Familyhistorian’s Keeping Positive Thoughts for a Year of Change – Part 3

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.

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My latest blog posts are inspired by one line on my family tree with links to Canada and the UK. You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Little Free Library

Books culled in 2021

January - 0

February - 6

March - 6

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 - DONE
March: Arggh, Matey - Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton - DONE
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

Books read February 2021

Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir by Natasha Trethewey
A Very English Scandal by John Preston
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Death Comes to London by Catherine Lloyd
In Harm’s Way by Viveca Sten
The Anarchy by William Dalrymple
The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
Off the Books by Lucy Arlington
The Prince, the Princess and the Perfect Murder by Andrew Rose
Wigs on the Green by Nancy Mitford
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Death Comes to the Village by Catherine Lloyd
Death in Provence by Serena Kent

Books read in 2021

Books Acquired in 2021

Acquisitions for February 2021

Little Demon in the City of Light by Steven Levingston
American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of American CSI by Kate Winkler Dawson
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley
Tempt Me with Diamonds by Jane Feather

Welcome!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread Meg! Love the photo in >1 Familyhistorian:!

Happy new one! I love the photo of the LFL - I've built up quite a stack to recycle since we've been in lockdown. Maybe I should start one of these.

Happy new thread, Meg!

>1 Familyhistorian: Lovely picture at the top, is it near you?

Happy new thread, Meg.

Happy new one!

Happy New Thread! sez me.

Noticed you had looked into The Daughter of Time if you have the bandwidth for a chunkster you might have a look at The Sunne in Splendor an excellent (but long) look at Richard III's life and times.

Hi Meg, and happy new thread!

>4 Familyhistorian: Congrats on 94 books culled so far this year.

Happy new thread, Meg. I really like your topper image. Is that by your condo? I would love to live somewhere where I could hear water. We have a "river" at the back of our property, but it doesn't make much noise, sadly. All it's good for is putting us in a flood plain and forcing us to buy extra insurance :)

Happy new thread, Meg. I love the photo at the top. You had some great reading in February.

>11 quondame: Thanks Susan!

>12 mdoris: Hi Mary, that's a photo of the Coquitlam River.

>13 charl08: Hi Charlotte, that's an old shot of the LFL. It has been replaced but it was down for a few months while my stack of books to be recycled grew. That one is in a public park so is accessible to lots of people. Access and good foot traffic seem to be things needed for a successful LFL. So if you have that you should go for it.

>14 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita! Yes, the river is just a short walk from where I live.

>15 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul!

>16 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, and thanks!

>17 magicians_nephew: Hi Jim, I have The Sunne in Splendour on my wish list. Was it you who asked me about A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem? I just finished it and now I want another.

>18 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I guess I better edit that ticker. It should read 6 books culled with 94 more to do.

>19 katiekrug: Hi Katie, the river is close to me but there are lots of trees between me and the water. I only hear it when the water is flowing faster than usual. My townhouse overlooks a creek which I can see from windows on all three levels. Sometimes there are ducks and I once saw a crane. I stayed inside when I saw a bear back there!

>20 BLBera: Thanks Beth! My February reading would have been higher but I'm behind on the write ups of my reads.

Happy new thread! I'm glad you identified the body of water in the top photo!

Happy new one, Meg!

Happy new thread!

Happy 3rd Thread, Meg!

Hi Meg my dear, happy new thread.

>25 thornton37814: Thanks Lori! We have lots of rivers around here so I probably should name them when I post them.

>26 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba!

>27 drneutron: Hi Jim and thanks!

>28 Carmenere: Lynda, it's been awhile. I have been really bad keeping up with the threads this year.

>29 johnsimpson: Hi John, thanks re the thread!

>21 Familyhistorian: We have lots of dog walkers, but whether we have enough to justify one I'm not sure. Tempting though.

>32 charl08: As long as there is some foot traffic it might work, Charlotte. Even if the dog walkers don't pick up the books themselves they might spread the word about your LFL.

I've noticed that ever since Ticker Factory changed their tickers I can't put in a goal like reading 75 books without the ticker saying that I've read that many books already between the amount that I have entered as read and my goal. It no longer says that the remainder are "to be read." Does anyone know how to fix this?

Happy New Thread, Meg!

Nice photo of the Coquitlam River up there.

30. The Human Tide: How Population Shaped the Modern World by Paul Morland



Because of my interest in history, I thought that The Human Tide would be a read that I would like and I was right. In this easily accessible work, the author provides information about the forces behind the world’s population expansion in the recent centuries. As he explained it, there is a recognizable pattern behind such burgeoning growths which occur in different populations at different times. It was a complex subject made more understandable by this book.

>35 jnwelch: Hi Joe, you snuck in while I was posting. Almost missed you there. Thanks re the photo of the Coquitlam River. I like to capture its many moods.

31. Why Kings Confess by C.S. Harris



During the French Revolution, many of the French aristocracy escaped to England where they lived in exile. The Sebastian St. Cyr mystery, Why Kings Confess, was built around the French in exile and also touched upon the mystery of whether the Dauphin had survived.

It was an interesting glimpse of the French in exile. In it too, more information was revealed about St. Cyr’s time in the military and there was also more focus on his friend Gibson, the surgeon who deals with the dead.

Hi Meg, when I read your message at >34 Familyhistorian: I immediately went and checked my tickers but they seem fine. I was able to set them up with a goal and they are tracking my progress and how many I have to complete in order to reach that goal. Did you set up brand new tickers this year or just try to change the amounts on the ticker that you already had? My only suggestion would be to start from scratch and set up new tickers with new pictures etc. If you have already done this - then may this is just a temporary glitch that will be adjusted soon.

ETA: Happy new thread! :)

Happy new thread, Meg. A bit late...

Hmm, after the ticker issues I initially had, but *fixed* with your help, I am reading your post in >34 Familyhistorian:, and went to look at my own again. Mine is even more bizarre. It shows 12 read (which is pathetically accurate) on the counter itself (thought the number is always obscured behind the black cat which, thanks to all the ticker screwups, I am not about to try to change), but below it, it actually says: 2 books read in 2021 done, and at the end, it says: 68 books read in 2021.

So yeah, the end goal is messed up. I am just keeping track myself, and might even delete it altogether if it doesn't sort itself out because, what's the point of a messed up visual? More important things to stress about, right?

>39 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I set up new tickers for the year and all of them come out wonky when it comes to the goal. Do you continue your tickers from one year to the other?

>40 jessibud2: That's exactly the problem that I have, Shelley. It read "29 books read in 2021 done" and ended with "46 books read in 2021". So I've taken off the goal amount so it doesn't look like I've read 46 already and isn't discouraging as the higher number I enter the fewer books it says I have read in 2021 at the end of the message.

You can still use the ticker if you remove the goal which is what I've done.

32. Death Perception by Victoria Laurie



The other day when I went to the main Vancouver library, I actually browsed the shelves and picked up a light mystery, Death Perception. I inhaled the latest to me book in the psychic eye series soon after I brought it home. It was an action-packed adventure in which the sleuth, Abby, and her boyfriend, Dutch, visit Las Vegas to deal with the disappearance of his cousin and the man the cousin was guarding. Things got complicated and kept me turning the pages. Much of that was probably because I have been reading some hefty books lately and it was good to have a change.

>34 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg my dear, i have had problems with my Tickers this year and had to completely redo them and touch wood everything is OK with them at the moment. Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

Sweet Thursday, Meg! Happy New Thread! Of course, I love that topper. Yep, retirement is a sweet thing.

Hi Meg! I very much enjoyed your description of Death Perception by Victoria Laurie. The book is now on the tbr pile.

I'll visit more frequently. I've had a slow start this year, and have been remiss in visiting the threads I enjoy so very much.

All good wishes!

>44 johnsimpson: The tickers are frustrating, John. I hope that yours are ok now.

>45 msf59: You think retirement is sweet now, Mark. Just wait until there is no social distancing!

>46 Whisper1: Hi Linda, Death Perception is actual the sixth book in the series which starts with Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye. I've enjoyed them all.

I'm not very good with keeping up with threads either. They keep on getting away from me.

I've read a few of the Abby Cooper books - i like them

>43 Familyhistorian: Sounds good.
I added Death Perception to my library WL.
Your thread sure filled fast!

>38 Familyhistorian:, I wondered if you liked the latest CS Harris novel. Is it rated? I enjoyed most of the series and am on a wait list for the newest one, when it arrives in our library.

>50 magicians_nephew: The Abby Cooper books are good, lots of action.

>38 Familyhistorian: Hi Sandy, Death Perception was a fun one, but the sixth in the series, FYI.

The latest CS Harris I read was good but a bit plodding in the middle as Sebastian seemed to be talking to people a lot before any real action got going.

It's not hard to tell it's March out there. When I went out for a walk today it was cloudy. Then it hailed so hard that it was crunching under foot on the sidewalk. Then it turned to rain but on the homeward stretch the sun came out.

Wow, hail! We had a little bit of rain in the early morning, based on the wetness of the ground, but it's beautiful out there right now. Sunny and cool.

NIce here no rain, no hail. But you're right, so changeable the weather in March!

>55 The_Hibernator: The hail was unexpected, Rachel, and, thankfully short lived. Today was sunny and so warm I had to take my jacket off part way through my walk.

>56 mdoris: At least March weather runs the full gamut which means there is some sunshine in the mix, Mary.

33. The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths About Sex and Identity in Our Society by Dr. Debra Soh



I had been wondering for a while about the new use of pronouns. There had been rumblings at first, but then it hit mainstream. At the last in person SIWC, I was asked to declare my pronouns. Wanting to find out more about the background to this movement, I read The End of Gender.

The book was an eye-opener and cause for concern. It seems that the use of pronouns is just the tip of the iceberg. The chapters dealt with the myths that are prevalent in the current attempt to be inclusive in a nonbinary way, well intended but potentially confusing to children brought up in this way. The cause for concern was that academic investigation is now hampered by a need to be politically correct rather than scientifically investigative.

Most concerning was the information about transitioning. To me, changing one’s birth sex should be something done after much thought and supportive counseling. According to the information given, current medical transitioning now happens in childhood, before puberty. This brought to mind one of the anecdotes, A B brought up in Bird by Bird in which an 8-year-old boy is ask to give a pint of his blood to his sister in a bid to save her life. He asked for time to think it over because his take on giving the blood is that he would die instead of her. Saying yes was a heroic sacrifice and an insight into how the mind of a child of that age works. Maybe not exactly the age to make definitive plans regarding future gender assignment.

I haven't been a good LTer lately. I've been neglecting thread including my own. I'm way behind on book reviews and even adding new books I've acquired to LT. It feels like everything is stacking up. Probably because it is. At least the reads are going well. I hope to do better with the rest.

34. In the Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy L. Sayers



The group read of Dorothy L. Sayers work showed me that I hadn’t read all of Sayers mysteries. I really enjoyed the full-length Wimsey books that I had never before read. Those were a find. The short story collections I could have done without. In the Teeth of the Evidence took me ages to read. It began with some stories which featured Wimsey or Montague Egg but the rest had no known sleuth. All I can say about this collection is that I’m glad I finally finished!

>61 Familyhistorian: I felt much the same way!

>62 thornton37814: I saw that you declared that you finished the Sayers reads on the group thread, Lori. I think that was with Striding Folly, another collection of short stories. I don't think I can do another short story collection.

>63 Familyhistorian: Fortunately that one is very short. If you can stomach 3 more stories, you'll be okay. You even get to meet Lord Peter's children in two of them. I think "Striding Folly" was my least favorite of the three, and it barely mentioned Lord Peter. a

>61 Familyhistorian: Sayers wrote for the money sometimes and the Wimsey short stories read like it. But the novels are golden.

Sayers' non-Wimsey stories didn't grab me, either, Meg. Lord Peter is a collection of just, and all, her Peter short stories.

>59 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg! I am so glad that you read Dr. Soh's book! I have had her concerns on my radar for a long time and have done further reading especially as it affects decisions made concerning children (life long medication (hormones) , the surgical intervention of healthy tissue and organs, sterilization and major ongoing medical concerns). One extremely good book to follow up on is a book by Abigail Shrier Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters. This is greatly concerning to me and something that I have joined a group CaWsbar to try and challenge the new legislation of Bill C-6 here in Canada which will make it difficult for parents to get a differential diagnosis and therapeutic support for children who are struggling with gender identity. This is very worrisome. You are very correct to conclude that "this is the tip of the iceberg". I really valued that Dr. Soh's opinions/conclusions are based in science. Meg there is a lot of money behind this movement. Jennifer Bilek https://www.the11thhourblog.com has researched this in depth. This is hugely advantageous to Big Pharma as it makes for life long users of expensive medication.

>59 Familyhistorian: >67 mdoris: My daughters social group is primarily made up of non-cis individuals several of whom are trans. I find myself horrified that cis-identifing people feel justified in making such strong pronouncements about the damage of early transitions without consulting those who feel it necessary to transition. I don't say that transitioning early is the best choice in the best world but I never had, and will never have, to live with gender expectations that are entirely alien to me.
Over and over I've had to re-examine my flabby understanding of gender norms and values when confronted by my daughter's outraged sensibility and angers. And that was starting from a point where I would be happy jettisoning most feminine (except pretty clothes) and masculine norms.

Hi Meg. Wind, rain, sunshine & hail - we've been getting it all. I don't mind the changeable weather, spring is here and that makes me happy.

I make new tickers every year. I think the answer is to keep the "Objects/Actions" phrase short, giving it room to display the whole calculation. For example I originally used the phrase "Owned Books Read" for the Objects/Actions which was too long and so it didn't display properly. When I changed it to "Owned Books" it works perfectly. Not sure if this makes sense or not ...

>64 thornton37814: If it's only three stories I might be able to do it, Lori. I'll add it to the reading mix soon.

>65 magicians_nephew: I'm currently reading The Golden Age of Murder which mentions Sayers writing short stories for money, Jim. It also mentions many other classic mystery writers and their works so it's a dangerous book. Good though.

>66 jnwelch: I think Wimsey was Sayer's best creation, Joe, especially when she let him change and have a love life which changed mystery novels as they were then written.

>67 mdoris: Dr Soh's book was an eye opener, Mary. I had no idea of what was going on. Thanks for letting me know about the Shrier book and the challenge to the legislation. I didn't realize that big Pharma was involved in this but that makes sense.

>69 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I read your thread after you made the change to the words on the tickers and it did make sense because I noticed how the ends of the tickers are clipped off a bit. I haven't made any changes to my tickers yet but I will.

35. A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins



Lady Katherine Bascombe endured a lot in her marriage which, thankfully, didn’t last too long. As a widow she was left a newspaper which she intends to run as she sees fit. Her investigation into a story rubs the police the wrong way, particularly Andrew Eversham. But the two keep running across each other in their search for a solution to why bodies keep piling up.

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem was an interesting historical mystery which seemed likely to be the start of a series.

>75 Familyhistorian: Looks to be interesting.

Have a great start to the week!

>76 figsfromthistle: It's a fun one, Anita. Hope that you have a wonderful week.

Hi, Meg. Just checking in. Have you still been busy? Getting out for any walks?

Hi Meg!

>60 Familyhistorian: I can relate, although I’m keeping my books added up to date. I just checked – I have 874 messages on starred threads. I at least need to get it down to only having 25 or less messages per thread that I’m behind on.

>61 Familyhistorian: That’s the way I felt about Five Red Herrings when I re-read it as part of my personal re-read of DLS’s fiction in 2019.

>65 magicians_nephew: and etc. I think DLS’s fiction writings were a means to an end – financial stability – and her true passions were theological writings and her translations of Dante. Her life was fascinating and provided much of the characterization of Harriet Vane.

36. Death Comes to Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd



In Death Comes to Kurland Hall the action centred around matrimony. Not only was there a wedding being held but other couples were thinking of tying the knot as well. Of course, this didn’t include Lucy Harrington who was still smarting from Major Kurland’s bumbling proposal. Surprisingly, it was Lucy’s father who was considering marriage to a woman who had come for the wedding. This had Lucy making plans about her future as she couldn’t stand the woman who was a malicious gossip.

Lucy and the Major might have been on the outs but murder soon brought them together again. These mysteries are still going down well so I’ll probably be on to the next soon.

>78 msf59: Hi Mark, I have been busy. I seem to be falling behind with many things including the threads. Some days it's hard to keep up. Like today with 4 Zoom meetings. I make sure to get my walks though.

>79 karenmarie: Whenever I check on your thread, which admittedly isn't that often lately, you seem very up to date, Karen. It makes me feel better that you are having a hard time keeping up as well.

I remember you doing a reread of the Sayers works. I joined in the group read on the category challenge which was good as there were two full length Wimseys that I had never read. There were way too many short story collections though. I really don't do well with short stories.

Finally catching up here, Meg. Yes, keeping your captions short appears to be the secret to having well-behaving tickers. I had to redo mine.

Except for yesterday, the weather here has been very nice. So nice that on Friday I met a friend for coffee and we sat outside the cafe in the sun. Wonderful that spring weather is here.

It was still sunny and warm when I met a friend for a walk on Saturday. We rewarded ourselves with lunch at a restaurant afterwards.

It was nice to see people in person for a change.

Yesterdays walk was a solitary one. It was raining so hard that my jeans were wet up to the knee by the time that I made it home.

>83 ronincats: Hi Roni, I think that we've all had a bit of a learning curve when it came to the tickers. It didn't help that they changed at the same time we were getting used to changes on LT.

37. Rupture by Ragnar Jonasson



I didn’t expect to read about a place in quarantine when I picked up the Ari Thor novel Rupture but that’s what I got. The quarantine was limited to Siglufjordur. The police were some of the few people still going to work as everyone was afraid of catching hemorrhagic fever which a tourist brought into their small community. Not much in the way of crime was happening with everyone staying home, so Ari Thor was looking into an old case.

The news reporter Isrun also made an appearance as she chased down an investigation in other parts of Iceland not affected by the disease. That was where most of the excitement came in. There were political ties, links to past crimes and a missing child involved. Enough to keep me guessing.

The latest update on my housing situation is that the conditions on the latest offer on our complex have been extended until April 16 while the developers do more tests. They've been drilling for the last two days, very loudly. I just hope they are through with that now.

>86 Familyhistorian: Oh my gosh, what a grim coincidence! I'm not sure I'd really want to read about hemorrhagic fever at any time, though, to be honest.

>87 Familyhistorian: More tests! What are they really looking for, oil? Frustrating to be in limbo, of course. I hope it's all resolved soon.

Hi, Meg. Oh, these threads keep on proliferating, don't they? I know Jim keeps in touch - thought I'd stop by and say hi before you got to thread 4!

I have probably missed the answer to this, but do you know where you will move to when the housing situation is unwound?

>88 richardderus: Yeah, the hemorrhagic fever in the book was a surprise but at least it didn't take up much of the book. Not oil, ground water, that's what they're looking for which makes sense since there's a creek at the back of the property and we're less than a block from the river. The property zoning has been changed to 6 story apartment so they may be trying to see if underground parking is feasible.

>89 ffortsa: Hi Judy, the threads keep growing. It's impossible to keep up, at least it is in my case. I don't know where I will move to when the housing situation gets to that point. Probably the same area but it depends on what's available and what my share of the proceeds from the sale amounts to. I'm not rushing into anything at this point. I just hope the real estate market is a bit more sane when I'm looking than it is currently.

38. The Evolution Myth: or The Genes Cry Out Their Urgent Song, Mister Darwin Got It Wrong by Jiri A. Mejsnar



I like reading about evolution and The Evolution Myth was a slim book about the subject that appealed. The theories were interesting but much of the writing was too scientific for me even though I have a rudimentary knowledge of genetics and DNA.

I'm off to the library in a few but I need to review one of the books I'm returning before I go. The weather is wet and miserable out there and, unfortunately, that's what's in the forecast for at least the next week.

39. Final Account by Peter Robinson



This is one of those books with different titles in different countries. It is also known as Dry Bones that Dream.

Peter Robinson was really hitting his stride by the time that he wrote Final Account. Banks’ life was becoming more complicated as he and his wife spent more time apart than together. Men tempted to stray are a theme in the mystery which starts with the death of an accountant killed in the outbuildings at his residence. It was up to Banks and the others in the investigation team to piece together the mysterious death and the disappearance of a few people with connections to each other.

It has been a busy few days. But when aren't they? I spent part of yesterday writing this Saturday's blog post. I'm itching to get back to the research I talk about in that post but I'm falling behind in the course about English nonconformist that I'm taking.

In my writing program what we're learning about now is doing author readings. You know, those events were the writer gets up in front of an audience to read their work. In person readings are next to impossible these days so the writers in my cohort for the program arranged to read to each other in a Zoom meeting on Tuesday night. It was ok. I stumbled a bit on the words. So disconcerting to watch yourself on camera. Not that it happened much as I was reading from the paper in front of me. As much as it scares me, I'd like to read in front of a live audience instead.

On Wednesday night I had another Zoom meeting with my woman's group which has been getting together for years. I offered to read to them. This time it was a lot easier and they said they liked it. Must be true because they want me to read more of it as they want to know what happens.

we just listened to an author talk from the Monclair Library in New Jersey where they dialed in the Irish author Kevin Barry for an interview and reading. The moderator (a local NJ author) suggested passages for Barry to read, which he did in his lovely soft Irish accent.

I imagine its easier on ZOOM to a computer web cam than to do it in a big book store or auditorium.

>96 magicians_nephew: I think there are pros and cons to both, Jim. On Zoom it is disconcerting to see yourself as you are reading and you have to be in range of a small camera all the time so remain sitting down. In person it would be hard to be in front of everyone but there is usually someone to help with the sound system and you can actually make eye contact with the audience and get a better idea of their reaction. Plus you get to stand up which makes it easier to project and you can also use hand movements.

Parking garages are necessary evils in Car Culture, I suppose. And far better they drill and discover rather than await developments!

Happy week-ahead's reads.

>98 richardderus: We're definitely part of Car Culture here, Richard. I can understand the drilling I just wish the process had moved onto the next step.

40. Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton



I’m not sure why I picked up Pirate Latitudes, probably in case I needed it for an LT challenge at some point. A seaborn adventure in the Caribbean, isn’t my usual kind of read but at least it was historic. At times it was hard to tell who were the good guys, the English pirates or the Spanish who were defending their turf. But it was obvious who the protagonist was and he not only had the Spanish to deal with but the English back in Jamaica. It was a big dilemma and a rollicking tale of adventure.

>100 Familyhistorian: - I'm reading this now, Meg! Great minds... I've had it for a while and was inspired to finally give it a go for the Reading Through Time March challenge.

>101 katiekrug: I read it for Reading Through Time as well, Katie. The challenge was probably the only reason why I picked it up.

>100 Familyhistorian: I picked that one up when it came out and gave it 4 stars. I often rated things a little higher back then than I do now, but I did really enjoy it according to my review. I thought I remembered liking it.

>103 thornton37814: So many things happened in the story that it kept me interested, Lori. Good to know that you found it a likeable read.

I just signed up for the Locked Up Festival 2. It features some British crime writers who I enjoy like Ian Rankin, Elly Griffiths and Val McDermid. It was good when I attended last year especially as I was looking for things to do. It will be harder to fit it in this time because I seem to have more than enough to be getting on with.

>105 Familyhistorian: Enjoy the festival. I'm sure you'll "squeeze it in."

>100 Familyhistorian: Reading Crichton's novels are always a good way to spend ones time.

Have a great weekend

>105 Familyhistorian: I just read the email about this. I am looking forward to seeing which writers they get along to this year, it was quite a range I thought in 2020.

The readings sound challenging. When I go to meetings on zoom I always choose the option to turn off my view of my own camera!

>106 thornton37814: British festivals are easy to fit in given the time change to here, Lori. I just have to give up sleep!

>107 figsfromthistle: The Crichton was a page turner all right, Anita. I think it was the first of his books that I have read.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend too!

>108 charl08: I found it really good last year, Charlotte. I hope it is on a par this time around.

Clearly I need to get more familiar with the controls on Zoom. I didn't know there was an option to turn off seeing myself. I'll have to check into that.

41. The Distant Echo by Val McDermid



Having read the third book in the Karen Pirie series, I thought I would start from the beginning with The Distant Echo which was the story of four friends in university who stumble across the body of a woman one snowy night. From the get go they are treated as suspects rather than witnesses. It was something that followed them from the time of the murder which happened in the late ‘70s to the present (the early 2000s).

They put it behind them as they got on with their lives. But then one of them dies under suspicious circumstances and another follows right around the time that the cold case is opened for review. Only thing is that the evidence the four hoped would clear them had been lost.

It was a good one, although I had my suspicions about the actual murderer from the start.

On Friday a friend took me for a drive around to look at townhouses which I hadn't seen before. She has been looking at possibilities for a while as she is considering selling her house.

I had no idea that there were so many new developments close to where I am living now. One of them was close to a park and as we drove by there were three young deer chasing each other around on the grass and on the small side road we were on. They looked to be having fun.

42. On Turpentine Lane by Elinor Lipman



At the beginning of the story in On Turpentine Lane, Faith takes a leap of faith and buys a house on Turpentine Lane. She may be sort of engaged but her supposed fiancé was off on a trip to find himself with her credit card to finance him. Meanwhile back at home, or really, at work, Faith was in hot water for something that happened and the only person to stand up for her when it looks like she might loose her job was the guy who shared the office with her, Nick. So when Nick’s girlfriend kicks him out what can a friend/coworker do but offer him a place to stay?

This was a light hearted comedy with oddball characters. It turned in to a fun read.

I got in a writing sprint and a Zoom meeting today. I intended to get a lot more words written after that but a it was raining and windy out. So windy that the power went out. I went to the mall hoping the power would be on by the time I got back. No such luck. It was getting too dark to read by the time I lit a candle and, of course, the power came on after that. By then I was more interested in cooking something to eat than getting more writing done.

>112 Familyhistorian: the measure of a GOOD mystery is you can figure out who the villain is and STILL enjoy the journey

>116 magicians_nephew: Then it was a good mystery, Jim.

The numbers keep going up here so we're on added restrictions at least until April 19. It's being called a circuit breaker. We'll see what breaks first.

Hi Meg!

>112 Familyhistorian: I read this one in early February, and have happily read the second and third books in the series. Looks like books 4-6 are available at the Library.

>113 Familyhistorian: A park and deer sound like something right up your alley.

>118 Familyhistorian: I’m sorry there are added restrictions. I hope the virus breaks before the people break.

43. The Nature of Things: Essays of a Tapestry Weaver by Tommye McClure Scanlin





I found The Nature of Things: Essays of a Tapestry Weaver to be part memoir and part craft book and a look at a life dedicated to the craft of weaving. There were weaving instructions in the back if the reader was included to join in. It was interesting to see how the author used her artist’s eye to translate the nature around her into art and finally into a template for her craft.

>119 karenmarie: I'm sure it was your posting about the first book in the series that prompted me to request it from the library, Karen. The first book I read in that particular series was Skeleton Road and I meant to get back to the beginning. I became interested in Val McDermid's books after seeing her in two literary festivals last year. I've also signed up for the Locked Up Festival again this year where she will be one of the presenters. The festival starts April 8th and I'm looking forward to it.

The park and deer did help with my interest in the area. We'll see how this whole sale thing pans out. Thanks re the restrictions.

Yesterday I trekked all the way into town after my morning writing sprint and a quick breakfast. I had to get back in time for a genealogy ZOOM meeting but I had a library book that was due that day. I picked up the holds that were waiting for me yesterday but, of course, there's another one waiting for me now.

I know it doesn't sound like much but it takes about an hour and a half each way by Skytrain which has to be timed right to miss rush hour and fit into the hours the library is open.

Seen last week on my walk.

44. The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor by Sally Armstrong



I’ve ended up with a few books to do write ups about before the end of the month. One of those is The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor, the fictionalized account of the life of the author’s ancestor. Charlotte lived in the 1700s and was one of the early settlers of what became New Brunswick. It was a hard life but Charlotte was a survivor, unlike the men, many of whom she married, who were the fathers of her children. An epic life of a true survivor at a time when most women were held in check by society.

>124 Familyhistorian: That looks a good one, Meg.

>124 Familyhistorian: - I have that one, Meg, just haven't got to it yet. A friend read it and recomended it, though.

Today was a visit to the dentist, really the hygienist who I see much more often. The dentist's office is in the mall and there was a clothing store with a going out of business sale. Had to stop in there.

I'm slowly trying to get caught up with some of the LT threads. Many of them are very long, and then there's Amber! Will see how far I can get until the rest of the scene that came to me on walk insists on being recorded. I love it when random thoughts come together like that.

>125 PaulCranswick: It was a good one, Paul. Sally Armstrong has quite the writing background.

>126 jessibud2: My copy was sitting on the shelves unbeknownst to me, Shelley. I bought another for a group read. A story about early Canada which has a woman as a protagonist is rare.

45. The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards



Love a good mystery? Want to know more about English mystery writers during the time that kick started mystery writing as we know it? Then The Golden Age of Murder is for you.

This was a slow read for me because I frequently had to stop and check to see if my library had some of the books. Some also became acquisitions. So, beware if you read this book. It’s dangerous but fascinating as it looks at the lives and writing of many of the writers of the so called “Golden Age.”

>129 Familyhistorian: - Yes, I knew about Sally Armstrong's writing background. I am dating myself but I remember reading her when she wrote for Homemaker's Magazine. Do you remember that one? She did a lot of overseas work for humanitarian causes. Another trivia aside, her son is Peter Armstrong, a local business editor for CBC radio. Maybe national, not sure.

Anyhow, I look forward to her book.

Hi Meg, just checking in to see how you are. I get to take my husband for his vaccine tomorrow and I am looking forward to checking it all out as I have my appointment for Wednesday, next week. It's scary to see that the numbers are rising again, especially since it's a holiday weekend coming up. Hopefully the tighter restrictions will encourage people to stay at home.

>127 Familyhistorian: "and then there's Amber"! hahaha - yes she is going like an express train. Even I can't begin to keep up this year.

>131 jessibud2: I remember Homemaker's Magazine, Shelley. In the ZOOM meeting about the book one of the women held up an old tattered copy that she kept. I think she kept it for the recipe.

You've added to the information I know about Sally Armstrong. The bio in the book is very brief.

>132 DeltaQueen50: I read about your husband getting an appointment for his shot, Judy. The numbers are concerning but I think that people are so weary of the restrictions that some of them will get together over the long weekend. I'm pretty fed up myself.

>133 PaulCranswick: Yes, I have her unread threads stacking up, Paul. It doesn't help that I'm so far behind, of course.

I acquired more books this month than I have for the past few. Some of that is down to reading The Golden Age of Murder. I blame my weakened state during the reading of that book for the following ending up in my personal library:

Trent's Last Case by E.C. Bentley
On the Home Front by Sexton Blake
Agatha Christie's Complete Secret Notebooks by John Curran

Hi Meg, You read a lot of books -- good ones that I am tempted to place on my tbr list. I am weary, but tomorrow, I will visit here a add to or ten.

All good wishes!

>123 Familyhistorian: With the forsythia blooming I have also pruned the roses. Gardening books tell you that is when it should be done. The shrub looks beautiful!

>138 Whisper1: Hi Linda, the books do keep me busy. I'm glad you find some of the books I read appealing and hope you feel less weary tomorrow.

>139 mdoris: That's a handy way to remember the right time to do the pruning, Mary. It is a nice looking forsythia and I think the contrast with the dark green trees really brings out the yellow.

I got turned on to the Sexton Blake books when they were mentioned in passing in a Lord Peter Whimsey novel.

Like the early "The Saint" novels by Leslie Charteris they are fast moving, more than a little bit hard to believe, and barrels of fun.

Enjoy!

>123 Familyhistorian: nice Forsythia. 💚
We should start some of those blooming this month...

>123 Familyhistorian: what >143 SandyAMcPherson: said; only ours are already fading...this far South they don't make it far into April.

>130 Familyhistorian: Book-bullet! Sounds wonderful indeed.

Happy Spring!

Happy Easter!

>142 magicians_nephew: That must be why the Sexton Blake name was familiar to me, Jim. Unfortunately it seems like I picked up the 4th book in the series. I'll have to see if I can find the others.

>143 SandyAMcPherson: I love it when the forsythia blooms, Sandy. I hope the ones out your way come out soon.

>144 richardderus: Are you far south, Richard? Our spring flowers stay around for quite a while as the spring here is extra long. The heat doesn't show up in a hurry.

The Golden Age of Murder is a good one but oh so dangerous.

>145 figsfromthistle: I hope your Easter was a happy one, Anita.

It's harder than usual to keep up with LT these days. Even with my own thread. I have a few books to write up (the reading doesn't stop) and the rest of my March acquisitions to add.

Yesterday a genealogy seminar and later a meet up kept me busy. Today it was a writing sprint to start off. I wrote a scene about an extended family having Easter dinner together. The closest I'll get to that happening this year.

Hi Meg!

>123 Familyhistorian: Ah, forsythia. My favorite early spring flower.

>130 Familyhistorian: And onto the wish list it goes. My favorite mystery time period and several of my favorite mystery writers.

>150 Familyhistorian: No family gathering for us either, as Jenna hasn’t gotten her vaccination(s) yet. But I did find a picture of her when she was 3, with her Easter Basket and finding an egg, so that had to do for this year.

>150 Familyhistorian: I'm working on my homework for Saturday's BCG seminar. I just haven't had time to work on it because I've been working on presentations. Also my home Internet hasn't been working very well. I took the laptop to work today, and I feel it's a little faster tonight when I brought it home.

>151 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I'm sure you'll find other mystery writers to explore if you get your hands on that book. The forsythia are great signs of spring but my other big favourite is cherry blossom. It's cherry blossom time here now.

It will be nice when we are able to gather as families again. I'd just be happy to be in the same room as another human at times.

>152 thornton37814: I noticed that your internet was a little iffy, Lori. That can be aggravating at the best of times and these aren't the best of times. I hope that you are able to get everything done.

If I don't do it soon, my March acquisitions won't show up on my thread until May! So here are the rest of them.

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life by Louise Aronson
Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb
The Girl from the Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat
A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier
A Girl Called Justice by Elly Griffiths
The Missing Sapphire of Zangrabar by Steve Higgs
Death Finds a Way by Lorine McGinnis Schulze
A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly
Seduce Me with Sapphires by Jane Feather
An Unkindness of Ravens by Ruth Rendell

>155 Familyhistorian: The Penner book finally showed up in the library today. It had been back-ordered. I will catalog it in the morning. Today's headache prevented me from doing much of anything on the computer today. I had to be on to monitor reference chat, but I was trying to work off to the side as much as possible.

>156 thornton37814: I hope you feel better today, Lori. Are you going to read the Penner book?

46. Death Comes to the Fair by Catherine Lloyd



Lucy and the Major were distracted by their upcoming wedding when the Verger was killed by a falling gargoyle. Was it an accident?

This next Kurland St. Mary Mystery took the reader further into the village’s past and the strange secrets and connections that lurk there. It also showed more of the lives of the people who lived at the rectory. There were some revelations there that indicated there would be changes to come.

I was up at 5:00 am this morning. The things we bookish people do! Presently in the first session of the Locked Up Festival. Such fun!

I'm just going to put this here so I remember. Val McDermid is currently working on a Miss Marple short story that will appear in a collection of Marple stories.

Hi Meg. A Miss Marple short story collection sounds interesting - I'll have to watch for that. I also recently picked up The Girl from the Channel Islands. I was going to add it to my Thingaversary List, but I have already chosen my books for that.

>160 Familyhistorian: Ooh. I wonder when it will come out. Was there any hint?

I watched the last session yesterday. It had very little to do with crime but did make me laugh.

Happy April, Meg! Happy Friday! We miss seeing you around. I hope everything is going well.

>161 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I hope The Girl from the Channel Islands is a good one. Val McDermid said she was working on the Marple story. I have no idea when the collection is due to come out and then how long it will take before it comes to North America.

>162 charl08: No hint, Charlotte. I wasn't much in the mood for the last session yesterday. I liked the quiz show at the end today better.

>163 msf59: Hi Mark, I've been visiting some threads sporadically but they keep on taking off on me. Will visit soon.

>166 Familyhistorian: Same here ("visiting some threads sporadically but they keep on taking off on me").

It's beguiling to sit and read what's going on with the 75-er group. But I really need to tend to things 'other' ~ as well as try to finish some non-renewable library books!

>167 SandyAMcPherson: Glad to know that it is not just me having problems keeping up, Sandy. Truly a person could spend all their days on LT and not get anything else done. I often wonder how people with jobs do it. In fact, how did I keep up when I was working? I can't be busier than I was then, can I?

It's time for a new thread, I think. At least a new more spring like topper pic. Bare with me for a few while I set things up.