Lori (thornton37814) Reads 75 + ??? More in 2021

       

(L-R: Sherlock, Barney, Mr. B)

I'm Lori, a librarian and professional genealogist based in East Tennessee. I'm owned by 3 cats who enjoy poking their heads in on the thread from time to time. They also enjoy parking their bodies between me and a book or device if they think I neglect them too long.

Mysteries are my "go to" genre, and I read more than 75 of them in 2020. I also enjoy historical fiction. I plan to read more history and social history in 2021.

My posts will often mention my categories from the Category Challenge, and I include them in this post for your reference.

My 2021 Categories:

1. Bald Eagle - Mysteries with a United States setting
2. Puffin - Mysteries set in the United Kingdom or Ireland
3. Peacock - Mysteries set in the Rest of the World
4. Bluebird - Children's & Young Adult Literature
5. Flamingo - Poetry
6. Goldfinch - Historical Fiction
7. Cardinal - History & Genealogy
8. Hummingbird - Domestic Arts (Food, Drink, Needlework, etc.)
9. Sparrow - Religion & Spirituality
10. Penguin - First published more than 50 Years
11. Lorikeet - Other Fiction and Literature
12. Owl - Other non-fiction

BINGO CAT


1.
2.
3.
4. Bathed in Prayer by Jan Karon
5.
6.
7. A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates
8.
9.
10. The Gospel at Work: How the Gospel Gives New Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert
11. The Sweet Flypaper of Life by Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes
12.
13. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters
14.
15. The Space Child's Mother Goose by Frederick Winsor; illustrated by Marian Parry
16.
17. Murder on the Lake by Bruce Beckham
18. The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James
19. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
20. Anchored in Jesus by Johnny Hunt
21. What Though the Field Be Lost: Poems by Christopher Kempf
22. Good-bye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton
23.
24.
25.

Welcome back!

Nice to see you back for another year, Lori. xx

>3 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>4 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

Nice photos of the boys!

>6 cbl_tn: They love their new tunnel. I have some pretty fun video footage of them playing with all their new toys.

Hi, Lori!

Cute kitties at the top of your thread! Your thread also brought back memories of when I was a more prolific reader and actually used to start (and finish) the Category Challenge, one which used to be my second favorite.

My reading for the past year could problably fit in two categories as I was totally unable to concentrate on anything other than doom-scrolling on my phone.

I'm looking forward to a better and more fun year in 2021. Happy New Year!

Handsome bois! My kitty loves her tunnels. They're like a cat rocket launcher when it's playtime.

I've never seen BingoCat before. Looks interesting.

Happy new thread!

Hello and Happy New Thread and Happy reading!

Happy new one, Lori. I love your topper. I hope that I can visit your thread more often in 2021.

>8 SqueakyChu: Hopefully 2021 will be a better year than 2020 for all of us.

>9 justchris: This morning the cat tunnel was turned around from the way it was last night and against the door of the room where they stay in my brother's shop when we visit.

>10 quondame: Thanks! New thread, new year!

>11 BBGirl55: Hoping I can find lots of great reads this year.

>12 Ameise1: My cats always like to appear in the toppers. They don't always make it if I have something else to show. I got behind on visiting threads this year too.

Hi Lori, i have starred your thread again, love the thread topper photo of your three owners, lol. I hope that 2021 is a far better year for all of us.

Happy new thread, Lori. Love those bird categories.

>15 johnsimpson: They definitely have me wrapped around those little paws.

>16 EllaTim: Thanks. I liked the theme too.

Wishing you a happy 2021!

>18 mstrust: Thanks for the wishes! Let's hope it's a lot better than 2020.

>1 thornton37814: Huzzah for cool cats and stacks of mysteries!

Happy new thread, new year, and hoping for lots of good new reads!

>20 London_StJ: Lots and lots of mysteries are on my list for the year, but I do need to mix in a few other genres. Cats are always willing to help me read.

>21 swynn: Thanks, Steve.

Happy 2021! Have a great year of reading!

>23 jennyifer24: Thank you very much! Same to you!

Welcome back Lori!

Thanks, Rhian!

Hi Lori! Great to see you in 2021. And lovely cats in the header. I'll get my cats in tomorrow. I managed to get some pictures of them today - the rest seemed to have been hiding, as most of my pictures are of the kids.

Best wishes for a better 2021!

I wish you a Happy New Year. May it be better than the old one.

Hope you have a great 2021!

Happy new year, Lori!

Happy spanking new thread and Happy New Year to you and the kitties! I hope 2021 is full of amazing books!

>27 The_Hibernator: Cats do enjoy hiding!

>28 DianaNL: We all hope it is better than 2020.

>29 Ameise1: That reminds me of the episode of M*A*S*H that has them going through an entire year in a single episode with a similar wish (although slightly more graphic soldier-y language).

>30 ChelleBearss: Thank you!

>31 katiekrug: Thanks to you also!

>32 Carmenere: The kitties would love more books to knock off!

Happy Reading in 2021!!

>35 jayde1599: Thank you very much.

While there's a slight chance I'll finish Dear Miss Kopp before my New Year's Eve party, I suspect I'll finish it tomorrow, and I know it won't be one of the meme answers.

So without further ado, here's the first 2020 year-end meme:

Describe yourself: Sugar and Vice

Describe how you feel: Full of Beans

Describe where you currently live: The Mountains Wild

Your favorite time of the day: The Enchanted Hour

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Off the Grid

Your favorite form of transportation: The Hidden Ways: Scotland's Forgotten Roads

Your best friend is: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

You and your friends are: The Innocents

Describe your job: Ancestry Quest

What are you eating? The Coroner's Lunch

What the weather's like: Fog Magic

You fear: A Killer in King's Cove

What is the best advice you have to give: Keep Calm and Carry On, Children

Thought for the day: Owl be home for Christmas

How you would like to die: Murder with Cinnamon Scones

Your soul's present condition: Guiltless

What was 2020 like for you? Garden of Lamentations

What do you want from 2021? Year of Wonders

Honorable mentions:

Describe where you currently live: The Asylum

Your favorite time of the day: The Remains of the Day

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Outer Banks

What are you eating? Modern Comfort Food

How you would like to die: Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut

The Other Meme:

What would you call the event? St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre

How did they find their way? Snowfall on Cedar Trail

How did they know they'd arrived? The Witch Elm

Any special activities? Clue

Did your guests stay over? Christmas Camp

Were there servants to help? The Haunted Lady

Was there turn down service? Chocolat

How were the guests greeted? Good Mews

Was dinner held for later comers? Scorched Eggs

And dinner was? Five Red Herrings

Afterward? A Midsummer Night's Dream

Oh, I really like the Bingo card! Do you mind if I snatch that for my thread?

I first began doing the main year-end meme in 2011. I thought it would be fun to accumulate all my answers. I'm not going to bother with touchstones for this post. Some questions were not on earlier versions, and I kept doing the same ones until I figured out I was missing some new questions.

Describe yourself:

2011: Plum Gorgeous
2012: Maphead
2013: Daughter of the Loom
2014: The Girl of His Dreams
2015: Walking a Literary Labyrinth
2016: Waiting
2017: The Dream Stalker
2018: Keri Tarr, Cat Detective
2019: The Family Tree Problem Solver
2020: Sugar and Vice

Describe how you feel:

2011: I Am Half-Sick of Shadows
2012: Southern Discomfort
2013: Rotten to the Core
2014: Love So Amazing
2015: Restless
2016: Sorrow without End
2017: Separate from the World
2018: Flat Broke with Two Goats
2019: Plum Tea Crazy
2020: Full of Beans

Describe where you currently live:

2011: The Land of the Smokies
2012: Town in a Lobster Stew
2013: The Family Mansion
2014: Where Memories Lie
2015: The Strange Library
2016: Appalachia
2017: City of Secrets
2018: My Life in a Cat House
2019: Glass Houses
2020: The Mountains Wild

Your favorite time of day:

2019: The Darkness
2020: The Enchanted Hour

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?

2011: Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast
2012: Let's Go Camping
2013: The Most Beautiful Country Towns of England
2014: The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion
2015: Choosing Charleston
2016: Beneath the Book Tower
2017: The High Mountains of Portugal
2018: Over the Hills and Far Away
2019: The Library at the Edge of the World
2020: Off the Grid

Your favorite form of transportation:

2011: Parnassus on Wheels
2012: The Excursion Train
2013: Hearse and Buggy
2014: Killer Cruise
2015: Locomotive
2016: Gone Camping
2017: A Cruise to Die for
2018: Steering the Craft
2019: The Long Flight Home
2020: The Hidden Ways: Scotland's Forgotten Roads

Your best friend is:

2011: Remembering Knoxville
2012: Homer, the Library Cat
2013: The Postmistress
2014: Nora Webster
2015: Daisy Miller
2016: Anne of Green Gables
2017: Somebody at the Door
2018: The Ice Princess
2019: Sworn to Silence
2020: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

You and your friends are:

2011: Birds of a Feather
2012: Kindred Souls
2013: Mad as the Dickens
2014: The Forgotten Girls
2015: The Hurricane Sisters
2016: Tailing a Tabby
2017: Common People
2018: Friends in High Places
2019: The Chosen
2020: The Innocents

Describe your job:

2020: Ancestry Quest

What are you eating?

2020: The Coroner's Lunch

What's the Weather Like?

2011: A Dark and Stormy Night
2012: Hurricanes in Paradise
2013: Winter Chill
2014: The Summer Wind
2015: Clouds without Rain
2016: Reading Up a Storm
2017: Thin Air
2018: Rain
2019: The Dry
2020: Fog Magic

You fear:

2011: The Haunted Bookshop
2012: The Czar's Madman
2013: Lotions, Potions, and Deadly Elixirs
2014: The Curse of the Pharaohs
2015: Creepy Carrots
2016: A Fatal Winter
2017: War and Turpentine
2018: A Shot in the Dark
2019: Wild Fire
2020: A Killer in King's Cove

What is the best advice you have to give?

2011: A Praying Life
2012: Sunday Is for God
2013: Books Can Be Deceiving
2014: Go Tell It on the Mountain
2015: A Prayer Journal
2016: To Live Is Christ: Joining Paul's Journey of Faith
2017: Do Not Say We Have Nothing
2018: Anything Is Possible
2019: Grow Your Own Herbs
2020: Keep Calm and Carry On, Children

Thought for the Day:

2011: If God, Why Evil?
2012: Who Do You Think You Are?
2013: Dead Men Don't Crochet
2014: Who's Picking Me Up from the Airport
2015: Why Was the Partridge in the Pear Tree?
2016: Things Fell Apart
2017: The Fish Can Sing
2018: Horses Make a Landscape Look More Beautiful
2019: The Grave's a Fine and Private Place
2020: Owl Be Home for Christmas

How I Would Like to Die:

2011: Shaking the Family Tree
2012: Quietly in Their Sleep
2013: Buried in a Book
2014: Out of the Blue
2015: Read and Buried
2016: Sudden Death
2017: Death Overdue
2018: Dying in the Wool
2019: Assaulted Caramel
2020: Murder with Cinnamon Scones

Your Soul's Present Condition:

2011: Book Lust
2012: A Darkly Hidden Truth
2013: Silent in the Sanctuary
2014: The Ponder Heart
2015: Journey
2016: Hand in Hand: Walking with the Psalms through Loneliness
2017: Dark Night of the Soul
2018: Gardenlust
2019: A Sea of Troubles
2020: Guiltless

What Is Life for You?

2019: Tracing Your Ancestors in Lunatic Asylums

What Was 2020 Like for You?

2020: Garden of Lamentations

What Do You Want from 2021?

2020: Year of Wonders

>40 thornton37814: So fun to see them all lined up! Great idea!

>41 justchris: I thought a 10-year cumulative post was worthwhile!

Happy reading in 2021, Lori!

And keep up with my friends here, Lori. Have a great 2021.

Happy new year!

Happy New Year, Lori!

>43 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! I hope it will be a good year. I should finish my first book of the year today.

>44 PaulCranswick: Those seem like great things to do in the new year!

>45 quondame: Happy new year to you as well!

>46 harrygbutler: Hope your new year is filled with happiness also!

Happy New Thread, Lori. Happy New Year! Glad we are turning the page on that one.

Happy New Year, Lori. Love the boys' pictures. May your 2021 be blessed, happy and prosperous. :)

>48 msf59: Definitely glad 2020 is behind us. Hoping 2021 is an improvement.

>49 mitchma: Thanks so much! Hope you have a great new year as well.

Happy New Year, Lori!

Hello in 2021! :)

Hi, Lori!

Happy new year Lori!

Hi Lori! Happy New Year.

I love your 2021 Categories.

I need to get my cat kids a tunnel…

>51 MickyFine: Thanks!

>52 DFED: Thank you!

>53 tymfos: That reminds me I need to cross stitch more!

>54 The_Hibernator: Thank you!

>55 karenmarie: I think your cats would love a tunnel. Mine still love theirs. We were zooming in the New Year last night, and they were playing in the tunnel at my feet. Every once in a while, my toes would be trampled.

Wishing you and your kitties a better, brighter 2021!

Happy New Year, Lori!

I love the fur kid photos. I'll have to add my two to my thread.

Right now they are in hiding. I have a brand new Roomba and the cats are highly suspicious. Anything that gobbles up cat hair and stray kibble crumbs must also have a fondness for eating cats. I can't see them riding on it anytime soon like the Youtube videos show.

>58 Berly: Thanks! They say "Meow!"

>59 streamsong: Yes. Cats always brighten our threads! I don't think a Roomba would be very practical here, but I sure wish I could automate vacuuming.

Book 1. Dear Miss Kopp by Amy Stewart

Date Completed: 1 January 2021

Category: Goldfinch (Historical Fiction)

Rating: 4 stars (really closer to 4.25)

Review: The Kopp Sisters lives took different directions after their training at the camp. Constance works for as the only female agent in the Bureau of Investigation. Norma took her pigeons to France where a new commander does not see their value. Fleurette's dreams of show business took off by joining May Ward's tour which takes them to different army training camps. She does not get along well with the show's star. The entire novel unfolds through letters from the sisters to each other and to and from other acquaintances and associates to the sisters. While I feared the epistolary nature might lessen my enjoyment, I found I loved this one more than the preceding installment. Each sister's separate identity emerged as they pursued things within their own range of interests and talents. I received an advance reader's copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

Dropping to wish you all the best for the new year! 61 posts already and a book completed. Wow! You are on the ball :)

>62 figsfromthistle: Hopefully I can finish another tomorrow. I plan to read a little more this evening. I've got at least one book in process I haven't touched today, and I'm closer to done with it than the others in process.

>61 thornton37814: That one sounds interesting. Congrats on your first book of the year.

>64 Ameise1: While I haven't read the first four in the series, I read the one before this and this one. I plan to go back and read the first four. I enjoyed this one better than the previous one. I read the previous one because the author was going to be present when we discussed the book in our online book club. She mentioned the next would be coming out in January. I found this ARC on NetGalley that evening. I've also got an online ticket to the "premiere party" for this one. Should be interesting.

Hi Lori! and happy New Year.

Miss Kopp sounds interesting maybe I will give it a look.

Happy New Year, Lori. Your thread is moving right along!

>66 magicians_nephew: I hope you enjoy Miss Kopp.

>67 BLBera: It really is.

Dropping off my and wishing you the best of new years in 2021!

My top 10 of 2020 (in order)

1. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
2. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
3. The Summer Country by Lauren Willig
4. Eureka Mill by Ron Rash
5. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
6. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
7. When We Were Young & Brave by Hazel Gaynor
8. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
9. The Innocents by Michael Crummey
10. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (delightful audio version)

The Worst of 2020

While I did have some abandoned reads, I won't include those here. Some were just not the right book at the right time. Others were not good fits for me. Some probably were just dreadful. You can look at my 2020 thread for the list of those. All three of these were 1 star reads:

1. Putting Flesh on the Bones: Bringing Your Ancestor to Life by Mark W. Swarthout
2. Speaking Chileno: A Guide to Spanish from Chile by Jared Romey
3. That's My Church: The Seven Churches of Revelation by J. M. Hope

All of the above books were Kindle freebies at one time or another. I had 24 two-star reads. About half of them also fell into that category. Here are some of the 2-star reads that should have been better since I found them on "best of" lists or were from major publishers.

(In order read)

1. Stag's Leap by Sharon Olds
2. Nighttime Is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark
3. Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano
4. Outer Banks by Anne Rivers Siddons
5. Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America by Bill Geist
6. We Must Be Brave by Frances Liardet
7. American Predator by Maureen Callahan
8. The Old Success by Martha Grimes
9. The Best American Poetry 2020 edited by Paisley Rekdal
10. An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson

I think it was Karen who posted how many books she'd read each year since joining Library Thing. I joined in 2007, but I didn't start tracking until 2010, so here's what I have.

2010 - 101
2011 - 230
2012 - 242
2013 - 191
2014 - 114
2015 - 165
2016 - 112
2017 - 144
2018 - 302
2019 - 227
2020 - 242

Happy New Year, Lori!

>72 norabelle414: Thank you!

Happy New Year, Lori!

Happy New Year and thread!

Hello Lori, Happy new year!

That's a great looking bingo card. I can probably make over half of the boxes from my TBR pile alone! If you don't mind I'll use it myself.

>74 mahsdad: Thanks, Jeff.

>75 vikzen: Thank you very much.

>76 Only2rs: You'll find the card and instructions on message 121 at https://www.librarything.com/topic/325298 and can even choose which design you want.

Happy Reading in 2021!

Book 2. The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Deirdre Mask

Date Completed: 2 January 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Deirdre Mask, who writes for publications such as the New Yorker and Atlantic, toured the world, coming up with information on the influence street addresses wield. She discusses the origins of street addresses and different systems used around the world. Japan uses blocks instead of streets. She (and others) attribute it to the way persons learn writing in various cultures. She goes on to discuss the role politics and race play in the process. She then turns to a discussion of social strata by showing how the elite purchase custom addresses and how homeless persons fail to move beyond their circumstances by lack of an address. At the end she discusses the future of addresses by looking at emerging trends using big data. While parts of the book were interesting, the book did not engage me as I hoped it would. I tend to dislike books that rely more on journalistic perspectives bringing the first person into the discussion of a possible academic topic. While the book was more engaging than an academic tome might be, the first person perspective creates a distrust of information presented, particularly in this day of blind endnotes. The book used these detested blind endnotes. Many of these referred to web articles rather than academic publications. The book included an index. One of the book's weaknesses was a failure to examine rural America adequately. While she examined some names in rural West Virginia, she did not look at the many places where roads are simply numbered with "County Road XXX" with XXX being a number. She simply failed to look at the rest of the country for patterns. I conclude that those who name streets should refrain from naming them after persons. Someone heroic to one generation may represent something else entirely to future generations.

>79 thornton37814: Too bad about the oversights and suspicious documentation on that one. Sounds like an interesting premise.

>80 swynn: Some of us are reading it for an online book club. I know it's intended for a general audience. I just wish it were less journalistic and more historical, I suppose. I don't know why publishers began using those blind endnotes. They drive those of us who want documentation crazy because they are keyed to phrases which you have to search for instead of to numbers. The person who invented such a system and every publisher who continues to use it should be strung up by their fingernails (or put on a pillory or something).

>1 thornton37814: didn't I already say hi?

I don't see it. Oh well.

Anyway, I found your thread, and it's now starred!

>82 fuzzi: Maybe it was the Category Challenge thread? I thought you'd said hi and that you had me starred too. LT acts strangely at times. It's "paused" itself more than a few times in the last couple of days where pages and touchstones take forever to load.

>83 thornton37814: it was your other thread, I was confoosed!

>65 thornton37814: My library has got the first one of this series. One day I'll read it.

>79 thornton37814: I agree about naming streets after people. A hero to one person or generation is another's racist / rapist etc.

>84 fuzzi: It's easy to do. I sometimes get confused when I see people in both groups.

>85 Ameise1: I have the first one on Kindle, so I hope to read it before too long--probably not this month though.

>86 The_Hibernator: I think all the controversies seen in recent years bear this out. While the author never stated those exact words, most of the problems seem to arise when streets are named for persons who lose favor with a new generation or regime.

>79 thornton37814: its impossible to find any street address in Tokyo - it even baffles the mail men. I think that's the point

I think that a study of rural roads would be of interest - how many roads were "Michigan Avenue" or Chicago Street" and named for the destination that was most in people's minds at the time.

Or named for people now forgotten or perhaps NEEDING to be forgotten. (WAAAAY Too many places named after John C. Calhoun)

On a side note I have been fighting people who like to rename Broadway theaters. Yes only a historian would know who "Martin Beck" or "Henry Miller" was, but isn't that the point?

Thanks for the review

Happy New Year, btw

Happy New Year! To you AND the cats, I suppose! I have a cat tunnel that is well loved by my cat, my rabbit, AND my bird (he likes to fly to it and perch on the end when it's in "storage mode", ie. standing upright off to the side of the room).

Really too bad about your second book, I'd seen it around and was intrigued, but your points about where it lacked sound frustrating. It's such a fascinating topic (covered in lesser detail in one of the anti-racism courses I took last year), that I hope someone else picks up the slack and writes a volume that's more academic and engaging.

Happy Sunday, and New Year Lori. I look forward to visiting here more often.

>88 magicians_nephew: In Knoxville, there was a mall that was renamed, but most of us still called it by its former name. It finally went under and completely closed. I think the property will be redeveloped now.

>89 dk_phoenix: It's not a bad book and is interesting; it just leaves a little to be desired. I'm not sure the cats will allow the tunnel to be placed in storage mode. I could probably do so while they are sleeping, but they'd come protest as soon as they awakened.

>90 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. I hope you are able to do so.

Hi Lori. Just swinging by to wish you a Happy New Year! I love the topper with your three felines.

>71 thornton37814: Karen may have done that but I did it too. I joined in 2011 (January 20 is my 10th Thingaversary) and have averaged somewhere in the 90s over the course of those years. Your numbers are impressive, even exceeding 300 books in one year!

>92 EBT1002: Obviously some years were better than others. I'd love to do 365 sometime, but I don't see that happening until I retire.

Just dropping my star here. Happy new year.

Happy New Year and happy new thread Lori! You're off to a flying start with your books. No wonder you read so many in a year.

>94 sirfurboy: Thanks for stopping in.

>95 humouress: I'm hoping to finish another one this evening.

You are off to a flying start with reading two books already!

>97 Whisper1: That's not too flying off considering it's the 4th. I want to finish a 3rd book tonight. If I don't finish, I'll be close.

Book 3. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters

Date Completed: 4 January 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries with UK or Ireland setting)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Angry at his stepfather, Cadfael's former girlfriend's son flees his home. The stepfather falls dead from poisoning a few minutes later. A sheriff's office sergeant pursues the boy. Because the poison likely came from the monastery, Cadfael investigates. He calls on his friend deputy sheriff Hugh Beringar to hear the evidence he's gathered. When confined to the monastery to minimize contact with the woman he once loved, Cadfael must rely on others to gather evidence. This enjoyable medieval mystery still appeals.

100 posts and 3 books already is a good start by any yardstick, Lori. x

>100 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I wish it were 4, but I suspect I'll have to wait until retirement to hit 365.

Hi Lori! Happy New Year and sending you wishes for a year filled with wonderful reading.

>61 thornton37814: - I have had my eye on Stewart's Miss Kopp stories for a while now but you review has moved those books close up the future reading list.

Hi Lori, found your thread and want to say thank you for visiting mine. I love the photo's in the first post.

Happy New Year.

I love that you have one of my all time favorites on your top 10. Old man and the Sea. It was a great audiobook-experience for me. Also, Treasure Island. Which audiobook version did you listen to?

>102 lkernagh: I need to go back and read the first four in the series. We read the fifth for a book club in December. The author was present at our discussion, and I enjoyed listening to her. She seemed very down to earth. I found an ARC of that one which comes out in a week and also snagged an invite to its premiere party. Kim (Berly) had the first on her wish list, and as her Christmas Swap Santa, I got it for her. She's already read it and gave it high marks, so I look forward to it. I purchased the Kindle version sometime when it was cheap even before the book club. I'll probably get to it soon. It's on my list of 2021 planned reads.

>103 connie53: I'm glad you love my adorable boys. Please stop in any time you need a cat fix. My boys do enjoy making appearances here from time to time.

>104 ctpress: I really did love that particular Hemingway. I'd read it before, but it was time for a re-read. I appreciated it far more this time and saw why it is such a great book. As for Treasure Island, it was the Jasper Britton version. He's incredible with the voices for the various characters. It was like listening to a full cast narration, but it was only by one person. Definitely not dry! I had about 5 versions from which to choose between my two libraries. I listened to the sample on each and settled on this one. I'm so glad I did.

>99 thornton37814: I read all the Cadfael's when they first came out. After a while they all seemed the same so I stopped looking for them. But the early ones were gems - fascinating history, interesting mystery and characters you enjoyed spending time with.

The monastarires were places for men to retire when they were tired of the world.(or the world was tired of them). Dont know if we have any such resources in the world any more

Happy New Year, Lori!

I like your meme responses up there. Death by Frosted Donut does seem like the way to go. :-)

>106 magicians_nephew: I think some people do the "spiritual retreat" experiences for a certain time period. Others move "off the grid." Perhaps others just go off Facebook? LOL

>107 jnwelch: I think I left out the word "Chocolate" in front of the frosted. I need to go correct it.

It's been about five or six years since I read any Cadfaels. I didn't recognise the plot outline you gave in your review so maybe it's about time I read a few again. I always liked The Sanctuary Sparrow and The Rose Rent.

How funny! I just started reading the first book in the Brother Cadfael series - very enjoyable so far!

>109 Only2rs: I vaguely remembered this one, but I probably read it about the time it came out.

>110 DFED: They are a nice change of pace from typical mystery fare.

Book 4. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer

Date Completed: 5 January 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Ian Mortimer's work provides readers insights into the lives of both the common people and nobility living in the fourteenth century. The readable prose talks about the landscape, people themselves, clothing, residences, travel accommodations, diet, health concerns, laws, amusements, and more.

I found it interesting that many thought disease, especially the great plague, to be caused by planets and stars. One quote mentioned "The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter brings about the death of peoples and the depopulation of kingdoms." In this age of COVID-19 when the "Bethlehem Star" (conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter) just made an appearance, I found the parallel more than a little interesting.

A number of color illustrations appear in the e-book following the text. They are plates inserted in the text. While one of these shows a map of rivers, I wished for the inclusion of a good map of medieval England from this period with counties and towns.

Still, this book should interest people interested in an overview of life in fourteenth century England. Genealogists will find many takeaways which may be incorporated into ancestral narratives for the period if their ancestors can reliably be traced back to the time and place.

>112 thornton37814: Sounds like a great resource. Yes, I too always want to see a map when people are talking about specific places. For years I had one from National Geographic for medieval England, but then I never used it and gave it away. Then last year was looking for it because of what I was reading. Sigh.

>113 justchris: I hang onto many maps if I think they might be of genealogical use. However, they can be of use to us when we are reading also. A couple years ago, I purchased a big road atlas of Great Britain because I read so many mysteries set there. It is a nice spiral-bound volume, but it is "modern" and doesn't help much with the Medieval era.

Happy New Year Lori, your cats look very happy in the topper.

Morning, Lori. I got a chuckle from your memes. Your reading is off to a fine start. Way to go!

>115 calm: My cats are usually very happy except when I go to work! They begged me to stay home with them. I told them they could load up and go with me, but they turned that offer down.

>116 Carmenere: I enjoy doing the memes each year. I always look forward to seeing how it turns out because I don't really read books to fill them. I just go with whatever I read.

The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter brings about the death of peoples and the depopulation of kingdoms.

That's actually ... pretty spooky.

>118 swynn: Isn't it? It caught my attention in this pandemic season.

After a whole month of being somewhere in the United States postal system, an order I placed in late November finally arrived today. It took two weeks between scans in Durham, New Hampshire and somewhere in New Jersey. Then almost another two weeks between New Jersey and Atlanta. With a couple days on either end from point of origin and to point of destination, it took a month to arrive from the time it was shipped.

Here's the belated haul:
1) Under God's Spell: Frontier Evangelists, 1772-1915 by Cathy Luchetti
2) A Harvest Yet to Reap: A History of Prairie Women by Linda Rasmussen, Lorna Rasmussen, Candace Savage, and Anne Wheeler
3) So Much to Be Done: Women Settlers on the Mining and Ranching Frontier edited by Ruth B. Moynihan, Susan Armitage, and Christiane Fischer Dichamp
4) Inferior Courts, Superior Justice: A History of the Justices of the Peace on the Northwest Frontier, 1853-1889 by John R. Wunder
5) Connecticut Quilts: Bed Quilt Entries Listed in Woodbury, Connecticut, Probate Inventories, 1720-1819 by Robert G. Stone

>114 thornton37814: I have a file of period maps of London that I've downloaded and a couple of medieval and renaissance England. I really enjoyed the maps in The Debatable Land. I also download maps of the various fantasy worlds for use when I can't make out the map on the Kindle or when the current volume doesn't include one.

Hi Lori!

>57 thornton37814: They’re less expensive than I thought they’d be – I’d just have to convince my husband to not put every Amazon box he gets on the living room floor as cat toys so we’d have room for one.

>61 thornton37814: I really want to start this series – I have Girl Waits With Gun on my shelves and have tagged it for 2021.

>70 thornton37814: Great top 10. I’m reading Hamnet now.

>71 thornton37814: Yup, ‘twas me. I keep a Books Read since January 1, 2008, three months after I joined LT, so just create a pivot table and voila! It’s always interesting to see how other people’s reading varies year to year.

>112 thornton37814: I loved this book, so glad to see that you rated it so highly. I've taken a lateral BB – I just ordered The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England!

Glad your haul came through finally. Things are working really slowly in the postal world right now!

>120 thornton37814: Wow, that's a long wait. My neighborhood has so much package theft that I would have written it off. Glad you finally received your books.

>121 quondame: I have folders on my computer with some maps as well. I use several online map collections as well.

>122 karenmarie: Hope you can convince your husband about the cat tunnel. I hope you enjoy the Kopp Sisters book and trust you are loving Hamnet. I might need to look at that one you ordered as well.

>123 The_Hibernator: I'd just posted the travel route and dates on Facebook earlier this week asking how long it would take to get from Atlanta to my house. I was surprised it came as quickly as it did.

>124 mstrust: I kept an eye on the USPS system and knew approximately where it had last been sighted. I'm glad it finally made it to my house.

Starring your thread, Lori. Happy reading and glad your books finally arrived!

>126 aktakukac: Thanks, Rachel. It was a long wait, but I hope it was worth it. I wasn't going to run out of reading stash regardless of whether or not they arrived.

>99 thornton37814: I've the first two of this series but haven't read them so far.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

>128 Ameise1: Hope you enjoy them when you do get around to reading them.

Book 5. Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day

Date Completed: 9 January 2021

Category: Bald Eagle (Mysteries with U.S. setting)

Rating: 2 stars

Review: A mystery book club sets out to solve a murder discovered following a meeting. On a foggy evening, Mackenzie, owner of a bicycle shop in a Cape Cod tourist town, nearly tripped over the man. She recognizes the knife that stabbed the man as her brother's custom-made one. Her father pastors a church and her mother works as an astrologist--a rather unusual combination. The mystery's writing lacks cohesiveness, and its solution seems obvious.

Book 6. Anchored in Jesus: Holding on to Truth in a Drifting World by Johnny Hunt/>

Date Completed: 10 January 2021

Category: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: I expected this book to be written more for believers who needed encouragement in the present days when it seems our culture drifts further and further from faith in God. It seemed to be more about evangelism or coming to faith in Jesus instead. I expected one with deeper spiritual truths than the one written. If seeking that type book, look elsewhere. If you are a young believer, the book may help you in your spiritual walk.

LibraryThing has now messed up our groups portal pages. I hate the new style. It almost makes me want to give up groups completely.

>132 thornton37814: but, but "improvement"!!

I prefer the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality.

>132 thornton37814: I kind of like it. Some broken features are working now, like the most-held works. The old groups had that but it stopped working years ago.

>132 thornton37814: I haven't noticed it until you mentioned it, Lori. I usually use the main page so I didn't see it. I have to get used to the new design.

>133 fuzzi: Me too.

>134 cbl_tn: Well, I don't like the coloring problems. I don't like the way they alphabetize across instead of straight down. I liked being able to see all the years I'd been in the 75-group straight down! I had been using the individual group pages since they messed the other up. Now they've messed it up too.

>135 PersephonesLibrary: I began using the individual group pages when they messed up the main page.

>134 cbl_tn: You can still see all your group memberships on the group page. Go to Your Groups, sort alphabetically, and set the filter to all.

I like the "search members books" feature. I think it's new, or at least more prominent in the new interface. I miss the "your friends" feature.

Book 7. The Golden Egg by Donna Leon

Date Completed: 13 January 2021

Category: Peacock (Mysteries Set in the Rest of the World)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A "deaf and dumb" young man who worked at the dry cleaners died. Paola feels guilty she knows so little about him and urges Brunetti to learn more. When he begins probing, he discovers no official records of the man. He brings other colleagues at the Questura into this investigation. Patta assigned him to look into a less significant matter which was easily resolved, but he makes it seem more difficult to gain a favor. If you are seeking a mystery for the sake of a mystery, this will probably leave you wanting. If you enjoy your visit with Brunetti and colleagues, you'll enjoy it. It took me a bit to grow used to the new narrator for this installment, but he did a fairly good job.

Here's my review of an ARC of this from 2013:
Brunetti is put on an insignificant case regarding vending laws, but his wife Paola has a request for Brunetti. She learned that a deaf handicapped boy who had worked at the dry cleaners has died from an overdose of sleeping pills. She thinks it strange that no one has taken notice. Brunetti begins looking into the boy's past and discovers that there is no record of his having ever been born and that there are none of the usual records to even show he exists. When his mother is questioned, she claims the papers were stolen in a burglary. Brunetti systematically works through his discoveries until he understands how the boy and his mother were able to survive with what appeared to be no source of income. I found this an interesting read, but it wasn't totally absorbing, and I wouldn't really classify it as a mystery in the traditional sense of the word. I prefer Brunetti when he's investigating a murder and traveling around the canals of Venice. I received an electronic galley of this book for review purposes from NetGalley.

>112 thornton37814: The topic of this book seems really interesting, but what entices me is the approach, which sounds pretty original. Hopefully, the color illustrations are also present in the printed version. :-)

>139 JqnOC: They are inserted at two places in the text instead of all at the end in the print version according to what I've seen on library records and other posts about the book.

Book 8. The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James

Date Completed: 14 January 2021

Category: Lorikeet (Other Fiction & Literature)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Alice Miller becomes governess to twins at Winterbourne along the Cornwall coast in 1947. She loves the house, the children, and its master. In the present, the death of the female twin results in an unexpected inheritance for Rachel Wright, an art gallery owner from New York. Readers are treated to an old-fashioned Gothic novel with the perfect house, setting, and backstory. It reminded me of that genre's novels I read in the 1970s and loved. While I generally don't like novels that switch back and forth between time periods, this one worked better than many. I will see what other novels by this author might await me.

Book 9. The Space Child's Mother Goose by Frederick Winsor; illustrated by Marian Perry

Date Completed: 14 January 2021

Category: Flamingo (Poetry)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: If you love nursery rhymes and science, this volume will make your chuckle a few times. While most rhymes appear in English, several languages make appearances in one poem each. My LibraryThing 2020 Secret Santa chose a book I'm certain to revisit a few times.

>140 thornton37814: I see, thanks!

>141 thornton37814: This one sounds good! Adding it to my reading list.

Hi Lori, from a fellow mystery lover. Right now I'm reading Mark Pryor and Peter Robinson.

On your Worst of 2020 list, I agree with including Grimes' The Old Success. I always loved the earlier Richard Jury books but this one was very weak.

Have a great weekend.

>144 aktakukac: I loved it. It reminded me so much of a Victoria Holt novel.

>145 Oregonreader: I'm glad my low rating was shared by someone. I used to enjoy the series too. I had not picked up one in years. I think I probably ought to go back and read the series from the start. Maybe I can work through it after I finish a couple of the other series I'm re-reading or reading for the first time. Pryor's first one is on my TBR list. I regular dip into the Robinson series. I'm still reading back ones, but I've read several of the more recent ones also.

I discovered I never reported a few 2020 Kindle acquisitions at the end of the year. The first was an accidental purchase when my screen went crazy and hit the "buy" button. I decided it might be an interesting read and kept it. Two were either free or low cost. The Smith ones are the next 3 in series (and were all cheap).

1) Christina Thompson / Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia
2) Tricia Goyer / Beside Still Waters
3) Louise Welsh / A Lovely Way to Burn
4) Karen Rose Smith / Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches
5) Karen Rose Smith / Murder with Cherry Tarts
6) Karen Rose Smith / Murder with Clotted Cream

2021 Kindle Acquisitions to Date - All of these are free to $1.99; several were on my wish list (book bullets from some of you); the rest were free or "deal" offerings.

1) Ruth Hartzler / True Confections
2) Katerine Tuckova / Gerta
3) Lynda Rutledge / West with Giraffes
4) Molly Jebber / Hannah's Courage
5) Jerry S. Eicher / Phoebe's Gift
6) Clara Benson / Murder at Sissingham Hall
7) Lynn Cahoon / Murder in Waiting
8) Charlotte MacLeod / Rest Ye Merry
9) G. K. Chesteron / Father Brown: Complete Collection
10) The Cambridge Medieval History Collection (5 vols)
11) The Cambridge Modern History Collection (5 vols)
12) Charles Dickens: The Complete Novels
13) H. Y. Hanna / The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year
14) Fiona Valpy / The Skylark's Secret
15) Peg Cochran / Berried Secrets
16) Lilian Harry / The Bells of Burracombe
17) Jessica Beck / A Chili Death

>149 genealogy_nana: I should be staying away from them, but I'm not. I tried to put some of them on a list so I'll get to them in the next couple years.

Book 10. What Though the Field Be Lost: Poems by Christopher Kempf

Date Completed: 15 January 2021

Category: Flamingo (Poetry)

Rating: 2 stars

Review: While the description on this one sounded intriguing, I found the juxtaposition of the Civil War with Hyundais, Dubai, Sirius, the Kiwanis Club, Sheetz's, Fanta, and other things from other eras distracting. I never quite understood what message the poet attempted to convey. I'm sure others will enjoy it much more than I did, but the collection didn't work for me. It was supposedly inspired by the poet's visit to Gettysburg and contains theme relevant to social justice. I received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss for review purposes. No official review was required, but they are appreciated.

Book 11. Good-bye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton

Date Completed: 16 January 2021

Category: Penguin (Published more than 50 years ago)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This classic work relates the story of Mr. Chipping, a boarding school teacher, who becomes known as "Mr. Chips." He prefers the old ways to the new and exhibits great loyalty to the school and its pupils. In retirement, he lives across the street and still gets to know its students. I always think of this as something for middle grades to read, but after re-reading it, I think adults would appreciate it more.

>152 thornton37814: I must read that one soon, Lori.

11 books already - you have started off like an express train as usual.

Have a lovely Sunday.

>153 PaulCranswick: I felt like I was getting behind there for a bit, but finishing an audiobook and a couple of shorter works helped. I actually had read Goodbye, Mr. Chips for BAC, but decided it wasn't going to fit there. It had been too long since I read it, and it didn't fit as well even though we talked about it in a library science class focusing on middle grade literature. It might work for the upper end of that, but I don't think it would work for 5th or 6th graders, so I don't think it really fits the parameters of BAC.

I don't think I've ever read Goodbye Mr Chips, but I remember the movie quite well.

Eleven books is impressive - and keeping up on the reviews is wonderful.

And a Gotcha! but not one of the ones you reviewed, but rather from your list of Kindle books purchased. I've never read any of the Father Brown mysteries and for 99 cents I couldn't resist. When I checked out my list of TBR mysteries that I physically own, LT says I already have 55 waiting to be read. That can't be right, can it?

>155 streamsong: I think the Kindle books can get out of hand because they are so easy to download and hard to resist at good prices. I have 632 on my Kindle TBR list. They vary in genre though. Many are from the early years where I downloaded anything remotely interesting that was free. I don't do that now because I've read enough of those to know most are not worth it. I still manage to download more than I'll ever read though.

>120 thornton37814: Lori, sadly, though I sent checks to Ohio for Christmas for my daughter and grand children, even though they were sent a month in advance, they did not arrive until the end of December.

Packages send special post arrived late as well.

When I tried to track them, I was told the US post offices are overwhelmed because of the amount of employees with covid.

>157 Whisper1: COVID definitely wreaked havoc on Christmas deliveries both for the reason you mentioned and because of the shear volume because people mailed packages that would normally be delivered in person.

Book 12. The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain

Date Completed: 17 January 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Containing no footnotes or end notes, this first of four volumes comprising a history of the Plantagenets presents a highly readable history from the Norman Conquest until the death of King John. The narrative offers a wealth of information on Eleanor of Aquitaine, Thomas a Becket, and others. The Magna Carta's text appears in the volume's final chapters. Although its lack of citations makes it inappropriate for scholarly pursuits, its readability endeared it to the masses.

Book 13. Bathed in Prayer by Jan Karon

Date Completed: 17 January 2021

Category: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Although this book presents no new content aside from the introductions to the book and various prayers (to provide context), it makes a great devotional. Many of Father Tim's prayers are filled with Scripture and thoughts on Christian living. Enough context was usually shared to understand why he prayed as he did. Fans of the series will appreciate the volume whose cover bears the subtitle "Father Tim's Prayers, Sermons, and Reflections from the Mitford Series." (It does not appear on the title page.) The book contains a ribbon marker to mark one's place.

>160 thornton37814: I'm glad you liked that one! :-)

>161 cbl_tn: Yes. I thought it worked very well as a devotional.

I think people think that Goodbye Mister Chips is too sentimental but i like it - (mulling re-read).

Bathed in Prayer is something I'll have to get my hands on. Thanks for the tip.

>152 thornton37814: Some wonderful recommendations, Goodbye Mr. Chips just got download from my library. I also have a copy of Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks on order. Have a good 2021.

>163 magicians_nephew: I enjoyed the Goodbye, Mr. Chips re-read! I also enjoyed Bathed in Prayer. I always loved the series.

>164 brewbooks: I hope you enjoy both of them. I read Year of Wonders just as the whole thing with COVID was beginning so I'm surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. Definitely a top read! Like many others state, the ending is the only thing that kept it from being higher.

>159 thornton37814: That seemed to be the style of writing around that time, Lori. Very readable histories which appear well researched but no sources given. It’s frustrating when researching the history.

>166 Familyhistorian: Definitely. Now they have them, but they don't like to let you know they are there until you finally get to the end and see them. Sometimes there is a reason they are hiding--the sources are substandard.

Book 14. Murder on the Lake by Bruce Beckham

Date Completed: 20 January 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries with UK/Ireland setting)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: As Inspector Skelgill begins to head back in after a day of fishing, a young woman on an island flags him down. She came for writing retreat held on the island's mostly abandoned country home, and now a publisher attending the retreat died. Because she and the others agreed to leave technology behind, their means of contacting the proper officials suffers. The inspector introduces himself as the authority. He views the body and expects nothing suspicious until his secured boat disappears from the island. Too late to do anything else, he spends the night on the island with them. By morning another member of the party dies, and officials find Skelgill's boat and show up at the island. This cross between a country house locked-room mystery and police procedural presents an interesting case, but its telling needs some work. It needed better editing. The use of em dashes for commas in many places drove me crazy.

>168 thornton37814: A series that looks worth exploring. The first book Murder in Adland is currently available for $0.00 on kindle. I'm always looking for good mysteries set in UK/Ireland. also was able to download an audio of one of your Karen Rose Smith's list. Two BB's on one day is enuf!! Off to read

>169 tututhefirst: I should look for the first one. I have #7 on my Kindle that I picked up sometime.

ETA: It's 99 cents now. I'll wait. I think it will still be that price later.

>169 tututhefirst: always try to read the first book in the series to get straight with it.

Love "Locked Room" mysteries. Love John Dickson Carr and all of that kidney

>171 magicians_nephew: I'll be hosting the "Locked Room" thread for March's MysteryKIT. Hope you'll join in at least for that month!

Hi, Lori.

Thanks for all the reviews. I have The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England on my tbr shelf, and you've encouraged me to move it up.

>172 thornton37814: I'm really looking forward to that theme!

>173 jnwelch: I hope you enjoy it, Joe.

>174 mstrust: It will be a fun theme!

Book 15. A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates

Date Completed: 23 January 2021

Category: Bald Eagle (Mysteries with U.S. setting)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This might be my favorite installment to date in this series. Bertie hosts a reunion of her library school classmates at the lighthouse library. She invites the former library director to the library get-together even though she was not part of that particular class. Helena Sanchez while not well-liked modeled efficiency when it came to her library responsibilities, but someone at the get-together wanted her dead. When the group takes a late night walk, a scream is heard and Helena's body is found in the marsh. This book mentions Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone and James Redfield's The Celestine Prophecy, and the plots of both inspired the story. Librarians and library users alike will appreciate the references to the days humans performed library tasks. Lucy, of course, becomes involved in the investigation. Connor keeps unsuccessfully trying to find time alone with Lucy. Right before last spring's lockdown, I visited the Outer Banks and many of the locations in the book. It helped me appreciate the book even more. A great installment in this series!

Hi Lori my dear, hope all is well with you and that you are having a good start to the weekend, sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>177 johnsimpson: Thanks, John. Hope you all have a good weekend with many pots of tea!

Hi, Lori! Oops, sorry, I was sure I'd been through earlier to wish you a Happy New Reading Year!

Keep the cat pics coming. :)

>112 thornton37814:

I like 'how history really was' books too; I go berserk at inaccurate representations. :D

>130 thornton37814:

Is that part of a series or a standalone? I'm reading the Asey Mayo books, the original 'Cape Cod' series.

>179 lyzard: The Cape Cod book is the first in a new series. I was really sad it was dreadful! By the time my camera is in hand, the cats usually scamper off from whatever cute thing they are doing. The other night they played in the tunnel. One cat was at each end of the tunnel, and the other cat was trying to tunnel under the tunnel.

Hi Lori, I hope your week was off to a good start! I second >179 lyzard: when it comes to cat pictures. ;-)

>181 PersephonesLibrary: I tried to get a photo earlier today of Mr. B being "jelly" on top of me, but when I'd reach for the phone to take a photo, he'd become unphotogenic (although not get down). Hopefully I can get one soon. Post #200 will soon be upon me--and I'm not sure I'll have a new cat photo to post.

Book 16. The Sweet Flypaper of Life by Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes

Date Completed: 26 January 2021

Category: Penguin (Books first published more than 50 years ago)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I really enjoyed this book in which Langston Hughes weaves a story of African Americans living in Harlem featuring the photographs of Roy DeCarava. I stumbled across it as I was reclassifying some books in the library. Because the photographs dominate the book rather than the text, it reads quickly.

>182 thornton37814: They always know when you want to take a nice picture and manage to sabotage it. ;-)
>183 thornton37814: looks like it would fit perfectly to my current readings about Great Migration, Civil Rights Movement...

>184 PersephonesLibrary: It's a very interesting book. Hope you can find a copy. I think it has been reprinted a few times.

I'm a new admin over at Genealogy@LT. I hope some of you who enjoy genealogy will help revive the group. Group page: https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/1700/Genealogy%40LT

Book 17. Child Whispers by Enid Blyton

Date Completed: 26 January 2021

Category: Bluebird (Children's & YA Literature)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: I think I would have enjoyed this volume of children's poetry when I was a child. The author appears to be fascinated by fairies, and it's obvious she thought "nurse" was too strict. The epub formatting of the Project Gutenberg copy is poor.

That tunnel looks amazing. I may have to get one for my cats after I move.

My sister still hasn't received a book I ordered for my mother mid-December. Tracked it on UPS to Wichita where they turned it over to the Post Office on December 29. Black hole. No way to track it any further.

Good luck on the cat photos!

>188 ronincats: The tunnel has provided me lots of enjoyment as I watch the boys. It's not really expensive and works well. I purchased it from Chewy. As far as the post office, the book I had was delivered to the post office in Union, NJ on December 28 and appears to have not moved since. Amazon is now saying it may be lost because it is so late. The third party seller refunded my money without my asking them to do so. It's crazy though.

>188 ronincats: I can confirm that the tunnel is a most excellent cat toy/rocket launcher. Best investment you can make toward cat fun and well-being.

>183 thornton37814: I looked at second hand bookstores' offers and there are different copies available! Yay!

>190 justchris: It has certainly been fun at my house!

>191 PersephonesLibrary: Excellent! I'm sure you'll enjoy the pictures and the story Hughes wove.

Hi Lori!

>148 thornton37814: I acquired the Father Brown Complete Collection for my Kindle in November. You got some really good ones. Do you keep track of how many Kindle books you read vs paper books?

>152 thornton37814: I’ve read Goodbye, Mr. Chips but don’t remember a single thing about it, sad to say.

>158 thornton37814: I had to mail 4 packages that would have been opened at a family Christmas party or with Jenna home for Christmas. I guess, from what I’ve been reading here and there on LT that I’m fortunate they all arrived before Christmas.

>172 thornton37814: sounds very interesting. what do i have to do to join in?

>186 thornton37814: my mothers family were an old and hallowed family in New England and Connecticut and my aunts were forever digging into the Avery Records going back to the Mayflower days. Genealogy is one of the fun ways to study history

Dropping in to say hello! Lots of great reading going on and with 17 books already!

Stopping by to say hi, Lori. Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England is now on my list. Happy reading!

Looks like you're really getting into combining genealogy with LT this year, Lori. I'll check out the new LT Genealogy thread.

>193 karenmarie: I don't keep track of quantities of e-books vs. print books vs. audiobooks I read. I most often listen to audio books on my commute so it's usually 2 or 3 per month there except during summer. In summer, I usually listen mostly on longer drives--and I sometimes get those longer drives at spring break or Christmas. The audio book listening was down last year since I stayed home in summer. I'd guess electronic books edge out the print ones--probably 70/30 or 60/40, depending on the time period. I'd say it's 60/40 right now.

>194 magicians_nephew: It's over in the Category Challenge. I think I forgot which thread I was posting in, but you are welcome to join in there--even if you don't join the year-long category challenge. The planning thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/325803 I'll be posting the March thread mid-February. It is a fun way to dig into history as long as you try to make your ancestors 3-D characters instead of settling for Birth, Marriage, Death, and Census. An ancestor's sister died of a disease. I knew her husband was a doctor and that she probably helped him in his practice. I wondered if there had been an outbreak at the time and found the health department's records reporting the total number of people who died of that disease that year. It had been digitized by a university. It certainly made a more interesting insight into her death than it would have otherwise.

>195 figsfromthistle: I think I'm feeling I'm not making as much progress because I have so many books where I'm reading a chapter a day in process. I got distracted by a little genealogical research last night and probably will continue pursuing that tonight, but I will hopefully be able to report a completion or two this weekend. I'd like to hit 20 for the month.

>196 Oregonreader: I found it enjoyable, and I hope you will too!

>197 Familyhistorian: Please do. I've wanted that thread to be active for a long time. I may need to take time to go through the various members and see which ones are still active and send them private messages encouraging them to join back in!

>156 thornton37814: I did the same thing, download any book that was interesting. I recently discovered that Kindle now allows you to delete books from your library! I went back and removed a BUNCH that I know I'll never read.

>157 Whisper1: our mail carrier told me that because of Covid the post office was NOT hiring extra help over the holidays. She was working 7 days a week, but they "gave" her Christmas off.

>159 thornton37814: I loved that book, and the series. I still need to read the last one, The Last Plantagenets.

>200 fuzzi: I'm not really deleting them, but most are not on my device. I'm looking forward to reading the remaining 3 books in the series in the months to come.

Book 18. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers

Date Completed: 28 January 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries set in British Isles)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Newlyweds Lord Peter & Harriet spend their honeymoon in their newly purchased country home. The previous owner's corpse turns up in the basement. Bunter doesn't get along with the housekeeper. The cast of local characters produces some interesting characters and a variety of motives. The first hour or so of the audio book was told in an epistolary fashion, but after that, Sayers turned back to her tried and true methods of telling the story. Overall it's an interesting plot, but it drags out a little longer than necessary.

Book 19. A Real Southern Cook: In Her Savannah Kitchen by Dora Charles

Date Completed: 29 January 2021

Category: Hummingbird (Domestic Arts)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Dora Charles is the woman who made Paula Deen's restaurant Lady & Sons a success story. Now she tells both her own and her grandmother's story and mixes in a heaping portion of Southern recipes. If you grew up in the South, you'll recognize most of the recipes and have your own favorite versions. Well-illustrated with food and other photos, Dora's book is a pleasure to read. I loved the shout-out to a friend and fellow genealogist in the credits at the end of the book.

Lori, I love the cover for Busman's Honeymoon. It's been so long since I've read any of them that I could easily reread them. Have you read Dervla McTiernan? Set in Ireland, her mystery, The Scholar, is a good one.
The Dora Charles cookbook sounds interesting. I grew up on southern food and it's still my comfort food!

>204 Oregonreader: I liked that cover too. I'm not familiar with McTiernan. I did really love the cookbook. I purchased it when it was on sale for Kindle. I recognized who the author was. I'm really glad I got it!

Book 20. The Gospel at Work: How the Gospel Gives New Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert

Date Completed: 29 January 2021

Category: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: The authors discuss work in a biblical context. While not a theology of work, the authors seek to make practical applications for persons in their jobs. The book probably applies most to those in white-collar settings although some parts apply to blue-collar employees as well. I found this book as unremarkable as many business books in today's market. The appendices provided the most unique and useful content, specifically the one drawing upon several chapters of the book of Acts and the one discussing the future of missionary endeavors.

Twenty books already, Lori and 200 plus looks nailed on again. This year and for the moment I am not leagues behind you.

>207 PaulCranswick: You might surpass me at some point. I'm within a couple chapters of finishing a 21st this month. I'm suffering a sinus-related headache at the moment though, so I can't promise to finish it. It is a print book, so that makes it a little easier to manage with a headache.

Book 21. Gone to the Grave: Burial Customs of the Arkansas Ozarks, 1850-1950 by Abby Burnett

Date Completed: 31 January 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This fascinating look at death and dying in Arkansas' Ozark Region goes beyond the stated scope to provide additional context for the reader or researcher. The author used primary sources, oral history, newspapers, and regional and national periodicals in her research body, making a comprehensive study of the subject. Some readers may remember portions of these practices from their own lives. The author traced origins of many practices to places Arkansans or their ancestors previously lived. While one might expect the focus to be entirely on practices from the death of an individual until their interment, the author includes information on causes of death and procedures followed in dealing with disease, the aged, the poor, and more. While the book possesses a very academic tone, it still presents interesting information useful to genealogists and historians working both inside and outside the Ozark Region.