Jennifer's 2023 Reading (japaul22) Part 2

2023 Reading, Part 2

Hi everyone! I'm back for my 13th year in Club Read. I live in Northern Virginia and am a musician in the U.S. Marine Band - I play french horn. I'm also a mom to two boys, ages 13 and 10 this winter. So, I'm busy! But I also find plenty of time to read. I love contemporary fiction and gravitate to women writers. I also read and reread the classics. I also always have a nonfiction book going, usually history or biography.

Looking forward to the reading year ahead!

These lists are to help me pick books when I don't have a "next book" in mind. They will also give you an idea of the kinds of books I enjoy. These are all a work in progress. I will remove or add on any whim - they are not "definitive" lists for me!

Contemporary Authors that I follow (i.e. I'll probably read any new novel they put out and am reading any backlog I haven't gotten to yet):
Hilary Mantel
Kate Atkinson
Eleanor Catton
Eowyn Ivey
Tana French
Marilynne Robinson
Hannah Tinti
Barbara Kingsolver
Ann Patchett
Chimamanda Adichie
Margaret Atwood
Madeline Miller
Esther Freud
A.S. Byatt
Siri Hustvedt
Ottessa Moshfegh
Charlotte McConaghy
Niall Williams
Maggie O'Farrell

Series/Mysteries/thrillers that I follow:
Tana French, (8/8)
C.J. Sansom, Matthew Shardlake series (6/6)
Ruth Ware (6/7)
Thursday Murder Club (3/4)
Maisie Dobbs (8/17)
Lisa Lutz

Classic authors I love (reading novels I haven't read yet or rereads):

Jane Austen
the Brontes
Virginia Woolf
George Eliot
Trollope
Thomas Mann
Doestoevsky
Tolstoy
Haldor Laxness
Sigrid Undset
Faulkner
Zola
Scandinavian classics
Willa Cather
Edith Wharton
John Williams
Proust
Thomas Hardy
Henry James
Barbara Pym

Kindle TBR (because I never remember I have these) 36 books on this list at the beginning of 2023:
*Daughters of the Winter Queen by Nancy Goldstone
Martin Chuzzlewit
Our Mutual Friend
Nicholas Nickleby
Lost Children Archive
The Fire This Time
Sandhamn Murders by Viveca Sten books 1-6
Titan by Ron Chernow
The Imprisoned Guest by Elisabeth Gitter
How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran
Three Lives by Gertrude Stein
Compartment No. 6
The Great Circle
Tyll
The Books of Jacob
3 From Amazon world book day:
Mother Dear
*The Easy Life in Kamusari
And Eye for an Eye
She Has Her Mother's Laugh (science book on heredity)
A Woman's Life by Maupassant
Nightwood by Djuna Barnes
Lapovna by Otessa Moshfegh
Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie
Was Heathcliff a Murderer by Jon Sutherland
Baba Dunja’s Last Love
*Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
East Angels by Constance Fenimore Woolson
Ladie’s Paradise Zola
China court by Rumer Godden

*recommended to actually read this year by LT friends

Link to my "best book by publication year" list
https://www.librarything.com/topic/346894#8025553

Category ideas for 2024: Do I need/want these?

Best Book by publication year (1976, 1944, 1942, 1914, 1906, 1904, 1902, 1893, 1888, 1887, 1879, 1870, 1852, 1850)
Rereads
Backlist from favorite authors
Classics/1001 books
Off my shelf/kindle
Library/amazon wish list
Women in Translation
Norwegian authors/topics
Black American authors
Indigenous authors
Environment fiction and nonfiction

Projects/Big Books for 2024:
Georgia O'Keefe letters book
A Fine Balance
Mary Chestnut Civil War

Reading Log

January:
1. Krakatoa by Simon Winchester
2. Fight Night by Miriam Toews
3. The Gilded Page by Mary Wellesley
4. Anne by Constance Fenimore Woolson
5. Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey
6. The Grimkes by Kerri K. Greenidge
7. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
8. The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys

February
9. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
10. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
11. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (reread)
12. The Land of Green Plums by Herta Muller
13. Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King
14. The Man who Died Twice by Richard Osman
15. Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

March
16. An Island by Karen Jennings
17. The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen
18. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
19. The Lady Queen by Nancy Goldstone
20. The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
21. The Summer Book by Tove Jannson
22. Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
23. Irretrievable by Theodor Fontane
24. American Canopy by Eric Rutkow

April
25. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
26. Exiles by Jane Harper
27. Will and Testament by Vigdis Hjorth
28. Queen Victoria by Lucy Worsley
29. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
30. Love by Hanne Orstavik
31. Angel by Elizabeth Taylor

May
32. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
33. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt
34. Pot Luck by Emile Zola
35. The Blue Sky
36. The Nature of Oaks by Doug Tallamy
37. The Giant, O'Brien by Hilary Mantel
38. Persuasion by Jane Austen
39. What Matters in Jane Austen? by John Mullan
40. Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H.
41. A Dream in Polar Fog by Yuri Rytkheu

June
42. Fugitive Colors by Nancy Bilyeau
43. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
44. Pandora's Jar by Natalie Haynes
45. The Good Wife of Bath of Karen Brooks
46. Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
47. The Hamlet by William Faulkner
48. Know My Name by Chanel Miller
49. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Reading Log

July:
50. Love and Summer by William Trevor
51. A Map for the Missing by Belinda Huijuan Tang
52. The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Byrne
53. 1491 by Charles C. Mann
54. The Claverings by Trollope
55. Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
56. THe Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
57. Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar
58. The Only Problem by Muriel Spark

August
59. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
60. Salka Valka by Halldor Laxness
61. Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny
62. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
63. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
64. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
65. Midnight News by Jo Baker
66. Homestead by Melinda Moustakis
67. They Do it with Mirrors by Agatha Christie

September
68. Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear
69. Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson
70. Three Summers by Margarita Liberaki
71. Nine Black Robes by Joan Biskupic
72. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
73. The Life and Death of Harriet Frean by May Sinclair
74. A country Road, A Tree by Jo Baker

October:
75. The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
76. Becoming Beauvoir by Kate Kirkpatrick
77. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osmun
78. Foster by Claire Keegan
79. The Last Mrs. Meredith by
80. Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
81. The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea
82. The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

November:
83. In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
84. Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes
85. Clarissa by Samuel Richardson
86. The Journey Home by Olaf Olafsson
87. This Other Eden by Paul Harding
88. Sorry by Gail Jones
89. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
90. The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz
91. These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

December:
92. An Experiment in Love by Hilary Mantel
93. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear
94. This is Happiness by Niall Williams
95. The Storyteller by Dave Grohl
96. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
97. You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott
98. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
99. Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban
100. The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
101. Sisters in Law by Linda Hirschman
102. The Good Lord Bird by James McBride

#50 Love and Summer by William Trevor

In a small Irish town in the 1960s/70s, Ellie Dillahan and Florian Kilderry meet. Ellie is an orphan who was raised by nuns, sent out to be a housekeeper when she came of age, and ends up marrying the man she was keeping house for. Her husband has a tragic past, having lost his wife and child in a gruesome accident. Ellie is shy and quiet and simple. Florian Kilderry is selling his parents' house, who have both died, and trying to get over a lost love. Over a summer, the two begin spending time together and they grow close, complicated by Ellie's marriage and Florian's imminent departure.

William Trevor is a master at telling a reader what is happening without ever saying it. This book is incredibly subtle - almost nothing is said straight out, but somehow everything is clear. Using only tiny bits of dialogue and tiny moments of interior thought, Ellie, her husband, and Florian all become complete characters. I'm not sure how he did it.

I will say it's a little disorienting to read a book like this. There isn't a lot of description, isn't a lot of dialogue, isn't a lot of characters' thoughts. What is there? It's hard to describe how Trevor gets the plot across to the reader. All I know is I really liked it.

Original publication date: 2009
Author’s nationality: Irish
Original language: English
Length: 212
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: paperback at library sale
Publisher: Penguin
Why I read this: I've enjoyed other books by the author

Nice review. I’m intrigued by the subtle plot devices. Somewhere around here I have an unread collection of stories by Trevor, but I’ve never read him

>5 japaul22: I've read one William Trevor book and enjoyed it. At least I think I did. From memory it was one of those books that I couldn't fully make my mind up about, although the writing was fantastic. I think any negative thoughts were due to it being quite bleak.

>7 AlisonY: yep, that's a very similar reaction to Trevor that I have. He's a fantastic writer, but the subjects are often depressing.

#51 A Map for the Missing by Belinda Huijuan Tang

In A Map for the Missing, a 30 year old Chinese immigrant to America gets a call from his mother, who is back in his small home town in China, that his father has gone missing. Yitian leaves his American life, that he is still adapting to, for his first visit back home in 15 years. When he gets there, he starts to relive some painful moments from his teenage years, including the death of his older brother and his conflicts with his father. Most of this action takes place in the late 1970s, during the end of the Cultural Revolution. Yitian was one of the few young people to pass the gaokao, a test to be placed in the Chinese university system. One of his female friends, Hanwen, who he had a budding romance with does not pass the test. While Yitian is back looking for his father, he also reconnects with Hanwen.

While I loved hearing more about China during this time period and the book seemed well-researched, I felt there was too much going on. There were too many of Yitian's relationships being explored and I felt pulled in a lot of directions. This book was a great concept, but the execution was only ok.

Original publication date: 2022
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 400
Rating: 3 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: kindle library book
Publisher: Penguin
Why I read this: I think I must have seen an LT review that caught my eye

#52 The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Byrne

I enjoyed this biography of one of my favorite authors. I found that what a vaguely knew of Pym was largely wrong. What I thought I knew was that she was an Emily Dickinson type - who lived a sheltered, unexciting life and wrote a bunch of novels that were barely published during her life or got little recognition. (I'm probably wrong about Emily Dickinson too . . . )

What I found instead was that Pym led a fairly modern and ahead-of-her times life. As a young woman at Oxford, she had many (disappointing) love affairs and seems to have enjoyed the sexual parts of these relationships. She traveled quite a bit, having a love affair with 1930s Germany the country and a young German man. She even thought Hitler was a good leader for Germany, before the war and atrocities came to light. She also was a Wren during WWII and traveled to Italy. She began writing novels in a focused manner in her 30s, and had six novels published between 1950-1961 which were fairly widely read. In the 60s, her style of novel, focused on "real people" and everyday life, fell out of favor during the sexual revolution. They were viewed as spinster-ly and old-fashioned, though her actual readers will know that there's quite a bit of forward-thinking in her novels. So she was unable to get any of her next novels published for a long stretch of time. In the late 70s, she was rediscovered and her novels have been in print ever since.

I liked this biography, though I was annoyed in the first third of the book at how much focus was put on her sexual relationships with men. It read like a string of failed relationships and as though that was all she cared about in her 20s. I wanted more about her female friendships, her academic endeavors, her family, her travels, etc. I think the focus of her male relationships stems from the fact that this book was largely based on Pym's diaries. I think it's normal that young women write about their love life to the exclusion of other things in their diaries! But it doesn't mean that in day-to-day life it's their primary focus or all-consuming. I wish the author had balanced the diary writings with other source material a little better. This evens out later, and I suppose in a way, Byrne was really trying to set up the fact that Pym was a liberated sexual woman. It provides good background to how incorrect it was when she's viewed as sedate, spinster-ish, and a bit prude in the 1960s. But, nevertheless, the beginning did bother me. Too much about the men!

Either way, I did enjoy learning more about Pym and I will read her novels with new eyes and better background when I reread her next.

Original publication date: 2021
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 686 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased hardcover
Publisher: William Collins, imprint of HarperCollins
Why I read this: saw it reviewed somewhere and I love author bios

Great review! I too love Pym’s novels, think I’ve read 4 or 5 of them. I think I’d agree with you about the first part of the biography, though—seems like a little research beyond her diaries for her 20’s might have helped in understanding her more deeply as a writer.

#53 1491 by Charles C. Mann

Probably most people who are interested in this have already read it, but I had not, and when I saw it at a library sale I figured it was time. 1491, of course, is Mann's attempt to describe the Americas as they looked and were inhabited before Columbus arrived. I think he does this fairly well. A lot of his assertions have made it into mainstream thinking by now, 20 years after he wrote it, but then again, there is so much we don't know that I still found the book interesting. The book mainly reminded me of that - that even this particular book itself isn't positive about almost any assertion made.

Ideas that I walked away with, though, were mainly that there were many more people living in the Americas than most people assume. It wasn't just a vast wilderness. And in fact, the indigenous people (so hard to decide which term to use - none of the options are ideal) had actually manufactured the land, the plants, and the animals to suit their needs. So the idea that we should return to native ideals of co-existing with nature are a little off. Also, many of these societies were very advanced. In some areas where we think of European society as having the edge, when you look a little deeper, the way the native American societies were living made the most sense for them and the resources they had at hand. Not lesser, just different.

All in all, still an interesting book and I'm glad I finally read it.

Original publication date: 2011 updated edition
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 563 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library sale
Publisher: Vintage
Why I read this: have been meaning to since it came out

#54 The Claverings by Anthony Trollope

The Claverings is one of Trollope's lesser known novels, and though I quite liked it, I can see why. It contains a lot of his common themes - contrasting those who work for money vs. those who inherit, an abusive marriage with a domineering husband, and women who have to choose between love and money in marriage.

In this novel, we're thrown into the action right away. Julia Brabazon is deserting Harry Clavering to marry the extremely wealthy Lord Ongar, despite knowing he's an evil person. Well, he dies early in their marriage and she does inherit, but not without being punished for her decision by being shunned by society for accusations made by her husband about her behavior during their marriage. Harry, in the meantime, has met a lovely young woman - Florence Burton - and he is about to embark on earning a living through her family's business. When Julia returns to London, alone and friendless, Harry will have to decide which woman he wants to spend his life with.

In addition, there are the usual side stories. Julia's sister is trapped in a loveless and abusive marriage. One of Harry's sisters finds herself in love with a penniless curate. And there are some unsavory characters hanging on to Julia connected to her deceased husband, hoping for her money.

All in all I really liked this one, but I didn't find it as special as some of Trollope's other novels. It is quite a bit shorter, though, if that appeals to you.

Original publication date: 1867
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 522 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: kindle book
Publisher: public domain
Why I read this: group read with Liz (Lyzard)

#55 Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz

Don't bother with this mystery. It's the second in the series and I only kind of liked the first - I'm not sure why I felt compelled to read the second.

Horowitz's premise is that an editor who worked on a famous mystery writer's books is asked to find the clue to in one of the author's books that will lead a family to find their missing daughter.

So we read about the current-day mystery (the missing daughter) and start to get a picture of all of that cast of characters. And then we actually read the entire book that this mystery writer wrote. With a completely different cast of characters. Some of them are loosely based on the current-day people that he met when visiting their hotel, but it was way too loose to feel like I knew what the parallels were. And then you go back to the current-day mystery. After 175 pages of a totally different story, I barely remembered what was going on.

Meh - I didn't like it at all.

Original publication date: 2020
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 496 pages
Rating: 2 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: kindle library book
Publisher: Harper Collins
Why I read this: continuing a series

#56 The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

But this book . . . this book I loved and read in two days. It is set in a maternity ward in Ireland during the influenza epidemic in the early 1900s. The main character is Julia Power, who is a nurse running the short-staffed ward for pregnant mothers with influenza. She is highly competent, intelligent, and caring without letting her emotions color her work. She lives with her brother, who is suffering with PTSD after fighting in WWI.

Into her well-ordered life enters Bridie Sweeney, sent by a local convent that houses orphaned young women in return for servitude. Bridie and Nurse Power are immediately drawn to each other. They work well together and over a brief couple of days form a strong bond that is just what Julia has been lacking in her otherwise full life.

The pacing of this novel is fantastic. Donoghue writes in four long sections that mimic the hectic pace of the maternity ward. One of the reasons I read it so fast is that there is nowhere to stop - just as the nurses/doctors experience the relentless pace of illness and birth, the reader does as well.

It's also an intriguing parallel between the influenza pandemic and the covid pandemic. I was so interested to know that Donoghue wrote this before covid - it seems so clearly like an intentional parallel. The fear of contagion resulting in isolation, the masks and disinfecting, the trauma for hospital workers, the ineffectual government response . . .

Original publication date: 2020
Author’s nationality: Irish
Original language: English
Length: 295 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased paperback at Browseabout Books at Rehoboth Beach, DE
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Why I read this: enjoy the author

Wonderful reviews, Jennifer! You make me want to read more Trollope—and I will hope to get to The Pull of the Stars this year. I’ve read only one book by Donoghue, Haven, which I really enjoyed. I can see I would enjoy exploring more of her work too.

I've also read Haven, The Wonder, Slammerkin, Room, and Akin and I've liked them all. They are all really different, but I found them all compulsively readable.

>12 japaul22: I read this in... 2011, just reread my review to refresh memory, and yeah, the managed wilderness was enlightening.
>15 japaul22: I've read two of her books, have a third in the queue, will add this one too.

>15 japaul22: - Coincidentally, I'm currently listening to Little Souls by Sandra Dallas which is about the Spanish Influenza epidemic and takes place in Denver, CO. I have not read any Donoghue yet, but will put this on my list for a future read. Sounds good.

>15 japaul22: I also loved this book. I found the ending heartbreaking.

>15 japaul22: >16 dianelouise100: Love her books! Haven was as slow as this one was fast, but that pace was very appropriate, just like it was in Pull of the Stars; such an amazing writer: I think I first read slammerkin and was hooked

Yay for all the Emma Donoghue love!

>20 rhian_of_oz: Totally agree with your spoiler. I found myself tearing up several times throughout the novel.

>18 qebo: I think the manufacturing of the wilderness will be the main thing I learned and take away from that book.

>15 japaul22: Read your review last night and wouldn't ya know, I spotted it at the Newberry Library book sale today & grabbed it!

>23 kac522: love it!

#57 Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar

I seem to be going "every other" with liking books. This one didn't work for me. I thought I was going to read a mountaineering/exploration type book, which I tend to love. Instead this read more like true crime/unsolved mysteries.

The story is that a group of 9 young men and women in 1950s Soviet Union set out on a winter hiking trip into the Ural Mountains. They are experienced hikers trying for their Class 3 hiking certification - the highest level. They don't return on time and a rescue mission is sent out to look for them. What the rescue team finds is horrific. An empty tent with only the hikers' possessions - food in middle of being eaten, coats, boots, and 3 slashes in the back of the tent. They begin to find the bodies of the hikers in small groups, all over a mile from their tent. All deceased. All without boots/shoes.

What happened was never solved and an American writer decides to investigate. He goes to Russia several times to conduct interviews and retrace part of their route. The book became too much about him.

The book ends with the writer's version about what happened. I wasn't convinced at all.

Very unsatisfying. Also felt sort of voyeuristic and like it wasn't this random American's job to be investigating this.

Original publication date: 2013
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 288 pages
Rating: 2 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased kindle book
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Why I read this: misunderstood the topic

#58 The Only Problem by Muriel Spark

I usually love Muriel Spark, but this one didn't work for me. It's an odd story about clueless adults mixed up in politics and casually switching around how they partner up. And in the background, the main character studies the Book of Job from the Bible.

I got nothing from reading this.

Original publication date: 1984
Author’s nationality: Scottish
Original language: English
Length: 192 pages
Rating: 2 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased hardcover Everyman's edition of 4 novellas
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Why I read this: completing a set of 4 novellas contained in this one book - I loved the others - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The Girls of Slender Means, The Driver's Seat

#59 Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

I have so far held off on reading anything by the popular Emily St. John Mandel, but this book called to me on a recent book shopping trip.

This is a time travel book and it reminded me of Cloud Atlas in the circular nature of the plot and trajectory of the book. It is a little less complicated than David Mitchell's book, though. I liked some of the detail that was put in about the different time periods, and I was flying through the book to find out answers. In the end, I realized I figured out the main plot twist right at the beginning, which was sort of disappointing. Also, I didn't really feel a deep connection to any of the characters.

Some of my disappointments were masked as I was reading - I really devoured the book and enjoyed it along the way. But the more I think about it, the more disillusioned I feel.

Original publication date: 2022
Author’s nationality: Canadian
Original language: English
Length: 259 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased paperback at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, DE
Publisher: Knopf
Why I read this: curious about the author

>25 japaul22: Ah, Dyatlov Pass! I'd read a book about it, but probably not that one now. ;) Thanks for the review.

>28 ursula: I hope there are better books out there about the incident!

I got a nice surprise when Ann Patchett's new novel, Tom Lake, showed up at my door this morning. I believe I pre-ordered it on a particularly frustrating work day and then forgot about it!

Looking forward to reading it once I finish Salka Valka.

>29 japaul22: Smithsonian did an article about it - not as in-depth as a book can be, of course, but solid info as far as it went. They blamed it on an avalanche of odd type. I don't know, of course, what your author decided was the cause.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-finally-unraveled-...

>31 jjmcgaffey: Nope, not the same theory!

>27 japaul22: Great comments. Station Eleven is Mandel's best book, in my opinion.

I'll watch for your comments on Tom Lake; I have it on reserve at the library, but I am not first on the list.

Patchett is one of those authors that call on me when a new book is released. "read me now" I usually obey so going to get it today

>31 jjmcgaffey: Interesting article. I was curious as to Eichar hypothesis and read a few reviews. One mentioned that the author did not speak Russian. I wonder who his translators were and what their bias was in the story.

#60 Salka Valka by Halldor Laxness

The eponymous Salka Valka is just a young girl of eleven when she and her mother arrive in a tiny fishing town on Iceland's coast. They were on their way south to Reykjavik and between the mother's seasickness and her inability to fund their whole trip, they need to disembark. They find a small village whose entire economy is based on fishing and controlled by one man, who tracks everyone's work and debits what he gives them from his store - no money is involved. Salka and her mother, Sigurlina, turn to the local Salvation Army chapter for support.

They can't find work, but end up living with an older couple. Salka shows an independent spirit from the beginning of the novel. Her mother seems unwilling to work when she runs into some roadblocks, but Salka begins cleaning fish and earning a place in the town's ledger. She also ends up able to be tutored by a local boy. Salka is not only independent, she is different. She wears trousers and cuts off her hair, and as she grows up she becomes a more important voice in the community, even organizing the local fisherman into a union. The book turns to a conflict between Bolshevism and capitalism, with those actually doing the work caught in the middle of the ideas brought by outsiders. Salka has a hard life in terms of her relationships. I don't want to give away too many plot points, but she has a traumatic experience with one of her mother's lovers, and this definitely colors her later relationships - both with him (he unfortunately remains in and out of her life) and with other men.

Overall I really enjoyed this. Despite the diatribes on religion and politics, I found the writing less dense than some of Laxness's other novels. Because there is a pretty solid focus on Salka alone, it was easy to stay engaged in her life. It was fascinating to see how this fishing village operated in the early 1900s and to see the changes that take place through the early 20th century. I read a recent translation published by Archipelago.

Original publication date: 1930s
Author’s nationality: Icelandic
Original language: Icelandic, translated by Philip Roughton
Length: 630 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased paperback from Archipelago
Publisher: Archipelago
Why I read this: like the author

>36 japaul22: I read Independent People and actively disliked it. The protagonist was so awful and did some awful things that I wasn't able to get past. Others like Laxness so much that I've wanted to give him another go, sounds like Salka Valka might be a good choice. And I do like supporting Archipelago Press.

>37 labfs39: there are some awful things in Salka Valka as well, though I didn't feel like the reader was supposed to look past them or condone them.

But I also loved Independent People.

>27 japaul22: I really enjoyed your review of the Sea of Tranquility. Sometimes reviews of books one didn't enjoy as much as they hoped are far more interesting. Not every book is meant for every reader, don't you agree?

>39 avaland: Agreed! I'm still glad I read Sea of Tranquility. There was something compelling about it that made me understand why so many people really enjoyed it. But overall the book didn't work for me.

>27 japaul22: Sea of Tranquillity is on my list; it may even be in the house. I've read three other novels by St John Mandel, and enjoyed them all, especially The Glass Hotel, so looking forward to this one.

>36 japaul22: Another author, another three books read, but Salka Valka is a new title to me. Enjoyed your review, and I always enjoy reading books set by the sea, so will look for this. As others have said, Archipelago is also worth while too.

#61 Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny

This is the nonfiction account of a group of six people who make a trek down the dangerous Colorado River in the 1930s. Their goal is to provide opportunities for two women botanists, Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter, to catalog the plants in this remote and unstudied region.

In the 1930s, few people had survived the trek down the Colorado River. This was before any significant dams and reservoirs had been built and there were tons of dangerous rapids. Also, the sheer faces of the cliffs rise straight up from the river, leaving few sandbanks to camp on. In fact, no women had survived the journey. Clover and Jotter had already faced tons of discrimination to even try to be recognized in the field of botany. In trying to organize this trip, they faced even more sexism and discrimination.

After a rough start, they and the group do have a successful journey and contribute much to the field of botany. Because they go before the Colorado River is significantly changed by dams and controlled water flow, their research illluminates plant life during a window of time that no longer exists after human interference.

I really enjoyed this book.

Original publication date: 2023
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 304 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased kindle book
Publisher: W.W. Norton and Company
Why I read this: topic sounded interesting

>42 japaul22: Hmm, looks interesting.

>27 japaul22:

Joining in on the Mandel conversation. I read Station Eleven and really enjoyed it as a different approach to a dystopian novel but I thought The Glass Hotel was just a whole lot of nothingness. Well written nothingness but really a book about nothing. I also had turned the pages right till the end but then it solidified that I hated all the characters and really couldn't have cared about the plot. I decided then to not continue on with her books.

I think she is definitely an author where everyone agrees she writes well but then it becomes a matter of personal taste whether you actually care for the book afterward.

>43 qebo: I hope you’ll give Brave the Wild River a try - it was interesting.

>44 lilisin: that’s interesting that you had a similar experience with The Glass Hotel - I think she overlaps some characters between it and Sea of Tranquility. I’d be willing to give the author one more try if a plot synopsis appeals to me, but I’m not in a rush to do so.

I'll join the Mandel conversation to say that I'm currently reading Last Night in Montreal and can't decide whether to keep going or not. I've only ever read Station Eleven and liked that one so I'll probably keep going, but I'm finding one of the main characters annoying.

>46 dudes22: Hm. She seems like a good writer, but maybe her books are so different from each other that liking one doesn't mean you'll like another.

#62 Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

In Tom Lake, three young adult sisters, Emily, Maisie, and Nell, are home at their northern Michigan cherry farm, waiting out the covid pandemic. As they harvest cherries, their mother, Lara, tells them about a pivotal summer in her life when she did summer stock at local Tom Lake, dated a future movie star, and met their father, Joe.

It's great story telling and appealing characters. Easy, summer reading. Not Patchett's most ambitious work, but it still features her solid writing style and memorable characters and situations. Very enjoyable.

Original publication date: 2023
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 320 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: pre-ordered hardcover
Publisher: Harper
Why I read this: really enjoy Patchett's writing

>48 japaul22: I'm looking forward to this one, Jennifer.

>48 japaul22: I just finished Tom Lake today, Jennifer. I loved it. I agree it wasn't ambitious, but it was solid and often moving, too.

>50 lauralkeet: Agreed! Lots of lovely little details too. She really captured the joy that some families were able to carve out of the sadness and fear of the pandemic.

#63 Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is a novel that is hard to describe. On the surface, it's a murder mystery set in a small town in Poland on the border with the Czech Republic. It is winter and our aging narrator, Janina, is caring for her neighbors' properties because only a few stay in this remote village over winter. People start dying in suspicious ways. Janina, who is an expert in astrology, suspects the animals in their region, who are sick of being hunted and eaten by the local men.

Though you would expect that this dramatic-sounding story would be the obvious focal point of the book, it is not. Instead, it's a character study of the unreliable narrator, her neighbors and friends, and life in the village.

It's a unique novel and I see both why it's so respected and popular, and why it might not get glowing reviews across the board. It's a bit tough to know what you're supposed to be experiencing as a reader. But, I ended up really liking it.

Original publication date: 2009, 2019 translation by Antonia Lloyd-Jones
Author’s nationality: Polish
Original language: Polish
Length: 285 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased for kindle
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Why I read this: curious about this book and it's been waiting on my kindle for years

>52 japaul22: Enjoyed this review very much. I read this a few years ago and I really liked it too. But I also found it confusing about what she wanted the reader to experience. I tried afterward to read Flight, but that was too confusing and I dnf’d at about 50 pages.

>53 dianelouise100: I expect a Nobel prize winner to be a bit experimental in some way, so I wasn't surprised by my reaction. I did purchase The Books of Jacob but I'm not sure I'll ever read it, being 1000 pages and after feeling only part-way convinced that the much shorter Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead was for me.

>54 japaul22: I really wanted to read TBoJ after reading the NYT review. thrilled to get it after it came out. What a door stop! I started it then just got overwhelmed and set it aside. Might read dypobd instead, like you

>55 cindydavid4: I often really like long books, but this one doesn't seem appealing any more. Maybe some day. Or maybe it will stay on my kindle forever .. .

#64 Lab Girl by Hope Jahrens

Lab Girl was a mixed bag for me. It's a memoir of a scientist who studies paleobotany. The science info about trees and plants and the trials and tribulations of being a scientist were fascinating - 5 star writing.

On the other hand, the details of her personal life and the general vibe of her personality were really annoying. The first half of the book I just kept thinking "why in the world is she living like this?" Crazy all-nighters working, eating awful food, not showering, weird relationship with a coworker, etc. Then she reveals that she's bipolar and finally gets on medication, so some of that evens out. But still, I think I would not like her personality in person. She has a strange sense of humor. Normally I'm careful to not judge a female writer in this way, because I think women are usually held to a higher standard of what is acceptable in their personality than men are. In this instance, though, Jahren makes her personality such a big part of the book that it was impossible for me not to comment on.

I also was really thrown by the title of this book. With "girl" in the title, I was expecting a memoir by someone young and new to the career. Maybe some humor and levity. But Hope Jahren is anything but a "girl". She's an adult woman with lots of awards and recognition in her field. I think using the word "girl" detracts from her accomplishments and sets the reader up for a different book than they are going to get. Maybe that's just me since using the world girl to describe grown women is a real pet peeve of mine.

As I said, a mixed bag for me. I think enough of it was fascinating that I would still recommend it. I just am afraid that I will remember the annoying parts most.

Original publication date: 2016
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 290 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased paperback at library sale
Publisher: Knopf
Why I read this: saw good reviews and I like reading about trees/plants

I also loved Drive Your Plow, Jennifer. I loved Janina's voice.

I have Lab Girl on my shelf, so one day... Your comments help to temper my expectations.

>57 japaul22:

I'm interested. Scientists are all too often deemed to lack personality, especially women, so the bigger/weirder the better, as far as I'm concerned... at least when it comes to reading about them! As for the title, maybe it wasn't entirely her choice? It seems those attention-grabbing particulars are often left to the mercy of editors. "Lab woman"... hmm... maybe it's me, but wouldn't that sound odd? Otoh, it's true, I can't picture a male scientist's memoir being titled "Lab boy".

By the way, if you like reading about women in science, you might like Rita Colwell's A Lab of One's Own: One Woman's Personal Journey Through Sexism in Science. She had a co-writer but I think that's honest, and it's so far the best description of a woman's career in science, of a certain generation to be sure, that I know of.

>57 japaul22: I tried this one on audio some years back and noped out of it pretty quickly. She read her own book and I couldn't cope with the way she did it.

>59 LolaWalser: Agreed that "Lab Woman" doesn't work. :-) Maybe something completely different would have been better. Thanks for the recommendation of Rita Colwell's book. I read a little more about it and it looks like something I would enjoy.

>60 ursula: Interesting - I feel like Dan replied somewhere (maybe the "what are you reading" thread) that he really liked the audiobook.

>57 japaul22: I completely agree about the two sides of this book. Really interesting science, but why there was so much of her personal life where it didn't intersect with her work was beyond me.

I read this back in 2019 with my book club, and just went back to see what I said about it, but seem to have not reviewed it, or several other reads from that year. Yikes - I must get back to reviewing. Anyway, there were conflicting opinions on her decisions to mingle her personal life into the book. Interestingly, the science people were not as keen on it as the people who were less attuned to her work and more interested in her life. Differences like these are one of the things I really enjoy about my book club. There were similar reactions to The Mother Tree this past spring.

I actually had a summer job once in an archo-ethnobotany lab. It was fascinating.

I get that a _lot_ in popular science books, especially history of science (which is a subject I really enjoy). When they're (many many authors) writing about fascinating discoveries and analyses, but then veer off to spend entire chapters on who was feuding with who over what...YAWN. First person (author is scientist), third (author is not scientist, or may even be writing about several scientists working on X subject)...for whatever reason, they think people who pick up a book on X subject need to know all the scandals and feuds and arguments that the scientist (or architects, or whatever) got involved in. Brunelleschi's Dome was a bad example I read recently. The architecture parts were _fascinating_...

>62 SassyLassy: I'm glad to hear others were put off by the amount of personal life included in the book. I guess I'm not surprised that there are competing viewpoints on this, though!

>63 jjmcgaffey: Lab Girl is less about feuding scientists (though I've noticed this is other books - history books too, occasionally) and more about her lifestyle and relationships. I would have minded that less if it felt more directly connected to her science in some way.

#65 Midnight News by Jo Baker

Midnight News is a highly enjoyable, though rather straight ahead and familiar, homefront WWII novel. The main character, Charlotte Richmond, is living in a small apartment in London and working for the war effort transcribing documents. When the Blitz begins, she starts losing her female friends. Four in a row die in bombings - though suspiciously. Charlotte also begins to feel she's being followed. Slowly her background is revealed, including that her family had her committed to an insane asylum in the recent past for promiscuity. As her friends die, she begins hearing their voices in her head and believes less and less that their deaths were simply a result of the Blitz. While this is happening, Charlotte also begins developing a relationship with a young man with a physical disability. It's clear that if they develop a relationship, he will be a grounding, steady force in her life.

This is a plot-driven novel that clips along enjoyably. Charlotte is an interesting and engaging main character. I had fun reading this, but I didn't get some of the compelling themes and insights that I look for in Jo Baker's novels. I also thought the conclusion was wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly.

In the afterward, she credited her reading of Elizabeth Bowen to the ideas behind this novel. That got me a little more interested again and I felt I could see what she was trying to do. But despite having read several Bowen novels, I didn't make that connection on my own.

I think most people will enjoy this novel, but I don't think it's the best example of what Jo Baker is capable of.

Original publication date: 2023
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 322 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: kindle library book
Publisher: Knopf
Why I read this: Jo Baker typically writes creative, interesting novels

>57 japaul22: Thanks for this review - makes me want to go back and reread Lab Girl with your critique in mind - her personality didn't grate on me, and I wonder what I'd see differently a second time through.

>59 LolaWalser: Thanks for this recommendation; I've added A lab of one's own to my wishlist. It sounds fascinating!

>57 japaul22: Hmm, I read this in 2016 and didn't write any comments, so about all I remember is a generally positive impression because of the science. I tend to like the intertwining of personal life if it's not overwhelming.

I've been lurking through the Lab Girl discussion. I liked the book, but also agree with the issues you mentioned. It took a while for her to reveal the mental health concerns behind her behavior, so I was a bit put off and wondered how she could ever have been successful. At other points in the book she alluded to painful life events, but didn't offer much explanation. That's her right, of course, but it made me wonder throughout whether this was a "personal hardship" memoir or a "successful career" memoir. A mixed bag, as you say.

Lab Girl - I appreciate all the comments. I’d like to mention that i liked the personal aspect because it tells a lot about what it takes to be a tenured, leading professor in a non-industry science. I found it scary and enlightening to see the stuff you have to do to get funding, so that you can publish stuff that will actually get you a reputation. The nature of all that is that it’s extremely demanding, and takes a heavy personal toll. Her ability to take advantage of a supporter who wants none of that benefit or job security was very interesting to me. I found it a revealing window. I think, in a way, that’s the underlying purpose of the book.

Love your review of Barbara Pym, and that she had a crazy life (if disturbingly pro-Nazi.) Terrific review of Drive You Plow. I know Mark really took to TBoJ. It was nice read about Tom Lake. And I’m intrigued by Brave the Wild River. John Wesley Powell always fascinated me. He’s the first to document a trip down the Grand Canyon (1869?). Obviously I’m catching up a bit…

Lots of people have read Lab Girl! Definitely a mix of reactions, as well. I agree that the funding issue was a central reason she wrote the book. She also says at the end that the book is a tribute to Bill, her lab partner, which does explain why so much of their personal life was in there. I guess I just preferred the science and didn't get quite enough of it.

>69 dchaikin: Thanks for taking the time to catch up with my reviews! I read a bio of John Wesley Powell a couple of years ago, The Promise of the Grand Canyon. Actually, I just went back and read my review and it sounds like I had a similar reaction as I had to Lab Girl - interesting . . .
Here's the review:
Light on science, heavy on politics, I wasn't enamored of this book. John Wesley Powell himself is an interesting character. He explored the Grand Canyon through its famous Colorado River, a dangerous journey to be sure. The first journey turned into a fight for survival, with half of the party striking out on their own across the desert rather than facing more rapids, never to be seen again. The second journey finally focused more on the science and exploration, but I was never satisfied that it was really explained. How did he come to these large-scale conclusions about the earth's geologic history and formation? It wasn't discussed to my satisfaction. It's hard thing to explain, certainly, but I felt the author took the easy way out and instead focused on the trip itself and the people involved.

After Powell's exploration days are over, he begins making the argument with Congress that he should be funded to create a topographical map of the entire western region. He argues that this map will help explain where water is available and, more commonly, where it is not. The western United States is largely arid, and the story being handed out to settlers that it was a land of opportunity for farming was not the case.

While there were interesting aspects of this book, I kept wishing it had been done a little differently. I wanted more of the science and less of the personal relationships in this instance.

>70 japaul22: Not a very inspiring take. I don't think JWP was actually all that scientific ever, at least I haven't picked up on that. But he was very political. My entry was a version of his second trip down the canyon, written the by the artist hired to come along. (A Canyon Voyage: The Story of John Wesley Powell and the Charting of the Grand Canyon by Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh). He had to wait until after JWP passed away, before he could publish it, in 1908. It was entertaining (and no one died).

>66 markon:

You're welcome!

re: further comments on Lab Girl; haven't read it so not about the book, but in general, doing science as it is today unfortunately DOES mean doing and worrying about tons of things that aren't research. While I can see that those parts may be offputting to people who only want to read about science, they are legitimately part and parcel of it and I couldn't imagine a scientist's memoir without them. Just wouldn't be real, you know? Also, isn't a memoir a biographical genre? I hope no one is expecting scientists to have even less personal life than we do. :)

>69 dchaikin: it tells a lot about what it takes
>72 LolaWalser: couldn't imagine a scientist's memoir without
I figure that if I want pure(ish) science, it's available, and if I pick up a memoir it's because I'm actively seeking the personal component.

>71 dchaikin: yes, I think you are right - more of a politician than a scientist in a lot of ways. That book looks interesting.

>72 LolaWalser: Agreed - and I did enjoy/appreciate the info she gave about how hard it is to sustain a lab financially. That part of the book I found interesting and applicable.

I think Laura hit on a lot of the same reactions I had here >68 lauralkeet:

I'm more glad that I read it, now that we've had so much interesting conversation around it!

Finally catching up with your thread—interesting conversation about Lab Girl. I've had that one for ages but haven't read it (also have her The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here—has anyone here read that one?). I'm still interested in reading it, mostly because of the really varied opinions I've read, though I feel like the personal part would be a little aggravating. And I always feel like any book with "girl" in the title had better really justify that usage. (Kind of off-topic, but since I only have the ebook I only ever see the cover, in passing, in thumbnail mode, and always think the central image is a fired-up joint, even though I know better.)

Now I'm definitely interested in A Lab of One's Own, and I've had Brave the Wild River wishlisted for a while. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is my book club's next selection, so I'll be able to weigh in on that one before too long.

>75 lisapeet: My cover of Lab Girl has Lab letters in soil with a tree (I assume) sprouting out of it. And a pair of tweezers holding an acorn.

Looking forward to seeing your reviews on any of the books you mention! I think Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead will make a good book club selection.

#66 Homestead by Melinda Moustakis

Homestead is a confident first novel by a young author. It covers three years in the 1950s in Alaska - the time period when the territory becomes a state. Lawrence and Marie meet in a bar and quickly decide to get married. Lawrence has ambitions to claim a homestead and needs a wife and subsequent children to complete his dream. Marie is looking for escape and her sister already lives in Alaska.

The novel becomes a portrait of this new, inexperienced marriage. Lawrence is damaged from his time in the war, and even without that has a secretive, loner personality. Marie is more open and youthful and can't understand how or if she is supposed to really connect with Lawrence. They are lucky to have Marie's sister, Sheila, and her husband Sly nearby for support and company. While close, the four also deal with jealousy and keep secrets. Marie quickly gets pregnant and Sheila seems unable to get pregnant, despite years of trying. As time goes by, Lawrence and Marie begin to build a marriage, but Lawrence is keeping a secret that could easily destroy everything they've built.

All this is set against the backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness. The descriptions of the land and the people living there add a lot to the book.

My one complaint, though, was the writing style/tone. Moustakis uses short, clipped sentences and the description is sparse. I was actually so annoyed for the first 80 pages that I almost set the book aside. But I stuck with it, and about half way in I was fully invested and enjoying all of it.

I would definitely be interested in reading whatever Moustakis writes next.

Original publication date: 2023
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 259 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased hardback
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Why I read this: Kay's (RidgewayGirl) review caught my eye

Lots of interesting books here; I might still try that book by Muriel Spark, see if it works for me...

>78 edwinbcn: I've enjoyed everything else I've read by Muriel Spark so I'd never suggest not reading her work!

>75 lisapeet: Drive your Plow over the Bones of the Dead certainly worked for my book club. It was definitely an interesting discussion. Will be interested in hearing how it works with your group.

>77 japaul22: Glad you liked it. I think the spare writing style suited the setting and the characters.

#67 They Do it with Mirrors by Agatha Christie

I felt in the mood for something light and quick, so I turned to an Agatha Christie mystery. It was enjoyable, with a fun cast of characters. I find these predictable, but great comfort reading. This was a Miss Marple, and I think I like hers best.

Original publication date: 1952
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 224 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: William Morrow
Why I read this: something light

#68 Mapping of Love and Death by Jacquline Winspear

I was looking for another fun, easy book and remembered that I used to really enjoy the Maisie Dobbs mystery series, set in the aftermath of WWI. For some reason, I fell out of the habit of reading these, and I decided to give it another try.

This seventh mystery in the series is about an American cartographer who volunteers with the British in the beginning of WWI. He is killed and decades later his family comes upon some evidence of a relationship he had during the war that they want to investigate. They turn to Maisie to carry this out.

I really enjoyed this and I think I'll slowly continue on with the series.

Original publication date: 2010
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 338 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: Harper
Why I read this: something light, looking for a mystery series

We had a horrible stomach bug go through the house this weekend that my 10 year old brought home from school Wednesday night. So our Labor Day weekend was pretty gross! Everyone seems on the mend now. I watched two Jane Austen miniseries - the classic 1995 Pride and Prejudice that I've seen a million times, and the 2008 Sense and Sensibility. I also started a comfort read - Miss Buncle's Book.

>83 japaul22: I too enjoy the Maisie Dobbs series. They hit the spot sometimes.

>84 japaul22: Yikes, sounds horrid. I hope you are all on the mend. Both of those miniseries are favorite go-tos with my daughter and me when we need some quality comfort. I enjoyed Miss Buncle's Book too. Unfortunately I thought the trilogy slipped with each successive book.

>85 labfs39: It was bad, but these things are over fast at least. I doubt I'll read past Miss Buncle's Book but it seems enjoyable enough so far.

>76 japaul22: I’ve just borrowed the audio version of Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. It looks interesting and I love books set in Central Europe. They have a peculiar kind of darkness whatever the genre.

>87 kjuliff: I hope you enjoy it! I've continued thinking about it since finishing it. It's really very good, in my opinion.

>84 japaul22: I'm glad you are all on the mend.

It's working! As I'm sure most of us have experienced, LibraryThing has not been working for me the past few days because of the cyberattack they are experiencing. I have to get ready for work right now, but I admit to panicking a bit - because of the thought of losing access to my catalog and many of my reviews (I do have most in word docs), but mainly because of not being able to get in touch with all of you!

Hope the issue is resolved now, though I won't be surprised to see it not working again - sounds like a serious issue.

I feel the same way, Jennifer. Without LT I would lose my sole contact method for many of my LT friends. I hope Tim et al can defend the keep!

Yeah, also i really miss this place when it’s down.

I was another worried about losing contact with LT friends, as well as losing my lists of books read/reviews and my library (so many unread I can't remember which ones I own. I don't keep copies of my reviews or TBR lists anywhere else.

For everyone, as far as your cataloguing and book reviews, did this week's issues make you consider a different system or backup system for the book info you store on LT?

I usually copy and paste every review from my thread into a word doc at the end of the year and I have them all on my computer (and backed up of course) since I joined LT and began writing reviews in 2009. When we had the issue this week, the one time I could get on, I quickly copy/pasted all of my 2023 reviews to a word doc so I wouldn't lose them if something dire happened! I think I'll start writing them in the word doc and copy/paste the opposite way from now on.

I think my catalog of books on LT is messy enough that it wouldn't be the end of the world for me to lose it, but I would be sad to lose my reviews.

#69 Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson

A charming, quick read about a woman who writes a novel based on her hometown. When the townspeople read it, they are largely offended by the characterizations. And also, some of Miss Buncle's story line ends up happening in real life. An amusing fictional account of fiction both imitating and becoming reality.

Original publication date: 1934
Author’s nationality: Scottish
Original language: English
Length: 299 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library book sale
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Why I read this: something light

>94 japaul22: yes. I need to back up. My catalogue has lots of info i like to know - including where and when i got a book. My tags my the original publication date (first, so i can sort). And i have lots of edited info about copies.

>94 japaul22: - Yes - it did have me doing a little consideration. I keep a speadsheet with tabs for each year that lists the books I've read (and a few other things), but not with any near the level of detail from LT. It did make me consider if I should download/export some of my other collections maybe yearly, so I at least have a list of books and authors. Certainly something to think about.

>94 japaul22: About once a year I export my data following these steps:

https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Export

It creates a humongus spreadsheet, but if you fool around with it, it's somewhat manageable. After this week I'm thinking I should do it more often.

ETA: Note that one of the functions that may not be back working 100% yet is the Export function, if I understand the comments on Tim's current stress update thread.

>88 japaul22: >80 SassyLassy: I’ve listened to about 30% of Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead and think I will end up enjoying it.But the reader’s accent, though fitting for the book, is a bit annoying, and I can’t see where the book iis going. Maybe I need to read some reviews. To date I’m a bit ambivalent.

The readers voice is so slow and I tend to read in bed, so I keep overshooting my timer and have to keep going back to the latest bookmark. So that may account for my confusion.

It’s the sort of book I normally like. I also was disappointed with Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck who is on of my favorite novelist.

So it’s probably just me …

>99 kjuliff: I will say it took me a bit to get into DYPOtBotD. But I've also had the experience of disliking how an audiobook is read - that can really color a reading experience.

>100 japaul22: Thanks. So you did get into DYPOTBOTD. I’m starting to as well. What did you think of the reader’s voice on this one?
Yes I totally agree re the importance of the voice. I always try a sample.

It’s also interesting when the reader speaks in the voice of other than the main character when they are of the opposite sex, and when there are several characters with different but similar accents.

There’s a very good book whose name I’ve forgotten. It has a lot of dialog all from people from different parts of Africa, set I think in Liverpool. I just couldn’t handle the audio version. I was completely lost and never knew which character was speaking.

>101 kjuliff: I didn't listen to DYPLOTBOD on audio, so I can't comment on this specific book, I just meant I've had the experience of disliking a reader before.

But even in print, the first person narrator is simply an odd person. I believe that if you stick with it, you'll see that her oddities are part of the story and the whole thing might start to grow on you.

>102 japaul22: I’m still sticking with DYPLOTBOD but there’s something about the reader’s voice - I keep falling asleep. It relaxes me. I bookmark as soon as I start listening so I keep going back to the latest bookmark and move forward till I find my place. That’s a problem with audio. If you fall asleep with a print book you can see the last page you turned. But with audio, even though I set a timer it doesn’t always work, and even when it does I do t know when I stopped reading.

Pity there’s no turn the page function with audio.

#70 Three Summers by Margarita Liberaki

Three Summers is a Greek classic written in the 1940s about three sisters on the cusp of adulthood. The narrator is the youngest sister, Katerina, and she tells of three summers in which the sisters begin to morph into women and discover themselves and more about the world they live in. Maria, the oldest sister, gets married and begins a family. Infanta, the middle sister, is the more removed and reserved personality - a bit enigmatic. And Katerina, as narrator, wears her heart on her sleeve and shares her roiling emotions as she falls in love for the first time.

It's a summery, warm book that sometimes has a lazy, indolent feel and sometimes has an urgency and drama to it. I liked it quite a bit, though I also found myself having a hard time concentrating on it occasionally. I would recommend.

Original publication date: 1946
Author’s nationality: Greek
Original language: Greek
Length: 245 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased nyrb edition
Publisher: nyrb
Why I read this: something different and these nyrb books generally have a certain vibe that I like once in a while

>104 japaul22: this is a nice lt discovery. I’ve never heard of this. Enjoyed your review

>105 dchaikin: I’ve found so many interesting books through the NYRB publications.

>104 japaul22: Three summers does sound interesting.

I have not been backing up Library Thing data, but would be horrified to lose my lists of books read and my contacts here.

Glad you and the family are feeling better.

Has anyone had sciatica? I'm really struggling with it and wondering if anyone has had it and found a way to relieve it. I've tried a five day course of oral steroids which didn't help at all, and I've been doing the stretches my doctor gave me. They feel good while I'm doing them, but the pain returns as soon as I'm done.

Ive had it many times, found some exercises that really helped*. my med of choice it extra strength tylenol tho you have to watch the dosage

*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTEfL12pli8

>108 japaul22: I’m so sorry you have this, Jennifer. I had sciatica off and on over a period of about 20 years—it was finally resolved by surgery, and I wished I had had the surgery sooner. I’m hoping yours can be relieved more quickly and less invasively, there are other medications that can help. My advice would be to keep in close contact with your doctor so that he/she understands just how debilitating this pain is for you.

>109 cindydavid4: Thanks - those exercises are similar to ones I've been trying.

>110 dianelouise100: Thanks for that - I hope it's something I can get through without surgery. It's early days - my third week of pain - and I haven't even been able to get into PT yet, so I have a long way to go.

I hope you’ll see a gradual improvement over the next few weeks. Do keep us posted.

>55 cindydavid4: I’ve become wary of the NY Times reviews. I usually pop over to The Guardian to check a book out when The NY Times recommends.

NYT seem to go for what’s popular over what’s good, though the two often collide.

>65 japaul22: think most people will enjoy this novel, but I don't think it's the best example of what Jo Baker is capable of.

What is a good example of a Jo Barker novel. She sounds interesting but I haven’t read any of her. Books.

>114 kjuliff: My favorites, with the caveat that I haven't read all her novels, are A Country Road, A Tree, about Samuel Beckett's time living in France during WWII, and Longbourn, which is Pride and Prejudice from the perspective of the servants.

>114 kjuliff: I also really liked Longbourn best of her books so far. I still have A Country Road, A Tree on my shelf.

She seems to always put an interesting spin on a novel that could otherwise come off as very ordinary.

>116 japaul22: >115 RidgewayGirl: Thanks, I’ve put these on. My list. Emily St. John Mandel’s The Singer’s Gun just became available at my local library (in audio) so I’ll take advantage of that first.

Country Road , a Tree sounds intriguing. I think I’ll put that next.

>113 kjuliff: i thought the NYT reviews got a lot worse over the 2010’s. I assumed they were budget cutting.

>118 dchaikin: I used to disregard any book recommended by the LA Times; now I might have to do this with The NY Times - use it as a litmus test on what not to read …

I don't regularly read any newspaper's book reviews. I sometimes glance through lists of books "soon to be published" and often check out end of the year "best books" lists. I'm not sure why I never got in the habit of reading the Books section of a newspaper. Sounds like I'm not missing much!

we have no local book section in our locals which is really a shame as is a theatre section, in a city as big as ours is. I rarely actually read our local; mostly crime and car accidents it seems like.

I enjoy the NYT book review tho I am cautious about some of the reviewers; read one for a fantasy novel, that is dissed by a review who hats sf/fan.....pays to watch for that kinda thing

There is a topic here on LT where one person posts reviews from many sources - such as TLS § NYRB.
Exploring Books Through Articles, Reviews, Announcements, & Lists 2023-3 July-September https://www.librarything.com/topic/351977#n8229769

#71 Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court's Drive to the Right and its Historic Consequences by Joan Biskupic

As the title suggests, this book explores both the Supreme Court justices and the cases they've decided over the past decade or so. Biskupic is a journalist and long-time Supreme Court reporter for the Washington Post, and her writing is succinct and easy to follow. She weaves in brief bios, working styles, and approaches to judging for most of the current Justices. At the same time, she explores the most impactful cases decided in the past few years. It's a very current book, with analysis focused on 2016 to the present.

I follow the Court pretty religiously, so none of this was new to me, but it was really interesting to read about it all at once and see the complete picture of what is happening. It's disturbing, maddening, and sad for me to read about. I'm not sure if the author would agree, but I think this book really is written for the liberal audience. I can't imagine any conservatives even picking it up. If you want a summary of the impact the Court has had on society and law over the past decade, this is an excellent place to begin.

Original publication date: 2023
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 416 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: William Morrow
Why I read this: Interested in the topic, recommended by Deborah/arubabookwoman

And I'm going to DNF Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. I liked her Once and Future Witches well enough to put her other novel on my library wish list, but I gave it a try and it's not for me. I'm finding it overwrought and trying to hard to be "magical".

>124 japaul22: very very disappointed with ttdj, also did not finished. It was compared with Night Circus and a few othr faves but it really fell flat for me

>125 cindydavid4: Oh good, glad it wasn't just me! I read about 50 pages and thought, nope, I will not regret it at all if I stop reading this!

speaking of night circus one of my all time fav books, her next book was The Starless Sea I picked this up at the bookstore as soon as it opened when the book came out; I tried three different times and for the same reasons I DNF ten thoughsand whatevers, I could not finish this one either. the books were in many ways similar. pity

I hope you are feeling better, Jennifer.

#72 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

This was a mixed bag. It's definitely carried by the plot, in which Adeline LaRue makes a deal with a devil. It's the 1700 in France and she has no power as a woman. She wants to live unbound to everyone else's expectations of her and experience life. She gets her wish in that she is immortal until she chooses to give up her soul, but she is cursed that no one remembers her once she is out of their sight. She can't build relationships or leave her mark in any way. She can't say her name.

Over the centuries she and this devil, Luc, banter and deal and develop a relationship in a way. And everything comes to a head in 2014, when Addie meets a young man named Henry who can remember her because Luc has cursed him as well. The rest of the plot would be too spoiler-y to write about.

But that's sort of the problem with the book. It's all plot. I thought the main plot was sort of interesting with this Faustian deal and its ramifications. But the rest of the book was really pretty boring and went on WAY too long. I almost gave it up at 75% on my kindle. I did finish it, but I didn't really need to because there were no surprises for me.

I wouldn't particularly recommend this. I suppose it was a fun enough diversion, but it took too much of my time to be worth it.

Original publication date: 2020
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 448 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: Tor Books
Why I read this: a friend recommended it

I loved the first part too, but every event was just more of the same and boring Read the last part,and put it in the trade pile

#73 The Life and Death of Harriet Frean by May Sinclair

This 86 page novella follows the life of Harriet Frean from her childhood to her death. Born to an upper middle class Victorian-era family, Harriet shows some mild misbehavior and the beginnings of a mind of her own during childhood, but she idolizes her parents and chooses to always "behave beautifully". She denies herself a lover and stays with her parents into her adulthood. Her father is financially ruined and dies and she and her mother carry on. Harriet keeps her three best friends into her old age.

This is an interesting book and I'm not sure exactly what to make of it. Harriet lives a small life, but though she seems to choose this life to please her parents, there isn't necessarily an indication that she regrets it or could have done more if she'd lived in a different era. It seems to be, upon a first reading, simply about the kind of person who can't see beyond themself and is happy living a narrow life. In that respect, I think it's a commentary on Victorian values. Harriet lives the ultimate Victorian female life and Sinclair shows how small that could be.

There are also many miscommunications. Many of Harriet's seminal life events - giving up her first love, idolizing her father and not understanding that his business failure ruined others as well, never communicating openly with her mother and giving up certain things to make her mother happy that she later finds her mother gave up to make her happy . . . the list goes on. I think these show that Harriet's narrow views even held her back in the small life she chose to lead.

The one thing I didn't see in this book was stream of consciousness writing. Sinclair is often compared to Dorothy Richardson and Virginia Woolf. I didn't get that out of this novella. That's not to say I didn't love it though. I think it's brilliantly done. It's one I'll save to reread for sure. There's a lot to think about in these 86 pages.

Original publication date: 1922
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 86 pages
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased paperback
Publisher: Modern Library
Why I read this: 1001 books list, off the shelf

>131 japaul22: So glad to hear this. I've had Mary Olivier: A Life on my shelf for years, but its length (380 pages) has put me off, since I haven't read anything by her and wasn't sure what to expect. This gives me incentive to push it up closer to the top of my very tall pile of TBR Virago Modern Classics.

>132 kac522: I would definitely be interested in reading some of Sinclair’s longer works. This one didn’t show me how she’d handle a big cast of characters or more complicated plot but it did get me very intrigued in her writing and message.

What wonderfully varied reading you've been doing since my last visit (as ever). I've had DYPOTBOTD on my TBR shelf for years - thanks for reminding me. I'm intrigued by the Margarita Liberaki. Greek literature is a bit of an unknown quantity for me; I've read a couple of novels by contemporary writers (most notably Ersi Sotiropoulos) but nothing older. And as for May Sinclair, I hadn't heard of her, but I'm sold.

Noting the May Sinclair novella. I’m not familiar with her.

Going back almost 2 weeks: so, before LT, back in like 2005, The NY Times book review section was my best guide on what new books to read. I always found titles thar caught my imagination. At some point I started to fine more and more reviews unhelpful.

>134 rachbxl: Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to see you try the Margarita Liberaki novel - I think you'd enjoy it.

>135 dchaikin: That seems to be a similar experience for many. I find myself skimming newspaper book review sections occasionally, but I don't find much new that I haven't already seen discussed on LT. Except maybe for nonfiction ideas.

>136 japaul22: The big book review publications, especially the NYT Book Review, really prioritize non-fiction over fiction.

Ive noticed that trend and am not against it at all. Ive come across many books that ive not known about. I do like the fiction reviews tho too. They used to be my mainline connection to new books, till i discovered the net. Still read it tho

#74 A Country Road, A Tree by Jo Baker

A Country Road, A Tree is Jo Baker's imagining of Irish writer Samuel Beckett's time in France during WWII. Beckett is working on his writing, but has not yet had a breakthrough. During the war, he becomes a resistance fighter. The novel creates a sense of danger and uncertainty and shows how this time influenced Beckett's later writing.

I liked this novel, but I didn't love it as much as I was expecting. I became quickly immersed, but as the novel went on, I tired of the plot. Maybe I've read too many WWII novels . . .

I felt this was well written but the subject simply didn't grab me.

Original publication date: 2016
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 304 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library book sale
Publisher: Knopf
Why I read this: off the shelf, generally enjoy this author

I'm in a stressful time period. We are supposed to be leaving on our 32 day concert tour through the Midwest on October 1. But if the government shuts down we can't travel. We won't know until midnight on Sept 30 if we're getting on a plane on October 1.

Stressful on my whole family and will be really disappointing if we don't get to go out after all the work and planning that has gone into this tour.

Hoping Congress can get its act together in the next 36 hours.

>140 japaul22: That's not fun at all. If it does go ahead, you are appearing sort of kind of near me and I'm contemplating driving up to wave at you.

>141 RidgewayGirl: Oh, lovely! I'll keep you posted. If the government shuts down but opens up sometime in October we will try to go out.

I'm sorry to hear how this turmoil is impacting you personally. I hope (on many levels) that a shutdown is averted, and you get to go on tour. If you ever come to Boston, let me know, and I'll bring the girls to hear you play!

>143 labfs39: I hope it's averted or short as well. Not the least because I won't be paid! And we are dual military so no paychecks at all.

I will let you know if we're ever in Boston. We rotate regions and were in the northeast last year, but I didn't go on tour. We won't be back in the northeast til 2027.

>140 japaul22: I'm crossing my fingers that McCarthy gets his act together for you and your family. I just ordered a ticket for Orchestra Hall on October 21. Haven't been in the building for many years, so am looking forward to it--am thinking positive.

>145 kac522: Oh, that's great! I very much hope we will be out there by then. Maybe even if we don't get out there on Sunday they can get a budget passed quickly and we'll get out on the road.

>140 japaul22: What orchestra are you in?

Never mind! I just read your bio in the first thread, here.

>140 japaul22: Urgh. Not a situation I would've thought of, and I'm sure there are many others. I will cross my fingers but not hold my breath on Congress getting its act together in the nick of time.

>148 qebo: There are so many consequences that the general public (and the congressmen and women!!) just don't think or know about.

Frustrating.

My husband and I were in the same situation as you and your hubby and have been through this turmoil a few times before we retired. But I was "essential" and had to work and he was not and stayed home - and then got paid after when they finally passed the budget. Hope things work out ok for you both. Sorry to hear you won't be in the northeast for a few years.

Sorry to hear this situation is affecting you and your family, Jennifer. Fingers crossed for you.

>149 japaul22: yea, like Fat Bear Week - https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/fat-bear-week.htm - could be cancelled.

>140 japaul22: Fingers crossed, Jennifer. Members of Congress should not get paid if the government shuts down; maybe that would give them some incentive.

Hey, I think they are going to pass a 45 day continuing resolution! The House passed it, so it just needs to clear the Senate. I think it will.

Now to wrap my head around actually leaving tomorrow!

>154 japaul22: And pass it they did! I'm sorry you had to be on tenterhooks all this time but very happy that you get to go on tour. Bon voyage!

Have a great trip!

Safe travels!

Gosh, McCarthy came through! Have an excellent tour!

we'll see how long he will last. Glad he finally put the needs of his country above his own

have a great tiime!!!

Hello from the road! Today I'm in Sioux Falls, SD.

#75 The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

Lauren Groff's new book is both very different from her previous books in content and yet similar in some intangible way. In this novel, a young woman escapes from an early settlement in America when the community faces starvation and illness. She was brought there as a servant for a family who wanted to leave England for the new land. At first she is trying to outrun someone from the colony who might be chasing her, but then, as she gets farther away, it becomes more of a survivalist story as she tries to navigate the vast, empty spaces of 17th century America. She starves, gets injured, becomes ill, fights wildlife, tries to avoid the native people, and has to navigate the wild terrain. As she does this she flashes back to her life in England, her passage to America, and her time in the colony. She also stumbles upon philosophical insights as she observes wildlife and the bare necessities of what it takes to survive.

I liked this, but like all of Lauren Groff's novels that I've read, I found it challenging. I wasn't always sure where Groff was trying to go or what the overarching point of the novel was trying to be. But there's something about her writing that I find compelling and unexpected - and I enjoy that.

Original publication date: 2023
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 272 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Why I read this: new release that I was interested in

>160 japaul22: this one caught my eye recently too, Jennifer, and I'm on the library hold list. I agree with your take on Groff's writing. I find her work intriguing.

thanks for that, i do like her writing

Glad you were able to go—that had to have been super stressful. And it's going to be stressful again in another month, maybe even more so with the truly alarming breakdown of order in Congress. I worry about work travel, and what a mess flying will be with unpaid air traffic controllers and TSA agents walking off the job. I have to fly to Houston at the beginning of November, and you'd better believe I counted those 45 days to figure out if I could get stranded (I won't this time, but so many other people could). And that's just my small concerns—not getting a paycheck would be far worse.

I have the Groff on my virtual shelf, and I like both her and the subject matter, so I'm looking forward to it.

I joined CR only recently so I skimmed over your thread to catch up rather than reading thouroughly, but I enjoyed your reviews. I look forward to following your readings through the rest of the year.
And enjoy your trip!

Wow, I just caught up on your reading. Some great reading there (as always!) I note the Tokarczuk...I've read three and you remind me that I have at least one more to read (I was dusting those shelves just the other day (so many books, eh?)

Hello from the road! I'm on our national concert tour through the midwest. I'm reading, but finding it hard to find time to review. So far I've finished:

#76 Becoming Beauvoir by Kate Kirkpatrick
This was an interesting biography, but it seemed like a response to previous scholarship on Beauvoir, and I don't know enough about her to understand that sort of commentary. But, that being said, it was still a decent intro to Beauvoir's life and work.
3.5 stars

#77 The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
The third mystery in the Thursday Murder Club series. I like these more for the characters and humor and less for the mysteries.
3.5 stars

#78 Foster by Claire Keegan
A lovely novella. Every word counts.
4 stars

Hope you’re enjoying the tour.

>167 dianeham: I'm having a lot of fun on tour - only a couple of days left! We drive back from Pittsburgh on November 2. I'm very ready to see my kids and husband, sleep in my own bed, and not have to eat restaurant food! But I love the people I work with - we have a good time and the concerts have been fun. I have had to deal with this sciatica pain the entire tour which has not been fun. I have an MRI on Friday, the day after I get back.

Behind on reviews again . . .

#79 The True History of the first Mrs. Meredith by Diane Johnson

A chatty, unique biography of Mary Ellen Peacock Meredith. She was the wife of Victorian novelist George Meredith, daughter of Thomas Love Peacock. She left George Meredith and her loveless boring marriage, had a child with her lover, and then died. This biography tries to imagine what she might really have been like and tries to escape from the Victorian conventions that judged her.
1972

>168 japaul22: sorry about your back pain but glad you’re enjoying the tour.

Belated hellos. Glad to hear your tour is going well. I'm not aware of what's going on with your Congress but can sympathise. Since the Good Friday Agreement our Assembly in NI has not sat for various reasons for almost 50%of the time. Currently they've not operated since 2022, so there are no Executives to approve pay rises for public sector workers and general public spending yet they're still paid. Oh, it makes me so angry.

I hope your pay situation is quickly resolved - that's a disgrace.

Ouch, sciatic can be a real pain. Guffaw. But seriously, my sister had it and it was awful. I hope your doctor can help you feel better soon.

Glad the trip has been fun. You have such an interesting career!

Catching up. Glad you had your trip and also glad you come home soon. Sorry about your back. Looks like you got a decent amount of reading in.

>139 japaul22: Beckett’s story is quite interesting, but fictional biographies can be tricky.

>168 japaul22: I hope the MRI will give you some useful news about causes and EFFECTIVE treatments. I’m so sorry you’re still dealing with this.

>168 japaul22: With sciatica, the travel must be uncomfortable, to put it mildly. Hoping you find quick relief.

>169 japaul22: I read this about a year ago, and thought Johnson did a good job with the material available to her. I really liked her story of finding some of the letters written by Mary Ellen.

Welcome back, Jennifer. I'm glad you enjoyed the tour, and hope you're able to find some relief for the sciatic pain.

Thanks for all the greetings! 3 more books to wrap up my tour reading.

#80 Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
This started out strong and then just got weirder and weirder, to the point that I lost track of the plot. I have a hard time even summarizing what happens here, but it involves a mother telling her daughter her life story, which includes her upbringing in Druhastrana - a non-existent country. The gingerbread the family makes somewhat ties things together and also reminds the reader of fairy tales, which this whole novel seems to be.

#81 The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea
This was enjoyable fiction set in 1600s Iceland that follows the life of a young woman who is love with her childhood sweetheart, but marries a well-off stranger to provide for her mother. She moves away to his village and finds that her fears about this man and her situation were well-founded. Typical themes of burgeoning Christianity vs. the old folk tales, the powerlessness of women in those times, the dangers of gossip, etc. It was entertaining but nothing special.

#82 The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng
This is a very satisfying novel about W. Somerset Maugham and his interaction with a couple in Penang in the 1920s. The married couple, Robert and Lesley, have their own secrets. Maugham is dealing with a financial crisis and looking for book inspiration, and Lesley is ready to talk about a series of pivotal events in her life that happened a decade earlier. This book is rich in setting - both in Penang and later in Africa, and it has a compelling storyline. I really enjoyed it.

Sciatica - poor you. I hope you’ve found some relief since returning home.

The House of Doors is on my wishlist anyway but your use of the word ‘satisfying’ to describe it has just nudged it up.

I think The House of Doors will be a Club Read favorite. I'm behind on everyone's threads after being out of town, so I am curious if anyone else has read it yet!

No news on the sciatica front. Coming home has made me realize it's a little better, because some of the things that were really painful before I left (and that I didn't do on the road) are a little better - like getting out of bed, emptying the dishwasher, getting out of the car, etc. But I'm still in quite a bit of pain. I couldn't get a PT appointment until November 15, but I should get the MRI results by the end of the week.

>180 japaul22: I can't wait to read it!

I'm glad you are feeling marginally better, Jennifer. I hope you return to 100% soon.

I am really looking forward to THe House of Doors.

>178 japaul22: >180 japaul22: I really enjoyed House of Doors on audio. Agree about it being rich in settings.

#83 In this House of Brede by Rumer Godden

Who knew a book about nuns would be a five star read?! I unexpectedly adored this book. It centers around a Benedictine chapter of nuns - the kind of nuns who lead a contemplative life of prayer and isolate from the outside world. Philippa Talbot makes the unusual choice, as a successful 40-something business woman, to join the order. She remains the central character, and her journey to truly accepting the lifestyle and fulling opening up her heart to it is the crux of the book. But also, we see the power dynamics, relationships navigated, illness, financial difficulties of the abbey, and how the changes in the Catholic church over the 1900s will affect the Benedictine lifestyle.

I don't consider myself at all religious anymore, and I know next to nothing about Catholicism. I was really ready to read the first 40 pages or so and set this one aside, but I was totally enamored. As you would expect, it's a quiet, reserved book, but the characters and situations also have a depth and heart that I loved.

I read this on my kindle from the library, and I'm really considering buying a hard copy for my shelves to reread some day.

Original publication date: 1969
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 392 pages
Rating: 5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: Open Road Media
Why I read this: randomly chose it from my library wish list - I must have put it there based on an LT review at some point

>184 japaul22: That's a great book! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I read it a few years ago, a) because it was on my shelves and b) I had vague memories of liking the 1975 film starring Diana Rigg. I'd like to see the movie again but it doesn't appear to be widely available for streaming.

>184 japaul22: That one sounds great. Onto my list it goes.

Rumer Godden is wonderful - I loved her The Diddakoi as a kid. I have This House of Brede, haven't read it yet...I should pick it up soon.

>184 japaul22: - I took a BB for this when Laura (>185 lauralkeet:) read it, and this is a good reminder that I want to read it. I'm going to add it to my list I'm making for reading next year. And - Happy Veteran's Day to you and thank you for your service. The social committee here is having a veteran's day brunch here this morning with a speaker which will be nice.

>185 lauralkeet: I'm guessing I put In This House of Brede on my list after your review. So thank you!

>186 BLBera: >187 jjmcgaffey: I hope you both try it and love it as much as I did!

>188 dudes22: I think you will like it! And thank you for thinking of me today! For Marines, November 10 is the birthday of the Marine Corps so we have many events for both the Marine Corps birthday and Veteran's Day this week/month. It's a nice time of year to reflect.

>184 japaul22: I’ve had In this House of Brede on my list for years, and as a practlicing Anglo Catholic who spends time regularly with the Roman Benedictine sisters nearby, have always expected to enjoy it. Thanks so much for your positive review; it reminds me to start searching for it again. (it’s not been readily available at my public library, maybe I should just buy the book)

>190 dianelouise100: I read it on my kindle - the ebook is easily accessible. But when I briefly looked into buying a physical copy for my shelves, I realized those are harder to come by. You might need to shop used copies.

#84 Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes

This is a book that is hard to define. Is it a biography of Flaubert? Is it a literary criticism of Flaubert's work? Is it the quest to find Flaubert's stuffed parrot? Is it actually the narrator's (an English doctor) story? Is it a criticism of literary criticism?

I just wasn't sure what to make of it. There were parts of this that I really enjoyed, and parts were really amusing. And then at the end the narrator sort of ties things together by giving some insight into his personal life. But there were also parts that I was really bored with and did not care about at all.

In the end, I think I say the book is amusing and clever, but a bit too "intellectual for the sake of being intellectual" for my taste.

Original publication date: 1984
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 190 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: Vintage
Why I read this: 1001 books list, it's been on my library "to read" shelf for ages

>192 japaul22: Great spot-on review! Julian Barnes is I think, like the MC in the book, obsessed with Flaubert.
See Obsessed With the Hermit of Croisset for a take on the book, written around the time it was first published,

I read. Flaubert’s Parrot a long time ago and don’t remember much of it, except I too found it over-intellectualized and pretentious. I did really enjoy some parts of the book - enough to keep me going to the end.

>192 japaul22: - I read Barnes's The Sense of an Ending earlier this year and just found it ok. I've had Flaubert's Parrot on a list to try but, based on what you've said, I think I'll pass.

fwiw, I really loved Flaubert's Parrot. I loved the flow of language and degree of thoughtfulness, and found some lovely observations about identity, in particular. To each his/her/their own!

Enjoying the Flaubert's Parrot comments and not surprised to see a mix of opinions.

#85 Clarissa by Samuel Richardson

This was 1533 pages worth of a total slog, during which I admit to a lot of skimming. It is SO repetitive.

Plot spoilers ahead, but really, you're not going to read all 1500 pages and it's all pretty predictable, so no worries . . .

Young, beautiful, virtuous Clarissa is being pressured by her family to marry a man she has no love for and can't respect so that they can get their hands on the money she inherited from her grandfather. Instead she falls into the hands of the young and handsome Lovelace, who helps her escape from her family, though everyone (Clarissa included) knows he is not to be trusted. This proves to be true to an amazing extent as he kidnaps Clarissa, keeps her isolated, tries to force her into marrying him, and ultimately rapes her twice.

This novel is all told in the form of letters. And, like I said earlier, it's incredibly repetitive. The whole thing could have easily happened, even with a lot of detail and development, in about 200 pages. I know this is a considered an important work in the development of the novel, but I did not enjoy reading it.

Original publication date: 1748
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 1533 pages
Rating: 2 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased paperback
Publisher: Penguin
Why I read this: 1001 books list, felt like I should

>197 japaul22: Thanks for taking one for the team, Jennifer. I might just ditch my copy. I doubt I would have gotten to it in this lifetime anyway, but now I don't need to feel bad about it.

Well, well, well done! Clarissa Phew. I am still postponing for a few more years.

>198 labfs39: I really didn't find it enjoyable at all, and I do like old books, even some from the 1700s. I think if it was half the length, maybe, but even then, the subject is pretty disturbing.

>199 edwinbcn: There are so many more worthwhile books to read! But thanks for the congratulations, I do appreciate it after how much time I spent on that book.

>197 japaul22: You are braver than me, that's for sure. I could not have done it. I enjoy a lot of older works but have consciously avoided this one based on length alone. I wouldn't have been able to handle the repetition. Full marks to you for sticking with it.

>201 lauralkeet: Maybe not "full marks" because I do admit to quite a bit of skimming to get through the repetitive parts. ;-)

I enjoyed your review of Clarissa—much more than I’d enjoy the book. I had to read Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded in college, and found it also a slog, so would not be moved to read any more of R.’s work.

>197 japaul22: oye. ( >203 dianelouise100: and oye here too). I haven’t read any of these 18th-century early novels.

#86 The Journey Home by Olaf Olafsson

In this sparse, slightly mysterious novel, the narrator, Disa, decides to return to Iceland at the end of her life. She has been living in England, running a bed and breakfast with her companion, Anthony. Leading up to and during the journey back, she reflects on the major events of her life. These include her troubled relationship with her mother and sister and the disappearance, presumed death, of her first love who was a German Jew during WWII.

At first I couldn't get into this. Disa isn't particularly likeable. Also, the timeline shifts all over the place as her memories come up. It sometimes took me a couple sentences to figure out which life event she was talking about after a shift. But her story grew on me and I ended up really liking this.

Original publication date: 1999
Author’s nationality: Icelandic
Original language: Icelandic - actually I can't find a translator, so maybe he wrote it in English?
Length: 304 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Why I read this: I'm always interested in books by Icelandic authors and I must have seen this on a list somewhere

Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones, same era and equally long, well probably not as long as Clarissa, is great fun, and not epistolary. There was a movie years ago, which you may have seen.

>205 japaul22: I may give this a try. I loved his novel The Sacrament.

Tom Jones was a lot of fun to read - I was a little surprised at how readable it was considering its age. I read Clarissa a few years ago and was prepared to hate it (I loathed Pamela when I read it in uni), but I actually didn’t mind it. A good editor and a lot of chopping could get that bad boy down to a decent action- packed 300 page novel.

I tend to read older, longer novels on Serial Reader - it’s a fantastic way to get through some of the more challenging stuff on the list. I read both Tom Jones and Clarissa that way.

>205 japaul22: - I was introduced to Olafsson by a friend over in the Needlearts Group and have read Restoration which I liked quite a bit and I have Absolution on my TBR pile which I hope to get to next year.

>197 japaul22: well done for slogging through Clarissa. I might get to it one day.

I read Clarissa years ago, and your comments are spot on. This is a novel that would benefit from an abridged version. :) Quite a contrast with the Olafsson.

>208 Yells: Hmm, I haven't used Serial Reader before, but might give it a go. A good way to shoehorn in some more reading time, as well as to tackle a hefty classic.

I was reading Clarissa along with the Litsy group read, and by June I had finished Volumes I-VIII. By then I realized Clarissa was going to die ("waste away" from the horror of it all, as was apparently normal back then). I couldn't bring myself to go on with the last 2 volumes. I suppose I should at least skim them, so I can have the satisfaction of saying I've read it and checking it off the 1001 list.

I googled “why is Clarissa so long”? and this link came up. Not sure it’s news to anyone who has read it. (I’m entertained that the author was the printer.)

https://www.charlespetzold.com/blog/2007/07/131124.html

>214 dchaikin: OH, MY. That was fascinating, and more than enough for me to confirm my decision never to read it. :-)

>206 dianelouise100:, >208 Yells: Maybe I'll try Tom Jones sometime. I'm not averse to all 18th century literature, just Clarissa. ;-)

>207 dianelouise100: >209 dudes22: Good to know that Olafsson's other novels are good as well.

>210 baswood: Thanks, I'm surprised you haven't read it yet!

>211 BLBera: Glad to know I'm not alone in my opinion of Clarissa, Beth!

>213 arubabookwoman: I think a skim to the end would more than count towards crossing it off your list!

>214 dchaikin: That's amazing. I was sort of confused about the numbering of the letters and such - interesting to know about the different editions. I'm going to have to look at my copy again - I cannot imagine it being any longer and it did have some appendices, so maybe those letters he mentioned were included in my copy.

>215 labfs39: I don't think you'll regret skipping it, Lisa.

#87 This Other Eden by Paul Harding

I am often not drawn to books on the Booker prize list, but the subject of this one caught my eye. It's loosely based on a real place, Malaga Island. In Harding's novel, the island is Apple Island, settled in the late 1700s by a motley group of people who find there way there over the 1800s - a mix of escaped slaves, Penobscot Native Americans, the Irish, and others. They aren't exactly thriving when a pastor from the mainland starts visiting them. They are hungry, cold, uneducated by modern standards, one of them lives in a tree, there has been a lot of inter-marry in a small genetic pool. But even so, the pastor, Michael Diamond, finds glimmers of greatness - a girl who learns Latin with ease and a young man with real artistic talent.

But, the island draws the attention of the government and they decide it's time to civilize this island. It doesn't take much imagination to guess what will happen to the residents.

I liked this. It has a memorable cast of characters. I also liked how it flipped my view of the island. Really, at the beginning I was not impressed with how these people were living. They were in poor health, practically starving, one living in a tree! But by the end, I was convinced they had it right, and the life they'd built there was one they should be allowed to continue.

Recommended.

Original publication date: 2023
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 224 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle
Publisher: Norton
Why I read this: Caught my eye on the booker list

>217 japaul22: I liked this one too. I liked the imagery of the flood and how Harding used the analogy with Noah's family. That was an interesting take. But mostly the characters were just so vivid and compelling. I want to read more of his work.

>217 japaul22: - I really liked this one, too. I listened to it on audio, and the lyricism of the language really shone.

>217 japaul22: This does sound like a good one. One of these days...

#88 Sorry by Gail Jones

Sorry is a quiet novel about dramatic events. I love when an author can accomplish this juxtaposition. The events circle around the consequences of a disastrous marriage between Nicholas and Stella. The two meet in England and quickly marry, moving, at Nicholas's insistence, to Australia. Nicholas becomes abusive and Stella shuts down. Their daughter, Perdita, finds friendship with a deaf and mute boy, Billy, and a young girl, Mary, who is Aboriginal Australian. Nicholas's actions reach to these friends with dramatic and traumatic results.

The backdrop of this novel is the two world wars, the setting in outback Australia, and the theme of saying "sorry" and what that truly means and also who it impacts. I found this theme was dealt with in a powerful and sensitive way.

I really enjoyed this novel and would like to read more by Gail Jones. Thanks for the intro to this author, Club Read!

Original publication date: 2007
Author’s nationality: Australian
Original language: English
Length: 232 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased paperback
Publisher: Europa
Why I read this: LT reviews and recommendations

Great review of This Other Eden, which I hope to get to soon. And I’m really glad you read and enjoyed Sorry.

>221 japaul22: Great review!

I can only read audio and can’t find anything by Gail Jones on audio. A pity as I have read so many positive reviews about her books.

>221 japaul22: I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer!

#89 Entangled Life: How Fungi Make our Worlds, Change our Minds, and shape our futures by Merlin Sheldrake

I usually like these popular science/ecology books and this was no exception. I think what I mainly took away, though, was that we've only just begun to understand what fungi contribute to the Earth, how they live/work/exist, and how they could be utilized.

It was interesting to learn more about the intelligence of fungi and some of the symbiotic relationships they've developed. I loved the part about slime molds and how they can find the best routes through maps/mazes. I also thought it was interesting that some fungi can break down plastics and other pollutants. There is a lot of potential here. But also, hopefully we don't ruin fungi trying to use them to our benefit.

Original publication date: 2020
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 352 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased paperback in an independent bookstore, Pearl Street Books in La Salle, Wisconsin
Publisher: Random House
Why I read this: LT reviews and sounded interesting

Also, that being my 89th book and two more in progress and near the end, I think I can read 100 books this year! I never set a goal for a certain number of books, but I usually read about 80 and have only reached the 100 book mark one other year (as an adult). So I'm kind of excited about that and will probably try to make it happen.

>225 japaul22: glad you enjoyed this

>226 japaul22: that’s terrific. Have at it. (But 89 is already a great year)

>225 japaul22: I've added it to my wishlist. In French we have only one word for fungi and mushroom so maybe I'll learn the difference between these two words when I get to this book!

Congrats on such a successful reading year! :)

>226 japaul22: don't forget to keep up with your band practice.

>221 japaul22: I looked for this one in my library after reading about it here and had to request it via interlibrary loan. I am hopeful that it will arrive soon. It sounds like a good one.

>227 dchaikin: I wasn't positive, but I thought I remembered seeing the fungi book on your thread.

>228 chlorine: Interesting! A mushroom is one part of fungi.

>229 baswood: I will, Barry! ;-)

>230 BLBera: I think you'll like Sorry, Beth. I hope you get it soon!

#90 The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz

I liked this thriller about an odd, intense friendship between Luna and Owen and the deaths they seem to collect around them. It kept me entertained and I read it compulsively until they end. I'd read more by Lisa Lutz when I'm in the mood for this sort of thing.

Original publication date: 2022
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 368 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: kindle library book
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Why I read this: it was on my library wish list and available - not sure when I put it on there

>228 chlorine: That's really interesting, as mushrooms are only a part of the Kingdom Fungi. It could get quite confusing.

Just noticed that >231 japaul22: said this already, but I would be like to know if there is any further differentiation in the French language, as opposed to the Latin taxonomy, where there certainly is.

>231 japaul22: I'm sure it will come at the most inconvenient time possible, Jennifer, but oh well.

>233 SassyLassy: In Australia recently a woman served four family members a mushroom dish. All died in agony except herself.
Woman Charged With Murder in Suspected Mushroom Poisoning Case

>235 kjuliff: Oh my . . .

#91 These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

This is a really wonderful collection of essays that gave me a glimpse into the personality and world-view of an author who has become one of my favorites. Patchett lets the reader in to her relationships with her three fathers, and her quest to become less materialistic by not shopping for a year, which also leads to her purging her house. She also spends a lot of time on one of her relationships with a woman with terminal cancer. Through these essays, you really get a picture of Patchett's life and thoughts and what has given her life meaning. It never feels preachy and it isn't overly sentimental.

I listened to this on audio, read by Patchett herself, and I highly recommend this format. I only listen to audiobooks occasionally, but this might have convinced me to listen more regularly. I also bought paper copies of this book for both my mom and my mother in law for Christmas.

Highly recommended.

Original publication date: 2021
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 11 hours, 14 minutes
Rating: 5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: libby audiobook
Publisher: Harper audio
Why I read this: I think I finally put it on my list after Dan (dchaikin) read/listened and recommended it

>237 japaul22: I loved this collection as well, Jennifer. Great comments. I loved the no shopping essay.

>238 BLBera: I actually did something similar this year - before reading this essay! Last January I decided I have so many clothes and I'd try to not buy any in 2023 and see how long I lasted. I made it til I was on tour in October and I did buy one cashmere sweater from LL Bean that was on sale. Shopping on our month-long tour is sometimes the only way to pass the odd hour we get places, so I was proud of myself that the sweater was all I bought. And I've not bought any other clothes in 2023 for myself! (as a reference, I would regularly buy LOTS of clothes - both ordering nice things and picking up random tops at costco or target that I don't need but just wanted, so this was a big deal for me)

>217 japaul22: Ha, yes, the man living inside a tree certainly made an impact.

>232 japaul22: I really like Lutz's thrillers. They are so much better than most of what is being published today.

>239 japaul22: Kudos to you, Jennifer. I have done pretty well with the no clothes buying since I retired. I tried to limit my book buying. I did pretty well until I went to Portland to the book festival.

>237 japaul22: I loved These Precious Days. I read a print edition but can imagine how wonderful it would be to hear the essays in her voice. I liked the shopping essay, too, and am impressed with your results this year.

>237 japaul22: - I've already taken a BB for this but am going to make a note about your comments on the audio. I have a number of her books on my TBR list. I don't generally read a lot of short stories or essays so this may be the way to go. I've only gotten into audio books a lot in the past year and like to listen as I walk or drive and try to pick things that don't require a lot of concentration. I recently tried to listen to Fen, Bog, and Swamp by Anne Proulx and had to go and buy the book because listening didn't give me time to think.

>240 RidgewayGirl: Good to know that you like Lisa Lutz. I think I'll keep her in mind when I want a page-turner thriller/suspense book.

>241 BLBera: It's interesting that just stopping made me more picky about what I buy. I've been looking a bit for Christmas gifts or thinking about if I'll make any purchases once the year is up, and I haven't seen much I'm interested in. I'm already pretty good about book buying. I will usually get a stack at Christmas and my birthday and other than that I use library sales or the library.

>242 lauralkeet: I really loved the audio. I think she has another book of essays and I'll look to see if she reads that too.

>243 dudes22: I go back and forth on audiobooks. I think this sort of book that is essays or a memoir works best for me. Something where I don't have to remember the arc of a story. I also do like rereads of classics - Jane Austen works really well on audio.

#92 An Experiment in Love by Hilary Mantel

Another dip into Hilary Mantel's backlist. An Experiment in Love is about a group of girls on the brink of adulthood away at college. It takes places in the 1960s and the main character is Carmel. She reflects on her childhood friendships and how they've changed as she grows. She also mentions her mother enough for the reader to realize that her experience in approaching adulthood is a reaction to her perception of her mother's life.

The young women are experimenting with life. Their relationships with men, with sex, with food and body image are all explored.

I couldn't shake the feeling, while I was reading this, that I knew this book and that the author was not Mantel. I'm not sure who I was thinking of - A.S. Byatt? early Margaret Atwood? Alice Munro?
I'm really not sure. But then in the last third of the book it turned into a Hilary Mantel novel. And I also don't really know what I mean by that!

So overall, yes, I thought this was a good book, and I'm glad I read it.

Original publication date: 1995
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 256 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased kindle edition
Publisher: Holt
Why I read this: a favorite author, reading the backlist

>244 japaul22: I think the reader matters for audiobooks as well. Ann Patchett is very good.

>233 SassyLassy: I'm not aware of further differentiation in the French language concerning fungi (of course we have words for the different mushrooms that you can find in nature, and we use the word "levure" for yeast, which is a specific kind of fungi if I'm correct).

#93 A Lesson in Secrets by Jacquline Winspear

I really like this mystery series set in England between the World Wars. Winspear does a really good job of showing the repercussions of WWI and the slow lead up to WWII. This installment had, as a backdrop, a group of young people interested in the ideas of Adolph Hitler.

But even with the rich historical detail, the center is Maisie and her growth as a person. The mysteries seem to enable this growth - everything is integrated so well in these books.

Maisie is a bit stuffy and formal, and I love her anyway. I'll keep reading these and I think there are 17 and this was number 8.

Original publication date: 2011
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 321 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle edition
Publisher: Harper
Why I read this: enjoying the series

>248 japaul22: - I like this series too. The next one for me is #6 which I had intended to get to this year but didn't manage. Next year.

>248 japaul22: I've read all 17 and am still enjoying the series. With the exception of one or two, I've enjoyed both the historical aspect and the story of Maisie. I've picked up Winspear's memoir too, but haven't read it yet.

#94 This is Happiness by Niall Williams

This is a beautifully written book, with dense, creative, and descriptive language. The language was so beautiful that I sometimes missed the plot, which was special as well. It took a lot of concentration to read this and a quiet space to read.

The plot revolves around a small town in Ireland where the rain stops and electricity comes. With it, an older man named Christy shows up in town and befriends a young man, Noe. It's slowly revealed that Christy has come to Faha to make amends with a woman that he left at the altar decades ago. At the same time, Noe, who lives with his grandparents, is coming into adulthood. He's struggling with his feelings about the church, falling in love, and remembering the death of his mother.

I really loved this novel and will read more by Niall Williams when I am in the mood for a book that is insightful, beautifully written, and a bit slower paced.

"... I came to understand him to mean you could stop at, not all, but most of the moments of your life, stop for one heartbeat and, no matter what the state of your head or heart, say This is Happiness, because of the simple truth that you were alive to say it."

Original publication date: 2019
Author’s nationality: Irish
Original language: English
Length: 400 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library book sale
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Why I read this: LT recommendation

>251 japaul22: - I thought this sounded familiar and it was the author. I took BBs for two other books by him (one from before I was even on LT - Yikes!). Must get to him next year.

>251 japaul22: Isn't that a wonderful novel? I was so happy to discover it, thanks to LTer recommendations. I actually read his History of the Rain first, which was also excellent. My library has at least one more of his books so I have that to look forward to.

>253 lauralkeet: History of the Rain was his novel that I'd heard about, but I saw This is Happiness at the library book sale and snapped it up. I will try to read another of his in 2024.

#95 The Storyteller by Dave Grohl

I loved this audiobook read by Dave Grohl himself. Dave Grohl was the drummer for Nirvana and then started the band FooFighters. Though I wasn't the biggest fan of FooFighters, Nirvana was a pivotal band in my pop music listening and I've always thought Dave Grohl seemed like an interesting person.

In this book, he talks about his path to music and the support he got from his mother during his rocky climb to the top. Then his family and daughters takes precedence as he talks about his life as a famous rockstar and the touring and cool experiences that come with it.

I just liked him. He seems like a remarkably down to earth guy. I was most interested in the first half of the book where he talks about how he learned drumming (sort of an appalling lack of training to my classical musician ears!) and what he went through to finally make it. Throughout the book, he keeps his relationships with people central - it seems like this is the most important thing to him, and I respect that.

Very enjoyable if you're a fan, and maybe enjoyable even if you aren't.

Original publication date: 2021
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: audiobook 10 hours, 36 min
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library audiobook
Publisher: Audible Audio
Why I read this: friend recommendation

>255 japaul22: I hear so many good things about this book! Even my mum, who doesn't listen to Nirvana / Foo Fighters at all, loved it.

>256 rabbitprincess: it was really good. An interesting look at the music industry, but also just a candid look at one person’s life. Oh and I forgot to say that he grew up in Springfield, VA, which is where I’ve lived the past decade, and he talks about the area a lot in the first part of the book. You should try it!

#96 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan has some really interesting historical detail about women's lives in 19th century China. As children, Lily and Snow Flower are tied together as laotong, lifelong friends. There are similarities in this type of match to a marriage. They are also both taught nu shu, which is a written language used exclusively by Chinese women. I was interested to learn about all of these cultural details of 19th century China, which seemed well-researched.

At the same time, I didn't really connect to either of these main characters. I think that the author intended the whole novel to end up reading like one of the didactic tales common in the era, but I think that authorial decision also kept the characters feeling a bit more like a means to an end in teaching a lesson rather than human beings.

I believe this was Lisa See's first standalone novel after a mystery series she wrote. I read one of her later novels recently and felt it was much better written than this one. I think she has matured as an author and while this early novel has interesting detail and a good story, she's gotten better at adding in well-rounded characters in her later writing.

Original publication date: 2005
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 288 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library book sale
Publisher: Random House
Why I read this: interested in the author

#97 You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott

Run of the mill, predictable thriller about an elite gymnast and what her family will do to protect her and advance her career. I wasn't particularly impressed.

Original publication date: 2016
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 345 pages
Rating: 2 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: Little Brown
Why I read this: wanted a page turner to read at a job with a lot of down time but lots of distractions - worked for that just fine.

#98 The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

Maggie O'Farrell is becoming one of my favorite authors, and I'm happy to be delving into her backlist. This novel is about two sisters, Esme and Kitty, and the secrets they have kept. When Iris, in the present day, gets a call about a great-Aunt she's never heard of, she starts to discover the truth about her family's past. Esme has been in a mental institution for the past 60 years, and Iris never even knew she existed. The story is slowly revealed through Esme's memories, Kitty's memories (who has dementia), and present-day clues that Iris starts to piece together.

At first, I was a bit confused by the voice/memory shifts and timeline, but as I read I started to see the brilliance of how O'Farrell puts it all together and reveals the story.

I loved the exploration of women's lives just a few generations ago, the failures of the sisters' and mother/daughters' relationships, and the emotion of the novel. A great find at the end of 2023!

Original publication date: 2006
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 277 pages
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: library kindle book
Publisher: Headline Review
Why I read this: a favorite author's backlist

>260 japaul22: I remember loving this when I read it many years ago. I stayed up way into the night to finish it. I don't know why, but I haven't read anything by her since.

>260 japaul22: This was the first O'Farrell I read, and it made me a fan.

>260 japaul22: - I picked this up after our book club read Hamnet and am hoping planning to get to it next year. 4.5 stars tells me I'll be moving it up sooner.

I'm glad others loved The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox also!

>163 lisapeet: I think you'll really enjoy it!

#99 Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban

The most exciting thing about this slim novel was figuring out it was written by the author of one of my boys' beloved childrens books, Bread and Jam for Frances.

Other than that, it was sort of boring. The idea is kind of clever. Two strangers meet because they are both interested in freeing the giant sea turtles that they like to visit at the zoo. But the execution of the novel as a whole left a bit to be desired. There were some clever lines, but this book didn't grab me.

Original publication date: 1975
Author’s nationality: American expat in London
Original language: English
Length: 182 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: purchased nyrb edition
Publisher: nyrb
Why I read this: I will always give an nyrb book a chance

>265 japaul22: My boys liked the Frances books, too; I think we had several of them (way back in the 1980s). My husband used to read the boys these books and tell them that since they were Badgers, they must all be from Wisconsin and were probably U of Wisconsin fans. Needless to say, my husband is a big college sports fan.

>265 japaul22: I think I liked this better than you did. It was one of the books we did in the Litsy NYRB Book Club. My kids loved the Frances books too. The male character (forget his name) was apparently somewhat autobiographical.

>265 japaul22: I'm sorry this one didn't work for you. I really liked the structure -- the alternate viewpoints that begin to mirror each other and then intersect.

>266 kac522: That's a great story! I'm a college sports fan, but NOT U of Wisconsin, since I went to University of Illinois! ;-)

>267 arubabookwoman:,

#100 The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

The 4th book in the Thursday Murder Club series continued to give me what I enjoy about these books. I love the characters, their relationships, and the humor. The actually mysteries are kind of convoluted and not that interesting. But the mystery always seems to be a vehicle for furthering the relationships in the book, and that works for me.

This one was sad, but I continue to enjoy the author's thoughts and exploration about end of life and aging.

Original publication date: 2023
Author’s nationality: British
Original language: English
Length: 422 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: kindle library book
Publisher: Viking
Why I read this: enjoying the series

>270 japaul22: My book club has picked this book and I'm wondering if not having read any of the earlier books will mean this one makes no sense. What do you think? Should I skip the meeting?

The character building definitely continues heavily from book to book. So while I don't think you'll be confused, I think it won't be as meaningful to you without the building story lines. And the mystery itself is never that interesting to me in these books. I'd probably skip it.

Annoying to pick a book in a series!

>271 RidgewayGirl: - I agree with Jennifer. There's one thing in particular that I think would be better empathized with if the other books are read first. Our book club has an unwritten rule and don't pick series books.

Oh - I forgot to say, Jennifer, that I think I found a Youtube video of one of your concerts from your tour. It's labeled Oct 31st but I haven't had time to watch it all to see if I see you.

And also - Merry Christmas.

>273 dudes22: Let's see, on October 31 we were performing in Columbus, OH.
Merry Christmas!

>272 japaul22: The book club loves this series and has read all the previous ones. They tell me to go read all the others first.

>275 RidgewayGirl: I love it too, but I'm not sure you will. Just from what I know of your reading - this series certainly wouldn't be first on my list to recommend to you! But, on the other hand, I've been surprised by how much I like them, so maybe . . .

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

We are having a quiet but full day. My husband always makes yeasted cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting for breakfast. The boys got up pretty early to see what was in their stockings. Around lunch time, my mom and sister (who live locally) will come over for a nice meal and presents. We'll probably go out for a walk later since it's in the 50s (F) today.

I am grateful for my family and friends and a life that feels very blessed. Also very grateful for the LT community! Looking forward to the next week here, with all of the end-of-year reading wrap ups!

#101 Sisters in Law by Linda Hirshman

This dual biography of Ginsburg and O'Connor and their rise to the Supreme Court plus the decisions that they made that most heavily impacted women didn't work for me. It is very basic information that I think most people who know anything about the two or about the Supreme Court will already know. And I didn't think it synthesized the information in a new way, either.

I think that if you are a complete beginner to these two women, it's probably a fine place to start, but I was bored and wanted to learn something new.

Original publication date: 2015
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 390 pages
Rating: 2.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: paperback
Publisher: Harper
Why I read this: interested in these two people

We've had a rainy, low-key day, so I finished my end of the year stats. If I finish another book or two, I'll just edit these to include them.

102 Books Read; 35,969 pages read; an average of 98.5 pages a day

Decade of publication:
2023 13
2020s 30
2010s 20
2000s 8
1990s 6
1980s 2
1970s 3
1960s 2
1950s 2
1940s 3
1930s 2
1920s 2
1890s 1
1880s 2
1870s 1
1860s 2
1810s 2
1740s 1

Author’s nationality:
American 37
British 34
Scottish 3
Canadian 3
Irish 6
New Zealand 1
Australian 3
Romanian 1
South African 1
Finnish 1
Norwegian 2
Icelandic 2
German 1
French 1
Polish 1
Mongolian 1
Chukchi 1
Greek 1
Malaysian 1

Male: 32
Female: 70

New-to-me authors: 56

Nonfiction 23
Rereads 4
1001 books 7

Kindle 51
Print 48
Audio 3

from the library 32

Impressions about my stats: I read a lot more than usual this year. In the past 5 years or so, I've read more like 75-80 books and averaged 80 pages a day. I think this is partly because I'm still dealing with a low back injury and sciatic pain (over 4 months now!) and I'm not moving as much as I was in previous years. Really hoping this will resolve soon, because I'm still in quite a bit of pain all the time.

I also think I've swung too far to reading books written in English. I was reading more books in translation a few years back, and I got frustrated that I was often not enjoying them. A lot of times I won't have the cultural background to really understand the context of a novel or I wonder the whole time if the translation is doing the original justice. Is this really what the author intended to get across? BUT, reading only 13 translated novels when I read 100 books is pretty sad. So in 2024 I'm going to try to add books by "women in translation". Even in the last few years, I think that there are more women being translated to English by the publishing industry. I know a lot of readers in Club Read already read this way, so I'm sure I'll find plenty of inspiration from your threads! If anyone has any suggestions, let me know here or on my 2024 thread.

Speaking of my 2024 thread, it is here. I'll still be mainly on this 2023 thread for the next few days.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/356200#n8328645

What an impressive group of stats, Jennifer. So many pages a day! I too read more this year than in most recent years, and would have accomplished even more except I read very little during the summer when so many things outside distract. I'm looking forward to your women in translation project. I read quite a few from Africa this year, although many write in English too.

P.S. Meant to add that I hope your sciatica pain eases soon. My sister suffered from it dreadfully.

>282 labfs39: I will definitely look to your thread for inspiration for women in translation. It's also very true that even though I read a lot of books written in English, they still represented a lot of different viewpoints. Black Americans, Indigenous authors, immigrant experiences, or authors from other countries like African countries you mentioned that write in English. Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng writes in English as well. So I'm not trying to be TOO hard on myself, but I still think reading women in translation will be a fun project. And I found I own quite a few already that I just haven't gotten to yet.

And thank you for the sympathy about the sciatica. My job is very physical which has not helped, but January and February should be a lighter time period at work, and I'm hoping I'll be able to get this feeling better during the next couple months.

Congratulations on an excellent year of reading, Jennifer! Given your interest in reading translated literature by women you might be interested in checking out Belletrista, the online literary magazine that Lois created and several of us contributed to for several years, if you don't already know about it.

I'm sorry that you're suffering with sciatica; I had a troublesome case of it until this year. Have you tried a sciatica cushion? The one I purchased allowed me to sit and drive much more comfortably until my sciatica all but completely disappeared seemingly overnight.

>285 kidzdoc: Thanks for the reminder about Belletrista! I do remember looking at it in years past, but it had fallen off my radar.

I am using a sciatica cushion and it does help a bit. I am hoping mine disappears overnight sometime soon! I had an MRI in early November that showed a protrusion between my L5 and S1 vertebrae, so I guess I'm just waiting for that to heal. I'm doing PT, seeing a chiropractor, and I've tried acupuncture. The pain is less intense than when it started 4 months ago, so I'm hoping I'm on the right track.

Good to see you posting again!

>286 japaul22: You're welcome, Jennifer! I corrected the link in >285 kidzdoc:.

I hope that your sciatica also improves soon.

It's much easier to post this week, as my mother is in a local inpatient rehabilitation center and I have much more free time than I've had all year. The center's social worker called me a few minutes ago to tell me that my mother will likely be medically cleared for discharge early next week. Unfortunately it seems as though her strength and mobility is considerably less than before her fall earlier this month, and since I would ideally like to bring her home with me my need to care for her directly and with support may increase significantly, and so I may have to curtail my activity in Club Read until things become more stable, and more certain.

>287 kidzdoc: Well, we are glad to have you here while you can be!

Amazing reading stats! Sorry sciatica has contributed partly to that - I'm having terrible trouble with my SI joint at the moment so I feel you.

Catching up on your reviews. I've put the Dave Grohl book on my wishlist. My son is a very good drummer (has finished all his grades now) and would love a career in the music industry, so I'm interested in his 'how I made it' drumming story. Plus he just always comes across as a fun and likeable guy.

>280 japaul22: These two websites may have rules you'll be interested in.

https://africanbookaddict.com/2023/01/02/2023-new-releases-to-anticipate/

https://brittlepaper.com/notable-african-books-of-2023/

https://iselemagazine.com/2023/01/13/isele-magazines-most-anticipated-african-bo...

>290 markon: Oh, those are great lists! Thanks so much - I'll have fun browsing through those.

#102 The Good Lord Bird by James McBride

This historical fiction novel about abolitionist John Brown and his raid on Harper's Ferry is full of drama, humor, and nonsense. It's a big cast of characters who seem larger than life and somewhat unrealistic. But at the same time, the book is clearly rooted in real events and from what I know of John Brown, he was slightly unhinged. So maybe McBride gets it right.

The main character is a boy named Henry who joins up with John Brown when his father is killed. John Brown thinks he's a girl, and Henry spends the next years of his life as Henrietta, because it's just easier. Nicknamed Little Onion by Brown, Henry is black but light colored enough to pass for white, and male but feminine enough looking to pass for a girl. The action moves from Kansas to Philadelphia to Canada and to Harper's Ferry. Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman both make appearances.

I admired this book, but I didn't love it. It was a bit too violent and a bit too over the top for my taste.

Original publication date: 2013
Author’s nationality: American
Original language: English
Length: 417 pages
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format/where I acquired the book: paperback at a library sale
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Why I read this: off the shelf, remember a lot of positive reviews from when it came out

I haven't read The Good Lord Bird but my husband did. Like you, he admired but didn't love it, so I gave it a pass. Both of us read and enjoyed Deacon King Kong and we have The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store waiting for us on our shelves.

>293 lauralkeet: I do remember hearing lots of good things about Deacon King Kong. I wouldn't give up on James McBride, because there were enough good things in the novel to keep me interested.

I really liked McBride's novel, Song Yet Sung. FWIW...

Happy new year, Jennifer!

>295 katiekrug: Good to know! Happy New Year to you as well!

And I loved his memoir, The Color of Water.

That's a lot of good reading! I'm looking forward to following you thread in 2024. And hope you're on track to healing from the sciatica... that sounds like no fun at all, especially when your job involves sitting up straight.