CBL reads and knits in 2023 - Row 1

Hi, I'm Carrie, and I've lost track of how many years I've participated in this group! I am an academic librarian living in East Tennessee with my sweet 11-year-old shih tzu, Adrian. My favorite genre is mystery, but I read a little bit of everything. I enjoy participating in the various challenges and group reads both in this group and in the category challenge group. I also have a few personal reading projects that I chip away at each year.

I started walking for exercise more at the beginning of the pandemic, and I took up knitting about a year ago. Both of these activites have eaten into the time that I used to spend keeping up with threads. This year I hope to set aside time each week for thread visits.

My toppers usually feature Adrian. Here's a fairly recent photo of Adrian the way I typically see him - snoozing next to me on the sofa, often with one of his stuffed toys keeping him company!

Best of 2022

A Scandal in Bohemia by Arthur Conan Doyle (5) - Review
A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley (5) - Review
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro (4.5) - Review
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (5) - Review
Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine (4.5) - Review
The Perpetual Curate by Margaret Oliphant (4.5) - Review
The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb (4.5) - Review
Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (4.5) - Review
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (4.5) - Review
The Liberators: America's Witnesses to the Holocaust by Michael Hirsh (5) - Review
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (4.5) - Review
Around the World on Two Wheels by Peter Zheutlin (5) - Review
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (5) - Review
Paradise of the Blind by Thu Huong Duong (4.5) - Review
Happiness by Aminatta Forna (4.5) - Review
The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear (4.5) - Review
Grimms' Tales for Young and Old translated by Ralph Manheim (4.5) - Review

Best of 2023
Parallel Journeys by Eleanor Ayer with Helen Waterford & Alfons Heck (4.5) - Review
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (5) - Review
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (4.5) - Review
Hiroshima Diary by Michihiko Hachiya (4.5) - Review
The Third Man by Graham Greene (4.5) - Review

Books Read in January
1. The Face of War by Martha Gellhorn (3.5) - completed 1/1/23
2. The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts (4) - completed 1/7/23
3. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (2.5) - completed 1/12/23
4. Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten (3.5) - completed 1/13/23
5. After the War by Carol Matas (4) - completed 1/14/23
6. Parallel Journeys by Eleanor Ayer with Helen Waterford & Alfons Heck (4.5) - completed 1/15/23
7. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (5) - completed 1/19/23
8. The Belton Estate by Anthony Trollope (3.5) - completed 1/21/23
9. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (4.5) - completed 1/25/23
10. The Ardent Swarm by Yamen Manai (4) - completed 1/28/23
11. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (4) - completed 1/29/23
12. Hiroshima Diary by Michihiko Hachiya (4.5) - completed 1/31/23

Books Read in February
13. Daughter of the Morning Star by Craig Johnson (3.5) - completed 2/1/23
14. The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean by Alexander McCall Smith, illustrated by Laura Rankin (2.5) - completed 2/1/23
15. Strangers No More by Bill Griffeth (4) - completed 2/4/23
16. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (3) - completed 2/8/23
17. Under the Frangipani by Mia Couto (3.5) - completed 2/8/23
18. For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts' Advice to Women by Barbara Ehrenreich & Deirdre English (3) - completed 2/12/23
19. Orfeo by Richard Powers (4) - completed 2/15/23
20. The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis (3.5) - completed 2/18/23
21. The Third Man by Graham Greene (4.5) - completed 2/20/23
22. Purgatory by Dante Alighieri (3.5) - completed 2/26/23
23. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass (4) - completed 2/28/23

Books Read in March
24. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (4) - completed 3/7/23
25. Wise Gals by Nathalia Holt (3) - completed 3/9/23
26. The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse by Alan Bradley (4) - completed 3/11/23
27. All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West (4) - completed 3/13/23
28. Soon by Morris Gleitzman (3.5) - completed 3/15/23
29. The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume (3) - completed 3/20/23
30. The Coldest Case by Martin Walker (3.5) - completed 3/21/23
31. Over My Dead Body by Rex Stout (4) - completed 3/27/23
32. The Complete Poems, 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop (4.5) - completed 3/27/23

Books acquired in January
1. The Belton Estate by Anthony Trollope (free ebook)
2. Strangers No More by Bill Griffeth (purchased ebook)
3. Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen (purchased)
4. For Her Own Good by Barbara Ehrenreich & Deirdre English (purchased ebook)
5. Under the Frangipani by Mia Couto (purchased)
6. The Hand in the Glove by Rex Stout (purchased)
7. Hiroshima Diary by Michihiko Hachiya (purchased ebook)
8. Camilla by Madeline L'Engle (gift)
9. Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen (gift)

Books acquired in February
10. The Complete Poems, 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop (purchased)
11. The Baburnama by Babur, Emperor of Hindustan (purchased)
12. All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West (purchased)

Books acquired in March
13. Genealogy Standards by Board for Certification of Genealogists (gift)
14. Phoebe Junior by Margaret Oliphant (free ebook)

American Authors challenge

DECEMBER 2022 - Martha Gellhorn
The Face of War (3.5) - completed 1/1/23

JANUARY 2023 - Children's classics
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (2.5) - completed 1/12/23
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (4) - completed 1/29/23

FEBRUARY 2023 - Richard Powers
Orfeo (4) - completed 2/15/23

MARCH 2023 - Poetry
The Complete Poems, 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop (4.5) - completed 3/27/23

British Authors challenge
JANUARY - Rosemary Sutcliff
The Eagle of the Ninth (4.5) - completed 1/25/23

FEBRUARY - Short stories & novellas
The Third Man by Graham Greene (4.5) - completed 2/20/23

MARCH - Vita Sackville-West
All Passion Spent (4) - completed 3/13/23

African Authors challenge
JANUARY - North Africa
The Ardent Swarm by Yamen Manai (4) - completed 1/28/23

FEBRUARY - Lusophone authors
Under the Frangipani by Mia Couto (3.5) - completed 2/8/23

MARCH - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Purple Hibiscus (4) - completed 3/7/23

Nonfiction challenge
JANUARY - Prizewinners and nominees
Parallel Journeys by Eleanor Ayer with Helen Waterford & Alfons Heck (4.5) - completed 1/15/23

FEBRUARY - Hobbies & pastimes
Strangers No More by Bill Griffeth (4) - completed 2/4/23

ClassicsCAT
JANUARY - Adventure classics
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (4.5) - completed 1/25/23

FEBRUARY - Before 1900
Purgatory by Dante Alighieri (3.5) - completed 2/26/23
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass (4) - completed 2/28/23

MARCH - Classics adapted to movies and TV
The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume (3) - completed 3/20/23

GeoCAT
JANUARY - Central and Eastern Europe
After the War by Carol Matas (4) - completed 1/14/23

FEBRUARY - Place I would like to visit
The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis (3.5) - completed 2/18/23

MARCH - Australia & New Zealand
The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume (3) - completed 3/20/23

SeriesCAT
JANUARY - New to me series
Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten (3.5) - completed 1/13/23

FEBRUARY - Series in translation
Purgatory by Dante Alighieri (3.5) - completed 2/26/23

MARCH - YA/Children
Soon by Morris Gleitzman (3.5) - completed 3/15/23

KiddyCAT
JANUARY - Picture books/graphic novels
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (4) - completed 1/29/23

FEBRUARY - Mystery
The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean by Alexander McCall Smith, illustrated by Laura Rankin (2.5) - completed 2/1/23

MARCH - YA historical fiction
Soon by Morris Gleitzman (3.5) - completed 3/15/23

Reading Projects

1,000 Books to Read Before You Die
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (2.5) - completed 1/12/23
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (5) - completed 1/19/23
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (4) - completed 1/29/23
Hiroshima Diary by Michihiko Hachiya (4.5) - completed 1/31/23
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (3) - completed 2/8/23
The Third Man by Graham Greene (4.5) - completed 2/20/23
Purgatory by Dante Alighieri (3.5) - completed 2/26/23
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass (4) - completed 2/28/23
All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West (4) - completed 3/13/23
The Complete Poems, 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop (4.5) - completed 3/27/23

Agatha Christie

Jane Austen

Sherlock Holmes

Group Reads
The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts (4) - completed 1/7/23
Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten (3.5) - completed 1/13/23
The Belton Estate by Anthony Trollope (3.5) - completed 1/21/23
For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts' Advice to Women by Barbara Ehrenreich & Deirdre English (3) - completed 2/12/23
The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis (3.5) - completed 2/18/23
Wise Gals by Nathalia Holt (3) - completed 3/9/23
The Coldest Case by Martin Walker (3.5) - completed 3/21/23
Over My Dead Body by Rex Stout (4) - completed 3/27/23

End-of-Year Meme:

Describe yourself: Typical American

Describe how you feel: Transient Desires

Describe where you currently live: The Property

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Imagined London

Your favorite form of transportation is: Last Train to Istanbul

Your favorite food is: The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken

Your favorite time of day is: Clear Light of Day

Your best friend is: The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf

You and your friends are: The Women of the House

What’s the weather like: The Storm

You fear: The Hound of the Baskervilles

What is the best advice you have to give: See the Cat

Thought for the day: Unto Us a Son Is Given

What is life for you: The Comedy of Errors

How you would like to die: The Chocolate War

Your soul’s present condition: Reflecting the Glory

What was 2022 like for you? Much Ado About Nothing

What do you want from 2023? Happiness

How to throw a party meme
with no repeats from the end-of-year meme:

What would you call the event? Tuck Everlasting

How did the guests find their way? Letters of a Woman Homesteader

How did they know that they had arrived? The Sign of the Four

Any special activities? The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

Did your guests stay over? Company

Were there servants to help? The Housekeeper and the Professor

Was there turn down service? The Other Girl

How were the guests greeted? The Patriarch

Was dinner held for late comers? Trace Elements

And dinner was? A Birthday Lunch

Afterwards? They Fought Like Demons

Wishing you a comfortable reading year in 2023, Carrie.

Those memes are always so infectious, aren't they? I will think about my own now!

>18 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! I'll look forward to your memes!

1. The Face of War by Martha Gellhorn

Most of the pieces in this collection were originally published in Colliers, The Guardian, and other publications for whom Gellhorn was a war correspondent. These columns make the Spanish Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War immediate and personal. Gellhorn’s writing grew more political over time. Not surprisingly, the Vietnam War appeared to mark a turning point in her war coverage.

The World War II columns resonated most with me, particularly the column on Dachau (which I’ve visited) and the Nuremberg Trials. I felt like I was missing some context for the columns on the wars in Central America. Gellhorn’s perspective on the Six Day War is the most intriguing part of this collection. Gellhorn’s view of Israel was shaped by her eyewitness experience of the Holocaust at Dachau and other places in Europe.

3.5 stars

Happy New Year, Carrie. I hope 2023 is good to you.

The Gellhorn sounds great.

>21 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I think you would like the Gellhorn book.

Happy new year, Carrie! Glad you’re back.

Happy New thread and Happy New Year, Carrie! Good luck on reaching your reading goals!

Happy new thread Carrie!

I haven't set up base camp yet, but I'm stumbling around, seeing what folks are up to.

I finished that Gellhorn collection just before 2022 ended. I agree that she got to be more of a war critic, the more war she experienced.

I'm reading Regeneration now, and I thank you for that opportunity. Also reading a few pages a day of Ducks, Kate Beaton's graphic memoir of her time in the Canadian tar pits oil sands. I've paused my reading of When We Cease to Understand the World—taking a deep breath, so to speak, before plunging into the next chapter. It's daunting to me.

Happy new thread for the new year Carrie! Adrian's a cutie, shih tzu's are great dogs, both my mom and aunt have one.

Happy New Year, Carrie! That photo up top of Adrian is so sweet. It's hard to believe he is 11 already.

>23 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! And thanks for getting the group organized again this year!

>24 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda! Same to you!

>25 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

>26 weird_O: Hi Bill! I am glad that the American Author challenge put Gellhorn on my radar. I got a lot out of that collection, and I'm really glad to have read it. I have been meaning to read Regeneration for ages but haven't managed to get to it yet. I hope it's a good read for you!

>27 WhiteRaven.17: Thanks, Kro! Shih tzu's are great companions!

>28 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I know! And that means it's been 11 years since my dad passed away. Adrian's estimated birthdate is within a week of my dad's passing.

Happy new year, Carrie! And wish Adrian a Happy new year too!

>30 mstrust: Thanks! I'll pass along the good wishes to Adrian!

Happy new year, Carrie. Have a great reading year again this year. I look forward to getting numerous book ideas from you again this year.

>32 lindapanzo: Happy New Year, Linda! I hope it's a good reading year for you!

Hi Carrie. Happy New Year!

>4 cbl_tn: Someone else here on LT mentioned this book, and I wanted to get it for a friend of mine, a reporter in Montana. I saw how expensive it was for hardcover – her preference – so just mentioned it to her instead.

Happy new year, Carrie! I knit, too, and can completely relate to it taking time away from other endeavors :)

>34 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen! I bought the ebook when it was on sale about a year ago. It was much less expensive than a hardcover!

>35 bell7: Hi Mary! Sometimes I listen to audiobooks while I knit, so there is that. But sometimes I'd rather watch TV, so...

>29 cbl_tn: I am impressed by Regeneration. While I have several of Pat Barker's novels in boxes or on shelves, I've never read any of them. Here's she's presenting the anti-war case with a lot of nuance and a lot less humor and ridicule than, say, Catch 22. The British military establishment is depicted as wanting to have traumatized soldiers declared free of their mental and emotional afflictions so they can be shipped back to the trenches to be, at minimum, re-traumatized (but more likely blown to bits).

>37 weird_O: I did a lot of WWI reading about 10 years ago and Regeneration has been on my radar ever since. The only Barker book I've read to date is The Silence of the Girls, which I thought was very good.

Happy New Year, Carrie!

>39 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! Same to you!

Dropping off a star, Carrie. Looking forward to keeping up with your reading.

>41 MickyFine: Thanks for dropping in!

After rekindling my love of fairy tales with Grimms' Tales for Young and Old, I treated myself to this beautifully illustrated selection of Andersen's fairy tales. I had established a routine of reading a fairy tale at bedtime. I finished the Grimms' collection on December 30 and I've been missing my nightly fairy tale!

Morning, Carrie! Happy Friday!

>29 cbl_tn: Adrian was meant to find you!

>43 cbl_tn: I bet that is a Penguin Deluxe Classic with deckled edge pages. I get giddy just thinking about deckled edge pages!

>1 cbl_tn: Adrian looks very comfie! I hope he has (and you too!) a good year in 2023.

>2 cbl_tn: Adding your list to my Best of 2022 Books list. Thanks!

>16 cbl_tn: >17 cbl_tn: Love the meme answers!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Hi, Carrie - trying to be a little better about thread visiting this year! Best wishes for a productive and enjoyable 2023.

And love to Adrian, of course. :)

>1 cbl_tn: Nice picture of your reading companion. I’m looking forward to following your reads in 2023.

>44 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! The best thing about Friday is that it's over!! Yes, Adrian and I were meant to be together. And it is a Penguin Deluxe Classic with deckle edged pages. I feel so decadent!

>45 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! I hope you find something you enjoy in the Best of 2022!

>46 lyzard: Hi Liz! I'm so happy to be starting the year with Trollope!

>47 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! I hope you have a great reading year!

2. The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts

When a doctor tells Annie Wilkins, a poor Maine farmer in her early 60s, that she has only a couple of years at most to live, she has a choice to make. She can either take the place the doctor offered her in the county home, or she can strike out on her own for the place she’s always wanted to see – California and the Pacific Ocean. Annie finds herself a sturdy Morgan horse and, with her dog Depeche Toi, she sets off for California. In November. The trio meet many kind strangers along the way, while Annie’s health gradually improves throughout the journey.

The author captures the mood of a vanishing era. Annie’s cross-country journey began in 1954, less than two years before President Eisenhower signed the legislation creating the U.S. interstate system. The author is occasionally a little too heavy on the trivia, straying too far from the central narrative. Letts appears to rely heavily on Annie’s book about her journey. As much as I liked reading about Annie’s journey in this book, I would have preferred to read the account in her own words. Sadly, Annie’s book is out of print.

4 stars

Elizabeth Letts has written other books about horses. The Perfect Horse sounds intriguing, about a WWII mission to recover a stolen herd of white horses from behind German lines. I've added this one to my public library wishlist.

>43 cbl_tn: I read through them a number of years ago with Belle and had not realised how dark some of the tales were, Carrie. Some of them were a little troubling for bedtime!

Have a lovely Sunday.

>51 PaulCranswick: I agree, Paul! I read the sanitized versions as a child. I love that you read with Belle. I have fond memories of my father reading to us long after I was reading on my own.

Happy reading in 2023, Carrie!

>1 cbl_tn: Glad to see Adrian at the top :-)

>53 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! Happy reading to you, too!

3. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Eleven-year-old Harriet M. Welsch knows exactly what she wants to be when she grows up. A spy. She’s already practicing, wearing spy clothes and carrying a notebook on her spy route. The adult she listens to is Ole Golly, her nurse. Ole Golly told Harriet that she needs to get out in the world and see lots of people, because there are as many ways to live as there are people, and Harriet needs to decide how she wants to live. I don’t think Ole Golly meant for Harriet to break into people’s homes and businesses, but that’s what Harriet does. Harriet’s world falls apart when Ole Golly leaves and, shortly afterward, Harriet’s lost notebook is found and read by her classmates.

I didn’t read this book as a child, and I don’t think it would have appealed to me then. I was not a snooper as a child, and I avoided the children who were. Harriet’s breaking and entering bothered me. The bullying Harriet experienced after her classmates read her lost notebook was even more troubling, as were Harriet’s payback fantasies. It’s obvious to the reader that Harriet is a budding writer. It takes a child psychiatrist to point out the obvious to Harriet’s parents, who then enlighten Harriet’s teachers and Ole Golly.

2.5 stars

4. Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten

Irene Huss is one of the few women on the Göteborg police force. At 38, Irene is approaching middle age, with a chef husband and teenage fraternal twin daughters. Irene and her colleagues need to solve the murder of one of Göteborg’s wealthiest residents, Richard von Knecht. He fell to his death from the balcony of his apartment home. In her off-duty hours, Irene must find a way to reach one of her daughters who has fallen under the influence of a gang of skinheads.

Although the series title carries Irene’s name, this police procedural features the whole investigative team. Irene’s abilities are respected by most of her colleagues, at least most of the time, but her male colleagues rarely stand up for her in the face of sexist comments from the misogynists on the team. While this book has some shortcomings that aren’t uncommon to series debuts, it shows promise. The ending is a bit of a letdown, since the chief suspect, who left no evidence of the crime that the investigators could find, helpfully confessed to the murder. The occasionally awkward prose may be attributed to the translator getting used to the author’s writing style. The same thing happened in Camilla Läckberg’s Erica Falck & Patrik Hedström series, which has the same translator for four of its first five books.

3.5 stars

>1 cbl_tn: Carrie, this summer when I was pulling weeds from my front garden by the mail box, a neighbor stopped by and asked me where my "little lassie" was. It was shortly after my grand daughter and I had to transition Lilly, our Sheltand Sheep dog of nine years. When Bill asked this question, I immediately felt the tears begin to fall.

He shared that he lost his wife to Covid in November of 2022. He was walking their little shih tzu. He mentioned that his wife previously was retired and watched little "Angie" throughout the day, and that the dog still was making a difficult transition. I volunteered to walk her. He invited me to walk with them. As I got to know Angie and Bill, I realized that Angie was very special to Bill. He cherished her for many reasons, but primarily because she was special to his wife.

As we walked, he noted worriment that because he worked an hour and 1/2 each way, and that he left at 5:45 and didn't return until 5:30 p.m. He was concerned that she was alone so long every day. AS I got to know Angie, I liked her spunkiness and her friendliness. I volunteered to keep her with me for two days a week. The days are chosen by me. Little Angie is my companion since July of 2022. I am really very fond of her, and love her kind personality. She loves to play with her toys, and often, all her toys that I keep in a basket, are scattered throughout the living room. She never tires of dropping the toy at my footstep and running after in each and every time I throw it.

Every cold morning, he has a different sweater/jacket for her to wear. He takes such good care of this very special dog. I like Bill, not in a way that would lead to a romantic relationship. But, I very much like the way in which he cares for this precious little dog. And, it is a win/win situation because I help him and being with Angie helps ease the pain of loss of Lilly.

----------------

I've added Harriett the Spy to my list of those books to read for the American Author challenge. Thanks for your excellent review!

>57 Whisper1: That is so great, you and Bill and Angie all helping each other.

>55 cbl_tn: I read Harriet the Spy last summer, goaded by a list of New York City books. I think my reaction to it was like yours.

>57 Whisper1: Thanks so much for sharing this, Linda. I am glad that Angie is a comfort to both you and to Bill, and that you're making Angie's days brighter. Shih tzus are very much people dogs, and they are happier when they are around people. I am fortunate that my workplace is close enough that I can come home for lunch and take Adrian out. The guest bedroom that I use for an office faces the street, so I leave the blinds open so that Adrian can sit on the futon and watch out the window. I hear from neighbors that they love seeing each other as Adrian looks out while they walk their dogs.

>58 quondame: Ditto!

>59 weird_O: I'm glad to know I'm in good company! I'm not sorry I read it, but it didn't give me the warm, nostalgic feeling I expected!

Morning, Carrie! Happy Saturday.

>55 cbl_tn: Bummer. I have this in the stacks. It will be interesting to see if I agree with your thoughts when I get to it.

>56 cbl_tn: I also have this one on the stacks. I skipped the spoiler for now since I might get to it this year.

>57 Whisper1: Linda, I love this story! Thanks so much for sharing it.

>61 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! I'm having a cozy morning in. It was snowing when I woke up and ice had accumulated on the deck. I did my grocery shopping on the way home from work yesterday, so I don't need to get out to do that. I'd like to take the trash to the dump if it warms up enough for that, but I could try to squeeze in a trip early next week if I need to. Right now I'm enjoying having Adrian snuggled up on my lap and I have no desire to move!

I hope Harriet works better for you than she did for me. Wouldn't it be dull if we all agreed on the same books?!

I am thinking about adding MHz to my Prime Video channels. Irene Huss is available on that channel, as well as series based on Donna Leon's Brunetti books and Camilla Lackberg's Fjallbacka series.

That sounds like a perfect morning to me!

Indeed - I love the differences of opinions on books.

We love MHz! They also have Montalbano, and Young Montalbano, which are so good. I can also recommend:

The Bastards of Pizzofalcone, based on the books by Maurizio de Giovanni.
The Sandman Murders based on the books by Viveca Sten.
Inspector Manara
Blood of the Vine

I know there are more that are just not coming to mind - I'll have to check my queue and come back.

Rae and I watched the first season of Agatha Raisin last night and loved it, so thanks so much for recommending that one.

*edited to make my post more user friendly

>63 Crazymamie: Agatha Raisin is one series where I like the TV adaptation better than the books! I watched the first season of the Vivica Sten series when it was available on regular Prime and I liked it. It would be great to watch the rest of the seasons. I'll add the others to my watchlist. Thanks for the recommendations!

>64 cbl_tn: I have not read the books. The tv show was completely charming. We love The Sandman Murders - especially the first six seasons.

5. After the War by Carol Matas

After leaving a displaced persons camp, 15-year-old Ruth returns to Poland to search for any surviving members of her family. Believing herself to be the only survivor in her family, Ruth agrees to join the Brichah to help lead a group of Jewish children to Palestine. Palestine is still under the British Mandate, and the British were not allowing Jewish refugees to immigrate legally. Ruth and her travel companions must risk their lives to reach their dream of Eretz Israel.

While all the characters and events are fictional, the author modeled them on real characters and events. I’ve read a fair amount about the Holocaust, but I was less familiar with the continued post-war violence against Jews who returned to Poland and against Jews who attempted to enter Palestine illegally since the British severely limited the number of legal immigrants. I learned something from this inspirational story of a teenager’s transition from captivity and fear to freedom and joy.

4 stars

A big thanks to my Swap Santa, Nancy, for gifting me this book!

I have a free subscription to Disney+ through February thanks to the new laptop I bought in September, so last night I watched Bedknobs and Broomsticks, which I never saw as a child. I discovered that I knew all of the music because I had a Disney songbook in elementary school, and I played those songs over and over and over on the piano.

Hi Carrie, it's good getting caught up with you. I liked your "bonus" meme and, of course, the Adrian topper. Penny, our rescue dog keeps me company while I read. She's quite a snorer but I'll put up with it for the companionship.

>43 cbl_tn: Your comments about Grimm's Fairy Tales encouraged me to take down my childhood copy from the shelf. It was published in MCMXLV (copyright 1945 - Grosset and Dunlap) printed and bound by Kingsport Press out of Tennessee. Those stories scared the pants off me when I was 5 and 6! I much preferred the companion book, Anderson's Fairy Tales. When I started reading by myself, I read them over and over.

>68 Donna828: Thanks, Donna! I read Dinesen's Winter's Tales last month and I was struck by the extent that fairy tales and legends influenced her writing.

6. Parallel Journeys by Eleanor Ayer with Helen Waterford & Alfons Heck

When World War II began in 1939, Alfons was 11 years old and a member of the Hitler Youth. Helen was a young Jewish wife and mother living in the Netherlands. Helen and her husband had fled to the Netherlands from Germany as the Nazis rose to power, mistakenly believing that they would be safe in the Netherlands. When the war ended, 16-year-old Alfons had risen in the ranks of the Hitler Youth to an unbelievable status for a teenager, while Helen was barely alive in a concentration camp. Years later, Alfons and Helen would partner to tell their stories in hopes of keeping history from repeating itself.

Award-winning author Ayer tells Alfons and Helen’s stories in much the same way the pair told them in their joint public appearances, chronologically through the war in alternating voices, a “parallel journey.” Both Alfons and Helen have published memoirs, and Ayer blends excerpts from these memoirs with additional context. The result is difficult to put down. I’ve read quite a few accounts of Holocaust survivors. This is the first insider account of the Hitler Youth movement that I’ve read. I don’t think I can summarize it any better than the words a German Luftwaffe major spoke to Alfons near the end of the war. Upon learning that Alfons was not yet seventeen, the officer said “What have we done to our children?”

4.5 stars

>56 cbl_tn: I have had that one on the shelves a long time, Carrie and I am not sure why I haven't cracked it open yet.

>56 cbl_tn: I just started this and it turns out I already read it, and gave it the same rating you did.

>71 PaulCranswick: A group of us will be reading this series over the next couple of years if you care to join us!

>72 quondame: Have you read any more in the series, or did you stop after the first one?

>73 cbl_tn: I will probably do that, Carrie, if I am able to get the books. So far I am unable to get The Torso which is the second book in the series.

>74 PaulCranswick: I hope you're able to join us! I think Night Rounds is #2 in the series. There was an excerpt from it in book #1. It looks like The Torso is #3, and we won't get to it until July.

Morning, Carrie! Great review of Parallel Journeys - adding that one to The List. If you posted your review, I will add my thumb.

I just realized I'd done all my commenting over in the Challenge group and none here!

>76 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! I think it's a worthwhile read. I did post my review. :-)

>77 thornton37814: Hi Lori! Either group is fine!

7. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

16-year-old Katniss spends her days hunting and gathering to support her mother and her younger sister. Her anxiety is building as the reaping draws near, when the current year’s tributes from District 12 will be chosen to take part in the Hunger Games in the Capitol. One boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts will compete in the games, and only the winner will live to tell about it. Katniss knows Peeta, the boy who will represent District 12, as the baker’s son. They will get to know each other a lot better as they prepare for the games.

This is not my usual genre, so I was surprised at how quickly I was caught up into Katniss’s world. I listened to the audio version narrated by Tatiana Maslany, mostly while driving too and from work, and it felt like Katniss was in the car with me, telling me her story. I had about 4 hours of audio left when I arrived home from work last night, and I spent the rest of the evening listening to it. It’s rare that I find an audiobook that hard to pause!

5 stars

I watched The Absent-Minded Professor while I knitted this evening. I didn't think I had seen it before, but I remembered a few scenes so I must have seen it years ago, maybe when it was on TV. I've always loved watching Fred MacMurray.

Morning, Carrie! All of us loved The Hunger Games. It just pulls you right in.

>80 cbl_tn: This takes me back! It's making me remember when Wonderful World of Disney was on every Sunday night, and we could not wait to see what would be featured. Like you, I love Fred MacMurry.

Responded on my thread about your query concerning a thread for what we are watching, but thought I would bring it up here as well. I think it would get plenty of traffic - the board game thread that Stasia started last year was a big hit, and it was lovely to have recommendations all in one place.

Hoping that your Saturday is full of happy. Please give my love to Adrian.

>91 cbl_tn: Hi Mamie! I think I will start a "what are we watching" thread as soon as I get a chance. I am dog sitting for the next week and I have a list of things to get done today before the guest dog arrives. Sadly, this will probably be Stella's last visit with us because she is in the final stage of kidney failure. We have a challenging week ahead. I've been cautioned that Adrian and Stella are not to eat each others' food. Both are on prescription diets, and their nutritional needs are the exact opposite. Adrian is a picky eater. I usually leave his food out for him to eat whenever he's ready, but I won't be able to do that this week. Also, Stella's parents will be on a cruise and unreachable for most of the week. We use the same vet, and she knows their wishes in case of an emergency. I am hoping there isn't an emergency while Stella is in my care.

>82 cbl_tn: I hope Stella remains well throughout her stay with you and Adrian eats his meals with dispatch.

>83 quondame: Thanks, Susan! Your good wishes are much appreciated!

8. The Belton Estate by Anthony Trollope

After the untimely death of Charles Amedroz, the only son of Bernard Amedroz of Belton Castle, Amedroz senior uses what should be his daughter’s dowry to pay off his deceased son’s death. Mr. Amedroz hopes that Clara’s Aunt Winterfield will leave her enough to live on, while Aunt Winterfield has other plans, believing that Clara will be provided for in her father’s will. Clara alone knows the true story and keeps silent about her anxiety for her future. Belton Castle is entailed on a distant cousin, Will Belton, who falls head over heels in love with Clara almost from the moment they meet. However, Clara is already in love with Frederick Aylmer, another nephew of Mrs. Winterfield. For the rest of the novel, Clara will be torn between the two men. The triangle is further complicated by financial considerations, which take the length of the novel to sort out.

I had a lot of sympathy for Clara in her isolation. The one confidante available to her is morally compromised. Clara has no one to turn to for guidance. Fortunately, she has enough strength of character to weigh her options for herself and make her own decisions. Clara had the sense to recognize that she and Captain Aylmer were not compatible, and that Will was the better match for her. He will treat her well, and she will provide a good balance for his impulsive nature.

3.5 stars

>85 cbl_tn: One thing that this group has revealed to me and, Liz has been able to point out, is just how prolific Anthony Trollope was and how consistently good.

>85 cbl_tn: Hi Paul! Even when Trollope's characters and their situations have similarities to each other, he always finds new aspects to explore. I always look forward to the group reads!

Well, I managed to sleep stay in bed until just after 5, when I got up to take Stella out. She is now sleeping on the sofa. I am not. I'd like to get a nap in before I have to leave for church, if I can manage to get back to sleep. I've found a TV show on Decades TV that I haven't seen in 40 years - "Crazy Like a Fox". My family used to enjoy watching that show.



Last night I watched Candleshoe while I fixed a carrot salad for today's lunch. I don't know how I've managed not to watch it until now. I love the setting, and the cast is very good - Jodie Foster, Helen Hayes, and David Niven.

Candleshoe is one of our favorite movies, Carrie! It's great fun isn't it, and Davie Niven is just delightful.

I am keeping you in my thoughts as you care for Stella this week. That is a big ask, and you are an excellent friend for taking it on. I know that Stella and Adrian are good friends - am I remembering correctly that you got the dogs at about the same time?

Hi Carrie, I see that you're reading a Craig Johnson mystery. I've had the first one in the series, The Cold Dish languishing on my Kindle for years so I'm hoping to get to it. I might use that one for the TIOLI challenge if I don't get to the Victoria Gilbert mystery on my radar.

>89 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Yes, Adrian and Stella came home from the shelter together. Stella's mom knew I was looking for a dog. She had seen Adrian and thought he would be perfect for me, so she invited me to go with her to pick up Stella.

>90 lindapanzo: Hi Linda! The mystery group read through the Walt Longmire series (all that had been published at the time) several years ago, and I've been trying to keep up with the series as new books are released. I'm one behind. I love the TV series, too, although the TV universe is a bit different from the book universe.

After seeing mentions of movies and shows we're watching on various threads, I thought it would be nice to have a place to gather these recommendations so I started a thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/347943

9. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff

Roman centurion Marcus Flavius Aquila has his first command, and, at his request, it’s in Roman Britain. Marcus’s father was part of the lost Ninth Legion, which disappeared after marching north beyond Hadrian’s wall. Not long after Marcus takes command, his men must defend the fort against a British uprising. Marcus’s uncle has retired in Britain, and Marcus goes there to heal from the battle wound that has left him lame for life. Just as Marcus begins to contemplate his future, he gets the opportunity to head into the north country to see if he can find out what happened to the lost legion and recover their eagle.

This story seems like capture the flag on steroids. Finding the missing eagle is only half the battle. If Marcus is successful in locating it, he’ll still need to get it back to the safety of Roman occupied territory. The desperate flight south through Scotland had me thinking of Richard Hannay’s flight across the same landscape almost two millennia later. It’s an exhilarating read!

4.5 stars

>93 cbl_tn: Its great fun isn't it?

>94 SandDune: Yes, it is! A wonderful adventure!

10. The Ardent Swarm by Yamen Manai

When a strange predator endangers the future of his hives, North African beekeeper Sidi sets out to identify the threat and find a way to neutralize it. Sidi lives in Nawa, an isolated village that has suddenly received a lot of attention leading up to its first election in decades. The Party of God, a fundamentalist Muslim political party, is distributing food, clothing, and other forms of aid to buy the votes of the villagers. Is there a connection between politics and the threat to Sidi’s bees?

I was fascinated by the bee culture that drives this novel. The preservation of Sidi’s bees seems to be an allegory for the preservation of culture amidst political unrest. I’m really glad I picked up this little gem on World Book Day last year.

4 stars

11. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

As the little rabbit lies tucked up in bed, it looks around the room and out the window and says goodnight to the creatures and objects it sees there. It’s a gentle story that, read with the right intonation, will send little ones drifting off to sleep. An adult’s fondness for this book will likely depend on whether or not it was read to them as a child, or whether they read it to their own children or grandchildren at bedtime.

4 stars

>93 cbl_tn: I hadn't thought of Richard Hannay whilst reading Sutcliff's book, Carrie, but it is a very good observation and you are right!

>96 cbl_tn: The Ardent Swarm is one that I will hunt down given the warmth it has received during the inaugural month of ANC.

>98 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! I think you would appreciate The Ardent Swarm. It's not demanding for the reader, yet it makes you think. I'm so glad that the African author challenge nudged me to read it!

>99 cbl_tn: I'm so pleased that you took up the challenge, Carrie!

>66 cbl_tn: Carrie, Your excellent review left me wanting this book. A few minutes ago, I ordered it from Thriftbooks.com. Thanks! I think this will be a good follow up to the excellent book I finished.



If you haven't read this one, I highly recommend it. Told from two different stories of the holocaust, one a woman who sent her daughter away to escape the Nazis. This woman eventually landed in a concentration camp, the other was brainwashed at an early age by the Hitler Youth.

>100 PaulCranswick: I'm glad you created the challenge!

>101 Whisper1: I'm so glad you liked Parallel Journeys too! I read it earlier this month. I was especially interested in Alfons's experience in the Hitler Youth as I'd never read an insider account of that movement before. I may seek out his memoir for additional reading. Alfons's story illustrates why I found The Boy in the Striped Pajamas so unbelievable. Bruno could not have been that naive in that time and place.

Afternoon, Carrie! You got me with The Ardent Swarm - it's just $1.99 on Kindle currently, so I snagged a copy.

>97 cbl_tn: I have big love for this book - it was one of Rae's favorites, and we read it over and over again when she was little.

>93 cbl_tn: Now this one is going right onto the TBR list. I took four years of Latin in high school and, since then, have enjoyed reading about Rome, though mostly history. I don't recall much, if any, Roman-related fiction so this'll be a treat. Plus it sounds like part of a trilogy, isn't it?

>103 Crazymamie: Good for you on finding a Kindle deal! I don't remember reading Goodnight Moon as a child, so I don't have warm fuzzies for it. I did think it's a sweet book.

>104 lindapanzo: Linda, I'm not sure how the Rosemary Sutcliff books are related. It seems like there is a series within a series, and The Eagle of the Ninth is part of both. I have been fascinated by Roman Britain since I lived in St. Albans (Roman Verulamium), which boasts mostly intact Roman ruins because the medieval town was built beside the Roman town and not on top of it.

My sweet Adrian may not be speaking to me after what I did to him today. He had a benign cyst/mass on his neck that the vet surgically removed this morning, leaving him with several stitches. He's had benign masses removed during his last two dentals when he was already going to be sedated. His last dental was in October, so he's not ready for another one, and I didn't want to wait on the mass removal since it's where his harness sits and I was afraid it would keep growing. My biggest challenge will be keeping the incision dry since we have so much rain in the forecast.

>106 cbl_tn: Aww, poor Adrian, give hima hug from me.
I hope it heals fast, and may his fur grow back soon.

ETA Do you have a raincoat for him? That is probably the easiest way to keep it dry outside in rain.

Oh, poor Adrian, and poor you, Carrie. I think you both deserve a treat.

>107 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! You should see his front legs. They shaved both legs for his IV, so now he looks like a poodle!

Adrian does not like his raincoat, but he will wear a sweater. I'll do the best I can!

>108 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! I will give Adrian a treat as soon as he wakes up enough to enjoy it. He's still sleeping off the meds! I'm getting ready to make myself a cup of tea.

Adrian is still having a rough time this morning. He is drinking but I haven't been able to coax him to eat even a treat. Getting medicine into him has been a challenge. I gave him a pain medication before I left for work, and I'll be able to give him something for nausea when I'm home for lunch. Hopefully he'll have a better day today.

On the reading front, I finished Hiroshima Diary last night and I will finish the audio of Daughter of the Morning Star when I drive home for lunch. I have about 20 minutes left. I've started For Her Own Good since I need to have it read by next Sunday for a book club discussion.

12. Hiroshima Diary by Michihiko Hachiya

Doctor and hospital administrator Michihiko Hachiya was badly injured when an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The doctor and his wife made their way to the Communications Hospital after the blast and remained there as patients for the next several weeks. The doctor kept a diary recording his observations, thoughts, and feelings as he recovered and resumed his duties while still in recovery.

Rumors are flying and facts are scarce since the bomb severed communication between Hiroshima and the rest of the world. The reader feels Dr. Hachiya’s bewilderment as he tries to figure out why patients with seemingly minor injuries were suddenly sickening and dying. The reader knows they’re victims of radiation poisoning, but Dr. Hachiya doesn’t know what the reader knows. He assembles data on the patients who died as well as on patients who recovered, and he discovers that a patient’s proximity to the epicenter of the explosion is predictive of the outcome of their disease.

This is as close to a primary source on the effects of the A-bomb on Hiroshima as you’ll get without being able to read Japanese.

4.5 stars

January Recap

Books owned: 2
Books borrowed: 1
Ebooks owned: 4
Ebooks borrowed: 3
Audiobooks borrowed: 2

Best of the month: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Worst of the month: Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

13. Daughter of the Morning Star by Craig Johnson

When tribal police chief Lolo Long’s niece, Jaya, keeps getting death threats, Chief Long asks her colleague, Walt Longmire, to investigate. Jaya’s sister, Jeanie, had disappeared several months earlier, and Chief Long wants to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to Jaya. Walt and his best buddy, Henry Standing Bear, spend a lot of time on the reservation in Montana and in nearby Billings as Walt tries to find out what happened to Jeanie, figuring that the threats against Jaya have the same source. Jaya is a star basketball player, so when Walt and Henry aren’t investigating, they’re watching basketball.

I love that Henry is such a big part of this book. I enjoy the banter between the longtime friends, and there’s no one I’d rather have watching Walt’s back. Vic plays only a small role in this book, and I really didn’t miss her. As much as I like Walt, I have a hard time buying that he’s so good at everything, even things he’s had little experience with. Like basketball. I just knew he was going to end up coaching Jaya’s team in the championship. Johnson can be so predictable. This is one of the books in the series where Native American spirituality and the supernatural plays a larger role. I don’t care for the supernatural element, and unfortunately it seems that it’s going to carry over into the next book in the series.

3.5 stars

14. The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean by Alexander McCall Smith, illustrated by Laura Rankin

Nine-year-old Harriet Bean receives an invitation from her mind-reading private detective aunts, Thessalonika and Japonica, to go to America with them. The threesome travel out West, where they meet another aunt, Formica, who is losing her cattle to rustlers. Harriet helps her aunts track down the rustlers. This was a mildly entertaining mystery/adventure, but not one I would have been wild about as a child.

2.5 stars

>110 cbl_tn: Hope Adrian is feeling better now Carrie.

>115 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! His incision is healing nicely, and he doesn't seem to be in pain. I'm still having trouble getting him to eat, though, and it's worrying me.

15. Strangers No More by Bill Griffeth

In The Stranger in My Genes, journalist Bill Griffeth wrote of his discovery through DNA testing that the man who raised him was not his biological father. Strangers No More continues Griffeth’s journey of discovery as he learns more about his biological family. He also shares stories from his DNA Club, comprised of individuals who reached out to him after experiencing their own DNA surprises.

I recognized one of the stories he shared from his DNA Club. He described a group email he received from someone in Europe who was helping his brother search for his American biological father. The email went to several of the brother’s closest matches. Along with Griffeth, I was one of the recipients of this email. Griffeth shared in the book that wasn't sure how he was related to this person, but guessed it was on the European mother’s side. I think I am probably distantly related to the American father, but I don't know how. As far as I know, I am not related to Griffeth, and he is not one of my DNA matches. We just have one probably distant cousin in common.

4 stars

>116 cbl_tn: That is a bit worrysome, Carrie. I hope Adrian gets his appetite back soon.

>118 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. He's starting to eat the treats he's been saving for later so I think that's a good sign!

16. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Animals including Mole, Water Rat, Badger, and Toad, go on loosely connected adventures in various seasons and terrains. I listened to an audio version, and, even though the narrator did a decent job, I often found my mind wandering to other things as I listened. Since there isn’t much of a plot, I didn’t feel a need to rewind to catch the parts I missed. This is another classic I managed to miss reading in childhood. I might have more fondness for it now if I had developed a fondness for it then.

3 stars

17. Under the Frangipani by Mia Couto

A dead man narrates this story, set in a decaying fort on the coast of post-conflict Mozambique. An inspector from the capital arrives to investigate the death of the man who had been in charge of the fort, which is currently sheltering elderly people with nowhere else to go. Each person the inspector interviews has a different perspective on the murder.

It’s hard to classify this book. Is it magical realism, apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic, speculative, or all of the above? There’s a lot going on under the surface, and there’s a lot I don’t understand since I’m not familiar with the political context of Mozambique’s independence, the war that preceded it, or the cultural changes that resulted from it.

3.5 stars

Morning, Carrie! I'm glad that Adrian is feeling better.

>120 cbl_tn: Too funny - I just started this one on audio yesterday. Who was your narrator?

>122 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! Mary Woods narrated the audio version I listened to. Who is your narrator?

>123 cbl_tn: Michael Hordern, and he is doing a great job with it.

>124 Crazymamie: Too bad his version wasn't available in my library's OverDrive collection. :-(

18. For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts' Advice to Women by Barbara Ehrenreich & Deirdre English

Co-authors Ehrenreich and English trace two centuries of women’s history from the industrial revolution into the 1970s. A 2004 epilogue extends the history into the early 21st century. Ehrenreich and English are critical of the growth and influence of scientific experts who proffered advice to women (mostly middle-class) on how to live. The goal posts continually moved so that each succeeding generation of “experts” corrected the “advice” of the preceding generation. The Secret History of Home Economics covers some of the same ground in a much more engaging manner.

3 stars

19. Orfeo by Richard Powers

The death of his dog triggers a series of events leading retired professor and composer Peter Els to become a suspected bioterrorist and fugitive from justice. As Els tries to figure out how he got here and what to do next, he reflects on his past and the choices he made.

The structure of this novel reminds me of The Remains of the Day, with the protagonist journeying toward a destination while looking back at his past life. It has the feel of some of Ali Smith’s novels, which Smith infuses with the fine arts (although Smith leans heavily on the visual arts rather than music).

Non-musical readers may feel that the musical jargon is beyond their ability to understand. If this doesn’t scare you off, you’ll be rewarded by rich verbal descriptions of the experience of listening to and creating music. Thanks to streaming music services like Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Music, readers can create their own playlist or find one that has already been created for this book.

4 stars

20. The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

A (literal) run-in with a frightened young woman lands Roman informer Marcus Didius Falco in an investigation into the theft of silver pigs, as ingots of silver were known in Rome. The case becomes personal for Falco following a murder. His employers send him to Britain to find the source of the silver pigs, where Falco will go undercover as a slave in a silver mine. Falco will return to Rome for a final showdown with the criminals, this time in the company of the daughter of one of his employers. Falco and Helena Justina have met their match in each other.

I enjoyed the audio version read by Christian Rodska. His narration brought the characters to life. Davis occasionally dwells too much on the sanitary conditions in ancient Rome and ancient Britain. Hopefully that will lessen as the series progresses and its readers are more familiar with Falco’s Rome.

3.5 stars

Wishing you a great weekend, Carrie. xx

>129 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! It's been great so far!

Dropping in to say hi! Sounds like you had a good weekend.

>131 mstrust: Hi! Yes, it was a nice weekend. Too short, though!

21. The Third Man by Graham Greene

Rollo Martins, who writes Westerns under a pseudonym, arrives in post-war occupied Vienna to visit his old school chum, Harry Lime. Sadly, the larger-than-life Lime has just been killed in an accident, and Martins arrives just in time for the funeral. Discrepancies in the eyewitness stories soon have Martins suspecting that his old friend has been murdered, and the chief suspect is the third man who was present at the scene.

The novella is every bit as atmospheric as the film, with a strong sense of place and the undercurrent of rising Cold War tension. The audio version’s use of the film’s theme music is a nice touch. The narrative technique is similar to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, with a British police officer narrating in first person, repeating what he was told by Martins and filling in some details from his own experience. I would be hard-pressed to say which version I like best – the book or the film. They’re both excellent.

4.5 stars

Nice review of The Third Man, Carrie! I also enjoyed both the book and the movie when I read it several years ago. You are so right about the rising tension and the strong sense of place.

>134 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! I saw your review. I think you listened to the audio version, too?

>135 cbl_tn: Yep.

>127 cbl_tn: Looking forward to read Orfeo one day. Thanks for the review, Carrie. I haven't read the other books you mention yet, but they are all on my list.

How is Adrian doing now?

>137 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita! Adrian finally ate dog food yesterday, and I'm hopeful that this will continue. It's been a very long three weeks. His incision has healed nicely.

>138 cbl_tn: Aw! I did not realize he had not been eating still. Poor Adrian and poor you, Carrie. Sending good thoughts that he has turned the corner and will not get back into the groove of things. Hang in there!

Hi Carrie, I've finally made it over to your thread after the discussion on the February Nonfiction Challenge thread. It's still taking me awhile to get to all the threads, as I'm still pretty new here.

>111 cbl_tn: This book sounds fascinating. I had never heard of it. I'll be adding it to my Wishlist.

>139 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Yes, Adrian took his time getting his appetite back. He seems to be back to normal now, thank goodness!

>140 atozgrl: I'm glad you found me! I hadn't heard of Hiroshima Diary before I read about it in 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die. It's a worthwhile book, and I'm glad it's on your radar now!

22. Purgatory by Dante Alighieri; translated by Dorothy Sayers

After Dante’s journey through Hell in the Inferno, Dante’s guide, Virgil, leads him through Purgatory. This second part of Dante’s Divine Comedy didn’t wow me as much as the Inferno. I think it’s because I don’t have a doctrinal foundation for purgatory with my Protestant background. I can relate to heaven and hell, but apparently purgatory is based on passages in deuterocanonical books that are not part of the Protestant Bible. This was unfamiliar territory for me, so the commentary was essential to my understanding of the book.

Speaking of the commentary, I read Dorothy Sayers’ translation. Sayers is most famous for her Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. However, she also wrote several theological works, and she brought this knowledge of theology to her translation of Dante.

3.5 stars

23. Narrative of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass’s memoir of his Maryland childhood and early adulthood spent in slavery is rightly a classic. Douglass describes in painful detail what he experienced and witnessed in the culture of slavery, observing the ways it dehumanized owners and overseers of slaves in addition to the ways in which they dehumanized the enslaved persons under their control. As good as this book is, there are gaps in the narrative that will frustrate readers. Douglass intentionally skips over his actual escape from slavery, for the very admirable reason that he did not want to close his path to freedom to others who might follow the same path. Modern readers will need to pick up Life and Times of Frederick Douglass to learn exactly how Douglass made his escape. The first readers of this memoir had to wait nearly 40 years for Douglass to reveal these details. Then there is Anna, his fiancée, whom Douglass first mentions after his arrival in New York, when he writes to ask her to join him. How did Douglass meet Anna, and how long had he known her? Since Douglass is able to write her, one assumes she was free and literate. It’s frustrating to have to make these assumptions, though.

4 stars

February Recap

Books owned: 3
Books borrowed: 1
Ebooks owned: 2
Ebooks borrowed: 1
Audiobooks borrowed: 4

Best of the month: The Third Man by Graham Greene
Worst of the month: The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean by Alexander McCall Smith

>142 cbl_tn: That is really interesting, Carrie. I must admit that I didn't know that Sayers was involved in ecclesiastical translations!

>145 PaulCranswick: One of my favorite Sayers works is Are Women Human?, which I would classify as theological anthropology. Sayers' translation of Dante is OK. There weren't any passages that jumped out at me as particularly exquisite. I think her commentary is what sets this translation apart from others.

>142 cbl_tn: Slightly off topic story. When Jacob was about 9 we went to Slovenia, and one of the things we came across (on a walk in the countryside) was the cave that supposedly inspired Dante in his creation of the circles of hell. Myself and Mr SandDune stopped to look at a notice board giving some information about it, and when we turned around again Jacob was nowhere to be seen. I immediately jumped to the conclusion that he'd tried to explore the cave (which was closed other than to potholers with a guide) and had probably fallen down a hole somewhere. There were some other people nearby who had a torch on their phone (we didn't at that stage) and I enlisted them to look through the opening parts of the cave as much as we could. I got myself into a complete panic and was about to call the Slovenian caving rescue people (assuming there was such a thing), when Jacob reappeared over the brow of the hill. He'd not noticed that we'd stopped walking and had just carried on the path that we'd been walking on, and had then sensibly retraced his steps when he'd realised we weren't there. He was totally confused as to why I was making such a fuss.

>147 SandDune: That's funny now, but I'm sure it wasn't then! I would love to read a biography of Dante sometime. I'll have to check out what's available on him!

24. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

It’s clear from the opening sentence that Adichie intends for this book to build on Achebe’s Things Fall Apart:

Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja, did not go to communion and Papa flung his heavy missal across the room and broke the figurines on the etagere.

Adichie explores themes of colonialism and religion (traditional Igbo vs. Catholic Christianity, and European Catholicism vs. liturgical adaptation). These themes root the novel in a particular place and time. The coming-of-age and domestic violence themes have a universal appeal. Sadly, no part of the globe in any era has been immune to the kinds of violence that play out in this story.

I was enraptured by the first ten hours of this eleven-hour audiobook. Things fell apart in the last hour, as it seemed Adichie didn’t quite know what she wanted to do with the characters and situations she had so carefully created.

4 stars

25. Wise Gals by Nathalia Holt

This book follows the careers of five women who worked for the CIA from its World War II infancy to their retirement (or, in one case, her death). Although these women did not get the recognition they deserved, did not receive equal pay for their work, and received delayed promotions, they paved the way for better working conditions for the women who would follow them.

Rather than espionage, the unifying theme of the book seems to be the women’s campaign for equal pay and recognition. The prologue introduces the women in the context of the 1953 “Petticoat Panel.” The chapter on the “Petticoat Panel” lies at the center of the book, with the preceding chapters looking forward to it and the succeeding chapters looking back at it.

Placing the “Petticoat Panel” at the heart of the book forced the author into a chronological narrative. The “Petticoat Panel” was the only project the women worked on together, so the other chapters seem disjointed as they jump between the operations each woman was involved with during the period covered in the chapter. It felt like watching a four-ring circus. It might have flowed better if each woman had been given her own chapter(s), with a concluding analysis of the similarities in their careers and the barriers they faced.

3 stars

26. The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse by Alan Bradley

Intrepid 11-year-old sleuth Flavia de Luce is at her best when called on to investigate the death of the housemaster at a boy’s school, seemingly due to murder. The case is made to order for the precocious chemist.

I read all the Flavia de Luce novels shortly after their publication, but I had missed this short story until now. What a pleasure it was to revisit this favorite series.

4 stars

27. All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West

Widowed at age 88, Lady Slane spends what is left of her life pondering the road not taken. No longer content to go along with other people’s plans for her life, Lady Slane chooses her own future. She moves into a rented house in Hampstead with her elderly French maid, and she develops companionable relations with other elderly folk of a similarly unconventional outlook. Sackville-West’s insightful prose falls short of perfection from too much telling and too little showing.

4 stars

28. Soon by Morris Gleitzman

The war is over, but you wouldn’t know it from the situation in Poland. 13-year-old Jewish Felix is still with Gabriek, the Polish man who hid Felix in his barn for two years. They live in a partially destroyed building and use Gabriek’s carpentry and mechanical skills and Felix’s medical skills to trade for food and other items. Felix’s life is in danger after he crosses a Polish nationalist. Felix and Gabriek might just survive with the help of Anya, a girl about Felix’s age.

In some ways this is the most difficult book yet in this series, even though Felix has survived the Holocaust. Although the war has ended, the violence driven by ethnic hatred continues in Poland. Felix rescues a Ukrainian baby from certain death at the hands of Polish nationalists, only to see the baby drown days later as Felix and Anya are driven into the river by a murderous mob. Will Felix ever find a home where he won’t have to live in fear for his life?

3.5 stars

Happy Friday, Carrie! God reviews! I have not read any of those but Purple Hibiscus and All Passion Spent are in the stacks.

>147 SandDune: That is a great story, Rhian! So glad that it had a happy ending.

>154 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I think you'll like both of those when you get to them.

29. The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume

The murder of an unidentified man in a hansom cab has all of Melbourne speculating about the murderer and his motive. The witness statements and the evidence point in one direction, but do these observations and clues tell the whole story? Is there more left to learn?

The plot hints of Dickens and Collins, but without either of those author’s polish. I get a sense that the author might not have worked from an outline. The plot makes some sudden shifts, and some of the characters unaccountably change temperaments in the course of the action. Despite these flaws, the story works, and it suits its setting.

3 stars

30. The Coldest Case by Martin Walker

Bruno Courrèges, the chief of police in St. Denis in France’s Dordogne region, helps his police colleague JJ investigate a case that has haunted him for 30 years. Early in his career, JJ investigated a murder of a young man who still hasn’t been identified. JJ still has the man’s skull, which he affectionately named “Oscar”. A museum exhibit gives Bruno the idea of having a forensic artist reconstruct the man’s face from his skull. At the same time, the DNA data bank turns up a closely related match for the murder victim’s DNA. The case has gone from cold to red hot. Speaking of hot, it’s really, really hot and dry in the Périgueux, and Bruno and other locals are drafted for the fire watch.

The cold case investigation is one of the more interesting cases that Bruno has undertaken, but the coincidence of the facial reconstruction and the DNA hit is too much of a good thing. The facial reconstruction story line could have been edited out without leaving any holes in the plot. I’m also starting to find Bruno a little annoying, and I’m wondering why his friends don’t, too. Bruno is just a little too perfect. He suggests a facial reconstruction and running the murder victim’s DNA again, and both suggestions immediately produce results in a 30-year-old cold case. He drops in on the facial reconstruction artist just in the nick of time to prevent her being raped by a corrupt policeman. He comes up with an out-of-the box ideas for fighting a forest fire that threatens to destroy a local castle, and it saves the day. I’m beginning to expect him to pop into a phone box and emerge as Superman!

3.5 stars

Carrie, your review of The Coldest Case made me laugh! I have read all the books, and I agree with your summary. I was not happy when Walker put Bruno back with Pamela. I mean, really?! The earlier books are so much better, IMO, but I keep reading because I love the setting, and I keep hoping that Walker will make his way back to what made the earlier books such a delight.

>158 Crazymamie: Well, I am not a fan of his on-again relationship with Isabelle, either. Really, I'm not sure that I would want to be in a relationship with Bruno. The helpful suggestions he's so fond of offering would get old quickly, I think.

>159 cbl_tn: I like Isabelle better than Pamela, but yeah. I was hoping Walker would put him together with the lady with the twins whose name is escaping me for the moment.

>160 Crazymamie: Me too! Florence

Yes!

Hi, Carrie! Hope you are well. Looks like some good reading going on here.

>163 tymfos: Hi Terri! Good to see you! All is well here. It's been a good reading year so far!

31. Over My Dead Body by Rex Stout

A woman who claims to be a friend of Nero Wolfe’s long-lost adopted daughter turns to Wolfe for help when her friend (Wolfe’s daughter) is accused of theft. The Balkan women are in New York working as fencing instructors. Wolfe sends Archie to the fencing school to investigate, and Archie is on the spot when a murder takes place. Wolfe’s daughter is among the suspects. Can Wolfe trust her? Could she be guilty of murder?

Archie is at his quick-witted best when he has to extricate himself from the fencing school and back to Wolfe’s house without being searched. Inspector Cramer setting up camp in Wolfe’s office sets the stage for clandestine comings and goings that approach farce. As usual, Wolfe is at least one step ahead of the police. Stout didn’t shy away from confronting the volatile situation in Europe. By the time the book was published in 1940, war had broken out in Europe.

4 stars

32. The Complete Poems, 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop’s collected poems – her life’s work – can be read in a single afternoon. It will take a lot longer than that to ponder its meaning, test it against one’s own life experience, and see oneself reflected in these lines and stanzas. Although the settings change with Bishops’ extensive travels, some themes thread throughout her work – ships and sailors battling rough seas, weary laborers, unrequited or unfulfilled loves and lovers. It’s evident from the frequent biblical allusions that Bishop had a religious education, and it’s also evident Bishop found no solace in religion.

Among the most intriguing poems to me are the ones addressed to Robert Lowell and Marianne Moore. It would be interesting to explore how these highly regarded poets influenced each other’s work.

4.5 stars

March Recap

Books owned: 3
Ebooks owned: 1
Ebooks borrowed: 2
Audiobooks borrowed: 2

Best of the month: The Complete Poems, 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop
Worst of the month: Wise Gals by Nathalia Holt