Familyhistorian's Reads for 2023 - Part 7

Welcome to my thread. My name is Meg. I am a bookaholic. That’s not a rare thing around here and it might be catching as my fellow 75ers and enablers can attest to. There will be talk about books, reading, Wordling and travel in 2023. Come along and see where my reading and travel take me. Should be an interesting ride.

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I write about genealogy and history on my blog. Follow my blog posts as I embark on another year of exploring and writing about my ROOTs (the family kind). You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Challenges
Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2023 – WWI (1914-1918) - The Somme Legacy by M J Lee - DONE
April-June 2023 – 20th Century: Between the Wars (1919-1938) - The Bee's Kiss by Barbara Cleverly - DONE
July-September 2023 – 20th Century: World War 2 (1939-1945)
October-December 2023 – Modern History: 1946 – the Present Day

Monthly

January: Our Feathered Friends - The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys - DONE
February: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My! - Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie - DONE
March: Notorious Women - Wild Romance: The True Story of a Victorian Scandal by Chloë Schama - DONE
April: April Fool - Son of a Trickster by Edin Robinson - DONE
May: The Big City – Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
June: The Fabulous Fifties - The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
July: Revolutions
August: Migration and Immigration
September: School Days
October: Traditions
November: Indigenous Peoples
December: Reader’s Choice

2023 Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prizewinners and Nominees
February: Hobbies & Pastimes. Gardening, Genealogy, Travel etc. - Trespassers in Time: Genealogists and Microhistorians by Anne Patterson Rodda - DONE
March: Empires - Condemned: The Transported Men, Women and Children Who Built Britain's Empire by Graham Seal - DONE
April: The Sea/Ocean
May: Literary Biography
June: Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples/First Nations - Northwest Coast Indians by Mira Bartok - DONE - The Face Pullers: Photographing Native Canadians 1871-1939 by Brock V. Silverside - DONE
July: Explorations and Expeditions
August: The World of the Land, Trees and Plants
September: Family Ties
October: Crimes, Mysteries, Puzzles, Enigmas
November: Matters of Faith and Philosophy
December: As You Like It

List of books for challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2023 – WWI (1914-1918)
April-June 2023 – 20th Century: Between the Wars (1919-1938)
July-September 2023 – 20th Century: World War 2 (1939-1945) - An Unlikely Spy by Rebecca Starford
October-December 2023 – Modern History: 1946 – the Present Day - Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Monthly

January: Our Feathered Friends - The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys
February: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
March: Notorious Women - Wild Romance by Chloe Schama
April: April Fool
May: The Big City – Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow - Sweet Thames by Matthew Kneale and/or The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
June: The Fabulous Fifties - The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
July: Revolutions
August: Migration and Immigration
September: School Days
October: Traditions
November: Indigenous Peoples
December: Reader’s Choice

2023 Nonfiction challenge

January - prizewinners and nominees - Having it so Good: Britain in the Fifties by Peter Hennessy - 2007 winner of the Orwell prize for political writing
February: Hobbies & Pastimes. Gardening, Genealogy, Travel etc.
March: Empires
April: The Sea/Ocean
May: Literary Biography
June: Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples/First Nations
July: Explorations and Expeditions
August: The World of the Land, Trees and Plants
September: Family Ties
October: Crimes, Mysteries, Puzzles, Enigmas
November: Matters of Faith and Philosophy
December: As You Like It

Shared Reads

Peter Ackroyd's History of England series, a shared read of the series with Paul.

A History of England: Foundation
Tudors: The History of England from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I
Civil War: Volume III: The History of England this was also published as Rebellion: The History of England from James I to the Glorious Revolution - I own both titles
Revolution: The History of England from the Battle of the Boyne to the Battle of Waterloo
Dominion: The History of England from the Battle of Waterloo to Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
Innovation: The History of England Volume VI

Group Reads

11/22/63 by Stephen King in May with Kim?
East of Eden by John Steinbeck in July with Mark, MDoris, Linda P, Lynda, Paul, Anita

Little Free Library

Books culled in 2023

January - 16

February - 0

March - 6

April - 0

May - 6

June - 10

July - 3



LT Your Library number starting 2023 - 2944

Books read in June 2023

1. City of Endless Night by Preston & Child
2. Feline Fatale by Linda O. Johnston
3. Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb
4. On the Waterfront by Mike McCoy
5. The Widows’ Club by Amanda Brooke
6. Doctored Evidence by Donna Leon
7. The Adventuress by Arthur B. Reeve
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
9. The Blood Card by Elly Griffiths
10. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
11. Painted Doom by Kate Ellis
12. Buck Fever by Ben Rehder
13. Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
14. Northwest Coast Indians by Mira Bartok
15. Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
16. Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
17. The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
18. The Face Pullers: Photographing Native Canadians 1871-1939 by Brock V. Silversides
19. The Bee’s Kiss by Barbara Cleverly

Books read in July 2023

1. Bait by Karen Robards
2. Affair by Amanda Quick
3. The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

Books read in 2023



Books acquired in 2023

Acquisitions for June 2023

Golden in Death by J.D. Robb
Agent Running in the Field by John le Carre
Something Wicked by Jo Beverley
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy
Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief by Dorothy Gilman
Lady Derring Takes a Lover by Julie Anne Long
The Accidental Medium by Tracy Whitwell
Clara at the Door with a Revolver by Carolyn Whitzman
The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox
Coronation Year by Jennifer Robson
Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

Welcome!!!

Happy new thread Meg!

Thanks, Susan!

HAppy new thread!

>16 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, thanks re the thread! Are you still enjoying Austria?

>17 Familyhistorian: Oh yes, I am. I am on a three border zone so its been great. I am blessed to be living as a local here ( since I was ten). I do however, partake in some touristy activities as well ;)

>18 figsfromthistle: From what I read on your thread, it sounded like you had the best of both worlds, Anita, being both a tourist and a native, even if you had to dress up to attend the birthday party to see a lot of relatives!

>19 Familyhistorian: Ha yes. the " dress up" part does not happen to often ( thankfully).

Happy new thread, Meg!

>12 Familyhistorian: Lovely picture with the books and the peonies on the table.

Happy new thread, Meg!

Happy new one, Meg!

I fell off the bandwagon as far as LT was concerned during the busyness of the past few months. I'm hoping to do a better job keeping up now that things are beginning to settle down a bit.

Happy new one, Meg. I love your photos.

Happy new thread, Meg.

>1 Familyhistorian: Tree-lined riversides - what could be better?

Happy new one, Meg! Love the riverside locale. Looks like a great reading spot!

Happy new thread, Meg!

Happy new one, Meg

>20 figsfromthistle: I hope you had a good time in spite of the clothes, Anita.

>21 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita! I couldn't resist those peonies. I'd never seen them as cut flowers before.

>22 bell7: Thanks Mary!

>23 katiekrug: Hi Katie and thanks re the thread!

>24 thornton37814: Everything seems to come in bunches, doesn't it Lori? I haven't been keep up with LT too well myself what with travelling at all. Good luck with getting on top of things.

>25 BLBera: Thanks Beth. How was your trip to Spain?

>26 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, what could be better than tree lined riversides? Well, having them a very short walk away. I can see the entrance to the park beside the river from my living room window.

>27 drneutron: Thanks Jim. I don't think I've seen anyone reading by the riverside in there. Though it could be done, I suppose. People usually walk or bike the trails or hang out on the shore and in the water to beat the heat.

>28 PlatinumWarlock: Thanks Lavinia!

>29 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba and thanks!

Happy New Thread! Love the photo topper. I can almost feel the soft warm breeze and hear the mosquitoes bzzing. 😂

113. The Midnight News by Jo Baker



The blitz was on in 1940s London. Buildings were getting hit and people were dying. Everyone was affected especially Charlotte who, though happy to be in digs of her own, was barely hanging on to her typing job. When her friends started dying without a scratch on them it seemed wrong to her. Was somebody stalking them, killing them? She heard their voices in her head.

Charlotte wasn’t coping well, but maybe she had a better grasp on what was going on than supposed. As things went from bad to worse it was Tom, the boy with the birds, who helped her to get through it all and finally clear up the mystery in The Midnight News.

>35 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, thanks re the thread and the topper. Mosquitoes? Not many of those around here. You'd be more likely to hear the river rushing by.

Spain was great, Meg. The Midnight News sounds great.

>31 Familyhistorian: Peonies as cut flowers are mostly available here during May. Do yours have that lovely scent?

I loved The Midnight News earlier this year Meg. I can't remember if it was a 5 star or a 4. 5 star read for me. I'm glad you enjoyed it too. Dave walks Poppy late in evening , around 10 pm or 10:30 pm and is out for an hour or so.He tells me there are many mosquitoes at night.Maybe you have the bears and we have the mosquitos? ;-) Happy New Thread!

>38 BLBera: Good to hear that you had fun, Beth. I saw the photos on your thread. It took me a while to read Midnight News because it was slow in the middle but I'm glad I persevered as it quickly got more active and focused after that.

>39 FAMeulstee: They do have that lovely scent, Anita. I've seen them growing before but never as cut flowers.

>40 vancouverdeb: I can't remember noticing mosquitoes late at night either, Deborah, but then I don't usually walk or sit around outside after dark. Too bad that Dave encounters them when he walks Poppy in the evening.

114. Remember Love by Mary Balogh



Remember Love was the story of a young man banished from his home for speaking the truth in a world where everyone turned a blind eye. On his return to take up the reins of the estate his late father left him he must find a way to fit into his family and, perhaps also, with the woman he had left behind.

Looks fast but it wasn’t

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>12 Familyhistorian: Wonderful photo Meg and a happy new thread to you!

>46 mdoris: Thanks Mary!

115. Self-Portrait in Black and White by Thomas Chatterton Williams



I’ve read a few books about the realities of being black in America. The author in Self-Portrait in Black and White was raised in the US but no longer lives there. In that he is different from most of the authors addressing this subject. He also seemed more open to different points of view and had even tested his own DNA. He seemed more of a seeker after knowledge than someone telling the reader the way things are.

I found myself looking up information from some of his footnotes, notably one about a National Geographic study about whether the same mix of genes results in a common racial identity. His source for this was a National Geographic article called “The Surprising Way Saliva Brought These Six Strangers Together.” That title sent me on a Google search and the results were interesting. Another footnote was about a group looking to declare some western states a new “Aryan” homeland. In some instances the area they wanted to include expanded to include BC. That made me wonder if the group had ever made note of the people who already live here.

Interesting word

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>48 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I read that book in 2020 and found it very interesting too!

>50 mdoris: Hi Mary. It was a good one. I was impressed by the fact that he wasn't trying to sell his own views and was willing to look at other methods of understanding.

Yes Meg me too. I was interested in his thinking about his own children and how they will be observed/perceived racially.

Sweet Thursday, Meg. Happy New Thread! I like the woodsy topper. Glad to hear you have started East of Eden. I will start it today.

>52 mdoris: Yeah, it must have been something thinking about the one drop rule in the past and looking at his child. I guess that would cause pause for thought especially as the way the world would perceive her would be a lot different from how he was perceived growing up.

>53 msf59: Thanks Mark. You'll probably be finished East of Eden way before me as other books are catching my attention at the same time.

Took a while

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Meg, I'm not sure if you get the Vancouver Sun, but we do. I was just reading about a young black bear that wandered into East Van on Victoria Drive. Apparently itis the " well forested areas" on the North Shore and Tricities and Maple Ridge that usually get the the bears. Perhaps that explains we don't have them in Richmond and other areas - not large areas of forest. This young cub that was wandering East Van was returned somewhere in a suitable area for bears by the Conservation officers. In light of our online chat about bears in the area, I found it an interesting read.

Have a lovely weekend ahead, Meg!

American spelling again

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>57 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, I don't subscribe to any newspapers anymore so I didn't see the story about the bear in East Van. The bears around here do usually come from the forested areas but so many places here fit that description. I've seen bears in the patch of trees around Maple Creek which is directly behind my townhouse and that's right next to the Coquitlam River Park. All "well forested" places. Lots of corridors for them to wander down. I think the most arresting photo I saw though involved cougars. There were two cougars on the Skytrain tracks next to Inlet Station. I believe the security cameras took the photo.

>58 richardderus: Thanks Richard. Have a wonderful weekend yourself!

Thursday I went to Bard on the Beach with a friend. We took a stroll along the path at Kitislano Beach to fill in time before our dinner reservation.



This was one of the beach views.



The tents of Bard on the Beach where the play we saw was Henry V

>62 Familyhistorian: Meg, I am drooling when I see that picture of Kits pool. When I lived on the North Shore I went there often for a swim. In those days the pool, while heated, was always on the cool side and the breezes off the ocean were often chilly but it didn't matter because it is the world's best pool. (I think 136 meters long). Very nice to go to Bard on the Beach. Great pictures!

Once I got on to the right combination there were too many possibilities

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>63 mdoris: I lived in Kits but never used the pool. Nice that you enjoyed it, Mary. I try and go to Bard on the Beach every summer.

Great pictures, Meg. We do live in a beautiful part of the world. Glad you enjoyed Bard on the Beach. I'm embarrassed to say I've never been. Back in my early twenties I used to head to Shakespearean plays etc the QE Theatre, but those days of " hob nobbing " as my friend's mom called it, seem to be behind me.

>66 vancouverdeb: Bard on the Beach is a fun outing especially on a sunny day, Deborah. The productions are really good and often they are updated interpretations, so that is fun. One year they did "The Merry Wives of Windsor, Ontario". There was music involved, as you can imagine. It's not really a "hob nobbing" crowd. You should try it sometime.

116. A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell



A Trace of Smoke was set in Berlin when the Nazi’s were coming into power. Crime reporter Hannah Vogel, was a single woman toughened by her years writing under a male byline but discovery of her brother’s death through a photo shook her. This was something she had to secretly investigate. She didn’t want anyone to connect her to him and his life as a cross-dressing lounge singer.

Complication after complication drew her deeper into the investigation as she lost her job, was threatened in many ways and found herself interested in a man she wasn’t sure she could trust. Then there was the young boy purported to be her brother’s son she became the only support for. It was an involving tale that led to the darker parts of 1930’s Berlin.

That went faster than I thought it would

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Yesterday I meet with a group of genealogists to attempt our first hybrid meeting. Getting the tech under control was a challenge! I chose to attend in person and it was wonderful to be in the same room with people. It also meant that I got a walk in before the meeting as there is a trail nearby.

In the evening I meet with ex coworkers at one of their houses and we had Laksa. I only had a little bit because it's very spicy. It was fun to eat and gossip. We've known each other for years.

>68 Familyhistorian: *ow*ow*ow* Book-bulleted.

I'm glad y'all's hybrid meeting went well, and that it's been a plesantly social period for you.

>71 richardderus: I'm glad to know I got you, Richard.

We eventually figured out how to do the hybrid thing and I think we decided to look into new equipment to make it easier. It has been strangely social for me lately but today I don't have anything social planned which is good. Enjoy your week ahead!

Yeah, it's nice meeting with friends, but also nice to just relax at home. I totally get you.

>73 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, I enjoyed all the company when I was out and about but it's good to be home by myself. I have a list of things I should be doing and, really, being on LT is probably not getting them done! I admire all the things you get done for everyone in your life.

117. Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams



In Undercover Bromance, the focus was on the founder of the male romance readers group, Braden Mack. While trying to impress a date, he tangles with Liz, a chef at a local high end restaurant. The end result of this confrontation was the date walked out, Liz was fired and Braden had no clue what was really going on but he was about to find out.

It was a story about bringing down an abusive boss as the two main characters were drawn to each other. It also meant that they had to drop the facades they had been hiding behind and admit the truth, not just to each other, but to their friends and family.

Just under the wire

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I was just perusing your blog a bit, Meg. I've been in my hometown for the past five days, staying at my dad's place and scanning box after box of family papers, photographs, etc. which my mom carefully stored and organized over decades and which there are no digital copies of anywhere. 😱 I definitely wouldn't call myself a genealogist, but between this collection and the information I already have on Ancestry, I might turn into one someday! It's interesting reading all the topics you've written about on your blog - I'll have to spend some more time there. Is genealogy what you do professionally, or is it a hobby? (You certainly sound very professional!)

Hi Meg. Just strolling through in my attempt to catch up. Have a lovely evening.

>77 PlatinumWarlock: Hi Lavinia, I'm not a professional genealogist and only research my own family. They are enough! I have been doing research for about 35 years and have always enjoyed history and stories so finding the stories behind family members has been a great way to delve further back. All that research goes hand in hand with writing things up, because writing is what I do. Good luck with getting all your family papers and photos scanned.

>78 Carmenere: Hi Lynda, good luck catching up. I'm way way behind and really should try doing that too.

>79 Familyhistorian: That sounds great, Meg - how wonderful that you enjoy it so much!

>81 PlatinumWarlock: It works out well that I like history too because I've learned so much by looking deeper at what was going on around my ancestors.

118. The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout



The latest Nero Wolfe book that I read was a surprise in more ways than one. I was expecting a paperback but the book the library gave me was a hardcover from 1965, very slim and nondescript. Also, in this book, Wolfe actually left the brownstone. But maybe that was par for the course because this time he and Archie Goodwin were tangling with the FBI. It was a time when that agency was a law unto themselves because the story of The Doorbell Rang was also set in 1965.

It didn’t take too long today

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119. Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood



The second Marlow Murder Club Mystery, involved a locked room murder that appeared to be an accident. Judith, Suzie and Becks were on the scene at the day before the wedding party when the groom to be ended up dead. They were sure it was murder and set out to prove it. DS Tanika was willing to listen to them but the boss she had been filling in for came back and he closed the book on the investigation. The girls weren’t going to let that stop them in Death Comes to Marlow.

Happy Wednesday, Meg. How are you coming on EOE? I have started the second half. Definitely keeping my attention.

>86 msf59: Hi Mark, looks like you are going great guns. East of Eden is a slow read for me. That's because I can tell something bad is going to happen which slows my reading down. I'm about to start Chapter 16.

Got one vowel right away then had to figure out what letters went around it

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Hi Meg my dear, a belated Happy New Thread my dear friend.

120. Romance is My Day Job: A Memoir of Finding Love at Last by Patience Bloom



As an editor at Harlequin, Patience’s focus was very much on romance but on the happily ever after in the books that she helped to bring to the public, not so much in her own life. Not that she hadn’t tried. In this memoir relationships were the focus as the author wrote about her life through the various places, jobs and boyfriends and the relationships that started but never seemed to gel. Romance is My Day Job showed that there was hope even when things seemed hopeless.

>89 johnsimpson: Thanks John. I hope that you and Karen are doing well and your weather is being kind.

My starter word gave me a head start

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Not sure it was a good thing this came easily to mind

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>93 Familyhistorian: I got in two, Meg. It was the first thing that came to mind after my first word. Scary! :-) But I've been reading a re -telling of Frankenstein.

>93 Familyhistorian: No wonder you got it so fast, Deborah!

>90 Familyhistorian: I've seen mixed reviews for this one Meg. Did you think it was worthwhile read?

>96 charl08: It seemed a bit long as it covered her earlier years but when it revealed the why behind some of her problems it got more interesting and her previous actions more understandable. So while it wasn't a page turner, it was a good read, I thought.

A faster one today

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Today I got on my computer early as I needed to type up my blog post. Then, of course, one thing led to another and suddenly it was afternoon so by the time I got out for my walk it was warm - 29C (84.2 F) when I started 31C (87.8) when I finished and I was walking just over an hour. I followed the trail along the river where there was more chance of shade.

It was warm today, yes. I went to the shade the South Arm park offers for my walk today. Supposedly with the humidex it felt like 90 F when I was out walking, but I did not think it felt that warm . If memory serves, I think my car thermometer said it was 28 C when I head out for my walk.

121. Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea



Avery Mason was an investigative reporter on a prime time TV newsmagazine program. She’d lucked into the top spot upon the death of the former host. Not that her job was secure or as lucrative as it had been for the male anchor. She needed a good story with legs which she thought the recent ID of remains from the twin towers 20 years after 9/11 would give her. That wasn’t the only thing that took her from LA to New York. There was something from her family’s past, a past she needed to keep hidden, that drew her back east as well.

The remains were of a woman, also one with a shady past. Victoria Ford had been about to be tried for murder before the terrorist attack intervened. The deeper Avery dug, the stranger the story became especially when the lead detective in the 20 year old murder investigation was there to help her or did he have a different agenda? Twenty Years Later was packed with intrigue and less than perfect heroes.

>100 vancouverdeb: It was very hot here yesterday, Deborah, and probably warmer here as we are not next to the ocean. Today was a little cooler and I made sure to walk in the morning rather than the afternoon.

122. Well Met by Jen DeLuca



Emily’s sister had been injured in a car accident and needed help not just for herself but for her teenage daughter Caitlin. So Emily left her life in another town, not that there was much there after she’d been dumped by her ex and lost the place they had shared. Caitlin wanted to join the Renaissance Faire group for the summer so Emily got roped in too although she didn’t get welcoming vibes from Simon, the organizer. We all know where this is going don’t we?

Well Met was a fun enemies to lovers romance and an interesting introduction to the world of Renaissance Faires.

Just made it

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123. Tug of War by Barbara Cleverly



Joe Sandilands planned on heading off to France on vacation, his only task to deliver young Dorcas to her father sojourning in the South of France. But the top brass, in the person of Brigadier Redmayne, had other plans. So he was coerced into a stop along the way in the Champagne region which had seen more than its share of devastation in the fight with Germany (WWI). Joe was needed to look into four family’s claims to a mute ex-military man who’d recently been released from where the Germans had kept him well after the cease fire.

There were reasons all the families wanted the man, predominantly financial. But there were other forces at play too, including the fact that at one point the man had spoken in the midst of a dream and his words had been in English, making the French authorities involve the English. The convoluted investigation uncovered many misdeeds including murder. Would the truth ever come out? (I had to read the ending of Tug of War twice before I knew).

I plan on attending a writers retreat this fall with the Family History Writing group and finally booked tickets for the flights this morning. Now I have to buckle down and get my writing plans in order. I've fallen down with that lately!

124. State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny



I’d seen quite a few posts about State of Terror around the threads so when I saw the book on sale at my local Costco, I had to pick it up. It was a really engaging thriller, especially reading into the description of the people in power. That was particularly true of the former president. The connections between the main players, familial and otherwise, along with their characters really drove the plot. It was an interesting book and I’m wondering if the two authors will collaborate again.

Better today

Wordle 758 3/6

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>91 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg my dear, sadly the weather here is awful, the Jet Stream is below us and so we are having wave after wave of rain, some of it is rather heavy with Thunder and Lightning and the forecast at the moment is for it to continue for the rest of this week and next. This is not good as we set off on our holiday to Scotland on Sunday, we are staying in a flat in Kirkcaldy in Fife. We will get the train into Edinburgh as i want to visit a few book shops, especially Topping and Co and as St. Andrews is not far away, we both want to have a day there, and the shopping looks good, both for gifts and something different for us, there are a few good book shops from what i have seen online.

I will try and get the photos from our short stay in Seahouses and surrounding areas posted before we go.

>109 johnsimpson: Hi John, I hope the rain calms down for your vacation. I was in Edinburgh last July and there was a heat wave! You can send some of your rain our way. We have drought conditions - no rain since mid-June.

Enjoy your time in Scotland!

125. A Finer End by Deborah Crombie



I finally got back to the Kincaid/James series. In A Finer End, Gemma has moved on to a new job. No longer Duncan’s partner, she has gone for a promotion becoming an inspector with people answerable to her. They work in different offices but a call from Duncan’s cousin, brings them both into an investigation in Glastonbury which involved aspects of ancient history as well as present day mixed motives and hidden deeds.

Thought I had it with the second to last try but had to go one further

Wordle 759 5/6

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Hi, Meg. Just checking in. How are you hanging in there with EOE? Inquiring minds...

>113 msf59: Hi Mark, I'm hanging in. Just about to start Chapter 24. It's a slow read for me. Have you finished already?

It was warm here again today (27C about 80F) but I was going downtown to the library so I wore jeans. Probably a good thing because as I was rushing up the escalator between one train and another I fell. Let me tell you those metal moving stairs are not something you want to come in contact with anything but the shoes on your feet. That's the second time I've done this and, like the last time, I have some scrapes and bruises. Not sure how that happens through the jeans without marking them. Will that stop me from rushing up the escalator? Not likely.

>115 Familyhistorian: Oh, Meg, I'm sorry about your fall... escalator step edges are SHARP! I'm glad you had a little more protection from your jeans, or perhaps it could have been worse. Hope you heal quickly!

>115 Familyhistorian: *oooowwww*

Less haste, more speed, Meg!

>115 Familyhistorian: Oh no, Meg!! That sounds horrible! Be kind to yourself and feel better soon.

>116 PlatinumWarlock: Thanks, Lavinia. You're right those steps are sharp. I have lots of small scrapes.

>117 richardderus: Good advice, Richard, but actually in this case, less haste is less speed as, if left behind in the crowd on the escalator I would have had to catch the next train not the one that was waiting.

>118 RebaRelishesReading: Actually it was more embarrassing than painful, Reba. I was in a crowd of people making their way from one platform to another. I think I picked myself up and was on my way before anyone really noticed though.

Yikes about falling on the escalator, Meg. I'm glad you have good bones! And I'm glad you are okay. Better hurt pride than bones. It's a hot one today. I think I'm going to head to somewhere shady with Poppy for our walk.

Glad it wasn't a bad fall, Meg. These things can happen so quickly. Your regular walking keeps you fit and that probably has a lot to do with the fact that you didn't hurt yourself too badly.

Back to four

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>122 vancouverdeb: I recently had a bone tensity scan but don't know the results yet but, nothing was broken in my fall, so I think I'm okay. I hope your walk was cool. I took two, one on city streets which was very warm and one along the river later where the shade covered most of the path which was much cooler. I hope that you found a cool place for your walk today, Deborah.

>123 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. It was fast and unexpected. It probably helped that I didn't have that far to fall too.

Had me guessing for a while

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It wasn't until I made a list that I realized I have two deadlines for tomorrow. One is to write a panel for the next PoCo Heritage exhibit which is about lacrosse, something I know next to nothing about. The other is an article for the BCGS newsletter. I think I have a topic so that helps. I better get those written soon because I need to come up with something for Saturday's blog post. I'm not sure about this lazing around in retirement stuff.

Another five

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I'd say "have a relaxng reading day, Meg!" but clearly that ain't on the cards. In fact, what the heck are you doing here when you have DEADlines?! *tsk*

>130 richardderus: Met my deadlines yesterday, Richard, so all is good, I think. At least it is on my blog because I can see that. I haven't heard back on the words I submitted for the lacrosse panel or the newsletter article that I sent in. Nothing I can do about that though as my part is done.

Getting better

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Could have been faster given where I live

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I'm closing in on the end of East of Eden and am hoping to finish it before posting any other reads but I'll see what comes first; the last few pages of EofE or the need to post some reviews before I take books to the library and pick up the holds that are waiting. There's a time limit on those holds so I'll have to do that library visit soon.

Getting better

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Today was a day of recovery in more ways that one. I got to take it easy after getting up to meet my ex-coworkers on Saturday. This time we mixed it up and met at a food court in a mall. We got there early but I guess not early enough because a whole area of tables was already taken by what seemed to be regulars. That's a whole other life style, I guess.

On Sunday I headed out early enough to get a walk in before hunkering down to research with the regulars in my group at the BCGS library. Before we got down to it we watched a YouTube video about the changes in Google Books. Then I did some more work about the veterans in my family tree to see what I can submit to the Veterans Book that the BCGS will put out based on our submission.

Also today, after about a month without any precipitation we had rain. It was very civilized though, not like normal Vancouver rain. There was rain in the morning then it stopped and the walkers could get out there while it was dry. I did that, then went to get groceries. When I came out of the grocery store there were a few sprinkles then full out rain after that.

126. East of Eden by John Steinbeck



It takes me far longer to read something with a nuanced ending than a book that, by the nature of its genre, has a happy outcome. So it was with East of Eden. There were so many characters to latch onto (and so many names that began with “A” which was probably deliberate given the biblical connotations.) I was expecting there to be more interaction between the Hamiltons and the Trasks but once Samuel Hamilton was gone the main link between the families seemed to be severed.

There were some memorable characters as well as a quite a few that took their bow early enough that I wasn’t sure of the point of them in the story other than to show how harsh keeping going can be unless you have dreams or schemes to sustain you. That may be why the main story was the retelling of the biblical story of Cain and Able through a few of the Trask brother duos.

It's cool enough to wear a jacket out there but it looks like we'll be heading for slightly warmer temperatures as the rain moves out soon. We needed the rain.

127. Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn



Georgie felt like a mess. She lost her job as a PA when the woman she was working for decided to go in another direction and the home that the job provided too. So she went back to her hometown to help her pregnant best friend settle back in to the new home she and her husband bought recently. Not that she’d be staying with them. Georgie arranged to stay at her folks home while they were away. Only her flaky parents forgot she’d be there to take care of things and arranged for someone else to stay there as well, Levi Fanning, the disowned oldest son of a well-known and well to do family in town. Could it get more complicated than that? Of course it could as the two roommates got to know each other and Georgie learned to value herself and her accidental roommate.

Georgie, All Along was a page turner and a positive story about the value of different personal traits.

Back to four

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128. Weyward by Emilia Hart



A tale in three timelines, Weyward told the story of three women through different eras. Their link was that they were all related through the Weyward line, women who were close to nature so that there was a sympathetic connection between them and natural creatures. A connection that at one period of time was considered a sign of witchcraft. Indeed, one of the women was Altha, who was tried as a witch in 1619 when official might from the sovereign on down, was brought against practitioners of the agent arts.

Perhaps things were a bit better for Violet, a girl in her teen years during WWII, but not appreciably although circumstances made her aware of her power. It was Kate, an abused woman in 2019, who was the most unaware of her special background. That would all change as her abuser found her hiding place.

Hi Meg, The rain was a major relief. My poor desperate plants are so parched. But I don't think I am quite ready for jacket weather. You sound busy!

>142 mdoris: Hi Mary, the last two days were the only days in months that I didn't need to go out and use my watering can on the plants in the common area close to my unit. It was good to see some substantial rain in the last two days. I seem to have my fingers in a lot of pies lately so it's hard to get the things I want done. Whoever sold the myth of having plenty of time in retirement got that wrong or maybe they weren't a reader.

>139 Familyhistorian: Glad you had a good time with Georgie, Meg.

>107 Familyhistorian: umm. Hillary Clinton is a novelist?

Took a while for the penny to drop

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abide, taper, great, reast, heart (I didn't think the fourth guess was an actual word but Wordle recognized it)

>144 MickyFine: Georgie was a good one, Micky, so good I think I'll search out more by Clayborn. Have you read any of the others?

>145 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, according to the bio at the back of the book, Hilary Clinton has actually written eight books. State of Terror was her first work of fiction and she wrote it by teaming up with her friend, Louise Penny.

>146 Familyhistorian: Turns out "reast" is 18th century American slang for "noisily uncooperative, boisterous" and was especially used in reference to horses. Per the Collins English Dictionary, anyway.

I love the internet.

Had to go back a bit for this

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>149 richardderus: Thanks for the look up, Richard. No wonder I'd never heard of it, if it was American from the 18th century.

>147 Familyhistorian: I haven't read any of her other books so I'll be interested to see how you like them.

I'm a Clayborn fan - loved Georgie, another of her stand-alones (Love Lettering) and her trilogy starting with Beginners Luck. That last was her first novel, I think, and was originally self-published.

>152 MickyFine: I have Love Lettering on my library hold list so will report on that once I get to it, Micky.

>153 katiekrug: The trilogy sounds interesting, Katie, but unfortunately my library doesn't have it. Did you read Love at First? They have that one.

Another four

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Hi Meg, sorry to read about your fall - hope there were no lasting damages! I loved the rain that we had but now it looks like the temps are on the rise again, but I really can't complain too much about the heat, overall this has been a pretty good summer.

I haven't (yet) read Love at First, Meg. I'm saving it - for what, I don't know... 🙂

>157 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I ended up with some scrapes and bruises from my fall but nothing major, so no lasting damage. I'm enjoying all the sunshine myself and have enjoyed the summer especially as my townhouse is naturally cool as it is shaded by some tall trees.

>158 katiekrug: I've got a lot of books that I haven't read yet that I'm saving for some reason. So I know what you're talking about, Katie. Sometimes they are books I just had to have and I've been known to wait so long to read them that I can't remember why I wanted them in the first place.

A streak of fours?

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129. The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild



There were so many POVs in The Improbability of Love that sometimes it was hard to keep track of the story. It probably didn’t help to be reading other books at the same time, I suppose. It was a story of deception and intrigue, as befitted a painting only decided to be by a master after the painter’s demise. There was also a rocky romance, so it was clear who were the good guys in the story from the get go. It was an interesting if cynical view of the art market and all its dubious history.

Quick one today

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Oh, I did love Weyward, Meg! Loved it! It has been warm. I'm taking a day of rest myself, trying to catch up on my thread and LT in general. Dave retires sometime next year, we just don't know when. I think I mentioned there is buy out package at his place of work, but when it will happens has yet to be announced. He thinks it won't be until at least September, as the airline industry is so busy always really, but particularly in the summer. I'm looking very forward to it. At least he is on holidays right now, so is able to have a bit of rest , and we some time together. I hope you are doing well!

Had to walk away to figure this one out

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>164 vancouverdeb: I hope you enjoyed your day of rest, Deborah. It would be great timing if the buy out packages comes soon and makes it easier for Dave to pull the pin on retirement. The buy outs where I worked came at perfect times for some of my coworkers but were a decade or maybe a decade and a half before I could even think of retirement.

Lots of tries to place the only right letter

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July additions to my book stacks:

From the little free library:

The Private Patient by P.D. James
The Ideals Guide to American Civil War Places by Julie Shirely

From bookstores and Costco:

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
A Night Like This by Julia Quinn
Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke
The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn

>141 Familyhistorian: What a beautiful cover

Glad you received a bit of rain.

>167 Familyhistorian: Really cool graphic though :)

>169 figsfromthistle: The cover is nice looking. It would have sold me if I actually bought the book. The memory of rain is all that remains, Anita. We could definitely use more.

>170 RebaRelishesReading: It is a fun pattern. Sometimes that turns out to be the best thing about the puzzle especially when a streak is broken!