trite fluff I expected.

>194 Copperskye: I just checked and I've had it on my shelf for 10 years! Time to read it! Thank you for the review.

I remember reading and loving The Hearts of Horses in 2008. It's not my usual fare but I'm glad I took a chance on such a heartwarming story.

Nice haul from the library sale. Ours is this week. I am trying not to acquire books but I have some in the giveaway pile so I can replace those without any problem. For some reason, I tend to buy books I've already read for my permanent collection.

>195 PaperbackPirate: I think you’d really like it, Pirate! I had my copy for just about nine years and I’m glad I finally got to it.

>196 Donna828: Hi Donna, I looked back to see if it was your comments that got me interested in The Hearts Of Horses and then I couldn’t understand why I didn’t comment on your thread from 2008 and then I realized I wasn’t on LT until 2009! Lol, time flies. Anyway, I thought it was sweet without being cloying. Good luck not buying any books at your library sale! I loved finding that copy of Snow Angels. I read it so long ago I don’t remember much about it, other than I liked it a lot and it was the first book by Stuart O’Nan I ever read.

61. Guts by Raina Telgemeier

Young Raina deals with the typical grade school issues as her anxieties begin to cause physical problems. A thoughtful middle-grade graphic novel of coping with fears and friends.

Hi, Joanne. I hope the week is off to a good start. The Hearts Of Horses sounds like a fine read. I really enjoyed her Jump Off Creek, so onto the list, this one goes.

>194 Copperskye: How fun to find a hidden gem among your own books! It sounds good to me, too.

>199 msf59: Hi Mark, I’m looking forward to Jump Off Creek!

>200 rosalita: Julia! Nice to see you! Sadly, there may be many more hidden gems on the shelves! Or maybe, not so sad if I find them.

I also loved Jump Off Creek, Joanne, so I will look for The Hearts of Horses. First, of course, I should check to see if I own a copy. :)

>202 BLBera: Oh, good! I’m glad you liked it too, Beth, I plan on reading it sooner rather than later. And kindly, Mark shared his copy with me so I know it’s on my shelf. :)

65. Know My Name by Chanel Miller

In January 2015, Chanel Miller, aka, Emily Doe, was sexually assaulted by Brock Turner outside of a frat party on the campus of Stanford University. (The quick, sensationalized headlines might be remembered as a drunk girl who hooked up with a talented Olympic-bound swimmer with his whole life ahead of him, blah, blah, blah, his conviction, and then a way too light sentence of six months.) This is her story of that night, the subsequent trial, and her journey to healing. I highly recommend this very well written memoir. It was often a difficult read - her raw feelings were heartbreaking and the legal system she faced was absolutely infuriating - but her strength and ultimate optimism shine. A good name to know. 4.5 stars

Hi, Joanne. I have requested the audio of Know My Name from the library. I saw her interview on 60 Minutes. Such a smart and courageous young woman. How is Olive, Again coming along? I finished it and was quite pleased, although it can't top the original.

>204 Copperskye: Ugh I want to read this Joanne but I already know it's going to make my blood boil. But read it I will.

>205 msf59: I missed her 60 Minutes interview. I keep meaning to catch it online. I believe she narrates the book herself. Olive is so good! Somehow I’m only half way through but it’s my one and only book now, so I should finish it soon.

>206 brenzi: Yeah, it’s pretty infuriating, Bonnie. But ultimately uplifting, so there’s that.

66. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout

I loved catching up with Olive again. She’s a tough, outspoken broad with a heart of gold. Now I want to reread Olive Kittridge.



67. Dear Ijeawele, Or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Reminders for living.

"She’s a tough, outspoken broad with a heart of gold." Hooray, for Olive. Glad you enjoyed it, Joanne!

>209 msf59: It was a treat to visit with Olive again, Mark. Have you read The Library Book yet? I’m a little late getting to it but I’m loving it!

I loved The Library Book as well, Joanne. I can't wait to revisit Olive - I loved the first one.

>211 BLBera: So good and you’ll love Olive, Beth!



68. The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Although I found some of the history of the Los Angeles Central Library a bit on the dry side, for the most part I loved this library love letter. Library minutiae and an arson mystery - I am a fan! Now I want to visit. 4.25 stars

We had tickets, along with 398 other readers, to see Susan Orlean at an event last Saturday sponsored by our library system. Unfortunately, there was an unrelated incident in the hotel lobby and the police closed the hotel just 15 minutes before it was due to start. Susan Orlean quietly slipped herself in at the signing table and about 30 of us who noticed had our books signed and said hello as people filed out. I was really looking forward to hearing her speak and hope they can reschedule sometime.

Currently reading and almost finished with The Jump-Off Creek.

Hi, Joanne. Yes, I also read and loved The Library Book. I want to read The Orchid Thief. Have you read it? I sure hope you are having a good time with Jump-Off Creek.

Hey- Have you watched "Unbelievable" on Netflix? If not, I highly recommend it. It is nearly perfect.

Hi Mark, I am having a good time with Jump-Off Creek! I love the characters. ‘Unbelievable’ is on my list but we haven’t gotten to it yet. Glad to hear your high praise! We’re watching Foyle’s War and just finished Series 4. So good - I think it’s my new favorite. We’ll take a break now probably to start the new season of The Crown. I’m sad that Poldark and The Durrells are finished but they might not be your thing, am I right?

Hi Joanne. Do manage to push Unbelievable up your Netflix queue Joanne. Really good. I'm a big fan of Meritt Wever and she was terrific.

I also loved Foyles War and watched all ten seasons when it was on Netflix. I'm sad to see The Durrells end but I think Poldark said all there was to say really.

Did you watch Press on PBS? It just ended its season and was another really good show.

Must get to The Library Book. Everybody seems to love it.

Hi Bonnie, I appreciate the reminder about Unbelievable. With so much good TV, some things are bound to be lost in the shuffle, which is unfortunate!

Agree with you about both The Durrells (although sometimes eye rolling, but so sweet) and Poldark (getting a bit repetitive).

I was DVRing Press and then somehow lost the first episode. :( I wasn’t sure if it’d be for me but I’m hearing nothing but good things about it. The library has the DVD already and I should get it shortly.

I think you’ll love The Library Book!

69. The Jump-Off Creek by Molly Gloss

A Pennsylvania widow arrives in Oregon, circa 1895, with two mules, two goats, a deed to a rundown property, a determined attitude, and little else. Lydia is a fine character, but it’s Tim and Blue who stole my heart. A spare and moving story of homesteading, conflict, and loneliness. 4.25 stars

Thanks Mark!

>217 Copperskye: I recognized the name of that one even though it's been a long time since I read it. Records show I read it sometime when I lived in Cincinnati--over 20 years ago.

Hi Lori, I was surprised to see that it was first published in 1989. It doesn’t seem that long ago but, gosh...30 years!

>217 Copperskye: I could have sworn I already posted this: I just wanted to know if Tim and Blue are the two mules or the two goats? :-)

>219 Copperskye: And I read it soon after it was released. I think I picked it up off the new book shelf at the library.

>217 Copperskye: That looks like one to search for, Joanne. I hadn't heard of it in truth before.

Have a great weekend.

Good review of The Jump-Off Creek, Joanne. Another LTer passed it onto me, and I did likewise. Keep the chain going.

What are you reading now?

I also loved The Jump-Off Creek, Joanne. We read it for our book group at our family reunion last summer, and it was loved by all.

Hi Joanne. Jump-off Creek looks like my kind of book. I’ll add it to the search list for the Joplin meetup. The bookstore where we meet isn’t huge but I usually manage to find a gem or two.

My book group will be discussing The Library Book in December. We’ve had a short run of so-so books. I’m glad we’ll be getting back on track again with Orlean’s fascinating book.

>217 Copperskye: I loved The Hearts of Horses so I'm happy to hear you loved this one too! I'll have to check it out.

>212 Copperskye: Sorry to hear about your Orlean event. Did they reschedule?

Wow, so many visitors!

>220 rosalita: Lol, truly, Julia! I see now how what I wrote could be confusing. Actually, the goats were Rose and Louise, I think, and one of the mules was Rollin, or something similar, and I’m not sure about the other. Tim and Blue were her rancher/cowboy neighbors and based on their backstory, could be an entire book all on their own.

>221 thornton37814: I love how the memory of some books takes us back to a different time and place.

>222 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul, I hadn’t heard of it either until Mark presented it to me. It’s a good one to look for.

>223 msf59: Hiya Mark, I finished Another Brooklyn and now I’m reading Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions.

>224 BLBera: Hi Beth, I’m not surprised you liked it, too!

>225 Donna828: And definitely your kind of book, too, Donna. The Library Book should make for a great discussion at your book group. Lots going on there.

>226 PaperbackPirate: Hi Pirate! I’m going to be searching out more books by Molly Gloss! I think I saw there is one that continues the story in The Hearts Of Horses.

>227 charl08: Hi Charlotte! It was disappointing. And no word on any new date. :(

I remember really enjoying Another Brooklyn and I am looking forward to reading her latest. How is Miss Kopp? I have only read the first two.

Happy Thanksgiving, Joanne.

>228 Copperskye: Ha! It never occurred to me that Tim and Blue were humans! It sounds like a good book. I just went on a little mini spree of Harry Bosch reading, finishing with The Drop. Still lots more to read, though. :-)

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving (or Thursday, depending on your nationality)! It looks more like Christmas around here. I’m done with snow and it’s not even winter yet.

>229 msf59: I have Brown Girl Dreaming on my shelf to get to before I read Woodson’s latest. Miss Kopp and her sisters are swell. I like the series especially for the Bergen County locale, my old stomping grounds although obviously many decades before my time. :)

>230 rosalita: Well, gee, Julia, I only mentioned a pair of goats and a pair of mules before mentioning a pair of names, so I don’t know how you made that leap! Lol! The goats were Rose and Louise. I don’t remember the mules’ names. Lucky you with your Bosch binge! I loved The Drop. And looking back on that book has reminded me that I skipped Nine Dragons so thanks for that! I saw recently that there’s a new Jack McEvoy book on the horizon. I read and loved The Poet and have The Scarecrow around here somewhere.

>228 Copperskye: Good to know! Thanks for the tip. I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving!

>232 PaperbackPirate: I did, thanks Pirate, hope you did, too. Christmas will be here before we know it!



70. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

A lovely, lyrical book about a young girl and her friends coming of age in Brooklyn in the 1970s. 4.5 stars

71. Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions by Amy Stewart

I love this series about the first female Bergen Co. NJ sheriff’s deputy in the early 1900s. Constance Kopp and her sisters were real people, as are many of the other characters and situations in the books. 3.75 stars

72. Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory: Stories by Raphael Bob-Waksberg

Off-beat, irreverent, humorous, and often melancholy stories of love and heartbreak. My favorites were “Salted Circus Cashews, Swear to God” (a clever bit on trust), “The Serial Monogamist’s Guide to Important New York City Landmarks” (a tour of the city and past relationships), “Rufus” (life and love through the thoughts of Rufus, who is a dog), “Move Across the Country” (will the Sadness follow?), and “You Want to Know What Plays are Like?” (be cautious if you have a playwright in the family). The author is the creator of Bojack Horseman, and like the TV show, this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. The stories that worked were real gems.

Dropping by to wish you a lovely weekend, Joanne.

Happy Sunday, Joanne. It looks like I should get back on the Miss Kopp train. I think I have only read the first 2. I had not heard of Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory. You know I love me some short fiction. I highly recommend Sabrina & Corina and it is mostly set in Denver too.

>236 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, Always nice to see you, thanks for stopping by! I hope your week is going well!

>237 msf59: Someone Who Will Love You is certainly different and you may find some of the stories interesting. Like Bojack, an acquired taste. I keep meaning to get to Sabrina & Corina and have checked it out of the library a couple of times, at least. I’m pretty sure I have it on hold again, especially after both you and Beth raved about it!

73. 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie

After seeing the movie, Knives Out, I had an urge to read Agatha Christie and pulled this one off the shelf. I’ve read a small handful of Christie books but not any in the Miss Marble series. I loved this story of a friend of Miss Marble reporting having seen a woman strangled on a passing train and the subsequent investigation. 3.75

74. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

A reread of a touching holiday trio. If you haven’t read it, you really, really should! 5 happy stars

>240 Copperskye: I should reread this too, Joanne. I have a "Keeper" copy. Thanks for the reminder.

It such a quick, rewarding read, Mark. And my eyes still get a little teary at the end of each story. I apparently have a keeper copy, too. It’s Chris’s. You can lead a horse to water...

>239 Copperskye: That's a good Miss Marple, Joanne! Another of my favorites is At Bertram's Hotel if you feel inclined to continue with them.

>243 rosalita: Hi Julia, Yes, I am inclined to continue with the Miss Marble books! In fact, I’m about 40 pages into The Mirror Cracked. When I finish it I’ll go back and start at the series beginning. I somehow started in the middle like some sort of savage. :/

>244 Copperskye: Your secret is safe with me!

>245 rosalita: I knew I could count on you, my friend! :)

75. The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side by Agatha Christie

Always a risk to read to series books back-to-back. I didn’t find this one as entertaining as the first Miss Marble I read, but still a good twisty who-done-it.



76. The Apple Tree: A Ghost Story for Christmas by Daphne Du Maurier

A short tale with a creep factor that, well, creeps up on you with a slow burn and then sticks around a while. It is Du Maurier, after all. Note it’s a ghost story for Christmas as opposed to a Christmas ghost story.

Well, I did it. I don’t always reach my goal, especially now that I’m not listening to audio books. My current reads are The Thing Around Your Neck and The Big Book Of Christmas Mysteries. Both are short stories. The latter I’ve been dipping into seasonally for a few years now and I’m about half way through (it’s >600 pages).

Congrats on hitting 75!

Congratulations on reaching 75, Joanne!

Congrats on 75! Hope all is well! I am ready to read Mrs. Marple and other classic mysteries after finishing Marty Wingate’s mystery The Bodies in the Library. It was set in the First Edition Society in Bath, an organization that celebrates all things mystery.

>247 Copperskye: I remember being utterly gobsmacked the first time I read The Mirror Crack'd, Joanne. In fact, I was fairly young (maybe late elementary/early junior high school age?) and it sent me off on a tangent of learning all I could about German measles/rubella. Funny the things that stick with you!

I re-read it a few years ago and still enjoyed it, but knowing the big wow kind of diluted the effect a bit.

Congratulations on passing 75, Joanne!

I hope to follow you to the milestone this weekend.

Congratulations on tackling 75! I have 2 weeks off ahead of me so I'm hoping I can reach my goal too!

Thanks all, for the congrats!

>250 witchyrichy: Enjoy Karen! The Wingate sounds interesting!

>251 rosalita: Love those happy bookish recollections, Julia! Funny, I don’t usually even try to solve the mysteries as I read, but I knew right away that that was going to figure in. I have a copy of The Body in the Library so I’ll read that one soon.

>252 PaulCranswick: I hope you get in some good reading time, Paul!

>253 PaperbackPirate: Love those teacher schedules! My son is a student/teacher and is off until late January.

Happy holiday wishes from Littleton, CO



Wishing peace and good books to all!

Hi, Joanne! It's been awhile, huh? The past year has been super crazy here - I moved (twice!), have been working as a nanny-granny (see pics of my "boss" in my Gallery), and figuring out how to get around New York/New Jersey. Anyway, just wanted to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and

Congratulations on zooming past 75 books, Joanne. I am going to read A Christmas Memory before we go to my brother's house for a festive Christmas Eve dinner. Then I will jump right into A Christmas Carol. The Du Maurier looks interesting. Have a wonderful holiday with your family.

Congrats on hitting 75, Joanne and have a wonderful holiday with the family.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Happy Holidays, Joanne!

Thank you for keeping me company in 2019.......onward to 2020.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

>247 Copperskye: My niece got me the Female Detectives "big book" for Christmas. I'd still like to get the locked room one as well as the Christmas one.

Merry Christmas, Joanne. And congrats on 75!

>256 Storeetllr: It’s great to hear from you, Mary, I miss you! Nanny-granny sounds fun. And exhausting! I’d love to hear more about your life back east.

>257 Donna828: Thanks, Donna, and merry Christmas to you!

>258 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Merry Christmas to you and Sue!

>259 witchyrichy: Merry, merry, Karen! Hope that hip is healing!

>260 jnwelch: Happy holidays to you, Joe, and all good wishes for. Happy New Year!

>261 PaulCranswick: Happy holidays, Paul! Looking forward to seeing what you read next year!

>262 AMQS: Merry Christmas, Anne!

>263 thornton37814: I’ve had the Female Detective Big Book on the shelf for a few months but I haven’t started it yet. I think I wanted to finish the Christmas one first but since I’m only a little more than halfway through after four years, maybe I should give that idea up. 😀

>264 BLBera: Thanks Beth! Merry Christmas to you, too!

The days I have Ruby all day are a bit exhausting - though I do take naps with her :) - but totally worth it! I'm probably going to make a thread for next year and will share a bit more about life in Nyack there. Hope we can connect in the 2020 group!

>263 thornton37814: I'm thinking one or two stories most days until I'm done? Our book club at work is reading mystery short stories in the spring. If I'm lucky, maybe there is some overlap? I have the book at home for it.

>266 Storeetllr: It’s so great that you can share in little Ruby’s care and enjoy watching her grow. And since you’ve moved, having space of your own is a plus. Glad to hear you’ll have a thread in 2020! I’m still deciding.

>267 thornton37814: That’s a good idea. With the Christmas book, I’m reading in order, admittedly bailing on a few stories that I don’t like. With the Female Detective book, I may just pick and choose what I want to read.

As of today, my top 10 books of 2019, in the order read:

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
Henry, Himself by Stewart O’Nan
Big Sky by Kate Atkinson
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Darktown by Thomas Mullen
Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country by Pam Houston
Goodbye, Mr Chips by James Hilton
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
The Heart Of Horses by Molly Gloss
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout

>268 Copperskye: Yes, it does take a lot of time, but one of my resolutions for 2020 is to spend less time on Twitter/FB and use that time to keep up with (more or less) the threads on LT. At least, that's the plan. I used the My Books library to keep track of 2019 Books Read, but it took almost as much time as having a thread would have taken, plus I kept forgetting to Add books and had to go back and try and figure out what I read sometimes a days after reading them.

>269 Copperskye: I haven't read any of those. I'll have to check them out if they're your favorites for the year. And that's another thing I've missed - getting recommendations of good books from my LT friends during the year. I admit I haven't had a stellar year of reading. Out of about 103 books (so far), only one is a 5-star read (other than a couple of rereads which I won't include on my list of favorites).

>269 Copperskye: Wonderful list! The only one I've read is Big Sky and it would definitely be in my Top Ten as well, but I only ranked five. If you can narrow it down to your Top Five, you should add them to the community list: https://www.librarything.com/list/21246/all/Top-Five-Books-of-2019. It's always fun to see what books other people were reading.

>270 Storeetllr: I’m not sure where I’d keep track of my books if I didn’t have a thread. I’m also on GR, but I don’t like that as much. It’s mostly to keep up with people not on LT. 103 books! I’m very impressed! There’s no lacking of book recs around here. I find it both a blessing and a curse. Mostly a blessing. Definitely a good thing. 🙂

>271 rosalita: I did that, Julia, thank you for the link! I don’t think I would have found it on my own. Looking at the lists, I now have more books to look into for 2020.

Looking at the lists, I now have more books to look into for 2020.

Yes, that's what makes them so dangerous! I made note of a few myself.

>273 rosalita: You can’t go wrong! 😀

>274 Ameise1: Happy New Year to you as well, Barbara! 🥳