RebaRelishesReading in 2019 - 2nd quarter

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RebaRelishesReading in 2019 - 2nd quarter

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1RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Sep 6, 2019, 3:15 pm



It's a bit blurry but hopefully you can read it :)

2RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Jun 28, 2019, 1:38 pm

DRAT!! I did it again! I posted my header photo before changing the title of this thread!!! Dear operators of LT, it would be lovely if it was possible to change the thread title after it's posted...please?

Welcome to my third thread for 2019! I've been a member of Library Thing for 12 years and this is my 8th year in 75er's. Checking the threads is still a joy as is meeting friends from the thread in real life. Book people are generally really good people I have found :)

I read mostly fiction with a large helping of biography thrown in. A couple of years ago I finished a personal challenge to read all of the Pulitzer Prize winning fiction and earlier this year I finished another to read the entire Harry Potter series (with encouragement from Chelle, thank you Chelle). I've also challenged myself to read the Pulitzer wining biographies but I don't seem to be making much progress on that score.

Hubby and I love to travel and do a great bit of it (according to our friends). We spend our summers at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York state where we especially enjoy the music presented and the authors who visit.

Right now I'm working hard to get in shape because a friend and I are planning to walk from Reading to Bristol (95 miles point to point) in September. I've been wanting to do a cross-country walk in the U.K. for 20 years or more so I'm most excited.

Now the thread is open for visitors! (I just love having visitors to my thread)

3RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Sep 29, 2019, 2:29 pm

What I've read this year:

JANUARY
1. Georgia by Dawn Tripp****1/2
2. The Library Book by Susan Orlean****
3. Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai****
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling****
5. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (audio)****
6. Snobs by Julian Fellowes ***1/2
7. Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes**** (audio)
8. The Chosen by Chaim Potok****

FEBRUARY
9. If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? by Alan Alda***1/2 (audio)
10. Night in Bombay by Louis Bromfield****
11. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley***
12. Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue by John McWhorter****(audio)
13. The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons*** (audio)
14. The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand** (audio)
15. The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton****1/2 (audio)
16. Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor** (audio)
17. A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton**** (audio)
18. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley** (audio)
19. Feeding the Dragon by Sharon Washington*****(audio)

MARCH
20. Us Against You by Fredrik Backman****1/2 (audio)
21. A Mind of Her Own by Paula McLain**** (audio)
22. That Month in Tuscany by Inglath Cooper**** (audio)
23. The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton****
24. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling****1/2
25. Elephant Company by Vicki Constantine Croke*****(audio)
26. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling****1/2
27. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling*****
28. Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday**

APRIL
29. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn **** (audio)
30. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert ****1/2
31. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai ***1/2
32. A Place Called Freedom by Ken Follett ***1/2
33. Milkman: A Novel by Anna Burns *

MAY
34. Book Towns: Forty-five Paradises of the Printed Word****
35. Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany by Jane Mount****1/2
36. Tin Man by Sarah Winman ****1/2
37. In the Distance by Hernan Diaz ****1/2
38. The Pioneers by David McCullough ****1/2
39. A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith ****(audio)
40. The Mango Bride by Marvin Soliven ****
41. A Taste for Vengeance by Martin Walker **** (audio)
42. Honolulu by Alan Brennert *****

JUNE
43. White Banners by Lloyd C. Douglas ****
44. Doc by Mary Doria Russell *****
45. Invitation to Live by Lloyd C. Douglas ***1/2
46. The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan****
47. Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell*****
48. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler*****

JULY
49. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent ****
50. In the Shadow of Death: A Chautauqua Murder Mystery by Deb Pines ***1/2
51. Art as a Way: A Return to the Spiritual Roots by Frederick Franck ***
52. Selected Prose of Robert Frost edited by Hyde Cox and Edward Connery Lathem ***
53. The Ensemble by Aja Gabel ***1/2
54. Geographic Influences in American History by Albert Perry Brigham***
55. A World Lost by Wendell Berry****
56. Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan****(audio)

AUGUST
57. Brookland by Emily Barton****
58. Andrew's Brain by E. L. Doctorow***1/2
59. Mother Tongue by Demetria Martinez ****
60. If Today Be Sweet by Thrity Umrigar *****
61. The Fourth Man by Howard Moody ***1/2
62. Among English Hedgerows by Clifton Johnson****
64. The Storyteller's Secret by Sejal Badani***** (audio)
65. A Place in the Sun by Lois and Louis Darling ***

SEPTEMBER
66. The Middle Heart by Bette Bao Lord****
67. A Women's Life by Susan Cheever****
68. Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark by Jane Fletcher Geniesse****
69. About Grace by Anthony Doerr***
70. The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland by Dan Barry****1/2
71. Sing for Your Life: A Story of Race, Music and Family by Daniel Bergner*****
72. One Hundred Names for Love by Diane Ackerman****
73. Dear Mrs Bird by A J Pearce****1/2
74. Last Train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin ****
75. A Dashing Duke for Emily by Hanna Hamilton **

4RebaRelishesReading
Jun 28, 2019, 1:39 pm

And now, welcome to my thread. I hope you'll visit often and leave lots of comments:)

5kidzdoc
Jun 28, 2019, 2:00 pm

Happy new thread, Reba! You can change the title of your thread for a short period of time, probably less than 30 minutes.

6RebaRelishesReading
Jun 28, 2019, 2:19 pm

>5 kidzdoc: Hi Darry! Nice to see you and to have a message right away.

Do you know how to change the title? I tried everything I could think of within a seconds of posting but couldn't find any way to do it ;(

7drneutron
Jun 28, 2019, 3:33 pm

Just edit your first message and you can also edit the title. But only up to 10 minutes after it's created, I think.

Happy new thread!

8RebaRelishesReading
Jun 28, 2019, 8:45 pm

>7 drneutron: Thank you Jim!! I'll try to remember that for next time.

9BLBera
Jun 28, 2019, 10:14 pm

Happy new thread, Reba. I love the photo topper. How cute.

I can't wait to hear about your walk. How exciting. I would love to do something like that.

10Berly
Jun 28, 2019, 11:12 pm

Happy new thread!!

11RebaRelishesReading
Jun 29, 2019, 6:36 am

Thank you Beth and Kim!

12susanj67
Jun 29, 2019, 6:51 am

Happy new thread, Reba! I love the tutus :-)

13sibylline
Jun 29, 2019, 8:30 am

The tutus are just so so charming!

Your walk does sound great -- how many miles per day? Are you with an outfit that will move all your stuff from place to place? Does it have a theme? Roman stuff, literature, etc.

I've become a Time Team addict from reading first the Medicus books and now the Galloway mysteries (though I suppose it began when I was a young 'un with Rosemary Sutcliffe).

It is annoying indeed that the top header becomes fixed in superglue after a very short time -- I've never been quick enough to fix either, never notice a problem until it's too late.

14RebaRelishesReading
Jun 29, 2019, 3:03 pm

>12 susanj67: Thanks you Susan. Yes, I love the tutu's too. They're there for a week every year and I always smile when I see them but this is the first time I've thought to stop and take a photo.

>13 sibylline: Glad you like them Lucy :) We booked the walk through a company called Contours Ltd. They book the hotels and arrange to have the luggage moved (I would not be doing this if I had to have all my stuff on my back!!) We will walk 10 to 101/2 miles most days but there are a couple of days that are shorter and one that is 14 1/2 miles. There's no theme but the route is mostly along a canal tow path and then along the Avon. You can opt for rest days when ever you want and we've done two of those, not to rest but to sight-see. The first one was aimed to be able to visit Highclere Castle but it turns out it is closed the day we'll be there :(. Second one is just because the town looked interesting.

The top header was really annoying because I had been aware that it needed to change but didn't think about posting a message changing it. As soon as I hit the post button and saw what happened I tried to change it but I didn't know how. I've done this before and ... will probably do it again ... just hope I can remember how to fix it when I do.

15ronincats
Jun 29, 2019, 9:08 pm

Happy New Thread, Reba. It's been overcast and muggy today but temps were only in the upper 70s so it wasn't unbearable--it's all the moisture from Alvin streaming over us.

Are there events upcoming this next week?

16PaulCranswick
Jun 29, 2019, 11:06 pm

Happy new thread, Reba.

17charl08
Jun 30, 2019, 6:25 am

Love the tutus too. I always wanted to do dance when I was a little girl, and it was totally the outfits that sold it to me - friends whose kids perform amaze me with the amount if hours the children (and their parents) spend involved. Although I still like the fancy outfits!

Will you be seeing many authors this year? I had a quick look on wikipedia not really knowing anything about Chatauqua and it sounds wonderful (and busy!)

18scaifea
Jun 30, 2019, 8:12 am

Happy new thread, Reba! I *love* the tutu photo! So adorable.

19RebaRelishesReading
Jun 30, 2019, 8:54 am

>15 ronincats: Hi Roni. Sorry about the muggy...I hate that kind of weather. This week the highlights for me will be a play on Wednesday evening (The Christians) and the 4th of July when we will have a "pops" concert in the evening which ends with the 1812 Overture with the audience providing the canons by blowing-up and popping brown paper bags. Pure kitsch and I love it. There are fireworks all around the lake after that. Oh yes, and the student piano concerto competition finals at 4:00 this afternoon.

>16 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul.

>17 charl08: I'm glad you enjoyed the tutu's Charlotte. My Mom thought I should have dance lessons as a child so she took me to one each ballet, tap and modern. I didn't like any of them and she didn't make me continue. The only book that really called to me this year was Kindred but it's 40 years old and the author has died. We got a new person in charge of that program last year and I haven't been impressed so far. As to the rest of the program, yes, Chautauqua is wonderful and busy :) Did Wikipedia take you to CHQ.org -- that's the institution website and you can really see everything that's going on there.

>18 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. As a ballet mom you see (and make) a lot of cool costumes though.

20scaifea
Jun 30, 2019, 8:59 am

>19 RebaRelishesReading: I've never made a tutu, but they always look so adorable on the wee little dancers. I did love helping out with the Nutcracker costumes last year, because they're all so beautiful, and it was fun to watch the production and be able to say, "Hey, I helped with that costume!"

21RebaRelishesReading
Jun 30, 2019, 9:01 am

>20 scaifea: I'll be that was fun :) (and then all of the very intricate costumes you make for Charlie for plays/dances/holidays, etc.)

22FAMeulstee
Jun 30, 2019, 5:13 pm

Happy new thread, Reba!

>14 RebaRelishesReading: Your walking holiday plan sounds good.

23banjo123
Jul 1, 2019, 12:59 am

Happy new thread!

24RebaRelishesReading
Jul 1, 2019, 2:38 pm

Hi Anita and Rhonda! Thanks for stopping by :)

25RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Jul 1, 2019, 2:42 pm



We had a full house at the amphitheater this morning for our main speaker, (ex)Governor John Kasich. He's a most entertaining speaker and his main point was one I agree with. He said "all power comes from below" (not so sure that's always true but I would like to think so) so if you care about something work/fight for it (like that part for sure).

26RebaRelishesReading
Jul 3, 2019, 8:55 am

There was an ad in the Chautauqua Daily yesterday for a series of mysteries set here on the grounds. I think I'm going to have to try one of those. Quite honestly I'm not expecting much but just the setting should make it fun.

27brenzi
Jul 3, 2019, 9:59 pm

>26 RebaRelishesReading: oh that sounds like great fun for you Reba.

If only John Kasich would run in the Republican primaries but that's too much to hope for or expect from a normal thinking Republican like him. Sigh.

28RebaRelishesReading
Jul 5, 2019, 9:45 am

>27 brenzi: Yes, I think it's "been there done that" for him. Flake is another one I think is a thoughtful, sane man. Even though I don't agree with either of them on many things I can respect them.

29RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Jul 6, 2019, 9:22 am



David Blight, author of Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom was on the grounds yesterday. Appropriately he centered his remarks on Douglass' 4th of July speech. I have the book (at home) but haven't read it yet. Need to rescue that from Mt. TBR when I get home and get it read.

30RebaRelishesReading
Jul 5, 2019, 2:49 pm



Burial Rites by Hannah Kent****

Set in Iceland in 1829, Burial Rites is a fictionalized account of a woman sentenced to death for murdering her employer. I found it difficult to get into this book to begin with but it grew on me and will stay with me for a long while I think. It not only portrays the harsh life of rural Iceland in the 19th century but raises questions about guilt, murder, and the death sentence. A worthwhile read.

31Familyhistorian
Jul 6, 2019, 12:52 am

Happy new thread, Reba. That mystery series on the grounds sounds interesting.

32RebaRelishesReading
Jul 6, 2019, 9:24 am

>31 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg! I started it this morning but only got a few pages in before the laundry called. I think it's going to be fun, especially for those who know Chautauqua well.

33kidzdoc
Jul 6, 2019, 5:01 pm

Happy new thread, Reba! I need to make time to read my copy of Burial Rites.

34drneutron
Jul 7, 2019, 3:37 pm

>30 RebaRelishesReading: That one was definitely a good one!

35RebaRelishesReading
Jul 7, 2019, 3:58 pm



In the Shadow of Death: A Chautauqua Murder Mystery by Deb Pines***1/2

I couldn't resist when I found out there is a series of mysteries written by a Chautauqua and set at Chautauqua. It was a fun read, especially since I know the grounds and surroundings of Chautauqua so well and could easily see the action in my mind's eye (although toward the end one character is running from danger and chooses a route I don't think anyone who knew the grounds would take). I think there are four more in the series and I may try another but I'm not sure I'll read all four. A good beach read.

36RebaRelishesReading
Jul 7, 2019, 3:59 pm

Hi Darryl and Jim. Thanks for stopping by :) Glad you liked the book Jim. I found it hard to get into (but may just have been my mood) but ended up liking it a lot too.

37AMQS
Jul 7, 2019, 11:18 pm

Hi Reba! Oh my gosh, I LOVE the tutus! Great thread topper.

38RebaRelishesReading
Jul 8, 2019, 5:32 pm

>37 AMQS: Thanks Anne :)

39RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Jul 9, 2019, 9:33 am



I generally don't wear t-shirts with slogans on them but this one keeps popping up and it's so apt and now it's on sale....

40sibylline
Jul 10, 2019, 10:33 am

I like that t-shirt!

41RebaRelishesReading
Jul 10, 2019, 4:25 pm



Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty***1/2

Nine people go to a spa for a "transformative experience" and get a bit more than they bargained for. The background stories of the individuals and their reactions to the programs at the spa are interesting. The "more than they bargained for" is an interesting twist. The end, however, was a bit too much in my opinion. I would have preferred it if the story had ended at the end of the spa stay, instead it followed the nine through the next few years. Up until the end, however, it kept me interested enough to keep me walking -- and that's actually the goal :)

42Donna828
Editado: Jul 10, 2019, 4:52 pm

Happy Third Thread, Reba. I think we've all made that mistake at one time or another. I know I have. Ten minutes editing time is not enough.

>30 RebaRelishesReading: Yup, Burial Rites will be in your head a long time. I like Hannah Kent's books despite their gloomy subject matter. The Good People is another worthwhile book.

43Familyhistorian
Jul 10, 2019, 8:42 pm

>35 RebaRelishesReading: I really enjoy knowing the place where a book is set so that I can follow the action in the places that I remember.

44RebaRelishesReading
Jul 11, 2019, 9:11 am

>42 Donna828: Thanks Donna. I'll keep The Good People in mind.

>43 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg! I like to read books set in places I know and also in places where I'm traveling. It does bring them more to life.

45BLBera
Jul 11, 2019, 9:27 am

>35 RebaRelishesReading: That does sound like fun, Reba. I do like mysteries that are set in familiar places.

>39 RebaRelishesReading: Yes, that is a must-have.

46RebaRelishesReading
Jul 11, 2019, 4:18 pm

>45 BLBera: Hi Beth! It was a fun read. No I'm not going to buy it but if it came as a post card I might frame it on my desk :)

47brenzi
Jul 11, 2019, 8:09 pm

>39 RebaRelishesReading: Hmmmm, that's my job too Reba lol.

I also like Hannah Kent's dark nature.

48RebaRelishesReading
Jul 12, 2019, 8:06 am

>47 brenzi: Hi Bonnie!

49RebaRelishesReading
Jul 16, 2019, 3:59 pm



The Ensemble by Aja Gabel***1/2

The Van Ness is a string quartet composed of first violin Jana ("flinty, resilient leader", second violin Brit ("beautiful, quiet orphan"), violist Henry ("prodigy who's always had it easy") and cellist Daniel ("oldest, an angry skeptic who sleeps around"). We follow them from leaving the graduate school to mid-life through "failure and success, heartbreak and marriage, triumph and loss, betrayal and enduring loyalty". It's an interesting look at the life of professional musicians, of a group and of individuals growing into adulthood. I enjoyed it but wasn't riveted.

50RebaRelishesReading
Jul 21, 2019, 3:31 pm



A World Lost by Wendell Berry****

Andy Catlett is a 9 year-old boy enjoying summer on the family farm in Kentucky when disaster strikes. We follow him through a generally pleasant life until he is in late middle-age when he decides to learn more about the events of that long-ago time. Other than the tragedy lurking in the background this is a pleasant story of a content life well-lived and is a lovely, short read.

51Familyhistorian
Jul 24, 2019, 1:33 pm

Are you enjoying the time at your summer retreat, Reba? I hope the weather there is more pleasant than the heat dome we have been hearing about on the news.

52RebaRelishesReading
Jul 24, 2019, 2:19 pm

>51 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. Yes, we're having a good summer. Last week was a particularly good week from a programming point of view but the weather was horrible!! We had thunderstorms on Sunday night though and this week is lovely so far.

I'd been planning to post some phots and info about last week but haven't been able to get the photos together. Highlights were Richard Rohr who spoke 10 times during the week and was most interesting. We also had talks by Stacey Abrams and Astronaut Scott Kelly -- both great. One night the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and the Music School Festival Orchestra combined to form an amazing 164 piece orchestra to perform the Rites of Spring. Excellent.

There are fewer programs calling to me this week so I'm catching up on reading and enjoying the weather. Hope your summer is going well!

53RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Jul 28, 2019, 5:00 pm



Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan**** (audio)

This is another in a series of books set on Mur off the west coast of Ireland. I'm finding them particularly fun to read because we were on Mur last fall but the stories are also entertaining. In this one Flora finds she is pregnant but the timing is very poor. Her bakery/cafe is just getting off the ground and her relationship with Joel is better but he is still frightened of committal. Christmas is coming and things are hectic. A fun book for listening to while walking.

No idea why this cover is so big. I used my usual "150" with and then tried to tone it down by changing that to "50" -- it's still just as big!!

54brenzi
Jul 28, 2019, 6:04 pm

At least I can see the image Reba ( really see it lol) not like on some threads where no images show at all. LT problems. Sounds like a fun audio.

55Familyhistorian
Jul 29, 2019, 6:44 pm

>52 RebaRelishesReading: Probably good timing if the programming was so good it kept you busy while the weather was poor. Enjoy your reading in the good weather, Reba.

56BLBera
Jul 31, 2019, 10:36 am

>49 RebaRelishesReading: Hmm. I've been wondering about this one, Reba. I'll put it on the "maybe at some point" list.

57RebaRelishesReading
Jul 31, 2019, 4:05 pm

>54 brenzi: It was fun, Bonnie.

>55 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg -- It's hard not to stay busy here I'm afraid :)

>56 BLBera: "Maybe at some point" sound just about right, Beth.

58RebaRelishesReading
Ago 2, 2019, 11:22 pm



Brookland by Emily Barton****1/2

In the late 18th century a successful distiller of gin in Brooklyn decides that since he doesn't have a son and is unlikely to have one he will train his eldest daughter to take over the business. The story follows Prudence and her sisters Pearl and Temperance until 1822 as they cope with an unusual life of strong businesswomen. I selected the book because it is on the list of reading for the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle and I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

59RebaRelishesReading
Ago 4, 2019, 12:02 am



Andrew's Brain by E. L. Doctorow***1/2

Andrew is a scientist who studies brain function and who is also prone to accidents that cause harm to others or to his own life. In this book he is describing his past to someone he calls "doc" who seems to be his psychiatrist. The story is somewhat interesting but didn't really grab me like I thought it might. It does have an interesting twist at the end though.

60ChelleBearss
Ago 4, 2019, 11:46 am

Happy new thread!

61RebaRelishesReading
Ago 4, 2019, 5:23 pm

Thank you Chelle!

62banjo123
Ago 4, 2019, 11:10 pm

Brookland sounds like something my book group might like.

Happy new thread, Reba!

63brenzi
Ago 5, 2019, 7:12 pm

Ohhhh Brookland sounds like something I'd love Reba. Onto the list it goes.

64PaulCranswick
Ago 5, 2019, 8:50 pm

>58 RebaRelishesReading: That's cute - that a gin distiller calls his kid Temperance!

65RebaRelishesReading
Ago 6, 2019, 8:26 pm

>62 banjo123: I think there would be a lot for a group to discuss.

>63 brenzi: Ah yes, that ever growing list :)

>64 PaulCranswick: Yep and she goes on to help manage it :)

66Berly
Ago 7, 2019, 2:29 am

>39 RebaRelishesReading: Yay for the T-shirt and 9 Perfect Strangers!! And Brookland! I always come away with new books to find when I visit here. : )

67BLBera
Ago 7, 2019, 12:09 pm

>58 RebaRelishesReading: This one has been on my shelf for years. Good to know it's a good one.

The Doctorow also sounds interesting.

68RebaRelishesReading
Ago 7, 2019, 4:41 pm

> 66 Hi Kim. I didn't buy the t-shirt, just wanted to share the sentiment :) Hope you're feeling better.

>67 BLBera: Hi Beth. Doctorow was interesting but I liked Brookland much better. Look forward to hearing how you think about it once it finds its way off your shelf :)

69RebaRelishesReading
Ago 7, 2019, 4:46 pm



Mother Tongue by Demetria Martinez****

A charming little book about a Mexican-American woman who helps to shelter a refugee from El Salvador. Written in 1994, this book is still very relevant and a very good read.

70RebaRelishesReading
Ago 9, 2019, 4:54 pm



Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya*****

A lovely but sad book about a woman from a family of modest means who is marries a kind young man who is a tenant farmer. The story follows their life together until he dies. They a experience heart-breaking level of poverty unknown in America and somehow manage to fight on and to hope. A difficult but lovely story.

71Donna828
Ago 10, 2019, 9:19 pm

Reba, I'm always surprised by how much reading you are able to do while in Chautauqua. There always seems to be so many activities going on. I love hearing about the speakers that you've heard. How much longer will you be there?

72RebaRelishesReading
Ago 13, 2019, 10:27 am

Hi Donna -- "season" ends a week from Friday but we'll be around here (more or less) until Nov. 4. "More or less" because I'm going to England with a friend to do a walking trip from Sept. 7 to 26 and Hubby and I are going to New England, Quebec and Ontario for a couple of weeks after I get back but Chautauqua will be home base until we head west in November.

73brenzi
Ago 14, 2019, 8:45 pm

>70 RebaRelishesReading: This one sounds good even if very sad Reba.Im adding it to my list.

74RebaRelishesReading
Ago 15, 2019, 10:09 am

>73 brenzi: Good morning Bonnie -- it is sad but excellent

75sibylline
Ago 16, 2019, 9:17 am

Always intrigued by your reading when you are at Chatauqua. -- This last one reminds me of a novel I read long ago, set in Malaysia where a happy, but poor, little farm family (rice) are completely crushed when the father steps on a stick, gets an infection because there is no antibiotic (and even if there was he has to keep going in the water to work) and so he dies and so does pretty much everyone else -- maybe one young child, a boy, is taken by another family as he might be useful to them when he gets big enough. The girls? The mother? Done for.

76RebaRelishesReading
Ago 16, 2019, 12:12 pm

>75 sibylline: Hi Lucy. Good to see you. Your book sounds like a similarly sad story but the cause of the disaster that befalls the parents isn't the same. Mine were tenant farmers who lose the land.

My CHQ reading has taken a turn this year because they have created two new levels in the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle's Guide of the Seven Seals. That means I have to read a LOT more books from the CLSC list to be promoted and I can't resist new challenges/honors :) I've read most of the books from recent years' lists so I'm having to go back and find some (hopefully) good ones from 20th century lists.

77RebaRelishesReading
Ago 17, 2019, 11:36 pm



If Today Be Sweet by Thrity Umrigar*****

For some reason I've been reading a string of books set in India or about Indian people but this one is definitely the best of them. Tehmina is a 66 year-old Parsi Indian woman whose husband recently died unexpectedly. She has come to Ohio to stay with her son and daughter-in-law. They have asked her to move in with them but she is conflicted. She loves them and would like to be near them (and their young son) but she also misses "Bombay" and is hesitant to give up her apartment there and there are some stresses in the household that also make the decision difficult. I found this to be a lovely story of human relationships, changes, stresses and decision. Five star read for me.

78karenmarie
Ago 18, 2019, 10:06 am

Hi Reba!

Just a quick hello - congrats on so much good reading and attending cultural events.

79RebaRelishesReading
Ago 18, 2019, 5:07 pm

>78 karenmarie: Thank you Karen. It's been a good summer :)

80RebaRelishesReading
Ago 18, 2019, 5:13 pm



Reba, Benita, Bonnie, Sharon (with Roni's vase joining in)

It's been a good weekend. First Benita was in town and joined me in the Chautauqua choir then this afternoon Bonnie came down from Buffalo and Benita's friend, Sharon, came over and we all had lunch and much talk at our Chautauqua house. LTer's are such good people :)

81ronincats
Ago 18, 2019, 11:04 pm

Ooh, meet-up picture, and my vase got to participate!!!

82benitastrnad
Ago 19, 2019, 5:19 pm

We had a great lunch. Wonderful quiche, salad, and desert- all washed down by good western New York sparkling wine. Thanks to Bonnie, Reba, and Emory for a great afternoon of books and book talking - along with lots of other conversational topics - but mostly books.

Along with Librarything talk, Reba told me about the CLSC of which she is a member. CLSC = Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle. This is one of America’s oldest continuous book clubs and I think that along with LT I want to be a member of this group. If you are interested in what it is you can check it out on their web site.

83benitastrnad
Editado: Ago 19, 2019, 5:32 pm

>77 RebaRelishesReading:
I added If Today Be Sweet by Thrity Umrigar to by ever growing TBR list. I was surprised to see that it wasnt’t on there because I know I have read a review of it. I have Umrigar’s book Space Between Us on my shelves but have not read it yet. I will have to move it up on the list.

I also added Nectar in a Sieve because it sounds good.

Have you read the Ibis Trilogy by Amativ Gosh? Those are great books about India. I have read two of the three and have the third one on my book shelves and there it has languished.

84figsfromthistle
Ago 19, 2019, 8:48 pm

>80 RebaRelishesReading: Great meet-up pic. Looks like you all had a great time!

85RebaRelishesReading
Ago 20, 2019, 4:29 pm

>82 benitastrnad: It was great meeting you, Benita, and we thoroughly enjoyed the meet-up. I'm glad you're interested in joining CLSC. If you do, I'll come to your graduation :)

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Space Between if you read it before I do (no current plans but it does sound interesting). Nectar in a Sieve is good, but sad. I read Sea of Poppies many years ago but haven't read any others from Ghosh. Perhaps I should get back to him one of these days.

>84 figsfromthistle: It was a fun day!!

86brenzi
Ago 20, 2019, 8:30 pm

Hi Reba, after some time has passed and you haven't read any books set in India for awhile, I highly recommend Paul Scott's four book series The Jewel in the Crown. I read it last year and loved every bit of it.

I actually met and talked to Amitav Ghosh when he was at UB a few years ago. It was a very informal setting with only about twenty people and I found him to be charming. He has a new book coming out soon but do read the rest of the Ibis Trilogy. I thought it was excellent.

87benitastrnad
Ago 20, 2019, 9:21 pm

>86 brenzi:
I read the Paul Scott quartet when I was in library school. It took me months to read the first one. About 2 months to read the second. Two weeks to read the third and I think I stayed up all night a couple nights to read the last one in a few days.

I rarely keep the books I have read, but I kept all four of them. They are wonderful!

88RebaRelishesReading
Ago 21, 2019, 9:57 am

>86 brenzi:, >87 benitastrnad: OK, I'm sold. The Jewel in the Crown (was there a movie made from that?) and the rest of the trilogy are on the wish list. :)

89jjmcgaffey
Ago 21, 2019, 4:04 pm

>88 RebaRelishesReading: There was a (rather good, I'm told) TV miniseries of The Jewel in the Crown - my parents watched and enjoyed it. I'm not much of one for TV, so I haven't. It's a Masterpiece Theater series, and it's on DVD.

There's also the movie The Jewel of the Nile - not at all the same thing! Fun, but not related. Silly adventure.

90RebaRelishesReading
Ago 22, 2019, 9:35 am

>89 jjmcgaffey: Right, I though I watched much of The Jewel in the Crown when it was originally broadcast

91RebaRelishesReading
Ago 22, 2019, 9:48 am



The Fourth Man by Howard Moody***1/2

Though written in 1964, this book still has some interesting thoughts on modern society. The "fourth man" comes from a 1952 book by Dutch historian, Hoekendijk who suggested the "fourth man" supersedes "Christian Man, the Renaissance individualist and the bourgeois moralist".

92benitastrnad
Ago 22, 2019, 11:01 am

I watched the PBS series Jewel in the Crown before I read the books. They are what prompted me to read the books. Sort of like me trying to read the Poldark books after I started watching the series. The PBS Jewel in the Crown was actually a BBC production and it has some great performances in it. It is wonderful to watch.

I often think that the Booker Prize went to the wrong Paul Scott book and the committee knew it. It seems to me that the Booker prize he got was a reward for this body-of-work as those four books are really a fictionalized history of India from 1939 to 1948. The book for which he won the Booker Staying On is one I have not read. I have it on my TBR list, but haven't gotten there yet.

93brenzi
Ago 22, 2019, 7:42 pm

I read Staying On and you're right Benita. It was weak in comparison to the Raj Quartet.

94RebaRelishesReading
Ago 23, 2019, 1:56 pm

When I get finished with my CLSC reading (50 books from now!!) I'll get back to my wish list and see about these two :)

95RebaRelishesReading
Ago 23, 2019, 1:58 pm

We saw the documentary Toni Morrison last night and recommend it for readers everywhere :)

96RebaRelishesReading
Ago 24, 2019, 11:45 am



Among English Hedgerows by Clifton Johnson*****

Written in 1899 this absolutely charming book is a report by an American about his travels in England. It includes many photos of village life and buildings taken on his trip.

97BLBera
Ago 24, 2019, 12:03 pm

>80 RebaRelishesReading: Nice meet-up photo, Reba. I agree; LTers are good people. I've never had a bad meet up.

98benitastrnad
Ago 24, 2019, 9:55 pm

Chautauqua winds down this weekend and I am sure that things will be much quieter around there. Maybe you can devote more time to reading now that the signing will be over.

99RebaRelishesReading
Ago 26, 2019, 8:18 am

>97 BLBera: I agree totally, Beth.

>98 benitastrnad: Hi Benita. Yep, the three gavels were tapped last night so it's officially over for 2019. We sang some beautiful pieces of music last night too. I've been getting a fair amount of CLSC reading done but hope to do more, as soon as our next house guest (arriving tomorrow) goes and before I leave for England :)

100RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Ago 26, 2019, 3:06 pm

The Storyteller's Secret by Sejal Badani***** (audio)

Jaya, the daughter of Indian immigrants, is a successful journalist in New York City. Once happily married, her marriage is ending because of her inability to deal with her grief after having three miscarriages. When she learns that her mother's father is dying but neither her mother nor her mother's brothers are going to pay him a last visit, Jaya decides to go herself and ends up learning secrets about her family that help her better understand her troubled relationship with her mother and to better understand her self and deal with her grief. My favorite "India book" so far.

101brenzi
Ago 26, 2019, 9:39 pm

>100 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, well I guess you haven't really gotten tired of Indian literature after all. And this one sounds really good. Adding it to my Overdrive list.

102charl08
Ago 27, 2019, 6:06 pm

>100 RebaRelishesReading: Sounds good - I'll have a look for it here.

103RebaRelishesReading
Ago 28, 2019, 8:48 am

>101 brenzi: Hi Bonnie. I had been listening to this one for a while but, no, you're right I'm not tired yet :)

>102 charl08: Enjoy!

104benitastrnad
Ago 29, 2019, 10:05 pm

I got a phone call from Sharon yesterday about Jared so went back and found the e-mail and read it. What a tragedy. Are you going to the memorial service?

105RebaRelishesReading
Ago 30, 2019, 7:35 am

>104 benitastrnad: Yes, we'll be there at 11 today. He was a lovely man and will be sorely missed both here and in San Diego.

For those who don't know what we're talking about, Jared Jacobson died in a car accident Tuesday afternoon. He was Chautauqua's Director of Music for 25 years, directing the choir and planning and executing the musical part of religious services at Chautauqua. He was also a virtuoso on the organ, master of the two largest outdoor organs in the world, the Massey at Chautauqua and the Sprekels in San Diego (where he was Civic Organist before he came to Chautauqua). He also taught music at Bishop's School in La Jolla, CA. Most importantly, however, he was just a super nice man! I am comforted though by remembering how happy he was Sunday evening at our last "performance" for this season. The Massy had a tough year in 2018 starting with water damage from leaking pipes over the winter and ending with a fire in the control board on the final Sunday. This year the organ was restored and working perfectly and the choir was singing well. He told the choir staff that it had been his best season EVER at Chautauqua -- and given that he had been here every summer for 65 years (since he was 5) that says quite a lot!

RIP Jared. We will miss you.

106sibylline
Ago 30, 2019, 10:52 am

That is so sad. He sounds as though he was a great person.

So happy you had a great LT meet-up. How I wish I had been there!

107brenzi
Ago 30, 2019, 3:49 pm

>105 RebaRelishesReading: How terribly sad Reba. What a loss.

108RebaRelishesReading
Ago 31, 2019, 11:32 am

>106 sibylline: and >107 brenzi: Thanks for your words. It is pretty sad around here right now.

109RebaRelishesReading
Sep 1, 2019, 3:56 pm



The Middle Heart by Bette Bao Lord****

This is the story of three childhood friends, the second son of an aristocrat, his servant/"book mate" and the son of a grave digger. We follow them, and China's history, from 1919 to 1989 as they experience Japanese occupation, civil war, and the Cultural Revolution. It's a rather complicated story, of course, but engaging and worthwhile.

110RebaRelishesReading
Sep 2, 2019, 3:09 pm



A Woman's Life: the story of an Ordinary American and Her Extraordinary Generation by Susan Cheever****

Quoting the book jacket: "Turning the idea of celebrity biography inside out, Susan Cheever explores the heart and mind of her generation with this powerful true story of the life of an ordinary woman whose experiences as a wife, mother, lover, teacher, and friend are a fascinating prism for readers of any generation."

Written in 1994, this book explores the changes experienced in the role and lives of women of the early baby-boom years as they reach middle-age. Her main character was born in 1947 and since I was born in late-1946 I could easily identify with the story. No surprises here but an interesting walk through the world of the first half of my life.

111benitastrnad
Sep 3, 2019, 12:48 pm

Bette Bao Lord is famous among children's authors. She wrote Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson and it is a book kids love to read. Glad to see that somebody is still reading her works. Anyway, that title is book bullet for me.

112benitastrnad
Sep 3, 2019, 12:56 pm

Please tell Imre that I looked up his dissertation this morning in ProQuest's Dissertations and Theses. (That is the old Dissertations Abstracts) I found AMERICAN IMAGES OF CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE, 1800-1890 listed there. Unfortunately, it is not in full text, so I would have to request the dissertation through Inter-Library Loan. It is always good to see Kansas alumni work.

113RebaRelishesReading
Sep 3, 2019, 3:01 pm

>111 benitastrnad:
I'm reading things from the CLSC list now, madly working on the new levels they've added. I've finished the first (which will be awarded next summer) and have made a start on the second. Because of that I'm reading a lot of things from the past.

>112 benitastrnad:
I passed your message on :)

114brenzi
Sep 3, 2019, 6:58 pm

What is involved in this CLSC Reba? Do you just read the books or is there, idk, an evaluation of some sort. And when do you go for your long walk?

115RebaRelishesReading
Sep 4, 2019, 9:06 am

>114 brenzi: In the early 20th century when CLSC began there were tests on the books but that ended fairly early and no you just read them and report that you did (totally honor system). I just completed the 5th level but still have 40+ to go for the final one. Until this year there were only 4 levels and I finished that a few years ago. They had talked about adding levels for a long time but in such a joking way I didn't think it would happen so was taken by surprise when they actually did it. I don't really know why I get so involved in this sort of thing but there's just something about lists and challenges (and patches :>) that I have a hard time resisting.

I leave for London on Saturday and we will starting walking on Tuesday. I'm not as ready has I had planned/hoped to be but I keep telling myself I can do it. I'll try to post our progress.

116benitastrnad
Sep 4, 2019, 4:27 pm

I also want to see your progress - when you get around to doing so. I imagine that it may be hard to get to your laptop everyday. Pictures would be appreciated as well.

Daryl and Joe & Debi have already gone and should be in London by now.

117RebaRelishesReading
Sep 4, 2019, 5:22 pm

>116 benitastrnad: Yes, I think so. Too bad our visits don't overlap. I'll do my best with reporting. I won't hav my laptop with me but I will have my iPad and phone and hope I can do something that way.

118Donna828
Sep 4, 2019, 5:40 pm

Hi Reba, I also love books set in India, my favorite being A Fine Balance. You got me with two book bullets: If Today Be Sweet and The Storyteller’s Secret.

I’m so sorry about the loss of your choir director friend. I hope his family and friends take comfort in his completion of the Chautauqua season.

I hope you get to post your progress on your walking tour of England. I’ll be with you in spirit as I walk my daily 10,000 steps, though I suspect you will be doing many more. Have fun!

119RebaRelishesReading
Sep 5, 2019, 10:22 am

>118 Donna828: Hi Donna! I think you'll enjoy the two BB's (hope so!)

I'm going to change the tutu's to a map of the walk tomorrow and I think I'll be able to post most days as we go. I've been a total sloth the past week or so, however, and I'm starting to worry that I may regret it on Tuesday when we actually start the walk.

120benitastrnad
Sep 5, 2019, 6:54 pm

I think you will have a great time! The UK is a great place for walkers and apparently they take their walking seriously. Sharon and a friend of hers walked along the South West Coastal Way back in the middle 1990's. It proved to be much more hilly than she thought it would be. However, she said that she couldn't believe how cooperative landowners were in allowing people to hike across their land.

I read somewhere that England has more National Walking Paths than any other country in Europe. I find that hard to believe as France and Germany have these kinds of trails as well. I know that the Germans are passionate about their walking, hiking, and biking trails. I do think that the Europeans know how to do this kind of trip and that they do it very well. I am sure that you will get along fine.

121brenzi
Sep 5, 2019, 8:39 pm

I have a friend who is originally from the UK and goes back there from October to April every year and talks about walking the National Walking Paths. You'll do fine Reba. It's not a race or anything so just set a pace you can maintain and have fun, above all. I'm rooting for you.

122RebaRelishesReading
Sep 6, 2019, 3:18 pm

Thank you Benita and Bonnie!! i need that encouragement :) We booked this trip over a year ago and it's hard to believe it's finally here but my flight is tomorrow afternoon so that is getting pretty real!

I've posted a blurry map of our route above and I hope to post photos/reports as we go along.

Cheerio!

123Familyhistorian
Sep 7, 2019, 1:24 am

Safe travels, Reba. Enjoy your walking trip!

124susanj67
Sep 7, 2019, 6:48 am

Have a good flight, Reba! See you soon :-)

125RebaRelishesReading
Sep 7, 2019, 9:09 am

>123 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg!

>124 susanj67: and you too, Susan. Looking forward to seeing you :)

126BLBera
Sep 7, 2019, 11:05 am

Safe travels, Reba.

The Storyteller's Secret sounds like a good one. I also like books set in and about India.

127charl08
Sep 7, 2019, 11:27 am

Hope the walk goes well, Reba. I like Bristol, hope you have some time to check out the sights (although thinking about it, you are far more used to being on the sea than me , so maybe will seem quite small compared to SD).

128kidzdoc
Sep 8, 2019, 5:02 am

Have a great time in Blighty, Reba! I'm sorry that Debbi, Joe and I will have left by the time you arrive in London.

129sibylline
Sep 8, 2019, 12:08 pm

Have a wonderful trip!!!!

130RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Sep 11, 2019, 3:09 pm

Thank you Beth, Charlotte, Darryl and Lucy. I’m also sorry you’re leaving before we get to London, Darryl. We actually spend two nights in Bristol, walking from the north,eastern edge, ( I think) to the center on our last day but we decided to head into London once the walk is finished.

We’ve been in Reading since we arrived on Sunday. Today we took the bus to Henley, which is a lovely town. Visited the river museum there enjoying the lovely display of boats and a nicely done Wind and Willows exhibit.

Tomorrow is the big day! After breakfast we will set out on the Kennet Avon Canal for our first, 10-mile leg. Reality time 😬

131brenzi
Sep 10, 2019, 6:10 pm

Good luck Reba! You'll do great. Keep us posted.

132RebaRelishesReading
Sep 11, 2019, 3:08 pm

Thank you Bonnie. I appreciate the support🙂

We knew it would be a challenge! Our walk today was scheduled to be 10.5 miles not counting the walks from last nights hotel to the path and from the path to tonight’s hotel— hotel to hotel the walk was 13.75 miles! (Or 34,920 steps). I was too tired to have anything but soup for dinner but now I’ve had a long hot shower and am propped up in a very comfortable bed. Tomorrow is 9 miles on the path plus we’ll see how much more.

133benitastrnad
Sep 12, 2019, 10:28 am

I took the time today to look up the Kennet Avon Canal and was surprised to find out that there are lots of these kinds of walking paths. Some of them are rated as strenuous and others are easy. There is even a government trust to administer these paths and maintain them. How wonderful for the residents and tourists of England. In my Internet wanderings I did notice that the mileage posted for segments did not include the walking to and from the hotels each day. Sounds like that adds some steps to the trip.

Was your luggage waiting for you? Sounds like the B&B is great.

134karenmarie
Sep 12, 2019, 10:32 am

Safe and fun travels, Reba!

135RebaRelishesReading
Sep 12, 2019, 2:26 pm

>133 benitastrnad:. It sure does! Today’s 9 miles turned into over 12. Y feet hurt and I’m tired. We’re in a pleasant guest house Newbury tonight and tomorrow night (rest day tomorrow and I really need it):

>134 karenmarie: Thanks Karen.

I tried to post a photo and got it into my photo gallery ok but can’t figure out how to copy the image address on my iPad. Help anyone?

136brenzi
Sep 12, 2019, 7:22 pm

>135 RebaRelishesReading: I've been trying to figure that out for a couple of years Reba with no success..I'll go look at your gallery.

137benitastrnad
Sep 12, 2019, 9:27 pm

Tim Spaulding told me a year ago that they were going to have to start cracking down on the use of photographs due to copyright violations. That was why they created Litzy. It is much easier to upload photographs into that than on LT.

Over on one of the other threads somebody said that they couldn’t upload book covers either.

I have never figured out how to get photographs into LT so I am not sure how it works.

138RebaRelishesReading
Sep 13, 2019, 6:18 am

>136 brenzi: that will take care of it Bonnie

>137 benitastrnad: It’s not that important, Benita and I don’t do Litzy.

We’re having a well-earned rest day today. Plan to take a taxi to a pub for liner and let our sore feet rest.

139ChelleBearss
Sep 13, 2019, 7:22 pm

>135 RebaRelishesReading: I never got the hang of posting pics from my ipad either
I can only do it from my computer

140benitastrnad
Sep 13, 2019, 9:37 pm

>139 ChelleBearss:
All I have is an iPad, so maybe that is why I couldn’t get it to work. Glad to know it is the stupid machine and not me that is the problem.

141RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Sep 16, 2019, 2:20 pm

We've walked 66.5 miles so far and are in Devizes tonight. This was day 5 of 10 days walking but the day after tomorrow is a rest day ( whew) so we won’t get to the end of the canal until Saturday afternoon.

142FAMeulstee
Sep 16, 2019, 5:05 pm

>141 RebaRelishesReading: That is a vast amout of walking, Reba!
I hope your feet are coping ;-)

143RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Sep 18, 2019, 2:56 am

>142 FAMeulstee:. They’re sore but my walking partner and good friend packs them up for me each morning so they’re OK. Rest day today in beautiful Bradford-on-Avon where, for the first time in a week, I have a comfortable chair! I sat and read for hours last evening—bliss.

75 3/4 miles now. Six walking days done, three to go.

144Familyhistorian
Sep 18, 2019, 2:41 pm

Good luck with the rest of the walk, Reba. You've been at it a long time. I thought that your walk was about as long as my trip to NY but you are there a lot longer than I was away. We though 26,000 plus steps was a great achievement in a day. 34,000 would be so much harder. Good on you!

145RebaRelishesReading
Sep 20, 2019, 2:26 am

>144 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, Thanks for the encouragement! We’re almost there! Tomorrow afternoon we will reach the end of the canal having walked about 100 miles. It will be 11 days since we started - 9 walking and 2 resting - then we’re off to London to play for a few days before we fly home on Thursday. It’s been a fun challenge.

146Familyhistorian
Sep 20, 2019, 12:15 pm

>145 RebaRelishesReading: I'm sure it will be a relief when it is over, but sad too. Have fun in London, Reba!

147benitastrnad
Sep 20, 2019, 10:59 pm

When you get back you will have to tell me what you learned about England on this trip since it was't the usual kind of sightseeing trip.

148banjo123
Sep 21, 2019, 2:58 pm

Hi Reba! excited to hear about your trip, I have also long-wanted to do a walking tour in Britain.

149RebaRelishesReading
Sep 22, 2019, 2:50 pm

11days (9 walking,2 resting); 106.32 miles or 253,780 steps and as of yesterday afternoon my friend and I have walked the full length of the Kenneth and Avon Canal from Reading to Bristol! My feet are a bit sore but generally I feel great and I’m really happy to have done it.

>146 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. We’re in our temporary home and ready to take on the big city 🙂

>147 benitastrnad: Hi Benita. I wouldn’t say I learned much about England. I always like being here though and this was a challenge for me and I’m pleased I was able to do it.

>148 banjo123:. Rhonda, we used a company called Contours, Ltd. and I was very pleased with them. You might go on line and see if they have anything that interests you.

150charl08
Sep 22, 2019, 2:54 pm

Congrats on completing your walk! Hope you have bought a book or two to celebrate.

151RebaRelishesReading
Sep 22, 2019, 3:02 pm

> Book shopping is on the agenda for tomorrow morning 🙂

152SandDune
Sep 22, 2019, 3:06 pm

>149 RebaRelishesReading: Congratulations!

153RebaRelishesReading
Sep 22, 2019, 3:08 pm

>152 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian

154brenzi
Sep 22, 2019, 3:33 pm

Well done Reba!

155RebaRelishesReading
Sep 22, 2019, 3:38 pm

>154 brenzi:. Thanks, Bonnie. I’m feelin’ pretty good about it🙃

156FAMeulstee
Sep 23, 2019, 4:26 pm

>149 RebaRelishesReading: That is an accomplishment, Reba.
For my own reference I had to look up how many kilometers you walked (171,11), that is a lot!
Have fun in London.

157RebaRelishesReading
Sep 23, 2019, 5:31 pm

>156 FAMeulstee: My feet agree with you Anita. We walked 7 more today around in London and they are hurting tonight 😟

158benitastrnad
Sep 23, 2019, 6:09 pm

>157 RebaRelishesReading:
There is a big difference between a gravel path and hard pavement. You feet know the difference.

159RebaRelishesReading
Sep 24, 2019, 7:05 pm

I had a lovely catch-up dinner with Susan tonight. A photo will be posted Friday when I’m home and have a keyboard again.

It was great to see you Susan and thank you for Dear Mrs Bird which I’ve been wanting since your review of it. I’ll start it in the morning and probably finish it on the plane on Thursday.

160Familyhistorian
Sep 25, 2019, 7:48 pm

Safe travels, Reba.

161RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Sep 28, 2019, 2:49 pm

I'm back at home with a keyboard so now I can share the books I read while on my English adventure.



Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark by Jane Fletcher Geniesse****

Freya Stark, who lived from 1893 to 1993, was a largely self-educated expert on the middle-east. She taught herself several languages and traveled widely through-out the area with only a very few companions. She supported herself and her travels by writing books and articles. During WWII she worked for the British Ministry of Information organizing groups sympathetic to the western cause. She was a most fascinating woman and this biography is well written and fascinating.



About Grace by Anthony Doerr***

I read it three weeks ago and I've already forgotten it.



The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland by Dan Barry****1/2

A heart wrenching story of young men who were labeled mentally deficient and institutionalized then sent to work in slavery-like conditions at a turkey farm. Well written and definitely worth a read.



Sing for Your Life: A Story of Race, Music and Family by Daniel Bergner*****

A young African-American boy from a dysfunctional family becomes interested in opera and faces challenges from his own temper, his family circumstances, and racism. A well-written, interesting story. Highly recommended.



One Hundred Names for Love by Diane Ackerman****

This is the story of Ms. Ackerman's marriage to Paul West and her struggle to help him improve after a serious stroke. It's not only a beautiful love story but also I think it would be a great resource for anyone dealing with a similar circumstance.



Dear Mrs Bird by A J Pearce****1/2

Finally, the lovely book Susan gave me. Emmeline Lake is in her early twenties when WWII comes to England. She dreams of being a Lady War Correspondent and is excited when she is offered a job with a publishing company but the job turns out to be as junior typist for an advice columnist. The book is funny and heart-wrenching. It gives the best picture of life during the blitz that I've ever read and left me hiding tears on the plane on my flight home.
Thanks so much, Susan, it's a great book!

162RebaRelishesReading
Sep 28, 2019, 4:23 pm



And here is the promised meet-up photo. Susan and I had dinner (with my friend Marjorie who took the photo) at Brown's in London on Tuesday, Sept. 24. It's always fun to have a visit with Susan!

163banjo123
Sep 28, 2019, 7:16 pm

Reba, thanks for the name of Contours, and great meet up pics!

164benitastrnad
Sep 28, 2019, 9:44 pm

You did some interesting reading while you were in Blighty. I took a couple of book bullets.

Glad to see you are back in New York and have all that wonderful fall weather up there. Sharon told me that she came back to Alabama too early. We have had 2 hundred degree days in September when we didn’t have a single hundred degree day in the whole summer!

165susanj67
Sep 29, 2019, 4:17 am

>161 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I'm so glad you enjoyed Dear Mrs Bird :-) All the credit has to go to the LTers whose threads I saw it on, as so often happens :-) You had some good reads while you were here. The Boys in the Bunkhouse looks particularly good.

>162 RebaRelishesReading: There we are! Thanks to Marjorie for the photo :-)

166BLBera
Sep 29, 2019, 10:28 am

Thanks for the meet up photo, Reba. I'm glad you enjoyed Dear Mrs. Bird.

167FAMeulstee
Sep 29, 2019, 1:47 pm

>162 RebaRelishesReading: I love meet-ups, Reba. You had fun being together, we have fun seeing you both on the picture :-)

168RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Sep 29, 2019, 2:30 pm

I just realized I missed two books I read while gone (they are on Kindle and just slipped my mind -- guess that says something).



Last Train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin***1/2

A number of Turkish jews are stranded in France when the German's invade and the Turkish government is trying to get them out, and to help others who are not citizens but have connections to Turkey as well. The story was very good, the translation a bit less so.



A Dashing Duke for Emily: A Historical Regency Romance Novel by Hanna Hamilton**

The perfect book for an exhausted body. The story is predictable and the writing sounds like it would have received a decent grade in a high school sophomore composition class.

And that makes 75 :)

169Familyhistorian
Editado: Sep 29, 2019, 2:32 pm

Great meet up photo, Reba. It sounds like you had a great time but I bet you are glad to be home at last!

ETA Congrats on reading 75!

170RebaRelishesReading
Sep 29, 2019, 2:35 pm

>163 banjo123: Hope it's helpful to you Rhonda.

>164 benitastrnad: Hi Benita. We had wonderful weather in England and it's continuing here :) The leaves haven't really done much yet though. We're taking a short New England/Canada trip starting Saturday which was planned to be a leaf-peeping excursion -- may not be.

> 165 Hi Susan. There were several good ones among them. Boys in the Bunkhouse was certainly a worthwhile read.

> 166 Happy to oblige Beth and thank you for your contribution to Mrs. Bird.

>167 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita -- I'm a meet-up fan too :)

171RebaRelishesReading
Sep 29, 2019, 3:02 pm

A friend forwarded a link to a National Geographic article on beautiful libraries that I think many LTer's may enjoy. I hope this will take you there:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/lists/photos-of-beautiful-libraries-ar...

172brenzi
Sep 29, 2019, 8:15 pm

I'm wondering how you had time to read so many books while you were gone Reba? Didn't you get off the trail and just collapse somewhere lol? I know I would have.

And thanks for the meet up picture. You look very relaxed for someone who just did the trek you did.

I really enjoyed Mrs. Bird too.

173ronincats
Sep 29, 2019, 8:59 pm

Congrats on hitting the 75 book mark, although you damned that last book with faint praise!;-D

174susanj67
Sep 30, 2019, 4:47 am

Congratulations on 75 books, Reba!

175PaulCranswick
Sep 30, 2019, 4:59 am

Well done, Reba, on reaching 75!

176RebaRelishesReading
Sep 30, 2019, 9:48 am

>172 brenzi: Hi Bonnie! Our routine was that we would walk about 6 miles and then stop at a pub for a nice relaxing lunch before continuing on to the end of the day's segment where we would check into our lodging, go to our rooms and (in my case at least) shower and then read until I fell asleep. (We generally ate "trail snacks" for "dinner"). By the time of the meet-up we had been in London for three nights and were feeling pretty restored.

>173 ronincats: Hi Roni -- just telling it the way it is :)

>174 susanj67:, >175 PaulCranswick: Thank you Susan and Paul. I'm a bit sorry it was such a weak book that took me to that mark but nice to be there just the same :)

177RebaRelishesReading
Sep 30, 2019, 9:50 am

Hubby and I are going to do a little road trip next week which will include a stop in Louise Penny's home town so I think that's the perfect excuse to read her latest book. We'll be gone about 10 days so I will need more than one book and am trying to decide which of the other new-books-by-favorite-authors I should take. Hmmm, what a delicious problem to ponder :)

178RebaRelishesReading
Sep 30, 2019, 9:55 am



To end this thread, here is a picture of (part of) the rainbow that accompanied me down the taxiway during my departure from London. It was a full arc and included all of the colors, much more brilliantly amazing than this photo can convey!

179FAMeulstee
Oct 1, 2019, 3:16 pm

>168 RebaRelishesReading: Sorry, I missed it at first, belated congratulations on reaching 75, Reba!
Este tema fue continuado por RebaRelishesReading in 2019 - 4th quarter.