Mamie returns to Casablanca

Greetings from the great fair to middling state of Georgia. I'm Mamie, and I have attempted the Category Challenge multiple times and failed every time. So at least I am consistent. Heh.

For this attempt, I am recycling my theme from 2014 - favorite quotes from the movie Casablanca, which is one of my favorite films. I have come up with 13 categories that will help me to track my reading for this year.

Currently Reading:
.......

....

"It seems that destiny has taken a hand."

Category 1: Books listed in The Modern Library: The 200 Best Novels in English Since 1950. I found this book last year and was intrigued - the Amazon blurb says:

"For Colm Toíbín and Carmen Callil there is no difference between literary and commercial writing - there is only the good novel: engrossing, inspirational, compelling. In their selection of the best 200 novels written since 1950, the editors make a case for the best and the best-loved works and argue why each should be considered a modern classic. Enlightening, often unexpected and always engaging this tour through the world of fiction is full of surprises, forgotten masterpieces and a valuable guide to what to read next."

I have read 21 of the 200 and have another 30 in the stacks. I created a category in my LT library for these titles, and it is here: Modern Library Book List

1. The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins, trade paperback acquired in 2014, literary fiction (Virago) - 4 stars
2. Injury Time by Beryl Bainbridge, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/infidelity/dark comedy - 3.5 stars
3. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/coming of age/1930a - 3.5 stars
4. The Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical fiction/WWII - 4 stars
5. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, Kindle, acquired in 2013, crime fiction/classic - 4 stars

Category 2: Series that I am already pursuing

1. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher, audiobook narrated by James Marsters, urban fantasy (Dresden Files, Book 17) - 4 stars
2. Paper Girls: Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Cliff Chiang (artist), Matt Wilson (colors), Jared K. Fletcher (letters), paperback, acquired in 2021, GN/time travel - 4 stars
3. Paper Girls: Volume 3 by Brian K Vaughan (writer), Cliff Chiang (artist), Matt Wilson (colors), paperback, acquired in 2021, GN/time travel - 3 stars
4. Descender Vol. 2 by Jeff Lemire (author), Dustin Nguyen (artist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/space opera/AI - 4.5 stars - recommended by Joe
5. Body in the Castle Well by Martin Walker, trade paperback, acquired in 2020, police procedural (Bruno Courrèges, book 12) - 4 stars
6. The Shooting at Chateau Rock by Martin Walker, trade paperback, acquired in 2021, police procedural/France (Bruno Courrèges, book 13) - 3.5 stars
7. The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman, Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator), Malcolm Jones Iii (Illustrator), paperback acquired in 2013, GN/horror - 3.5 stars
8. Descender Vol. 3: Singularities by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
9. Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country buy Neil Gaiman, Kelley Jones (illustrator/artist), borrowed, GN/horror/mythology - 3 stars
10. The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire by Molly Harper, Kindle, acquired in 2016, paranormal mystery/romance (Half Moon Hollow, book 3) - 3 stars
11. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths, hardback, acquired in 2018, murder mystery, ( Harbinder Kaur, book 1) - reread
12. The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths, Kindle, acquired in 2021, police procedural (Harbinder Kaur, book 2) - 4 stars
13. The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths, Kindle, acquired in 2021, police procedural/forensic anthropology (Ruth Galloway, book 13) - 3.5 stars
14. Descender Vol. 4 Orbital Mechanics by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
15. A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark, library hardback, fantasy/steampunk/1912 Cairo - 4 stars
16. Descender Vol. 5: Rise Of The Robots by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
17. Descender Vol. 6: The Machine War by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 5 stars
18. Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical romance (Spindle Cove, book 5) (Castles Ever After, book 4) - 4 stars
19. Hickory, Dickory, Dock by Agatha Christie, trade paperback, acquired in 2012, crime fiction/mystery (Hercule Poirot, book 29) - 3.5 stars, read this with Birdy

Here's looking at you, kid."

Category 3: Obsessions. I have a slight addiction to certain subjects - the writing of George Orwell, Ian Fleming's James Bond, the Bloomsbury Group, the Lost Generation...

1. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge, Hardback, acquired in 2021, graphic biography in verse/books about books - 5 stars
2. Destroyer by Victor LaValle (writer), Micaela Dawn (cover art), Smith Dietrich (artist), Joana Lafuente (colorist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/sci fi/Frankenstein retelling - 4.5 stars - recommended by Roberta
3. The Man with the Golden Typewriter edited by Fergus Fleming, narrated by Julian Rhind-Tutt, audiobook, acquired on 2018, non-fiction/letters/Ian Fleming/James Bond - 5 stars

Possibilities from my stacks:
The Same Man: George Orwell and Evelyn Waugh in Love and War by David Lebedoff

George Orwell Diaries by George Orwell, Peter Davison (Editor)

Dear Scott/Dear Max: The F. Scott Fitzgerald - Maxwell Perkins Correspondence by John Kuehl (Editor), Jackson R. Bryer (Editor)

Sissinghurst: Vita Sackville-West and the Creation of a Garden by Vita Sackville-West (Author), Sarah Raven (Author)

Virginia Woolf's Garden: The Story of the Garden at Monk's House by Caroline Zoob (Author), Caroline Arber (Photographer)

The Man With the Golden Typewriter: Ian Fleming's James Bond Letters by Ian Fleming

Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films by Matthew Fields

Nobody Does it Better: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of James Bond by Edward Gross

"Just because you despise me, you are the only one I trust."

Category 4: Non-fiction

1. Medieval People by Eileen Powers, Kindle, acquired in 2020, non-fiction/social history/Middle Ages - 4.25 stars
2. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge, Hardback, acquired in 2021, graphic biography in verse/books about books - 5 stars
3. The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen, paperback (with deckled edges pages!), acquired in 2016, travel writing/Nepal/Tibet/Buddhism/grief - 4 stars
4. Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion, Hardback, library book, non-fiction/essays
5. The Man with the Golden Typewriter edited by Fergus Fleming, narrated by Julian Rhind-Tutt, audiobook, acquired on 2018, non-fiction/letters/Ian Fleming/James Bond - 5 stars
6. Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink, Kindle, acquired in 2021, memoir/books about books - 4 stars - recommended by Helen
7. The Window Seat: Notes from a Life in Motion by Aminatta Forna, library hardback, non-fiction/essays - 4.5 stars
8. All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Trade Paperback acquired in 2021, non-fiction/politics/Watergate/Washington Post - 4 stars, buddy read with Susan and Birdy

Category 5: Classics of any genre - I feel like reading a classic is always a gamble.

1. The Yellow Wallpaper: a graphic novel by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore, illustrated by Sara Barkat
2. Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, translated by ?, audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/classic - 3 stars
3. Passing by Nella Larson, hardback, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/race/1920s - 4 stars
4. The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, Kindle, acquired in 2019, literary fiction/Catholicism/religious persecution - 4 stars
5. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/coming of age/1930a - 3.5 stars
6. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding, hardback and audio narrated by Kenneth Danzinger, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/classics/humor
7. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, audiobook narrated by Simon Vance, acquired in 2020, classic/shipwreck/survival - 3.5 stars
8. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson, classic/literary fiction/industrialism - 5 stars
9. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, Kindle, acquired in 2013, crime fiction/classic - 4 stars
10. A Room with a View by E. M. Forster, Audiobook narrated by Rebecca Hall, borrowed from Audible Plus Catalog, literary fiction - 5 stars
11. All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Trade Paperback acquired in 2021, non-fiction/politics/Watergate/Washington Post - 4 stars, buddy read with Susan and Birdy

Classics Challenge (I totally stole this from Jean)

✅1. A 19th century classic - any book published between 1800 and 1899. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

✅2. A 20th century classic - any book published between 1900 and 1971. As in past years, all books MUST have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify. The only exception is books written at least 50 years ago, but published later, such as posthumous publications. The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, published 1940

✅3. A classic by a woman author. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks

✅4. A classic in translation. Any book originally written published in a language other than your native language. Feel free to read the book in your language or the original language. (You can also read books in translation for any of the other categories). Modern translations are acceptable as long as the original work fits the guidelines for publications as explained in the challenge rules.Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, translated by ?

✅5. A children's classic. Indulge your inner child and read that classic that you somehow missed years ago. Short stories are fine, but it must be a complete volume. Young adult and picture books don't count! Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

✅6. A classic crime story, fiction or non-fiction. This can be a true crime story, mystery, detective novel, spy novel, etc., as long as a crime is an integral part of the story and it was published at least 50 years ago. Examples include The 39 Steps, Strangers on a Train, In Cold Blood, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, etc. The Haycraft-Queen Cornerstones list is an excellent source for suggestions. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

7. A classic travel or journey narrative, fiction or non-fiction. The journey itself must be the major plot point -- not just the destination. Good examples include The Hobbit, Around the World in 80 Days, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, Kon-Tiki, Travels with Charley, etc.

✅8. A classic with a single-word title. No articles please! Proper names are fine -- Emma, Germinal, Middlemarch, Kidnapped, etc. Passing by Nella Larson

✅ 9. A classic with a color in the title. The Woman in White; Anne of Green Gables; The Red and the Black, and so on. (Silver, gold, etc. are acceptable. Basically, if it's a color in a Crayola box of crayons, it's fine!) The Yellow Wallpaper: a graphic novel by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore, illustrated by Sara Barkat

✅ 10. A classic by an author that's new to you. Choose an author you've never read before. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding

11. A classic that scares you. Is there a classic you've been putting off forever? A really long book which intimidates you because of its sheer length? Now's the time to read it, and hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised!

12. Re-read a favorite classic. Like me, you probably have a lot of favorites -- choose one and read it again.

Category 6: Female Authors

January:
1. The Yellow Wallpaper: a graphic novel by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore, illustrated by Sara Barkat
2. The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins, trade paperback acquired in 2014, literary fiction (Virago) - 4 stars
3. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos, Kindle, humor - 3 stars
4. Medieval People by Eileen Powers, Kindle, acquired in 2020, non-fiction/social history/Middle Ages - 4.25 stars
5. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Kindle, acquired in 2020, gothic horror - 3.5 stars
6. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls, Kindle, acquired in 2021, novella/grief - 4 stars
7. Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen, Kindle, acquired in 2020, short story/food - 4.5 stars
8. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge, Hardback, acquired in 2021, graphic biography in verse/books about books - 5 stars

February:
9. Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer, audiobook narrated by Katherine Kellgren, acquired in 2021, YA/historical mystery (Enola Holmes, book 1) - 4 stars
10. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, translated by Megan Backus, Kindle, acquired in 2020, novellas/grief - 2 stars
11. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, Kindle, acquired in 2020, Polish fiction/animal rights - 4 stars
12. Summerwater by Sarah Moss, Kindle, acquired in 2021, contemporary fiction/linked vignettes - 4.5 stars

March:
13. A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourne, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical mystery (Veronica Speedwell, book 1) - 4 stars - recommended by Chelle
14. Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, Kindle, acquired in 2019, police procedural/Venice (Commissario Brunetti, book 1) - 3 stars
15. West by Carys Davies, Kindle, acquired in 2020, historical fiction/western/novella - 4.5 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen
16. Miss Treadway and the Field of Stars by Miranda Emmerson, Kindle, acquired in 2021, mystery/amateur sleuth - 4 stars (Anna Treadway, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte

April:
17. Injury Time by Beryl Bainbridge, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/infidelity/dark comedy - 3.5 stars
18. Passing by Nella Larson, hardback, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/race/1920s - 4 stars
19. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal, Kindle, acquired in 2020, literary fiction/linked vignettes - 4.5 stars - recommended by Helen
20. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/coming of age/1930a - 3.5 stars

May:
21. Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi, hardback, library book, literary fiction/mother-daughter relationships/dementia - 3 stars
22. Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/relationships/infidelity/grief - 4.5 stars
23. Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion, Hardback, library book, non-fiction/essays
24. All Systems Red by Martha Wells, Kindle, acquired in 2018, sci fi/AI/space opera - reread
25. Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor, Hardback, library book, sci fi/death - 4 stars
26. Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/gothic/psychological thriller - 3.75 stars
27. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry, Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/noir/private detective - 4.5 stars - recommended by Jennifer (mstrust)

June:
28. The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire by Molly Harper, Kindle, acquired in 2016, paranormal mystery/romance (Half Moon Hollow, book 3) - 3 stars
29. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths, hardback, acquired in 2018, murder mystery, (Harbinder Kaur, book 1) - reread
30. The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths, Kindle, acquired in 2021, police procedural (Harbinder Kaur, book 2) - 4 stars

July:
31. The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths, Kindle, acquired in 2021, police procedural/forensic anthropology (Ruth Galloway, book 13) - 3.5 stars
32. Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller, hardback, library book, literary fiction/poverty/grief - 4 stars

August:
33. Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri, library hardback, translation, literary fiction/linked vignettes/solitude - 4 stars
34. Ankomst by Gøhril Gabrielsen, translated by Deborah Dawkin, Kindle, acquired in 2021, psychological thriller/novella - 3 stars, recommended by Helen
35. A Wizard's Guide To Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher, Kindle, acquired in 2021, Children's literature/fantasy/wizards - 4 stars - recommended by Richard
36. Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant, Kindle, acquired in 2021, novella/horror/mermaids - 4 stars
37. Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink, Kindle, acquired in 2021, memoir/books about books - 4 stars - recommended by Helen
38. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson, classic/literary fiction/industrialism - 5 stars
39. Remake by Connie Willis, Audiobook narrated by Christopher Kipiniak, acquired in 2021, sf/Hollywood/futuristic - 4.5 stars
40. Essential Welty by Eudora Welty, Audiobook narrated by Eudora Welty, acquired in 2017, short stories/Southern fiction - 4.5 stars
41. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, Kindle, acquired in 2013, crime fiction/classic - 4 stars
42. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, Audiobook narrated by Fenella Woolgar, acquired in 2013, historical fiction/alternate lives - 4.5 stars

September:
43. Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warren, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/feminism - 3 stars
44. Memento Mori by Muriel Spark, Audiobook narrated by Nadia May, borrowed from Audible Plus Catalog, literary fiction/old age - 4 stars
45. The Window Seat: Notes from a Life in Motion by Aminatta Forna, library hardback, non-fiction/essays - 4.5 stars
46. Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical romance - 4.5 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen
47. Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical romance (Spindle Cove, book 5) (Castles Ever After, book 4) - 4 stars
48. Hickory, Dickory, Dock by Agatha Christie, trade paperback, acquired in 2012, crime fiction/mystery (Hercule Poirot, book 29) - 3.5 stars, read this with Birdy

Category 7: Authors that are new to me

January:
1. River of Darkness by Rennie Airth, trade paperback acquired in 2014, crime fiction (John Madden, book 1) - 4 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen
2. The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins, trade paperback acquired in 2014, literary fiction (Virago) - 4 stars
3. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos, Kindle, humor - 3 stars
4. Medieval People by Eileen Powers, Kindle, acquired in 2020, non-fiction/social history/Middle Ages - 4.25 stars
5. Bloody January by Alan Parks, Kindle, acquired in 2020, crime fiction (Harry McCoy, book 1) - 2.5 stars
6. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Kindle, acquired in 2020, gothic horror - 3.5 stars
7. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls, Kindle, acquired in 2021, novella/grief - 4 stars

February:
8. Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer, audiobook narrated by Katherine Kellgren, acquired in 2021, YA/historical mystery (Enola Holmes, book 1) - 4 stars
9. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, translated by Megan Backus, Kindle, acquired in 2020, novellas/grief - 2 stars
10. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, Kindle, acquired in 2020, Polish fiction/animal rights - 4 stars

March:
11. I Will Have Vengeance by Maurizio de Giovanni, translated by Anne Milano Appel, police procedural/Naples/1930s - 4 stars (Commisario Riccardi, book 1)
12. Death in August by Marco Vichi, translated by Stephen Sartarelli, Kindle, acquired in 2018, police procedural/Florence (Inspector Bordelli, book 1) - 3 stars
13. Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, Kindle, acquired in 2019, police procedural/Venice (Commissario Brunetti, book 1) - 3 stars
14. West by Carys Davies, Kindle, acquired in 2020, historical fiction/western/novella - 4.5 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen
15. Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, translated by ?, audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/classic - 3 stars

April:
16. Miss Treadway and the Field of Stars by Miranda Emmerson, Kindle, acquired in 2021, mystery/amateur sleuth - 4 stars (Anna Treadway, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte
17. Injury Time by Beryl Bainbridge, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/infidelity/dark comedy - 3.5 stars
18. Passing by Nella Larson, hardback, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/race/1920s - 4 stars
19. Destroyer by Victor LaValle (writer), Micaela Dawn (cover art), Smith Dietrich (artist), Joana Lafuente (colorist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/sci fi/Frankenstein retelling - 4.5 stars - recommended by Roberta
20. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal, Kindle, acquired in 2020, literary fiction/linked vignettes - 4.5 stars - recommended by Helen
21. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/coming of age/1930a - 3.5 stars

May:
22. Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi, hardback, library book, literary fiction/mother-daughter relationships/dementia - 3 stars
23. Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/relationships/infidelity/grief - 4.5 stars
24. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding, hardback and audio narrated by Kenneth Danzinger, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/classics/humor
25. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry, Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/noir/private detective - 4.5 stars - recommended by Jennifer (mstrust)
26. Restless by William Boyd, audiobook narrated by Rosamund Pike, acquired in 2015, thriller/espionage/WWII - 4 stars - recommended by Bonnie and Donna

June:
27. Mediterranean Mood Food by Paula See, hardback, library book, cookbook

July:
28. The Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical fiction/WWII - 4 stars
29. Dead Man in a Ditch by Luke Arnold, 2021 acquired audiobook narrated by Luke Arnold, fantasy/private detective/noir - 3.5 stars

August:
30. Ankomst by Gøhril Gabrielsen, translated by Deborah Dawkin, Kindle, acquired in 2021, psychological thriller/novella - 3 stars, recommended by Helen
31. The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson, Kindle, acquired in 2021, biographical novel/journalism/Puerto Rico - 3 stars
32. A Wizard's Guide To Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher, Kindle, acquired in 2021, Children's literature/fantasy/wizards - 4 stars - recommended by Richard
33. Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, translated by ?, Kindle, acquired in 2021, linked vignettes/Marco Polo/Kublai Khan - 2.5 stars
34. Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink, Kindle, acquired in 2021, memoir/books about books - 4 stars - recommended by Helen
39. Remake by Connie Willis, Audiobook narrated by Christopher Kipiniak, acquired in 2021, sf/Hollywood/futuristic - 4.5 stars

September:
40. Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warren, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/feminism - 3 stars
41. All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Trade Paperback acquired in 2021, non-fiction/politics/Watergate/Washington Post - 4 stars, buddy read with Susan and Birdy
42. Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical romance - 4.5 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen

“You know what I want to hear. … You played it for her, you can play it for me!”

Category 8: Audiobooks

1. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher, audiobook narrated by James Marsters, urban fantasy (Dresden Files, Book 17) - 4 stars
2. The Weirdies by Michael Buckley, borrowed audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, juvenile fiction/humor - 5 stars
3. Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer, audiobook narrated by Katherine Kellgren, acquired in 2021, YA/historical mystery (Enola Holmes, book 1) - 4 stars
4. Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, translated by ?, audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/classic - 3 stars
5. The Man with the Golden Typewriter edited by Fergus Fleming, narrated by Julian Rhind-Tutt, audiobook, acquired on 2018, non-fiction/letters/Ian Fleming/James Bond - 5 stars
6. Restless by William Boyd, audiobook narrated by Rosamund Pike, acquired in 2015, thriller/espionage/WWII - 4 stars - recommended by Bonnie and Donna
7. Dead Man in a Ditch by Luke Arnold, 2021 acquired audiobook narrated by Luke Arnold, fantasy/private detective/noir - 3.5 stars
8. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, audiobook narrated by Simon Vance, acquired in 2020, classic/shipwreck/survival - 3.5 stars
9. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson, borrowed from Audible Plus Catalog, classic/literary fiction/industrialism - 5 stars
9. Remake by Connie Willis, Audiobook narrated by Christopher Kipiniak, acquired in 2021, sf/Hollywood/futuristic - 4.5 stars
10. Essential Welty by Eudora Welty, Audiobook narrated by Eudora Welty, acquired in 2017, short stories/Southern fiction - 4.5 stars
11. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, Audiobook narrated by Fenella Woolgar, acquired in 2013, historical fiction/alternate lives - 4.5 stars
12. Memento Mori by Muriel Spark, Audiobook narrated by Nadia May, borrowed from Audible Plus Catalog, literary fiction/old age - 4 stars
13. A Room with a View by E. M. Forster, Audiobook narrated by Rebecca Hall, borrowed from Audible Plus Catalog, literary fiction - 5 stars

Category 9: Translations

February:
1. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, translated by Megan Backus, Kindle, acquired in 2020, novellas/grief - 2 stars
2. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, Kindle, acquired in 2020, Polish fiction/animal rights - 4 stars

March:
3. I Will Have Vengeance by Maurizio de Giovanni, translated by Anne Milano Appel, police procedural/Naples/1930s - 4 stars (Commisario Riccardi, book 1)
4. Death in August by Marco Vichi, translated by Stephen Sartarelli, Kindle, acquired in 2018, police procedural/Florence (Inspector Bordelli, book 1) - 3 stars
5. Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, translated by ?, audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/classic - 3 stars

April:
6. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal, Kindle, acquired in 2020, literary fiction/linked vignettes - 4.5 stars - recommended by Helen

August:
7. Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri, library hardback, translated by the author, literary fiction/linked vignettes/solitude - 4 stars
8. Ankomst by Gøhril Gabrielsen, translated by Deborah Dawkin, Kindle, acquired in 2021, psychological thriller/novella - 3 stars, recommended by Helen
9. Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, translated by ?, Kindle, acquired in 2021, linked vignettes/Marco Polo/Kublai Khan - 2.5 stars

"Was that canon fire, or is it my heart pounding?"

Category 10: KITs and CATs - This will probably be mostly MysteryKIT and ScaredyKIT, but I plan to jump in and out of some of the others as the mood takes me. It turns out that I love to participate in the various KITS and CATS, but I am not good with keeping track of them, so I'm changing this to:

Graphic Novels

1. The Yellow Wallpaper: a graphic novel by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore, illustrated by Sara Barkat, paperback acquired in 2020, horror - 4.5 stars
2. The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith (Illustrator), Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator) - paperback acquired in 2013, GN, horror - 4.5 stars
3. Paper Girls Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Cliff Chiang (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Artist), Kindle, borrowed, GN, time travel - 3.5 stars
4. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge, Hardback, acquired in 2021, graphic biography in verse/books about books - 5 stars
5. Paper Girls: Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Cliff Chiang (artist), Matt Wilson (colors), Jared K. Fletcher (letters), paperback, acquired in 2021, GN/time travel - 4 stars
6. Paper Girls: Volume 3 by Brian K Vaughan (writer), Cliff Chiang (artist), Matt Wilson (colors), paperback, acquired in 2021, GN/time travel - 3 stars
7. Destroyer by Victor LaValle (writer), Micaela Dawn (cover art), Smith Dietrich (artist), Joana Lafuente (colorist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/sci fi/Frankenstein retelling - 4.5 stars - recommended by Roberta
8. Descender Vol. 1: Tin Stars by Jeff Lemire (author), Dustin Nguyen (artist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/space opera/AI - 5 stars - recommended by Joe
9. Descender Vol. 2 by Jeff Lemire (author), Dustin Nguyen (artist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/space opera/AI - 4.5 stars - recommended by Joe
10. The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman, Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator), Malcolm Jones Iii (Illustrator), paperback acquired in 2013, GN/horror - 3.5 stars
11. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry, Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/noir/private detective - 4.5 stars - recommended by Jennifer (mstrust)
12. Descender Vol. 3: Singularities by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
13. Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country buy Neil Gaiman, Kelley Jones (illustrator/artist), borrowed, GN/horror/mythology - 3 stars
14. Descender Vol. 4 Orbital Mechanics by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
15. Descender Vol. 5: Rise Of The Robots by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
16. Descender Vol. 6: The Machine War by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 5 stars

"It's still the same old story..."

Category 11: Rereads

1. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman - GN
2. All Systems Red by Martha Wells, Kindle, acquired in 2018, sci fi/AI/space opera - reread
3. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths, hardback, acquired in 2018, murder mystery, (Harbinder Kaur, book 1) - reread

"I like to think that you killed a man. It's the Romantic in me..."

Category 12: Katie's Dirty Dozen - I always keep a list of book bullets that Katie has hit me with, and since Katie loves her a good romance...This space will feature both the newly acquired 2021 list and the list of what I read from her previous hits. I have a category in my LT library listing all of these titles - Katie's Dirty Dozens

1. River of Darkness by Rennie Airth, trade paperback acquired in 2014, crime fiction (John Madden, book 1) - 4 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen
2. West by Carys Davies, Kindle, acquired in 2020, historical fiction/western/novella - 4.5 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen
3. Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical romance - 4.5 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen

Category 13: Everything Else

1. Up at the Villa by W. Somerset Maugham, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/Florence/ just pre-WWII - 3 stars
2. Up in Honey's Room by Elmore Leonard, Kindle, acquired in 2021, crime fiction/WWII/humor - 3 stars

Welcome, y'all! Come on in and make yourselves at home.

Hi, Mamie! I need to rewatch Casablanca. It's been a long time.

>17 scaifea: Hello, Amber! The first time I watched the movie was with my Dad - he was a huge Humphrey Bogart fan. I usually watch it every year at some point, and it always makes me think of him.

>18 Crazymamie: I love that so much, Mamie.

I think the first time I watched it was with my best friend in college - we were working through a list of Best Movies of All Time or some such.

>19 scaifea: Oh, I bet that movie list was fun! I think I was in middle school the first time I saw it, so probably about Charlie's age. But I know he doesn't do b&w. I am a sucker for those older movies - they just don't do dialogue like that anymore.

You make me think of my French friend who was born in Casablanca. Have fun and enjoy!

Hello, Jean! I had a childhood friend who had to learn French because they were moving to Morocco, but I can't remember what city. Thanks for stopping in and for those good wishes.

Welcome back, Mamie! Good luck with your 2021 challenge!

>23 rabbitprincess: Thank you! I think my categories will work great, I just need to not fall off the threads, so luck is most appreciated. *grin*

Welcome back! Hopefully you'll do better this year with the challenge, but regardless, have a great year of reading!

Glad to see you back! Great idea - the quotes fit your categories perfectly.

>25 thornton37814: Thank you, Lori! I tried to make my categories things I am interesting in tracking, so hopefully this time I will succeed.

>26 dudes22: Thanks, Betty! I had a lot of fun pairing the quotes with the categories.

Great theme! Good luck with your 2021 reading.

>28 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess!

Hi Mamie,
Great to see you over here.

I will follow you in both abodes, Mamie.
There is a chance of starting a project in Casablanca late in the year so I really should keep an eye out over here. x

Well, hello there, Mamie! Your categories and matching quotes are so perfect. And I am honored to have the DD featured.

I'm also intrigued by the Modern Library list so will go have a look at that...

Great to see you here, Mamie!

>30 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen! Looking forward to getting started.

>31 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! Casablanca? Really?!

>32 katiekrug: Hey there, Katie! Thank you. Your DD is a staple of my threads. I need to get this years winners entered into your Dirty Dozen category, so I will be ready to go.

The Modern Library list was so interesting - I loved that it didn't have the same books that you see on a lot of lists. Love me a list!

>33 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! Great to be here.

Hi

>35 BBGirl55: Bryony!! Hello there!!

Mamie, good luck with your categories and (most importantly) have fun. I think many of us don't meet our pre-planned reading goals but we keep trying each year. :-)

Good luck on your challenge.

Welcome back, Mamie, and good luck with your challenge!

>37 This-n-That: Thank you for those kind words. Most appreciated.

>38 hailelib: Thanks!

>39 Chrischi_HH: Thank you!

I love your challenge! It combines my two favorite things books and old movies. They just don't make them like that any more. I have fond memories of watching a lot of them with my dad, especially starring Bogey! His favorite was the Maltese Falcon though...

So glad you love my challenge, Lisa. I LOVE The Maltese Falcon!! You are so right that they just don't make them like that anymore. It would be hard to pick my favorite Bogart movie, but The Big Sleep and To Have and Have Not would be right up there. Every one of them brings my Dad back to me as we watched them together when I was growing up.

Just curious, Mamie, do you have actual stacks?

Welcome back! this is the year you'll complete the challenges!

>43 NinieB: Yep. I have stacks in several places that are a kind of overflow from my shelves. But when I say it's in the stacks, I just mean that I own the book - it might be physical or digital, but it's in my personal library.

And thank you for that vote of confidence! Much appreciated.

>44 Crazymamie: We have a large, dry basement, so we have library stacks--shelving arranged as in a library!

Nice! I would love that.

Happy New Year, Mamie! I love your Casablanca theme - such a fabulous movie!. Wishing you a year filled with wonderful reading in 2021.

My other half is watching Casablanca right now! :)

Hi Mamie! I love your Casablanca theme. It's been too long since I've watched that movie.

Here's to a better year than last year for all of us -- reading and otherwise!

>47 lkernagh: Happy New Year, Lori! I agree that Casablanca is full of fabulous. And thank you for those wishes for a year filled with wonder - wishing for you the same.

>48 rabbitprincess: *grin*

>49 cbl_tn: Hello Carrie. So glad you love my theme. I just watched it again recently before setting up this thread - I love it. Every. Single. Time.

Excellent toast - I'll drink to that!

>50 Crazymamie: My favourite part is "I'm shocked, shocked to find gambling in this establishment!" "Here are your winnings, sir." "Oh thank you" :D

Right?! And the look Humprey Bogart's character gives to the croupier afterwards!

>3 Crazymamie: The Modern Library on my shelves. I'm interested to see which books from it you choose for 2021. (Had a look at the list in your library.) Happy reading.

Love the Casablanca quotes!

I love that list just because it is so different - loads of authors I have not read before. I made a giant list on Amazon, and I am picking up the books as they go on sale on Kindle - I love that you can sort the lists you make there by price.

Glad you love the Casablanca quotes - I had fun deciding which one to use for each category.

I hadn't come across the Colm Toibin co-authored list book, and am now tempted. I caved and bought myself a copy of his book about Elizabeth Bishop. I'd read it from the library, but it is just such a lovely object in small hardback.

I first saw Casablanca in a student cinema club, and there was a lot of laughter at the line in >12 Crazymamie: - not many romantics in the room that day.

I forget how I came across the list book, Charlotte - I think maybe looking at other books he had written after loving The Master so much last year. I am dipping in and out of it, reading what they have to say about the chosen book after reading it myself. I have that Elizabeth Bishop book you mention, and you are right about it being such a lovely little hardback - I want to get to that one this year.

Oh, dear, about the laughter.

1. River of Darkness by Rennie Airth, trade paperback acquired in 2014, crime fiction (John Madden, book 1) - 4 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen

I finished my first book of the year! This is crime fiction - a historical mystery/police procedural set in post WWI featuring Scotland Yard Inspector John Madden. Madden, having lost his wife and baby daughter to influenza and then served in WWI in the trenches, is back on the force at Scotland Yard. As one would expect, he is not the same man and carries his own scars from his experiences. When we meet up with him, he has just been assigned to solve the grisly multiple murders of a household in Surrey. This is very well done with good pacing, suspenseful even though we know pretty early on who the murderer is. I liked how twisty it was and the details of the newly evolving forensic techniques.

>57 Crazymamie: Congrats on your first completion. I'm not familiar with that series. The concept sounds interesting, and I usually enjoy historical fiction and police procedural mysteries.

Thank you, Lori! This is the first book in the series - I think there are six of them so far. The author is South African, and I though he did a good job of addressing the trauma that soldiers serving in WWI carried with them after the war.

Sounds an interesting mystery. On my wishlist now.

Hi Mamie! I love all your categories too, and hooray for a finish already! I hadn't considered a NF classic for our next buddy-read, but that's a great idea.

>60 hailelib: *grin*

>61 susanj67: SUSAN!! I am delighted that you are here! I had fun deciding on the categories - I mostly just picked things that I wanted to keep track of, so it should work for me.

A NF classic would be fine with me. Any ideas?

What a lovely theme!

Thank you, Birgit!

>57 Crazymamie: That sounds really good. I'm a historical fiction aficionado so that goes on my wish list!

Oh, excellent, Tess. Hoping you like it when you get to it.

~

Yesterday I got these in the mail! I had pre-ordered them last year when I saw they were coming out; they are Penguin Deluxe Classics editions. With deckled edge pages!!! I have read both of these more than once but could not resist adding them to my collection. The Great Gatsby is a favorite of mine, and I like to add new editions of it that speak to me. AND all of our talking about The Yellow Wallpaper reminded me that I had purchased these last year:

~

These are GN versions of the books. I had forgotten about them as last year was crazy for us, but I pulled them out yesterday and have already started reading The Yellow Wallpaper. The illustrations are by Sara Barkat, and I think they really suit the story.

>67 Crazymamie: Those panels are very atmospheric, especially considering the simplicity of the accompanying text.

I'm also loving both Gatsby covers for rather different reasons.

What I have read so far is very well done. I am familiar with the story already having listened to it a few years ago. We were talking about the book over on my 75ers thread, and that reminded me that I had purchased the GN version last year but had not yet read it.

The Gatsby covers are fun, aren't they?

>20 Crazymamie: "I am a sucker for those older movies - they just don't do dialogue like that anymore." YES. I love the dialogue. But having never seen Casablanca, perhaps I should remedy that....

>67 Crazymamie: The artwork for The Yellow Wallpaper is both dreamy and has some sharp edges. I think it fits, too. Props to Sara Barkat!

>70 pammab: You should definitely remedy that, Pam.

Sara Barkat did an excellent job with the illustrations throughout - I have finished it now, and it was so well done.

4. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos, Kindle, humor - 3.25 stars

I finished Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and it was funny, but I wish it had been slightly shorter. Released originally in serial form in Harper's Bazaar back in the 1920s, I can understand how it worked brilliantly and was a huge hit in that format. The novel is organized as diary entries, and what Loos did so well was to include spelling and grammatical errors. In the introduction written by Jenny McPhee, there is praise for Loos' cleverness in creating the diary entries:

"...the novel's most innovative feature is Loos's use of language. The narrative is uniquely colloquial, unpolished, repetive, and full of mistakes. It both employs and slams modernist tropes, the stream-of-consciousness style, the writerly penchant for wordplay, the middlebrow misuse of grammar ('A girl like I'), the lowbrow vernacular. The prose is a cacophony of loopy cadences, alliteration, redundancies, oxymorons, malapropisms, multilingual puns, homophones, innuendo, euphemisms, double entendres, and more. Through these linguistic machinations Loos takes irony to a new level of complexity: our expectations repeatedly thwarted, we are hurled into a troubling state of merry destabilizations and pleasurable chaos.

It's a fun ride through the Jazz Age as seen through the eyes of a flapper who is the stereotypical "dumb blonde" but who is diabolically clever at getting what she wants. While trying to "improve her mind", she shares her own street smarts with us as she travels from New York to London, to Paris, to "the Central of Europe" and back again.

So what happened to books two and three? Um, I went to just post what I had read for January RandomCAT whose theme is humor (over in the Category Challenge), and I ended up writing a review. So here's the other two books I read to bring me to a total of four so far this month:


2. The Yellow Wallpaper: a graphic novel by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore, illustrated by Sara Barkat, paperback acquired in 2020, horror - 4.5 stars


3. The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins, trade paperback acquired in 2014, literary fiction (Virago) - 4 stars

Thoughts on those are coming.

>72 Crazymamie: Very amused by Mr Mountginz.

>74 pamelad: YES!

2. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore, illustrated by Sara Barkat, paperback acquired in 2020, horror - 4.5 stars

This was a reread for me. I listened to this one in 2018. The audiobook was narrated by Jo Myddleton, and I gave it the full five stars. For such a short story it packs a punch, and it is one that has stayed with me. Last year, when I saw that they had made a GN version of it, I ordered it right away, and then the year got crazy and I forgot about it. The conversation on my 75ers thread about the new Penguin Vitae series that is full of gorgeous made me remember this GN, and the January ScaredyKIT has a theme of GNs and YA. Perfect. I was really impressed with how well the illustrations captured the growing tension and the main character's descent into madness. This horror classic is considered feminist literature, too, because it does a beautiful job of depicting how few choices the main character has just because she is a woman. I just can't recommend the story itself highly enough, regardless of what format you prefer. I loved that the GN is unabridged - all of the text from the original story is there beautifully brought to life by the illustrations of Sara Barkat.

3. The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins, trade paperback acquired in 2014, literary fiction (Virago) - 4 stars

This is a Virago edition. Love those. It's a slow starter, and I thought it might be a DNF for me because I was just not getting into the story - it really needs 50 or so pages and then it picks up. It's the unwinding of a marriage, and it is just so well done. I wanted to lecture the main character, Imogene, and explain that we teach people how to treat us. Don't put up with this. Speak up. Be brave. When push comes to shove, always shove! But alas, Imogene and I do not have the same temperaments or personalities. In frustration, I actually did something I never do - I turned to the final pages and read the ending before continuing. The ending saved it for me. Anyway, it's brilliant in how it shows us the marriage from different vantage points. This one is not about the plot; it's more of a character study, so you will need patience, but it is worthy.

*This is one of the 200 books listed in The Modern Library: The 200 Best Novels in English Since 1950, which is my first category.

5. The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith (Illustrator), Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator) - paperback acquired in 2013, GN, horror - 4.5 stars

This one also fits the January SkaredyKIT. The funny thing is I thought that this was going to be a reread, but it turns out that I never read it. I had started it, and my original bookmark was still in place, and when I got to it, I realized I had never read any further. I have no idea why. I must have gotten distracted. It boggles the mind because it is Very. Good. I loved the world building, the story telling, the artwork. Very gritty but also very entertaining and slightly addictive. Luckily, I have the second volume, so I can jump right in and keep going.



And check out Lucifer Morningstar! Hello, David Bowie!!

>76 Crazymamie: I listened to and read this book last year and really couldn't make heads nor tails about it. I think I will try again!

>79 Tess_W: I really like it because in the beginning you wonder whether she is really ill or if the husband is making her ill. He takes away all of her choices which might help her to recover - her choice of room, of activity, of guests. He knows what is best for her, and in the end this is what (IMO) pushes her over the edge. Anyway, the tension builds as the story plays out, and it is just so well done.

Yesterday we watched the Packers/Rams game, and I was happy to see the Packers win. Then we watched the last two episodes *sob* of Blood Ties - anyone else watch this? It's based on the books by Tanya Huff - urban fantasy where an ex-cop who is losing her vision ends up becoming a private detective and working with a vampire to solve her cases. Very fun, and I like the casting. Sadly, it only got two seasons. It's currently available on Amazon Prime. Rae ended up asking for the books for Christmas, so I will eventually read those - she has read the first one so far and loved it.

I also got some reading and some listening in - a few hours more of Battle Ground, the latest entry in the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher. I love these books on audio narrated by James Marsters (he played Spike on Buffy). Also read in:

Medieval People - very good narrative non-fiction. This one is mentioned in Square Haunting, which I read last year and loved.

The Snow Leopard - travel writing. Excellent so far.

The Sea by John Banville - contemporary fiction set in Ireland. Mark sent me this one, so thanks, Mark! I just read the first few pages to get a feel for the book and the writing.

Plans for today include football and more of the books. Baked potato bar for dinner.

Book #6 Battle Ground by Jim Butcher, audiobook narrated by James Marsters, urban fantasy (Dresden Files, Book 17) - 4 stars - this fits into Categories 2 (Series I am already Pursuing) and 10 (Audiobooks)

This is the seventeenth book Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. These urban fantasy books feature Harry Dresden, resident wizard of Chicago. You really need to read these in order, so be sure to start with Storm Front, and let me warn you that the series really needs the first five or six books to take off, but then they are excellent and a lot of fun. I love these on audio narrated by the fabulous James Marsters. In this entry, the title pretty much spells it out for you - loads of battle. In fact, it's almost all battle, which grows a bit wearying, but there is also some good plot development. I am very interested to see where it goes from here. There is a bonus short story at the end of the audio that takes place six months later.

*Just an observation - I feel like Peace Talks and Battle Ground really should have been just one book with a lot of editing. Peace Talks ends on a cliffhanger and Battle Ground picks up right where it left off - making these into one story would have been a much better and tighter story, IMO.

>77 Crazymamie: I was also led to The Tortoise and the Hare by Carmen Callil's list. The characters seemed very real. Poor Imogene. Her husband marries her for the qualities that end up angering him (and annoying you!).

>83 pamelad: What others have you read on the list, Pam? "Her husband marries her for the qualities that end up angering him (and annoying you!)." So true. And her husband is just so completely thoughtless. So self-centered.

>84 Crazymamie: I've read 85 of them, most of them before I came across this list. Some new reads from the list were: Train to Pakistan; An Artist of the Floating World; Things Fall Apart; Angel; That's How It Was; Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit; Last Orders (the film is better); The Shipping News; The Human Factor.

Some of my old favourites are: The Siege of Krishnapur; Catch-22; Wide Sargasso Sea; The Sword of Honour Trilogy.

>85 pamelad: You are way ahead of me! I have read a mere 22 of them. I have read The Shipping News, Things Fall Apart, Catch-22, and Wide Sargasso Sea of the ones you posted. What is your overall impression of the quality of the list so far?

I just started listening to Dead I Well May Be by Adrian McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle. I loved McKinty's Sean Duffy books, and Charlotte said these were good as well, so I though I would give them a try. Barely into the story and I had to purchase the Kindle edition as well (currently just $1.99) because I want to be able to mark quotes easily. We meet the main character while he is cleaning up glass from an explosion (the Europa Hotel in Belfast, Ireland).

"We worked, the rain eased, the wind changed, and papers, fragments, bits of the hijacked car, and pulverized brick and glass coated us as we moved. The dismal stuff of explosion so familiar now in many cities. A confusion of words and particles that the poet Ciaran Carson calls Belfast Confetti."

And here is the poem that is referenced:



–Ciaran Carson, from Belfast Confetti (1989)

>86 Crazymamie: I like that there are plenty of books from countries other than Britain and the USA and none by Ian McEwan. Now that I've found it again, I'll read a few more, choose some I'd never heard of.

>88 pamelad: Um...Ian McEwan is on there. Cement Garden, which I read and was not impressed by. I also liked the diversity and the fact that it the books were not the same ones that seem to appear again and again on lists.

Went to look up my review, and I said:

"This one put the funk in dysfunctional family. It centers on three teens (ages 17, 15, and 13) and their much younger brother. We are barely into the book when the father dies and then is quickly followed by the mother. The tension is already building when the mom dies, and you just know that this cannot end well. To avoid being separated, they decide to take care of the body themselves. Did I mention that these are not the smartest children? I mean, I know I read a lot of murder mysteries, but anyone with some common sense could do a better job of it. Anyway, forget about the body. There is a lot of ick in this one - too much detail (the narrator is a fifteen year old boy with a thing for his older sister, so yeah...), and as the tension builds and the story unfolds, it is all deeply unsettling. And yet I couldn't look away, so this gets three stars for McEwan's writing chops. The characters are completely unlikeable, even the 6 year old, so at least watching it all fall apart is not heart breaking. "

>89 Crazymamie: Clearly I didn't want to see it. Your review makes it sound awful. Well done. McEwan's books make my skin crawl - sleazy, or a lot of ick, as you say.

>87 Crazymamie: You make me want to buy the whole series and read them all again, Mamie. So well done.

>90 pamelad: Ha! It was so not great. You can safely skip that one. The only other of his that I ave read is Nutshell, and I actually liked that one - listened to it on audio and the warped humor made it work for me.

>91 charl08: Charlotte, I am so impressed with the writing. McKinty is very good at creating characters that are deeply flawed but have soul that makes you root for them. And he can write dialogue! He's right up there with Elmore Leonard, and that's the highest compliment I can give him - it rings true and is nuanced and human and full of wit and charm and humor. Here are some other gems that I highlighted:

Describing his apartment:

"Forget about swinging a cat, a cat couldn't swing a mouse in here."

"The fire escape is rusted and rickety and will kill us all when the fire comes, but even so it's the nicest place in the apartment."

And I love how he talks about music and books and poetry - I always have to look up what he is referencing and listen to or read it, even if I already know what he is talking about because it sets the tone for me. For example, when Mike takes the subway he says, "The train ride was uneventful. I brought a book with me about a Russian who never gets out of bed. Everyone was upset with him, but you could see his point of view." So I looked it up and he is talking about Oblomov, which now I am going to have to read.

Book #7 Medieval People by Eileen Powers, Kindle, acquired in 2020, non-fiction/social history/Middle Ages - 4.25 stars

Last year I read Square Haunting, which was an excellent book about five writers who had all lived at the same address at various points in time. Here is the Amazon blurb about it:

"In the early twentieth century, Mecklenburgh Square—a hidden architectural gem in the heart of London—was a radical address. On the outskirts of Bloomsbury known for the eponymous group who “lived in squares, painted in circles, and loved in triangles,” the square was home to students, struggling artists, and revolutionaries.

In the pivotal era between the two world wars, the lives of five remarkable women intertwined at this one address: modernist poet H. D., detective novelist Dorothy L. Sayers, classicist Jane Harrison, economic historian Eileen Power, and author and publisher Virginia Woolf. In an era when women’s freedoms were fast expanding, they each sought a space where they could live, love, and—above all—work independently.

With sparkling insight and a novelistic style, Francesca Wade sheds new light on a group of artists and thinkers whose pioneering work would enrich the possibilities of women’s lives for generations to come."

I came away from the book with a bunch of book bullets, and Eileen Powers' book Medieval People was one of them. I was expecting something interesting but also dry and academic. And I was very happy to discover that while the book is interesting, it is also completely engaging and pulls you right into its pages. Powers is so excited about her subject that her enthusiasm is catching. Through letters, wills, brasses, architecture...basically anything she could get her hands on, Powers presents us with a glimpse into the Middle Ages that is not to be missed.

"It is the greatest error to suppose that history must needs be written down; for it may just as well be something built up, and churches, houses, bridges, or amphitheatres can tell their story as plainly as print for those who have eyes to read."

With the exception of Marco Polo, most of her chosen subjects are just ordinary people that she brings fully to life for our benefit.
Anyway, the entire book is full of gems and insights and commentary that is not to be missed if you are at all interested in this time period.

Book #8 Bloody January by Alan Parks, Kindle, acquired in 2020, crime fiction (Harry McCoy, book 1) - 2.5 stars

I have loved many a Harry in my life. Harry Potter. Harry Bosch. Harry Dresden. Harry Nelson. But alas, try as I might, I could not find any love for Harry McCoy, who is the main character of Alan Park's noir police procedural set in Scotland. I love noir. I love Scotland. I love me a good police procedural, but um...no. This one has too much of everything - too much blood, too much violence, too much repetition, too much stupid. And the women! DO NOT get me started on the women! I was very tempted to just completely bail of this one, but by the time I reached that conclusion, I was already 200 pages in, so I decided to just stick it out and see if the ending redeemed it at all. For me, in order for a story to work, I need to either be invested in the characters or in the writing - Parks can write, but I did not understand the constant need to keep reminding the reader of the tragic backstory that is hinted at, then glimpsed, then referenced, then hinted at...you get the idea. And also, if the main character is going to be completely lacking in charm, then at least make him smart - this one just keeps charging in without thinking things through. Anyway, suffice it to say that I will not be reading the next installment.

>93 Crazymamie: Sounds like you found an older good one for the HistoryCAT!

>94 Crazymamie: Uh-oh, I've got this one on my Kindle, but have no immediate plans to read it. Perhaps I will just let it linger there a little longer.

>95 thornton37814: Lori, I was surprised by how good it was. There was a very interesting chapter where an older gentleman married a very young girl, which is how it was done back then, but ew. Anyway, she asks him to please not criticize or chastise her in front of others but to wait until they are alone to advise her on how to correct the problem. So her writes her this book which has sections concerning practically anything that will come up, and he was very knowledgeable. Not just the stuff you would expect about how she should comport herself and how she should greet him when he comes home, but instructions for how to clean various garments, recipes for cleaners and for food, how to deal with household staff, etc. It was so thoughtfully done, and Powers goes into great detail on what some of his advice was to his young bride.

>96 DeltaQueen50: Judy, you might like it better than I did when you get to it. I thought the ending was over the top. Also I didn't like any of the characters, and the plot was a bit of a mess. But it's gotten some great reviews here and on Amazon, so...

I am really enjoying The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen - travel writing from his journey in the mountains of Nepal in 1973.

"Tukten has elf ears and a thin neck, a yellow face, and the wild eyes of a naljorpa, or Tibetan yogi. He radiates that inner quiet which is often associated with spiritual attainment, but perhaps his attainment is a dark one. The other Sherpas are uneasy with him; they mutter that he drinks too much, uses foul language, is not to be trusted. Apparently he has demeaned himself by taking this job of porter. Yet they defer to him as if he possessed some sort of magic, and sometimes I think I feel his power, too. This disreputable fellow is somehow known to me, like a dim figure from another life. Tukten himself seems aware that we are in some sort of relation, which he accepts in a way that I cannot; that he is not here by accident is, for me, a restless instinct, whereas he takes our peculiar bond for granted. More often than I like, I feel that gaze of his, as if he were here to watch over me...the gaze is open, calm, benign, without judgement of any kind, and yet, confronted with it, as with a mirror, I am aware of all that is hollow in myself, all that is greedy, angry, and unwise."

>98 Crazymamie: I've got that on my TBR (ebook). I'm now looking forward to it.

I have had it in the stacks for a while, and I picked it up this month because it fits the AlphaKIT letters of P & M. SO glad I did!

I’ve added Medieval People to my wishlist. The library has an ebook version in their digital collection.

Hooray, Tricia! It's also free on Kindle currently.

Book #9 Paper Girls Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Cliff Chiang (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Artist), Kindle, borrowed, GN, time travel - 3.5 stars

Not quite sure how to describe this one. Four young papergirls are out delivering papers early on a morning in 1988. When one of them gets robbed, they take off after the thugs that stole one of their walkie talkies only to stumble into an abandoned house that has some sort of spaceship looking thing in the basement. Weird things start happening and there is time travel involved. I'm interested to see where this is going, so I will read the next one. The art was fun, and the premise is intriguing. The girls are supposed to be twelve and seem much more mature than that, which is my only quibble.

>103 Crazymamie: I was also on the comics yesterday. I haven't read Paper Girls though. I'll be interested to see your review of the next volume whenever that comes around.

Book #10 The Weirdies by Michael Buckley, borrowed audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, juvenile fiction/humor - 5 stars

Okay. This is delightful. Completely and utterly enchanting, and it is perfectly and brilliantly narrated by Kate Winslet. As an Audible member, I was able to listen to this for free as it is part of the Audible Plus Catalog. It's funny and dark in all the right ways. Written for both children and adults and reminiscent of Roald Dahl - like if Roald Dahl had written The Series of Unfortunate Events meets the Addams Family. And there are going to be more!! Very happy making. If you're thinking the author name is familiar, Buckley also wrote The Sisters Grimm books, which all of us here at the Pecan Paradisio loved.

>104 spiralsheep: What were you reading? I am hoping to read the second one soon before I forget everything. Heh.

>106 Crazymamie: Spell on Wheels volume 2, but it's over three years the first volume was published and I didn't re-read so some of the ongoing character development went whooshing above my head.

Yeah, three years is a long time to be remembering all the details. I had not heard of that one before.

Book #11 Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Kindle, acquired in 2020, gothic horror - 3.5 stars

Amazon says: "After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region."

This was a mixed bag for me. I liked the building tension and the creeping suspense that the author was able to build. It felt like an homage to The Yellow Wallpaper, which was interesting since I just reread that one earlier this month. The premise is sound and makes for a great haunted house story, but it takes too long to get where it's going. I don't know if this is intentional or not, but I felt like it could easily have been about 50 pages shorter and been the better for it. The suspense was almost tangible for me because of the repeated snake motif. I am completely creeped out by snakes, so I almost abandoned this - I was afraid that the people living in the house were going to be shape shifters that shifted into snakes. I was wrong, but still there is a lot of snakeness here. The book takes the first 200 pages to build the tension and then it takes off. Not all of it worked for me, but I do think it is a pretty good gothic horror story if you are not in a hurry to get to the horror. I would have liked for the characters to be more fully fleshed (see what I did there!), and one thing that happened at the end made no sense to me at all, but enough of it worked that I am not grieving my time spent with it.

12. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls, Kindle, acquired in 2021, novella/grief - 4 stars - recommended by Karen, and Richard's comments sealed the deal

I really liked this one. It does a lot within the confines of a novella. And it defies genre for me - is it fantasy? Magical Realism? Feminist literature?Does Mrs. Caliban really have an affair with a sea monster, or is it all in her head? When we meet Mrs. Caliban, she has gone from intense grief to a kind of numb survival mode where she goes about her day to day life without really investing in it. She suspects her husband is having an affair, but it doesn't really seem to matter to her. She is troubled but not aggrieved by it because she has already been through so much. And the radio seems to be talking to her. Specifically to her. After listening to a report of an escaped sea monster from the Jefferson Institute for Oceanographic Research, Mrs.Caliban finds herself confronted by him in her own kitchen, and decides to help hide him from authorities. One reviewer described this as "Desperate Housewives meets Land of the Lost", which I think is pretty apt, but it's also deeper than that. There is humor here, but there is also grief. And social commentary that does not hit you over the head. Quirky and thoughtful and intelligent. And short, so give it a try.

>109 Crazymamie: I have that in my soon to be read stack. I have been hearing mixed reviews about it, but I'm glad you didn't think it was a waste of time.

>111 lsh63: I think if you go into it knowing that it going to take the first 200 pages to do a slow burn, it will help. Definitely a slow start, but then it takes off. Have you read anything else by her?

13. Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen, Kindle, acquired in 2020, short story/food - 4.5 stars

Amazon says: "In this witty classic short story Babette’s Feast, a mysterious French housekeeper, who is taken in by two Danish sisters, wins the lottery and as a gesture of gratitude prepares an extravagant and sumptuous feast for a gathering of religious, ascetic, aging villagers and, in doing so, introduces them to the true essence of charity and grace."

This short story was mentioned in another book I read, which is what put it on my radar. Sadly, I did not make note of that book, but I'm hoping it will come to me eventually. (Chocolat, maybe?) Anyway, this is very well done. I love the message delivered by this one, so just read it already.

>110 Crazymamie: If I hadn't already taken a BB from Katie for Mrs. Caliban, you would have got me for sure. I have ordered the book and I am looking forward to it.

Hooray, Judy! I think you will enjoy it when you get to it.

>112 Crazymamie: I haven't read anything else by this author. She is new to me.

It was my first by her, too, but I have Certain Dark Things, Prime Meridian, and Gods of Jade and Shadow in the stacks.

Book #14 Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge, Hardback, acquired in 2021, graphic biography in verse/books about books - 5 stars

She conceived me.
I took shape like an infant,
Not in her body, but in her heart,
growing from her imagination
till I was bold enough to climb out of the page and into your mind.

This completely blew me away. It arrived today, and I sat down with it to get a feel for it, and I just read straight through it without stopping or getting up. It is stunning. It's the story of Mary Shelley and of how she came to write Frankenstein, but it is told in poetry, and the illustrations are gorgeous and haunting. And she got everything right. It has been meticulously researched and has fabulous endnotes. I read Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon several years ago, and it tells the stories of both Mary Shelley and her mother Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (highly recommended if you are interested), so I am familiar with the histories of both women and of Mary Shelley's father William Godwin. Lita Judge, the author and illustrator of this beautiful 300 page graphic biography, nails it.





*this fits into my Obsessions category, as I have a thing about Mary Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and the novel Frankenstein

>118 Crazymamie: FYI: The last two images aren't showing for me, and the link back to google comes up as an error if I click through.

>120 Crazymamie: I could see them, but I changed them out - can you see them now?

>120 Crazymamie: Yes, and they're lovely! Thank you. :D

You are welcome. Thanks so much for letting me know.

You're welcome. Thanks for letting me know.

I am feeling really good about my January reading. I was able to get at least one entry into every category this month except for my Translations Category. Must do better there. Here are some data:

Books read: 14
Hardback: 1
Paperback: 4
Digital: 7
Audiobook: 2
From my stacks pre-2021: 10
New in 2021: 2
Borrowed: 2

Authors:
Female: 8 / Male: 6
Dead: 6 / Living: 8
New to me: 7
Birth Country: America (6), Denmark (1), England (4), Mexico (1), South Africa (1),

Fiction: 12
Non-fiction: 2
Series I am pursuing: 1
GN/graphic non-fiction: 2/1

Translations: 0

Looks like a great January! Thanks for sharing the Mary Shelley biography illustrations -- they are striking!

>125 rabbitprincess: It was - I am very pleased with my January reading. And you're welcome - it's such a beautiful book.

>118 Crazymamie: Looks good, Mamie. I've been tempted by Monster She Wrote, which I thought was about Shelley, but turns out to be more about women writing about horror collectively. Have you read it?

>127 charl08: You would love that one, Charlotte! Yes, I have read Monster, She Wrote, and it's very good. It provides a brief history of each author and makes recommendations. I took loads of book bullets from it.

Book #15 Paper Girls: Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Cliff Chiang (artist), Matt Wilson (colors), Jared K. Fletcher (letters), paperback, acquired in 2021, GN/time travel - 4 stars

So, I went to the bookstore today. Ahem. This is one of the books I purchased, and I'm glad I did. I read Volume 1 last month and liked it enough to try the next one because I was intrigued by the storyline. Our paper girls have time traveled from 1988 to 2016, and things have gotten complicated. This is slightly convoluted but also very fun - I think I am hooked. Luckily, I also bought Volume 3 today...In my defense, Abby and Birdy (two of my daughters) want to read them, too.

>113 Crazymamie: Mamie I remember the movie version of Babette's Feast. It was just lovely. I've always meant to read this story. Nice review.

>118 Crazymamie: Book bullet for sure! I love Frankenstein. It gets better with age (mine) and every reread. I have multiple copies of it and I'm always on the hunt for something inspired by it, especially if they do it right. Destroyer by Victor LaValle and Frankenstein in Baghdad are two recent works inspired by Frankenstein that worked for me. I have the annotated edition by Leslie Klinger and I love Mary Shelly all the more after reading it. Off to order this right now. Thanks so much.

Roberta!! SO lovely to see you here. Thank you. I have the movie in my queue so that I can easily rent it, but I have not gotten to it yet.

I know you will absolutely love Mary's Monster. I also love Frankenstein and am fascinated by the story behind its creation. I have read Frankenstein in Baghdad and thought it really well done. I am adding Destroyer to The List - thank you for that! I have that annotated edition you mention on my birthday wishlist, so hopefully I will be getting that this year. If not, then I will buy it for myself. Have you read Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon? It's excellent, and I highly recommend it.

>130 luvamystery65: I'll chime in with the love for Frankenstein in Baghdad.

>132 RidgewayGirl: Agreed. It was just so well done.

>131 Crazymamie: Mamie if you don't get it for your bday, do gift yourself the Klinger annotated Frankenstein. It's absolutely gorgeous and full of great information. Guillermo Del Toro pens the introduction and it is simply the most beautiful love letter to Frankenstein and Mary Shelley I have ever read. If a man wrote about me like that, I'd marry him on the spot! LOL! I have not read Romantic Outlaws so I'll add it to my list.

>132 RidgewayGirl: Yes!

>134 luvamystery65: I will! And such high praise - now I am wondering if I can wait until my birthday. *grin* I'm so happy you're adding Romantic Outlaws to the list - it's so good, and I learned so much about both women.

Book #16 Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer, audiobook narrated by Katherine Kellgren, acquired in 2021, YA/historical mystery (Enola Holmes, book 1) - 4 stars

This was delightful. I had watched the Netflix movie and found it charming, so I wanted to read the book. This month's February MysteryKIT: Pastiche Mysteries. Enola Holmes, the main character, is the much younger sister of the famous Sherlock Holmes. The book is very different from the movie, which makes sense since Sherlock and Mycroft are more like fringe characters in the book. I completely understand why they would want to enlarge their roles in the movie, especially with such fabulous casting. Both the book and the movie are very good. Definitely going to keep going with these in audio because the narrator is Katherine Kellgren, and she is just so brilliant.

Book #17 Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, translated by Megan Backus, Kindle, acquired in 2020, novellas/grief - 2 stars

I want my money back.

This is actually two novellas, which I did not know when I started reading it. I picked it up last year in a Kindle sale and read it now because it fits the February RandomCAT: Fruits & Veggies - the title or the author name needs to have a fruit or a vegetable in it. The first novella, which is the title story, is better than the second, but they are both awful. I was so tempted to DNF this one, but it was my first translated work for the year. Speaking of translations, I think that this particular translation is a huge part of the problem here. It is very clunky, for example:

"To live alone with an old person is terribly nerve-racking, and the healthier he or she is, the more one worries."

"It was as quiet as the inside of a glass case."

"The glass of water soaked into my withered heart, It was chilly. My bare feet trembled in my slippers."

So...um...yeah.

>128 Crazymamie: Will add it to the shopping list then, thanks. I do like finding out about unsung writers, even if I never get to the books themselves.

>38 hailelib: Oh, good, Charlotte. Me, too, about finding out about unsung authors.

Book #18: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, Kindle, acquired in 2020, Polish fiction/animal rights - 4 stars

I did finish Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, which was quirky and reflective - it had a fable feel to it but also deals with grief and animal rights. I liked the writing but it felt slightly too long - I might have done better to knock it back instead of sipping on it. I will try a reread of it some day - definitely will look for more by this author. She really captures a sense of place, which in this novel is a small village in Poland very close to the border of the Czech Republic. It is winter, so this counts as a Cold Read - I love reading books with cold setting to counter Georgia's almost constant heat and humidity. The title comes from a William Blake poem (Proverbs From Hell), and he figures prominently in this as the main character and a previous student of hers are translating Blake.

*Sorry to have been so absent here, but I have been dealing with carpal tunnel and headaches - both are better now, so I am hoping to catch up on the threads this week.

>140 Crazymamie: Good to see you back, Mamie. Glad your CP and headaches have faded.

>141 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, Judy.

On the reading front, I have been mostly in Italy - I got on an Italy kick and have been to Naples, Florence, and Venice:



23. I Will Have Vengeance by Maurizio de Giovanni, translated by Anne Milano Appel, trade paperback, acquired in 2014, police procedural/Naples/1930s - 4 stars (Commisario Riccardi, book 1) - recommended by Ellen

24. Death in August by Marco Vichi, translated by Stephen Sartarelli, Kindle, acquired in 2018, police procedural/Florence (Inspector Bordelli, book 1) - 3 stars

25. Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, Kindle, acquired in 2019, police procedural/Venice (Commissario Brunetti, book 1) - 3 stars

26. Up at the Villa by W. Somerset Maugham, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/Florence/ just pre-WWII - 3 stars

I Will Have Vengeance and Death at La Fenice both involved opera, so that was fun - it is used very cleverly in the first book, and I had a lot of fun looking things up and listening to all of the beautiful music. I Will Have Vengeance does an excellent job of capturing the atmosphere in 1930s Naples, and I loved the main character - he sees dead people. Specifically, he sees dead people who have died violently in their final moments. This one is one of Europa's World Noir editions (they are beautiful!), and I have the next three books in the series, so I will be continuing it. I also plan on continuing the other two series - all of these were first books in a series, so three new series added to my overflowing list, but it's all good. Up at the Villa is a standalone that is short and sweet - kind of like falling into a soap opera (see what I did there?!). I read it in one sitting, and the ending did not disappoint.

Other reads this month are:

20. The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen, paperback (with deckled edge pages!), acquired in 2016, travel writing/Nepal/Tibet/Buddhism/grief - 4 stars

21. A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourne, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical mystery (Veronica Speedwell, book 1) - 4 stars - recommended by Chelle

22. Paper Girls: Volume 3 by Brian K Vaughan (writer), Cliff Chiang (artist), Matt Wilson (colors), paperback, acquired in 2021, GN/time travel - 3 stars

27. West by Carys Davies, Kindle, acquired in 2020, historical fiction/western/novella - 4.5 stars - Katie's Dirty Dozen

28. Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, translated by ?, audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/classic - 3 stars

I picked this up because Kate Winslet is a fantastic narrator. I have listened to several books she has done, and they were full of fabulous, so as soon as I saw this one, I snapped it up. And I am trying to read more classics and more translations. Speaking of translations, I have no idea who did this one - I have looked and looked but cannot discover who the translator was for this edition, so if any of you know please speak up. I wish Audible would do a better job of crediting the translators - I feel like I always have to go looking for it in other sources. Anyway, it's awful. The story is awful and the people in it are awful, and yet I could not look away. It's about lust and greed and murder and paranoia, and the best character is not the title character but instead Madame Raquin, who is the aunt and MIL of Thérèse. The story loses a full star for me because of what happens to the cat near the end of the story - it is horrible and completely gratuitous. What Zola did do well was to create psychological tension that slowly builds into madness, and even though you know how it has to end you have to watch it play out. It's like an Alfred Hitchcock movie without the comic relief or the character that you root for.

>144 Crazymamie: Well, guess I'm not reading Thérèse Raquin . . . with the cat thing.

>144 Crazymamie: I had no idea that Kate Winslet had narrated any audiobooks, but I do imagine that she does it very well! She‘s such an accomplished actress!

An extended reading trip to Italy sounds perfect, Mamie. Were there lots of beautiful descriptions of food? Reading Leon always makes me hungry.

>145 NinieB: It was really disturbing to me, especially since it was totally gratuitous.

>146 MissBrangwen: She is indeed! The other two I have listened to her narrate are The Weirdies and Matilda. I hope she does more.

>147 charl08: There were, Charlotte. And each of the books had a great sense of place.

Book #29: Miss Treadway and the Field of Stars by Miranda Emmerson, Kindle, acquired in 2021, mystery/amateur sleuth - 4 stars (Anna Treadway, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte

Charlotte recently mentioned this series on her thread as she had just finished reading book two in the series. Book two is not available here yet, but I picked up the first book and gobbled it right down. I can see why people are comparing the writing to Kate Atkinson - it's thoughtful and there is much more here than just a mystery. Set in 1960s London, and it was really well done. I liked the cast of characters and look forward to reading the next installment.

DO y'all have a favorite recipe for overnight oats? Our favorite so far involves mini chocolate chips and bananas - we make them in Weck jars, and they are like works of art. Delicious but also beautiful. I love that they are yummy hot or cold - I mostly eat them cold. We have been trying on the weekends to have two decadent breakfast menus - one healthier and one not so much.

Speaking of recipes, here are the cookbooks I have been reading through lately:

..

>150 Crazymamie: Nothing fancy here: frozen raspberries and vanilla soy yoghurt. I got the plain kind by accident last week so added some honey too. I find it really filling.
Love the idea of decadent weekend breakfasts. Mine would definitely include a stack of pancakes under that heading!

I can't do soy anymore, Charlotte - I like it, but it doesn't like me. I use a regular organic yogurt. Abby often avoids dairy, so she uses a coconut milk yogurt that is actually really good. Love me some pancakes, especially leftover and cold from the fridge - I'm weird that way. Birdy makes The Best pancakes on the planet, so they are definitely in the rotation.

30. Injury Time by Beryl Bainbridge, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/infidelity/dark comedy - 3.5 stars

"There was very little left for her to do. She'd peeled the potatoes, washed the lettuce, sprinkled herb things on the meat. Still, she wanted her daughters out of the way. Being constantly with the children was like wearing a pair of shoes that were expensive and too small. She couldn't bear to throw them out, but they gave her blisters."

I might have to bump this one up to 4 stars because it has stayed with me, and I keep thinking about it. Basically, it's a dinner party gone horribly wrong. The reader sees this coming - it is after all an intimate dinner party thrown by a man's mistress for two close friends that he is not really close friends with. In fact, he has never even met the wife of the colleague that he has invited. This starts off badly and goes downhill from there, and this part is so well done. The awkward dialogue rings true, and the 1970s setting is perfectly captured. It's dark comedy, and the ending I thought was brilliant.

*This is one of the books that made the list in The Modern Library: The 200 Best Novels in English Since 1950, so it fits in my first category.

31. Passing by Nella Larson, hardback, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/race/1920s - 4 stars

Written in 1929, this has become a classic. The story is one of two friends who grew up together but with different family dynamics meeting again many years later in a chance encounter. They are both black, but one of them has been passing for white since she left the old neighborhood. It doesn't end there because Clare, the woman who has been passing, wants to reestablish ties. This is short and it moves slowly, and it feels like nothing much happens, but the emotions and complexity of the situation come through - it's interesting and I wish there had been more of it. The ending is abrupt but perfect, IMO.

32. Destroyer by Victor LaValle (writer), Micaela Dawn (cover art), Smith Dietrich (artist), Joana Lafuente (colorist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/sci fi/Frankenstein retelling - 4.5 stars - recommended by Roberta

After reading and loving Mary's Monster, Roberta mentioned this one over on my Category Challenge thread. It's very good, so a huge thank you to her. It's a Frankenstein retelling that takes the original story and runs with it. I love how LaVelle weaves Black Lives Matter and feminism into the mix, creating a stunning story arc that I wish had been longer. The gorgeous artwork brings it to life and is the perfect marriage to the narrative.

33. Descender Vol. 1: Tin Stars by Jeff Lemire (author), Dustin Nguyen (artist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/space opera/AI - 5 stars - recommended by Joe

I loved this one! Jeff Lemire is a favorite of mine, and I have liked pretty much everything he has done. This might be my favorite, and that is saying something. It's space opera where AI has been outlawed because of a robot uprising years before. Tim-21 is a robot that had been specifically designed to be a child companion to a human child, and he went to sleep in a reality that he loved but wakes up ten years in the future to find that his way of life no longer exists. He now has to worry about bounty hunters and humans whose motives he cannot trust. And what happened to his family? The artwork here is just beautiful.

>155 Crazymamie: >156 Crazymamie: Looks like you found two winners in a row there. And, yes, the art for Descender is beautiful.

Indeed, I did! I wish there were more of Destroyer, and I can't wait to continue with Descender.

Hi Mamie, in one of those strange bookish coincidences, I was just going through my library list yesterday and decided to bump Decender Vol. 1: Tin Stars up to the top and hopefully, will be reading soon.

>159 DeltaQueen50: I am so happy you bumped it up, Judy. It's very well done, and I think you will love it. No zombies, though.

>154 Crazymamie: I am thinking I will read this (Passing) or Quicksand for the marginalized Bingo square.

Hello, Ninie! Passing is my first book by her, so I will be watching to see what you chose. I looked up Quicksand, as I was not familiar with that one - it sounds good, and it was her first novel.

Mamie I commented on your 75 thread that I'm glad you liked Destroyer. Homages and pastiches are tricky if you love the original. LaValle is a very talented storyteller.

>163 luvamystery65: I did not realize that I had not responded here, Roberta. My apologies. I agree with you and I loved Destroyer - one I know I will revisit.

So, I have been trying to keep up with the top of this thread but have not been good about posting - life has been crazy. Since my last post, I have read 29 more books. Here is a list of them:

34. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal, Kindle, acquired in 2020, literary fiction/linked vignettes - 4.5 stars - recommended by Helen
35. Descender Vol. 2 by Jeff Lemire (author), Dustin Nguyen (artist), Kindle Fire, borrowed, GN/space opera/AI - 4.5 stars - recommended by Joe
36. The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, Kindle, acquired in 2019, literary fiction/Catholicism/religious persecution - 4 stars
37. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/coming of age/1930a - 3.5 stars

May Reads:
38. Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi, hardback, library book, literary fiction/mother-daughter relationships/dementia - 3 stars
39. Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/relationships/infidelity/grief - 4.5 stars
40. Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion, Hardback, library book, non-fiction/essays
41. All Systems Red by Martha Wells, Kindle, acquired in 2018, sci fi/AI/space opera - reread
42. Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor, Hardback, library book, sci fi/death - 4 stars
43. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding, hardback and audio narrated by Kenneth Danzinger, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/classics/humor
44. Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/gothic/psychological thriller - 3.75 stars
45. Body in the Castle Well by Martin Walker, trade paperback, acquired in 2020, police procedural/France (Bruno Courrèges, book 12) - 4 stars
46. The Shooting at Chateau Rock by Martin Walker, trade paperback, acquired in 2021, police procedural/France (Bruno Courrèges, book 13) - 3.5 stars
47. The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman, Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator), Malcolm Jones Iii (Illustrator), paperback acquired in 2013, GN/horror - 3.5 stars
48. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry, Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/noir/private detective - 4.5 stars - recommended by Jennifer (mstrust)
49. The Man with the Golden Typewriter edited by Fergus Fleming, narrated by Julian Rhind-Tutt, audiobook, acquired on 2018, non-fiction/letters/Ian Fleming/James Bond - 5 stars
50. Restless by William Boyd, audiobook narrated by Rosamund Pike, acquired in 2015, thriller/espionage/WWII - 4 stars - recommended by Bonnie and Donna
51. Descender Vol. 3: Singularities by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars

June Reads:
52. Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country buy Neil Gaiman, Kelley Jones (illustrator/artist), borrowed, GN/horror/mythology - 3 stars
53. The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire by Molly Harper, Kindle, acquired in 2016, paranormal mystery/romance (Half Moon Hollow, book 3) - 3 stars
54. Mediterranean Mood Food by Paula See, hardback, library book, cookbook
55. The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths, Kindle, acquired in 2021, police procedural (Harbinder Kaur, book 2) - 4 stars

July Reads:
56. The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths, Kindle, acquired in 2021, police procedural/forensic anthropology (Ruth Galloway, book 13) - 3.5 stars
57. The Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical fiction/WWII - 4 stars
58. Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller, hardback, library book, literary fiction/poverty/grief
59. Descender Vol. 4 Orbital Mechanics by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
60. Up in Honey's Room by Elmore Leonard, Kindle, acquired in 2021, crime fiction/WWII/humor - 3 stars
61. Dead Man in a Ditch by Luke Arnold, 2021 acquired audiobook narrated by Luke Arnold, fantasy/private detective/noir - 3.5 stars

August Reads:
62. Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri, library hardback, translation, literary fiction/linked vignettes/solitude - 4 stars

Standouts would be:

That looks like an excellent round-up of reading! I read The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie this year as well :)

How did I miss your Bogart thread?!? I'm a huge fan!
That Fleming book looks interesting.

>166 rabbitprincess: The books have been very good to me this year. I want to see the movie with Maggie Smith as Miss Jean Brodie - have you seen it?

>167 VictoriaPL: Welcome! I am also a huge Bogart fan - my Dad and I used to watch his movies together when I was growing up.

The Fleming book was really good - I have it in hardback and also on audio. It lets you get to see another side to Ian Fleming - he wrote back to almost everyone who wrote to him about his books, and his letters are charming and witty and gracious. This book collects the letters that deal with the Bond books and movies, and it was full of fabulous.

Ran to the library today, and here's what came home with me:

our endless numbered days by Claire Fuller
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
The Plot by Jean Hand Korelitz
Three Martini Afternoons at the Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton by Gail Crowther
The Window Seat: Notes From a Life in Motion Aminatta Forna

On the reading front, I finished two more books:


63. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, audiobook narrated by Simon Vance, acquired in 2020, classic/shipwreck/survival - 3.5 stars

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe - I listened to this on audio narrated by Simon Vance. It was better than I thought it would be. I kept thinking I was getting to the end and then something else would happen. I had been wanting to read this one since reading The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins - one of my favorite characters from the book (Gabriel Betteredge) had a great love of the novel and constantly referred to it for advise. SO, better than I was expecting, but still a bit of a slog at parts.


64. Ankomst by Gøhril Gabrielsen, translated by Deborah Dawkin, Kindle, acquired in 2021, psychological thriller/novella - 3 stars, recommended by Helen

Helen read this one last year, and her review of it made me add it to The List. I also have a thing about books set in very cold climates - this is set in the far north of Norway, and the main character is an environmental scientist collecting data on a theory she has about climate and the seabird populations. She has thought everything through and seems to be very organized and efficient, but as the days go by things start to unravel. The story has a real menace to it that grows as the story unfolds - this, I thought, was brilliantly done. The ending leaves the reader hanging, so if that kind of thing bothers you, then you might want to skip this one. I can't stop going over it in my head and trying to figure out what the best ending would be. Thanks, Helen, because I would not have found this one on my own.

>169 Crazymamie: yay! Glad you enjoyed Ankomst. It certainly leaves more questions than it answers.

When I read Robinson Crusoe I couldn't quite get my head around quite how much of the book takes place before the bits you know about actually happen. Like you, I'm glad I've read it, but can't say I'd be eager to do so again.

>169 Crazymamie: Ankomst is available on kindle for $4.99, so that's now on my electronic tbr.

>168 Crazymamie: Not yet, but I hope to someday!

>169 Crazymamie: I have Our Endless Numbered Days and Bitter Orange on hold - just waiting! I haven't read any Claire Fuller and I keep hearing great things.
Look forward to seeing what you think as I'm sure you will get to the first one before me.

>173 JayneCM: I actually started it yesterday, Jayne, but I am only a few chapters in - I really love how she writes. My favorite by her is Swimming Lessons, then Bitter Orange, and finally Unsettled Ground.

Okay, I don't know how I managed to miss people, but my apologies.

>170 Helenliz: It does leave more questions than it answers, but it works because then you can't stop thinking about what might have happened.

Right there is a lot of book before you get to the castaway part. I am happy to check it off my list, but I will not be revisiting it. And also, the whole time I was reading it I kept catching myself singing the theme song to Gilligan's Island when I was not listening to the audio. Hopefully that will stop soonish now because I am making myself a bit crazy.

>171 RidgewayGirl: I had picked it up in a Kindle deal, too! Hoping you like it when you get to it.

>172 rabbitprincess: I love Maggie Smith, so I am hoping to track it down soon.

65. The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson, Kindle, acquired in 2021, biographical novel/journalism/Puerto Rico - 3 stars

"I sat there a long time, and thought about a lot of things. Foremost among them was the suspicion that my strange and ungovernable instincts might do me in before I had a chance to get rich. No matter how much I wanted all those things that I needed money to buy, there was some devilish current pushing me off in another direction - toward anarchy and poverty and craziness. That maddening delusion that a man can lead a decent life without hiring himself out as a Judas Goat."

This is my first real foray into the writing of Hunter S. Thompson, although a few years ago I read the first few chapters of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and then put it aside. This was a Kindle deal recently, and I decided to give Thompson another try. It was more accessible than Fear and Loathing - easier to fall into. The writing here is good, but it reminds me of Hemingway. (hint, I am not a huge fan of Hemingway with the exception of A Moveable Feast) Thompson does dialogue better, but there is nonstop drinking, casual misogyny, and characters that make you cringe. The main character obviously has talent and writing chops, and he wants to be better. He really does, but he just cannot be bothered to actually effect change. Thompson originally wrote this back in the late 50s, but it was not published until 1998. And that shows because no drugs, so this is much less trippy than even the few pages that I read of Fear and Loathing. SO I didn't like the characters, and the story was just okay, but what kept me reading were the glimpses of brilliance:

"There were more than a hundred boats, everything from tiny harbor sloops to huge schooners, and their naked spars swayed lazily against a background of green hills and a blue Caribbean sky. I stopped on the pier and looked down at a forty-foot racing sloop. My first thought was that I had to have one. It had a dark blue hull and a gleaming teakwood deck, and I would not have been surprised to see on the bow a sign, saying: 'For Sale - One Soul, no less.'"

Hi Mamie, good to see you posting. I am gearing myself up to give Hunter S. Thompson a try one of these days, I fully expect to be completely baffled by him. I agree totally with your assessment of Robinson Crusoe, I read it quite a few years ago and certainly have no plans to re-visit it. I do recommend the Maggie Smith film version of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", it's very well done. I am aging myself, but I remember going to the movies and seeing this one back in 1969.

>177 DeltaQueen50: Hello, Judy! We had a whole discussion of Hunter S. Thompson on my other thread. Pop over there if you are interested. I am going to give Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas another try.

Robinson Crusoe falls into the slot a lot of the classics fall into for me - so glad to have read it and to now get all the references to it, but not one I will read again.

I so want to watch that Maggie Smith film version, but I still trying to track it down. I love that you remember seeing it in the theater!

66. A Wizard's Guide To Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher, Kindle, acquired in 2021, Children's literature/fantasy/wizards - 3.5 stars - recommended by Richard

"You expect heroes to survive terrible things. If you give them a medal, then you don't ever have to ask why the terrible thing happened in the first place. Or try to fix it."

This was really fun. It's a little darker than most books for this age group, but it works. And really, who doesn't want to be a bakery wizard? And it asks good questions like why don't adults step up and do the right thing in a timely fashion? We expect children to be brave and make good choices even when faced with bullying and even when they are afraid, so why shouldn't adults be held to the same accountability? To balance out the darkness and the serious issues, there is also charm and humor in abundance:

"Don't ask me where the cookies get the dances they do--this batch had been doing hornpipes. The last batch did waltzes, and the one before that hade performed a decidedly lewd little number that had even made Aunt Tabitha blush. A little too much spice in those, I think."

and

"If you have ever prepared for a siege in two days, then you know what the next few days were like. If you haven’t, then you probably don’t. Well…a big formal wedding is about the same (and because we do cakes, I’ve been on the periphery of a few), except that if things go wrong in a siege you’ll all die horribly, and in formal weddings, the stakes are much higher."

A huge thanks to Richard for putting this one on my radar.

67. Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant, Kindle, acquired in 2021, novella/horror/mermaids - 4 stars

Mira Grant is a pseudonym used by Seanan McGuire, and I love her October Daye books, so I thought I would give this a go - it fits the August ScaredyKit: Adrift (Water and Outer Space). Very fun/creepy novella that has a group of scientists traveling with a film crew on a hired cruise ship in order to make a documentary about mermaids. You know from the beginning that all hands will be lost at sea. This is a prequel to Into the Drowning Deep, which I cannot wait to dive into. (See what I did there?!) *blinks*

68. Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, translated by ?, Kindle, acquired in 2021, linked vignettes/Marco Polo/Kublai Khan - 2.5 stars

"As this wave from memories flows in, the city soaks it up like a sponge and expands. A description of Zaira as it is today should contain all Zaira's past. The city, however, does not tell its past, but contains it like the lines of a hand, written in the corners of the streets, the gratings of the windows, the banisters of the steps, the antennae of the lighting rods, the poles of the flags, every segment marked in turn with scratches, indentations, scrolls."

This was a total slog for me even though I took my time reading it, dipping in and out, and really trying to appreciate what it has to offer. Turns out I just didn't care enough even though there are some beautiful sentences and ideas. I know a lot of people love this one, but it just didn't work for me.

Just dropping by to say hello and how much I enjoy reading your thread. Too many books to mention individually.

>176 Crazymamie: My son keeps telling me to read Hunter S. Thompson but my experience has been much like yours, Fear and Loathing is unfinished, the constant drinking and casual mysogyny puts me off too. I might give him one more try.

>165 Crazymamie: You've had some great reads this summer. Good to see good reports of Claire Fuller, who is on my hold list at the library.

>182 VivienneR: What a lovely post - thanks so much for that.

I am going to give Fear and Loathing one more chance, and I did pick up Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone: The Essential Writing of Hunter S. Thompson on audio. Here is the blurb from the Audible page:

"Publisher's Summary

“Buy the ticket, take the ride,” was a favorite slogan of Hunter S. Thompson, and it pretty much defined both his work and his life. Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone showcases the roller-coaster of a career at the magazine that was his literary home.Jann S. Wenner, the outlaw journalist’s friend and editor for nearly thirty-five years, has assembled articles that begin with Thompson’s infamous run for sheriff of Aspen on the Freak Party ticket in 1970 and end with his final piece on the Bush-Kerry showdown of 2004. In between is Thompson’s remarkable coverage of the 1972 presidential campaign — a miracle of journalism under pressure — and plenty of attention paid to Richard Nixon, his bête noire; encounters with Muhammad Ali, Bill Clinton, and the Super Bowl; and a lengthy excerpt from his acknowledged masterpiece, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Woven throughout is selected correspondence between Wenner and Thompson, most of it never before published. It traces the evolution of a personal and professional relationship that helped redefine modern American journalism, and also presents Thompson through a new prism as he pursued his lifelong obsession: The life and death of the American Dream."

Claire Fuller has been such a great find - I am sad that I am reading the last of what she currently has to offer. After that, I will have to wait for her next one.

>180 Crazymamie: oh! I did not know Into the Drowning Deep had a prequel! I have to say, Deep's ending surprised me! Enjoy.

>184 VictoriaPL: I am very excited to get to it. And the ending surprised you - that is full of fabulous! I love when that happens.

70. Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink, Kindle, acquired in 2021, memoir/books about books - 4 stars - recommended by Helen

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that love is more interesting and worthy of being written about when it goes wrong. If you meet a happily married couple at the beginning of the novel, you know they won't be staying that way. Either one of them will be lying to the other - or they will both be lying to everyone. Deceit, adultery, obsession and betrayal work brilliantly in fiction, and some of the best novels are about despair and disillusion caused by matters of the heart.

This is both a memoir and a book about books. The first few chapters are a little too precious, and I almost set it aside, but I am SO thankful that I kept going. She really settles into her narrative and delivers an interesting and compelling story about how her love of reading led to working in bookstores and eventually to writing. It's also about grief because along the way she loses her younger brother, miscarries a baby, and has to help her mom deal with breast cancer. She writes about the books that have been part of her journey, and this is woven into the narrative, but she also has sections where she lists several books with brief descriptions in categories such as the chapter O Brother, Where Art Thou?:

"Unable to bear the thought of a real life support group, I found my own on the shelves. I often saw myself in these stories of sibling loss, many of which are autobiographical. It always helps to know that others had walked through the fire and - though not undamaged - come out the other side.

She then lists six books with a quote from them and a brief description/thoughts on it. The books here are: The Traveling Hornplayer, All My Puny Sorrows, Family Life, 26a, The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells, and A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing.

Lest you think this is a darker, sadder book, it isn't - there is also humor here and anecdotes that will make you laugh out loud. I picked this one about her school days and the reading trolley for Richard:

"I read abridged versions of Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities from that trolley. I didn't know they were abridged, and it was a surprise a few years later to realize how long and dull most of Dickens is. I never quite got over it or been able to recapture that burst of excitement I felt for Dickens on our first acquaintance."

This book is a gem packed with titles both familiar and unknown, and I gobbled it up and took notes. Definitely one I will visit again, so thank you, Helen for bringing it to my attention.

>186 Crazymamie: I purchased this book when it first came out as I adore books about books and the cover! I need more books to add to my list always - NOT! But I add them anyway. I just wish someone would invent a way that we didn't have to 'waste' reading time with sleeping!

HA! It's called insomnia, and I have it. My love of reading means that I at least know exactly what to do with all those hours that I am not sleeping. I am guessing you will love the book when you get to it - I loved that she didn't just round up the usual suspects. There were loads of titles that were new to me in there.

>188 Crazymamie: Mine is called a hubby who snores - reading is better than trying to sleep! But I resent even the five or six hours a night I do seem to need just to function!

>189 JayneCM: Oh, dear! Mine was also a great snorer until he got his CPAP. And I hear you about wishing you could use those sleeping hours for reading.

71. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson, classic/literary fiction/industrialism - 5 stars

"There was a filmy veil of soft dull mist obscuring, but not hiding, all objects, giving them a lilac hue, for the sun had not yet fully set; a robin was singing ... The leaves were more gorgeous than ever; the first touch of frost would lay them all low to the ground. Already one or two kept constantly floating down, amber and golden in the low slanting sun-rays."

I absolutely loved this! Published in 1854, the novel deals with industrialization and its consequences. The main character, Margaret Hale, comes from the south of England, which is more rural and less spoiled. She is forced to move north with her family when her father gives up his living and moves his family to Milton (based on Manchester) where the mills provide work but also pollute their surroundings. Slowly, Margaret gets to know the people of Milton and to understand their daily lives. Placed as she is in the middle of the social structure, she gets to know both the workers and the mill owner. She sees both sides of the story as a strike approaches. This is so well done, and I loved so many of the characters, and was sorry to lose my vantage point when the story ended.

This was originally written and published as a serial in Household Words, a magazine edited by Charles Dickens. Gaskell wanted to call it Margaret Hale, but Dickens insisted on the title he chose. He also insisted that it be shortened from 22 installments to 20 - oh, the irony of Dickens thinking that Gaskell was too wordy. I would love to know what she left out - the story is gorgeous from first page to the last, and I wanted more.

>191 Crazymamie: that is ironic, LOL!
Have you seen the BBC mini series? Gorgeously done. I've always had a thing for Mr Thornton marching through the mill with his broody face on, the cotton fluff flying about like snowflakes.

>192 VictoriaPL: Right?! I have not seen the mini series - I'm gonna track that down, thanks for the tip!

ETA Our library system has it, so I placed a hold!

>193 Crazymamie: awesome! Let me know what you think!

Will do!

Haha yes, the North and South miniseries is so good! Richard Armitage at peak handsomeness. I love the book too...I'm fond of describing it as "like Pride and Prejudice, but with more labor strikes."

>196 christina_reads: 😂 love it!

>191 Crazymamie: Love, love North and South!

>192 VictoriaPL: And yes to that scene in the miniseries. This is my favourite BBC classic adaptation(I even put it above P&P with Colin Firth and that's saying something!)

>191 Crazymamie: Chiming in to say I loved this book, too. And the miniseries!

>198 JayneCM: ah, you're in the Colin camp. I’m a Matthew girl when it comes to P&P, LOL

>196 christina_reads: Too funny!

>197 VictoriaPL: *grin*

>198 JayneCM: I was surprised how quickly I fell into the story and how charmed I was by it. Definitely one I will visit again. And now I really can't wait to get to that miniseries - it is "in transit" to my local library.

>199 MissWatson: A lot of love for this one! SO great! I had only read Cranford by her before.

>200 VictoriaPL: I love both versions, but my very favorite is the one with Matthew.

>202 Crazymamie: Another one who broods beautifully is Theo James in Sanditon.

>203 VictoriaPL: Oh! I have not seen that one. I need to start a list. Thanks!

>204 Crazymamie: I’ve been waiting to see if they're going to do another season or just leave us hanging (as the book was unfinished).

>205 VictoriaPL: Oh, dear! I hope they do another season.

72. Remake by Connie Willis, Audiobook narrated by Christopher Kipiniak, acquired in 2021, sf/Hollywood/futuristic - 4.5 stars

I loved this! The only reason it does not get the full five stars is that the ending felt a bit rushed to me. I wish it were a full novel instead of a novella. It's complicated, so here's the Amazon blurb:

"It's the Hollywood of the future, where moviemaking's been computerized and live-action films are a thing of the past. It's a Hollywood where Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe are starring together in A Star Is Born, and if you don't like the ending, you can change it with the stroke of a key.

A Hollywood of warmbodies and sim-sex, of drugs and special effects, where anything is possible. Except for what one starry-eyed young woman wants to do: dance in the movies. It's an impossible dream, but Alis is not willing to give up. With a little magic and a lot of luck, she just might get her happy ending after all."

If, like me, you love old movies, especially the ones from Hollywood's Golden Era, then this book is a delightful gift from one movie lover to another because it's obvious that Willis loves the movies. There are so many great lines and references to the movies that I grew up watching with my Dad: Casablanca, Some Like it Hot, Singing in the Rain, The Thin Man...It's beautifully done and the writing has a definite Philip K. Dick vibe to it, making it feel like it was written just for me. There is a whole conversation about Casablanca that runs through the narrative, and a bit of a mystery, too. Even High Road to China (one of my all time favorites) gets a mention. And I learned that Fred Astaire did his dance routines in one long take with no editing allowed. In fact, Willis dedicated the book to Astaire. Anyway, it was a perfect fit for me, and the audio was excellent. If, on the other hand, you are not a fan of the movies, then maybe give this one a pass.

>207 Crazymamie: I adore Connie Willis but haven't read this yet. Will have to get to it sooner rather than later! I would also recommend her collection of holiday stories, A Lot Like Christmas -- "Miracle" and "Now Showing" both have lots of great classic movie allusions.

>208 christina_reads: This was my first Connie Willis. The main character is tasked with going back through old films and editing out the AS (addictive substances) - it made me laugh when he said that The Thin Man basically disappears. So much great stuff in there if you are a movie buff.

I actually have that holiday story collection, so I'm happy to hear it is good - I picked it up in a Kindle sale last year.

73. Essential Welty by Eudora Welty, Audiobook narrated by Eudora Welty, acquired in 2017, short stories/Southern fiction - 4.5 stars



Several years ago I read What There Is to Say We Have Said: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and and William Maxwell, and it was wonderful. Welty and Maxwell were very good friends, but they also had a working relationship as he was the fiction editor of The New Yorker magazine from 1936 to 1975. Welty and Maxwell corresponded for over 50 years, and the letters are delightful and charming and full of gossip and recipes and gardening tips - they shared a love of roses. They are also full of the editing of some of her stories for publication in the magazine. One thing that repeatedly came up was how much Maxwell and his wife enjoyed listening to Welty read her stories to them. So, when I saw this collection of three short stories that were read by Welty herself, I snapped it up. Maxwell was right - you have not experienced her stories completely until you have heard them read by the author. Her cadence and expression brings them completely to life and morphs them into something more. Something elevated. Like Zora Neale Hurston, she captured the dialect and the expressions and idioms of the Deep South in her writing. She had to fight for this because editors, including Maxwell, were always wanting to weed out the things that they thought would not translate to an audience that was not from the South. I'm glad that she refused to compromise.

This collection includes "Why I Live at the P.O.", "Powerhouse", and "Petrified Man". My personal favorite was "Why I Live at the P.O.", but they are all very good.

>200 VictoriaPL: I am definitely in the Matthew camp as well - I was just comparing the two BBC series! I own that P&P version on DVD and let's say I watch it regularly. I am also a huge fan of the soundtrack by Dario Marianelli - just beautiful.

>205 VictoriaPL: I have read that there will be a season two of Sanditon but that Theo James will not be returning. He says he quite liked the open ending of the series. Not sure what they will be doing with the storyline.

>207 Crazymamie: Dedicated to Fred Astaire? How cool! I need this.

Re P&P: My favourite version is the 1980 one with David Rintoul.

>207 Crazymamie: Definitely a BB for me! I love the golden era of Hollywood. I am always astounded that Fred Astaire would not allow editing or retakes - apparently he was very hard on his fellow stars if they made mistakes!

>211 JayneCM: I love both versions, but the one with Matthew is our very favorite, and you are so right that the soundtrack is beautiful - we own just the soundtrack as well, and love to listen to it. And the photography! So many gorgeous shots, and I think some of my favorite scenes are the ones with no dialogue.

>212 MissWatson: Yep. I loved that, too. Hoping you enjoy it as much as I did when you get to it.

I have not seen that version, so I will have to track it down and report back. Pride and Prejudice is my all time favorite book. And I love it on audio narrated by Rosamund Pike, who played Jane in that P&P version with Matthew. She does all the voices so perfectly - who knew she was so good at that? She captures Mrs. Bennet perfectly.

>213 JayneCM: Hooray! It's amazing really that he didn't allow any editing. And the thing that Alis loves about Astaire's dancing is that he made it look effortless - she explains that is why she prefers Astaire to Gene Kelley, who was a great dancer but made it look like a lot of hard work.

>214 Crazymamie: I do love Rosamund Pike - anything she is in is usually good. I especially love her voice as Moominmamma in the Moominvalley series - I have a childhood adoration for the Moomin series and I still love them!

>215 Crazymamie: That is true about the difference between them. Although I always love Ginger Rogers' comment on the dancing!

Agreed about Rosamund Pike. I have not seen that Moon series - I read the books many, many years ago. Have you read The Summer Book by that same author? I read it earlier this year and just loved it.

Do you mean the one about backwards and in heels?

>217 Crazymamie: I love The Summer Book. I have also read an interesting biography, Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Words. Her parents were described as being 'determinedly bohemian'. It was interesting that the Moomins started as anti-fascist cartoons as Tove was a political cartoonist.

Yes, that's the comment I meant - so true!

>218 JayneCM: I'm gonna add that biography to The List. There is also a book of letters that I would like to read. That is very interesting about the cartoons - I didn't know that.

74. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, Kindle, acquired in 2013, crime fiction/classic - 4 stars

This one has been on my radar forever, and I am glad that I finally made time for it. I had already decided that this is what I would read for one of my classics challenge entries: A classic crime story, fiction or non-fiction. This can be a true crime story, mystery, detective novel, spy novel, etc., as long as a crime is an integral part of the story and it was published at least 50 years ago. And then Susan read it and really liked it, so I decided to get to it now. It also fits into my category for Books listed in The Modern Library: The 200 Best Novels in English Since 1950. The only other Highsmith I have read is Strangers on a Train, which is also very good.

What Highsmith does so well with Ripley is to create a character that is essentially a villain and then makes you root for him. She does an excellent job of letting you feel what he is feeling and therefore you understand his reasoning even if you don't agree with it. The cherry on top is that while he is excellent at part of his endeavors, he is such a disaster at the rest of it. He panics. He makes mistakes. He takes risks he doesn't need to take because he likes the adrenaline rush. Stopping before I say too much, but if you like crime fiction, this is a classic for a reason - just read it already.

75. A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark, library hardback, fantasy/steampunk/1912 Cairo - 4 stars

This is the third story I have read that is set in this universe, and they are all very good and very fun. The other two, The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and A Dead Djinn in Cairo are short stories; this one is the first full length novel. Here is the Amazon blurb:

"Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world forty years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and a familiar person from her past, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city—or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems…"

Clark is excellent with the world building and his descriptions of everything from clothing to architecture make me wish they would make these into graphic novels. They would be stunning. And the characters are full of fabulous. There is adventure and intrigue but it's also about the truths that we learn as we make our way through life:

"'Usually the secret we keep deep down ain't meant to hurt other people,' he said. 'Not saying they won't, but not through intentions. Those deep secrets, we hide away because we're afraid what other people might think. How they might judge us, if they knew. And nobody's judgement we scared more of than the one we give our hearts to. Besides, everybody got secrets. Even you, I'm betting.'"

There is also some excellent advice:

"If you steal, steal a camel, she heard her mother whisper. And if you love, love the moon."

>191 Crazymamie: Mamie I loved North and South so much I am slowly working my way through the works of Elizabeth Gaskell. My next one that I'm going to get to one of these days is Ruth. I hope you get to Mary Barton. Juliet Stevenson narrates both MB and N&S. She does justice to Gaskell's works.

Not only did Dickens shorten North and South, but he heavily edited all of her works. She wanted to write more about the workers conditions and also the issues of the church, but she was forced to make her novels more romantic. Here is a link from a book discussion a few years ago. It's where the fantastic lyzard chimes in.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/128360#3106849

Like many Victorian writers she wrote some gothic and ghost stories! Perfect for Halloween or Christmas reading.

>192 VictoriaPL: Richard Armitage is so handsome and broody as John Thornton. >196 christina_reads: Yes!

>222 luvamystery65: Hello, Roberta! The audio of N&S I listened to was narrated by Juliet Stevenson - I love her! I will make Mary Barton my next Gaskell since you recommend it. Thanks!

Oh! Thanks for the mention of that link - I can't find it? I did not know there was a thread where Liz talked about this, but I would love to read through it.

I love gothic and ghost stories, so I will have to read some of hers - what is your favorite so far?

I just picked up that miniseries from the library, so I am very excited to get to it. I will report back!

>222 luvamystery65: I know…..
When my DH dragged me to see The Hobbit in theatres and they had Richard in this HUGE beard, I was like no, no, no. But… there was also Aiden Turner (Poldark) in The Hobbit so I did not protest too much. 😊

>224 VictoriaPL: Aidan Turner. *sigh*

>225 Crazymamie: yes.

Yesterday was very stormy here, so I indulged myself with quieter pursuits. Read some more out of Aminatta Forna's essay collection The Window Seat, read some of the letters in Counting One's Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, which was recommended by Susan, and worked on catching up some more on the threads. Rae and I started watching North and South, the miniseries that everyone was talking about up thread - the one with Richard Armitage. He is perfect in this role. I am not quite halfway through it. I was surprised by how much of the beginning of the book is missing here - they really just wanted to get the Hales established in Milton, and I though it was a mistake to leave out the fact that Margaret's father left it to her to tell her mother that he had given up his living and that they were moving. What I thought was a brilliant addition was Margaret writing a letter and stating, "I wish I could tell you how lonely I am. How cold and harsh it is here. Everywhere there is conflict and unkindness. I think God has forsaken this place. I believe I have seen hell and it's white, it's snow-white."



Later, Abby, Rae and I watched several episodes of the new Netflix series The Chair. Anyone else watching this? We are really liking it so far - the casting is brilliant.



In the wee small hours of the morning, my insomnia read was the sample of Lolly Willowes that I had sent to my Paperwhite. We were discussing this author over on Paul's thread, and he and Richard mentioned that this is her most popular novel. I liked the sample, so I purchased the Kindle book and continued reading - not very far in, but I like the writing style and the story so far.

>227 Crazymamie: I've never read any Gaskell, but I have North and South on the TBR pile, so hopefully will reach it eventually!

I've not seen The Chair, but I have a number of academic friends who think it is very accurate.

>228 Jackie_K: You are in for a treat when you get to it.

I think it rings true, too. I have not worked in academics, but my husband's sister spent her entire career there, and it reminds me of the stories she has told about the behind the scenes chaos.

>223 Crazymamie: Oops! So sorry Mamie! Here is the link https://www.librarything.com/topic/128360#3106849 The whole thread (there are 3) are a nice review of the book and I always appreciate following these type of threads because they are very enlightening.

The Old Nurse's Story is probably the best one of hers. She wrote more gothic type stories than scary stories.

I'm glad you are watching BBC North and South. *sigh*

>224 VictoriaPL: I still can't wrap my head around his role in The Hobbit.

>230 luvamystery65: Thanks for that, Roberta. I have followed along on those tutored threads before and learned a lot. I still have the ones for Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice starred.

Making a note of The Old Nurse's Story - thank you.

I just finished up watching that BBC North and South yesterday - SO good, even though they changed quite a bit of the book. Everyone was right that Simon Armitage is perfect for that role.

Aw! We loved him in The Hobbit - we are huge LOTR fans, so we gobbled all of the movies right up.

*Back to add this - look at what Audible has coming out in October!!

Publisher's Summary

"Brought to you by Penguin.

Elizabeth Gaskell's chilling Gothic Tales blends the real and the supernatural to eerie, compelling effect. 'Disappearances', inspired by local legends of mysterious vanishings, mixes gossip and fact; Lois the Witch, a novella based on an account of the Salem witch hunts, shows how sexual desire and jealousy lead to hysteria; while in 'The Old Nurse's Story' a mysterious child roams the freezing Northumberland moors. Whether darkly surreal, such as 'The Poor Clare', where an evil doppelgänger is formed by a woman's bitter curse, or mischievous like 'Curious, If True', a playful reworking of fairy tales, all the stories in this volume form a stark contrast to the social realism of Gaskell's novels, revealing a darker and more unsettling style of writing."

76. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, Audiobook narrated by Fenella Woolgar, acquired in 2013, historical fiction/alternate lives - 4.5 stars

This was full of fabulous, and the narration by Fenella Woolgar was perfection. What if when you died, you started life over again from the beginning? Not reincarnation but your own life - same parents, same birthdate, same weather. This is what happens to Ursula Todd, and the different roads her life takes depending on what choices she and others around her make is fascinating. And how Atkinson handles the narrative is brilliant - restarting from the beginning until just the word "snow" is enough for the reader to signal Ursula's birth. The premise is tricky and would be so easy to mismanage, but Atkinson makes it a journey worthy of the reader's time.

.
77. Descender Vol. 5: Rise Of The Robots by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
78. Descender Vol. 6: The Machine War by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 5 stars

The final two entries in this space opera series by the talented team of Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen. I cannot believe how perfect the ending was, and highly recommend this series to anyone who loves science fiction and the graphic novel format. The illustrations are gorgeous and really bring this story to life.

August was an excellent reading month for me. I read a total of 16 books, making it my best reading month so far this year.

August Reads:
63. Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri, library hardback, translation, literary fiction/linked vignettes/solitude - 4 stars
64. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, audiobook narrated by Simon Vance, acquired in 2020, classic/shipwreck/survival - 3.5 stars
65. Ankomst by Gøhril Gabrielsen, translated by Deborah Dawkin, Kindle, acquired in 2021, psychological thriller/novella - 3 stars, recommended by Helen
66. The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson, Kindle, acquired in 2021, biographical novel/journalism/Puerto Rico - 3 stars
67. A Wizard's Guide To Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher, Kindle, acquired in 2021, Children's literature/fantasy/wizards - 3.5 stars - recommended by Richard
68. Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant, Kindle, acquired in 2021, novella/horror/mermaids - 4 stars
69. Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, translated by ?, Kindle, acquired in 2021, linked vignettes/Marco Polo/Kublai Khan - 2.5 stars
70. Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink, Kindle, acquired in 2021, memoir/books about books - 4 stars - recommended by Helen
71. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson, classic/literary fiction/industrialism - 5 stars
72. Remake by Connie Willis, Audiobook narrated by Christopher Kipiniak, acquired in 2021, sf/Hollywood/futuristic - 4.5 stars
73. Essential Welty by Eudora Welty, Audiobook narrated by Eudora Welty, acquired in 2017, short stories/Southern fiction - 4.5 stars
74. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, Kindle, acquired in 2013, crime fiction/classic - 4 stars
75. A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark, library hardback, fantasy/steampunk/1912 Cairo - 4 stars
76. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, Audiobook narrated by Fenella Woolgar, acquired in 2013, historical fiction/alternate lives - 4.5 stars
77. Descender Vol. 5: Rise Of The Robots by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 4 stars
78. Descender Vol. 6: The Machine War by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen (Artist), Kindle Fire, acquired in 2021, GN/space opera/AI - 5 stars

My favorite was North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, and the worst one was Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. I listened to five audiobooks, so I have finally gotten back into my audio grove, which is happy making.

Translations: 3 (2 from Italian, 1 from Norwegian)

Authors that are new to me: 6 (Gøhril Gabrielsen, Hunter S. Thompson, T. Kingfisher, Italo Calvino, Cathy Rentzenbrink, Connie Willis)

Female/Male author: 10/6

Dead/Living author: 6/10

Nonfiction: 1

Borrowed/Mine: 3/12

>233 Crazymamie: I love Fenella Woolgar! She will always be Agatha Christie to me because of her appearance on Doctor Who ;) Might have to read this book via audio if she's the one reading it.

>235 rabbitprincess: Yes! And she did it so brilliantly. I thought it worked so well on audio.



I really do need to watch Doctor Who. I have only seen a handful of episodes.

So I looked on Audible to see it Fenella Woolgar had narrated anything else, and she has done quite a few, including some Agatha Christie:

...

She has also done some as part of a full cast.

79. Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warren, Kindle, acquired in 2021, literary fiction/feminism - 3 stars

"Time went faster that the embroidery did. She had actually a sensation that she was stitching herself into a piece of embroidery with a good deal of background."

This was a quick read suggested by Paul when I asked about an entry point into Warner's writing. It's a strange little novel that finds its voice at the end. Laura Willowes, called Lolly by her family, is a single woman in want of "a room of her own". Written in 1926, this novel precedes Virginia Woolf's famous essay that so eloquently elaborates on why it is important for women to be able to claim and to make their own way. When Laura's father dies, she is 28 and unmarried, so she is told that she will live with her brother Henry and his wife. She is given the smaller spare room as her own, and is forced to leave all that she has known behind as she moves from Lady Place, her childhood home in Somerset, to London. Now instead of rambling walks and puttering in the greenhouse and deciding for herself what each day holds, she will help to care for her brother's children and keep her sister-in-law company in exchange for room and board. And she does this for many years. When her nieces and nephews are finally grown, she sees an opening and finally takes control by announcing she is moving to Great Mop in the Chilterns. This is where the story starts to take off, and we see Laura just begin to find her own happiness when her nephew descends on her and decides to stay - he is writing a book. What happens next is obvious from the book's cover - Laura becomes a witch. I don't want to spoil the book, so I will stop there. I am of two minds about the ending, and I feel like I need to let that marinate a bit more...

>233 Crazymamie: I'm going to read Life After Life this month, I'm so glad to see you enjoyed it!

>238 Crazymamie: When I put Lolly Willowes down it was hard to pick it up again, but after seeing your review I've finished it. I think that in 1926 the book would have been more thought provoking and meaningful than it is now. Lolly certainly chose an unusual way of separating herself from her family's expectations, and to me the ending seemed didactic and nonsensical.

You've had some terrific books in August. The Talented Mr Ripley is one of my favourites as well as Life after Life by Kate Atkinson - well anything by Kate Atkinson really.

>239 Jackie_K: I can't wait to see what you think of it. I want to read the follow-up book A God in Ruins, too. Not right away, though, but soonish before I start forgetting things.

>240 pamelad: I agree with you that the book would have been a better read in 1926. I keep coming back to that ending. What bothers me is that she had to sell her soul to the devil in order to achieve freedom? Does that even make sense? I think it would have been much more powerful for her to just stand up for herself. She does this when she leaves her family and moves to Great Mop, so why doesn't she assert herself again?

>241 VivienneR: Did you read the rest of the Ripley books? And YES about Kate Atkinson - I adore her Jackson Brodie books, and have read the first four several times. I have been hoarding the fifth one - I have it on audio narrated by Jason Isaacs. How fabulous is that?!

>242 Crazymamie: Exactly, and tormenting Tobias is petty and mean, nothing to admire.

>243 pamelad: Do you mean Titus? And yes, I completely agree.

80. Memento Mori by Muriel Spark, Audiobook narrated by Nadia May, borrowed from Audible Plus Catalog, literary fiction/old age - 4 stars

This was really fun, and the audio is full of fabulous. I don't know how she does it, but Nadia May really brings this one to life, and had me laughing out loud in places. The dialogue is especially well done, and even though most of the characters are somewhat unlikeable, this is a delight - funny and sad and bittersweet all at the same time.

81. The Window Seat: Notes from a Life in Motion by Aminatta Forna, library hardback, non-fiction/essays - 4.5 stars

“…I’d said that although we lived at a time when public and media attention was focused on those who migrated, I was interested in what it was that compelled people to stay in the place they first called home or hame. Ideas of home produce a cultural schism, for home is at once the focus of great nostalgia for some, equally for others home is a place they can’t wait to get away from. Home is somewhere you escape from, grow out of, return to. Yet even those who revere the idea of home rarely seem able adequately to describe it. I am often asked this question, Where is home? And sense that my efforts at a reply are found wanting. The reason for this, I believe, is a conceptual mismatch between me and my interlocutor on the definition of the word home. For them, those people who want an answer from me, I have discovered two things to be consistently true: home is always located in the past. It is not enough for me to say, ‘Arlington.’ Also, it is a noun used strictly in the singular. The word ‘homes’ is antithetical to the idea of home.”

p.124 from the essay “Hame”

This is a collection of seventeen essays, and they are all very good; several of them are excellent. All of them made me think. The only other work I have read by this author is Happiness, which I highly recommend. For those of you who have read that one, there is an essay in this collection that will show you insights into how the portions about the foxes living in cities began to germinate in Forna's head. Aminatta Forna and I are of an age, and so her life experiences speak to me even though we have lived very different lives. In this collection, she reflects on the year 1979 when she was living in Tehran and had a front row seat to the Shah of Iran leaving and the Ayatollah Khomeini returning and the events that lead to the Iranian students storming the US Embassy and taking hostages.

"I was fourteen, and about to see a part of somebody else's history being made. I wish I had been older, wiser. I wish I could remember more, had paid more attention, understood more - but then I remind myself that I was not alone. What happened in 1979 has happened many times before and many times since, in places where people have set themselves free and believed with all their hearts that the freedom they had fought for was real and lasting, only to be recaptured."

She also writes about sexual harassment and insomnia and the meaning of home. She writes about childhood and about how some things that hurt us write on the slate of who we are and can never be erased. It is a lesson in perspective from a woman whom I share so much and yet so little with - her life experiences are so much bigger and so much broader than mine, and yet we are both women, both daughters and mothers, both in our fifties...I hope she writes more like this one and continues to share her journey with us.

82. A Room with a View by E. M. Forster, Audiobook narrated by Rebecca Hall, borrowed from Audible Plus Catalog, literary fiction - 5 stars

I love how Forster writes. Of the novels I have read by him, this is the lightest of heart. It is every bit as observant as A Passage to India, every bit as contemplative as Howard's End, and yet there is more joy here. More humor. For me, it was the perfect audiobook at the perfect time. I would also highly recommend the 1985 movie version of it starring Helena Bonham Carter and Julian Sands. The rest of the cast is also full of fabulous.

83. All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Trade Paperback acquired in 2021, non-fiction/politics/Watergate/Washington Post - 4 stars, buddy read with Susan and Birdy

Birdy and I both love the movie version of this starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford - we have seen it multiple times and had been wanting to read the book. Susan was talking about reading it and we decided to do a buddy read of it with her. It turned into a family read aloud here at the Pecan Paradisio, which was both fun and funny. Story time at the Pecan Paradisio. We learned A LOT, and I was surprised at just how well written and organized it is - so many names and dates and acronyms, and a HUGE cast of characters. Susan had mentioned the podcast Slowburn as a good additional source of material, and when searching for it, I found that it had been made into a documentary. It's excellent, and really helped us to keep all the characters straight by putting faces to the names. A truly amazing story that could so easily not have been known except for that bungled burglary that began the unraveling of it all.



And now, of course, we have to watch the movie again. It's kinda like "if you give a mouse a cookie"...

84. Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical romance (Spindle Cove, book 4) - 4.5 stars, Katie's Dirty Dozen
85. Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare, Kindle, acquired in 2021, historical romance (Spindle Cove, book 5) (Castles Ever After, book 4) - 4 stars

Katie recently read Any Duchess Will Do, and her review of it made me add it to her Dirty Dozen list. I have tried Tessa Dare before but never managed to finish one. I'm glad I gave her another try because this one was practically perfect - the right book at just the right time for me. It's a Pygmalian meets Cinderella meets Pretty Woman type of story, and I loved the ending. One I know I will read again, and I loved it so much that I just kept going and read the next book in the series, Do You Want to Start a Scandal. This one was just as charming - a country house party story complete with mystery. These come highly recommended if you enjoy historical romance. Let's just not mention to Susan that I started with book four, shall we?

>242 Crazymamie: I'm just over half way through Life After Life and loving it so far! Should finish it towards the end of the week, so I'll review it soon.

>246 Crazymamie: I would have taken a BB from your review of this, but it's already on my wishlist! I do love a good essay collection.

>247 Crazymamie: I adore A Room with a View too - the movie is perfect, and so faithful to the book (which is also a great read). I'm not a huge fan of EM Forster, but you're right, the humour in this really elevates it.

>249 Crazymamie: I also decided to give Tessa Dare another go, having given up on her after a couple of really annoying books, and am going along nicely with Romancing the Duke. Do you Want to Start a Scandal could be another possibility.

>155 Crazymamie: The spread you included for Destroyer back in April is... well... disconcerting, I think is the best word I have. Disturbing too.

>179 Crazymamie: A Wizard's Guide To Defensive Baking sounds adorable! I love the quotes and themes you pulled. Definitely going to add this to my list of possible future reads.

I love all the movie references in this thread -- I haven't seen most of them (though I did enjoy The Chair -- which doesn't count!) so I've also been plumping up my "movies to look out for" lists. ;)

>250 Jackie_K: I can't wait to see what you think of Life After Life.

That essay collection was a spontaneous choice for me - it was sitting with the new books at the local library, and I loved her novel Happiness, so I added it to my stack. So glad I did. Like you, I love to read essay collections. You have given me an idea - I might use that as a category for next year.

I was surprised at how faithful the movie was to the book, and Maggie Smith was excellent in it.

>251 pamelad: Do You Want to Start a Scandal is the fifth book in her Spindle Cove series and the fourth book in her Castles Ever After series. I liked it enough that I picked up the one you're reading since it's the first in that Castles Ever After series. Not sure if I will go back and read the earlier books in the Spindle Cove series or not.

>252 pammab: I'm sorry if the image I chose bothered you. I was trying to pick something from the web that showed the quality of the artwork without giving too much of the story away. I mean, it's a Frankenstein retelling, so the story is disturbing, but I did not mean to make anyone uncomfortable - my apologies.

I think you will love A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking when you get to it - it was my first book by that author, but it will not be my last.

I love that you have been making a list of movies from my thread!! SO fun! When I was growing up, every Sunday our local tv station played movies back to back with no commercials - it was called Action/Adventure Theater, and they usually had a theme like all war movies or musicals or featuring the same actor. My Dad and I would watch together, and it is one of my favorite memories of him. He loved Humphrey Bogart and Paul Newman and Cary Grant, and now when I watch those movies, they bring him back to me in snippets of remembered conversation and laughter. A shared love that I have passed on to my own children.