Familyhistorian’s Keeping Positive Thoughts for a Year of Change – Part 2

Charlas75 Books Challenge for 2021

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Familyhistorian’s Keeping Positive Thoughts for a Year of Change – Part 2

1Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:37 am

2Familyhistorian
Editado: Mar 2, 2021, 12:53 am

Hi my name is Meg. I’ve been a member of the mighty 75ers since 2013. In that time, I’ve been hit by many a Book Bullet (BB) so I can attest to the fact that this is a dangerous place. In 2020 I had trouble keeping up with the threads as we all moved more online. I hope that this year will be better, a positive change, in fact.

3Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:36 am

BLOG



My latest blog post was about visiting Northamptonshire for the first time. You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

4Familyhistorian
Editado: Mar 2, 2021, 12:56 am



Little Free Library

Books culled in 2021

January - 0

February - 6

5Familyhistorian
Editado: Mar 2, 2021, 1:00 am

Challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2021 - Renaissance/16th Century
April-June 2021 - 17th Century
July-September 2021 - 18th Century
October-December 2021 - Napoleonic Era

Monthly

January: Shakespeare's Children - The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey - DONE
February: Fashion - The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
March: Arggh, Matey
April: The Sun Never Sets
May: Meet the Press
June: Rewriting the Past
July: Now We Are Free
August: Food
September: Time Travel/Prehistoric
October: Supernatural
November: Reader's Choice
December:

2021 Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prizewinners - Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson - DONE
February: Minority Lives Matter
March: Comfort Reading
April: The Ancient World
May: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
June: Discoveries
July: Cities
August: Transportation
September: Creativity
October: Heroes & Villains
November: Business, the Economy and Big Policy Questions
December: Go Anywhere

7Familyhistorian
Editado: Mar 2, 2021, 1:01 am

Books read in 2021

8Familyhistorian
Editado: Mar 2, 2021, 1:01 am

Books Acquired in 2021

9Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:27 am

I seemed to be doing so well keeping down the book acquisitions in January. A trip to Costco resulted in just three books:

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
A Promised Land by Barack Obama

I was cautiously optimistic that I would be able to keep the number of books coming in on the low side.

10Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:29 am

Then my Santa Thing books started coming in too until their numbers amounted to three:

Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber
Genealogy: Essential Research Methods by Helen Osborn
Terracotta Warriors: History, Mystery and the Latest Discoveries by Edward Burman

11Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:32 am

So far the acquisitions were on the low side. Well, for me at least but then I remembered my Thingaversary which is in early February. As the tradition goes, this is one book for every year on LT plus one for good luck. I joined LT in 2008 which is 13 years ago which adds up to 14 books. I've started to accumulate my stack and they include:

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs
Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb
Someone to Honor by Mary Balogh
Blood is Blood by Will Thomas
Lethal Pursuit by Will Thomas
The British are Coming: The War for America Lexington to Princeton 1775-1777 by Rick Atkinson
Adventures in Memory: The Science and Secrets of Remembering and Forgetting by Hilde Ostby and Ylva Ostby
The Invasion of Canada 1812-1813 by Pierre Berton

Only 5 more to go. I wonder if I can keep my acquisitions in February down to that number.

12Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:32 am

Welcome!

13mdoris
Feb 2, 2021, 12:28 am

Happy new thread Meg!

14Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:30 am

>13 mdoris: Thanks Mary. You found me quickly!

15thornton37814
Feb 2, 2021, 8:16 am

>10 Familyhistorian: I've got Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years lined up to read sometime this year. I suspect it will be March at the earliest.

>11 Familyhistorian: I'll be anxious to see your review of the Susan Wiggs title. It sounded interesting to me--and it's on my wishlist, I think (perhaps just the Amazon one), but I've been waiting to see how others like it. I suspect I can get it through a library instead of purchasing it though.

16FAMeulstee
Feb 2, 2021, 8:34 am

Happy new thread, Meg!

17drneutron
Feb 2, 2021, 8:34 am

Happy new thread, Meg!

18BLBera
Feb 2, 2021, 8:42 am

Happy new thread, Meg. I love the photo at the top.

19jessibud2
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 9:14 am

Happy new one, Meg. Are your daffodils sitting on an old school desk (sans lid)? I love it!

20Crazymamie
Feb 2, 2021, 9:20 am

Happy new one, Meg! The topper photo is so cheerful.

21PaulCranswick
Feb 2, 2021, 9:28 am

>1 Familyhistorian: Daffodils are such harbingers of Spring in the UK.

Happy new one, Meg. xx

22katiekrug
Feb 2, 2021, 10:33 am

Happy new thread, Meg!

23Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 3:48 pm

>15 thornton37814: You probably can get the Susan Wiggs book from a library, Lori. I'm trying to cut back on library books right now because they are keeping me from my own stacks of books.

You'll probably get to Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years before I do. I'll be interested to see what you say about it.

24Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 3:51 pm

>16 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita!

>17 drneutron: Hi Jim and thank you!

>18 BLBera: Thanks Beth! Maybe you need a reminder of Spring and flowers right about now?

25Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 3:53 pm

>19 jessibud2: The school teacher in you is showing, Shelley. That's actually a plant stand with two tiers. There's a potted plant on the bottom. Thanks re the thread.

26Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 3:55 pm

>20 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, I couldn't resist those flowers when I saw them at Safeway. They do give a lift to the day.

27Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 3:58 pm

>21 PaulCranswick: Daffodils are harbingers of Spring here too, Paul. When I think of Spring in the UK I always think of flowers and chocolate which may be because we usually visited around Easter. Thanks re the thread.

28Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 3:58 pm

>22 katiekrug: Thanks Katie!

29johnsimpson
Feb 2, 2021, 4:06 pm

Hi Meg my dear, happy new thread dear friend.

30RebaRelishesReading
Feb 2, 2021, 7:33 pm

Happy new thread, Meg. I love the daffodils although I want some snow before we get spring flowers around here.

31ronincats
Feb 2, 2021, 7:41 pm

Happy New Thread, Meg! Joining in the daffodil love, although I find the book reflections in the glass titillating too.

32thornton37814
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 8:34 pm

>21 PaulCranswick: >27 Familyhistorian: I wandered lonely as a cloud . . . a host of golden daffodils!

33figsfromthistle
Feb 2, 2021, 8:50 pm

Happy new one!

>1 Familyhistorian: What lovely daffodils.

34DeltaQueen50
Feb 3, 2021, 12:40 am

Hi Meg, I'm joining in with the daffodil love - they are so bright and cheery. One good thing my absence from the threads has lead to is that I missed most of the book bullets that were flying about and so I bought very few books in January.

35Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 1:14 am

>29 johnsimpson: Hi John, thanks for the thread wishes.

>30 RebaRelishesReading: They keep saying we're going to get snow, but it doesn't look like it will happen, Reba. The bulbs are starting to come out here.

36Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 1:18 am

>31 ronincats: Hi Roni, I wondered if anyone would pick up on the reflections in the window. Thanks for the new thread wishes.

>32 thornton37814: I remember that first line but didn't connected it to daffodils, Lori. Thanks for the reminder.

37Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 1:21 am

>33 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita, I needed a reminder of Spring.

>34 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I haven't spent much time on the threads either so there have been fewer BBs. That hasn't resulted in fewer books buys though. I tend to look for BBs at the library.

38SandyAMcPherson
Feb 3, 2021, 11:11 am

I need to buy me some tulips or daffodils.
I just added the suggestion to our grocery list, since it is Mr. Hubs who does the food shopping. Spring is so far away, I have to fill the house with flowers for the next 2 months.
Prairie-living is very difficult when you've grown up on Vancouver Island! Mind you, I would have real difficulty coping with the dreary-drizzle and heavy winter overcast. But I sure do wish we could grow snowdrops here... I wonder if I could force some in a pot? (Rhetorical question).

39BLBera
Feb 3, 2021, 12:57 pm

Yes, spring would be nice, Meg.

40Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 1:11 pm

>38 SandyAMcPherson: Forcing some snowdrops sounds nice, Sandy. I remember that feeling of Spring being so far away. I grew up in Montreal so I really appreciate a Lower Mainland Spring which starts in February. We weren't native to Montreal either so weren't all together thrilled with how long winter lasted in that area.

41Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 1:14 pm

>39 BLBera: Hopefully your spring comes soon, Beth. The first signs of spring are showing up here. I love that spring here lasts from February to May.

42Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 3:07 pm

Why is tech always such a challenge? I've had the same Fitbit since 2015 so I guess I shouldn't complain when my account stopped recognizing my Fitbit One today and it no longer synched.

It was time to open up the new Fitbit I ordered last month. Somehow I knew my old devices days were numbered. Setup was frustrating with no written instructions until I found YouTube instructions.

43Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 9:22 pm

17. Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir by Natasha Trethewey

At the time of her mother’s murder, the writer, Natasha, was 19. To cope she buried the most painful parts of the past along with her mother. The years passed and lent enough distance that she was able to do the research to make sense of what had happened to her mother, not that it made much sense.

Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir was the result of meticulous research and a story teller’s ability with a compelling narrative. It was a truly memorable memoir.

44SandyAMcPherson
Feb 4, 2021, 8:21 am

>43 Familyhistorian: You're brave reading that memoir, Meg. Well, from my perspective.
I'm wallowing around in YA and vintage mysteries. On a bit of a Mary Stewart binge.

I relate to your Montréal angst and springtime. My daughter lived there for several years and when she and family decided to move back to Canada (from Amsterdam), she opted for her childhood home area and moved to New West. Loves the spring flowers stsrting to poke up, complains her snowdrops aren't blooming yet!

45karenmarie
Feb 4, 2021, 8:58 am

Hi Meg, and happy new thread. Yes, the mighty 75ers!

>3 Familyhistorian: Another interesting blog. I like watching re-enactments, and so glad the pamphlets have helped you.

The first sign of spring for me here in central NC USA is forsythia. We have 3 huge bushes that have all grown together (as planned), started from 1-gallon twigs.

46Familyhistorian
Feb 4, 2021, 1:03 pm

>44 SandyAMcPherson: It was a harrowing story, Sandy, but the nonfiction has been going down easy for me lately. Present circumstances haven't sent me to lighter reads although they make an appearance as well.

Montreal winters are long and cold. We used to go to Florida around Easter time and would never know how to dress when going from the sunshine and warmth to back to the deep freeze. New West would be a definite improvement weather wise.

47Familyhistorian
Feb 4, 2021, 1:07 pm

>45 karenmarie: Hi Karen, the reenactors were an interesting addition to the conference especially when they let off their guns.

Oh yes, forsythia. I love the look of it. None of it out yet that I've seen.

48Familyhistorian
Feb 4, 2021, 1:11 pm

I really should read my emails. This morning I attended a Zoom meeting only to find out that one of the members resigned. In my view, the driving force behind the project that we're working on. I've been a reluctant member at best lending writing and editing expertise. There had been a plan of what we were to do this year and the articles that we would work on but I guess that is all scraped. So I'm kind of sad and glad at the same time that I feel I can now call it quits.

49richardderus
Feb 4, 2021, 6:02 pm

>48 Familyhistorian: Liberation! In the not-best-of-all-possible-worlds sense. Still, more time for you and your own work.

50thornton37814
Feb 4, 2021, 7:14 pm

>48 Familyhistorian: I'm needing to resign from one thing that is bringing only headaches and no joy. I'm trying to find the right time to do so.

51Familyhistorian
Feb 4, 2021, 8:42 pm

>49 richardderus: That's what I was thinking, Richard, but it did leave a bit of a bad taste behind.

52Familyhistorian
Feb 4, 2021, 8:44 pm

>50 thornton37814: Good luck with your timing, Lori. Its hard when you go in with good intentions and get nothing but headaches in return.

53Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 9, 2021, 8:43 pm

18. A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment by John Preston



Well, I had an idea that politicians were an odd lot and not to be trusted but this tale A Very English Scandal took the reader behind the scenes of a very strange story. At the heart of it was Jeremy Thorpe, slated to be the next leader of the Liberal party, as long as his secret didn’t come to light. Chances were that it wouldn’t if he hadn’t been so willing to use other people to cover up his homosexuality which was a problem for a public figure at the time since it was illegal. The lengths he went to in covering things up and the friends and supporters he used up were unbelievable. Also a surprise were the number of politicians that were outed posthumously for their less than savoury sex lives according to the book.

54Familyhistorian
Feb 6, 2021, 3:26 pm

Yesterday we were waiting to see what the latest health orders would be. I was hoping for an easing of the restrictions, the no social gatherings, only meeting with one or two other people for singles, but the order was extended now indefinitely. One of the people interviewed for comment was a woman out for a walk with her dog in Vancouver's west end. Her comment was that she didn't know how much more she could take as it has been since November and the only being she had been able to hug was her dog. I don't have a dog.

55jessibud2
Feb 6, 2021, 5:18 pm

>54 Familyhistorian: - I don't see restrictions easing any time soon, Meg, as long as there continue to be people who refuse to wear masks or social distance. I am not a football fan but I do know that this weekend is a big game and partying weekend. If I were a betting person, I'd put my money on a ton of people ignoring the stay at home and don't party rules. And then, watch those covid numbers in 2 weeks. Yes is sure is tiresome, isn't it...

56msf59
Feb 6, 2021, 5:29 pm

Happy Saturday, Meg. Happy Belated New Thread! Hooray for Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir. I also loved it.

57Familyhistorian
Feb 6, 2021, 8:24 pm

>55 jessibud2: The worst part was the promise of steady progress with vaccinations and then having them held back, Shelley. It's disheartening and makes it feel like this will go on for ever. Most people here are pretty good but there are some who are flouting the restrictions. I'm not sure that the big game will be a big problem here as far was the numbers go, Chinese New Year on the other hand will probably be a different story.

58Familyhistorian
Feb 6, 2021, 8:25 pm

>56 msf59: Memorial Drive was a small book with a big impact, Mark. Thanks for the thread wishes.

59richardderus
Feb 6, 2021, 8:50 pm

>53 Familyhistorian: A fascinating look at some genuinely awful people.

60jessibud2
Feb 6, 2021, 9:19 pm

>57 Familyhistorian: - Yes, the rollout mess-up is truly disheartening. My 87-yearold mother who lives in senior assisted living in Montreal, still has not received her vaccination. They were set to vaccinate the residents at her place by the end of January, then everything halted.

And the whole COVAX scandal is such an embarrassment, as if we needed another distraction.

61Familyhistorian
Feb 6, 2021, 11:16 pm

>59 richardderus: The amazing part was how much they got away with for so long, Richard.

62Familyhistorian
Feb 6, 2021, 11:25 pm

>60 jessibud2: I hope that the supply comes back and your mother gets her shot soon, Shelley. I haven't kept up on the COVAX scandal but I'm not surprised that the richer countries are not being altruistic.

63PaulCranswick
Feb 7, 2021, 7:30 am

>53 Familyhistorian: And of course not only was he slated to become, he did become Liberal Party leader. Bizarre character for a party which at the time had several such.

64thornton37814
Feb 7, 2021, 10:36 am

Your location is not the only one where the vaccine rollout is not proceeding smoothly. Tennessee got behind in the first month so now everything is pushed later.

65SandyAMcPherson
Feb 7, 2021, 1:59 pm

>59 richardderus: A fascinating look at some genuinely awful people. Excellent.
I'm saving that descriptor. It perfectly suits some books I tried to read last year!

66BLBera
Feb 7, 2021, 3:51 pm

Winter makes the whole stay-at-home order much harder, Meg. I am lucky in the fact that I am working, so I am distracted with that. Still, we are all ready to get back to "normal," whatever that will be.

67Familyhistorian
Feb 7, 2021, 3:55 pm

>63 PaulCranswick: They did seem to be an odd bunch, Paul, particularly Cyril Smith.

68Familyhistorian
Feb 7, 2021, 3:58 pm

>64 thornton37814: I hear that there have been problems in the roll out in other places, Lori. But in our case it's because supplies of the vaccine have been interrupted and that's for our whole country.

69Familyhistorian
Feb 7, 2021, 3:59 pm

>65 SandyAMcPherson: It could be a good descriptor for people in fiction but it's even worse because this was nonfiction, Sandy.

70Familyhistorian
Feb 7, 2021, 4:04 pm

>66 BLBera: I don't think I can blame it on winter, Beth. It looks like spring here and I'm about to go out for a walk. It's not seeing people in person, Zoom doesn't count.

71Familyhistorian
Feb 7, 2021, 4:10 pm

19. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi



Told as a string of tales down a family line which splits as one side stays in Africa and the other is sent to America, Homegoing was a masterfully told tale about the experience of African families. On the one side are the tribal people and slavers and on the other the slaves and those who sought freedom but paid the cost. It was a simple concept which illustrated the story the author had to tell effectively and I appreciated the family tree at the beginning of the book which I referred back to frequently.

72jnwelch
Feb 7, 2021, 5:10 pm

Happy New Thread, Meg!

Homegoing: it is a masterfully told tale, as you say, and I hadn't thought how you bring something extra to it with your genealogy interests.

Good review of Memorial Drive. I'm a fan of her poetry, and I need to get to this.

This pandemic is so hard on people. I hope the vaccinations and apparent herd immunity start turning the tide so everyone can gather with others again. I'm sorry you're having a hard time with it, as so many are.

73katiekrug
Feb 8, 2021, 10:08 am

>71 Familyhistorian: - I also loved Homegoing.

I'm sorry about the continued restrictions.

74magicians_nephew
Feb 8, 2021, 1:27 pm

>53 Familyhistorian: there is a terrific movie of A Very English Scandal

Happy New Thread, Meg

75DeltaQueen50
Feb 8, 2021, 3:53 pm

Hi Meg, I have plans to finally get to Homegoing this year, it's been on my shelf for far too long! I keep checking with my family to see if my Mum has been called for a vacine - at 99 years she should be close to the front of the line! It's very disheartening that the whole vacine process seems rather messed up!

76Familyhistorian
Feb 9, 2021, 8:15 pm

>72 jnwelch: Knowledge of genealogy adds something to a surprising amount of books, Joe. Sometimes its like having a personal interest in history.

Our vaccine supply has dwindled so it might be a while before the tide starts turning here.

77Familyhistorian
Feb 9, 2021, 8:17 pm

>73 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. I keep telling myself I've gotten through worse.

78Familyhistorian
Feb 9, 2021, 8:18 pm

>74 magicians_nephew: That looks interesting, Jim. I'll have to see if I can find it to watch.

79Familyhistorian
Feb 9, 2021, 8:21 pm

>75 DeltaQueen50: You would think that your mother would be among the first, Judy. It's hard to see posts about other places where vaccines are progressing when ours seem to be going nowhere.

Homegoing is a quick read once you get the rhythm down. I think you would enjoy it.

80Familyhistorian
Feb 9, 2021, 8:24 pm

It's been cold here this week and yesterday I saw white glimmering through the curtains in the morning. It was snow which was a surprise and apparently only dumped on a very small area. Most of it is gone now but its still cold (-1C we're weather wimps). There may be more snow at the end of the week.

81Familyhistorian
Feb 9, 2021, 8:48 pm




It looks like they are now messing with the picture sizes. Has anyone else run into this? I want this to be smaller like >53 Familyhistorian:.

82Familyhistorian
Feb 9, 2021, 8:51 pm

20. Death Comes to London by Catherine Lloyd

Mysteries are so easy to read, especially alongside all of the nonfiction that I have been imbibing lately. My latest unputdownable tome in the detecting vein was Death Comes to London, a delightful mystery set in the Regency period with an unlikely duo of sleuths, a managing spinster and a cranky Major slowly recovering from injuries he received at Waterloo. It’s interesting to see the pair denying their attraction for each other and trying to investigate all the while they are attempting to keep within the bounds of propriety as dictated by the era.

This book was number two in the series which is where the Vancouver library’s collection started but I have sourced book one and hope to get to that soon.

83thornton37814
Editado: Feb 9, 2021, 9:52 pm

>81 Familyhistorian: If a picture is too large, you can easily fix it by adding a width or height tag inside the angle brackets but after the closing quote mark of the image URL tag. Just do something like height="250" and it will be smaller like:



At 200:

84cbl_tn
Feb 9, 2021, 10:02 pm

>71 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg! I listened to Homegoing a few years ago and it worked really well in audio format. It's a beautiful book.

85Familyhistorian
Feb 10, 2021, 1:03 am

>83 thornton37814: Hi Lori, thanks for the tip. I knew there had to be a trick to it.

86Familyhistorian
Feb 10, 2021, 1:05 am

>84 cbl_tn: Homegoing was a great read, Carrie. It's good that it worked out as an audio book for you. Did that include a written family tree? I found myself referring back to that when reading the book.

87SandyAMcPherson
Feb 10, 2021, 8:48 am

>81 Familyhistorian: I enjoyed a few of those Kurland St. Mary's last fall. Nice escapist fun.

88RebaRelishesReading
Feb 10, 2021, 12:23 pm

>81 Familyhistorian: I just listened to the first in that series Death Comes to the Village. It was fun and I will probably continue with the series at some point. Glad you liked Death Comes to London.

89mdoris
Feb 10, 2021, 4:10 pm

HI Meg! A few snowflakes falling here too!
I did really like Homegoing when I read it a while ago.

90msf59
Feb 10, 2021, 6:05 pm

Hooray for Homegoing, Meg! Glad to see that you finally got to this gem.

91Familyhistorian
Feb 11, 2021, 12:55 am

>87 SandyAMcPherson: Sometimes a reader just needs nice escapist fun. I really enjoyed it, Sandy. It made a nice change and fast read compared to the nonfiction I have on the go.

92Familyhistorian
Feb 11, 2021, 12:58 am

>88 RebaRelishesReading: Death Comes to London was my introduction to the series, Reba, but I want to know how the Major and Lucy first get on together or not so I'm looking forward to reading Death Comes to the Village.

93Familyhistorian
Feb 11, 2021, 12:59 am

>89 mdoris: We had snowflakes today as well but it didn't amount to as much as it did on Monday morning, Mary. Homegoing was really well done, I thought.

94Familyhistorian
Feb 11, 2021, 1:01 am

>90 msf59: I've seen Homegoing praised on a few threads, Mark. Maybe yours was one of them. It took me a while to get it from the library as there are still lots of holds on it.

95BLBera
Feb 11, 2021, 9:06 am

I've enjoyed the Catherine Lloyd books as well, Meg. I think I've read the first three. They are fun, escapist reading.

96Familyhistorian
Feb 11, 2021, 2:43 pm

>95 BLBera: If ever there was a time for fun, escapist reading, this is it! It looks like the first one has shown up at the library for me, Beth.

97Familyhistorian
Feb 13, 2021, 12:54 am

21. In Harm's Way by Viveca Sten



I was confused about which book came next in the series so I read In the Shadow of Power before In Harm’s Way. I was quite surprised how much things had changed for the main characters until I realized that I was reading one book ahead.

In Harm’s Way dealt with the murder of a journalist on Sandhamn. Jeanette Thiels was known for reporting on the world’s hot spots so it was a surprise to find her body on Sandhamn. At first it seemed that it could have been an accidental death. But that was soon ruled out and Thomas and Nora were drawn into the case.

98Familyhistorian
Feb 13, 2021, 3:34 pm

I was actually going to see a friend in person this weekend but had to postpone plans. There's snow. Probably not much by the standards of other jurisdictions but enough to make driving here messy.

99Familyhistorian
Feb 13, 2021, 3:41 pm

22. The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire by William Dalrymple



I recently became more interested in the history of India as I followed up on the stories of two family connections who served in the British Army there. In searching out the overall history of the country, I kept running across the East India Company. I wanted to know more. So when I found out about The Anarchy, a history of the EIC, I needed to read it.

The book was a history of the corporation whose future was far from certain when it started but ended up governing a large swath of India. But they were a corporation answerable to their shareholders so maybe their aims of wresting huge profits were not in the best interest of the peoples of India.

It was very interesting and concerning at the same time. There were many battles and atrocities on both the side of the company and those of the Indian rulers. It was also a look at how a corporation was able to take over government. A fitting lesson for our times.

100cbl_tn
Feb 13, 2021, 4:13 pm

>99 Familyhistorian: I'll keep an eye out for that one! Dalrymple is a good writer and it sounds like an interesting topic.

And you also got me with a ricochet. I searched to see if there might be a book about the Dutch West India Company. There is, and it's now on my wishlist! Different author, though.

101SandDune
Feb 13, 2021, 4:58 pm

>99 Familyhistorian: I like William Dalrymple although I haven’t read his most recent books. I think my son has this one about the house somewhere. I must keep an eye out for it.

102Familyhistorian
Feb 13, 2021, 11:47 pm

>100 cbl_tn: I haven't run across references to the Dutch West India Company. Most of my research is in Britain. I'll have to look into their history which appears to have started earlier than that of the East India Company.

This was my first book by Dalrymple and it was interesting that there were some military leaders with the same last name in the book. What other books of his have you read, Carrie?

103Familyhistorian
Feb 13, 2021, 11:49 pm

>101 SandDune: I didn't realize that William Dalrymple has a lot of books to his credit, Rhian. I'll have to have a look for them. The one about the East India Company was very interesting.

104PaulCranswick
Feb 13, 2021, 11:55 pm

We did William Dalrymple for British Author Challenge a few years ago and I was impressed.

105SandDune
Feb 14, 2021, 4:12 am

>103 Familyhistorian: From the Holy Mountain is the one I loved best, which deals with the Christianity in the eastern Mediterranean. It was written in 1997 and it’s so sad that the communities he talked about have been ravaged by the events since that date.

106cbl_tn
Feb 14, 2021, 8:51 am

>102 Familyhistorian: I read Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42. Dalrymple seems to have a knack for writing scholarly histories with mass appeal.

107BLBera
Feb 14, 2021, 11:13 am

The Dalrymple does sound interesting, Meg. I think I have a couple by him on my shelves.

108Familyhistorian
Feb 15, 2021, 12:49 pm

>104 PaulCranswick: Which of his books did you read for the BAC, Paul?

109Familyhistorian
Feb 15, 2021, 12:52 pm

>105 SandDune: That looks like a good one, Rhian. From the Holy Mountain has now been added to my library "for later" list.

110Familyhistorian
Feb 15, 2021, 12:53 pm

>106 cbl_tn: That sounds like a good one too, Carrie. Looks like I'm getting BBs on my own thread!

111Familyhistorian
Feb 15, 2021, 12:56 pm

>107 BLBera: I found the Dalrymple to be a longish read but well worth the effort, Beth. Maybe when you have some time?

112Familyhistorian
Feb 16, 2021, 1:28 am

My Thingaversary was on February 10 and I now have the final 5 books to add to the initial 9 listed in post #11. They are:

The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
Ravish Me With Rubies by Jane Feather
The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages by Frances Gies and Joseph Gies
Close Up by Amanda Quick

113magicians_nephew
Feb 16, 2021, 10:54 am

>92 Familyhistorian: added death comes to the village to the stack because i like to get in on a new series on the ground floor

114Ameise1
Feb 16, 2021, 2:09 pm

Finally caught up here. You did some great reading. Wishing you a fabulous Tuesday.

115richardderus
Feb 16, 2021, 2:15 pm

>99 Familyhistorian: An excellent read indeed!

>112 Familyhistorian: Ravish Me with Rubies has the most delicious title of all of them, Meg, but I'm more likely to get myself the Gies's book.

De-icing whammys!

116thornton37814
Feb 16, 2021, 3:43 pm

>112 Familyhistorian: The Gies book should be interesting.

117SandyAMcPherson
Editado: Feb 16, 2021, 8:44 pm

>112 Familyhistorian: Some good-looking books to read, there Meg.
I've seen some enticing reviews of titles in The London Jewels Trilogy and added the first one to my Overdrive WL. I guess you read the 2 earlier books ~ were the stories intriguing beyond the romantic aspect with a deeper theme than "girl meets boy" in the English upper classes?

118DeltaQueen50
Feb 16, 2021, 10:40 pm

Hi Meg, did you get lots of snow? It snowed here pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday but the weather turned so mild today that most of it has melted away. Fingers crossed that we have seen the end of winter and now can look forward to spring! Happy Thingaversary!

119Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 12:10 am

>113 magicians_nephew: I just brought home Death Comes to the Village from the library, so maybe I'll read it at the same time you do, Jim. I can't get to it right away because I also brought home two other books from the library at the same time and they are two week loans with people waiting. I need to dive into them first.

120Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 12:10 am

>114 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara. Have a great week.

121Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 12:15 am

>115 richardderus: The Anarchy was very good, Richard. The ruby title is a good one but I agree, the Gies book looks more appealing and fits in well with my other books of social history.

Not sure that we need de-icing whammys here. The weather seems to be doing well on its own.

122Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 12:17 am

>116 thornton37814: I do like to read about social history and the Gies book looks to be a good one, Lori. Not sure how long it will take me to get to it though.

123Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 12:21 am

>117 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy, I just picked the book up from the supermarket shelf as it had been so long since I had seen a Jane Feather book for sale, Sandy. I didn't realize it was part of the trilogy. I'll have to look for the other books. Thanks for that and obviously I can't tell you about the other books because I didn't even know about them.

124Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 12:28 am

>118 DeltaQueen50: We had snow on Saturday, Judy. Not much accumulated after that as I took the snow off the roof of my car on Saturday and there was nothing to take off after that. Now there are only a few traces here and there in shady spots. I saw buds on the trees beside the Coquitlam River. Spring is not long away! Thanks re the Thingaversary.

125karenmarie
Feb 18, 2021, 12:10 pm

Hi Meg!

>53 Familyhistorian: Bill and I just watched the miniseries with Hugh Grant, based on the book. It’s unintentionally become the John Preston month for us as we also watched The Dig, also based on his book. I’d like to read the books. They’re now both on my wish list.

>70 Familyhistorian: The only person besides Bill that I see is my neighbor Louise, usually when we exchange books or I get her something from the grocery store. We’re either 6 feet apart or masked. No hugs, though. ☹

>81 Familyhistorian: and >83 thornton37814: I almost always have to use 'width=xxx height = yyy' and sometimes have to experiment before it comes out right. But xxx is always twice yyy.

>112 Familyhistorian: I have on my shelves and have read 12 by Feather. The last one I read was in 2009 but for some reason I don’t want to get rid of them.

126Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 1:28 pm

>125 karenmarie: I'm looking forward to watching The Dig. I didn't it was also based on a book by John Preston. In fact, I didn't realize it was based on a book at all.

Just imagine the no hugs if you lived by yourself, Karen.

I've kept a number of romance novels permanently. Jane Feather's are not among them but I have Heyer, of course, Amanda Quick, Deanna Raybourn and a few Anne Stuarts that I've kept and don't want to get rid of.

127Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 1:54 pm

23. The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott



I’m falling behind on writing up my reads again. At least I’ve been able to get in a few books from my own shelves. One of them was The Dressmaker which combined the story of an ambitious young woman who talked her way onto the Titanic as she pursued a job with an aristocratic fashion designer. As you can imagine, things did not turn out well but the young woman survived as did the designer.

The view this book afforded of a fashion house in America in this time period was interesting but the story around the inquiry about the ship’s sinking really caught my attention. I had not known that a legal inquiry was launched in the US immediately after the disaster. The author note acknowledges the facts that the book is based on but there were no sources sited.

128brodiew2
Feb 18, 2021, 2:36 pm

Hello familyhistorian! It's been a while. I hope all is well with you.

Dropping a star!

129jessibud2
Feb 18, 2021, 3:31 pm

Meg, have you ever read Hazel Gaynor's The Girl Who Came Home? It's also about the Titanic, and though it is historical fiction, it is based on real people and events. This author does her homework well, though, and there are links and sources at the end of the book to the real town and people. Of course, I followed them and googled a lot and was fascinated. I have recently discovered this author and her historical fiction and have come to like her work a lot.

130Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 4:57 pm

>128 brodiew2: Hi Brodie, good to see you active on the threads once again.

131Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 5:04 pm

>129 jessibud2: I read Hazel Gaynor's The Girl from the Savoy but I didn't read the one about the Titanic. It sounds like one I would like and my library has it. As a reader I prefer that if a story is based on something that happened notes are made so that I can look into it further. Thanks for the reading suggestion, Shelley.

132Familyhistorian
Feb 19, 2021, 1:20 am

Tonight I attended a meeting about the wind up of our strata. Apparently the first offer for our townhouse complex fell through (they also said we had been notified but I didn't receive anything). But our real estate guys were canny, they weren't sure that the highest bidder knew what they were getting into so had entered negotiations with the company that put in the next bid in line. When the first bid didn't go through the second one became viable and the conditions on that one come off on March 12. The time to rent back on that one is much more generous - just over a year. We'll see if that one goes through.

133magicians_nephew
Feb 19, 2021, 11:00 am

>132 Familyhistorian: good luck with it

134RebaRelishesReading
Feb 19, 2021, 11:50 am

Indeed, good luck Meg. That sounds like quite a life-changing event you're having but at least you have some time to deal with it.

135SandyAMcPherson
Feb 19, 2021, 6:59 pm

>127 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg.
After my family saw the movie, there was quite a lot of interest in the ensuing history.
Perhaps this source, with its further readings, will direct you to the material you wanted to find.

Kate Alcott's book sounds interesting. I tried to duck the BB; however, I think it got me!
I added it to my WL at the public library. There are 58 books in my WL now. Down from over a 100. I read some and I deleted some titles. Some subject matter became pretty stale.

136Familyhistorian
Feb 20, 2021, 6:30 pm

>133 magicians_nephew: Thanks Jim. My fingers are crossed.

137Familyhistorian
Feb 20, 2021, 6:37 pm

>134 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, it's life changing but frustrating at the same time because I feel like I'm getting everything second hand.

138Familyhistorian
Feb 20, 2021, 6:50 pm

>135 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks for the link, Sandy. It filled in a lot of info on the inquiry for me. Sounds like you are making progress with your library wish list. Mine has assumed gigantic proportions. I should probably do something about that.

139Familyhistorian
Feb 20, 2021, 7:14 pm

24. Off the Books by Lucy Arlington



Lila Wilkins is a literary agent who can’t help finding murder victims in her small town. This time it was at a book conference/wedding expo. Possibilities point to the perp being one of the writer’s the agency represents so Lila is on the case trying to salvage the event for her author and agency in Off the Books.

140johnsimpson
Feb 21, 2021, 3:58 pm

Hi Meg my dear, i am trying to catch up on the threads slowly but surely and i am starting with you. I hope that all is well with you, your reading is doing well as is mine this year.

My hand surgery has gone well and although it is still occasionally a bit tender, i have the stitches out on Friday and then i have the exercises to do for the next four weeks. The weather with us has picked up after the cold spell and that should help me a bit.

Tomorrow at 5pm the Prime Minister will set out the 'roadmap' to coming out of lockdown now that the vaccination plan is going well, sadly with Karen being off work this week it will not enable us to have a wander off but hopefully we will be able to within a month.

Hope that you are having a good weekend my dear and wish you a good week ahead, sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

141Familyhistorian
Feb 22, 2021, 12:32 am

>140 johnsimpson: Hi John, I'm glad that your surgery went well.

Good to hear that your vaccination program is going well. I wish that I could say the same here but our supply was disrupted for three weeks or so which means that everything here has been set back.

Travel seems unlikely for the immediate future. A trip that was booked for last September was postponed to this July but as that doesn't seem likely to happen we've postponed it once again until the summer of 2022.

I hope that your lockdown eases soon. We have been under heightened restrictions since last November and now those restrictions have been extended indefinitely. Hugs to both of you. Have a great week!

142Ameise1
Feb 22, 2021, 1:29 am

Hi Meg, wishing you a good start into the new week.
Would you recommend The Girl from the Savoy? I saw that my library has got a copy of it.

143Familyhistorian
Feb 23, 2021, 5:13 pm

>142 Ameise1: Hi Barbara, The Girl from the Savoy was good. I felt it portrayed the history of the time in which it was set well. Have a great week!

144Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 23, 2021, 5:19 pm

25. The Prince, the Princess and the Perfect Murder by Andrew Rose



I have a feeling that the book I read has been reworked into another with a different title, The Woman Before Wallis. That wasn’t the title of the book I read. It was The Prince, The Princess and the Perfect Murder. It was a non fiction account of Edward VIII’s former mistress who ended up marrying a wealthy Egyptian man. Her marriage was a fractious one, the couple given to quarreling no matter where they were. They were staying at the Savoy in London when she shot and killed her husband.

It should have been a clear-cut case of murder but she got away with it. Could the love letters from the prince have given the British establishment a motive to interfere?

145DeltaQueen50
Feb 23, 2021, 6:11 pm

Hi Meg, I think our snow last week was winter's last gasp. We are now getting such lovely spring-like weather. I took my hubby out for a short drive today just to get him out for some fresh air. He is doing well and is starting to walk short distances with just his cane for support. February has flown by and I can't believe we are almost to March! I sure wish we had some idea of when we can expect to get the vaccinations.

146Familyhistorian
Feb 23, 2021, 6:29 pm

>145 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, nice to see you here. The weather has been nice and not what was expected but here there has been a downpour in the middle of the sunshine yesterday and today. Have you had rain in the last two days?

Good to see that your hubby is starting to walk short distances. It sounds like there is vaccine now. I just hope there is a steady supply and we can get the vaccinations rolled out steadily now.

147Familyhistorian
Feb 23, 2021, 7:07 pm

26. Wigs on the Green by Nancy Mitford



I read about Nancy Mitford’s Wigs on the Green on one of the threads. It was a short and lively look at a village in the time between the wars. Obviously a send up of then current attitudes, although it was a bit disconcerting that the activist for local socialist chapter was going around saying Heil Hitler. It was a reminder that there was British admiration in that direction in the mid ‘30s.

148richardderus
Feb 23, 2021, 7:12 pm

>132 Familyhistorian: I shall cross all things crossable for this offer's success. And bravo to your real-estate team for sensing trouble!

>144 Familyhistorian: I believe you're correct about the retitling of that read. It's yet another story that makes me glad for England's narrow escape when David sloped off the throne.

The Dig was a delightful film, and now I want to read the book, too! Slide into the weekend on a smooth path of happy reads.

149Familyhistorian
Feb 23, 2021, 8:20 pm

>148 richardderus: Although I don't really want to leave this place I know that it is time so my fingers are crossed that all works out well.

David does seem to be a reprehensible character doesn't he? He didn't come off well in Murdered Midas either. That took place in the Bahamas around the time that he and Wallis were living there.

I saw The Dig on Friday with a friend. It was a good one and my friend and I shared stories of being in the British Museum. She hadn't known about the finds from Sutton Hoo there and, of course, I had made a beeline for them when I visited.

150richardderus
Feb 23, 2021, 8:40 pm

>149 Familyhistorian: He comes across as a bounder and a cad in every appearance he's made into my awareness, Meg, and I cannot imagine that's some conspiracy to calumniate him.

I'm so glad you enjoyed The Dig! Ralph Fiennes was so very good in it. Poor Mrs. Pretty, her troubles were so overwhelming. But still, can you even *imagine* the feeling of that excavation?!?

151Familyhistorian
Feb 24, 2021, 1:03 am

>150 richardderus: For the first couple it could seem like an agreed upon version. For him to be ghastly over so many different accounts in which he appears makes me believe he was ghastly in person, Richard.

The Dig was well done and such a find. I've always wanted to be part of an archaeological dig and what a find that one would have been.

152charl08
Feb 24, 2021, 3:10 am

Argh, lost my post by navigating away by mistake! In brief, just to add also a fan of The Dig and also of Dalrymple. I loved White Mughals, but so many sad stories!

153msf59
Feb 24, 2021, 7:50 am

Happy Wednesday, Meg. Just checking in with my pal. I hope all is well there.

154Familyhistorian
Feb 25, 2021, 1:51 pm

>152 charl08: I'm glad you navigated back, Charlotte. Have you seen the display from Sutton Hoo at the British Museum? You made me go and look for White Mughals. My library has it. Onto the wish list it goes.

155Familyhistorian
Feb 25, 2021, 1:52 pm

>153 msf59: Hi Mark, I haven't been keeping up with the threads much lately. Too much time spent writing rather than checking out LT.

156richardderus
Feb 25, 2021, 7:40 pm

Always scribble! scribble! scribble! eh what, Meg?

157mdoris
Feb 26, 2021, 11:56 am

>155 Familyhistorian: Agree, hard to keep up Meg! Sun is shining and my tiny daffs are starting to bloom.

158Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 26, 2021, 4:07 pm

27. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott



I’ve only recently become aware of Bird by Bird as it has been written about in articles about writing. I thought it would be a fairly new title and was surprised to find that it is older than that. That only shows in certain contexts, like the advice to phone around to find out information about stuff. Obviously, this was written before Google. Other than that, the book is timeless and crammed full of good advice for writers and livers of life.

159Familyhistorian
Feb 26, 2021, 4:08 pm

>156 richardderus: The scribbling never stops, Richard.

160Familyhistorian
Feb 26, 2021, 4:09 pm

>157 mdoris: It's lovely to see the spring flowers, isn't it Mary? Sunshine helps too. Keeping up is next to impossible.

161Familyhistorian
Feb 26, 2021, 4:21 pm

28. Death Comes to the Village by Catherine Lloyd



I’ve been juggling so many nonfiction reads lately that I almost devoured Death Comes to the Village in one sitting. This was the first book in the Kurland St. Mary mystery series. It was good to see how Lucy and the Major met. It’s also interesting to see village life back in Regency times and have a better understanding of the restrictions of society at that time. The mystery was good and the culprit not obvious until the end of the story.

162The_Hibernator
Feb 26, 2021, 8:24 pm

Hi Meg! Good to see your reading is going so well!

163Familyhistorian
Feb 27, 2021, 1:29 am

>162 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, good to see you. I hope everything is going well for you and your family.

164RebaRelishesReading
Feb 27, 2021, 1:06 pm

>161 Familyhistorian: I listened to that one a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it. Sounds like you did too. Are you going to do the rest of the series?

165Familyhistorian
Feb 27, 2021, 1:35 pm

>164 RebaRelishesReading: I enjoy the series, Reba. This was actually the second one that I read as I started with the second novel. I intend to get to the third one soon.

166karenmarie
Feb 27, 2021, 1:38 pm

Hi Meg!

Just breezing through. Although I know it's disruptive and you'll have to move am glad to hear that things are moving forward so at least you'll have a timetable.

I loved The Dig and just caught up on your blog postings. I don't have a subscription to Ancestry any more, but am glad to hear that you had green leaves springing up all over.

167Familyhistorian
Feb 28, 2021, 1:17 am

Hi Karen, it's moving forward but at a slower pace than I thought. No timetable yet, we just have to see if the latest offer comes through.

The green Ancestry leaves were a surprise when I saw them on my family tree. I don't spend much time on Ancestry and haven't explored them all.

168Familyhistorian
Feb 28, 2021, 4:44 pm

29. Death in Provence by Serena Kent



Penelope Kite was done with being a convent grandmother for her two step children and her marriage was long over. She set off to buy herself a place in Provence. She hoped to enjoy her new home and fit into her new community. She just didn’t expect that her introduction would hinge upon the dead body found in the swimming pool on her property.

Death in Provence was an interesting mystery with the added layer of a sleuth who was trying to understand the society around her at the same time that she was trying to figure out the why and who of the murder.

169Familyhistorian
Feb 28, 2021, 4:55 pm

We're back to gloomy weather. It would probably be a good Sunday to stay in with the books especially since I got something accomplished in this morning's writing sprint but I'll head outside to get in my steps in a few.

170SandyAMcPherson
Mar 1, 2021, 2:22 pm

>158 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, I have B by B on my shelves (read it years ago) and I really liked it.
It's similar to Anne Dillard's The Writing Life, quite philosophical.

171SandyAMcPherson
Mar 1, 2021, 2:29 pm

>168 Familyhistorian: Oh my! A BB and I'll hustle over to Overdrive right now because I am so in the mood for this type of novel!

172Familyhistorian
Mar 1, 2021, 6:27 pm

>170 SandyAMcPherson: >171 SandyAMcPherson: I haven't read Dillard's The Writing Life but it sounds familiar. I hope you enjoy Death in Provence, Sandy.