Diana (Wilkie) reads, Part 8

Dies ist die Fortführung des Themas Wilkie reads, Part 7.

Dieses Thema wurde unter Diana (Wilkie) reads, Part 9 weitergeführt.

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Diana (Wilkie) reads, Part 8

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1wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 8:26 am



Vincent van Gogh

2wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:03 am

My reading in 2013:

January

1. The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins 9/10, 438 p.
2. PAAZ - Myrthe van der Meer 9/10, 351 p.
3. A Place of Greater Safety - Hilary Mantel 7/10, 873 p.
4. The Man Who Forgot His Wife - John O'Farrell 8/10, 393 p.
5. And the Band Played On: Politics, People and the AIDS Epidemic - Randy Shilts 8/10, 630 p.
6. Sans Famille - Hector Malot 8/10, 406 p.
7. Defending Jacob - William Landay 8/10, 421 p.
8. Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson 7/10, 720 p.

Pages read in January: 4232

3wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:04 am

February

9. An Utterly Impartial History of Britain - John O'Farrell 7/10, 588 p.
10. Op zee - Toine Heijmans 6/10, 192 p.
11. The Expats - Chris Pavone 5/10, 500 p.
12. Growing Up Amish - Ira Wagler 6/10, 270 p.
13. No Name - Wilkie Collins 7/10, 762 p.
14. Devil's Peak - Deon Meyer 8/10, 409 p.
15. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher - Kate Summerscale 6/10, 372 p.
16. Verzamelde gedichten - M. Vasalis 9/10, 196 p.
17. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers - Mary Roach 9/10, 304 p.
18. The Complete Polysyllabic Spree - Nick Hornby 7/10, 278 p.
19. Gedichten - Judith Herzberg 6/10, 75 p.

Pages read in February: 3946

4wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:05 am

March

20. The Sealed Letter - Emma Donoghue 9/10, 483 p.
21. I, Claudius - Robert Graves 8/10, 468 p.
22. De eurocrisis - Martin Visser 7/10, 240 p.
23. Thirteen Hours - Deon Meyer 9/10, 410 p.
24. No et Moi - Delphine de Vigan 7/10, 248 p.
25. Here Be Dragons - Sharon Kay Penman 9/10, 704 p.
26. Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer 4/10, 205 p.
27. Shakespeare Wrote for Money - Nick Hornby 7/10, 131 p.
28. More Baths, Less Talking - Nick Hornby 7/10, 135 p.
29. The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year - Sue Townsend 6/10, 437 p.
30. Bij nader inzien - J.J. Voskuil 8/10, 1207 p.
31. The Sisters Brothers - Patrick deWitt 7/10, 328 p.
32. IV - Arjen Lubach 6/10, 319 p.

Pages read in March: 5315

5wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:05 am

April

33. Ik, Zlatan - Zlatan Ibrahimovic 6/10, 334 p.
34. Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn 7/10, 328 p.
35. 7 Days - Deon Meyer 8/10, 348 p.
36. Escape from Camp 14 - Blaine Harden 8/10, 242 p.
37. Left Neglected - Lisa Genova 8/10, 432 p.
38. Bonk - Mary Roach 6/10, 320 p.
39. Nothing to Envy - Barbara Demick 8/10, 324 p.
40. Wij zijn maar wij zijn niet geschift - Tim Krabbe 7/10, 416 p.
41. The Orphan Master's Son - Adam Johnson 8/10, 592 p.
42. Injustice - Clive Stafford Smith 5/10, 480 p.

Pages read in April: 3816

6wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:06 am

May

43. The Secret River - Kate Grenville 9/10, 352 p.
44. The Keeper of Lost Causes - Jussi Adler-Olsen 8/10, 512 p.
45. Hoe sms't een Chinees - Eppo Konig 6/10, 234 p.
46. Dissolution - C.J. Sansom 8/10, 464 p.
47. Der Dativ ist dem Genitiv sein Tod - Bastian Sick 7/10, 240 p.
48. Der Dativ ist dem Genitiv sein Tod: Folge 2 - Bastian Sick 7/10, 268 p.
49. Der Dativ ist dem Genitiv sein Tod: Folge 3 - Bastian Sick 7/10, 274 p.
50. Congo - David van Reybrouck 8/10, 680 p.
51. Verhalen uit de Ambulance - Mariette Middelbeek 8/10, 176 p.
52. The Absent One - Jussi Adler-Olsen 7/10, 685 p.
53. The Observations - Jane Harris 8/10, 546 p.

Pages read in May: 4431

7wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:07 am

June

54. Het zevende kind - Erik Valeur 9/10, 720 p.
55. Papillion - Henri Charriere 7/10, 612 p.
56. Dead before Dying - Deon Meyer 8/10, 432 p.
57. Dark Fire - C.J. Sansom 9/10, 608 p.
58. Still Alice - Lisa Genova 9/10, 400 p.
59. Of ik gek ben - Michiel Stroink 7/10, 238 p.

Pages read in June: 3010

8wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:27 am

July

60. Sister - Rosamund Lupton 8/10, 384 p.
61. The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson 7/10, 496 p.
62. Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith 8/10, 512 p.
63. The Family - Mario Puzo 4/10, 608 p.
64. A Conspiracy of Faith - Jussi Adler-Olsen 8/10, 773 p.
65. Before I Go to Sleep - S.J. Watson 7/10, 500 p.
66. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry 10/10, 768 p.
67. Blood Safari - Deon Meyer 7/10, 576 p.

Pages read in July: 4617

9wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 23, 2013, 4:51 am

August

68. The Bat - Jo Nesbo 6/10, 432 p.
69. Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson 3/10, 496 p.
70. Case Histories - Kate Atkinson 8/10, 400 p.
71. This Side of Brightness - Colum McCann 7/10, 304 p.
72. The Redbreast - Jo Nesbo 8/10, 656 p.
73. The Know-It-All - A.J. Jacobs 7/10, 400 p.
74. Aarsrivalen, scheldkarbonades en terminale baden - Ewoud Sanders 7/10, 124 p.
75. Nemesis - Jo Nesbo 9/10, 720 p.
76. The Devil's Star - Jo Nesbo 9/10, 544 p.

Pages read in August: 4076

10wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Sept. 23, 2013, 4:26 am

September

77. In the Woods - Tana French 5/10, 608 p.
78. Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin 10/10, 1241 p.
79. The Weight of Silence - Heather Gudenkauf 6/10, 418 p.
80. Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood 6/10, 624 p.

Pages read in September: 2891

11wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Sept. 12, 2013, 10:37 am

Favourite reads 2013:

Fiction

- A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
- Here Be Dragons - Sharon Kay Penman
- Thirteen Hours - Deon Meyer
- Het zevende kind - Erik Valeur
- Nemesis - Jo Nesbo
- The Secret River - Kate Grenville
- Still Alice - Lisa Genova
- The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins
- PAAZ - Myrthe van der Meer

Non-fiction

- Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin
- Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers - Mary Roach

12wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Sept. 19, 2013, 6:05 am

Currently reading:

13wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:02 am



73. The Know-It-All - A.J. Jacobs
400 p.

To fill the gaps in his knowledge, A.J. Jacobs sets for himself the task of reading all thirty-two volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. That is 33,000 pages, 44 million words. His wife Julie tells him it's a waste of time, his friends believe he is losing his mind, and his father, a brilliant attorney who had once attempted the same feat and quit somewhere around Borneo, is encouraging but unconvinced.

Jacobs has written a hilarious memoir about facts I never knew and will soon forget:
* An opossum has thirteen nipples.
* Oysters can change their sex.
* The best ventriloquists are Eskimos and Zulus.
* Scrabble is also available in braille.
* Napoleon loved ice-skating.

7/10

14wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:02 am

Monica, yes. He finished it completely with the last word 'Zywiec':

Zywiec is a town in south-central Poland. It's known for its large breweries and a 16th-century sculpture called The Dormant Virgin.

15wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 6:03 am

Welcome!

16RebaRelishesReading
Aug. 15, 2013, 9:06 am

Love the picture. That's a Van Gogh I've never seen before.

17wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Aug. 15, 2013, 10:44 am

Hi Reba!
This Van Gogh is from a private collection in Switzerland. 'Romans Parisiens' from 1887.

18Crazymamie
Aug. 15, 2013, 1:31 pm

Lovely new thread! I see you are reading Jo Nesbo - LOVE him! I need to get back to Harry Hole; I am ready for The Snowman.

19Trifolia
Aug. 15, 2013, 1:41 pm

I never read any books by Jo Nesbo, but he soounds like an author whose books I'd enjoy. And a series, yay!

20PaulCranswick
Aug. 16, 2013, 4:43 am

Diana - congratulations on your latest thread. I have been watching the ENECO tour but the absence of hillocks is not really my cup of tea.

21wilkiec
Aug. 16, 2013, 7:55 am

Mamie, I love Jo Nesbo, too! And I'm reading the best Harry Hole up till now.

22wilkiec
Aug. 16, 2013, 7:56 am

Monica, I only know of his books for a couple of weeks now, but I'm sold!

23wilkiec
Aug. 16, 2013, 8:00 am

Thank you, Paul.

Today's Time Trial is in Limburg, with 2 hillocks in 13 km. And tomorrow in Belgium will have La Redoute and the Muur van Geraarsbergen. You probably watched the flattest stage of the week :-)

24wilkiec
Aug. 19, 2013, 10:09 am



74. Aarsrivalen, scheldkarbonades en terminale baden - Ewoud Sanders
124 p.

This is a book about the Dutch language. Linguistics, grammar, spelling, with many examples of mistakes. Very entertaining!

7/10

25wilkiec
Aug. 20, 2013, 1:31 pm



75. Nemesis - Jo Nesbo
720 p.

My first Jo Nesbo was ok. My second Jo Nesbo was good. This third one is outstanding!

I'm a big fan of Harry Hole now. Nesbo has excellent storytelling abilities and writes gripping thrillers.

9/10

26wilkiec
Aug. 21, 2013, 8:36 am

In Jo Nesbo's books The Redbreast and Nemesis is one particular story line, that seems to end in the next book of the series.

This story line is very gripping and I have no other choice... I'll start The Devil's Star this evening!

27LizzieD
Aug. 21, 2013, 9:32 am

How is it that we never met since we have some good reading in common?
Thank you for giving us that Van Gogh, unknown to me too!
You're reading circles around me........ I have the 3 easy-to-get Nesbos, and now all that remains is to read them.

28wilkiec
Aug. 22, 2013, 9:32 am

Hi Peggy, nice to meet you!

I'm only here for the first year, maybe that's why? I'm Diana, from the Netherlands, 1 husband, 2 sons, 1 cat.

I'm going to star your thread. It's nice to have some good reading in common, isn't it? :-)

29LizzieD
Aug. 22, 2013, 10:06 am

It is. That's what I love about this place! And a star back to you.

30wilkiec
Aug. 23, 2013, 4:55 am



76. The Devil's Star - Jo Nesbo
544 p.

Great! Harry Hole kept me awake because I wanted to read on and on.

9/10

31kidzdoc
Aug. 23, 2013, 8:07 am

Congratulations on hitting the 75 books mark, Diana!

32wilkiec
Aug. 23, 2013, 8:19 am

I did, didn't I? Never expected it.

Thanks Darryl!

33luvamystery65
Aug. 23, 2013, 10:48 am

Woo hoo! on hitting 75 and your Scandi Crime reading spree!

34drneutron
Aug. 23, 2013, 4:13 pm

Congrats!

35LizzieD
Aug. 23, 2013, 8:13 pm

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

36wilkiec
Aug. 24, 2013, 7:57 am

Thank you Roberta, Jim and Peggy!

I definitely enjoy the Scandi Crime, it's all new to me.

37kidzdoc
Aug. 24, 2013, 8:56 am

Have a great weekend, Diana!

38wilkiec
Aug. 24, 2013, 10:09 am

Thank you, Darryl!

39LizzieD
Bearbeitet: Aug. 24, 2013, 10:43 am

Karin Fossum! Karin Fossum! Karin Fossum!

40wilkiec
Aug. 24, 2013, 11:27 am

Did someone mention Karin Fossum?

I don't know her yet, Peggy, but I have one of her books in my mountain TBR, Don't look back.

41wilkiec
Aug. 24, 2013, 11:30 am

Yes, today starts the Vuelta d'Espagna, 3 weeks of cycling in Spain. There will be many mountains, the 2 Dutch guys (Bauke Mollema and Laurens ten Dam) are in again.

Today's the Team Time Trial. I guess Nibali has a good chance to win this Vuelta, but there are more big contestants.

42wilkiec
Aug. 24, 2013, 2:46 pm

Team Astana has won, Nibali's team. Belkin in 49 seconds.

43wilkiec
Aug. 25, 2013, 11:04 am



Frans Hals, Boy reading

44kidzdoc
Aug. 25, 2013, 11:47 am

45souloftherose
Aug. 25, 2013, 2:42 pm

#1 Love that painting by van Gogh Diana. I love his art and that's one I hadn't come across before.

Congratulations on reading 75 books!

46wilkiec
Aug. 26, 2013, 9:21 am

Thank you Darryl and Heather!

47wilkiec
Aug. 27, 2013, 8:31 am

Jan van Eyck

48wilkiec
Aug. 28, 2013, 8:37 am

It's a week full of heavy stress :-(

I read the papers and magazines, but don't ask me the details... No books, no concentration at all.

49LizzieD
Aug. 28, 2013, 9:07 am

It's Humpday, and this week will end! Wishing you some peace and grace!
And I especially love the van Eyck!

50souloftherose
Aug. 28, 2013, 2:24 pm

#48 Sorry to hear that Diana. Sending hugs....

51wilkiec
Aug. 30, 2013, 7:27 am

That's sweet, Peggy and Heather, thanks. x

I know, this too will pass. Hoping next week will be better, though.

52Trifolia
Aug. 31, 2013, 1:55 am

Hi Diana, I hope things are improving for you.
I can recommend Karin Fossum to you. It's probably best if you start reading her books in order though.

53PaulCranswick
Aug. 31, 2013, 3:01 am

Well done for Scandinavianly skipping past 75 Diana. I am enjoying the rugged contours of the Vuelta. I can see a Spanish combination taking Nibali down. Have a lovely weekend.

54luvamystery65
Aug. 31, 2013, 5:48 pm

Diana regarding Karin Fossum start with In the Darkness: An Inspector Sejer Novel before you read Don't Look Back.

55wilkiec
Sept. 2, 2013, 3:27 am

Monica and Roberta, I faithfully ordered In the Darkness: An Inspector Sejer Novel. Couldn't risk to start with the wrong book ;-)

56wilkiec
Sept. 2, 2013, 3:29 am

Paul, I think Moreno stands out in the Spanish department. I hope your week is filled with good things.

57wilkiec
Sept. 2, 2013, 4:27 am

Today is son's first university day. Last week he had introductions, but the real work started early this morning.

Son is autistic and communication with anyone outside the family is hard for him. But he's very intelligent and truly interested in people. Now he's chosen a study in which communication is perhaps the most important factor. That's extremely brave!

He's made a difficult choice, but if he wants it, I think he can do it.

Of course he was afraid of going this morning, and I can feel his fear. Will he be seen and respected?

Hence all the stress in me too, as his mama. The same stress that stopped me from reading books for over a week. *shock*

58PaulCranswick
Sept. 2, 2013, 5:40 am

Wishing your son every success as he ventures into University life. He does sound like a brave young man and I am sure that once he has adjusted to new surroundings he will thrive in a seat devoted to learning.

59wilkiec
Sept. 2, 2013, 6:04 am

Thank you so much, Paul!

I can't to wait to hear about his first day. Only 5.5 hours to go...

60wilkiec
Sept. 2, 2013, 6:40 am

Jan Steen

61kidzdoc
Sept. 2, 2013, 1:56 pm

Good luck to your son, Diana! Please let us know how his first day at university went.

62msf59
Sept. 2, 2013, 2:51 pm

Hi Diana- Just checking in! Love the paintings! I read and enjoyed the 1st 3 Nesbo books, (published in the US) starting with the the Redbreast and that still remains my favorite. I NEED to get to the Redeemer.

63luvamystery65
Sept. 2, 2013, 6:29 pm

Momma bear I hope the stress is relieved soon and that your son does well at university. You are both in my thoughts and prayers.

64wilkiec
Sept. 3, 2013, 5:59 am

Darryl, thank you!

My son's first day at university went well. He interacted with other students! His morning class (somewhat vague) was okay, in the afternoon he had his first psychology class. It was about the development of people, i.c. the baby. That was a direct hit. He could tell me all about reflexes :-)

Today has his first class in Communication and Psychology again.

University is in a city near our village, and my brave young man returned home by bus (30 minutes), alone. Awesome!

65wilkiec
Sept. 3, 2013, 6:01 am

Hi Mark!
I think my next Nesbo book will also be The Redeemer. I don't know when that will be, but Nesbo rocks!

66wilkiec
Sept. 3, 2013, 6:09 am

Thank you, Roberta!

This momma bear did sleep last night, very nice for a change ;-)

The level of his study shouldn't cause any problems, son's challenge will be his autism and shy, introvert character. My husband and I and my younger son are not autistic, but being shy and introvert is something we all share.

I'm a very proud momma. And I'm going to plan my next book, because all went well and the peak of stress has to be gone.

67SandDune
Sept. 4, 2013, 3:13 am

Diana, wishing your son all the best with his new studies.

68kidzdoc
Sept. 4, 2013, 7:14 am

Great news about your son's successful first day at university, Diana! Please keep us posted on his progress.

69wilkiec
Sept. 4, 2013, 9:38 am

Thank you Rhian!

It is great news, isn't it, Darryl. He's now waiting for his bus home and we're chatting via whatsapp ;-)

70wilkiec
Sept. 4, 2013, 10:16 am



77. In the Woods - Tana French
608 p.

Hmpf. This wasn't my kind of book, I suppose. It's a thriller with a decent story. I just didn't like the style of writing and I'm not sure what's bothering me.

Anyway, I've finally read a book again!

5/10

71LizzieD
Sept. 4, 2013, 10:18 am

Diana, I'm on the cheering side. Your son sounds like a valiant soul - and so do you! I hope that all continues well with him - what a lot of growing he's opening himself to!
And I hope that you have something to read that rewards you. I'm currently enjoying The Daughters of Mars a LOT! (Australian sisters who are nurses on a hospital ship off Gallipoli in WWI - harrowing and pretty much un-put-down-able.)

72wilkiec
Sept. 4, 2013, 12:43 pm

Thank you, Peggy. Today was hot and rather difficult, son is very tired now.

Great to hear that The Daughters of Mars is such a good read: I ordered that book a week ago!

73lkernagh
Sept. 4, 2013, 8:42 pm

It has been a while since I was last over here, Diana I think it was pre Tour de France! Continuing to love the art you post on your threads.

Great to see your son is now in Uni and settling into his courses. That was a big adjustment for me after finishing high school with a graduating class of some 200 to find myself attending a University with a semester population of some 18,000!

I still need to get around to reading the French novels.... I will probably hold off and continue reading books that interest me instead.

74wilkiec
Sept. 5, 2013, 10:23 am

Hi Lori! Son's uni is a big one, but this first weeks, he has intensive courses with ..... *drums* ......

12 students. Sometimes 22 and 1 course is with 300+, but the rest of the week is filled with his group of 12. He thought he could make himself invisible, that's difficult now :-)

75wilkiec
Sept. 5, 2013, 1:33 pm

Twan de Vos

76RebaRelishesReading
Sept. 5, 2013, 2:39 pm

Glad university is starting well for your son. Is he at Tilburg? Although I graduated from Utrecht I did some classes at Tilburg -- it has a very nice campus imho.

77TinaV95
Sept. 6, 2013, 1:01 am

Hey Diana! Congrats to your very brave son! He is showing tons of courage by facing his fears head on. And kudos to you for allowing him the freedom he needs despite your worries!

I can't imagine how hard it must be to watch him leave each morning. Big hugs to you!

78kidzdoc
Sept. 6, 2013, 6:07 am

>75 wilkiec: Nice! Quite colorful and playful.

79wilkiec
Sept. 6, 2013, 11:39 am

Hi Reba, he's not at Tilburg. Utrecht was my favorite, but they were going to stop my study, so I did it in Leiden. :-)

80wilkiec
Sept. 6, 2013, 11:42 am

Hey Tina, thank you! His first week was heavy and tiring. Mine too ;-)

81wilkiec
Sept. 6, 2013, 11:43 am

Darryl, I loved the colors!

82wilkiec
Sept. 6, 2013, 12:01 pm

A Lego Library

83wilkiec
Sept. 6, 2013, 12:02 pm

by Joe Hardenbrook

84jnwelch
Sept. 6, 2013, 2:50 pm

Oh, I like these Lego library photos, Diana. Very gracious of them to let the chicken in.

85kidzdoc
Bearbeitet: Sept. 6, 2013, 9:14 pm

That looks like a man in a chicken suit, reading a book. That would never be permitted in a library in the US (except in California).

What's going on in the bottom of the second photo? It looks like a man lying on a sofa, holding a large bottle of some liquid (presumably stronger than Diet Coke), and sporting a mischievously evil look on his face, as a woman stands over him. Even California libraries wouldn't allow that. Where the heck is this library anyway???

86TinaV95
Sept. 6, 2013, 11:38 pm

Don't forget to relax & recharge over the weekends! *Both you & your son! Lots of quiet time if you are both the introverted sort like I am!

87PaulCranswick
Sept. 6, 2013, 11:55 pm

Diana - Like the LEGO library. There was a LEGOLAND theme park built over here which was behind schedule. The owners didn't like my explanation that it was late "Because they were still putting it together".

Have a lovely weekend.

88wilkiec
Sept. 7, 2013, 5:53 am

Tina, we'll recharge this weekend, we'll need it! :-)

89wilkiec
Sept. 7, 2013, 5:57 am

Joe and Darryl, you made me laugh out loud. No idea who let the chicken in, nor that evil man. It couldn't be a Dutch library :-)

Paul, I love your explanation! :-) No humor, those owners.

I've got more Lego Libraries to share!

90wilkiec
Sept. 7, 2013, 6:01 am

St. Louis Public Library’s Central Library

91wilkiec
Sept. 7, 2013, 6:01 am

92msf59
Sept. 7, 2013, 7:28 am

Diana- Sorry, In the Woods didn't work for you. Opinion is so divided on this title. I was one on the strongly positive side.
Love the Lego libraries!

93wilkiec
Sept. 7, 2013, 8:49 am

Hi Mark! That's true, and you can't like them all. I feel lucky that it's a positive reading year with many good rankings.

The Lego version of the St. Louis Public Library's Central Library was built in honor of its 100 year existence. I don't understand those people on the roof. Do they wear swords?

94souloftherose
Sept. 7, 2013, 10:40 am

Hi Diana. Glad to hear your son's first few days at university have gone ok and that you have been able to get some reading done :-)

Loving the Lego libraries - I'm always amazed at what people can do with Lego.

95wilkiec
Sept. 7, 2013, 11:03 am

Hi Heather, thanks! I did read again, but I could have done much better. Still many papers and magazines :-)

96wilkiec
Sept. 7, 2013, 11:14 am



But tomorrow I'll start a serious book again, Team of Rivals about Abraham Lincoln. I'm looking forward to it!

97wilkiec
Sept. 7, 2013, 11:46 am

Found this:



Not sure what's cooler: Hamlet's T-shirt or his haircut.

98luvamystery65
Sept. 7, 2013, 2:51 pm

Diana - I was unsure about In the Woods. I am reading The Likeness right now. Carrie was my favorite character in the first book. Currently, I feel as if she chucked her sense out the window.

Get some rest and find some peace this weekend.

99RebaRelishesReading
Sept. 7, 2013, 9:14 pm

I hope you like Team of Rivals. I thought it was excellent and learned a lot of things about some prominent Americans that I had heard of but knew little about.

100wilkiec
Sept. 9, 2013, 4:25 am

Roberta, I remembered you read Tana French. I hope you like The Likeness.

101wilkiec
Sept. 9, 2013, 4:31 am

Reba, I only read the short introduction yesterday, because of other activities. Doris Kearns Goodwin's writing style immediately attracts me and I hope today will bring some reading time.

102wilkiec
Sept. 9, 2013, 7:07 am

John Waterhouse

103wilkiec
Sept. 9, 2013, 7:11 am

Another Waterhouse, 'St Cecilia'

104msf59
Sept. 9, 2013, 7:23 am

I loved Team of Rivals. We did a Group Read in preparation for the Lincoln film. I hope you enjoy it.

105wilkiec
Sept. 9, 2013, 7:29 am

I'm enjoying it already, Mark, this is a great (and slow) read!

106wilkiec
Sept. 9, 2013, 11:33 am

There's a mountain sprint in the Vuelta, it's fascinating.

107wilkiec
Sept. 10, 2013, 3:37 am

We've had a hot summer and September started very warm. But yesterday the weather finally changed and now it's raining cats and dogs.
My husband (motor) and sons (bicycle) have arrived at work/uni/school wetter than wet.

108wilkiec
Sept. 10, 2013, 4:52 am

Last Sunday, I watched a documentary on Dutch TV about David Grossman. It was interesting and touching and I'd like to share it with you.

http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/afleveringen/1364748

This is the link to the program. It's English spoken :-)

109wilkiec
Sept. 10, 2013, 5:53 am

Drum roll please! We are thrilled to announce that the six novels shortlisted for the 2013 Man Booker Prize are:

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Harvest by Jim Crace
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin

Huge congratulations to all of our shortlisted authors!

110wilkiec
Sept. 10, 2013, 5:55 am

No Collum McCann.....

111wilkiec
Sept. 10, 2013, 6:20 am

112wilkiec
Sept. 10, 2013, 8:38 am

Colum McCann's Transatlantic is on my Mountain TBR.
Of the shortlist, my order of Eleanor Catton's The Luminaries is somewhere above the sea between England and the Netherlands :-)

113wilkiec
Sept. 10, 2013, 11:46 am

German Thomas Bach is the new President of the International Olympic Comite. No surprise, because he was the favorite.

114wilkiec
Sept. 10, 2013, 11:50 am

115kidzdoc
Sept. 10, 2013, 12:01 pm

Have you read any of the Booker longlisted books, Diana?

116wilkiec
Sept. 11, 2013, 9:36 am

No Darryl, I haven't. My Transatlantic is waiting for me.

And The Luminaries are on their way. This was caused by an excellent review of a certain Kidzdoc. I had to order it immediately! ;-)

117Chatterbox
Sept. 11, 2013, 10:28 am

Of all the artwork here, I have fallen in love with the van Eyck. He really was such an early master at capturing personality, and detail -- as shown in those hands...

Kudos to your son for his courage in taking this step! The good thing about university vs high school is that you're not in a group of 12 all day, so there is an ability to balance that kind of inability to be invisible with time to oneself. It's all about balance... (quoth another introvert).

Re The Know It All; I have kind of resisted this book as it feels like what I think of as 'stunt memoir' -- the idea of creating an odd challenge for oneself in large part to serve as the focus of a book that is about ME, JUST ME. He's done at least two other of these yearlong "humble quests" (which IMO are anything but humble) -- one to live Biblically, the other to improve his health. I can understand doing one of these, on a subject you're really passionate about, but three or four?? It's a formula. But please ignore me; I'm grumpy today.

118wilkiec
Sept. 11, 2013, 12:59 pm

Hi Suz. I also noticed the hands in the van Eyck, especially the left one. Pure beauty.

My son is searching for that balance all the time now. The social interaction and communication wear him out, but he seems to gain something of it too. Maybe that's just my wishful thinking, we'll see.

I agree with your comments on A.J. Jacobs, it is a formula.

I understand you lived/worked in New York on 9/11 12 years ago? I can't imagine how difficult it is to experience such a tragedy in your close circle. Even I know exactly where I was when I heard it, how I raced home with my 2 young children and sat in front of the television for days.
It's normal to be grumpy or angry or sad. Hugs.

119wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 5:42 am

Pablo Picasso, 'Girl reading'

120wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 8:49 am

Son started to worry about his choice of study. We've frequently told him to just start and see, he can always decide to choose something else.

Now he's wondering if an academic study in Psychology wouldn't be better/more interesting for him. A more intellectual challenge, that's certain. Maybe less direct confrontations. Another University.

I don't know how I can help him in the most positive way. It has to be his choice, it's his life. I don't think it matters what my choice would be.

I wish I could take his biggest difficulties away. Sigh.

121msf59
Sept. 12, 2013, 8:54 am

Hi Diana- I loved TransAtlantic, so I am bit disappointed it didn't make the cut. I think it was just a little better than the Lowland, which I also enjoyed.
Hope your week is going well.

122wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 10:09 am

Hi Mark, I have high expectations of TransAtlantic. It's good to hear that you loved it!

123wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 10:46 am



78. Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin
1241 p.

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. This is a brilliant book by a fantastic writer.

Excellent read!

10/10

124wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 11:08 am

Johannes Vermeer, 'Woman in Blue reading a Letter'

125wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 11:09 am

Mary Cassatt

126wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 11:10 am

Henri Matisse

127wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 11:11 am

Renoir

128wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 11:12 am

Claude Monet

129wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 11:12 am

Enough reading women for today ;)

130msf59
Sept. 12, 2013, 12:27 pm

Glad you loved Team of Rivals! Love those women reading!

131wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 12:36 pm

I did Mark, I did!

132wilkiec
Sept. 12, 2013, 1:07 pm

Next is a debut novel: The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf. I hope to start it tomorrow.

133Chatterbox
Sept. 12, 2013, 5:28 pm

Loving the Matisse

You're absolutely right about it being his choice and the fact that you know that and you're there to listen & support is really all you can do... That said, there might be a way to gently remind him that a week or two is a difficult measure to gauge how things are going. I remember my first months of university -- age 17, living on another continent from my family -- as being utterly, completely traumatic. Looking back, I don't know how I got through it. I do know that I wanted to leave. I ultimately stayed, and while I could have left and had a different kind of experience elsewhere, I couldn't definitively say it would have been better. I do know now, decades later, that leaving in the first few weeks might have been a relief at the time, but I would have felt disapppointed in myself later on. I did walk away from my graduate school program years later, for what were very clear and valid reasons, and have never for one second regretted it. In part, I think the lack of regret was because I not only had specific reasons for my decision but something clear in mind that I wanted to do instead -- so I was moving on to something and not just away from it.

Yes, 9/11 is a difficult day. I saw things that still give me nightmares, and I still miss the people I knew who died that day. I actually don't remember a lot of the 18 months around that time frame, which included the kidnapping & murder of a former colleague and the death of another colleague and also another friend, and a bunch of other stuff. Tks for the kind words.

134wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 7:01 am

What a terrible time for you Suz, pff.

Thank you for sharing your experiences of university. It's that step you mention: moving on to something. This 2013-2014 year, he stays where he is and works for his first certificate in June/July 2014. That's a moment to choose to either continue here, or moving (up) to Psychology.

135wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:20 am

Gustave Courbet

136wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:21 am

Rembrandt

137wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:22 am

Rembrandt

138wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:23 am

and Rembrandt

139wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:24 am

Rogier van der Weijden

140wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:27 am

Hu Yongkai

141wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:28 am

Jesse M. Marsh



Lol, this one's funny.

142PaulCranswick
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:50 am

Well to be fair she hasn't quite finished the book! Have a lovely weekend my dear as the Vuelta closes on its finish. Will Nibali hold on?

143wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 10:53 am

Haha Paul, she didn't get the point!

The Vuelta is turning out exciting in the last days, with Horner at 3 seconds. Tomorrow should be a deciding stage. A lovely weekend to you and your family too! x

144wilkiec
Sept. 13, 2013, 11:16 am

Well, Nibali didn't hold on today. Horner is 3 seconds better now :-)

145jnwelch
Sept. 13, 2013, 11:18 am

I loved Team of Rivals, Diana. Did you see Spielberg's Lincoln movie, based on part of it? That's terrific, too, IMO.

Beautiful paintings. Did you happen to notice there's someone reading in each of them?

146wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Sept. 13, 2013, 11:24 am

Joe, I wanted to read the book before I see the film. I hope to watch it some time!

I'm glad you like the paintings. Now you mention it, there's someone reading in each of them...
Strange ;-)

147wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Sept. 13, 2013, 12:52 pm



Yes, I confess.

148RebaRelishesReading
Sept. 13, 2013, 9:48 pm

>145 jnwelch: I too loved Team of Rivals. Saw Loncoln twice and loved it both times.

Your "stay where you are this year and then decide plan" sounds very wise.

149wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 4:22 am

Hi Reba! Perhaps I should order the DVD of Lincoln...

150wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:09 am

Vittore Carpaccio

151wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:11 am

Albert Anker

152wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:14 am

August Macke

153wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:16 am

Edouard Manet

154wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:17 am

Henri Matisse

155wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:19 am

Florence Fuller

156wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:20 am

M. Boylesve

157wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:21 am

Fernand Leger

158wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:22 am

Rene Magritte

159wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:24 am

Arjan van Gent

160wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 10:25 am

Diana Ong

161wilkiec
Sept. 14, 2013, 11:46 am

And Horner wins the Vuelta, at almost 42 years old. What kind of doping does he use, and why is it so good?

162Chatterbox
Sept. 14, 2013, 5:39 pm

Like the chair in #155, but why does the woman in #156 still have her shoes on when she's curled up on her chaise reading??

163wilkiec
Sept. 15, 2013, 8:26 am

No idea Suz, it seems rather uncomfortable.

164wilkiec
Sept. 15, 2013, 12:55 pm

The Vuelta officially ended today and Christopher Horner did win. Now it's up to the World Championship races in Florence!

165wilkiec
Sept. 16, 2013, 4:04 am

It's great to lurk on the threads and read that so many people are busy watching football at the same time. I noticed the term 'touchdown' a couple of times.
Is your American football similar to the English rugby?

166wilkiec
Sept. 16, 2013, 11:17 am



79. The Weight of Silence - Heather Gudenkauf
418 p.

Blurb

Two little girls are missing. Both are seven years old and have been missing for at least sixteen hours.

Calli Clark is a dreamer. A sweet, gentle girl, Calli suffers from selective mutism, brought on by a tragedy she experienced as a toddler. Her mother Antonia tries her best to help, but is trapped in a marriage to a violent husband.

Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli have been heard from since their disappearance was discovered.

This is a rather simple story, sometimes written in an awkward way. Not bad for a debut novel, but it left me somewhat indifferent.

6/10

167wilkiec
Sept. 17, 2013, 5:21 am

Since a couple of years, I've got the western series of Larry McMurtry on my shelves.

I'm planning to read them in this order:

1. Dead Man's Walk
2. Comanche's Moon
3. Lonesome Dove
4. Streets of Laredo

LT gives a publication order and an order of story. I guess I want to read the story in order and I hope this is the right one.

168wilkiec
Sept. 17, 2013, 5:26 am

169wilkiec
Sept. 17, 2013, 8:32 am

170wilkiec
Sept. 17, 2013, 8:36 am

Tineke Willemse

171kidzdoc
Sept. 17, 2013, 10:12 pm

>165 wilkiec: I watched a couple of rugby matches last year when I visited London. There are some similarities to American football, but I was left befuddled by several features of it. I thought I was watching a Monty Python skit, where wacky rules were made up as the match progressed.

172wilkiec
Sept. 18, 2013, 6:01 am

Darryl, when Monty Python comes to mind, there certainly are many differences between American football and rugby. ;-)

173wilkiec
Sept. 18, 2013, 6:03 am

I'm working on another laptop. This is no Apple and it has Windows 8; this is new to me. I have to learn new features, cool.

174wilkiec
Sept. 18, 2013, 7:15 am

Many new Windows 8 things on my computer; I'm sure I'll never use most of them, so I'm going to clean up a bit. I'm not used to such a full screen.

175msf59
Sept. 18, 2013, 7:23 am

Hi Diana- I say, skip the first 2 and go straight to the masterpiece, Lonesome Dove. He did write that one first and it is head and shoulders above the others, which I have also read. You can always go back and read the others. Of course this is just my Humble Opinion.

176wilkiec
Sept. 18, 2013, 7:33 am

Hi Mark, that's a good suggestion. But if I read the best one first, I may not read the others. Did you think the others were also good, or was it a deception after reading Lonesome Dove?

177msf59
Sept. 18, 2013, 8:21 am

I think the others are worth reading but I would just start with the Big Gun first. "Streets" picks up after LD, so that one is also worthy.

178wilkiec
Sept. 18, 2013, 8:25 am

Thanks Mark! I'll plan Lonesome Dove first. Don't know exactly when, though :-)

179wilkiec
Sept. 18, 2013, 10:16 am

I know there are many fans of Margaret Atwood on LT. I've never read anything by her, I'm not good in SF, dystiopian, fantasy.

Here's a helpful scheme for her books:

180wilkiec
Bearbeitet: Sept. 18, 2013, 10:31 am

Maybe Alias Grace will do for me. Historical, real, but fiction, I can handle that :-)

181lkernagh
Sept. 18, 2013, 8:19 pm

Great Margaret Atwood scheme! I haven't read any Atwood either but judging by this, it looks like my best bets are either The Blind Assassin or Alias Grace. ;-)

182msf59
Sept. 18, 2013, 8:47 pm

I think Alias Grace is a fine place to start and then you might be able to ease into The Blind Assassin. The Handmaid's Tale was my first and remains my favorite.

183PaulCranswick
Sept. 18, 2013, 10:20 pm

Love the book store frontage Diana. I also agree with your chronological take on the McMurtry reading order. I have read Dead Man's Walk and may read Commanche Moon this year.

184wilkiec
Sept. 19, 2013, 5:42 am

Lori, it helps, doesn't it? We seem to have the same taste ;-)

185wilkiec
Sept. 19, 2013, 5:49 am

Mark, I'm determined to start Alias Grace, I've even found that one and The Blind Assassin in my house. That's funny, I don't think I've ever bought a book by Margaret Atwood.

My youngest son has read pieces of The Handmaid's Tale in class. When he showed me these, I didn't understand a thing...

186wilkiec
Sept. 19, 2013, 5:57 am

Thank you Paul, the book store frontage brings back memories of a very small shop with antiquarian books in Leiden. I hardly ever found what I wanted, but it was so charming.

I'm not sure yet in what order I'm going to read Larry McMurtry. You and Mark both have good ideas about that. Anyway, it will probably be 2014 when I'm at the point of reading his books, enough time to ponder :-)

187wilkiec
Sept. 19, 2013, 6:11 am



My next project. It's a bit of a chunkster:-)

188wilkiec
Sept. 19, 2013, 11:12 am

Does someone have a clue what this pirate-speak is about? Does the USA have a pirate day?
Have mercy with the non-native speaker, I don't understand a thing :-)

Arrrrrrrrrrrrr.

189jnwelch
Sept. 19, 2013, 11:54 am

It started in the U.S., me bucko, but it's intended to be international. Here's WIkipedia on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day.

Note that according to Wikipedia, it has become a holiday for the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, whatever that may be.

190wilkiec
Sept. 19, 2013, 1:24 pm

Thank you, Joe! I missed the international aspect ;-)

191RebaRelishesReading
Sept. 19, 2013, 2:56 pm

First thing I did when I came on today was turn the stupid pirate speak thing off!! puleeese!!

Really like the Margaret Atwood diagram. If I decide to read more of hers I'll make use of it.

192wilkiec
Sept. 20, 2013, 10:32 am

I don't have knowledge of pirates, Reba :-)

Hope the diagram will prove useful.

193wilkiec
Sept. 20, 2013, 11:06 am

Youngest son had an extended biology practicum by university students today. He brought home peppers and tomatoes in different colors. We know what our dinner will be.

194wilkiec
Sept. 20, 2013, 11:24 am

195luvamystery65
Sept. 21, 2013, 4:04 pm

Diana I agree with Mark about Lonesome Dove first. It will invest you in the characters and the scenery. The rest is not as great but it does complete the picture. Don't rush through Lonesome Dove. It's worthy of your time.

196Trifolia
Sept. 22, 2013, 1:48 am

I hope you'll like Alias Grace, Diana. I read it a short while ago, so if you want my opinion, you can find it here.
I love the art on your thread, btw.

197PaulCranswick
Sept. 22, 2013, 8:36 pm

Diana - Who do you fancy for the World Road Race title? A hometown win possibly but I have an inkling that Boasson-Hagen is due a big win.

198cammykitty
Bearbeitet: Sept. 22, 2013, 9:09 pm

I've seen the Flying Spaghetti Monster, even met a few "church" members. They are the kind of people who like to scuttle ships run by Intelligent Design people. As for Pirate-Speak day, well, it's an excuse to read Treasure Island in English class but doesn't seem to have much more influence on the US.

199wilkiec
Sept. 23, 2013, 4:30 am

Roberta, I'll keep in mind not to rush through Lonesome Dove.

Monica, I've read your review of Alias Grace. We seem to share our opinion of it.

200wilkiec
Sept. 23, 2013, 4:41 am

Paul, good question, and a hard one. I like Boasson-Hagen, and it would be nice if the winner is not Italian.
Brings back good memories of Paolo Bettini.

Katie, I like your picture of the Flying Spaghetti Monster!
Dieses Thema wurde unter Diana (Wilkie) reads, Part 9 weitergeführt.