Beth's (BLBera) Pages in 2021 - Chapter 2

My name is Beth. I am an English instructor at my local community college. I am always looking for new books to introduce to my students.

I read mostly fiction, but I also enjoy memoirs. Mysteries tend to be my comfort reads. This year I hope to expand my reading in translation and my nonfiction reading.

Currently Reading

Reading in 2021
❄️January❄️
1. Jazz*💜
2. News of the World* REREAD
3. Those Who Knew
4. Square Haunting 💜
5. The Boy in the Field
6. Glass Town
7. A Running Duck*
8. Faces on the Tip of My Tongue*
9. Perestroika in Paris
10. When You Reach Me*
11. Earthly Remains*
12. Pride
13. Teaching about Race and Racism in the College Classroom*
14. The Skeleton Road*

January Reading Report
Books Read: 14
By women: 14

Novels: 10
Graphic novel: 1
Short stories: 1
Nonfiction: 2
Translation: 1

Library books: 6
From my shelves: 8
- Physical books: 7
- ebook: 1

❄️February❄️
15. The Death of Vivek Oji
16. My Time among the Whites* REREAD
17. The Nickel Boys*
18. Las mujeres en la química*
19. Paradise* REREAD 💜
20. Devil in a Blue Dress*
21. So We Read On*💜
22. Banned Book Club
23. The Vanishing Half*

February Reading
Books read: 9
By women: 7
By men: 2

Novels: 5
Graphic novel: 1
Nonfiction: 2
Young reader nonfiction: 1

Library: 2
From my shelves: 7, all physical books

* From my shelves

Reading in 2021
🍀March🍀
24. Outlawed
25. Sing, Unburied, Sing* REREAD
26. Summerwater 💜
27. The Jewels of Paradise
28. Love*
29. The Historians
30. Even as We Breathe
31. Hidden Figures*
32. American Delirium
33. Hardcore Twenty-Four*
34. Freiheit!*
35. What's Mine and Yours
36. How Beautiful We Were 💜
37. Infinite Country 💜

March Report
Books read: 14
By women: 13
By men: 1

Novels: 12
Nonfiction: 1
Graphic novel: 1
Translation: 1

Library: 11
Audiobook: 3

My shelves: 5
Ebook: 1
Physical copy: 4

☔️ April ☔️
38. Beheld
39. The Seed Keeper*
40. She Walks in Beauty*
41. The Trouble with Goats and Sheep

🌺Tentative Reading Plans🌺
March - Love - Laura ✔️
April - My Name is Red - TwinK

Book Club
March - The Vanishing Half ✔️
April - The Other Einstein
May - The Dutch House

Women's Prize 2021 Longlist
Because of You by Dawn French
Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi
Consent by Annabel Lyon
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan
How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
Luster by Raven Leilani
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
Nothing But Blue Sky by Kathleen MacMahon
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
Summer by Ali Smith
The Golden Rule by Amanda Craig
✅ The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
✅ Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

⭐️Best of 2020⭐️

Nonfiction:
My Time Among the Whites
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee

Poetry:
Bright Dead Things

Fiction:
Girl, Woman, Other
Transcendent Kingdom
Writers & Lovers
Wolf Hall
A Children's Bible
Sula
Hamnet

Honorable mention - books that stayed with me:
Valentine
The Resisters

You Must Read This!
This wonderful little novel didn't get enough attention. My comments when I read it in 2018.


20. A Catalog of Birds is a beautiful, heartbreaking story of a family, set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Set in 1970 at the height of the Vietnam War, this is the story of the Flynn family, especially the two youngest members, Billy and Nell. Billy returns from Vietnam badly wounded. His joy in nature is blunted by the extent of his injuries; he has trouble hearing the bird songs he loves and his right hand is so damaged that he can no longer draw. His younger sister Nell adores her brother and shares his love for nature; she does everything she can to bring him back.

Harrington's writing is lovely. She has a keen eye for the natural world: "She closes her yes and catalogues what she hears: water over stones, the creaking wallow of the rowboat. A cardinal, now two. Finch, eastern phoebe, common yellowthroat. The poplar leaves are the most distinct to her ear, but she can sort out the great pines and the swaying hemlocks." The family's struggles take place in a vividly portrayed place, and we see the world on the cusp of change.

Wonderful novel.

Can't wait for >7 BLBera: to get filled in! (As if I need more "must reads" waiting for me to get to them.)

Happy new thread, Beth. I will also be looking for your must reads!

>9 laytonwoman3rd: Hi Linda - I was trying to choose one.

>10 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul! You are too fast!

Happy new one!

I looked at your last thread and how much I have missed almost every night, Beth. I can at least get in at the beginning of this one to wish you good reading and commenting.
Ah! So it was you who turned me on to Square Haunting. I read in that one today and must add it to my current list even though I'm not having any success sticking to anything right now - and everything is good. Well. Happy New Thread!

Happy new one Beth!

I'm intrigued how the Gatsby book you're reading compares to Sarah Churchwell's book, which I really enjoyed reading.

I'm inspired by your optimistic thread-topper, Beth. I'm ready for spring!!

>12 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.

>13 LizzieD: Hi Peggy - I loved Square Haunting. I did add quite a few books to my "to read" list.

>14 charl08: Thanks Charlotte. I am enjoying Corrigan; I like her sense of humor, and her enthusiasm for Gatsby is infectious.

>15 lauralkeet: One can always hope, Laura. At least the temp will be in the double digits today. I might even venture out for a walk.

Hi Beth, I'm like >13 LizzieD: Peggy right now
-- fell behind on your thread (because I'm spending less time on Talk than in previous years)
-- plus, I'm not having any success sticking to my chosen books these days, either.
I had Fangirl and Assassin's Apprentice on my e-reader and just couldn't manage being engaged by either novel.

I think the problem lies with the times which we're coping with, rather than the quality of the reading. I know from local friends that this is the case, so I am not despairing.

>17 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy - I've gone through periods like that as well. Things will get better. Thanks for stopping by.

20. Devil in a Blue Dress is a noir mystery set in LA in 1948. Mosley pays homage to Hammett and Chandler in this story of Easy Rawlins. Easy is Black and has recently been laid off. Worried about paying his mortgage, he takes a job to find a white girl. Death, violence and run-ins with the police ensue. The plot is complicated with lots of twists and turns.

One thing I really liked was the way that Mosley reveals the racism of the time; he does a good job of weaving it into the story without being pedantic about it.

I'm glad I finally picked this one up.

Hi Beth, and happy new thread to you!

Thanks Karen!

Happy new one, Beth!

Happy new thread, Beth!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread , Beth! I'll admit your spring them is a little disconcerting as I watch more snow fall outside my window, but it's good to look forward to something!

I enjoyed Devil in a Blue Dress as well although you are much quicker to get your thoughts in order. I thought he was very matter-of-fact about the racism of the time, which was interesting.

We are on the same reading plan as I see you are reading The Vanishing Half.

Happy Friday, Beth. Happy New thread. I hope you enjoy The Vanishing Half as much as I did.

Thanks Katie, Anita, and Jim.

>25 AnneDC: I was noticing that we had similar ideas for reading to celebrate Black History Month, Anne. I also have a Wilson play next up. Then, I have to get to some library books. Yes, I thought the view of racism was one of the most interesting parts of the novel. Did it remind you a bit of The Maltese Falcon?

Yes, I plan to start The Vanishing Half later today. It's my March book club selection.

>26 msf59: Hi Mark. Thanks. Fingers crossed for The Vanishing Half.

Happy new thread Beth. I love your "you must read this" feature :)

You should thank Katie, Reba - I stole it from her; I thought it was such a brilliant idea. It also allows me to look back on books I loved.

Happy New thread, Beth! Did you see - Brit Bennett (author of The Vanishing Half) is on the cover of the Time Magazine 100 issue! Great book - one of my top reads for 2020!

Glad to read you enjoyed Mosley. I finally watched the new Tom Hanks film: I did think it was beautifully done, I loved the protective relationship between him and the little girl. Tempted to reread the book.

I picked up an old review to put in the recycling and found an article I had missed by Bernadine Evaristo. She is working with Penguin to republish 6 out of print Black British writers. They all look really good.

>19 BLBera: I've never read any of the Easy Rawlins series, but they seem like the kind of thing I'd like. Perhaps I'll put them on the Library Check list.

>27 BLBera: Have I mentioned that Brit Bennett is giving the talk for the T Book Club discussion of Passing? I've read her first, The Mothers, and quite liked it, and I have The Vanishing Half on the shelf to read one of these days.

>30 michigantrumpet: I didn't see that, Marianne. Thanks. I am looking forward to The Vanishing Half. It's gotten a lot of LT love.

>31 charl08: It was a beautiful film, Charlotte. Most of the people who have seen it liked it more if they hadn't read the book. The book is always better. Ooh, that's interesting news about Evaristo.

>32 rosalita: Hi Julia. Do you want me to send you my copy of Devil in a Blue Dress? It's an old mass market paperback with no cover, so not in the best of shape. But it is the first in the series. Thanks for reminding me about Passing. It had slipped off my radar when I got an armload of library books that I have to read. I think I need to retire.

>33 BLBera: Thanks for the offer — it looks like my library actually has a good selection of this series, so I think I'll start there. I've been putting off starting Passing because it's so short and I don't want to read it too far ahead of the talk or I won't remember anything that happens!

We both need to retire. How can we make that happen?

I just picked up The Vanishing Half from the library so I’ll be interested in your thoughts, Beth.

>34 rosalita: Sounds good. I won't send you the book. I'll probably wait and read Passing closer to the day as well. As to retirement, win the lottery?

>35 Copperskye: I am really liking it, Joanne. It drew me in right away.

Happy new thread!

a belated happy new thread. I've been catching up on threads when I can - you know how it is.

I loved the Easy Rawlins books - read three of them? Juggling series is as difficult as juggling threads.

I've finally gotten to Paradise, and i should finish this weekend. Then I'll look at all the comments on the threads.

Happy new thread. I see you have The Other Einstein lined up. Marie Benedict is a very good writer and does her homework. I read this one last year as well as another title by her, equally as good, Lady Clementine, about Churchill's wife. Excellent historical fiction.

Happy new thread, Twin! Are things warming up at all in MN? We finally got power back, as you can see since I am here. LOL. I haven't even found my copy of Paradise yet. RL has totally gotten the way. So sad that both Serena and Nadal are not in the finals. Boo. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Hugs.

>9 laytonwoman3rd:, >11 BLBera: That does look like a good read. Noted.

I love the Easy Rawlins series, and pretty much everything I've read by Mosley. I need to see where I am with it...I think I'm up to No. 10, and I'm pretty sure I have it on hand.

Happy new thread, Beth. Thanks for reminding me that I should get back to the Easy Rawlings series. It's been a while.

Hi Visitors!

>37 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle

>38 ffortsa: I'll look for your comments, Judy.

>39 jessibud2: Good to know, Shelley. I am not familiar with this author. That's what's great about a book club. I pick up books I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

>40 Berly: Hey TwinK - As usual, you have a lot going on. I'm glad your power is back on. It was in the teens above zero here today. Almost shorts weather!

>41 laytonwoman3rd: I did enjoy the Mosley, Linda.

>42 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg.

>43 BLBera: - She tends to write about the unsung women behind famous men, Beth. I own but have not yet read, 2 other titles by her, as well, The Only Woman in the Room (about Hedy Lamarr) and her newest, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie (about Agatha).

Thanks Shelley. I look forward to reading The Other Einstein next month.

21. So We Read On

I loved this book about The Great Gatsby, but it's for people who either love the novel or love reading about books.

Corrigan, a book reviewer on NPR and a Georgetown English professor, has an enthusiasm for Gatsby that is contagious. I'm not sure I agree with her that it's the great American novel, but she does make a strong case: "I don't know how he did it, but Fitzgerald wrote a novel that shows me new things every time I read it. That, for me, is the working definition of a great book: one that's inexhaustible."

Mixed with her close reading of the novel, she talks about Fitzgerald's life and the publication history. It may surprise people that when the novel was published in 1925, it didn't sell well and was not well received critically. By the end of Fitzgerald's short life (he died in 1940), it was out of print.

Corrigan's account of her search through literature anthologies in the Library of Congress sub basement was one of my favorite chapters. She details her research to find how Gatsby was revived to become a staple in high school curriculum. She even visits her old high school to sit in on classes to see how contemporary students react to Gatsby. At the beginning of her book, she says the novel is wasted on high school students. I'm inclined to agree, but after she visits the high school classes, she isn't so sure anymore.

I've read Gatsby several times and taught it. I will read it again and will probably get more from it after reading this book.

>46 BLBera: I acquired a copy of this after you mentioned it Beth, and will probably start it in the next week or two.

I'll watch for your comment, Caroline. I really enjoy Corrigan.

I love The Great Gatsby and have read it a couple of times Beth so I might take a look at the Corrigan book. I do love her NPR reviews.

Happy new thread, Beth!

Happy new one, Beth.
>19 BLBera: That one is on my wish list. Glad to hear that's a good one.
I wish you a good start into the new week.

I wouldn't say I'm a fan of Gatsby, but I do love books where they talking about people reading books, so thinking I'll add that one to the wishlist. Thanks Beth!

>46 BLBera: I really enjoy Corrigan's writing and her reviews on NPR, but I've read Gatsby twice now and disliked it both times so this one is a pass for me. I'm glad you enjoyed it enough for both of us. :-)

>53 rosalita: That response to Gatsby is very common in my experience Julia. It was probably the third time I read it that my passion for it started. I read it for the 40th time last year, as it now gets read every year. I'm not suggesting you do the same, but if you get the tickle to try again, give it a go.

>49 brenzi: Hi Bonnie - If you like Corrigan's reviews, have you read Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading? I loved that one.

>50 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda.

>51 Ameise1: Hi Barbara. I hope your week goes well, too. Are you in the classroom now?

>52 charl08: You might enjoy it, Charlotte. There's a lot of book-related discussion. I especially liked the discussion toward the end where she tries to discover how Gatsby became so popular.

>53 rosalita: I did enjoy it. If you like Corrigan, you should try Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading.

>54 Caroline_McElwee: Hi Caroline - You definitely have me beat! I've probably only read it 10-15 times. I did teach it for a few years. I appreciated it much more as an adult. Corrigan brings up some things about the structure of the novel that I had never considered.

>54 Caroline_McElwee: >55 BLBera: I did consider that I might have been too young to fully appreciate it the first time I read it, which was what led me to try it again when I was about 30. It still didn't take, and the ratio of unread books::reading years left makes it unlikely I'll circle back to it again, but I appreciate the perspectives of both of you that it may be a bit of an acquired taste. Alas, for the relentless march of Time!

Happy New Thread, Beth.

Yay for Devil in a Blue Dress, and Walter Mosley! That practical treatment of racism continues in the Easy Rawlins series, and other books he's written. The NBA/NBF just gave him a Lifetime Achievement award. I'm a big fan.

I thought The Vanishing Half was well done. I hope it's continuing to work for you.

>55 BLBera: Well, the library hasn't got a copy, and the copies in the UK are ridiculous prices. It's still on the wishlist, but it won't be anytime soon, sadly!

>55 BLBera: No, I'm currently in Davos on my annual skiing holiday. I'm back to school on the 8th of March.

Hi Beth! I had a meeting get canceled so I thought I'd check in.
Going back to your prior thread and comments about Paradise, I loved your comment about the last chapter, and that Morrison should "end the novel after the "Save-Marie" chapter." I had the same thought.

I have Devil in a Blue Dress on my kindle from the library and hope to read it in the next couple weeks. I'm reading a Ruth Galloway right now; needed a respite after Paradise and The Long Song (with The King at the Edge of the World in between).

I see that you are reading The Vanishing Half. How is it so far?

>56 rosalita: Too many books, Julia. And not everyone loves Gatsby. So, you're excused.

>57 jnwelch: Thanks. I am enjoying The Vanishing Half.

>58 charl08: Gee, Charlotte, I hope you can find something to read.

>59 Ameise1: That sounds lovely, Barbara. You aren't in lockdown?

>60 EBT1002: Hi Ellen. Even great writers can use editors sometimes, Ellen. :) I got a copy of Summerwater from the library. I'll be ready to read it in the next couple of weeks. It looks like a small one. Did you want to do a shared read?

The Vanishing Half grabbed me right away. There's a lot going on in it.

I may have been too optimistic with my header. We got six inches of snow yesterday. At least it isn't sub zero.

Six inches of snow? Crumbs.

>61 BLBera: You have a point! Lol.

22. Banned Book Club

This is a graphic novel set in South Korea, mostly in the 1980s. I found it disappointing, expecting something like Reading Lolita in Tehran. There was actually very little about the book club, which was mostly where the students planned their protests.

With the exception of the protagonist, the characters were not well developed, and the plot seemed disjointed; there were a lot of protests. Other plot lines weren't really developed.

Perhaps my expectations were too high.

>62 charl08: Oops - Sorry I missed you Charlotte. Yes, that's really not so much snow for this time of year, and we've actually not had a lot of snow this year. I was going to say something like it seems that I've hardly had to shovel at all, but that would be jinxing it.

Hi Beth, just wanted to let you know the thread for our next Toni Morrison read is up!
http://www.librarything.com/topic/330145

Just catching up, Beth. How is your semester going?

>65 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura. Starred!

>66 ronincats: We're almost halfway already, Roni! Time flies. I have class next week, and then the following week is spring break. Grading is keeping me busy.

Hi Beth!

Glad to hear that spring break is coming up. Time does indeed fly.

Hi Beth, I haven't read Gatsby in thirty or so years. I'm intrigued enough to reread it now and follow it with the Corrigan book. Thanks for the BB!

Like Peggy said, I got the recommendation for Square Haunting from you. I couldn't get into it but it was my mood when I read it rather than the book. I will start it again at some point.

Hi Beth, I re-read Gatsby a few years ago, it really is interesting. But not sure I will read it again.

Hi, Beth!

I'm slightly jealous that you get a spring break; my uni moved it to the beginning of the semester (which means we just started a week later than normal) in an effort to keep students on campus and not going wild in Florida and then bringing the virus back to Ohio, I think. I approve in theory, but it now means we have a long stretch until the end of the semester...

>71 scaifea: RE, in an effort to keep students on campus and not going wild in Florida and then bringing the virus back to Ohio

That's hard on you, having no break at all. It would have been thoughtful if there had been a Friday to Monday long weekend right about now. Crazy-making that students would travel when we have a *plague* going on. And on...

Hi Beth! here's hoping you stay isolated during the spring-break craziness. What new titles did you introduce to your students this semester? Were they excited to have some new reading?

>72 SandyAMcPherson: Yeah. They do get a couple of "mini-breaks" = one Wednesday and one Tuesday in the next couple of months, but that helps no one at all because who will actually take a break from prepping/studying? No one. And yep, people of that age are still in the "I'm invincible/It Won't Happen To Me" stage of life, for the most part. So of course they'd go out partying. The little cherubs.

>71 scaifea: Iowa did the same, Amber, though like yours they also scheduled a couple of "mini-break" no classes days. As admin it doesn't matter to me, but I would not have liked it as a student.

Hello Visitors!
>68 karenmarie: Hi Karen

>69 Oregonreader: Hi Jan - I hope that you do get to Square Haunting one day; I loved it.

>70 banjo123: Hi Rhonda - yes, Gatsby doesn't work for everyone.

>71 scaifea:, >73 scaifea: Hi Amber - Yes, I thought they might cancel spring break, too. It will be interesting to see what happens a couple of weeks after the students get back. One student already told me that he and his buddies were going to Arizona...

>72 SandyAMcPherson: I stay as far away from the students as I can, Sandy. I double mask when I'm in the classroom, and distance when I'm conferencing.

>74 rosalita: Hi Julia - I thought you had said they did away with the break.

Hi Beth! Hope you have a relaxing Sunday...

23. The Vanishing Half

I loved this novel. It tells the story of twin sisters, who end up taking very different paths in life. They grow up in a Louisiana town where light skin is valued. Indeed, Black people who have darker skin are not encouraged to settle there. This is the opposite of Ruby in Toni Morrison's Paradise, which I recently read. Stella, one of the sisters, leaves her twin Desiree behind and disappears into the world of Whites, passing. One of the strengths of the novel is the complex portrayal of the cost of passing.

The novel drew me in from the first page, starting with Desiree's story. Then, Bennett fast forwards ten years, and we get the story of Desiree's daughter, Jude. I found her story less compelling, wanting more of Desiree. The structure Bennett uses is, for me, a major drawback to the novel. I would have liked to see the women's stories more integrated, a more difficult way to structure the novel for the writer, but it would have worked better for me than the separate parts that moved back and forth in time.

Still, a worthwhile, fascinating novel with lots to think about.

I'm currently reading Outlawed, a dystopian Western with women at its center, and I'm loving it.

I am really looking forward to Outlawed, Beth. I have it on my library reserve list. I look forward to your final thoughts on it!

>77 BLBera: Nice review of The Vanishing Half, Beth. I agree with you about the Jude storyline. Although I understand why it made sense to show the impact on future generations, I didn't click with either of the daughters the way I did Stella and Desiree.

>78 katiekrug: I am loving it, Katie! In fact, I just want to read and not grade essays today. :(

>79 lauralkeet: Yes! Laura. As I was nearing the end, I totally understood the daughters' storyline, but neither was a compelling as that of the mothers.

>77 BLBera: Completing skipping this post since I have this book but haven't read it yet. Did you read her first book, The Mothers?

I did read The Mothers, Julia, and was underwhelmed. I liked this one much more. It could have been because of the hype - I was expecting a great book.

>82 BLBera: I really liked The Mothers but I went into it not really having heard much about it. Looking forward to this one.

By the way, I finished Passing yesterday. I haven’t written my review yet. How are you doing with it?

>77 BLBera: when I was reading Jude's story I thought the novel just wasn't as interesting. Then she moved on to Stella and it returned to being a great novel. That's where I am right now and really enjoying it Beth.

>83 rosalita: I haven't started, Julia. When is the book club? I am a little overwhelmed with school work and library books right now.

>84 brenzi: Hi Bonnie - It sounds like we had similar reactions to the daughters' stories.

>85 BLBera: It's not until March 9, Beth. I understand being consumed with other things, though. Perhaps another time will work better for you.

I might be able to finish it by then, Julia. My spring break starts next week. I know it's pretty short.

I really need to get to The Vanishing Half as so many people have recommended it. And I'm making note of Outlawed. If you're loving it, I think I need to get my paws on a copy!

AddingOutlawed!!! I agree about The Mothers but also liked The vanishing Half slightly less than the rest of the world. I think you put your finger on it: the timeline back and forth didn't work for me, although the actual passing story was riveting.

>67 BLBera:
>71 scaifea:
>81 rosalita: Like Beth's, my university has chosen to keep spring break intact, and everybody's very nervous about it. ("Everybody" excludes any beach-bound students, I'm sure.) The hope is that our campus masking & social distancing policies will limit the spread of whatever cases arrive after break.

>77 BLBera: It's not my usual genre, but I've heard so much good about it I'm tempted anyway.

I've skimmed, Beth, and am attracted to The Vanishing Half, but it will have to wait.
A note on *Gatsby* - I taught it in high school for years. I started because the school had enough copies for my classes, but kept it up because it allowed me to introduce so many components of a good novel beyond plot, characterization, and setting. Most of the kids appreciated it by the end of the book. I saw a young black former student last year who remembered it fondly. She was influenced at the time by a professor in a college weekend who told her to be thankful that she was in a class that read real literature. She hadn't given the book a chance before that point, but she came back and influenced a number of her friends to try it. Serendipity!
Best wishes to you and all the other college people who are facing returnees from spring break, however long it is.

HI Beth, I'm late to the party but happy new thread!

>89 EBT1002: Ellen, I just finished Outlawed. I am gathering my thoughts. I think you might like it; it's not like anything else I've read recently.

>90 vivians: Hi Vivian - I'll be interested to see what you think of Outlawed, and I'm really happy to send a book bullet your way -- I get so many from your thread.

>91 swynn: Hi Steve - Yes, I doubt our students are anxious about spring break.

>92 LizzieD: Hi Peggy - it's good to hear your perspective about Gatsby. I've never taught high school; I just remember I appreciated the novel much more when I read it as an adult.

>93 mdoris: Thanks Mary. It's never too late -- unless, of course, I've moved on to another thread.

I hope I got everyone. I just finished Outlawed, which is very original. I'm gathering my thoughts and will comment later.

Next: Summerwater

>94 BLBera: Ha! Then I will also say Happy New Thread!

>46 BLBera: Interesting review! I hated Gatsby when I read it in high school. I read it several years ago and enjoyed it. I know I'm missing much of it ...

Hi Janet! Good to see you. I was thinking I should give it another read. Corrigan has lots of ideas about the novel that I hadn't previously considered.

24. Outlawed is a feminist dystopian Western. So, obviously it won't appeal to everyone. I found it to be original and thought-provoking.

The novel is set in 1895 in a United States that has disintegrated after a Flu epidemic. It has turned into a bunch of city states ruled by superstition. Women who can't get pregnant are at risk of being branded witches and either hung or hounded out of their communities. And it's not just barren women who are at risk; any kind of "deviant" behavior is targeted.

Ada, the narrator, is the 18-year-old daughter of the town midwife. When she doesn't get pregnant after being married a year, her in-laws kick her out, and her mother sends her away to a convent.

Ada is a great character, lively and curious, and she wants to know what causes barrenness. She has no patience for the superstition and misinformation that currently abounds. She wants to learn the science, the facts. The thirst for knowledge leads her to an outlaw life with the Hole-in-the-Wall gang.

North's idea of using a Western to show the breakdown of society after a pandemic is brilliant. The setting lends itself to this story, which shows how fragile rights are in a patriarchy guided by superstition instead of education.

>97 BLBera: Great review, Beth! Sounds like an intriguing book.

how fragile rights are in a patriarchy guided by superstition instead of education.

I fear that's a lesson we're learning anew in the 21st century. :-(

Hey Beth, It's never too late for Happy New Thread wishes, right?
>97 BLBera: hahaha you lost me at "dystopian" but I am interested in The Vanishing Half. Good reviews of both.

>97 BLBera: - You've made me even more eager to get to this one! *trundles off to check where she is on the hold list*

>98 rosalita: It was pretty interesting, and timely, Julia. Yes, pretty current.

>99 Carmenere: Never too late! Thanks, Lynda.

>100 katiekrug: I think you'll like it Katie.

And -- I just got my vaccine appointment! It's for Thursday!

Hooray!

>97 BLBera: Tempting! I just got a new bookshelf, so that means I have space for more books (um, maybe not). Work asked me to read another two books for their Big Read scheme shortlist (where they give every new student a book). I picked one up, thought it sounded familiar, and realised I'd read it back in 2019. I don't think they've picked anything linked to fantasy/ dystopia yet, so I kind of wish they pick this one! (It's Everything you ever wanted.)

Congrats on the vaccine appointment (saying this still sounds weird to me).

>102 rosalita: Thanks Julia. What a relief.

>103 charl08: When we think of where we were a year ago, Charlotte, our lives have changed so much. I'll be anxious to hear what your school chooses. Do you have a favorite?

Good morning, Beth. Great news about your vaccine appointment! As you probably saw in the news, Biden is now projecting sufficient supply to vaccinate all adults by May. That's encouraging for those of us who aren't eligible right now.

Thanks Laura. And tomorrow is my last day of class before spring break. I'm reading Summerwater, which is pretty short, and then Love is my next book.

Good review of Outlawed, Beth. I had heard nothing about that one until now and it has landed smack on my lofty list.

>97 BLBera: I think you got me with your Smith and Western with this one Beth, ouch.

>101 BLBera: Woot!!

>101 BLBera: - Great news about your vaccination, Beth!

>107 msf59: Thanks Mark. I'll watch for your comments.
>108 Caroline_McElwee: Always happy to add books to others' wishlists, Caroline.
>109 scaifea: Yes!
>110 katiekrug: I feel a huge sense of relief, Katie.

Hi Beth. How are things going? You're getting your first vaccine shot tomorrow -- yay! I get my second shot this Sunday. I have put folx at work on alert in case I feel lousy on Monday.

I've put Outlawed on hold at the library. Right now I'm reading Devil in a Blue Dress and enjoying it. I needed something, um, easy after How Much of These Hills Is Gold.

Good luck with your vaccine, Beth. I am furious that our country seems to be dragging it's heels on this. I haven't heard anything other than hopefully all Canadians will be vaccinated by September of this year. I was hoping to get this done by May as my Mother turns 100 on the 21st and I would dearly love to be there.

>101 BLBera: Congrats on getting your vaccination appointment.

>104 BLBera: Yes, the relief is almost indescribable.

>106 BLBera: Last day of school – yay for tomorrow’s start of spring break.

>112 EBT1002: Hi Ellen - I am so happy to finally have my vaccine appointment. I think Outlawed is one you will like; North certainly has turned the Western on its head. I recently read Devil in a Blue Dress and really liked it. I read your comments on How Much of These Hills Is Gold and I think I will pass on it.

I am reading Summerwater right now and really enjoying it. I need to go back and read the Moss novels I haven't read yet.

>113 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy. I am hoping that all goes well with the vaccine.

>114 karenmarie: Thanks Karen. Yes, I am now officially on break although right now I'm working on class prep for when we come back. I also have some grading to do.

Dropping in to say hello and catch up. Congrats on receiving your first shot!

>97 BLBera: Looks interesting.

Have a great weekend.

Yeah, I just need to order every Sarah Moss book I haven't yet read. After I retire it will be harder to give myself permission to splurge on books!

How did the shot go?

>116 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.

>117 EBT1002: The shot went fine. There was no wait. I have to get the second one in a month, but I am so glad I have the first one under my belt. I'm really enjoying Summerwater. I should finish it tomorrow.

Good morning Beth, just wanted to let you know I started reading Love last night. It was bedtime, so I only managed the preface and a couple pages of the actual novel. And I'm juggling this with another book. But I'm already caught up in Morrison's superb turns of phrase.

Thanks Laura. Perfect timing. I'm going to start today. I just finished Summerwater, which is excellent.

26. Summerwater
Sarah Moss is wonderful at creating atmosphere, setting a scene. In Summerwater, we are immersed into a sodden summer at a small resort on a loch in Scotland. Isolated, rundown, and no cell coverage all combine to make the wet, cold weather miserable for many of the vacationers.

Told in a stream of consciousness from various vacationers, each chapter builds on he previous one until we get a pretty complete picture of the resort and the people who are staying there.

I love the style, the stream of consciousness that takes us into the minds of the middle-aged mother who dithers about taking the only key with her on her early morning run: "...or leave the key meaning that she can't lock the door and there are three beloved souls sleeping undefended in the woods, or at least two beloved souls and one mostly tolerated one."

Or the teenage girl who is bored to the point of being suicidal: "In America, she knows, you can get the police to shoot you just by acting a bit weird with your hands in your pockets, which is a bummer if you're a weirdo with cold hands but must save suicidal people a lot of time and trouble."

We also meet an older couple, a newly engaged couple, and families, as well as immigrants who make up the cabins, all watching each other and thinking their thoughts.

I love this little novel. I need to go back and read Moss's earlier work.

So glad you loved Summerwater! I just started Signs for Lost Children last night and had to force myself to stop reading. Too bad it's a work day today....

>122 vivians: Today is the first day of my spring break, Vivian. I am trying to figure out how many books I can read in the next week...

I'll watch for your comments on Signs for Lost Children. I don't think that's one I own, so I'll probably read the ones I have on my shelf first.

Enjoy your spring break, Beth. Summerwater sounds good.

What Julia said, Beth.

Good reviews of The Vanishing Half and Outlawed. I loved The Vanishing Half, but agree with you and others that it was the stories of Desiree and Stella that really grabbed me; the daughters' storylines were less compelling. You got me with Outlawed, and I'm going to look for it. Good to see another fan of Devil in a Blue Dress!

>124 rosalita: Thanks Julia. It was very good. I'm reading Love now and then hope to get to Passing before Tuesday. I plan to do as much reading as possible during spring break. As you can tell, I am really going crazy. :)

>125 jnwelch: Thanks. I'll watch for your comments on Outlawed.

Ooh Summerwater sounds really good. Funny how you're moving from one novel about a resort to another (Love).

>123 BLBera: How many books?

>127 lauralkeet: It is really good. I was thinking that as I started Love, Laura. The climate is a little different though...

>128 charl08: Hah, Charlotte. Actually your little visual is pretty accurate. I just picked up three more books from the library. I wish I could read two books simultaneously -- an eye on each one...

27. The Jewels of Paradise is an audiobook by the author of the Guido Brunetti series. The reader was very good; I liked her accent and her pronunciation of Italian names was excellent. But she couldn't totally redeem what is a pretty dull story.

Caterina Pellagrini is a musicologist who takes a job examining two trunks of papers belonging to composer Agostino Steffani. The men who hired her are distant relatives of the composer and want her to look for any indication of who should be the heir to these letters. As Caterina reads through the documents, she realizes that the men think there is treasure involved.

It's a good premise, but the novel is mostly Caterina going to work, sitting at a desk, reading letters from other clergy or musicians talking about the latest gossip. When she gets tired of reading, she gets something to eat or walks to the library for more information. Then she goes home, reads, and goes to bed. Next day, repeat.

My attention tended to wander. If I had been reading it on the page, I would have skimmed large sections.

This is nowhere near as good as the books in the Brunetti series. There's no character development and little action to distract from that fact.

Enjoy your spring break, Beth! I'm almost done with Love and looking forward to everyone's thoughts on it.

Summerwater was already on my list - your review makes me eager to get to it.

Summerwater sounds really good so I'll have to look for it. I've only read Ghost Wall which I liked but was put off a bit by the father's abuse but I'd like to read more of her books Beth.

>132 brenzi: Hi Bonnie. Summerwater is more lighthearted than Ghost Wall, I think, although there are some dark moments.

>121 BLBera: Sarah Moss is pretty hot in literary terms at the moment. I must go and check that one out.

It's a good one, Paul.

Congrats on getting your first shot! Such a relief, isn't it?

I'm desperately trying to not add new books to my list but you are making it difficult!

Always happy to add to your wishlist, Joanne. :)

Great article on criticism in the NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/books/new-york-times-book-review-history.html

Good grief Beth. I was here just a week ago and look at what I've missed! Reams of posts.
>128 charl08: I relate to this entirely.

Not that I'm making any reading progress this month... I finished exactly one book in the past week. But on the other hand, I made progress on an art quilt I'm sewing. I've designed several marine motifs and plan to make the quilt represent the seashore. The motifs are machine-embroidered (to attach them as appliqués). It's been too long since I did any creative stitchery.

Outlawed sounds good, but not sure I am up for a pandemic book. And I do have to try something by Sarah Moss.

Hope that your vaccine appointment goes smoothly!

Hi Beth! Is it spring break now? That seems early. Mine is March 29 or so, which seems late. I should be fully vaccinated by then, so Stelios and I are considering accepting a family friend's invitation to come to Florida and visit them - they will have been vaccinated too. This is our first year with no colleges to visit, no kids at home... the beach is tempting!

I am listening to The Vanishing Half now - it's good on audio, but I'm not very far into it (still Desiree) and struggle to find time to listen since I am at home and usually listen in the car. Speaking of audio, 10 years ago or so I listened to The Great Gatsby, which I hadn't read since high school. It was an outstanding and very intimate recording - not "clean" if you know what I mean - there was ambient noise like pages turning and shifting in a chair and sipping (it felt like I was in someone's study hearing a personal account so I imagined the sipping was scotch). It was a great experience. How did the book come back into print? I read a book that I loved last year about a friend of F Scott - a member of the lost generation and Pulitzer Prize winning author I had never heard of. It was about Louis Bromfield and was called The Planter of Modern Life. He was good friends with Edith Wharton and Gertrude Stein, and Hemingway despised him for his success, but he has pretty much faded out of recognition. Funny how that happens, and how a book like Gatsby can go from being out of print to being standard reading in high school.

>138 SandyAMcPherson: I haven't done any creative stitchery recently either, Sandy. Usually, it is easier for me to get to when I am on break from school. Your quilt sounds lovely. I hope you'll post photos.

>139 banjo123: Hi Rhonda. I think you would like Sarah Moss. In Outlawed, the pandemic is in the background, more of a history note.

>140 AMQS: Hi Anne. I hope your recovery is progressing. The beach does sound tempting. Our spring break is halfway through the semester. I think K-12 breaks are often later; my daughter's is the first week in April, I think.

Intersting experience with Gatsby. I might have to try an audio; I've never listened to it before. I think Corrigan found a couple of reasons it made a comeback. One was that it had some champion critics, but it was really helped by being one of the selections for the armed forces books, sent to troops during WWII.

I'll watch for your comments on The Vanishing Half.

I finished Love, and with it, all of Toni Morrison's novels. I'm going to think about it a bit before I write some comments.

Next: The Historians. I loved Wolf Winter and have been looking forward to this.

>121 BLBera: Hi Beth, I have Summerwater coming in some time from the library. I like her books! Now about to put Wolf Winter on the list. Thanks!

I'm always happy to add to others' lists, Mary. :)

28. Love is the story of two women, but it is also about class, gender and race. The friendship of Heed and Christine becomes twisted by the "love" of their parents and divisions of class that seemingly can't be overcome.

I liked the way Morrison structures the story; she starts at the end, revealing events until we arrive at the beginning of the girls' friendship. Each chapter has a one-word title that relates to Bill Cosey, the presence at the center of the novel even though he is long dead. Although prosperous, he is still Black and has to compromise with the white authorities.

Morrison sprinkles comments about race through the novel, showing how everyone has a careful eye on whites. Christine also spends time in the Civil Rights movement. She finds few possibilities for women there, however.

This is an interesting novel. It does suffer in comparison with Paradise.

Hi Beth! I read an ARC of The Jewels of Paradise and I wasn't much impressed either. I enjoy the Brunetti series much more. In fact, I'm reading one of them right now!

>145 BLBera: - Nice comments, Beth.

>146 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie - Which one are you reading. The last one I read was Earthly Remains, so I am a little behind.

>147 katiekrug: Thanks Katie. I thought your comments were good as well.

>148 BLBera: I'm reading By Its Cover for the group read. This year we're alternating Brunetti books with Martin Walker's Bruno.

Oh, I loved By It's Cover. That sounds like fun, Carrie. I read the first Bruno and really enjoyed it. Two great series with great food!

You got me with Outlawed, Beth. Summerwater is already one of the library holds that I put on pause for a while. Enjoy your March break and lots of good reads!

I just finished Old Baggage on the way to work and really loved it. Thanks again for the rec!

>151 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg.

>152 vivians: I'm so glad you liked it, Vivian. I have loved all of Evans's books.

29. The Historians is a good thriller, different, though, from what I was expecting.

I really liked Wolf Winter and was looking forward to this novel, set in WWII Sweden. I expected a novel about the difficult aspects of neutrality, more about the Swedish war experience. Instead, this is a thriller centered on the murder of a student, which just happens to occur during the war. Britta had been part of a close circle of friends. When Laura discovers her body, she feels compelled to find out what happened to Britta. It turns out that Britta's death is connected to something much bigger than a single death.

This was a page turner, but I doubt it will stick with me.

Women's Prize 2021 Longlist
Because of You by Dawn French
Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi
Consent by Annabel Lyon
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan
How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
Luster by Raven Leilani
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
Nothing But Blue Sky by Kathleen MacMahon
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
Summer by Ali Smith
The Golden Rule by Amanda Craig
✅ The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
✅ Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

I've only read two!

The Women's Prize is one of my favorite lists of the year. I've read 5, and there are probably 2 more I won't read (Lockwood, because unlike the rest of the world I didn't like Priestdaddy, and Clarke, again because I'm in the minority and didn't like her first). Now I have to see which of the rest are available!

The Walter Scott historical fiction longlist came out on Monday and NONE (of the ones I haven't read) are available in the US!

I haven't read anything by Lockwood, but that one sounds good, Vivian. Several are available through my library, so I'll probably read those first. Which ones have you read?

I need to check out the Walter Scott list; I do love historical fiction.

Too many books!

I meant to ask, are you back at the office?

I've read the two you mentioned, and Luster, Burnt Sugar and Summer. I loved the Ali Smith, not so enthused about the others (although very interesting mother-daughter relationship in Doshi.

I've been back in the office since last fall - I'm lucky to be in a fairly empty office building and am on the ground floor so no elevator to deal with. All the occupants are very diligently masked. I'm much more productive here than at home!

>155 BLBera: - Cherie Jones and Avni Doshi are both slated to appear (virtually) at my local literary festival's 'Global Voices' series next week. I just put some info up on my thread. Their talks are free, just FYI... :)

I didn't realize you had gone back, Vivian. I like going to my office as well. There aren't many people there, and my colleagues do mask.

I have been meaning to read the Smith trilogy in order, rereading the first two because it's been a while. So it might take me some time to get to Summer.

I looked at the Walter Scott list; there are some that look really good on that one. We need to retire.

>159 katiekrug: Thanks Katie. I'll check it out.

How was the Passing discussion last night?

>161 BLBera: - I couldn't watch it in real time, but I have it bookmarked and am hoping to watch it tonight after the gym and dinner...

>155 BLBera: I've only read one: going to be challenging to catch up before the announcement.

Argh! Double post. Sorry Beth. I will add that The Book of Jakarta is I think my favourite book of short stories in a while. Almost as good as travelling. Well, ish.

No problem, Charlotte. I'll add The Book of Jakarta to my list. ANY traveling is good these days.

Happy Wednesday, Beth!

>154 BLBera: I think that I will pass on that one.

>155 BLBera: I've only read two!

I can beat that Beth. I've only read one but I have the Doshi on my Overdrive list. The longlist doesn't usually mean much to me. I usually wait for the shortlist.

>166 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.

>167 brenzi: Hi Bonnie - I like to read as many from the list as sound interesting; usually I find them rewarding reads. And, this year my library has quite a few, so I'll probably read the ones I can get. I think I am #4 on the list for the Doshi.

I've only read two as well: Summer and The Vanishing Half. I'd like to read more depending on their availability in the US, but this is not a good time for me to jump into a little project like that so I will watch your progress, Beth.

Hi Laura - Yes, I'd say you have some other small tasks, live moving, to get through. My library has quite a few of these. I'm on the waiting list for some of them.

I will have to track of your enthusiasm (or lack!) for the longlist books.

>171 mdoris: Hah, Mary. I'll rave about all of them. :)

30. Even as We Breathe is set in Cherokee, North Carolina, as WWII is ending. It is the story of nineteen-year-old Cowney Sequoyah, a young Cherokee man who is trying to find his place in the world during a summer filled with loss.

This is a wonderful, quiet, novel with lovely descriptive writing that offers a keen sense of place; I can smell the smoke from the fires and hear the sounds of the forest.

Told from first person point of view, Cooney is a likable young man for whom we are cheering throughout the novel.

Wonderful first novel. I will definitely watch for more by Clapsaddle.

Next: American Delirium - The description reads: "In a small Midwestern city, the deer population starts attacking people. So Beryl, a feisty senior and ex-hippie with a troubled past, decides to take matters into her own hands, training a squad of fellow retirees to hunt the animals down and to prove to society that they're capable of more than playing bingo."

Sounds like a winner to me. 😄

>173 BLBera: Sounds like a great read! I have added it to the wishlist.

>174 BLBera: This reminded me of Richard Osman's novel. You can't take your eye off those crime solving retirees...

I'm pulled in about ten different directions with good books. No idea what to pick up first.

Hi Charlotte: Even as We Breathe is just lovely. It deserves a lot of attention. Right now, my reading is dictated by what needs to go back to the library!

Even as we Breathe does sound good! Our library did away with overdue fines, so my library reading has become more flexible.

Hi Rhonda - Our library did away with fines as well, but if there are a lot of people waiting for the book, I try to return it in time. If not, I am more flexible.

Well apparently, Beth, I need to add Even As We Breathe to my list. Sounds like something I might love.

I think you would like it, Bonnie. It is so beautifully written.

31. Hidden Figures
I saw the movie before I read this book, and so I wasn't expecting all the technical information that Shetterly includes. I tried the audiobook and it worked really well; if I zoned out on some of the engineering parts, I didn't miss the biographical information. If I had read a paper copy, I probably would have done a lot of skimming.

It's interesting to me sometimes how books read in proximity create a kind of synergy. I recently read Love by Toni Morrison and am also reading The New Jim Crow. Together with this book, I am increasingly pessimistic about our ability to move beyond racism in this country. We have a long way to go.

The women Shetterly writes about are exceptional, and their lives are an inspiration. It makes me wonder about all the lost potential because of racism.

>181 BLBera: I loved the film Beth. I have the book on Kindle, but it will be a while before I get to it.

>181 BLBera: I also saw the movie first, and am glad I did, partly because of some things I thought the book did really well, in particular calling attention to contributions of other women computers and the Black male engineers at NASA. Necessities of filmmaking, I suppose, but knowing its omissions and simplifications would have ruined my experience of the film. (Also the engineering stuff was part of the appeal for me.)

>173 BLBera: I need to be on the lookout for a copy of that. The used copies are still pricy. I discovered it was already on my Amazon wish list. I can probably get it cheaper the next time University Press of Kentucky offers a sale so I'll be looking for that if I can't find a copy at McKays once I'm fully vaccinated.

Even As We Breathe sounds very good, and - hurray! - NYPL has it in its Overdrive collection. I've put it on my Holds list :)

£17. Sadness. I will wait and hope for second hand copies!

>182 Caroline_McElwee: I also loved the film, Caroline.

>183 swynn: Good point, Steve. I think you are right about the advantages of seeing the film first. I imagine the engineering parts are interesting to some people. :)

>184 thornton37814: Hi Lori. I was lucky that my library had a copy.

>185 katiekrug: It is excellent, Katie. Will you listen to it? I'll watch to see what you think of it..

>186 charl08: :( I hope you can find something to read, Charlotte.

>173 BLBera: Quite interesting. BB for me!

Hope you had a fantastic Monday.

Hi Beth! You got me with Even As We Breathe. It sounds like my kind of book.

On racism: I agree, we have a long way to go. You would think we'd be farther along in 2021. I have been thinking about this a lot, and frequently as I read The Vanishing Half. So many choices about who you can/want to be. Would Stella have made/have to make the same choices? Would Reese? It wasn't even set that long ago.

>173 BLBera: Hi Beth, You got me with that one. Sounds like one I’d like.

>187 BLBera: - No, the library has the Kindle edition so I'll read it that way.

Are you still on spring break? Tearing through the books?

>188 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita. Well, it was a Monday, first day back from break and about 8 inches of snow.

>189 AMQS: I think you'd like it, Anne.
Yes, and then I hear the senator from Wisconsin spouting racist nonsense about how he feels safe with white supremacists and not with BLM protesters.

>190 Copperskye: I think you would like it, Joanne.

>191 katiekrug: I am done with break, Katie. It flew by and ended with almost a foot of snow. It is probably headed your way. :) I'm happy to share.

>141 BLBera: Re posting quilt photos. I can share some photos and enjoy doing so, but this is hard when the fabric colour gradient is so subtle. I'll do my best because it is fun to talk "textile artwork". I sure miss the actual stitchery meet-ups I used to attend.

One of my achievements, I found an excellent machine repair person here in town. I used to have a reliable place in Edmonton (Alberta), but we are so not travelling to that province. It's a 6-hour drive and necessitates an overnight stay.

Sure is a lot of interest in The Vanishing Half. I'm having trouble reading stories with much angst, though. That's me, not the books.

>173 BLBera: Even as We Breathe sounds very intriguing. I liked your comments about "descriptive writing that offers a keen sense of place".

>155 BLBera: Oh my goodness, book lists ... one of these was currently available from the library digitally (Exciting Times), so I put it on my Kindle.

32. American Delirium asks us what we value and how we find truth. Set in an unnamed city, the novel has the dreamlike quality we often find in magical realism. The city is emptying, deer are attacking humans and outnumbering them, and groups of people are leaving their homes and families to find themselves in nature.

González follows the stories of three people: Vik, Beryl, and Berenice. At first the stories are separate and parallel, but as the novel progresses, we see more connections among the stories. Vik is an immigrant, a taxidermist who works at the natural history museum; Beryl is an aging ex-hippie; and Berenice is a nine-year-old girl who wakes up one morning to find that her mother has deserted her.

All of the characters are searching for meaning in their lives and ways to survive in a place that seems more challenging every day.

I really liked this novel. González has an original, well-constructed story. This is also very funny in places, albeit a dark humor. This is her first novel to be translated, but I look forward to reading more of her writing.

Hi Sandy and Ursula!

Well it sounds a bit weird and out of my comfort zone but you seldom steer me wrong Beth so onto the list it goes.

It is a bit weird, Bonnie. If you're not a fan of magical realism, it may not be for you.

>195 BLBera: I just finished a book called LEave the World Behind, which also had dark humor and people leaving the cities. No magical realism, but eery to read right now after our fires, pandemic, loss of power out here in Portland.

>155 BLBera: I have 3 and have read...none! Oops.

Happy Friday! Are you on Spring Break soon?

My spring break has come and gone, TwinK. ☹️

Sadness. Ours is this week. Not that I have any kids in school, just a friend who is an educator.

American Delirium sounds interesting, Beth.

>201 Berly: Vanessa and Scout have it this week as well, TwinK. I hope to get to spend some time with my girls.

>202 katiekrug: I found it very interesting, Katie, but I know it isn't something that will appeal to everyone.

34. Freeheit! is a graphic novel that tells the story of the White Rose, a group of students who protested the Hitler regime via a series of leaflets. They were all caught and executed.

The leaflets are included in translation at the end of the novel, and they seem very timely. The second leaflet says, "If at the start this cancerous growth in the nation was not particularly noticeable, it was only because there were still enough forces at work that operated for the good, so that it was kept under control." We can certainly apply this to our present situation and learn that we must always stand against what is wrong, even if it doesn't seem like a serious threat.

The drawings are wonderful, grainy and noir, which seems appropriate for the subject.

The text could do more to put the students' motivations and lives in context. There seem to me to be a lot of gaps. Of course, the audience of this novel is middle school, so the amount of explanation may be appropriate for that age group.

If anyone is interested in this graphic novel, let me know and I will send it to you. Otherwise, it is going in my mini free library.

Howdy, Beth! >195 BLBera: If the cover didn't get me your review certainly did!
Hope your home improvements are going well. I rearranged my LR furniture as I want it when I get new furniture to see if it'll work. Also took down the curtains and I love the look. Once I get my 2nd dose of vaccine I'll call out the various home fixer uppers to do the hard stuff.
Have a relaxing weekend!

Good luck with your home improvements, Lynda. I probably won't start until school is done. I'll work on decluttering and window washing on the weekends.

Stopping by to say hello after a bit of an absence!

Happy Spring!

Happy spring to you, Karen.

35. What's Mine and Yours
I loved this novel that follows the lives of two families over about twenty-five years. Coster has a gift for bringing life to her characters. Jade Gilbert has a son while she is still in high school. Ambitious, she has to fight for every achievement and to overcome tragedy while also making sure her son grows up strong. Lacey May Ventura has three daughters and when her husband Robbie goes to jail, she has to make hard choices to protect her girls. While the two mothers are almost neighbors, they are worlds apart in many ways.

The two families deal with issues of race, addiction, and segregation, all of which are woven seamlessly into the story.

The one thing I didn't like about this novel was the way Coster structures it. She jumps back and forth in time and moves from one character to another, at times making the story hard to follow. Chronological order would have served her much better. Then she could have moved among the various stories without making the reader look back at the beginning of the chapter for the date.

This is a strong second novel that follows Halsey Street, which I also loved.

And since I loved Halsey Street I will definitely look for her latest Beth. And if you're into podcasts at all The Maris Review has a good interview of Naima Coster.

Thanks Bonnie. Good to know. I'll search for it.

>209 BLBera: I am not sure about the jumping around timeline, Beth. Hmmm....

Sometimes it works, Charlotte, but this time I was annoyed. I don't think it added anything to the story.

>213 BLBera: I think the shifting timeline thing is really hard to do well. I'm always surprised when I read a book where it works well.

Amen, Julia. And sometimes I get the reason for doing it, but there didn't seem to be any reason for it in this novel.

>7 BLBera: This sounds like a difficult to read book, but one that is worthy of the time spent reading.

You are reading some amazing books!

Thanks for the visit, Linda.

TwinB--You are so good about posting reviews! I can only hope your good habits rub off on me, because I am so far behind. Have you seen Vanessa and Scout yet this week? I hope so!! : )

Hey TwinK! I have to post my comments right away, or I forget about it. Scout called me last night and asked if she could come over and do Easter eggs. She's coming tomorrow. I boiled a dozen eggs, so I am all ready for her artistry.

Nice! I have Easter egg decorating scheduled next week with my gang, out in the garage again, socially distanced. I am going to have to boil a lot of eggs! Have fun.

You too.

>209 BLBera: Sounds like another good one, Beth. I also missed Halsey Street so a new author for me.

Happy Friday, Beth. How is everything going? I have not been by in awhile. Good review of What's Mine and Yours. I may have to read that one, along with it's predecessor.

>222 Copperskye: Hi Joanne. How are you? I feel so sorry for the people of Boulder. Coster is a good young writer. I think you'd like her novels.

>223 msf59: Hi Mark - School is keeping me busy. Coster is a good one; you should give her a try. I hope all is well with you.

Hi Beth!

Just passing through - nice that Scout's coming to color Easter eggs. I tend to lose track of Easter without a kidlet at home - for us it's one of the Candy Holidays.

Dropping in to say hello. Hope you had a great Friday!

Happy weekend, Beth!

>225 karenmarie: We had fun with the eggs. Scout ate TWO of them when we were done. She must be growing; her mom says she is always hungry.

>226 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita. Have a great weekend!

>227 AMQS: You too, Anne.

Happy weekend! Glad you and Scout had fun with the eggs.

Thanks Rhonda!

36. How Beautiful We Were is Imbolo Mbue's second novel, after the wonderful Behold the Dreamers. In this sprawling novel, she stays in an unnamed West African country and addresses the abuses of American corporations and corrupt governments.

In the fictional village of Kosawa, people want only to be allowed to live as the Spirit commands them. Instead, after oil is discovered under their land, an American company arrives and commences to drill and pollute the water and land surrounding the village. The novel covers the fifty-year struggle of the people to clean up the land.

Mbue uses a variety of narrators, including a chorus-like group from the village who are children at the beginning of the novel. This works surprisingly well. The other narrators are various members of the Nangi family. The focus on one family gives us characters to care about.

Towards the end of the novel, the author seems to rush through the years, a hazard when so much time is covered. I would have preferred that she end it earlier. The last sections read too much like a summary.

Overall, though, a powerful novel that I will be thinking about for a long time. I can't wait to see what Mbue comes up with next.

>36 BLBera: Great review, Beth, this one is on my list too. I just hear an interview with her on one of the book podcasts and was totally impressed. I loved Behold the Dreamers.

Thanks Vivian: I'll watch for your comments when you get to it. This one does have some flaws, but they didn't overpower the novel.

37. Infinite Country tells of the of one family, and in their lives, we can see the story of many immigrants.

Mauro and Elena grow up in a Colombia torn with violence. Coming from poor families, they realize there is no way for them to prosper. They go to the United States on tourist visas to check it out and then decide to stay. They endure low-paying jobs, terrible living conditions, and think about returning to Colombia, but then they have two more children.

When Mauro is deported, he leaves his wife and three children behind, telling them to stay. Two of the children are citizens, and Elena always feels the stress of their divided family. The children also feel the pressure. Karina, the oldest, who isn't documented, says, "I remember wondering what it must feel like to belong to American whiteness and to know you can do whatever you want because nobody you love is deportable." The children have no defense against school bullying.

This family's story shows the difficult decisions that undocumented immigrants face every day. It's a powerful story.

I love the cover of this book.

>234 BLBera: Oh, I have that one on my library holds list, Beth. I can't remember where I heard about it. I just checked and the library estimates it will be 23 weeks before I get to check it out. Good thing I have some other things to read in the meantime.

It's a good one, Julia. It was a library copy, or I would send it your way. It is short, so maybe it won't take that long.

Yes, sometimes the holds queue tells me there's a long wait and then the book suddenly is available much sooner than I expected. I think maybe they buy an extra copy if the list gets too long, or people who were on the holds list end up getting it somewhere else first so they don't actually borrow it when their turn comes around.

I think you're right, Julia. The same thing happens to me. Things always pop up much sooner than I expected them.

Great reviews, Beth. I have the new Mbue book on my llst also, after listening to Behold the Dreamers last year.

Awesome books and reviews, Twin!

Thanks Anne - I might have liked Behold the Dreamers a little more, but her new one is wonderful as well. I hope your return to work is going well.

Hey TwinK! Thanks.

Hi Beth, I just checked and my library has Infinite Country so onto my library list it goes!

>242 DeltaQueen50: It's a good one, Judy!

38. Beheld is an historical novel set in Plymouth in the early days of the settlement. Mainly told from the perspective of two women, we get a clear picture of a hard, cheerless, violent life.

I still need to read Behold the Dreamers. It's on my shelf so I have no excuse other than I just can't keep up with the books!

I hear you, Joanne. I've been looking at my packed shelves as my library holds are coming in!

>231 BLBera: This looks good! I didn't realize she had a new book out.

Happy weekend, Beth!

>247 banjo123: It is very good, Rhonda. I think it's one you would like. Have a great week.

>231 BLBera: Still waiting for this one from the library. I would be grumpy but they've let me take out, er, 29 books at the moment, so really that would be quite churlish of me. I'm looking forward to the new book group "season" coming this week, although as ever I'm rushing to finish on time!

Wow, Charlotte. Do you end by returning things unread? How long is your loan period?

>250 BLBera: Only if I really think I'm not going to want to read them eventually. The library system has extended all loans several times, currently to May. As it takes 3 days from when you return books for them to be marked off your account, they lifted the total number limit too. It's a bit crazy at the moment because I ordered some of the women's prize longlist and several came in at once. Should be nudging it back down towards 20 this weekend - including the returns I've already made coming off my account.
It's going to be so nice to be able to go into the library properly again next week.

>145 BLBera: I love books that say they are about something, but that are really about much bigger issues, such as class, and gender, and race. I am a shocker for not having read more of Morrison's work.

>204 BLBera: this one sounds really very good, I will see if my library has it.
Eta: dang it, the library doesn't have it :( (it is in English, isn't it?)

>251 charl08: Charlotte - Our library is now open during limited hours for 30-minute browsing. I've only used it to take Scout, who needed to renew her library card, so she got a new pink one that she was very proud of.

>252 LovingLit: I think you would love Morrison. Love was the last one I had not already read. I will probably revisit it at some point. I've found that her books are very rewarding rereads.

It was good, definitely directed to a YA audience I would say. Yes, it is in English.

39. The Seed Keeper

I loved this story about a Dakota woman, Rosalie Iron Wing. When Rosie is twelve, her father dies, and she is placed in foster care. This happens before the ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) is passed, so Rosie is taken away from everything that is familiar to her.

The story travels back and forth in time, also visiting the tragedy of the "Sioux Uprising" of 1862, after which 38 Indigenous men were hung, in the largest mass execution in the US. There are monuments in some cities that commemorate the lives of the settlers lost.

The title is about the seeds that the Dakota preserved season to season. It also shows how they managed to live in harmony with the land. It questions our use of genetically altered seeds, pesticides, etc. However, the novel isn't didactic. The stories of the land blend seamlessly with Rosalie's story. She is a great character.

I think gardeners would especially love this story.

40. She Walks in Beauty: A Woman's Journey through Poems

I have enjoyed Kennedy's other collections, poetry for children, and this one was good as well. In her introduction, she explains that the collection began when friends send her poems to celebrate her fiftieth birthday. She says, "To me, that's the gift of poetry -- it shapes an endless conversation about the most important things in life."

She has divided the collection into various life stages, from falling in love, to marriage, work, and death. There are a variety of poets represented as well, from Lord Byron to Elizabeth Bishop. This is worth savoring, and I will revisit the collection, which is also beautifully designed, with black and white photos of flowers throughout.

I've been watching "This is a Robbery" on Netflix about the 1990 Gardener heist. I saw Steve Kurkjian talk about it a few years ago, and he does make an appearance in the video. I should try to get to his book about it soon.

Beth, you are still roaring along in your reading! I have added Wolf Winter to my wish list. And Beheld. And Infinite Country.
Sigh. Your thread is always dangerous.

I believe it was you who first put Ask Again, Yes on my radar. Richard sent me his copy and I'm reading it now. It's going slowly only because RL is busy, and P and I are in a bit of a routine with more television in the evenings than I think of as normal (we watch "Jeopardy!" and one episode of "Death in Paradise" most evenings). Still, I'm definitely enjoying it!

I'm glad you're on the vaccination train!

>256 BLBera: I was wondering if that is any good. I have a book on the Gardener heist but was on the fence about the Netflix take.

>257 EBT1002: I have had a string of good reads, Ellen. Unfortunately, my book club selection The Other Einstein is suffering in comparison. Sigh.

I loved Ask Again, Yes! I'm glad it's working for you.

I got my second jab and felt really sick the day after. Today is better. I'm glad to be fully vaccinated. Now we can do some family things with my parents.

>258 Oberon: I am enjoying it, Erik, but I have the advantage of having seen Kurkjian speak about it, which had whetted my interest.

>259 BLBera: The author of Ask Again, Yes, Mary Beth Keane, came to our tiny local library last year to talk about the book. She had written a couple of other novels and was quite surprised at the success of this one. She attributed it to one of the late night talk shows (I forget which one) which had chosen it for a group read.

She talked a lot about her childhood and the police officers in her family. I don't remember too much else, except that she was a great speaker and her insights at the time made me enjoy the book even more.

I'm reminded that she spoke a lot about Fever, an earlier novel about Typhoid Mary, and I've been meaning to look that one up.

>260 vivians: I have Fever on my shelf, Vivian, and have been meaning to pick it up. I love to hear authors speak.

Infinite Country and The Seed Keeper both sound like they might be right up my alley Beth.

I really liked them both, Bonnie. My reading lately has been very rewarding. And they are both new-to-me authors, so I have things to look forward to.

>254 BLBera: That sounds interesting. I love the cover.

>255 BLBera: I read She Walks in Beauty several years ago and thought it was a solid collection.

Glad to hear you’re fully vaccinated, Beth! What a relief, right? :)

I also loved Ask Again, Yes and have Fever on my kindle. An earlier book of hers, The Walking People, was excellent!

Hi Joanne - Yes, I loved The Seed Keeper, and the cover is lovely.

It is a relief, even though I've had a couple of rough days.

I will have to look for The Walking People although I could read Fever first.

Hi Beth. I have Beheld on my library list so I will get to it - someday! I have recently read a couple of negative reviews about Marie Benedict's writing by Lters that I trust but unfortunately I had already purchased at least three of her books, including the one you are reading now, The Other Einstein. :(

>266 DeltaQueen50: After reading one by Marie Benedict, I'm not in a hurry to get to any others by her.

>266 DeltaQueen50: It will be interesting to see what other members of my book club think about the book, Judy. I'm halfway and really want to move on to something else. You could give it a try and see what you think.

>267 thornton37814: Which one did you read, Lori?

Glad to hear you've had both jabs now and hope you're over the worst of it.

Strolling by for a visit!

>260 vivians: That sounds interesting, Vivian. I will see if my library has a copy of Fever.

Thanks Reba. I am feeling much better.

Hi Mary.

I have a copy of Fever, Ellen, and have been meaning to get to it...

My book club was split on The Other Einstein; a few were fascinated by the story. I, and a couple of others, felt the writing was pretty pedestrian and didn't really bring Mitza to life. I would like to read a biography of her because she sounds like an amazing woman. I DNF'd my copy and put it in my mini library.

Now I have to decide what is next...

>267 thornton37814: The one about Hedy Lamarr. I read it for a book club. Otherwise I would have abandoned it (or more likely--never picked it up).

Lori - Can you pinpoint what the problem is? To me there seemed to be no life in a person that I thought should be fascinating. At least for The Other Einstein.

Hi Beth.
I have been finding your thread hard to stay caught up, so if I missed seminal updates and all, I will add that I hope you are well. Lots of of non-reading happening here in our house. We've had a big paper-ephemera sorting out. All family-related items.

It was emotionally-mentally exhausting but needed to be done - the family file backlog from years ago when the older generation passed away was taking up a ridiculous amount of space (mentally nagging me). I'm thrilled to little mint balls that we found places to donate the historical material. Now I have to consolidate the remainder into a sensible binder and shred the immaterial things so no one else has to comb through anything.

I did review two of my recent reads. Both 4-stars, so that felt very satisfying.
>254 BLBera: I liked your description of The Seed Keeper.

It's always great to get the house of clutter, Sandy. It sounds like you made a good start on spring "cleaning." It's great that you found a good home for your historical material.

I highly recommend The Seed Keeper. I'm off to check our your reading.

I'm about 60 pages into The Vanishing Half and already suspecting that this will be my favourite of those I've picked up from the longlist.

I had my second vaccination on Friday and seem to have escaped without side effects. Sorry to read you weren't well.

I am very tempted by the poetry collection, it sounds lovely. The Jackie Kay I just read was an ILL but I would also like more of her work. I got another one by Louise Glück second hand as the first collection of hers that I read was so lovely.

I'll watch for your comments on The Vanishing Half, Charlotte.

The poetry anthology is good. I'm reading a collection by Glück right now that is very lovely. I will definitely read more by her.

Happy Sunday, Beth! I also really like Ask Again, Yes. I should look for more by the author.

Happy Sunday to you, Rhonda. As the semester winds down, it gets harder to think about Monday! Are you back in the office yet?

I would like to read Fever soon since I have a copy.

>275 SandyAMcPherson: I've been in the midst of a similar project---there seems no end to it. In the last three years I have cleaned out two family homes, both of which were the repository of a lot of history, memorabilia and ephemera. One of them included a lot of stuff from a family I don't consider myself related to --- lateral connections of a non-blood uncle, but it was all mixed together. Tough job, but fascinating too. Now I'm working on what my Mom left behind; she wasn't a big hoarder, but she was almost 90 and she had saved things from all stages of her life.

>281 laytonwoman3rd: It is strange, isn't it Linda? As the generations consolidate, the real meaning of most of the belongings means nothing two generations going forward.

A friend gave me such great advice, from her angst-laden family accumulations. Like me, she is rather sentimental and feels "who our ancestors were" is an important facet of being in a family.

She's the one that encouraged me to not feel I had to personally keep everything because it could place a burden on my kids and they wouldn't see the point when it came to saving something for the grandchildren.

I hadn't thought beyond just how *I* related to the material! So that was a very good insight. I know other people may feel very differently, but thought I'd share this point of view.

>274 BLBera: It was just poor writing.

>281 laytonwoman3rd:, >282 SandyAMcPherson: A friend and I have been discussing this as well. She had to go through her mother-in-law's house when the MIL moved to assisted living, and she found that none of her kids wanted the china, for example. When questions of inheritance are asked of me, I ask my daughter. I don't need more stuff, and if it isn't meaningful to my daughter, I pass on it.

>283 thornton37814: I think you're right, Lori.

>282 SandyAMcPherson:, >284 BLBera: China and silver are things that I appreciate, but rarely use, and my daughter has NO interest in them whatsoever. Jewelry---forget it. Diaries, yearbooks and old letters....now that's a different story! And when we were cleaning out my Mom's house, the only thing she wanted for sentimental reasons was a wooden plaque for hanging keys on, with a picture of a Sheltie painted on it. (There were always Shelties in our family when she was growing up.)

...but then I always think how much I cherish the one or two things I have that belonged to a grandparent and how much I would love to have letters, documents, etc. from them and also things and papers from earlier generations.

>285 laytonwoman3rd: It's hard to know what people choose to be sentimental about, Linda.

>286 RebaRelishesReading: It's nice when the items come from the grandparent with a story and are not part of a huge pile of STUFF one has to sort through after a death.

Just saying hi, Beth!

>287 BLBera: absolutely!

>288 EBT1002: Hi back, Ellen. I hope your week is going well. Only five weeks left!

>289 RebaRelishesReading: :)

Hi Beth. I'm sorry to be out of touch. I had my second Maderna injection yesterday. My arm is so darn sore. And, the tiredness makes it difficult to read.

The trees on the hill in back of my yard are blooming a beautiful white color.

Thinking of you and sending all good wishes.

Hi Beth, one of these days I need to read something by Imbolo Mbue, and Infinite Country sounds intriguing. Sorry Marie Benedict didn't work for you. I didn't love the writing in Carnegie's Maid when I read it with my book club, but they (and my library's patrons) seem to like her books, so I thought maybe I was missing something. Glad to see I'm in good company (?) being underwhelmed.

>254 BLBera: another appealing one...and that cover is quite beautiful isnt it!?

>291 Whisper1: Congrats on getting your second jab, Linda. I was miserable after mine, also Moderna. I hope you feel better tomorrow.

>292 bell7: Mbue is great; I've loved both her books. Half of my book club did like the Benedict. I think part of the problem was that I had just finished some very good books, and hers suffered in comparison.

>293 LovingLit: I love the cover, Megan! And it is a good thing that it is also a very good book.

>278 BLBera: I really loved The Vanishing Half Beth. Hope that she gets shortlisted!

I'm with you, Charlotte. I must get going on others from the list!

41. The Trouble with Goats and Sheep is an accomplished first novel that had me laughing out loud at times. The novel starts with a winning ten-year-old Grace narrating. When one of the neighbor ladies on the Avenue disappears, Grace and her best friend Tilly decide that the only way to keep the Avenue safe and bring Mrs. Creasey back is to find God. They devote the hot summer days to visiting the various neighbors in the search.

Cannon alternates Grace's point of view with those of the neighbors, revealing a troubled neighborhood with secrets and sadness. Kids' narration doesn't always work, but I liked it. I thought that Grace's perspective lent the right amount of levity to what otherwise might have been a darker story.

One of Grace's observations about the police visiting her house: "I thought I would like a job where inquiring about everyone else's private business was considered perfectly routine."

I don't want to create any spoilers, but Jesus does make an appearance in an unusual place.

>297 BLBera: - I have this one on my Kindle. I'm not sure why, but it was probably on sale at some point :) Glad to hear it was a winner.

>298 katiekrug: I don't think everyone will like this, Katie, but it worked for me. Join me on the next thread.