Vivian's 2024 reads

Happy New Year to all my LT friends!

For those who don't know me, I'm a mom of 4 and grandmother of 6, and I've been an independent financial advisor for more than 20 years. Reading and traveling are my favorite pastimes.

2023 Favorites

Fiction
The House of Doors
The Bee Sting
Old God's Time
Tom Lake
Birnham Wood
Black Butterflies
Wandering Souls
Dinosaurs
Hello Beautiful
Stone Blind
The Queen of Dirt Island
North Woods

NonFiction
Homegrown
The Leo Frank Case
A Fever in the Heartland
Lady Justice
People Love Dead Jews
Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle

Happy reading in 2024, Vivian!

Happy New Year, Vivian! Great lists of favorites. If I haven't read them, they are on my WL! I hope 2024 is good to you and yours. I look forward to lots of good recommendations here.

Happy new year, Vivian!

Happy New Year, Vivian, to you and your family.

Welcome back, Vivian!

Happy New Year, Vivian! Your thread is always a source of excellent book recommendations. I can't wait to see what the new year brings.

Happy new year Vivian.

Happy New Year, Vivian. I LOVE your 2023 favorite list. I can't believe I never got to Birnham Wood.

Many thanks for all the good wishes, Anita, Beth, Katie, Judy, Jim, Laura, Paul and Mark! I'm enjoying all the activity on the threads and hope to delurk a bit more this year.



#1 The Invisible Hour Alice Hoffman
Read for RL reading group. Mia is a 15 year old runaway from an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts who finds comfort in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. I loved the themes of the power of books and the strength of a mother's love, but I'm just not a fan of the magical realism and time travel. There were too many plot holes that drove me crazy.



#2 The Letter W. Somerset Maugham
After reading about Maugham's time in Penang in The House of Doors, I picked up this play (a later version of the short story by the same name.) It's also a Bette Davis movie, which I have to look up. It's a murder/adultery story about Leslie Crosbie, a British woman living in Singapore in the 1920s.



#3 Strangers to Ourselves Rachel Aviv
This has been on my TBR since last year, when it landed on the NY Times 100 list. Framed by her own history as the youngest patient to have been diagnosed with anorexia, Aviv explores the cases of four people suffering from different types of mental illness. Fascinating look at various forms of treatment, and at the way society treats the patient.



#4 The Vulnerables Sigrid Nunez
I loved this rather rambling work about a middle-aged narrator in NY during the worst weeks of Covid. There are lots of quotes from other writers, many witty references to aging, isolation, loneliness (I know, that doesn't sound funny, but it is!), and wonderful digressions. Highly recommended, even if, like me, you prefer plot-driven narratives.



#5 I Must Be Dreaming Roz Chast
Not quite as good as her last graphic novel, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant (which was pure genius), but still extremely good. She is a national treasure.

DNF The Custom of the CountryEdith Wharton
I was an hour into the audio when I realized I had read this a few years ago. Brain fog.

Well, Vivian, you have started off the year strong. I will give the Hoffman a try because I do love time travel. I've read the Maughm story, and love his stories. I will read more this year.

#3, 4, 5 all sound good. Darn it! I'm never going to get my shelves emptied.

Hi Vivian. I've found your new thread for the new year and I'm dropping off my star. Your thread is always one of my favorites for book recommendations. The Vulnerables is already being added to the list.

I hope 2024 is a good one for you!

I will look for Strangers to Ourselves.

I've read 5 of your Fiction Favorites up top. : )

Hi Vivian - From now on, I will listen to your comments. I just finished The Invisible Hour and it was awful. The first part started out well, but the time travel just didn't work.

Hi Beth and Ellen, and thanks for stopping by Robyn.

I've had a horrible reading month so far, as I seem to have developed a herniated disc in my neck. So so painful, and sleeping is really difficult, so all I do is go to work (thank goodness for my standing desk) and then collapse. I'm hoping to get some info on pain management in the next day or so.



#6 The Caretaker Ron Rash
I had never heard of this prolific author until I listened to a BBC interview. This is about an Appalachian town during the Korean war. Jacob is called to serve on the front lines, leaving his pregnant wife Naomi home. His best friend Blackburn, an endearing and loyal disfigured young man, is the caretaker for the local cemetery. A really good story of deception, friendship and love.



#7 The Twyford Code Janice Hallett
I thought this was much better and less convoluted than Hallett's first novel, The Appeal. The narration is presented as audiofiles from an early model iPhone, recorded by Steven Smith, an ex-con recently released from serving a prison term he didn't deserve. Very unique and clever, with lots of twists.



#8 The Black Ascot Charles Todd
Ian Rutledge investigates a cold case: an elusive killer who has been at large for 10 years. This was a good installment in the series - very methodical and good character growth.



#9 The End of the World is a Cul-de-Sac Louise Kennedy
I loved The Trespasses but short stories don't work so well for me. Beautiful writing but very bleak.



#10 The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne
A reread for RL book group after our read of The Invisible Hour (which I thought was very flawed.)

Sorry to hear about your neck -- hope you get some relief soon. It doesn't seem to be affecting you reading though -- #10 already!

Ouch! So sorry you're in pain, and as we turn our heads a lot, it must be very intrusive. I hope some standard therapy and/or meds can help.

I hope you can get some relief for the neck pain stat!

I hope you get help for your neck, Vivian. I agree that The Invisible Hour was flawed, but it did make me think about The Scarlet Letter, which I love.

Oh Vivian, I am so sorry to hear about your neck! OUCH!!!! I hope you are able to get some help for it, and soon!

Adding to the chorus here, Vivian. I hope you're able to get some relief.

Thanks for the good wishes Kim, Judy, Katie, Beth, Ellen and Laura. I had an epidural last week which significantly reduced the pain. Now I just have to address the underlying cause with PT (and hopefully avoid surgery).



#11 Spook Street Mick Herron
This series continues to outperform, and I'm looking forward to watching the TV adaptation which is supposed to be excellent. This is the 4th in the series, and focuses on the retired and ailing spy David Cartwright. The writing is wonderfully witty and the pacing is excellent.



#12 The Betrayers David Bezmozgis
Another really good rec from Katie. A legendary Soviet dissident, now an Israeli politician, opposes the government's plan to withdraw from settlements. The opposition attempts to blackmail him about his affair, so he flees to Yalta with his young mistress, where he faces shadows from his past. Great exploration of moral choices.



#13 Frances and Bernard Carlene Bauer
I love epistolary novels and this one did not disappoint. Apparently inspired by the letters of Flannery O'Connor and Robert Lowell, the two fictional characters meet at a writer's colony in 1957 and over the course of the next decade their correspondence covers faith, mental illness, romantic betrayal and creativity. Really worthwhile.



#14 Let us Descend Jesmyn Ward
Incredibly powerful writing about a young enslaved woman Gut-wrenching and harrowing, but the magical realism did not work for me.

>23 vivians: I'm not a fan of magical realism either, Vivian, but I am a Jesmyn Ward fan and should be able to read Let us Descend in February.

I hope your healing continues.

>23 vivians: I'm so glad the pain has been at least mostly addressed for you, Vivian! Good luck with PT.

I'm currently reading Dead Lions, second in the Slow Horses series, and wondering how far into the series I "should" read before I watch the series on television.

I've been seeing mixed reviews of Let Us Descend. Like Laura, I'll probably give it a try and hope it works for me.

I'm so glad you liked The Betrayers!

I got a copy of the new Jesmyn Ward for Christmas, and I'll read it because I've read all of her fiction and nonfiction, but I am trying to temper my expectations...

Glad the neck pain is currenly in abatement.

Good luck with the PT, Vivian. I hope it resolves your neck issues.

Frances and Bernard sounds great. I do have a copy of Let Us Descend and I have loved Ward's other books, so I will give it a try.

>24 lauralkeet: I'll be interested in your reaction to Let Us Descend, Laura. It did not resonate with me the way both Salvage the Bones and Sing, Unburied, Sing did.

>25 EBT1002: Hi Ellen - I've been following your amazing Hawaii trip - what a perfect first post-retirement sojourn. I think it was very wise to give yourself 3 weeks of downtime.

>26 katiekrug: Always grateful for the recs, Katie!

>27 BLBera: Thanks Beth!

Disc pain is improving, but now I have to really commit to strength training. Just have to find a regular time that works. My morning walk is so completely a habit that I don't even think about it anymore. I'd like to find a way to add an exercise routine the same way.

We're in the middle of planning two trips: a work conference to the Canary Islands in May, and a family trip to Copenhagen and then a week in Greenland(!!!!) in July. I'd welcome any suggestions!



#15 Red Queen Juan Gomez-Jurado
The first in a Spanish trilogy about the brilliant Antonia Scott, whose intelligence and forensic mind has helped solve complex and baffling crimes. Although suffering from personal trauma, she and a disgraced police officer, Jon Gutierrez, are determined to solve a highly sensitive murder-kidnapping case. They are a great team, and this international best-seller, although graphic and brutal, is a compelling read.



#16 Night Watch Jayne Anne Phillips
I love historical fiction, and this mother-daughter story set in post-Civil War West Virginia has a lot going for it. Told primarily from the perspective of Conalee, 12 years old and responsible for the care of her traumatized mother, the focus is on the long-term impact of the war on civilians and soldiers. At times I struggled with both the prose and the structure, but overall it was worthwhile.



#17 Absolution Alice McDermott
It seems that the Vietnam war era is now the "in" time period, with many new novels exploring that time. This was mostly about Saigon in the early 60's, told from the point of view of a Tricia, young Irish Catholic newlywed who arrives with her engineer husband before the war erupts. She joins a group of entitled white women, some of whom have sincere charitable inclinations. This is beautifully written and extremely evocative of the pre-feminist period in the U.S. Highly recommended.



#18 Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma Claire Dederer
Very interesting collection of essays about separating art from the artist, particularly when the artist is a "monster" like Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, etc. No real conclusions, and a bit too much of the the author's own biography.

>28 vivians: Does Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma include e e Cummings?

He wrote some of my favorite poems, yet has been named as a racist.

Well, as usual, Vivian, you have made me add books to my WL. Luckily Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma was already there, and I had read Night Watch already.

I really liked the photos and historical artifacts in Night Watch.

Your trips sound like fun; I haven't been to any of those places.

#18 Monsters -- added to my WL! And I am totally jealous of your upcoming trips. Good luck making a habit of your neck workout. : )

>29 m.belljackson: Monsters was not an exhaustive list of truly terrible men, no mention of e e cummings, or Weinstein or R Kelly for that matter. But lots about Hemingway, Nabokov, etc. and surprisingly a chapter about monstrous women, and whether abandoning their children (Joni Mitchell, Doris Lessing, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton) is sufficient reason to classify them thusly.

>30 BLBera: I think I might have enjoyed Night Watch more in print, Beth, as I missed the photos.

>31 Berly: Thanks Kim - seems like it will take some time but I'm trying to stay optimistic.



#19 The Mistress of Bhatia House Sujata Massey
I've really enjoyed this series, and installment #4 is the best yet. Set in 1920s Bombay, the hero is Perveen Mistry, the only female solicitor in the country. This is an action-packed tale that features wrongful imprisonment, arson, unfair dismissal, corruption, a shooting, and fraud. There are also family developments, all very engaging.



#20 Mr. Loverman Bernadine Evaristo
I've been wanting to read more of Evaristo since her Booker win for Girl, Woman, Other. This was an absolutely brilliant novel about an elderly Antiguan couple who emigrated to the UK when they were in their 20s. Most of the book focuses on the 74 year old closeted gay husband Barry (Barrington Walker) but there is enough told from his wife's perspective (Carmel) as well. Poignant but so much humor and wit. Highly recommended.



#21 You Dreamed of Empires Alvaro Enrigue
I was fascinated by this fictionalized version of the 1519 initial meeting between Hernan Cortes and the emperor Moctezuma in what is now Mexico City. Having just been there in December, I found this reimagining of history to be intriguing, darkly funny at times, fairly gory, but really good.



#22 Chain Gang All-Stars Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
A very difficult read about the near-future in which prisoners in a private prison system are given a chance at freedom if they fight for three years in regular death matches, which are viewed by the public with the intensity and fervor of current day sports games. Too many characters and lots of brutality - a very intense audio experience.

I love to visit your thread, but I also have added several books to my WL. I've been hesitating about Chain Gang All-Stars; I picked it up and didn't continue because it was so gory. So, I don't know. It doesn't sound like it gets any less gory.

The Massey books do sound like ones I would enjoy, just what I need, another series. You've already got me going on the C.S. Harris books. I think I'm on # 6 in that series, and there are still lots left.

The Evaristo and the Enrigue go on my list for sure.

I hope your back is better.

It's a day for "E" book bullets! You also got me with the Evaristo and Enrigue books. Nice write-ups and, man, I really need to do some of my own!! : ) Happy weekend!

>33 BLBera:, 34 Both Enrigue and Evaristo were terrific reads - happy to blow up your TBRs for them!



#23 The Glass Pearls Emeric Pressburger
I wish I could remember which podcast recommended this 1966 novel (reissued by Faber) by a well-known Hungarian-British film director. It is the completely gripping story of Karl Braun, a quiet and unassuming London piano tuner. His placid and apparently normal life of concert-going and wooing a younger woman, makes him a sympathetic character until his true identity is revealed. A real masterpiece of slow-burn storytelling.



#24 Happy Place Emily Henry
Pleasant but ultimately frustrating: so much repetition (how many times IRL do we discuss each other's distinctive smell?) plus I hate the trope of miscommunication. A perfect (engaged) couple breaks up for no apparent reason and then is forced to join their friends for a vacation week without revealing their status. The constant banter was completely unrealistic - no one is witty 100% of the time. I know this is a well-loved author but I just couldn't.



#25 Home Reading Service Fabio Morabito
I loved this Mexican novel about a young man whose community service sentence for a minor offense is to read aloud to a variety of elderly and infirm neighbors in their homes. Nothing monumental happens: Eduardo discovers poetry, worries about his dying father, tries to manage the family business and deals with a variety of quirky characters. A short and extremely enjoyable read.



#26 Cahokia Jazz Frances Spufford
Spufford's Light Perpetual was a favorite of mine, and he's outdone himself with this alternative history about the U.S. in the 1920s in which the Native Americans, unaffected by the smallpox virus, have created their own state in the middle of the country. It's a detective story which is combined with intricate and fascinating world-building and a perfect ending. Most certainly will be one my top reads of 2024 - I can't recommend it enough.

The Spufford sounds good. I made note of it after you mentioned it on Laura's thread.

I've liked a couple of Emily Henry's novels, but not HP. I agree about the several flaws with it. I'm sort of surprised you picked it up, as I wouldn't think of her as an author that would interest you very much!

Spufford is an awe-inspiring writer. And you've motivated me to pick up some books my vast TBR list, including all of the Mick Herron tomes, Alice McDermott, and Sigrid Nunez. Life too short; book mountain too large.

Hope the neck is doing better...

>35 vivians: I loved his debut novel, Golden Hill and have Light Perpetual on the shelves too. I will look out for the third as the premise sounds fascinating.

>35 vivians: YOu've done it again, Vivian, with the exception of the Henry.

I thought Light Perpetual was OK but didn't love it. Should I give the new one a try?

Hi Vivian. Oh boy, I have Chain Gang All-Stars on my shelves and it sounds like a tough one. I do want to read it because it has gotten so much critical praise but I'll have to steel myself. Beth and Kim and I have talked about reading Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma together and discussing via zoom. I look forward to that. And Absolution just came up in the library queue so that is in my near future.

I hope you are well!

>36 katiekrug: I keep trying to broaden my reading horizon, Katie!

>37 Chatterbox: Hi Suzanne - I'm feeling the same about my TBR. The prize lists will blow it up even further. I'm trying to be optimistic about my herniated disc and avoid surgery, but it's a very slow crawl to recovery.

>38 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! I liked Golden Hill well enough but I though Light Perpetual was brilliant. Hope you can catch up with Spufford.

>39 BLBera: Hmm, I didn't think Cahokia quite lived up to Light Perpetual. It was really a noir detective story, but set in this amazingly creative world. I think it's worth it, Beth.

>40 EBT1002: So many books, Ellen! I love reading your thread and "watching" you slide into a lovely retirement!

I'm rewatching "Borgen" in anticipation of my summer trip to Denmark. It's a very good and complex political series with no violence or gore.



#27 The Wager David Grann
Read for book group. Very strong narrative non-fiction, with a lot of background details and tangents. I don't think anything can compare with Patrick O'Brian's masterful descriptions of 18th century British naval equipment and battles, but Grann does a good job. Hard to believe what those sailors went through.



#28 The Road to Dalton Shannon Bowring
Good debut about a variety of characters in a small town in Maine in 1990. Everyone knows each other and family tragedies are shared by the whole community. At times bleak and at others uplifting. An enjoyable and quick read.



#29 In the Upper Country Kai Thomas
Another debut, on the 2024 Walter Scott longlist (one of my favorite prizes). It takes place in a small Canadian town, settled by people fleeing American enslavement in the 1800s. Lesinda Marten is a young Black journalist and activist who witnesses the murder of white bounty hunter by an elderly escaped enslaved woman. The two women exchange their stories and find deep connections. The bonds between the refugees and the indigenous people were fascinating. Overall I thought the prose and the timelines were often confusing, and I could have used a family tree, but the premise and characters were interesting.



#30 My Father's House Joseph O'Connor
Another Walter Scott longlist title. I read and really enjoyed O'Connor's Shadowplay about Bram Stoker, but he outdid himself with this one. This was a thrilling page-turner about an Irish priest living in the Vatican at the time of the Nazi occupation of Rome. (The Vatican remained an independent country at this time, with strict borders patrolled by the Gestapo.) Monsignor O'Flaherty and his "choir" of partisans, diplomats and aristocrats, managed an "escape line" for thousands of Allied servicemen and refugees who were hidden and saved. This is based on a true story! Beautiful prose and very vivid descriptions - it would make a must-see movie. I loved it and hope to hear that others will pick it up!

>41 vivians: - So many good-sounding books!

The Grann is already on my wish list, as is the Bowring.

I've not heard of In the Upper Country but will have a look for it.

I really liked O'Connor's Star of the Sea and will keep my eye out for this new one.

>42 katiekrug: Oh I forgot about that O'Connor. It appears that I read it in 2020, and rated it very highly, but I have no recollection! Ugh, brain leakage is frightening.

>43 vivians: - If it makes you feel better, I don't remember much about it beyond the Irish famine ship and a murder :)

Hi! I’m new to 75. I saw above that you liked You Dreamed Of Empires. I had that on an ebook hold for a while and recently took it off because I was unsure if I should read it. So now I’m putting it back on. You have a number of books you’ve read this year that I am interested in. Pleased to meet you.

Glad to hear you liked Night Watch, Vivian. I really liked Lark & Termite a number of years ago and intended to read more of her work. She is an author that is rarely mentioned around here.

>44 katiekrug: Yup, good to know I'm not alone!

>45 dianeham: Hi Diane and thanks for stopping by. I'll check out your thread. I'm mostly a "lurker" on threads but I'll chime in once in a while!

>46 msf59: Hiya Mark! I think you'll enjoy the new Tana French (see below).



#31 After Annie Anna Quindlen
I've always loved Quindlen's non-fiction, and her NY Times column years go was among the best the paper ever printed. So she's an automatic read for me, even though I find her fiction to be a bit uneven. This one was a very good exploration of grief. Annie is a young mother of four when she suffers a brain aneurysm and dies. The novel follows her husband, oldest child (13) and best friend through their first year of heartbreak and mourning. Great peripheral characters, including a meddling and judgmental mother-in-law (I've got one of those) and an inspiring school counselor. Not the best of hers, but very good.



#32 River East, River West Aube Rey Lescure
Women's Prize longlist. This brilliant debut novel moves between two timelines: in 1985 in a small town along the North Korean border, Lu Fang is a bright student whose future is impeded by the country's political reforms. In 2008 Shanghai, Alva is the 15 year old rebellious daughter of an expat American and an unknown Chinese father. An engaging family drama, an exploration of the ex-pat life, racism, prejudice, poverty and hopelessness. Highly recommended.



#33 The God Desire David Baddiel
A respectful and honest argument for atheism: Baddiel argues that it is the very intensity of his, and everyone else’s, desire for God to exist that proves his non-existence. Baddiel has a great sense of humor (he's actually a British comedian) and the book felt like a clever and thoughtful conversation with a family member.



#34 Hangman Maya Bingam
Another Women's Prize longlist debut novel, this one went right over my head. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home in Africa after an absence of twenty-six years, ostensibly to visit his ailing brother. He meets a variety of strangers (all unnamed) and family members, but experiences a strange unease in which he is completely passive and allows himself to be led into bizarre events and conversations. A unique style but too experimental for me.



#35 The Hunter Tana French
This long-awaited sequel to The Searcher follows retired Chicago policeman Cal Hooper and his teenage neighbor Trey during an unusually hot summer in the west of Ireland. This is a character-driven, slow burn as Trey's unsavory father returns with a convoluted scheme and an English millionaire in tow. The pub banter is dark and funny (and beautifully expressed by the audio narrator Roger Clark) and there were lots of twists and turns. I loved it!

Ooh you're reading Women's Prize nominees! I always follow your thread with interest, but will keep a particular eye out for those. I'm also pleased to see you loved the new Tana French. My daughter and I are both fans. I'm "patiently" waiting for a library copy but she bought the book the day it was released.

In the Upper Country sounds good, Vivian.

My library has both River East, River West and Hangman, and I already checked out Enter Ghost, which I will read when I finish Orbital.

Had you read other books on the longlist. The only two I had read were The Wren, The Wren and Nightbloom, both of which I liked a lot.

>48 lauralkeet: As usual, the new Tana French is quite long. She writes beautifully about western Ireland, this time set in conditions of unusual heat and drought. I hope you enjoy it when your turn arrives (even though I failed you in recommending Cahokia Jazz!)

>49 BLBera: I'm planning to read the longlist, Beth, although not all of the titles are available here. So far I've read 4, with River East, River West my favorite so far. I liked The Wren, The Wren but didn't love it. I just started The Blue, Beautiful World last night. So a few more to go!



#36 Lark Ascending Silas House
Recommended on the Book Cougars podcast, a disturbing post-apocalyptic story about survival. Things have gone horribly wrong in the US due to climate change, devastating fires, and militias who enforce religious doctrine. 20 year old Lark and his parents, having lived relatively well in an isolated corner of Maine for several years, decide to flee by boat to Ireland, where conditions are said to be better. There is some kindness and hope, but lots of grief and misery.



#37 Rules of Civility Amor Towles
This was a re-read in anticipation of Towles' story collection being released next month. I didn't love it the first time around, but thought A Gentleman in Moscow was a masterpiece. I enjoyed it much more this time, especially the sharp dialogue and the tour of Manhattan in 1938. I still spent the whole novel waiting for a deeper dive into Katie Kontent's Brooklyn background (how did she rid herself of the accent?) and how easily she was accepted by the social elite. So in the end still some reservations but a good read.



#38 Mr. Texas Lawrence Wright
A really fascinating political novel, written with the expert eyes of a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and native Texan. A powerful lobbyist convinces small-town rancher Sonny Lamb to run for state office. Expecting Lamb to be a pawn, he is thwarted by Lamb's solidly moderate perspective and some ambitious plans that don't' sit well with the oil and gas community. A very realistic portrayal of campaign financing, lobbyists, and political intrigue. I enjoyed how Wright interspersed real characters and events into the narrative.



#39 The Wren, The Wren Anne Enright
Women's Prize longlist. This was the most engaging Enright I've read, but it was far from perfect for me. The premise of three generations of Irish women and the impact of their poet husband/father/grandfather on their lives is compelling. Phil's public persona is a sensitive and tender man (his less-than-brilliant poetry is included in the text) but at home he is a bully who abandons his dying wife and teenage daughters. I love multi-generational stories but I found these characters uninteresting.



#40 Hungry Ghosts Kevin Jared Hosein
Longlisted for the Walter Scott. Debut novel set in Trinidad in the 1940s, in a community of lower-caste Hindus and elite Christians. A rich landowner disappears and his wife Marlee, herself of mysterious origins, lures Hans from his poverty-stricken dwelling (the evocative "barrack" which is so well-described) and his wife and son, to become a night watchman. Very good but way too long. Beautifully written themes of religious bigotry and economic aspirations and great characters.

I just finished Enter Ghost and it is really good.

Hi Vivian. I have The Wager waiting for me at the library this very moment and I brought a copy of The Searcher home with me from my sister's. Your comments about The Hunter make me anxious to get to that Tana French novel.

>51 BLBera: I'm looking forward to this one, Beth.

>52 EBT1002: So great that you have so much more reading time, Ellen!



#41 The Blue, Beautiful World Karen Lord
Long listed for the Women's Prize, a science fiction first-contact novel I was hoping to love. Turns out it's the third in a trilogy, and all the worldbuilding completed in the first two installments was just assumed. I was confused most of the time, about characters, plot and background.



#42 And Then She Fell Alicia Elliott
Another entry on the Women's Prize longlist. An indigenous Canadian woman marries a white professor, and struggles through pregnancy and early motherhood with post partum depression, grief over her mother's untimely death, and life away from her family and traditions. The novel explores the racism that is often unconscious or unintentional, motherhood, and Mohawk myth and legend. Really deserving of its place on the prize list.



#43 Martyr! Kaveh Akbar
Cyrus Shams is a young poet living in Indiana, the son of an Iranian mother who was killed in the (real life) downing of a commercial airline by US forces. As he recovers from multiple addictions, he struggles to write a book about martyrs and he visits a conceptual artist at her "deathspeak" exhibit in order to find some meaning in his own life. This was a tremendously engaging novel, even though elaborate dreams usually are a turn-off for me.



#44 Mexikid Pedro Martin
A fabulous graphic novel about a large family's 2,000 mile road trip from California to southern Mexico in the early 70s to bring home their ailing grandfather. Lots of pop culture references, tons of humor, great illustrations. A perfect palate cleanser after some denser books.

Hi Vivian - I read somewhere that Karen Lord's book was better read after reading the first two, so I have gotten the first one from the library. I am reading And Then She Fell now and am loving it so far. Of the four I've read so far, I think all are very good.

>54 BLBera: I definitely made a mistake by reading the Lord book first. I'll wait to hear what you think and then decide if I will revisit the trilogy.

I'm recovering from cervical spine surgery - no fun but hopefully it has addressed the last three months of pain and weakness in my arm. The surgeon was kind and empathetic and skilled (I hope) but he really minimized the recovery. I've had 4 days of lying on the couch without moving and am finally feeling like myself again. I'll be working from home until I can drive again, another week. In the meantime, just short notes on recent reads:



#45 8 Lives of a Century Old Trickster Mirinae Lee
Women's Prize longlist, a debut novel about a 100 year-old nursing home resident in South Korea. Born into family dysfunction in North Korea, captured during the Japanese occupation, sold into slavery, recruited as a spy, it's unclear which of these stories is true but each is riveting. Highly recommended.



#46 Erasure Percival Everett
Thelonius "Monk" Ellison is a Black academic writer of unreadable works. He pens a bitter satire which is headed for bestsellerdom, while he manages family crises. Funny and poignant. I'm looking forward to the film adaptation.



#47 Restless Dolly Maunder Kate Grenville
Women's Prize longlist. A bright and thwarted girl, born into poverty in 1880's Australia, overcomes multiple challenges and obstacles. Based on the author's grandmother and a pleasant, if not particularly original, read.



#48 Nightbloom Peace Adzo Medie
Another worthwhile read from the Women's Prize longlist, this one in need of a bit of editing. Two Ghanaian best friends, Akofa and Selasi, are torn apart by family conflict and economic disparity.

I'm sorry you had to have surgery, but I hope it addresses the issue(s).

American Fiction was terrific. It made me want to read Erasure.

Oof, sorry about the surgery and recovery. I hope you're up and about as expected next week. Nice reviews.

I hope you recover soon from the surgery, and that it does the trick.

Meanwhile, you've read some books I've never heard of. Looks interesting.

I hope your recovery goes smoothly, Vivian!

>53 vivians: Thank you for recommendation - I got MEXIKID and THE COMFORT OF CROWS
this morning with a Barnes and Noble gift card - also enjoyed a Latte and a big Caramel Cookie!

Hope this surgery does the trick. Good luck on the recovery, Vivian!!

I hope your recovery goes well, Vivian, and that the surgery works. I have found that surgeons always minimize the recovery needed.

>55 vivians: Great comments. I have taken a break from the Women's Prize longlist to read other library books that came in. Of the ones I've read, I have found all to be really good; it seems like it's a strong list this year.

>55 vivians: My thoughts are with you for a full recovery, Vivian.

Hope you're feeling better every day. I think surgeons DO minimize the difficulties and length of time recovery might take because they think it will put people off to hear the truth. Afterward, they'll tell you it's all normal, and to be expected. I'd rather be prepared ahead of time, myself.

Many, many thanks for all the good wishes Katie, Laura, Judy, Ellen, Marianne, Kim, Beth, Paul and Linda.

I'm very sad to share that my mother died this weekend after a fall. She was 99, had 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren and lived a totally independent life until her last day. She was a refugee from Nazi Germany, who made her way to the US via Holland, Belgium, France, and then 4 years in Cuba. She spoke four languages, read the NY Times cover-to-cover every day and was shocked if any of us overlooked an article. She had strong opinions and had an impact on all who met her. Really an extraordinary life, and we are all heartbroken.

I'll just add my recent books so I don't forget, but no brainpower to write reviews.



#49 Before the Coffee Gets Cold Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Loved this - a small cafe in Tokyo offers its customers time travel experiences, with a few strict rules.



#50 Brotherless Night V V Ganeshanathan
Women's Prize longlist - a young Tamil girl with four beloved brothers wants to become a doctor, but her dreams are shattered by the Sri Lankan civil war in the 1980s. Really good.



#51 London Rules Mick Herron
Another good Slough House episode about political intrigue and North Korean terrorists.



#52 What Happened to Nina Dervla McTiernan
A disappointing read from a favorite author, partly because it's set in Vermont rather than Ireland, and also because there was very little suspense.



#53 Clear Carys Davies
A short and excellent novel about a Scottish minister who embarks on an errand to oust the sole inhabitant of a northern island during the Clearances of the 1840s. The two men develop a friendship despite the fact that they can't speak the same language. Beautiful writing.



#54 The Berry Pickers Amanda Peters
Immersive debut novel about a 4 year old indigenous Canadian child who goes missing during her family's 1962 annual berry-picking summer in Maine. No mystery involved, just multiple narratives.

Oh, so sorry for your loss. Your mother sounds like an extraordinary woman.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother, Vivian. She sounds like a remarkable and fascinating person. May her memory be a blessing.

Vivian, I am so sorry to read about your mother's passing. She does indeed sound extraordinary and fascinating. I am sure you will miss her terribly, and hope that your memories sustain you during this time.

I am so sorry for your loss, Vivian. Your mother sounds remarkable. It's great she was able to live independently until the end.

>65 vivians: I'm sorry for your loss, Vivian. Living independently to the end is what we all hope for, for ourselves and our loved ones. In that, as in many other things, apparently, your mother was blessed. I hope it will be a consolation to you eventually, that she did not suffer a long drawn out leaving as so many do these days. Indulge in the memories.

>65 vivians: What an incredible life for your inspiring beautiful Mother!

How blessed you were to have each other through all these many years.

>65 vivians: I am so sorry for your loss. She sounded amazing! My thoughts are with you as we both grieve our Moms. Hugs.

So very sorry to hear of your loss... Every time I've heard you talk about your mother, she sounded like a force of nature; one of those indefatigible, curious and fascinating people whose final departures we mourn the most.

As always, your thread gives me inspiration for reading; I'm doing well with my non-fiction reading but struggling to find the attention bandwidth for "serious" fiction. I have been eyeing the Walter Scott longlist (I read the Tan Twan Eng book last year, ditto the O'Connor, and loved both of them). And I really want to make time for Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck soon.

I'm so very sorry to hear about your mother's passing, Vivian. It sounds like she lived a rich and long life but it's never -- never -- easy to lose them. Sending you hugs.

So many thanks to all of you for the kind words - Judy, Katie, Laura, Beth, Linda, Marianne, Kim, Suzanne and Ellen. I was so lucky to have my mother as such a force in my life for so long. I really appreciate all the messages.

#55 The Children of Men P.D. James
This dystopian novel was recommended on the Backlisted podcast. Narrated by an Oxford history professor, this 2021 world is one in which no children have been born since 1995 due to unexplained male infertility. It's fairly slow-moving, despite the premise that humanity is ending. I'm looking forward to watching the movie with Clive Owen.



#56 The Winter Soldier Daniel Mason
This terrific novel confirmed my impression after North Woods that Mason is a superb writer. Lucius is a medical student in 1914 Vienna when he is pulled into the war by his own desire to experience surgeries. He serves in a undersupplied field hospital in the Carpathian Mountains, where he struggles with frostbite, lice, rats, PTSD as well as conventional war wounds. This will definitely make my top books of the year.



#57 Sweet Sorrow David Nicholls
Totally enjoyable first love story about Charlie Lewis, a sad and directionless 16 year old trying to overcome his parents' recent split as well as his school graduation, and Fran Fisher, a posh and ambitious amateur actress. Lots of great dialogue, and a truly bittersweet poignant tale.



#58 Enter Ghost Isabella Hammad
Shortlisted for the Women's Prize. A young actress of Palestinian origin travels to visit her sister in Haifa and has a political awakening as she becomes involved with a production of Hamlet in the West Bank. The central character was unappealing to me and I found it a tedious read.



#59 Ordinary Human Failings Megan Nolan
I'm sorry this longlisted Women's Prize entry was not shortlisted. An ambitious reporter who is investigating the death of a small child in a London estate in the early 90s focuses on a desperately unhappy family of Irish immigrants, including a ten year old child who is blamed. Vivid portraits of all the family members - truly brilliant writing and great on audio.

>76 vivians: Some great books, Vivian. I enjoyed Enter Ghost more than you, but I am partial to books that include plays, and I thought it was very interesting how the characters found relevance in Hamlet. I look forward to Ordinary Human Failings, which I've heard many good things about.

CHildren of Men has been on my shelf for years. It's about time I get to it, I think. I really liked all of P.D. James' other books.

Hi Beth - I've never read any of PD James' detective novels but they are on my list!

Just returned from a business meting in Tenerife - a great change of scenery after a difficult few months. And lots of plane reading time!



#59 Good Material Dolly Alderton
NY Times book review "book club." I really enjoyed this novel about comedian Andy's heartbreak after a difficult break-up with the love of his life, Jen. Told mostly from his perspective, there was an ending from her point of view that was very worthwhile.



#60 Frozen River Ariel Lawhon
Historical fiction set in Maine in 1789. Inspired by the life of the real Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer. Very good, with a terrific author's note at the end to put it all in context.



#61 Death Under a Little Sky Stig Abell
Abell used to be the editor of the Times Literary Supplement and I enjoyed listening to their podcasts. He's a great mystery fan, and in this first novel he pays tribute to many of his favorite authors. An ex-London detective moves to a remote village and finds love as well as a cold case when the bones of a young woman are discovered. A good debut, with more in the series to come.



#62 Father of the Rain Lily King
Recommended by Ann Patchett's backlist newsletter, this 2010 novel about a father-daughter relationship was honest, painful and gripping. Daley Armory is 11 when her parents are acrimoniously divorced, and she confronts her father's alcoholism, violence and disdain through her adolescent years. Heart-wrenching and captivating at the same time.



#63 Table for Two Amor Towles
Read for RL book group. I was slightly less enamored than the others, all of whom loved this unequivocally. I'm not a short story fan because I find it hard to remember plot and characters, but found that taking notes on each of the stories really enhanced my experience. In the end I really enjoyed all 6 of them. Towles seems a bit pretentious to me at times, holding forth on classical music, finance, Renaissance art, etc. But I loved the New York references, and the sequel to Rules of Civility was entertaining if not plausible.



#64 The Maiden Kate Foster
Women's Prize longlist. Historical fiction set in 17th century Edinburgh. Christian Nimno, a real-life convicted murderer and victim of the guillotine, tells the story of her uncle's murder. This should have been on the Walter Scott list and I'm sorry it didn't make the shortlist - really good.

So many good books being read over here. Wow! I am currently reading Table For Two and listening to The Searcher. Glad to hear you enjoyed The Hunter. I also loved Clear: A Novel and I have The Winter Soldier lined up for this fall. I have added The Frozen River, The Berry Pickers and Ordinary Human Failings.

>78 vivians: - Every single one of those was on my WL or is now! I really enjoyed ALderton's Ghosts earlier this year.

I"m glad you could get away for a bit, even if it was for work.

>78 vivians: These all sound good, Vivian. I'm glad you could get away. How is your back?

Your reviews are always so tempting, Vivian! The Towles isn't calling to me but the others ... hmm ...

>79 msf59: Hi Mark - I'm following your reading on your thread and am glad to see all your travels as well.

>80 katiekrug: Thanks Katie, I'll add Ghosts.

>81 BLBera: Neck and arm are getting better post-surgery, thanks for checking Beth. I think it just takes longer to recover in an old body.

>82 lauralkeet: Hi Laura - happy to tempt you!



#65 When Ghosts Come Home Wiley Cash
I thought this was a new one and it took about 50 pages for me to realize I had read it in 2021. But since I had very little recall, I just went ahead and read it again. I do love his writing. A sheriff in small town in 1984 North Carolina, who faces a re-election campaign against a corrupt local businessman, investigates a plane crash and a murder. His beloved daughter is dealing with the stillbirth of her son. Very moving but suspenseful as well.



#66 Tales from the Cafe Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The second in a very pleasant series about time travel.



#67 A Divided Loyalty Charles Todd
A very good installment in the Rutledge series, featuring a murder in a stone circle in Avebury. Rutledge is called in after an initial investigation by another chief inspector fails to find the perpetrator.



#68 Chenneville Paulette Jiles
This was outstanding and on a par with News of the World. An injured Union soldier, John Chenneville, returns home to St. Louis to the news of the murder of his sister and her family. His quest for justice involves a journey through harsh weather, encounters with memorable characters and descriptions of a lawless post-war land. Absolutely terrific.



#69 James Percival Everett
Another masterpiece from Everett - I hope this wins every prize.

Thanks for the nudge, Vivian. I just got Chenneville from the library.

>83 vivians: Well, for once I've actually read a couple of these books (Chenneville and James)! I also just read a Wiley Cash novel, This Dark Road to Mercy. I like his writing, too. So ... no new book bullets for me this week but I'm sure you'll get me next time.