RebaRelishesReading and wishes you a Happy New Year

I joined LT in 2007 because I wanted to catalog my library but didn't truly appreciate the full wonder of the place until I found the 75'ers in 2012 (I think that's the year). It's a favorite part of my morning now. I also love meeting other members in person when possible.

For those of you I don't know, I'll introduce my self a bit. I'm a Californian by birth and have lived there much of my life but late in 2020 Hubby and I decided it was time to leave our condo in the Uptown district of San Diego and move to some place quieter and, most importantly, nearer our youngest grandchild. We have two older grandchildren who we adore but Ally is away at college and Kyle is a high school junior so they probably won't be living near us anymore even if we had stayed in San Diego. Quinn will turn four in January so we will have many years enjoying him growing up as we did the other two. So I've added Washington State to the list of places I've lived at various times in my life (California, Arizona, Connecticut, the Netherlands, England, the Netherlands, California, Ireland, California) and I'm enjoying becoming a north-westerner.

I'm a retired city planner who travels a lot (or did pre-Covid). We spent 11 summers at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York but among our recent changes we have sold our place there and will probably not attend the season any more. I will miss it but it's time to move on.

I read mostly fiction with a helping of biography or history thrown in. A couple of years ago I finished a personal challenge to read all of the Pulitzer Prize winning fiction. I've also challenged myself to read the Pulitzer wining biographies but I don't seem to be making much progress on that score.

READ IN 2022

January
1. The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris****
2. Rachel Maddow by Lisa Rogak*** (audio)
3. The Flight of the Maidens by Jane Gardam***
4. The Spy and the Traitor by Ban Macintyre****
5. The Coldest Case by Martin Walker****(audio)
6. My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayer****1/2 (audio)
7. Letters fromBath: Or, A Friend in Exile by Meredith Allay**1/2

February
8. The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber***1/2
9. A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber ***
10. Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber**1/2
11. Mark Twain in Hawaii: Roughing It in the Sandwich Islands***1/2
12. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson***1/2
13. The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa****
14. A Concise History of the Hawaiian Islands by Phil Barnes***
15. Next to Love by Ellen Feldman****1/2
16. Eleven by Mark Watson ****1/2

Have a few minutes spare today since we celebrated Christmas yesterday so I thought I would get started on the new year. For those who are no longer looking at 2021 threads, here's a linkI posted on my last 2021 thread to a great NYTimes article about people who love books published Dec. 25, 2021.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/24/realestate/why-do-people-keep-books.html?smid...

Welcome back!

Happy new year's thread!

Dropping a star, Reba! Looking forward to following your reading adventures once again.

Thank you Jim and Susan and Mamie. Glad you found me even though I didn't identify myself well in the title :(

I can change the title if you like - just let me know what you’d like it to be. But it’s fine as it is!

>10 drneutron: Thank you Jim!! Since it doesn't say who it's from I would appreciate it. How about "RebaRelishesReading and wishes you a Happy New Year"?

Done!

>12 drneutron: Thank you Jim. I feel better about that.

Looks like you're all set for the New Year, Reba. Happy first thread of 2022!

ed!!

Thank you Meg and Kim -- lovely to see you here!

Hi Reba! Happy first thread.

Happy shiny new thread!

This group always helps me to read; welcome back, Reba

Happy reading in 2022!

Happy reading in 2022, Reba!

Thank you Judy, Paul, Rhonda and both Anitas :) It's already t 2022 where you are Anita (FAMeulstee) but we have a few more hours to go here in North America. Hard to believe it's already a new year again though.

We're on a Road Scholar program around the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. On Wednesday we spent the day decorating one of the floats (Mrs. Murphy's cleaning products if you're going to watch and are wondering) which was cold, hard work but a lot of fun too. Yesterday we had some speakers about how the organization of the parade works and what it's like to be Rose Queen then went to a marching band festival featuring four bands that will be watching (great bands but it was raining pretty hard and the raincoats and ponchos we had didn't do much to keep up dry). Today we had beautiful shine for our visit to the Getty Museum. Tomorrow we will have grandstand seats for the parade!

One of the group leaders and I got into a conversation at dinner last night which led us down a path 'til we realized that we had gone to elementary school together (for a couple of years until her family moved), then junior high and finally high school where we graduated in the same class!! We were both totally stunned by the discovery. The class had about 350 members and we weren't friends back in the day but what an amazing coincidence to meet up this way all of these many years later!

>23 RebaRelishesReading: That's an amazing coincidence!!

>23 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, that is an incredible story! What are the odds?!

>24 Berly:, >25 Crazymamie: Right!! We were gobsmacked to say the least!

Hope you have a great year of reading!

>23 RebaRelishesReading: that's an amazing story, Reba. Sounds like an interesting trip overall, too. Happy new year!

Happy New Year and happy first thread of 2022, Reba!

>23 RebaRelishesReading: How exciting, decorating one of the floats. The Getty Museum is wonderful – I took my grandmother there in 1987 when she visited from Iowa. And what a small world with you and one of the group leaders.

Hey Reba, dropping off a star!

Happy new year, Reba! I hope you enjoy the parade today!

That's such a cool story about the connection you discovered. Small world for sure...

Happy New Year, Reba.

Happy New Year, Reba! I am looking forward to a bunch of book bullets from you in the new year.

>27 quondame: Thank you Susan. I like that books-in-year graphic :)

>28 thornton37814: Thank you Lori. I hope you do too.

>29 lauralkeet: Isn't it, Laura? I can't wait to get home and get my old year book out. It was a fun and interesting trip. If you watch the parade, my efforts were on the Mrs. Meyers float. We all cheered extra hard when it came by :)

>31 karenmarie: Hi Karen. I was only at the Getty once before and that the year after they opened. It's grown a LOT and is a really beautiful campus now. Several of the exhibits were closed for building redo but we did see a nice Holbein show that was visiting plus some 19th century European art from the Getty's own collection.

>32 vikzen: Hi and welcome, Vikzen :)

>33 katiekrug: We diid enjoy it a lot, thank you Katie. After a week of rain today was glorious and the parade was extra fun because of the time we spent in the "barn" working on them earlier this week. My BFF and I mostly worked on the Mrs. Meyers float which won an award, which was rather nice.

>34 Berly:, >35 BLBera:, >36 alcottacre: Happy New Year Kim and Beth and Stasia!!

Happy New Year, Reba! >23 RebaRelishesReading: what a cool story! Some years ago my brother pointed out that the girls won't likely lose track of classmates like we all did because of the prevalence of social media. It's wonderful to be able to stay in touch, but I think it's a shame to miss out on those extraordinary serendipitous moments!

>38 AMQS: So right you are, Anne! (and Happy New Year to you too)

We had a beautiful day for the Rose Parade yesterday and enjoyed the luxury of traveling to and fro by bus and having reserved grandstand seats. It was also fun to be in a group who had worked on various floats so we could cheer and comment when one of those came by. We also had a visit from one of the equestrian groups (sans horses) after dinner on the 30th and we gave them an extra big cheer and wave when they came by. All by all a really enjoyable experience.

So now we're on our way back to Washington. We're going to take three days to drive it and go up the coastal route to avoid any possible weather issues in the mountains the I-5 crosses. Today we had lunch at a favorite stop in the California Central Valley and tomorrow we're looking forward to a visit to Napa Valley and a drive through the Avenue of the Giants. Hubby is sure to want to stop and hug a tree there (it's tradition after all).

You are off to a great start this year, Reba. What a fun experience you had on your Road Scholar trip. I have a friend who likes to do these and might get the courage to join her one of these days/years. Renewing an acquaintance that you didn't really know is pure serendipity. I hope you keep up the friendship.

I look forward to following your adventures (and reading) in 2022.

Happy New Year Reba! And I hope all your books for 2022 are five star books lol. Or at least four. Don't bother with those that have fewer. 😊

Safe travels home, Reba!

>41 Donna828: Hi Donna. We've only done two Road Scholar trips, this one and a one week Spanish emersion class several years ago. Both were well run and interesting. I would recommend giving it a try.

>42 brenzi: Thanks, Bonnie! I wish the same for you :)

>43 Crazymamie: Thank you Mamie. We're 2/3 of the way there and so far so good. It rained all day today which wasn't great but it's a beautiful route and we didn't have to hurry. I'm now sitting in front of a burning fire place in the hotel lobby which is a lovely way to spend the late afternoon.

Hi Reba! Wishing you all good books in the new year!

>45 Copperskye: Thank you Joann and I wish the same for you :)

We're home, car is empty, I'm all unpacked (Hubby has one little suitcase to go) and first load of laundry is about to come out of the dryer. I have a 10:00 a.m. appointment for a Covid test just to be sure I didn't bring anything home with me to share with friends and family here. I also have made a to-do list for the rest of the week since we are scheduled to celebrate Christmas again this Saturday with the local family. So...I'm feeling pretty good about the day.

Welcome home, Reba! And way to go with the getting of things done!

PS We still love our new fridge just as much as when we first got it. Thank you again.

That sounds like a nice trip. I never go to parades because I can't see anything but the people in front of me, but grandstand seats would be nice. And the Getty is an attraction, of course. I'm amused that the group ended up Tom Sawyering the float!

Welcome home! >40 RebaRelishesReading: that sounds wonderful. I've never been to Napa Valley or the Avenue of the Giants and would really like to some day.

>48 Crazymamie: Thank you Mamie. I'm so glad you like it. I want to name mine like you did (because I love it too) but can't think of anything suitably clever :(

>49 ffortsa: Hi Judy. I'd only ever been to the Rose Parade by going the night before and staking out a place on the street. It's fun but this was more comfortable I must say.

>50 AMQS: Thank you Anne. It rained all day yesterday but was still a beautiful drive. We're trying to get re-installed at home now :)

We're completely unpacked, been to the grocery store, the fourth load of laundry is in and Chicken Enchilada Soup is going in the crock pot (thank you Katie, that recipe is definitely a winner). I just may get an hour or two in "my"chair by the fireplace with a book this afternoon.

Good to see you made it home safe and sound, Reba. If you have similar weather predicted to ours looks like you timed that just right!

Welcome home, Reba! That feeling of being completely unpacked and resettled is just wonderful, isn't it?

Welcome home, Reba!

Glad that soup recipe is a winner for you :)

>53 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. We expecting heavy rain but slightly warmer temps so I don't think it will be much different that the rain we drove through the last two days to home.

>54 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. It sure does feel good. Now I'm trying to gear up for our delayed Christmas celebration with the Portland family. Need to run a bunch of errands today then clean the house tomorrow.

>55 katiekrug: Hi Katie! I think of you every time I make it...which is often. We both just love it and it's so easy to make.

Today we're celebrating Christmas with the northwest family. The stockings are stuffed, packages under the tree (which we put up with only the attached lights which have now died so it's a pretty sad looking sight) and a ham dinner is waiting in the fridge. Should be fun ... and then the holidays will be over for 2021.

Happy Belated New Year, Reba. Glad you are safely home and celebrating a late Christmas there.

Thanks Roni. The trip was fun but it's nice to be home again. I imagine your first holidays in your new house were wonderful. Sorry the ended with you being sick. Here's to a happy, healthy 2022.

I've been invited to join a real life bookclub called Women With Spines (I love that name and expect to like the women who chose it). I've only briefly belonged to one r-l book group before and it didn't last long so I'm pretty excited about this.

>60 RebaRelishesReading: Fun! I also love the name, Reba. Hoping it turns out to be full of fabulous.

Were you so ready for the holidays to be over?

>61 Crazymamie: With Thanksgiving, two Christmases, New Years, five birthdays and a lot of travel in the last month I think I was ready, Mamie. It was great and I loved each individual event but...it was a lot. Of course, big grandson's 17th birthday and little grandson's 4 birthday are the 21st and 22nd so it really isn't over.

>62 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, dear! Sending you stamina! My Dad's birthday is/was on the 21st. It's now when my yearly Audible membership renews, so I get a bit of a treat as I remember him.

>63 Crazymamie: Dec. 21 is my granddaughter's birthday. She's such a treasure! One highlight of our recent trip was picking her up and college and spending the day driving her home to her parents where we were all spending Christmas.

I’m a bit late, but can still wish you a happy new year!

>60 RebaRelishesReading: Great name for a bookclub. Hope you like it.

>65 EllaTim: Thanks Ella. Happy new year to you too.

With that name it's got to be good, right?

Welcome back! Sounds like a good book group.

That's a fabulous name for a book club! And how fun to be joining a RL group. I'm sure you will share the group's book selections -- can't wait.

Thanks Rhonda and Laura. I'm really looking forward to it. As to selections, I'm told they're evenly split between people who want the better discussions from everyone reading the same book and those who don't want to be "told" what to read so they alternate months between (1) read whatever you want and report on 2 or 3 of the books you've read and (2) everyone read the same book and discuss. At least they know how to compromise :) This month is a read-what-you-want-and-report month. So far I've read not quite half of one book so I need to get myself over the holidays and start reading!!

The real life book club I am in also does a read what you like and report on it thing. We do ours twice a year. In January we do it with Biographies/memoirs and we do a mystery month where we do the same thing. In the mystery month you can't report on three books out of the same series and call it three books for the purposes of reporting to the group. We have let people get by with saying that they have continued to read the ----series as their report. It has worked well for us, in that it broadens all of our reading and we get book bullets from other people. We did find that we had to limit people to 10 minutes or we would have been in a book discussion group all afternoon!

We also had/have problems with confining the talk to one genre. We had one person who continually mistook historical fiction for biography. That problem is no laughing matter as I regularly go round and round with our catalogers about what should be nonfiction and what should be fiction. For that reason I can't blame others for being unable to tell the difference.

>70 benitastrnad: Hi Benita. I'm looking forward to meeting local book lovers and getting some more book ideas (ya, right, I need more bb's). My understanding is that the months with "report what you've read" is not limited as to genre so there shouldn't be a problem with historical fiction vs. bio.

That sounds like a great idea for a book group, Reba. I do like the name as well.

>69 RebaRelishesReading: that's a really interesting format, Reba. Something for everyone!

Hopefully you won't be saddled with a book club that doesn't read anything you are interested in and really have no graceful way of getting out of it Reba. That would be me. Having a break every other month sounds ideal. Maybe I'll suggest that and see how it flies.

>72 BLBera:, >73 lauralkeet: Hi Beth and Laura. I'd never heard of a group doing the "read and report" option but am open to seeing how it works.

>74 brenzi: Hi Bonnie. The club doesn't meet in June, July or August so there is only an "assigned" book 4 or 5 times a year. I can cope with reading something I don't like that often I think -- especially if I like the women otherwise (and who doesn't like women with spines?)

Have a wonderful week, Reba!

>76 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia -- today was a fairly quiet day and I actually got a couple of hours of reading in. That equals a wonderful day...now if I can pull that off everyday I'll have a wonderful week indeed :)

>60 RebaRelishesReading: Oh nice! What a great bookclub name! Hope you have a wonderful time!

I'm a little jealous of your new book group, Reba! I've tried a couple of times to get my group to do a "free" month where we each just talk about what we'd read, but it's never happened. I'm actually breaking up with my current group and thinking of starting one; if I do, that will definitely be a feature!

>79 katiekrug:
My book group started back in the early 2000's and has morphed over the years. Two years ago I decided that rather than not meet we would move to Zoom and now I have to post Zoom meeting times for three time zones! The group was mostly women who were employed here at UA. A few months after the lockdown one of our members retired and moved to Vero Beach, FL. That's in Eastern Time. Then we dropped to only three of us meeting, so I asked my sister and a friend who live in Bozeman, MT if they wanted to join. They did and have been faithful members in Mountain Time. I wanted to move back to face-to-face discussions but we find that we can't do that now because of the distances involved. Because I am a faculty member at UA I have access to the academic version of Zoom with no time limit and I can host up to 300 members at one time. I worry about how the group will fare in the future because I will be retiring soon and don't know if I will be able to maintain that level of Zoom when that happens. I also know that if the members here in Tuscaloosa tried they could find other book groups to belong to.

>80 benitastrnad: - My book club suspended meeting during lockdown but we were back to meeting in person (until this month, when we canceled due to rising cases). I don't have any interest in starting a group on Zoom. I had enough of such meetings when I was working. I'll wait until things calm down again and then think about starting a new group.

Women With Spines. That is an awesome name, and I hope you find a lovely community. My book club has been going strong since the 90s, with some changes in membership now and then. We all know and love one another and feel like family. We select our books once a year and try for a variety of genres and topics. We try to mix heavy reads with happier ones. I am the youngest member, and even though we're all readers, I'm probably the most voracious or prolific reader, and sometimes I feel like I have an outsized influence on our choices, but then again, I always have a huge stack to choose from (many stacks, actually), and they love my connection to LT and all the great books I hear about here. Fortunately they're game to try new things once in awhile. I got them to try YA several years ago (The Book Thief) and in February they're trying both middle grade and novel in verse (Other Words for Home). We did Zoom for awhile during the pandemic, and when it coincided with remote learning at school I could sometimes sneak in. Ordinarily I can only go a handful of times a year, if that, as we meet on Friday mornings (long story why).

>78 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita, I hope so too :)

>79 katiekrug: >81 katiekrug: Hi Katie. I'll let you know what I think about the two methods in a couple of months. If I understand correctly there are only 7 (now 8) members of this group so trying to please both halves seems like a better idea than splitting up. Hope you find a good group to start up again with.

>80 benitastrnad: We're all live in the same city, so time zones won't be a problem, Benita (unless someone goes traveling I guess).

>82 AMQS: Thank you Anne. The woman who connected me with the group is a long-time member of the group and is fast becoming a friend of mine so I'm very optimistic I'll enjoy them. I understand this group has been going for many years too so should be well bonded and stable :)

Happy Tuesday, Reba!

>84 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia, you too

Our online book group generally has two meetings per month. The first one is the book we share for the month. The second is BYOB (Bring Your Own Book). Members usually report on about 3 books they've read--sometimes a little more--sometimes a little less.

New book clubs! Great idea, and a nice way to find friends in a new community, Reba.

Our f2f reading groups always center around one title, and then there's a lot of gabbing about totally other stuff in one of the groups.

And Anne, I've never understood why in the U.S> The Book Thief is described as a YA book when elsewhere it's just fiction, plain and simple. Maybe because the protagonist is young?

>86 thornton37814: >87 ffortsa: Hi Lori and Judy. I suspect most book clubs end up talking about more than one book even if the "program" is only for one. My first meeting with this group is the 24th and it's a "report what you're reading" meeting, on Zoom, and everyone will introduce themselves. I'm really looking forward to it (the Zoom not so much but it is the safest so I'm fine with it).

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris****

I delayed writing my comments on this book because I needed some time to mull it over and let it sink in. I've also read other reviews here and elsewhere on the internet (see Laura's for an excellent one). It's a book I will think about for a long time.

The Sweetness of Water is set in a small southern town at the close of the Civil War. Reconstruction has not quite begun yet but Confederate soldiers are coming home and the Union Army is nearby. The story is about the community adjusting to this time but also about the effect on individual members of the community. Individuals with real personalities, challenges and problems.

I wish I understood the title, however :)

Up next:



Also listening to:

>87 ffortsa: I guess I don't either, particularly as there are young protagonists in many adult novels (the Flavia de Luce books, Peace Like a River and many more). The big shame is that many adults probably missed it because it is YA. But then again, perhaps many teens didn't miss it because it's YA?

I actually asked a public children's librarian the question about why books go where after reading a children's book that was dark and mature and a little traumatizing (A Monster Calls - I listened as I began my current job and for at least two days came to school puffy-eyed and sobbing) and a YA book that was fluffy and light and very young (Scones and Sensibility) and she said that at least for the purpose of dividing Juvenile fiction from YA fiction they go off of the age of the protagonist.

I have been a School Librarian for 36 years now and I wonder why some books are YA and some aren't. Part of the problem is one of definition. The ALA (American Library Association) defines Young Adult as people aged 12 - 18. Most people think that young adult is 20-25. ALA says that children are ages birth - 13. Most people think it is birth -18. Right there is a problem.

The second part of the problem is the publishers. Publishers market books where they think they will sell the most books. They market to the group of people who they think will buy the book. At one point about 10 years ago, I saw figures that said that 35% of books marketed and labeled as YA were being purchased by adults. That is a little more than a third of the YA books purchased were purchased by adults. Were they read by adults? You bet. All you have to do is think Hunger Games or Divergent.

My question is why some of these books are YA? An example - Hunger Games - this is not YA even though everything that Suzanne Collins wrote, up to the publication of Hunger Games was clearly YA. There is nothing YA about that series. Another series/author I question is Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas - these are not YA books and in my opinion have the potential to cause lots of problems for school districts as there is too much sex and violence in these books to even put them in a High School library. I also wonder about the Shadow and Bone series. All you have to do is watch the Netflix series and you have to wonder why this series was classed as YA.

Another question along with why these books are YA is the length of these books. Prior to 1990 most YA books were 200 pages, now they often run to 500 pages or more. Is a book of that length a YA book?

>91 AMQS:
I have read the entire Flavia De Luce books and wonder why they weren't classed as YA. I also read Peace Like a River and had the same question. I think in the case of Peace Like a River it is because of the author. The author is a writer of adult novels and I think the publisher thought it would confuse things if they crossed this book over to YA.

Just a comment on the YA discussion: I don't remember YA books back when I was growing up. I went straight from reading children's books to adult books somewhere around 5th grade. If there was a YA section in my public library back then, I didn't know about it--nor did my friends.

>94 thornton37814: We had such a section, but I mostly leapfrogged over it to read why my folks were reading.

We were scheduled to host a wine tasting event with a group of fully-vaccinated/boosted friends today but the group decided to cancel due to omicron concerns. This is all getting so old :(

Rachel Maddow by Lisa Rogak***(audio)

Another biography selected because I greatly admire the subject, the book itself was OK but not great. It did confirm and expand my admiration for Ms. Maddow though.

My next audio is one I've had on my phone for a long time because I was saving it for a road trip with Hubby. We've agreed we won't be doing any long road trips for a while so I might as well listen to it on my own.

>98 RebaRelishesReading: I love the Bruno books!

>99 thornton37814: They're really fun, aren't they Lori :)

>100 RebaRelishesReading: They really are. I'm listening to one, but I tend to listen while I'm driving. I won't be doing that much. We mostly have sleet and snow where I am, and the road is a bit icy. I've heard cars slipping and sliding in our neighborhood off and on all day. There really hasn't been a lot of traffic, but they are definitely having trouble navigating the hill. I suspect it will be Tuesday before I resume it.

>101 thornton37814: I listen to a lot of audio books while running errands, cleaning house and knitting but I've always reserved Bruno for car trips with Hubby because it's a series we both enjoy (that and Ladies' #1 Detective Agency). I've had this one for a long time and we've done some trips without audio at all so I've decided to just enjoy this one on my own.

The Flight of the Maidens by Jane Gardam***

Yorkshire, 1946, and three working class girls have won scholarships. The book covers the summer before their university classes start. The Daily Telegraph review quoted on the cover says

Gardam blends memory and imagination, intellect and humor, to evoke unsentimentally a vanished England, setting it in the context of the wider world and capturing the bittersweet excitement of leaving childhood behind

I agree that it did a fine job of portraying the mid-south century Anglo world and it kept my inters test well enough. Other readers talk about how terribly funny this book is but I'm afraid I just didn't see that. It kept my interest well enough but didn't evoke even a smile.

The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre****

The true story of a high level KGB officer who was also a spy for MI6 for 10 years until he was outed by a CIA officer turned Soviet spy, this well-written book gives an interesting look at the world of international espionage. It was fascinating and very well-written.

next up:

It's a spectacularly beautiful day in southwest Washington today.
It seems to invite outside activities (even though it's 47 degrees) but it's also little grandson's 4th birthday so we spent the morning and early afternoon picking up a balloon bouquet and a bow and other preparations before heading over their house for pizza and cupcakes with all of the local family. Everyone had done a Covid test yesterday so we felt quite free enjoying everyone's company maskless and all :)

>89 RebaRelishesReading: Oooh! I read that one last year. It was fantastic. I had not realized until after I read it that it was a debut novel. Read like a seasoned pro's.

You can't go wrong with Ben MacIntyre can you Reba?

I'm sorry the Jane Gardam didn't work too well for you - I've loved everything i've read of hers. And Everything I've read of Ben McIntyre, too. Have you read Agent Zigzag? What a story! I also enjoyed his book about Kim Philby.

>105 RebaRelishesReading: That is a lovely cover Reba.

>107 figsfromthistle: Indeed it did, Anita.

>108 brenzi: I don't know Bonnie. I don't think I've ever read anything else by him.

>109 AMQS: I didn't not like it, Anne, I just wasn't crazy about it. Sorry :(

>110 PaulCranswick: I agree Paul, it is pretty. Maybe that's what attracted me lol. I haven't had time to start it yet but hope to this afternoon.

>104 RebaRelishesReading: I think you have the wrong touchstone…but the Macintyre book looks great!

Karen O

>112 klobrien2: You're quite right Karen, thanks for pointing that out. Unfortunately when I try to change it it just takes me to the page on Macintyre and doesn't change the touchstone. I've tried every way I can think of but nothing works :(

>113 RebaRelishesReading: No problem for me! I struggle with touchstones and have no insights, but undoubtedly someone here does.

Thanks for the review!

Karen O

The Coldest Case by Martin Walker**** (audio)

Chief of Police Bruno gets involved with a murder case that has been unresolved for 33 years but not forgotten by his friend JJ. The body was found buried in the woods and no one knows who it was or who murdered him. The story involves a student anthropologist who is asked to recreate the face of the victim and, of course, Isobel and her Parisian contacts. A side story has the region suffering from wild fires, as result of global warming. A delightful, entertaining read.

>115 RebaRelishesReading: That one is a little later than we are in the series in the group read, but we'll get to it this year, I suspect. If not, it will be early next year.

Your grandson’s birthday party sounds like so much fun. I know these events will reinforce the idea that your move was a very good thing.

Reba, I look forward to your comments on Salt Houses as it has been on my radar.

>116 thornton37814: I think this one is the next to most recent, Lori. Same people but a different slant on solving the case since it's so old.

>117 Donna828: It was fun, Donna, and it does remind us why we are here. I managed to read first chapter of Salt Houses last night and I think it's going to be a good one. Stay tuned :)

Your new book club sounds like it has a good plan, Reba. I found the discussion about YA interesting but wondered why no one brought up the fact that YA is a fairly new category when it comes to books. It was first created in the 1960s according to Google.

>119 Familyhistorian: We met yesterday and much of the time was taken up with everyone introducing themselves to me and vice versa. Book discussion was brief but good.

Hurray for a new bookclub and for more audio books. : ) I can't believe how many I actually listen to now. A whole new world of books.

Morning Kim. Yes, I always have both a physical book and an audio book going. Which reminds me I haven't posted my current audio. Here it is.

Next up audio:

>122 RebaRelishesReading: - I enjoyed the Sotomayor on audio a few years ago, Reba. Hope you like it, too!

>123 katiekrug: So far I'm liking it a lot. I knew next to nothing about her background and it's amazing to learn about her youth.

So...got an email from the friends we were supposed to be going to Hawaii with next Tuesday for a three-week, three-island vacation. Been planning it for a year with them making some of the reservations, us making some, ending in a very intertwined trip. She's been expressing some concerns in the last month but every time I talked to her she said she felt better...including when I talked to her on Monday. Today's email was to tell us they aren't going!!
Not only were we looking forward to spending time with them (they live in CA) but the trip isn't exactly the one we would have booked for just ourselves (they've never been so we were going to more places than we would on our own) plus we have to cancel/modify/notify/etc. Big BUMMER!!

>125 RebaRelishesReading: - How disappointing, Reba! I'm sorry. If you are having to rearrange things anyway, maybe you can change things up to how you and Mr. Reba would prefer?

>125 RebaRelishesReading: That is very short notice, Reba, so sorry for you.

>125 RebaRelishesReading: Oh that's awful Reba. I think you'll still have fun and maybe you can change things up somehow.

>125 RebaRelishesReading: oh no. I'm so sorry, Reba. That's a real shame. I'm sure she's been dithering over this for a long time and finally realized it was time to fish or cut bait. But that does make it tough on you.

Oh, Reba, that is so disappointing! I’m really sorry 😢

>129 lauralkeet: What Laura said, Reba. You must be both disappointed and frustrated - hoping that untangling the mess is not too much of a headache, and that you can make some positive changes that result in a more personally satisfying vacation for the two of you.

>126 katiekrug:, >127 FAMeulstee:, >128 brenzi:, >129 lauralkeet:, >130 AMQS:, >131 Crazymamie: Thanks for your commiseration Katie, Anita, Bonnie, Laura, Anne and Mamie!! We will definitely make some changes like more time reading and walking on the beach and less time visiting "sights" but it's way too late to change the rentals and inter-island flights. In talking to Hubby last night about "if it were our trip only I wouldn't have wanted to go to three different islands" I realized I couldn't decide which one or two I would give up so perhaps it's just as well we're booked onto all three :) Anyway it will be a great trip. I'm sorry the trip has caused my friend so much anxiety. It was their idea but that was post-vaccine and pre-Delta/Omnicron which worries her a lot more than it does me. Anyway, we'll be away for most of February, basking in Hawaiian sunshine :)

Our free Covid test kits arrived yesterday, just in time for us to take them with us. They're in very compact boxes which tells me they're probably the fiddly eye-dropper kind and not the easy-to-use vial with a stand ones we used before BUT they'll be much easier to pack so I've very pleased.

So sorry your friend is not accompanying you to Hawaii, but I know you will make the most of your trip. Have fun!! : )

>134 Berly: Thanks, Kim. We'll do our best :)

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan****1/2

Salt Houses is the story of four generations of a middle-class Palestinian family from 1963 to 2014. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different member of the family and progresses in about 5 year increments. In the late 1940's they had been pushed out of their West Bank home in Nablus and started a new life in Amman, Jordan. In 1967 the six-days war drives them to Kuwait. Then they take refuge from the first gulf war in Beirut. Some later generations find themselves in the U.S. The book deals with the impact of these displacements on the members of the family individually and on the family as a whole. It's a well written and thought-provoking book which I recommend.

From the book:

That house. The ones that came after. He thinks of them, instinctively touching the soil again. All the houses they have lived in, the bricks and rugs and curtains they have bought; how many windows should any person own? The houses float up to his mind's eye like jinn, past lovers. The sloping roof of his mother's hut, the marbled tiles in Salma's kitchen, the small house he shared with Alia in Nablus. The Kuwait home. The Beirut apartments. This house, here in Amman. For Aliia, some old, vanished house in Jaffa. They glitter whitely in his mind, like structures made of salt, before a tidal wave comes and sweeps them away.

next up:



Letters from Bath by Meredith Allady

I don't think I have time to finish another book before we leave Tuesday morning so I'm going to go back to a Kindle book I started some time again and see if I can finish it this time.

Enjoy your Hawaii trip, Reba, even if it will be different from what was originally planned.

I also loved Salt Houses - and isn't the cover beautiful?

I have had My Beloved World on my WL for ages; maybe this will be the year.

>138 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I'm sure we'll have a fun, relaxing time. Glad you liked Salt Houses and I agree the cover is most beautiful. I am also really enjoying My Beloved World. Justice Sotomayor reads it herself and she has a lovely, warm voice. This is the third bio/memoir of women I admire that I've listened to recently and I've really enjoyed them all. I must seek out some more.

Oh, I loved My Beloved World

And Hawaii sounds great! Sorry about your friends, these are difficult times.

Hi Reba!

Here I go, skipping bunches again. Sigh.

>122 RebaRelishesReading: I have this book, have had it for 6+ years, and so far it hasn’t reached out to me.

>125 RebaRelishesReading: I’m so sorry your friends backed out of the trip.

>132 RebaRelishesReading: I’m glad you talked it over with your husband and are still going to all three islands. You’ll make it a wonderful time, even if different than originally planned.

>140 banjo123: >141 karenmarie: Thanks Rhonda and Karen -- we will make it a great trip I'm sure. In fact I'm starting to look more forward to the r & r than I was to the touristing :)

Karen, I think My Beloved World would be good in print but I suspect it's even better with her own inflections and emphases.

My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor****1/2 (audio)

First to correct my post above...this book is read by Rita Moreno, not by the justice. It is beautifully read, however, and a most interesting story of an amazing life. The child of Puerto Rican immigrants living in the "projects" of The Bronx she climbs to the U.S. Supreme Court. Quite a climb!

I didn't start out to do a series of biographies/memoirs of women I admire but it seems I've been doing that in my audio books lately. I don't have any more on my phone right now but I do have some credits on Audible so I think I'll go and see what I can find.

Picking up on the last thought isn >143 RebaRelishesReading:, I went through the first 30 (of 60) pages of biographies/memoirs of women on Audible and found the following candidates. Your comments please.

The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris
My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars by Eileen Collins
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzwi
The Chancellor by Kati Martin

I've only read the Kamala Harris book, but I found it interesting.

>145 katiekrug: Thanks for the feedback, Katie. I am interested to know more about her life.

Letters from Bath: Or, A Friend in Exile by Meredith Allady**1/2

A young woman in need of a husband is taken by her mother to Bath to look for one. She finds friends among the older ladies but doesn't work hard enough at finding the prize. The book is written in the form of letters from her to a friend in her home town. It's cute but not very original and not nearly as good as Jane Austen.

>145 katiekrug: Thank you Katie but come on the rest of you! Have you read/listened to any of these? I'd love your help choosing :)

>144 RebaRelishesReading: I haven't read any of them, Reba.

>149 Crazymamie: Thanks for looking and letting me know, Mamie! Hope your day is going well.

>144 RebaRelishesReading: I haven't read any of them, but I've seen I Am Malala everywhere. Lot's of buzz about it when it came out. I would probably choose that one.

Good luck with your choice.

>151 fairywings: Same here, haven't read any but have seen more buzz about I Am Malala. I'd also consider the Ginsberg just because she was so marvelous.

Have fun going to Hawaii, Reba! Sounds marvelous right now, some sun, the ocean..

Salt Houses sounds interesting. I am taking part in Paul’s Asia challenge. February is Israel, or Palestinia. This would fit right in.

I think i would be most interested in Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Such a long career, she must have seen a lot.

>151 fairywings: , >152 lauralkeet:, >153 EllaTim: Thank you Adrienne, Laura and Ella. I am a HUGE fan of RBG and loved the film about her life so I'm very tempted by that one but I know less about the others so they appeal in that way. I will probably end up getting more than one.

The flight left at 8 a.m. so we had to be up and on the road by 5:30 which was tough but now, sitting here looking out at Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach, I have to say it was worth it :)

>154 RebaRelishesReading: - Green with envy! Enjoy!

>155 katiekrug: Thank you Katie. I promise I will (already am).

>144 RebaRelishesReading: I read I am Malala and recently passed the book on to a co worker. It was a good read. There was a lot of political background in the first part.

>154 RebaRelishesReading: Make sure to soak up lots of sun :)

>157 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita and I do plan to try to get a little color and a lot of vitamin D.

The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber***1/2

This is the first of a series of three e-books books I bought as a set four years ago. A 5 1/2 hour flight and then several hours on the balcony of our hotel room helped me finish it in one day. It was a perfect vacation book.

Lydia, a 30 year-old survivor of two bouts of brain cancer, decides to use some money inherited from her grandmother some years before to open a yarn shop. To attract customers she offers a knitting class which attracts three very different women. Jacqueline is a snobbish, upper-middle class, country club member. Carol is a very successful professional woman who has quit her job to devote herself to getting pregnant. Alix is a 20-something tough survivor of a difficult background. The book follows their growing friendship as well as the separate lives of each of the women. It's a somewhat predictable story but the characters were well-defined and compelling which made it easy for me to just keep reading until I finished it.

Tomorrow Hope to start on the second of the series.

I am a mere 70+ posts behind, Reba, and not even going to try and catch up. I hope you have a great rest of your week!

>154 RebaRelishesReading: ooh, that looks idyllic Reba. Lucky you!

>160 alcottacre: >161 lauralkeet: Thanks Stasia and Laura. This is looking like one great week :) (and, yes, I am one lucky lady)

>154 RebaRelishesReading: How beautiful. Have lots of fun and good food.

>159 RebaRelishesReading: I really enjoyed my time going to knitting get togethers at a local shop, but alas, no one was plotting lasting friendships or intimate disclosures - though I was offered the chance to buy a partnership. I did find a knitting shop in Waikiki or it was probably really in Honolulu.

>163 quondame: Hi Susan. We are indeed having a lovely time and eating well :) I'm getting a fair amount of reading time to which is great. Can't imagine what people who live here would want to knit though.

>164 RebaRelishesReading: They have some booklets on knit leis. Though once again, why. I did give my Hawaii resident mother-in-law a super light knit shawl after she asked for one. She had moved to Hawaii partly because southern California was much too cool for her. I'd guess people who can retire there don't give up their hobbies immediately.

>165 quondame: Maybe they like to knit presents for friends and family who live where it gets cold. Our last week we'll be in a cottage "up country" on Maui (so at a bit of an elevation), we were told be bring a sweater for there.

A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber***

This is the second in a trilogy about a young woman who opens a yarn shop in Seattle after surviving two bouts of brain cancer. Once again she meets three different women when she offers a knitting class and the book follows their lives as well as hers. This one is more fairy tale like than the first but still a darned good vacation read.

>154 RebaRelishesReading: Hmmmm, that doesn't look anything like what I'm staring at out my window Reba. Where are the snow banks? Hahahaha

Reba, I hope you are soaking up that view and having a great time.

>168 brenzi: I think we must have forgotten to pack the snow banks, Bonnie ;> Maybe we left them at Chautauqua?

>169 Crazymamie: Thank you Mamie. We are spending afternoons mostly on the balcony (because that's when it is shady -- too hot in the morning) reading and watching the surfer classes and catamarans. We walk around in the neighborhood in the morning and evening. It's being a wonderful, peaceful vacation. Lovin' it!!

Ah, Reba, I love thinking about you enjoying your vacation! It sounds wonderful.

Continue enjoying your holiday, Reba. x

Ahhhh, Hawaii! That sounds absolutely divine. Soak up some sunshine for me!

Thank you Anne, Paul and Donna. The weather has been vacation perfect -- high 70's-low 80's and only a few puffy white clouds in the sky. Our hotel is very nice and the view is amazing. We rented a car today to drive around the island and got caught in the worst traffic I've seen in many a moon however. Seems there was some big surfing event at the North Shore so we were in a very long, very slow line for a very, very long time. Our drive along the windward side was beautiful though. We'll be hanging out in Waikiki now until Tuesday when we fly to Kauai. Things should be a lot quieter there and we will have a condo instead of a room at a resort so that will be a change too.

Next up:



Mark Twain in Hawaii: Roughing It In The Sandwich Islands***1/2

I finished this yesterday so thought I would just update it here instead of posting again two posts further. This is a really short book which I don't believe includes all of the letters Twain sent to his newspapers on the trip but it does have a (somewhat) interesting introduction about Twain's work on his first trip to Hawaii. The letters included are funny in the snarky, sarcastic way that Twain used in Innocents Abroad and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

>175 RebaRelishesReading: That one sounds fun! Will look forward to seeing what you think of it once you've read it.

>174 RebaRelishesReading: Hooray for perfect vacation weather!

>175 RebaRelishesReading: >176 thornton37814: What Lori said!

Next up:

>178 RebaRelishesReading: Loved Major Pettigrew, hope you will, too!

Karen O

We flew to Kauai yesterday afternoon and are now in a condo-for-four all by ourselves. The place is spacious and has beautiful furniture and finishes but the view is of a shopping center across the street .. quite a change from our view of Diamond Head in Oahu. We plan to spend the day doing laundry and catching our breath. We were married here 33 1/2 years ago and have been back a couple of times since so there isn't a lot of "exploring" to do but we will strike out to visit some favorite places in the next few days.

>179 klobrien2: Hi Karen! So far I am indeed enjoying it :)

Yesterday we had a "sea day", staying in, doing laundry, reading, etc. Today we'll behave like proper tourists and take the rental car for a drive. We've been here before (were married here 33 1/2 years ago, in fact + a couple of other short visits) so it will be fun to explore places we remember.

Reba, have fun! Sounds like you vacation is a nice mix of the busy and the relaxing. Sorry about the new view.

Many happy vacation days!

About the view - you can console yourself with the Rick Steves philosophy. Eat expensive, sleep cheap. He says that tourists place to much value on the rooms in which most of the time they only sleep. His advice is to not worry about the view and spend money on other things.

I mostly agree with him, but I do appreciate a nice view. One time when I was on a business trip to Chicago I stayed in the Chicago Hyatt and Lake Michigan was visible out of one corner of the window. Then it started snowing. (It was the great Super Bowl Blizzard weekend of February 2015.) After the first afternoon when I checked in I couldn't even see 15 feet out the window, let alone Lake Michigan. A few years ago, I was back in Chicago and staying at the Chicago Hyatt and while joking around while registering to get into my room, I told the registrar that story. I got my room assignment and when I arrived in my room I found it had a very nice view of Lake Michigan. The lake was visible through about half of the window! I went back downstairs and thanked that person and I did enjoy that view in the morning for the next three days.

I am glad you are enjoying your trip and the trip with the memories as well.

Mornin' Mamie, Susan and Benita :) We're taking this as more of a vacation than a sight-seeing trip so are spending some major time on our balconies. In Honolulu we were out there most afternoons (mornings the sun was too hot). I'm sitting on our very nice "lanai" as I type but the traffic noise and the shopping center view aren't adding to the experience. We walked around to the other side of the development last night and found a really beautiful pool area (one of those river-like pools, a koi pond, and a restaurant) all adjacent to the sandy beach. We rented directly from the owner but if we ever come again I think we'll see what the management company has to offer on the other side of the building :)

All of that said, we're having a wonderfully relaxing time.

Yikes, it isn't just book bullets any more now there are game bullets here too! Soooo, I gave in and tried Wordle -- got it in 5.

>178 RebaRelishesReading: I loved Major Pettigrew when I read it, so I hope you enjoy it too, Reba. I need to give it a re-read soon.

Happy vacationing!

I hope you're enjoying yourself Reba. I don't see how you couldn't in that weather.

>188 alcottacre: I am enjoying it a lot, Stasia -- although the nephew, the young mother and the son make me want to smack them -- hard!! (and I'd give that American girl a stern talking to as well!!)

>189 brenzi: Hi Bonnie. The weather is indeed lovely, not too hot, not too humid and often with a nice breeze. It's relaxing and beautiful.

>178 RebaRelishesReading: I am getting strong reminders of another Pettigrew book, but I see they are in no way related. This one is intriguing though, I'm going to see if my library has it

Enjoy Hawaii!

We drove south and west today to explore the little "art colony" of Hanapepe. Poor little place is struggling but at least the book store is still there. Note it claims to be the western most bookstore in the U.S." and it almost certainly is. I found two books and Hubby found one (his is about the railroads of Oahu).

Oh, Reba, I love hearing about your trip! I'm sorry about the traffic and about the view, but your forays sound like they make up for the setbacks. Enjoy!

>193 AMQS: Thanks Anne. The three parts of this trip are very different, which is kind of nice I think. We move to Maui on Monday where we will have a cottage "up country" -- should be peaceful there although not nearly as convenient as here.

I got Wordle in three today -- no earthly idea how to save or share though.

>195 RebaRelishesReading: Made me smile. I had the same trouble trying to figure out how to do that too!
On my MacBook Air : You click the share and copy to clipboard. Then you go up to the operating server and click edit and it will offer options. One of these options is "copy". You click that and then go to your thread and click paste. It should work. Eventually it did for me.

Have a great weekend.

>196 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. I may try that sometime when I'm feeling wide awake :>

Back to report that I decided to try it, got lost, so ...

got it in 5

Hi Reba! Glad you are having a relaxing vacation. I love going to bookstores when I am traveling.

And yay! Wordle. I am hooked on it.

>198 banjo123: I've only tried it four times so far but I'm probably hooked too *sigh*

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson***1/2

Major Pettigrew is a widowed retiree living in an English village Mrs. Ali is a widowed, England-born Pakistani shop keeper in that village. Mrs Ali comes to the Major's aid when he is weak with grief over his brother's death and their friendship grows. This is a sweet novel about love (both familial and romantic), responsibility and prejudice.

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa****

This best selling Japanese author uses a fantasy story as the basis for a discussion of the real meaning and value of books. It's a quick and very enjoyable read.

From the jacket:

Awkward high school student Rintaro Natsuki is about to close the secondhand bookshop he inherited from his beloved grandfather. For this bookworm by blood, shutting down Netsuke Books is no easy task--it's been his sanctuary and hideout from the demands of school and the world at large. However, before the bookshop's doors are shut for good, a talking cat appears with an unusual request. The feline requests the teenager's help in saving books from abusive and negligent owners, and int won't take no for an answer.

>192 RebaRelishesReading: Now that looks like a bookstore with character!

>201 RebaRelishesReading: Good for the cat! Meow!

I'm glad you are having a restful vacation. I didn't realize you were married in Hawaii.

>202 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita It was a very nice used bookstore with a tiny selection of new books. Had a 19 year-old cat in residence who knows how to ring a bell (the kind you would find on a counter to summon help from the back of the store) and is rewarded with a treat when she does. She demonstrated for us :)

>203 thornton37814: Hi Lori. It's a charming book and I recommend it highly.

>204 ffortsa: Hi Judy It's a bit of a story but the short version is that we wanted more than a trip to the County Hall of Admin for our wedding but when we talked about a local wedding it seemed to always turn into a "do" for 100 or more which wasn't what we wanted either. Then someone we knew went to Hawaii for their wedding and told us how easy it was so we decided that's what we would do. A phone call to the hotel booked us a chapel (the one Elvis got married in in Blue Hawaii), a minister (or judge, our choice), a cake and champagne and flowers. Told friends it's what we were doing and they had plans to be in Hawaii at the same time so they came over and "stood up" for us. All by all a lovely combination of romantic and practical. Our hotel and chapel blew down in the hurricane of 1992 ('94?) and the hotel is still a ruin awaiting planning permission and resolution of ownership issues. We drove by it almost every day we were in Kauai and it's really sad-making.

next up:

So, Wordle players..do you always start with the same word and, if not, how do you decide where to start? If you always use the same one, do you mind sharing what it is?

>207 RebaRelishesReading: I usually use one of two words— “irate” or “adieu”—the object, to find out what vowels are in the word. My husband uses “storm” then “adieu”—he’d like some consonants early. We both seem to average 4s and 5s.

The important thing is, are we having fun? I really like Wordle, but I’m glad it’s just one word a day!

Karen O

Thanks Karen. I've just started trying Wordle and only learned yesterday that the word of the day can include repeated letters, I had assumed that wasn't allowed. Also nice to learn about other people's strategies.

I used to use the same two starter words - ADIEU and NORTH to flush out vowels and some common consonants. What order I played those in depended on my mood. Now I just play whatever comes to mind, and I seem to be having more luck, so I say do whatever you prefer. I am of the (probably unpopular) opinion that most of the game comes down to luck and not skill.

>210 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. I think I agree with you about the importance of luck after today's leap in my case :)

I googled "Maui bookstores" this morning and the Friends of Library store came up. We headed straight there and found it in a building behind a school (which may no longer be in use as a school) in a very rural area at the edge of Kahului but oh what a stock they had!! And, almost all priced at 25 cents! I bought three for my self and one for little grandson and gave them a nice tip when I paid.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Golden Days by Carolyn See
Wallace Stegner: His Life and Work by Jackson J Benson
Rabbit, a See How They Grow book

>212 RebaRelishesReading: What a find, Reba, both the place and the books!

I am really enjoying hearing about your trip, Reba. Nice haul from a cute bookshop.

Wordle in 4 today (that pesky 4th letter thing)
Worldle in 2

Beautiful sunny day today. Heading down to the Ocean Center in a bit.

>215 RebaRelishesReading: - Is Worldle the map/country one, Reba? A friend recommended it to me, but when it failed to recognize two legitimate countries, I got annoyed and refused to play anymore :-P

>215 RebaRelishesReading: where can I find the worldle?

Hi Katie and Judy. Yes, Worldle is the map one. I heard about it from a French friend and just googled "Worldle" (which the net fights like mad to make into Wordle) and found it at http://worldle.teuteuf.fr. I don't think the "rules" are very clear (which end of the arrow is the country guessed vs country it is? where is distance measured from?) and the list of countries isn't complete but I've done it a couple of times and enjoy it.

The fact that some countries/areas aren't recognized just narrows the field and helps so thus far I don't mind that.

I struck out on both Wordle and Worldle today. Maybe I should have stayed in bed longer this morning :(

We're off to visit the Surfing Goat Farm in a little bit. I had some of their cheese on a pizza yesterday and it was WONDERFUL!! (maybe that's why I struck out...I was thinking about the goat cheese)

A Concise History of the Hawaiian Islands by Phil Barnes***

The book is exactly what the title promises and was a pleasant read to go with my Hawaiian vacation.

Next to Love by Ellen Feldman****1/2

Edited to report that I finished this book this afternoon.

The story begins in 1941 with young men going off to fight in Europe and ends in 1964. It traces the lives of three women, the men they love and marry and their children. It's the story of how war affects people, those who fight and those who stay home, and how love hurts and heals them. I found it touching and painful and beautiful.

>212 RebaRelishesReading: I am Malala was a good read. What a neat and cozy book store.

>222 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita. I learned today that there are two more branches of this bookstore which must be "friends of all the libraries in Maui" I'm guessing. It was a fun find anyway.

up next

Worldle in 3. Wordle in 6 -- sheesh!!

Reba, where did you list that recipe for chicken in the IP/slow cooker? Somehow I've lost track of it.

Hi Judy. I can't find it here anymore either but I think it's this one
CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP (SLOW COOKER AND INSTANT POT)
at Skinnytaste.com

Thanks, Reba. That's it. I've bookmarked it.

>212 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I think you found the biggest bargain in the Hawaiian Islands! Are you sure that you don't want to fit some more books into your suitcase?

I like your vacation style with the focus on relaxing. You are getting lots of reading time in I see. How much longer will you be in Paradise?

>228 ffortsa: Great Judy. Hope you like it as much as we do.

>229 Donna828: Hi Donna. Unfortunately I have a new phone which didn't have my book wish list on it yet (does now though) so I had to just scan down the many, many book-stuffed shelves. I saw many good books that I have already but I think I was a bit too over-whelmed to look for more. On the other hand, we may come back to Maui again and now I know where it is :)

We are enjoying this slower life in a beautiful place, I must say. Spent much of today with friends who live here which was nice too. We'll be winging eastward on Wednesday. For my part, I'll be hoping there is still a little winter left for me to enjoy when we get home.

Eleven by Mark Watson****1/2

Xavier Ireland is the assumed name of a disc jockey who has a late-night call-in talk show in London. He lives alone and doesn't socialize much. The story introduces many people he has known in the past or who live near him or work with him and tells many of their stories along with his. It's an engaging story even at that level but what makes it special is that the author takes several seemingly unimportant acts and shows how they affect others indirectly but often very significantly.

Comments from reviews:

"A moving story with a twist about how our lives touch others in ways we don't even realize." (UK Cosmopolitan)

"Funny, sharply observed and unexpectedly moving...The connections are ingenious and there are some very dark undertones, admirably handled." (The Times, London)

next up

>img width="150" src="https://pics.cdn.librarything.com/picsizes/bf/f7/bff752b08ed20a9596a34767377426f41514141_v5.jpg">

wordle in 4
worldle in 2

Hi Reba! Still traveling? Hope you're having a wonderful time!

Happy Monday!

You are doing quite well with your wordle!

I assume that worldle has to do with geography? I probably would loose every time on that one.

>234 AMQS: Hi Anne. We're still on "winter break" (as in Hubby needs a break from NW winter) but will be going home on Wednesday. It's been fun but I'm ready :)

>235 figsfromthistle: Morning Anita. Doing well with Wordle?!? I didn't even get it at all a couple of days ago and rarely do it in less than 4 -- I enjoy it though. Worldle gives you the silhouette of a country and get six tries to figure out what it is. I'm familiar enough with the shapes of countries in North and South America and Western Europe to make a stab at them. After each try they tell you how far away you are and in what direction which then helps me narrow it down. I'm not above looking at a map after four or five tries though :)

>236 RebaRelishesReading: - I was interested to read your description of Worldle, as it sounds different from what I tried to play several weeks ago. That one had no silhouette, and was all about identifying a country based on distance from your guesses.

>237 katiekrug: Hi Katie -- I use https://worldle.teuteuf.fr. I got it in one today because the country is in western Europe and I'm pretty familiar with that map.

Wordle, however, I didn't get even in six and even though I had four off the letters by the third guess. Will have to find someone who got it and find out what the heck it is!! (Went back and rethought it and got it...so..in 7 -- maybe I should wait until I'm more awake to try these lol.

>238 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks for the link! That's definitely different than what I did try. I like yours better, especially since I got it on my first guess :)

I got Wordle in 3 and made Queen Bee in the Spelling Bee so it's been a good game day!

>239 katiekrug: It is nice to just recognize the country, isn't it. The islands helped me today. A couple of days ago it was Suriname and I had Ecuador, Columbia, Bolivia and I don't know what all except Suriname which I somehow thought was much more rectangular than it is.

>240 RebaRelishesReading: I guessed Suriname right away. But I had recently read a few books about it, and some had maps. So it was fresh in my mind. My first one was New Zealand, that was a one guess. Today was also easy, yesterday took some more guesses.

I just started a different geography game, called Globle. It's fun, but I am terrible at it. Wordle, I love.

Good morning! Wordle in 2, worldle in 1.

We're going out for breakfast when Hubby gets up then we need to pack the bags because tomorrow we head home. It's been a very nice trip but I'm ready to be in my own nest again :)

>241 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, I agree that New Zealand and today were both pretty easy. The island made yesterday pretty easy for me too.

>242 banjo123: I haven't heard of Globle before but now I'm curious, Rhonda.

Back to say I just gave Globle a try -- I may add that one to the morning list.

I just checked out Globle and THAT'S the country-identifying game I got fed up with :)

>244 katiekrug: Hi Katie -- I think I prefer worldle but I may try Globle for a couple of days and see how I feel then. I circled the answer for today with 4 or 5 neighbors before I picked the right one.

Today is Tuesday two, twenty-two, twenty-two -- just thought you'd like to know :)

Wordle in 3, Worldle in 1 -- wish I knew how to share the Wordle path. Paul tried to explain it a few days ago but I didn't understand it at all :(

Reba, do you have a Mac or some other laptop?

>247 RebaRelishesReading: Identical to my results today on both!

>248 katiekrug: Hi Katie, I have a Mac-Air

>249 ronincats: Hi Roni -- nice to see you :)

We missed the snow at Christmas because we were in San Diego and I was afraid I was going to miss out while we were in Hawaii but we got home at 10 p.m last night and this morning I awoke to this



It's all gone now and there may not be any more this year but at least I got one brief morning of snowy beauty!

Got Worldle in 2 but got NO letters in my first try on Wordle and only one in my second. My head hurts and I'm just not in the mood so I surrender on Wordle today :(

Sooo I went into the garage a bit ago only to find that the garage door hadn't closed after Hubby went to the post office. I thought he had just forgotten to close it but nooooo it won't go down. I called company that came a couple of months ago and warned that the opener is as old as the house (22) and might not last much longer. They can come install a new one on Saturday but meanwhile the door to the garage is open and the garage faces the street and leads right into the house. Hubby is napping and I'm hoping he can help me get it closed manually when he gets up because I'm not so very happy with a gaping hole yawning at the street out there.

>247 RebaRelishesReading: Hey! When you are finished wth wordle you click on share. This copies the result to your clipboard ( on a mac). To get to clipboard-

Open the Finder.
Click on Edit in the menu.
Choose Show Clipboard.
This will show you what you copied last.

Then press command C. When you are ready to paste, you press command V

I hope that works for you :)

>254 figsfromthistle: Thank you Anita, I think I can do that :) Today, however, I had closed wordle before I came here so can't retrieve my "in three".

As to Worldle...I took one look at the country and said to my geography professor husband who was sitting next to me "what country is that" (thinking "ha, ha good luck to you") and he glanced over and said "xxxx". I put it in and he was quite right! So HE got it in one and I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try again :)

>255 RebaRelishesReading: - You can still get your Wordle result, Reba. Just go to the Wordle site and the stats box with the Share button will either pop up automatically, or you can click the bar graph icon in the upper right to have the box appear.

>256 katiekrug: When I did that the box said "no data". I'll just try to do it correctly tomorrow.

>255 RebaRelishesReading: I think you can get Worldle today in one, Reba.

And here are the glorious (not) Wordle results for today
Wordle 252 5/6

⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>258 FAMeulstee: Indeed Anita, Worldle was in one today. For you too I imagine.

I really need to start a new thread -- maybe this afternoon

Reba, all caught up with you and hooray for that snow! Did you get your garage door fixed?

#Worldle #37 2/6 (100%)
🟩🟩🟩🟨⬜⬅️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉
https://worldle.teuteuf.fr

Wordle 253 4/6

🟨⬜🟩⬜🟨
⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩
⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>261 Crazymamie: Mornin' Mamie :) Snow was gone by noon but I loved waking up to it. Garage door isn't fixed because technician got sick. We have a new appointment for tomorrow.