Alcott Acre's Home, Room 13

Thanks for stopping by my thirteenth thread of 2022! All visitors are welcome - with the exception of spammers!




Please note that I am spending less time on LT these days than I normally do because of health and family issues, but I do try and check in at least once a day. Thank you for your patience!

Excellent Reads from 2022 (thus far and in the order in which I read them):

5 Stars
The Writing of the Gods by Edward Dolnick
The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo
The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale by Art Speigelman
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Walking with the Wind by John Lewis with Michael D'Orso
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Bewilderment by Richard Powers
Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz
The Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams

4.5 Stars
These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett
My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
Square Haunting by Francesca Wade
Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samancı
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith
A Mortuary of Books by Elisabeth Gallas
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Speigelman
Watercress by Andrea Wang
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Mighty Justice: My Life in Civil Rights by Dovey Johnson Roundtree and Katie McCabe
From Left to Right by Nancy Sinkoff
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
The Fell by Sarah Moss
Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert
Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books by Aaron Lansky
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
The Wars by Timothy Findley
The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart
Remote Sympathy by Catherine Chidgey
Enchanters' End Game by David Eddings
The Ponder Heart by Eudora Welty
The Heart of Race by Beverley Bryan, et al
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb
Pollak's Arm by Hans von Trotha
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
Zorrie by Laird Hunt
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Loyalty in Time of Trial: The African American Experience During World War I by Nina Mjagkij
A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
Cove by Cynan Jones
Plainsong by Kent Haruf
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
The Immortal Irishman by Timothy Egan
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
Lost Illusions by Honore de Balzac
The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard
The World of Pooh by A.A. Milne
South Riding by Winifred Holtby
The Gathering Storm by Winston S. Churchill
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
Denmark Vesey's Garden by Ethan J. Kytle and Blain Roberts
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker
Free at Last to Vote by Brian K. Landsberg
Night by Elie Wiesel
A Gentle Madness by Nicholas A. Basbanes
Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan
The Jewish Intellectual Tradition by Alan Kadish, Michael Shmidman, and Simcha Fishbane
The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede

4.25 Stars
The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed
The Fall of Light by Niall Williams
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
Lenny's Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict by Tamra B. Orr
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Still Life by Sarah Winman
The Bird Way by Jennifer Ackerman
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine
Time and Again by Jack Finney
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini
Love & Saffron by Kim Fay
Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
A Room on Lorelei Street by Mary E. Pearson
The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith
Blood Done Sign My Name by Timothy B. Tyson
Trailed by Kathryn Miles
A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge
Nella Last's War edited by Richard Broad and Suzie Fleming
Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez
Home Before Morning by Lynda Van Devanter
Empress Dowager Cixi by Jung Chang
Brewster by Mark Slouka
The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting
I Was Born There, I Was Born Here by Mourid Barghouti
Apollo 8 : The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger
The Murrow Boys by Stanley Cloud and Lynne Olson
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
My Brilliant Life by Ae-Ran Kim
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle
Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan by Deborah Reed
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Five Days in November by Clint Hill with Lisa McCubbin
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
The Great Siege Malta 1565 by Ernle Bradford
Chasing Me to My Grave by Winfred Rembert

November TIOLI Challenges:

Challenge #1: Read a book by one of your favorite authors
Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb - Completed November 16, 2022
A Gentle Madness by Nicholas A. Basbanes - Completed November 16, 2022

Challenge #2: Read a book where one of the author’s names starts with a vowel
The Annotated Persuasion by Jane Austen - Completed November 4, 2022
Demon Lord of Karanda by David Eddings - Completed November 12, 2022
In the Country: Stories by Mia Alvar - Completed November 4, 2022
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender - Completed November 6, 2022
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett - Completed November 22, 2022

Challenge #3: Read a book whose title is considered a “cliché”
A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark - Completed November 2, 2022

Challenge #4: The “Fiddler on the Roof” Challenge: Read a book with the word “Tradition” in the title
The Golden Tradition by Lucy S. Dawidowicz - Completed November 11, 2022
The Jewish Intellectual Tradition by Alan Kadish, Michael Shmidman, and Simcha Fishbane - Completed November 29, 2022

Challenge #5: Read a book with Edward in the title or author's name
Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis by Timothy Egan - Completed November 23, 2022

Challenge #6: Read a book with a silhouette of a person or object on the cover
Silhouette in Scarlet by Elizabeth Peters - Completed November 11, 2022

Challenge #7 Rolling Challenge - E L T O N & B E R N I E - Read a Book with a word beginning with any of the letters in this challenge Or the authors name must begin with any of these letters. For "&" read a book with Musician, Poet, Piano, Concert, Lyricist in the title or somewhat similar word along those lines
Scoop by Evelyn Waugh - Completed November 21, 2022
Execution’s Doorstep by Leslie Lytle - Completed November 27, 2022

Challenge #8: Read a book by an author whose name has different spelling variations
All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren - Completed November 9, 2022
Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart - - Completed November 29, 2022

Challenge #9: Read a book you've been putting off
Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker - Completed November 5, 2022
The Secret Place by Tana French - Completed November 23, 2022

Challenge #10 - Read a book set in or about Malaya (Malaysia) or the Malay Archipelago
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng - Completed November 18, 2022
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo - Completed November 5, 2022

Challenge #11: Read a book whose title is not unique (list another book that shares the title)
A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor - Completed November 25, 2022

Challenge #12: Read a book where the title completes the phrase "I am thankful for..."
The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman - Completed November 19, 2022
Night by Elie Wiesel - Completed November 13, 2022
Rosa Parks by Douglas Brinkley - Completed November 29, 2022

Challenge #13: Read a book with a title 5 words long or longer not including subtitle
A Batter of Life and Death by Ellie Alexander - Completed November 9, 2022

Challenge #14: Read a book with the numbers 1 and 3, or 2 and 5 in the ISBN
In the Country: Stories by Mia Alvar - Completed November 4, 2022
Possession by A.S. Byatt - Completed November 24, 2022

Challenge #15: Read a book about voting or with the word vote in the title
Free at Last to Vote by Brian K. Landsberg - Completed November 8, 2022

Challenge 16: Read an author who wrote in a language not his own. Exophonic authors.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - Completed November 18, 2022

December TIOLI Challenges:

Challenge #1: Read a book by an author whose names (first, middle, and last) all begin with a vowel
Actress by Anne Enright - Completed December 11, 2022

Challenge #2: Read a book with a word in the title that can be found on a charcuterie board
State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy - Completed December 17, 2022

Challenge #3: Read a retelling of a myth, legend or Biblical story, name the legend
Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip (Retelling of Tam Lin) - Completed December 18, 2022

Challenge #4: Read a book with an 4 plus letter word embedded in the title
Day of Atonement by Faye Kellerman - Completed December 24, 2022
Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly - Completed December 28, 2022
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri - Completed December 9, 2022
Island in the Sea of Time by S.M. Stirling - Completed December 21, 2022
Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb - Completed December 3, 2022
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - Completed December 13, 2022

Challenge #5: Read a book that helps to finish up a personal reading challenge
Sanditon and Other Stories by Jane Austen - Completed December 14, 2022

Challenge #6: Read a book by an author whose first name starts with the same letter as your first name
A Year of Marvellous Ways by Sarah Winman - Completed December 20, 2022

Challenge #7: The Goodbye ‘22 Challenge: Read a book that has multiple 2 letter words in the title (No repeated 2-letter words allowed unless there are different 2-letter words in the title)
As It Is In Heaven by Niall Williams - Completed December 14, 2022
Chasing Me to My Grave by Winfred Rembert - Completed December 28, 2022
How to Be a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery - Completed December 30, 2022

Challenge #8: Read a book with exactly 2 people on the front cover
Brick Lane by Monica Ali - Completed December 27, 2022
Sorceress of Darshiva by David Eddings - Completed December 9, 2022

Challenge #9: Read a book in honor of the Twelve Days of Christmas (semi-rolling challenge)
Dove in the Window by Earlene Fowler - Completed December 10, 2022

Challenge #10: Read a book about a culture clash
The Great Siege, Malta 1565: Clash of Cultures by Ernle Bradford - Completed December 16, 2022

Challenge #11: Read a book set between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
When the Rainbow Goddess Wept by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard - Completed December 19, 2022

Challenge #12 : Read a Book You Are Reading Because of a Positive Review by a 75 Group Member
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - Completed December 30, 2022
The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh - Completed December 15, 2022

Challenge #13: Read a book with a title that is ALMOST a Christmas carol title or lyric
Wreck the Halls by Sarah Graves - Completed December 20, 2022

Challenge #14: Read a fiction or non-fiction book set in or about Ancient Egypt, or about Egyptology
The Splendors of Egypt by Michael Davison - Completed December 30, 2022
When Egypt Ruled the East by George Steindorff and Keith C. Seele - Completed December 10, 2022

Challenge #15: Read a book with a winter word or a cold word in the title
Let it Snow by John Green - Completed December 29, 2022
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon - Completed December 22, 2022

Challenge #16 : Read a book about overcoming a tragedy.
The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede - Completed December 17, 2022

Challenge #17: Read a book with all title words 4 or more characters long, no this or that either
Careless People by Sarah Churchwell - Completed December 30, 2022
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells - Completed December 27, 2022
Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland - Completed December 16, 2022

2022 Goals - I am going to record the titles as I finish them:

Reading (or rereading as they case may be) all of Jane Austen’s novels this year
- Sense and Sensibility - Completed January 13, 2022
- Pride and Prejudice - Completed March 17, 2022
- Mansfield Park - Completed May 11, 2022
- Emma - Completed July 19, 2022
- Northanger Abbey - Completed September 14, 2022
- Persuasion - Completed November 4, 2022
- Sanditon and Other Stories - Completed December 14, 2022

The St. Mary’s books
- Just One Damned Thing After Another - Completed January 14, 2022
- A Symphony of Echoes - Completed April 17, 2022
- A Second Chance - Completed November 25, 2022

The In Death series - started in 2021
- Vengeance in Death - Completed January 9, 2022
- Abandoned in Death - Completed February 8, 2022
- Holiday in Death - Completed March 13, 2022
- Conspiracy in Death - Completed May 12, 2022
- Loyalty in Death - Completed July 4, 2022
- Witness in Death - Completed August 8, 2022
- Desperation in Death - Completed September 11, 2022
- Judgment in Death - Completed September 26, 2022
- Betrayal in Death - Completed November 16, 2022
- Seduction in Death - Completed December 3, 2022

The Decker/Lazarus series - started in 2021
- Sacred and Profane - Completed January 23, 2022
- Milk and Honey - Completed June 23, 2022
- Day of Atonement - Completed December 24, 2022

The Outlander series
- Outlander - Completed February 12, 2022
- Dragonfly in Amber - Completed August 14, 2022
- Voyager -

The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series - started in 2021
- The Murder of Mary Russell - Completed February 16, 2022
- Island of the Mad - Completed July 10, 2022

The Murderbot series - started in 2021
- Artificial Condition - Completed February 20, 2022
- Rogue Protocol - Completed September 11, 2022
- Exit Strategy - Completed December 27, 2022

The Three Pines series
- Still Life - Completed March 6, 2022
- A Fatal Grace - Completed September 18, 2022

The Maisie Dobbs series
- Maisie Dobbs - Completed March 22, 2022
- Birds of a Feather - Completed October 16, 2022

Classics - at least one a month; could be children's classics, modern classics, scifi/fantasy classics
1. Kim by Rudyard Kipling - Completed January 7, 2022
2. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou - Completed February 5, 2022
3. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey - Completed March 6, 2022
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - Completed March 12, 2022
5. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole - Completed March 28, 2022
6. The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope - Completed April 25, 2022
7. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf - Completed April 29, 2022
8. Heart of the Race by Beverley Bryan et al - Completed May 9, 2022
9. Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana, Jr. - Completed May 12, 2022
10. Silas Marner by George Eliot - Completed June 21, 2022
11. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - Completed July 1, 2022
12. Waverley by Sir Walter Scott - Completed July 12, 2022
13. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Completed August 23, 2022
14. Lost Illusions by Honore de Balzac - Completed September 7, 2022
15. The World of Pooh by A.A. Milne - Completed September 30, 2022
16. Tales from the Arabian Nights translated by Andrew Lang - Completed October 23, 2022
17. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Completed October 28, 2022
18. All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren - Completed November 9, 2022
19. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - Completed December 30, 2022

Continuing my Black Studies reading (at least one book per month)
1. How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith - Completed January 21, 2022
2. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou - Completed February 5, 2022
3. Mighty Justice by Dovey Johnson Roundtree and Katie McCabe - Completed February 23, 2022
4. Bone Black: Memories of Girlhood by bell hooks - Completed March 5, 2022
5. The Hands of Peace by Marione Ingram - Completed March 11, 2022
6. Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert - Completed April 3, 2022
7. Walking with the Wind by John Lewis with Michael D'Orso - Completed April 28, 2022
8. Blood Done Sign My Name by Timothy B. Tyson - Completed May 31, 2022
9. Loyalty in Time of Trial: The African American Experience During World War I by Nina Mjagkij - Completed July 18, 2022
10. Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball - Completed August 16, 2022
11. The Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams - Completed September 29, 2022
12. Denmark Vesey's Garden by Ethan J. Kytle and Blain Roberts - Completed October 31, 2022
13. Free at Last to Vote by Brian K. Landsberg - Completed November 8, 2022
14. Rosa Parks: A Life by Douglas Brinkley - Completed November 29, 2022
15. Chasing Me to My Grave by Winfred Rembert - Completed December 28, 2022

Continuing my Jewish experience reading (at least one book per month)
1. We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter - Completed January 16, 2022
2. Sala's Gift by Ann Kirschner - Completed January 25, 2022
3. A Mortuary of Books by Elisabeth Gallas - Completed February 4, 2022
4. From Left to Right by Nancy Sinkoff - Completed March 10, 2022
5. The Boys: The Story of 732 Young Concentration Camp Survivors by Martin Gilbert - Completed April 26, 2022
6. While Six Million Died by Arthur D. Morse - Completed April 29, 2022
7. The Children of Willesden Lane by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen - Completed May 21, 2022
8. Village of Secrets by Caroline Moorhead - Completed July 15, 2022
9. Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz - Completed July 28, 2022
10. Landscapes of the Metropolis of Death by Otto Dov Kulka - Completed August 28, 2022
11. In the Midst of Civilized Europe - Completed September 30, 2022
12. Endpapers: A Family Story of Books, War, Escape, and Home by Alexander Wolff - Completed October 28, 2022
13. The Golden Tradition by Lucy S. Dawidowicz - Completed November 11, 2022
14. Night by Elie Wiesel - Completed November 13, 2022
15. The Jewish Intellectual Tradition by Alan Kadish, Michael Shmidman, and Simcha Fishbane - Completed November 29, 2022
16. Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland - Completed December 16, 2022

Books on Berly’s Indie List:
1. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra - Completed February 1, 2022
2. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - Completed February 6, 2022
3. Moonglow by Michael Chabon - Completed February 11, 2022
4. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan - Completed March 12, 2022
5. The Outlander by Gil Adamson - Completed May 4, 2022
6. The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell - Completed May 23, 2022
7. Silas Marner by George Eliot - Completed June 21, 2022
8. The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker - Completed June 27, 2022
9. Brewster by Mark Slouka - Completed July 24, 2022
10. The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau - Completed August 29, 2022
11. The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews - Completed September 30, 2022
12. The Report by Jessica Francis Kane - Completed October 30, 2022
13. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender - Completed November 6, 2022
14. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett - Completed November 22, 2022
15. Actress by Anne Enright - Completed December 11, 2022

Monthly Nonfiction Challenge:
January - The Feather Thief by Kirk Johnson Wallace - Completed January 20, 2022
February - The Anthropocene reviewed : essays on a human-centered planet by John Green - Completed February 17, 2022
March - Avenue of Spies by Alex Kershaw - Completed March 30, 2022
April - Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron - Completed April 11, 2022
May - First Into Nagasaki by George Weller - Completed May 27, 2022
June - The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER by Thomas Fisher - Completed June 4, 2022
July - The Murrow Boys by Stanley Cloud and Lynne Olson - Completed August 9, 2022
August - Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball - Completed August 16, 2022
September - Clementine by Sonia Purnell - Completed September 13, 2022
October - Royal Blood by Bertram Fields - October 31, 2022
November - A Gentle Madness by Nicholas A. Basbanes - Completed November 16, 2022
December - Careless People by Sarah Churchwell - Completed December 30, 2022

My biggest challenge this year is for the Asian Authors Challenge. I am so stoked for this one. I want to try and read at least 3 books per month toward this challenge.

Proposed Books for December:
Brick Lane by Monica Ali - Completed December 27, 2022
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahari - Completed December 9, 2022
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - Completed December 13, 2022

Shared/Group Reads:

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett - shared read with Kim and Mark - Completed November 22, 2022
Demon Lord of Karanda by David Eddings - shared read with Nina - Completed November 12, 2022
Sorceress of Darshiva by David Eddings - shared read with Nina - Completed December 9, 2022

On hold currently:
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott - shared read with Mamie - OCTOBER??
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver - shared read with Mark - JANUARY
Seeress of Kell by David Eddings - shared read with Nina - JANUARY
Whistling Season by Ivan Doig - shared read with Paul - FEBRUARY
The Winners by Fredrik Backman - shared read with Mark - FEBRUARY

Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart Postponed at Karen’s request
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Zafon Ruiz Postponed at Karen’s request
Here I Am by Jonathan Safron Foer Postponed at Kim's request

Pick a Shelf Challenge - Goal is 2 a month - I literally just chose a shelf in my library and emptied it of books. I will mark them as I complete them - and then pick another shelf!

The Art of War in the Western World by Archer Jones* - Completed June 24, 2022
The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte
The Yard by Alex Grecian - Completed October 30, 2022
Killing Mister Watson by Peter Matthiessen
Hard Evidence by David Fisher - Completed February 27, 2022
The Italian Boy by Sarah Wise - Completed January 27, 2022
Day After Night by Anita Diamant - Completed May 28, 2022
Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks - Completed January 9, 2022
Witness to a Century by George Seldes - Completed September 13, 2022
Scoop by Evelyn Waugh - Completed November 21, 2022
The Maker of Heavenly Trousers by Daniele Vare - Completed July 30, 2022
Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill - Completed March 27, 2022
The Promise of Jenny Jones by Maggie Osborne - Completed March 31, 2022
Nursery Crimes by Ayelet Waldman - Completed February 9, 2022
Gillespie and I by Jane Harris - Completed April 14, 2022
Invitation to a Beheading by Vladimir Nabokov - Completed April 16, 2022
A Room on Lorelei Street by Mary E. Pearson - Completed May 26, 2022

I have now chosen another shelf since I am getting so close to finishing the first one. I expect this one is going to take longer as it had more books on it!
Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft
All Hallows' Eve by Charles Williams
Almanac of American Women in the 20th Century by Judith Freeman Clark
"And I Was There" by Rear Admiral Edwin T. Layton *
Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volumes I-III, by Miriam Lichtheim
The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr
The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu - Completed September 22, 2022
The Bureau by Diarmuid Jeffreys
The Color of Distance by Amy Thomson
Dreams, Parts One & Two by Jayne Ann Krentz
Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly - Completed December 28, 2022
Eric Sloane's America by Eric Sloane
Execution's Doorstep by Leslie Lytle - Completed November 27, 2022
Fall of the Roman Republic by Plutarch - Completed August 27, 2022
The Glass Magician by Charlie Holmberg
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
A History of Western Architecture* by David Watkin
History of the Second World War by B.H. Liddell Hart*
How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis
I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This by Jacqueline Woodson
A Many-Splendored Thing by Han Suyin
The Master Magician by Charlie Holmberg
The Member of the Wedding and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Moonheart by Charles de Lint
The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg
Quiet Street by Zelda Popkin
Range of Motion by Elizabeth Berg - Completed October 7, 2022
Saving Childhood by Michael Medved and Diane Medved
The Tea House on Mulberry Street by Sharon Owens
Twist of Fate by Jayne Ann Krentz
The Upstairs Room by Johanne Reiss - Completed August 27, 2022
When Egypt Ruled the East by George Steindorff and Keith C. Seele - Completed December 10, 2022

*Due to the length of this volume, I will likely only read one book from this list in that particular month.

The next one is yours while I play with the Touchstones. . .

Happy new one, Stasia.

I hope it is one free from heartache and sleeplessness. I am sure it is one full of books and love. xx

Happy new thread! Hope it’s better than the last.

Happy new thread!

>10 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul!

>11 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. I hope so too.

>12 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

Nichole Update: Kerry spoke with Felisha this morning, who told him that Nichole is eating well and starting to walk around by herself unaided, although she does still use her walker at times. This is very good news if we want to get her into M.D. Anderson to treat her, which we do!

>14 alcottacre: That is a very heartening start to the new thread, Stasia. xx

Finished this evening:

421 - Execution's Doorstep by Leslie Lytle - Nonfiction; Up until I was in my mid-20's, I believed in the death penalty. Then I started reading books about the numbers of misidentified people who were later found to be innocent - too late in many cases as they had already been executed. This book goes through 5 such cases - men, who for whatever reason, were identified as murderers and sentenced to death only to be found innocent later - and in these cases, before they were executed. I like the way that Lytle laid out each case - what the crime was, the circumstances, why the man in each case was believed to be guilty, how the system worked so that they could get new trials, etc. The book does get a bit repetitive as to what prison was like for each of the men because, let's face it, prison is very repetitive when you are in a 6'x9' cell with very little to do. What appalled me in the book was how often the authorities knew that the individual in question was innocent, but suppressed information and evidence that would have allowed them to go free. There are some typos in the book (name misspellings and the like) which distracted me, but overally this is a pretty good read; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

>15 PaulCranswick: Yes, it is and I hope it continues!

General Notice: I am going to be out of town from tomorrow, November 28, until Sunday, December 4, visiting my mother. The Internet at my mother's house is pretty much horrendous, so I am not sure how much I will be around for the next week. I am very much looking forward to visiting my mother (and Catey, for that matter) and hope it does me a world of good.

Happy new thread, Stasia, and hope you have a wonderful visit with your mother.

>19 bell7: Thank you, Mary. I am sure I will have a great visit with Mother and get tons of visiting (and games!) done while I am there.

I love finding things in used books and I have about run the gamut - everything from book marks to old receipts to used airline tickets. I recently found the following list in an old book. It is for 1993 Book Club Reading for a lady named Carol Ray in Chandler, Arizona. The people were instructed to choose 12 books from the list of 30 books that were submitted by their members:

1 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
3 - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
4 - The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
5 - Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
6 - Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
7 - Persuasion by Jane Austen
8 - Brigham Young: American Moses by Leonard Arrington
9 - My Posse Don't Do Homework by LouAnne Johnson
10 - The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
11 - Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
12 - Centennial by James Michener
13 - The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
14 - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
15 - The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
16 - The Two from Galilee by Marjorie Holmes
17 - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
18 - Candide by Voltaire
19 - Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
20 - Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
21 - A Death in the Family by James Agee
22 - A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
23 - The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
24 - Walking Across Egypt by Clyde Edgerton
25 - Walden by Henry David Thoreau
26 - James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
27 - Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
28 - Vanity Fair by William Thackeray
29 - Emma by Jane Austen
30 - Christy by Catherine Marshall

I have no way of knowing what this group actually ended up reading in 1993, but I bet it was a dandy reading year for them!

Happy new thread, Stasia!

>14 alcottacre: Good to read some good news about Nichole!

>18 alcottacre: Enjoy your time with your mother and Catey.

Happy New Thread, Stasia. Have a good visit with your Mom and Catey. I hope it does you some good.

>14 alcottacre: So glad to see you have some good news to report!! May the upward trend continue. I hope your visit to your Mother is comforting and healing for you. Travel safely!

>22 FAMeulstee: Thank you so much, Anita. Yes, good news about Nichole is very welcome!

>23 msf59: I hope it does me worlds of good too, Mark. Thank you.

>24 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. We arrived safely yesterday despite the way the day started - a story for another day when I do not have to worry about the Internet giving out on me :)

Happy New Thread, Stasia! Good to hear the positives about Nichole.

Your Asian challenge: do you like Murakami? I’m very much enjoying his new NF one, Novelist as a Vocation.

Have a lovely trip, dear lady.
>21 alcottacre: Unsurprisingly the list caught my eye. I would be choosing from 20 of those as I have read 10 of them already. In perfect symmetry I have a further 10 on the shelves and 10 still to add!

What encouraging news about Nicole!!! I hope she may continue this improvement long enough to get some real help.
Hmmm. I see that I've read 18 of that book club's list, and I'm not sure that I'd have been interested in the rest of them.

Enjoy your time with your mother and Catey. We'll miss you!

>26 jnwelch: Joe, Murakami was one of my LT discoveries - I very much enjoy his books. I have read at least one of his nonfiction titles before, so I will see if I can get hold of Novelist as a Vocation. Thanks for that recommendation!

>27 PaulCranswick: Isn't that a great list, Paul? Leave it up to you to achieve symmetry!

>28 LizzieD: Thanks, Peggy! Any good news about Nichole is golden.

I miss you guys too, but when I say the Internet here is horrendous, I am not joking. Catey and I were trying to get online at the same time today and as a result, neither of us did.

Before the Internet dies out on me - my mother had company today, so I got a ton of reading done. I am not doing reviews, just listing titles:

422 - Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart - 3.75 stars, Mine

423 - Rosa Parks: A Life by Douglas Brinkley - 4 stars, Mine

424 - The Jewish Intellectual Tradition by Alan Kadish and Michael A. Shmidman with Simcha Fishbane - 4.5 stars, Mine

>21 alcottacre: What a FABulous list! I hope it was a perfect memory of a year for Ms. Carol Ray.

*smooch*

Happy new thread!

Thanks to bell7 for the pointer to this one!

>21 alcottacre: Looks like an interesting list, I might have to incorporate some of those titles into next years reading plans!

Hi Stasia, and happy new thread.

>8 alcottacre: I’ve read the two books by Carson McCullers and How the Other Half Lives. I read the Riis book in high school and was profoundly affected by it. Living a comfortable, white, middle-class existence in SoCal, even though I’d heard about the Watts riots in 1965 when I was 12, this book was my first exposure to the economic class system in the US. I still have that copy on my shelves.

>14 alcottacre: Thanks for the Nichole update.

>21 alcottacre: Fascinating list. Thanks for sharing it. I’ve read 13 of them.

>31 richardderus: I agree about the list, RD! It is a good one and I would happily join that book club. *Smooches* back at you.

>32 quondame: Thanks, Susan! And thank you, Mary, for pointing the way.

>33 kaida46: I was thinking the same thing, Deb, when I went through the list. Thanks for dropping by!

>34 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen! I appreciate you coming by.

Updates: Yesterday was not a good day. Nichole was re-hospitalized. My sister and I spoke - I rarely actually get to see her when I am here - and she believes my mother has dementia. She told me things that I did not know about my mother and her behavior. It was not good news to hear, but I really needed to know it, nonetheless.

>36 alcottacre: Oh dear, Stasia, not a happy news kind of a day. Better to know, of course, but not good to feel. {{{Stasia}}}

Happy new thread, Stasia. I wish that news about family was more positive for you.

>36 alcottacre: Oh crap! What an awful double whammy of a day. You and RD are right of course it is better to know about your mum but certainly not nice to hear. My gran had dementia and it was unbelievably sad to see her deteriorate steadily before me, but reinforced my love for her all the same.

(((((HUGS)))))

Glad to see a new thread Stasia. Your finished books #421 and #424 look interesting. >36 alcottacre: Sorry to hear the poor news. Stay well.

>36 alcottacre: Oh Stasia, I'm so sorry. Such a difficult time for you.

>36 alcottacre: So sorry, Stasia, that is both bad news.
(((hugs)))

Sorry to hear your news

So sorry…

Nichole Update: Nichole was released from the hospital the day after she was admitted, although they seem to continue to have difficulty getting her blood pressure to cooperate. Evidently it was good enough that they could send her home though.

>37 richardderus: >38 Familyhistorian: >39 PaulCranswick: >40 WhiteRaven.17: >41 RebaRelishesReading: >42 FAMeulstee: >43 torontoc: >44 drneutron: Thank you all for the continued prayers, good wishes and good thoughts for me and mine. 2023 looks like it is shaping up to be a challenging year for my family.

Finished this afternoon:

425 - Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb - 3.75 stars Mine

I'm just now catching up and sorry to hear about Nichole's up and down health problems and especially about your mom. I'm glad you're there to do some observation first-hand. Courage and Peace to you, dear friend.

I am home! Kerry picked me up and we got home shortly after 3pm, unpacked the car, notified everyone I was home and then pretty much did nothing after that! I am so glad to be home it is not even funny.

>49 alcottacre: Good to see you safely back on the Acre, Stasia. xx

>50 PaulCranswick: Thank you so much, Paul!

>49 alcottacre: Glad you're safely home! Take care of yourself.

*hugs* and prayers, Stasia. Glad Nichole was able to go home for now, and sorry to hear the concerning news about your mom.

>52 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba. I am trying.

>53 bell7: Thank you so much, Mary!

Yet Another Update: My mother was admitted to the hospital this afternoon. She is complaining about not being able to breathe. They are going to do some chest X rays and blood work. Hopefully she will be out tomorrow.

Oh dear. I'm awfully sorry to hear that. I hope that she does get home tomorrow.

>55 alcottacre: I hope the hospital is able to help you mother and that tomorrow will see her well on the way to recovery.

Stasia thinking of you!

Sending good thoughts for your mother, Stasia.

Hi Stasia.

>36 alcottacre: Two blows, and I’m sorry for it. (((hugs)))

>49 alcottacre: Home’s the best.

>55 alcottacre: It doesn’t rain but it pours. Thoughts and prayers that it’s something minor.

When it rains, it pours. Continued {{hugs}} to you all.

Best wishes for your Mom, Stasia. Keep us updated.

Dropping in to say hello and give you some much needed ((hugs))

>56 LizzieD: >57 quondame: >58 mdoris: >59 curioussquared: >60 karenmarie: >61 jessibud2: >62 msf59: >63 figsfromthistle:: Again, I thank you all so much!

At this point, the doctors are still conducting tests, but they can tell us that based on her blood work, my mother is severely anemic. We suspect that her anemia is triggering her panic attacks, which helps account for the shortness of breath she is experiencing. The doctors also believe that she is bleeding internally somewhere and are trying to track that down, so they are going to do a colonoscopy on her today at some point. No word on how much longer she will be hospitalized.

>64 alcottacre: I'm so glad she's where she can get some really useful intervention, Stasia. I'm sure she'd far rather be at home but the needs are great. You're holding up very well indeed given the distance between y'all.

*smooch*

>55 alcottacre: Oh dear goodness, Stasia!! It just doesn't stop, does it? So, so sorry!!

>65 richardderus: Thanks, RD. I am not sure that I am holding up all that well, but having Catey and my sister close to mother certainly helps. **Smooches** back at you

>66 RebaRelishesReading: Yeah, the last couple of months have not been kind. I know it will stop one of these days. Thanks, Reba!

My mother was released from the hospital late yesterday evening. No word as of yet as to her test results.

>21 alcottacre: I love this! And to add my own, years ago, I found a copy from the 1930s of Edna Ferber's Show Boat. An old photograph of an actual show boat on an unnamed river floated out when I opened the cover.

>68 alcottacre: I hope everything turns out ok.

>69 ocgreg34: Yeah, I love that kind of stuff, Greg.

>70 ocgreg34: Thank you so much!

I am abandoning To the End of the Land by David Grossman. I read up to page 360 and at that point just decided to chuck it. I have read several good reviews of the book, but it was not doing anything for me and I did not care one iota for either of the main characters. *sigh*

>72 alcottacre: I have done that with books where I think-" I don't like these characters and have no interest in spending valuable reading time dealing with them!"

>73 torontoc: I hate abandoning books, but there was still 300 or so pages left in that one and I flat out did not care enough to finish it.

I finally finished a book! (or two). It feels like it has been forever!

426 - Sorceress of Darshiva by David Eddings - The fourth book of the Mallorean finds the party hot on the trail of Zandramas with Zakath causing problems as he wants to track them down since they escaped him. I continue to enjoy my re-read of this series; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

427 - Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri - This is a collection of short stories and like most short story collections, I liked some of the stories more than others. My favorites here are "Sexy" and "A Temporary Matter." That being said, I found all of the stories very readable and their emphasis on both India and being an Indian transplant to America was appreciated; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

>75 alcottacre: Two successes in a row! How delightful, Stasia, since so much else is going on.

Weekend-ahead happiness *smooch*

I hope that your reads are treating you well, Stasia. Have a great weekend.

>76 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Other than a few texts from Barbara, it has been a pretty good day. **Smooches** right back at you.

>77 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. The reads are treating me pretty well at the moment. I hope you have a great weekend too!

Finished tonight:

428 - Dove in the Window by Earlene Fowler - The Benni Harper mystery series, which I have not read in years, is one of the cozy mystery series' that I have read through the centuries that I genuinely enjoy, not just for the mystery itself, but for the characters of Benni, Gabe, Dove, et al. They are not just one-trick pony books like so many of the cozy mystery series these days seem to be. In this one, Benni's young friend Shelby stumbles into something she should not have seen and ends up dead as a result. The case is not one that her husband, Gabe, is handling, but that does not keep Benni from interfering; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

429 - When Egypt Ruled the East by George Steindorff and Keith C. Seele - Nonfiction; Although I have an updated version of the book, which was originally published in 1942 and later revised in 1957, my 1963 edition is still woefully out-of-date. That being said, however, I would suggest this book for those just starting to read about ancient Egypt. It feels like it was written for those as the target audience - there is not a footnote to be found in the book, but there are a lot of pictures of the places and things that the authors are referring to and there are also some helpful appendices; Guardedly Recommended (3.5 stars) Mine

Hope your mum is ok and will be home soon, Stasia.

Have a restful Sunday. xx

Happy Sunday, Stasia. We sure miss seeing you around. Ooh, Interpreter of Maladies. Was this your first time reading her? She was one of the authors that sparked my interest in short fiction. I plan to reread both of her collections at some point.

>80 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. She has already been released from the hospital and is resting comfortably at home.

>81 msf59: No, I have read The Namesake too, Mark, although it has been several years now. What is her other collection? I will have to see if I can find it.

>82 alcottacre: Unaccustomed Earth.

>83 msf59: Thanks, Mark. My local library has a copy of it too, so that is a bonus!

Finished tonight:

430 - Actress by Anne Enright - This is one of those books that I find hard to decide whether I liked it or not. About 2/3 of the book I genuinely did enjoy, but there is that other 1/3. . .; This book is about Norah, whose mother, Katherine O'Dell, was a famous Irish actress (throughout the book I pictured Maureen O'Hara as Norah's mother, back in the days of the old studio system in Hollywood). Norah relates much of her mother's life - and death - and that is the bulk of the novel. There is much both that is said and that is not said about the relationship between mother and daughter. When the story is about Katherine, I found it to be compelling reading, but when the story shifts the emphasis to Norah, I found it less interesting - and I wonder if that is the point?; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

>64 alcottacre:, >82 alcottacre: I'm so sorry your mother's condition gave everyone such a fright, Stasia. But "home and resting comfortably" is good. My MIL gave us quite a scare in early November, but we were amazed at how she rebounded once problems were identified and addressed. I hope this will be true for your mom as well. Caring for our elders (especially at a distance) is the most stressful job. Be kind to yourself.

>79 alcottacre: #429...I tend to read really old non-fiction as though it's a novel. Lots of reasons not to think it's non-fiction anymore.

*smooch*

>86 laytonwoman3rd: Thank you, Linda. I will be making another trip to Longview this weekend to see for myself how she is doing. I am glad to hear that your MIL is doing better!

>87 richardderus: I think that is a wise approach to really old nonfiction, RD. **Smooches** back at you.

Hi Stasia.

>72 alcottacre: I’ve abandoned books many hundreds of pages in for the exact same reason.

I’m glad your mother is home and resting comfortably and that you will see her this weekend.

>89 karenmarie: In this case, I do not think it was because the characters were unlikeable or anything like that, I just could not bring myself to care about them. I am glad to know that I am not alone in this!

My mother was supposed to see the doctor today for a follow up appointment, but due to the torrential rain that was coming down when said appointment was supposed to happen, the appointment is now rescheduled for next week. I hope the weather cooperates this time!

Finished tonight:

431 - Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - This is one of those books that, from the second I picked it up, really worked for me. I believe the reason for that is that the Richardson family is so relatable for me: Mrs. Richardson reminds me of my father ("there is nothing wrong with my family, it is perfect.") and the youngest child, Izzy, reminds me of myself. From the start of the book, you see the "little fires" of the title that are going to be fully combustible by the books' end; Recommended (4.25 stars) Library Book

>91 alcottacre: I'm just getting ready to start that one!

>92 laytonwoman3rd: I hope you like it as much as I did, Linda!

>91 alcottacre:
Little Fires Everywhere was a hit for me too.

>91 alcottacre: great review, Stasia. That's a book that "clicked" for me from the very beginning, also.

>91 alcottacre: I liked this one too! One of those books that is deservedly very popular.

>94 benitastrnad: >95 lauralkeet: >96 curioussquared: Well, I seem to have stumbled - thanks to the Asian Authors challenge - on to a hit. Has anyone read anything else by Celeste Ng? If so, what was it and how did you like it?

>97 alcottacre: I thought Everything I Never Told You was good! I liked it maybe a little less than Little Fires Everywhere.

>98 curioussquared: My local library has that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Natalie!

>36 alcottacre: Stasia, I am so sad to learn that you discovered things about your mom you didn't know, and that Nicole has such ups and downs, in and out of the hospital.

You and Kerri need a break from all this stress! I send lots of love and prayers that somehow this will all work out.

>100 Whisper1: Thank you, lovey. I wish all the best for you and yours too.

Finished tonight:

432 - As It Is in Heaven by Niall Williams - I was shocked to see how low this book is ranked here on LT. I really liked it - Niall Williams is a new favorite author for 2022. He paints with words. This story of a man whose mother and sister were killed in a car accident and how he comes to appreciate the love all around him - mainly his father, but later on, Gabriella, is a beautiful love story with a touch of magical thinking (and just plain magic?) thrown in worked for me on a lot of levels; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

"He held out a hand and Stephen took it, and in that moment Hadja Bannerje felt he understood something of the mystery of our connectedness, of how the old man's life had longed for some redemption, for the passing to his son of an immeasurable and secret grace, which now, at that moment, by the crazy mechanism of the world through which one person's life touches others, Hadja Bannerje himself was empowered to bestow."

Stasia, your recent reads are at least hitting the spot.

I hope your mum can get to her follow up treatment as soon as possible.

>102 alcottacre:.Hi Stasia, I'm a BIG fan of Niall Williams too and don't think I have read that one. I will have to very soon due to your enthusiasm. I have read 4 of his and really liked them!

>103 PaulCranswick: For the most part they are, Paul. Yes, I hope she gets in to see her doctor next week too.

>104 mdoris: I will be interested in seeing your take on As It Is in Heaven, Mary. I know you are a big fan of Williams' books.

Another one down. . .

433 - Sanditon and Other Stories by Jane Austen - Talk about a disappointing way to end my year with Austen. This book was it. The book is comprised of two unfinished novels of Austen's, Sanditon and The Watsons. Sanditon was OK and I would liked to have seen where she was going with it. The Watsons I did not care a whit about and seemingly, neither did Austen since she abandoned it in 1803, but did not die until 1817. The third novella that is included in this volume is Lady Susan, the only epistolary novel that Austen wrote; Guardedly Recommended (3.25 stars) Mine

Update on Nichole: The hospital did a CT scan on Nichole yesterday and found that the cancer has spread throughout her body. Hospice has been called in at this point. Kerry is heading to Nacogdoches first thing tomorrow morning.

I'm so sorry to hear this new, Stasia. Sending hugs and prayers for your family.

>107 alcottacre: So sorry, Stasia.

Continuing to hold you and your family in my thoughts, Stasia. Such a tough time!

>107 alcottacre: There's never a good time to hear that, but seems like the holidays are the hardest of all. Continued hugs and prayers for your family.

I am so very sorry, Stasia. It's good that Kerry can be there.

>107 alcottacre: {{{Kerry and Stasia}}}

Oh, Stasia, what dreadful news. I’m keeping your family in my thoughts.

What everyone said, Stasia. {{hugs}} and strength to you both

I am sorry for your news!

Awww, Stasia, how sad for the whole family to get this devastating news. How is Kerry holding up?

Stasia, what a very difficult time for you and family. i am so sorry.

I'm so sorry to hear this, Stasia. Sending strength and hugs.

>107 alcottacre: I'm so sad for you and your family. I hope Nichole can be made comfortable.

>108 MickyFine: >109 curioussquared: >110 RebaRelishesReading: >111 bell7: >112 lauralkeet: >113 richardderus: >114 PawsforThought: >115 jessibud2: >116 torontoc: >117 laytonwoman3rd: >118 mdoris: >119 katiekrug: >120 quondame: Thank you, Micky, Natalie, Reba, Mary, Laura, RD, Paws, Shelley, Cyrel, Linda, Mary, Katie, and Susan.

It has been a long, difficult day and we know we have more of them ahead. Kerry is holding up well but, of course, things will probably change when he is actually in Nacogdoches and can see Nichole. I will be holding down the fort here.

Finished tonight:

434 - The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh - Ellen recommended this book a mere 7 years ago and thanks to one of the TIOLI challenges, I finally got it read. In her review she said, " The intensity of the story ebbs and flows; when it flows, the book is impossible to put down." I heartily concur with this opinion. The book is set in the real world, but Indian mythology is also wrapped up in the storyline. I want to read more books by Amitav Ghosh. This one certainly had my attention; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

>107 alcottacre: & >121 alcottacre: Words are insufficient to convey the sympathy, brotherhood and sadness I feel for your, Kerry and of course Nichole.
Please give your man the gentlest of hugs and send him off up to his daughter full in the knowledge that this virtual community of friends is united in its tender wishes for you all.
Stay strong Juana.

>107 alcottacre: I'm so sorry to hear the news!

Godawful news, Stasia. My condolences to you and your husband.

I am so sorry to hear this news about Nichole, Stasia. Many gentle hugs.

I am sending extra comfort to all of you who care for Nichole.

>97 alcottacre: I read our missing hearts in November and enjoyed it.

>107 alcottacre: Keeping you and your family in my thoughts. Sorry to hear about this news. ((hugs))

Hi Stasia!

>106 alcottacre: I’m sorry it was such a letdown. I read Lady Susan and gave it 4 stars, but haven’t read the other two.

>107 alcottacre: Oh my goodness. Such a roller coaster, such horrible news. (((hugs))) for you and your family.

>121 alcottacre: I can’t imagine seeing a child and knowing that they will die before you. Sending thoughts and prayers to Kerry, you, Nichole, and your family.

I am sorry to hear the latest news on Nichole, Stasia. Our hearts go out to you and Kerry.

I finished Unrequited Dreams. Another contender for best book of the year. You talk about a labor of love.

>123 PaulCranswick: I will certainly give Kerry hugs from his erstwhile brother-in-law, Paul. I am trying to stay strong, Juan :)

>124 ocgreg34: Thank you, Greg.

>125 weird_O: I appreciate it, Bill!

>126 MDGentleReader: Thank you so much, Sheila.

>127 figsfromthistle: My local library has a copy of Our Missing Hearts. Thank you for the recommendation, Anita! Thanks for the good thoughts about Nichole.

>128 karenmarie: Yeah, after a year of reading through all of Austen, the last read was a letdown in the extreme. I may have rated it too harshly just because of that. Thank you so much for the thoughts and prayers.

>129 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed Unrequited Dreams!

I am going to be burying myself in books today and tomorrow. I need to catch up on my reading and I certainly need to take my mind off Nichole and her situation - well, at least as much as I can. If not, I will go crazy.

Wishing you all strength and comfort.

>97 alcottacre: Stasia, I know you have a lot on your mind right now but an email from Bookmarks just landed in my Inbox and reminded me of your post about books by Celeste Ng. Apparently she has a new book out that is getting rave reviews: Our Missing Hearts is one of Bookmarks' Best Reviewed Books of the Year. More info here:
https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/our-missing-hearts/

>132 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you so much, Reba!

>133 lauralkeet: Thank you, Laura, for passing on the information. My local library has a copy of that one that I am hoping to get to in the new year.

Finished this afternoon:

435 - Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland - I am not sure who recommended this book to me, but I very much enjoyed this story of a family in Atlantic City in the mid-1930s. The eponymous Florence Adler is the youngest daughter of Joseph and Esther, sister to Fannie, and aunt to almost 8-year-old Gussie. Fannie is hospitalized, waiting for the impending birth of her third child. There were problems with her second pregnancy and the baby Hyram died, so the doctors have ordered Fannie to complete bed rest. In the meantime, Florence is training to swim the English channel like Gertrude Eberle did, but on one of her training swims, she drowns. The family does not want Fannie to know since the death of her sister might put Fannie's pregnancy in peril. Above and beyond all of this going on, we have Fannie's husband Isaac who cares more about money than he does his own family and the German woman, Anna, who is now in the U.S. and desperately trying to get her parents out of Germany; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

So sorry about the latest news about Nichole :'(
(((((hugs)))))

>136 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita.

Finished this afternoon (I was not kidding about burying myself in books this afternoon):

436 - The Great Siege: Malta 1565 by Ernle Bradford - Nonfiction; this is an excellently written book about the siege of Malta by Soleyman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire (I have never seen Suleiman's name spelled any other way and this bothered me the entire book) and the Knights of St John. Bradford, who died in 1986, does a great job of letting the reader see the action up close and personal. Not only was this a conflict of ideologies, but it was a conflict of religions too - Muslims vs Christians, with each group defending the rights of their particular group. Queen Elizabeth I wrote, "If the Turks should prevail against the Isle of Malta, it is uncertain what future peril might follow to the rest of Christendom." Soleyman was the antagonist and a lot of people came into his crossfire as he tried to get a foothold on Malta and Gozo, which were at the center of several trade routes. It is estimated that the Turks outnumbered the Maltese by around 3:1, but they did not account for La Valette, who in his 70s led the charge against the Turks (literally in some cases) while Soleyman remained at home, allowing his commanders to do the heavy lifting; Recommended (4.25 stars) Mine

So sorry to hear your news Stasia.

>138 alcottacre: I'd be put off by that spelling of Suleiman's name as well, but Süleyman is used in the online Encyclopedia Britannica. Since Suleiman was about the same age as La Valette, and died shortly after, staying home was probably necessary.
I've read a novel, Disorderly Knights, that covers an earlier attack on Malta - 1551 - followed by the siege of Tripoli.

>139 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian.

>140 quondame: It is funny that the online encyclopedia uses a different spelling than I am used to as well - I am not sure that I have ever seen his name spelled any other way than Suleiman.

Oh, I know that Suleiman had little choice in the matter, but I think it would have been funny to see the two 70+ year olds going at it head-to-head. La Valette was certainly made of stern stuff and I bet Suleiman was too.

I will have to check out Disorderly Knights. Thanks for the mention, Susan!

Finished this afternoon:

437 - The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede - Nonfiction; This is the second read of this book for me and it could not have come at a better time. I desperately needed some uplifting reading right now. The book is the story of what happened with all of the passengers in flight that were scheduled to arrive in the U.S. when 9/11 happened and all flights in and out of the U.S. were suspended. Those already in the air that had U.S. destinations were routed to Newfoundland and when they arrived there, the Newfoundlanders did what they always do - they extended every privilege and courtesy to those passengers and crew, many of whom did not speak English because they were from places like Russia. This is a great time of the year for this kind of read and I cannot recommend this book highly enough; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars - same as the first time I read it) Mine

>142 alcottacre: Other than poetry books I don't think that I have ever re-read a book in the same year, Stasia - it must have made quite the impression first time around!

>143 PaulCranswick: Paul, I did not mean to imply that I had read the book twice this year (although I have done that this particular year). The first time I read The Day the World Came to Town was back in 2010.

Finished this evening:

438 - State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy - This is the first book in the White House Chef Mystery series and overall, I liked it. There were some of the traditional 'this heroine is too stupid to live' moments - knowing she is being targeted by an assassin, but sitting outside the White House perimeter waiting for a cab to show up, for instance. I wish the character of her erstwhile boyfriend Tom was a little better defined. However, I loved the glimpses of what it is like to work in the White House kitchen; Guardedly Recommended (3.5 stars) Mine

>142 alcottacre: - I read that, Stasia, and if you haven't seen the musical Come From Away, and if you ever get a chance, you will LOVE it. It not only lives up to all the hype, but surpasses it. Uplifting, indeed but not a dry eye in the house.

>144 alcottacre: My mistake, Stasia, what happens when you try catching up without having the benefit of your morning coffee!

>146 jessibud2: I have not seen the musical Come From Away, Shelley. I will have to see if I can locate it online somewhere. Thanks for that suggestion!

>147 PaulCranswick: Well, since I never have morning coffee, Paul, I am sure I am in some kind of fugue state all the time! No worries, brother.

Update on Nichole: Kerry called earlier to let me know that Nichole has been discharged from the hospital and that the hospice workers have already been to Barbara's apartment with her, have her hospital bed set up and she is good to go. In private conversation with Nichole's doctor, Kerry found out that they are giving her 6 months at the outside. He told Kerry that if the cancer does not kill her before then, the hole in her colon certainly would. We knew that there was little hope from the outset, but that conversation certainly took away the little hope that we held onto.

>149 alcottacre: Oh, that's hard news. I wish you and your families all the strength you need in the coming months.

>149 alcottacre: (((Hugs))) I hope knowing so clearly how much time is left helps Kerry and Nichole make the most of it. Hospice care can be a comfort to the whole family.

>150 quondame: Thank you, Susan.

>151 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks for the hugs, Linda. They are much needed and much appreciated. Yes, I think the hospice care is going to be helpful on a number of fronts.

Finished this afternoon:

439 - Winter Rose by Patricia McKillip - This is another re-read for me as I am making a concerted effort to determine what books in my library are staying and which are going. This book will be staying - I love this book with its real world grounded in reality and the fantasy world that is so ethereal. We meet Rois, who is something of a wild child always out in the woods, and Corbet, a young man who has come back to claim his father's land - the father who had a curse put on him by his own father. I do not really want to say more about this magical book. Just go and discover the magic for yourself; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

>153 alcottacre: That book has such a grip on the mood. I re-read it early this year.

>149 alcottacre: I suspect that news, while sad, didn't come as a huge surprise. I expect Hospice will be a great help to all -- they have been in other cases I've witnessed. Continuing hugs being sent.

Continued hugs and strength to you both, Stasia

My prayers continue for you and your family, Stasia. I hope Hospice helps Nichole as her body weakens during her final months. The extra support will be helpful to the family as well. Such a sad situation for all of you. I'm glad you are able to get some solace from your reading. Books can be a great comfort to us.

>149 alcottacre: Devastating news as much as it was probably expected, Stasia. I cannot imagine the pain Kerry is in right now but all need to put on a brave face for Nichole. My mum was made very comfortable by hospice care and they definitely extended her life significantly.

You have my thoughts and prayers and best wishes always. xx

Dear Friend, Please tell Kerri I am thinking of him and all members of your family. Much Love to you dear One!

>149 alcottacre: (((hugs)))

Hi, Stasia. Sorry to hear the discouraging news. Hopefully she'll be comfortable at home. Thanks for reminding me about The Day the World Came to Town. I think that would be a perfect audio for me.

>154 quondame: It is a good one and I agree with you. I need to get to the next book in the duology, Solstice Wood. Have you read that one?

>155 RebaRelishesReading: No, there was no real surprise, Reba. Just a lot of hope. I expect hospice is going to be wonderful.

>156 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley.

>157 Donna828: Books and board games are keeping me going these days, Donna - along with my family, of course.

>158 PaulCranswick: Thank you so much, Paul.

>159 Whisper1: Much love right back at you, lovey. Thank you for the illustration. It is lovely.

>160 karenmarie: Hugs back to you, Karen!

>162 msf59: This is a great time of the year for The Day the World Came to Town, Mark. I hope you enjoy it when you get to it!

Finished this afternoon:

440 - When the Rainbow Goddess Wept by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard - I enjoy good historical fiction and this book is firmly in that category. We see 9-year-old Yvonne as WWII is breaking out in the Philippines as she and her family have to flee their native city as her father, an engineer, goes to join the guerillas who are fighting against the Japanese. Yvonne interprets everything going on through the lenses of the Catholic religion in which she was raised and the folktales told her by her housekeeper Laydan, which makes for some interesting reading as Yvonne relates her tale; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

Shaking his head, he (Doc) continued, "This whole war business makes me lose my sense of equilibrium. People dying, limbs lost, it's too much for a normal man."

>163 alcottacre: Oh yes. Patricia McKillip has long been among my favorite authors and I purchased each paperback as it was issued for years.

Here is another spot of cheer.

>165 quondame: I think that the only book that I have ever read by McKillip is Winter Rose. I really need to explore more of her works.

>166 Whisper1: Thank you, lovey. I need all of the cheer that I can get these days!

>167 alcottacre: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld was for years my favorite non-Tolkien fantasy. As far as women protagonists it's the one, though I'm awfully fond of Paksenarrion.

>168 quondame: I think I have read that one. It rings a bell with me, for sure.

Finished this afternoon:

441 - A Year of Marvellous Ways by Sarah Winman - I am not sure how I have managed it, but I have read almost all of Sarah Winman's books this year with the exception of Tin Man, which I own and just need to get to. In this book - a great example of magical realism - we are introduced to Marvellous Ways, who is 89, but by no means ready for death yet. She is waiting, patiently waiting, for an adventure to appear for her before she goes. She finds Francis Drake (no, not that one) washed up on her shore and so it begins. The writing in this book is fabulous. If nothing else, Winman can certainly tell a story!; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

Hope can become as toxic as cynicism, so it's good to know the facts and the reasons behind their prognosis. Now y'all can make the decisions about what to do and when.

{{{Stasia and Kerry}}}

A daily stop by, Stasia to check that you are OK and marvel at your reading prowess, Juana.

>171 richardderus: Thank you for the hugs, RD. They are much appreciated! ((Hugs)) and **smooches** back at you.

>172 PaulCranswick: Reading is helping me stay sane, Paul. I do not do well under stress in the best of circumstances, which these decidedly are not. I am hiding out in books right now.

Finished tonight:

442 - Wreck the Halls by Sarah Graves - I have not read any of the books in this series is a good long while, so I was happy to revisit Jake, Wade, Ellie, Sam, etc. This is kind of an odd book for a cozy mystery series in that we did not get the build up to when the person that everyone hates gets bumped off about 5 chapters in so that the person who is not supposed to solve the crime has the rest of the book to do so. No, in this book the person that everyone loves to hate is bumped off in chapter one and the "heroine" spends the rest of the time making stupid decisions, coming to the wrong conclusions, etc before finally figuring out the mystery; Guardedly Recommended (3.5 stars) Mine

>173 alcottacre: If reading is your tonic, dear lady, please be careful not to overdose! I am said to handle stress very well although my own body occasionally tells me otherwise, I do hope that your body will tell you when it is time to just take a rest. xx

-Great-horned owl (juvenile)

Happy Wednesday, Stasia. I haven't shared an owl pick in awhile. This was from yesterday.

>175 PaulCranswick: It is telling me today, Paul, trust me on that. I was just texting Beth and Catey to tell them, lol.

>176 msf59: He does not look particularly happy, does he, Mark? Thanks for sharing the pic! I do love my owls.

General Announcement: I will be heading to Longview tomorrow to visit my mother once again and I will not return until late Saturday. My mother has the worst Internet ever, I swear, so do not expect to see me until next week because Beth and her boyfriend Shaquille are coming in from Arizona for Christmas. I wish everyone the happiest of holiday seasons!

Somehow I lost your thread Stasia.

So sad to hear your news of Nichole and your mom. Will keep you all in my thoughts.

Glad to see at least reading is giving some solis.

Travel safe, enjoy the visits, and see you next week!

Hugs to your family, amid all the challenges. You have many who care about you, enjoy the time you can over the holidays with family.

>179 Caroline_McElwee: No worries, Caroline. I seem to have lost everyone's threads these days. Thank you for the good thoughts regarding Nichole and my mother.

>180 richardderus: Thanks, RD!

>181 kaida46: I appreciate the hugs, Deb. I am very hopeful of having a wonderful holiday with my family despite the circumstances.

Finished today:

443 - Island in the Sea of Time by S.M. Stirling - One of the things that I am hoping to do in 2023 is expand my fantasy and science fiction reading. I had started to do just that when I went back to school and pretty much stopped reading at all. I enjoy speculative fiction and alternative history and this book was no exception. One of the things that I truly appreciated in this novel about Nantucket being driven back in time some 3000 years was that not all of the protagonists (there is a fairly large cast in this one) were white males. One of the female protagonists, a captain in the Coast Guard, is not only female, but a black lesbian female to boot. Yes, there are some things that seem to come far too easy in this new society, but for the most part, the people struggle to deal with things like sanitation, crop growth, animal breeding, and trade. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the trilogy soon; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

>178 alcottacre: Safe travels, Stasia. I hope you find your mother better than you fear.

>183 alcottacre: That series is a grand adventure, if a bit much with violent sex, but it's amusing that Stirling got the whole Celt thing way wrong. DNA has messed with a bunch of pre- scenarios.

>177 alcottacre: That is good, Stasia.

>178 alcottacre: Safe travels and safe return dear lady.

Will send you seasonal greetings slightly nearer the time. xx

Well, my travel plans have been upended for today. Not only do we have wind gusts about 25 mph, but it had the audicity to snow here - in Texas! People here have absolutely no idea how to drive on it. The temperature has dropped 20+ degrees already and it is supposed to continue to fall throughout the day and into the night.

I am hoping to be able to head to Longview tomorrow instead.

>184 laytonwoman3rd: Thank you, Linda!

>185 quondame: Love the Merry Bookmas, Susan. Good to know ahead of time about the Celt thing being wrong.

>186 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

Snow in Texas is not a usual thing. We are getting some tonight, mixed with freezing rain, so that should be interesting. Also, no one knows how to drive in snow or on ice here. And with the hills and curvey roads, it is not pretty. Planning on staying in tomorrow! Good luck on your travels. : )

If you are traveling by car in snow and ice-make sure that you have put a container of cat litter in your car trunk- the cat litter is good if you get stuck- put it under your wheels. (also good on ice on front steps)
Travel safely!

>187 alcottacre: Better luck with your travels tomorrow Stasia. Stay warm too.

It looks like most of the country is getting slammed, Stasia. Be safe. It is currently 3F here, with snow and howling winds.

>188 Berly: We did not get the freezing rain, thank goodness. Texans are even worse on it than they are on snow, and I did not think that was possible! Staying in tomorrow sounds like a good plan for you, Kim.

>189 torontoc: Thanks for the recommendation, Cyrel. Unfortunately I do not have traditional cat litter for my cats (I use a sustainable one), but I will certainly mention the idea to Kerry so we can pick up some of the other stuff.

>190 Caroline_McElwee: Not sure staying warm is going to be possible - it is going to be in the single digits here with a wind chill below zero, just like today - but we will give it a try!

>191 msf59: It was fluctuating between 9 and 10 here tonight, Mark, so you have my sympathies for the 3. We have had winds blowing about 25 mph out of the NNW, so the wind chill has been below zero much of the day and it is not going to be a whole lot better tomorrow. Try and stay warm up there in Chicago land!

Finished tonight:

444 - The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon - I am not sure if I would have read this one had I known it was 'horror,' although it was 'horror light' to me. Sara Harrison Shea learned of the existence of sleepers since she was a child, never dreaming that her own daughter, Gertie, would become one. Now, Gertie is causing problems out of her own time and in modern times. How can she be stopped? Can she be stopped?; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

Happy Holiday's to you and yours, Stasia! I so enjoy your book chatter and look forward to more in '23. Cheers!

ps: I enjoyed The Winter People on audio a couple of years ago. Introduced me to McMahon and now I'm hooked.

Safe travels today, Stasia, and have a wonderful holiday with your family.

With every good wish of the season Stasia. I hope your celebrations are fun.

Happy Christmas from my Christmas gnome!

Safe travels and hope you have happy holidays.

>194 Carmenere: McMahon is a bit out of my comfort zone, Lynda, so I am not sure I will actively pursue any more of her books, but if one comes my way, I would read it. Happy holiday to you and yours too!

>195 bell7: Thank you so much, Mary! I hope you have a Merry Christmas as well.

>196 Caroline_McElwee: That looks like my cat Mallory and perfectly illustrates why I do not have a tree, lol. Thank you, Caroline!

>197 SandDune: The Christmas gnome is adorable. Thank you, Rhian. I hope you have a Happy Christmas too!

>198 banjo123: Thank you, Rhonda! Happy holiday to you!

When we were in Longview yesterday, we visited Catey's shop and I bought the following:

Three by Diana Gabaldon: Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, Lord John and the Private Matter, and Lord John and the Hand of Devils. While I own all of the Outlander books, I did not own any of the Lord John books, so I was happy to get these

LaRose by Louise Erdrich - Erdrich is one of my LT discoveries and I was happy to add this one to my collection of her books

>200 alcottacre: Oh, the Lord John books! I hope you enjoy them.

Happy Yuletide *smooch*

>201 richardderus: Thanks, RD. Happy Yuletide to you too. I hope you are surrounded by all kinds of wonderful books to read.

Finished tonight:

445 - Day of Atonement by Faye Kellerman - This book in the Decker/Lazarus series finds the couple newly married and staying with Rina's ex-inlaws, an uncomfortable position for Peter, especially since they are friends with his birth mother - the birth mother whose grandson mysteriously disappears and Peter is trying to find him. There is a lot of underlying complexity in this book and it should not be read just at face value - Peter is facing a lot, not just from the meeting with his birth mother, but with his new wife. To me, this is the strongest book in the series to this point; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

Merry Christmas, Stasia. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday with the family. I remember really enjoying LaRose.

Malaysia's branch of the 75er's wishes you and yours a happy holiday season, dear Juana.

>204 msf59: Merry Christmas to you too, Mark! Glad to hear that LaRose was a hit with you. I did not realize it was the final book of a trilogy, so while I have book 2 and now book 3, I have to get my hands on book 1! I know, terrible problem to have, lol.

>205 PaulCranswick: Thank you so much, Paul. I know that Muslims do not celebrate Christmas, but I wish you a happy holiday season!

Well, I was thoroughly spoiled by friends and family this Christmas, including our own Weird O (Bill). I opened my presents to find:

From my husband, Kerry:
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

From my daughter, Beth:
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

From Bill for the 75ers Christmas Swap:
The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford
The Farm by Tom Rob Smith
Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo
The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet
The Betrayal of Anne Frank by Rosemary Sullivan

From my friend, Peggy:
Out of the Flames by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone
The Only Way to Cross by John Maxtone-Graham

>206 alcottacre: This Muslim does, Stasia - I am up for a celebration anyday! The girls cooked a great turkey too.

>208 PaulCranswick: I am glad to hear that you are well-fed if nothing else this holiday, Paul :)

>207 alcottacre: What a luxuriant haul! I'm so pleased for you. Also impressed that no one have you something you didn't care for.

Happy ho-ho-ho *smooch*

>207 alcottacre: What treasure Stasia.

>207 alcottacre: Wow! That should keep you busy for a while :) MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

>207 alcottacre:
Enjoy Out of the Flames. It was an enlightening book for me. And an amazing story.

Hi Stasia. Belated holiday greetings. I have plans to do better on threads next year. 🙄

>200 alcottacre: I do not have Lord John and the Hand of Devils, haven’t heard of it. I do have The Scottish Prisoner, which is officially identified as Lord John #3 here on LT.

>207 alcottacre: Wow. And just… Wow. That sorts about 1.5 weeks for you, right? *smile*

>210 richardderus: Yes, it is a wonderful haul and I cannot decide where to start first - a very nice problem to have! **Smooches** back at you, RD!

>211 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline!

>212 RebaRelishesReading: At least for a week, right? Lol. Merry Christmas to you too, Reba!

>213 Berly: Thank you so much, Kim! I wish the same for you and yours.

>214 benitastrnad: Oo, I may just have to put that one on the top of the stack. Thanks for the input, Benita!

>215 karenmarie: Thanks so much for dropping by, Karen, and happy holidays to you too!

My daughter Beth and her boyfriend Shaquille came in from Arizona late on Saturday. They drove to Longview yesterday to visit the family there and then spent the entire day here with us today. We had a great time together!

Tomorrow morning they will be by and then they are headed back home. It has been a wonderful visit, but all too short.

>217 alcottacre: What a nice bright sport in this difficult time for you.

>207 alcottacre: Fantastic haul, Stasia. Other than my Swap books, I did not receive any other books. That said, I decided to gift myself with Demon Copperhead. I was 200 on the waiting list at the library, so this was a no-brainer. I will have my copy at the end of the week, if you would like to start next week, let me know.

Nice gift haul, Stacia! I posted on my thread, book love from Will. I'm also waiting delivery of book love you o myself. Hehe

What a wonderful visit from your daughter and BF. I feel as long as your kids are with you, nothing more is needed.

>218 RebaRelishesReading: Very true, Reba!

>219 msf59: That sounds great, Mark! Next week it is. When did you want to fit in The Winners?

>220 Carmenere: Book love is a wonderful thing, isn't it, Lynda? I agree - I love having my kids here even if their visits are brief. It is one of the reasons I love the fact that the girls and I can get together once a week.

Finished this morning:

446 - Brick Lane by Monica Ali - This book is a disappointing way for me to end my Asian Authors Challenge reading for 2022. The book could have cut out 100 pages (at least) as far as I am concerned. Overall, I found it boring and I did not connect with the main character, Nazneen, at all. I connected more with her 20-years older husband than I did with her. The writing is good, do not get me wrong, but the book is overlong for what it is. I did enjoy the ending to the book, which is something, I guess; Not Recommended (3 stars) Mine

Finished this afternoon:

447 - El Cuarto Turquesa/The Turquoise Room by Monica Brown with illustrations provided by Adriana M. Garcia - Some of you may know that since I retired I have been trying to concentrate on learning Spanish. I am now starting to read children's books in that language, so books like this one that provide both the Spanish text and the English translation are invaluable to me. This book was very good. Brown relates the story of her grandmother and her mother, both of whom were painters. Brown paints with words instead and wanted to tell the stories of their legacy to her own daughters. The story is good, but the art in the book makes the story come alive and I cannot recommend it enough; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

Glad to hear you had good visits with family, Stasia. I too got to sit and chat with relatives, and I gave and received some first tier books. I am very pleased that I could get you some books that you wanted.

I hope you'll end this year on a high note.

Could we bump The Winners to February? If you don't feel like waiting, I understand.

Oooh! I like Backman. Let me know when you two decide to read it. : )

>224 weird_O: Thank you, Bill. I am glad to hear that you got to spend some time with family too.

>225 msf59: I have no problem bumping The Winners until February, Mark.

>226 Berly: Looks like it is going to be some time in February, Kim. We will keep you posted.

Finished tonight:

448 - Exit Strategy by Martha Wells - The fourth book in the Murderbot series and, in my humble opinion, one of the best as Murderbot comes full circle all the way back to Dr Mensah, its owner(?) If you have not read this series of novellas, you are really missing out. I love the character of Murderbot and its satiric sense of humor; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

I have only read the first one in the Murderbot series and I really want to get to #2!! Further incentive. : )

>217 alcottacre: Pleased to see some cheer at least, Juana. I am also toying with Demon Copperhead for January.

I'm slotting Demon Copperhead in for March with Ellen and Beth...everybody keeps saying great things about it!

>229 Berly: Oh, you really must read the Murderbot series, Kim! I think you will love them.

>230 PaulCranswick: Any time I can see my daughters is a good time, Paul. I am looking forward to Demon Copperhead!

>231 Berly: Sounds like there are going to be a bunch of new Demon Copperhead fans in the new year!

Yay, Murderbot! I started a reread earlier this year and probably won't finish until next year at this rate ;)

>233 curioussquared: Well, it has taken me forever to get to this point, so I can relate, Natalie!

Finished tonight:

449 - Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly - This could have been a straightforward fantasy novel in which the hero embarks on a quest, recruits others to help in said quest, undergoes trials and tribulations, but ultimately proves to be victorious. Hambly goes well beyond that in adding a good deal of depth to her characters and that is why this book stays in my library - this is at least the third time I have read it. Gareth wants to recruit John to slay a dragon because John is the only person ever known to have killed any dragon. However, there are more problems than just the dragon, which proves to be the least of them. The story is told through the eyes of Jenny, John's mistress, the mother of his 2 sons, and a mage; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

450 - Chasing Me to My Grave by Winfred Rembert - This book won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Biography and I can see why. Rembert's life story is one worth telling - a black child born into poverty, given away by his birth mother, growing up poor, getting involved in the Civil Rights movement, jailed, lynched, going to prison and working on chain gangs, and eventually discovering his talent as an artist. The book is highlighted with pictures of Rembert's striking artwork; Recommended (4.25 stars) Mine

>235 alcottacre: Dragonsbane is one of Hambly's best. I got in a bit of argument with her about what she does with Jenny in a sequel - she had a perfect motivation built in from Dragonsbane which she eschewed for one I found lame.

>236 quondame: I have looked at the reviews for the sequels and they do not inspire me to get them, nor does your input above, Susan. I think I may just continue to bypass them which is kind of sad in a way as I very much enjoy Dragonsbane.

Hi Stasia! Thinking of you as the year changes this weekend and wishing you the best for 2023.

>238 RebaRelishesReading: I know it is kind of silly to hope that things look up in the new year, but I am certainly optimistic that it does. Thank you, Reba!

Finished this afternoon:

451 - Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle - This was perfect holiday reading, if on the young adult side. The book is made up of 3 novellas with a storyline that continues through each. Honestly, my least favorite was by the author of whom I have read the most books, John Green. I had never heard of Lauren Myracle before, but she knows how to write teenage characters that actually sound like teenagers; Guardedly Recommended (3.5 stars) Mine

I have my copy of Demon Copperhead. Yah!! Sweet Thursday, indeed.

Well done Stasia, despite an obviously trying year, that you passed 6x75.

>241 msf59: That is great, Mark! Let me know when you want to start it next week.

>242 PaulCranswick: Paul, are you joining us for Demon Copperhead? I hope that you do. I put it under TIOLI Challenge #3 for January, if you want to join in.

Thanks about the 6x75. I did not even pay attention.

You have clocked up an amazing number of read's Stasia. I don't ever see myself doing that, even when I get to retire.

>244 Caroline_McElwee: I am hoping to not read as much in 2023, Caroline!

Finished this evening:

452 - The Splendors of Egypt by Michael Davison - This is one of those oversized coffee table books that provides more illustrations and pictures than it does text. The examples of the art and architecture in the book are outstanding, but I wish there was more text. Indeed, I wish the text that there is in the book was not quite so repetitive. Still, the pictures here do the ancient Egyptians proud!; Guardedly Recommended (3.5 stars) Mine

Finished tonight:

453 - Careless People: Murder, Mayhem, and the Invention of The Great Gatsby by Sarah Churchwell - Nonfiction; I am currently reading The Great Gatsby and thought it would be a wonderful idea to read this book hand-in-hand with it, but I found the book to be hard going, especially through the middle section which I found boring. I am not at all sure that Churchwell proved to me that the Halls-Mill murder and the subsequent trial had any bearing at all on the content of The Great Gatsby and not only does the author go on at length about said trial, but she adds in (seemingly) every bit of trivia that she knew about 1922; Not Recommended (3 stars) Mine

"History makes rubberneckers of us all."

>246 alcottacre: I got a couple photo book DRCs from American University in Cairo...very different kind of text, maybe a weentsy bit too much in the other direction. *smooch* for a much happier 2023 against the odds.

I picked up my copy of Demon Copperhead today. Scheduled to read it in March, but maybe I'll cheat. : )

>248 richardderus: I think I would have preferred the text in the DRCs to this one. I have been reading about Egyptology since I was a teenager and while I am by no means an expert, the book I read was definitely for the general public.

**smooches** back at you, RD. I love you and hope we both have a happy, healthy 2023.

>249 Berly: Cheating, schmeating. . .the more the merrier! It is on the 2023 January TIOLI Challenge at #3 if you want to join in, Kim!

Two more books to finish up 2022. I may be up all night, lol. I am more than ready for 2023!

>251 alcottacre: Which would be found where? LOL

>253 Berly: It is in the 2023 Group here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346772#

The last two books for 2022 are done:

454 - The Great Gatsby - My final classic of the year, this is a re-read, and while I do not dislike it as much as I did the first time that I read it, the book is not destined to be a favorite of mine. I do not like the characters, especially Gatsby, who basically lies his way through the book. Nick is an unreliable narrator, but that is OK, I have read books with unreliable narrators before. I think what irks me the most about the book is the characters themselves - I just do not like them; Guardedly Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

"Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope."

455 - How to Be a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery - Montgomery's The Soul of an Octopus was one of my favorite books the year that I read it and while this book was not quite as good, IMHO, I still very much enjoyed it. Montgomery begins in her childhood with the family dog, Molly, and explains the things she learned from Molly and the impact that she had on Sy. Montgomery does the same thing with the other animals she introduces in this book, including Clarabelle the spider. I think any animal lover will relate to this one; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

Hurrah!! 455 -- you are my hero! And I loved Montgomery's The Soul of an Octopus, so I bet I'd enjoy your latest read.

>251 alcottacre: I was having a brain cramp and could not think of what TIOLI stood for. LOL Thanks!

>256 Berly: I bet you would enjoy How to Be a Good Creature too, Kim. I hope you give it a shot at some point.

Gotta love those brain cramps, lol.

Happy Saturday, Stasia. I only have about 40 pages left in my current story collection, so I will probably dip into Demon Copperhead today and go full bore tomorrow. How to Be a Good Creature does sound like a fun read. I loved Octopus.

Wow. 455. Congrats, my dear.

>258 msf59: Sounds good, Mark. I will do the same. I hope you get a chance to read and enjoy How to Be a Good Creature!

>259 karenmarie: Thank you so much, Karen.

Best wishes for you in 2023.

OMG 455! Happy new year!

Totally amazing 455!!!

>261 weird_O: Thank you, Bill!

>262 quondame: >263 mdoris: Happy New Year, Susan and Mary! Hopefully a lot less than 455 in 2023.

Happy New Year, Stasia!

And belated congratulations on reaching 6 x 75.

>265 FAMeulstee: Thank you so much, Anita. Happy New Year to you too!