NanaCC's 2014 Reading Part 2

Part 2 - More fun...

I'm Colleen, and this is my second year in LT and in Club Read. I have enjoyed the group and intend to participate again for another rewarding book filled year.

I plan to read several books that either are about WWI, or take place during the time period of the Great War.

I have shelves and a Kindle full of books that I want to read. And of course, I could be pulled toward other books that are highlighted by the folks in this group.

CURRENTLY READING:



Fighting France, from Dunkerque to Belfort by Edith Wharton



The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert



Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope


World's Great Romances by Various (Trying to read one a night, but this will be year long - maybe forever)

CURRENTLY LISTENING:




The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster, Narrated by Paul Auster ***Paused

BOOKS READ 2014

28- The Young Clementina by D. E. Stevenson. (Kindle)
27- A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym. (Kindle)
26- The Man From Beijing by Henning Mankell
25- All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
24- The Care and Management of Lies: A Novel of the Great War by Jacqueline Winspear
23- The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling)
22- The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (Kindle)
21- The Black Book by Ian Rankin
20- A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry
19- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
18- Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War by Sebastian Faulks
17- High Rising by Angela Thirkell
16- Wild Decembers by Edna O'Brien
15- The War Workers by E. M. Delafield. (Kindle)
14- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (Kindle)
13- The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally (Kindle)
12- Strip Jack by Ian Rankin
11- The Warden by Anthony Trollope (Kindle)
10- One of Ours by Willa Cather (Kindle)
9- The Rising Tide by M. J. Farrell (Molly Keane)
8- Tooth and Nail by Ian Rankin
7- Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink (Kindle)
6- The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling)
5- Miss Buncle Married by D.E. Stevenson (Kindle)
4- Mr. Britling Sees It Through by H. G. Wells (Kindle)
3- COLD COMFORT FARM by Stella Gibbons
2- The Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple Mysteries) by Agatha Christie (Kindle)
1- William, an Englishman by Cicely Hamilton (WWI theme) (Kindle)

AUDIO 2014

16- Around The World in 80 Days by Jules Verne, Narrated by Jim Dale
15- A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie, Narrated by Michael Deehy
14- Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill, Narrated by Clive Chafer
13- Fall of Giants by Ken Follett, Narrated by John Lee
12- The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, Narrated by Jayne Entwistle
11- Still Life by Louise Penny, Narrated by Ralph Cosham
10- A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd, Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
9- The Man in My Basement by Walter Mosley, Narrated by Ernie Hudson
8- Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill, Narrated by Clive Chafer
7- The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder, Narrated by Josephine Bailey and Simon Vance
6- Disco For The Departed by Colin Cotterill, Narrated by Clive Chafer
5- Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love and Betrayal by Ben Macintyre, Narrated by John Lee
4- The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith, Narrated by Lisette Lecat
3- The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith, Narrated by Lisette Lecat
2- Heartstone: A Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery (Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mysteries) by C. J. Sansom, Narrated by Steven Crossley
1- Wings of Fire by Charles Todd, Narrated by Samuel Gillies

Books Read Total = 44
Print/Kindle = 28; Audio = 16; Women authors = 20; WWI related = 13

PLAYS

1- Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

I read so many really good books in 2013, that it is hard to pick favorites, but here they are:

FAVORITE FICTION 2013

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
--I can't believe that I never read this before.
The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton
--Undine Spragg, the character I loved to hate. Written in 1913, the story could be about any number of the beautiful, spoiled celebrities one reads about in the glossy magazines today.
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
--I couldn't put it down, and when I finished, I didn't want it to end.
At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neill
--The 1916 Easter Uprising in Ireland is the backdrop to this beautiful coming of age love story of two 16 year old boys.
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
--This is a story of love and loss, passion and longing, old money vs. new money, marriage, adultery, and perhaps most of all agnosticism vs. the faith of Catholicism. The writing is beautiful.
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
--My favorite quote "EACH TIME YOU HAPPEN TO ME ALL OVER AGAIN."
Thus Was Adonis Murdered by Sarah Caudwell
--How could you not love a book that is intelligent and witty with lots of literary references thrown in. The dialog is quick, crisp and very British. It was named one of the favorite hundred mysteries of the century.
Regeneration by Pat Barker
--This book is the first in Barker's WWI antiwar trilogy, and was a Booker Prize nominee. The third book in the trilogy won the Booker Prize in 1995.
Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates
--In JCO's hands, this fictional story of Marilyn Monroe's life was so much more "real" than fiction. More like "embroidered truth".
The Lucia & Mapp series - Queen Lucia; Lucia in London; Miss Mapp; Mapp & Lucia; The Worshipful Lucia; Trouble for Lucia by E. F. Benson
--I loved this "new to me" series which takes place in a 1920's small British town where the lives of everyone are fodder for gossip and one-upmanship.

FAVORITE NON-FICTION 2013

Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
--The detail is rich and the use of diaries and letters provides so much of the actual sentiment's of those involved.
No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin
--Goodwin won the Pulitzer Prize for her history of Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt, and of the home front during World War II.
Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett
--This non-fiction story is a page turner that reads like fiction. If it were not for the fact that the story is true, you would find it implausible.
Seeking Palestine: New Palestinian Writing on Exile and Home Edited by Penny Johnson and Raja Shehadeh
--Recommended for anyone willing to listen with an open mind. It provides much food for thought.

FAVORITE AUDIO 2013

The Matthew Shardlake mystery series - Dissolution; Dark Fire; Sovereign; Revelation by C. J. Sansom, Narrated by Steven Crossley
--Shardlake is a lawyer during the time of King Henry VIII. He has a knack for solving mysteries.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini
-- Full of colorful people. Part satire, part love story, it made me laugh and it made me care about a few of the characters.

My final thread for 2013 is http://www.librarything.com/topic/161348

Books Read Total = 69
Print/Kindle = 45; Audio = 24; Women authors = 30

I was hoping for 75, but fell short. Maybe this year.

Waving hello and settling in waiting to see what's next.

I was hoping for 75, but fell short. Maybe this year.
I think the Goodwin tomes should count as two each, which would up your # of books read a bit. ;)

>4 avidmom: Susie, Anna Karenina might have counted as two as well, but my brain just wouldn't let me do that. :) I really don't think I have a number in mind, it was just that I got so close to 75 last year that I thought I might do it.

Hi Colleen! Enjoying your Club Read as ever. Looking forward to more in Part 2. Happy reading!

Marking a spot on the second thread so I don't lose it!

Last year was the first year I actually achieved a reading goal (75), but I still fell short of the real goal I'd set myself (85). Guess that means you're setting a good goal for yourself, you were right in range last year!

Your review of The Warden and everyone's enthusiasm is making me itch to get the collected set as well! I'll have to check the used shops.

>6 Polaris-: Hi, Paul. Thank you for stopping by. I just got back from 16 days vacation, and have quite a bit of catching up to do. I was able to do a little from my iPad, but it isn't the same as doing it on the computer.

>7 ursula: Ursula, so nice to see you here. I've been lurking on your thread, and enjoying your pictures.

>8 labfs39: Lisa, I have all of the books on my Kindle, and plan to get to all six of the books in the Chronicles this year. I hope you are feeling better.

17. Disco For The Departed by Colin Cotterill, Narrated by Clive Chafer (Published 2006, (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.)

Third in the Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery series, this book was the best so far. Dr. Siri is the elderly national coroner of the newly formed communist Peoples Republic of Laos. He and his nurse assistant Dtui are sent to northern Laos where the story mainly takes place in and around the mountains and caves of Huaphan Province. A body is found buried in cement, and Dr. Siri has ten days in which to determine the cause of death before a very important anniversary celebration of the new regime. While there, Dtui is asked to assist at a nearby hospital until the new Cuban doctors arrive. In a subplot, Dr. Siri's faithful morgue assistant Mr. Gueng, has been relocated 300 miles away to a labor camp by Siri's evil boss Judge Haeng, who has taken advantage of Siri's absence. By separating the three characters, Cotterill is able to add more meat to the assistants' personalities, and I think it adds to the story. In this book, Dr. Siri has accepted his role as shaman, and the supernatural elements are quite lively. There is a lot of humor in these stories, and the ending of this one is pretty funny as Dr. Siri takes on Judge Haeng and really puts him in his place.

I gave "Disco" 4 stars.

This sounds like something my forensic pathologist aspiring kid needs to read. (I too could use some fun fiction at this point!) What is the first one in the series?

>11 avidmom: Susie, The first one is called The Coroner's Lunch.

18. Strip Jack by Ian Rankin (Published 1992; St. Martin's Griffin (2009), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 305 pages)

On Friday, I was flying home after a lovely vacation in Marco Island, Florida. Being the nervous flyer that I am, I always need a book that I can stick my nose in, and not come up for air until the plane is safely back on the ground. I decided that Inspector Rebus would do the trick, and picked out the 4th in the Rebus crime series.

A popular MP is found at an exclusive brothel during a police raid. Someone has tipped off all the media who are there to get the headlines. Rebus starts thinking that it is very convenient that the police and the media have all been given this tip, and he starts looking for clues. The body of someone close to the MP is found, and from there the story takes off with several red herrings thrown in for good measure. I enjoy the characters and the humour in Rankin's books, and there are enough puns thrown around in this one. Rebus drinks too much, has his shaky romance, and pulls together enough clues to eventually solve the crime, but only after several missteps along the way.

I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

Sounds like a good one for the plane. Glad to be home, or sad your vacation is over?

>14 labfs39: Lisa, Very sad.... But, I have to remember that vacations are meant to be temporary, and I had 16 wonderful days, so I am very lucky. My hubby tells me I am not allowed to call it vacation now that I am retired. According to him, I am on vacation every day. :)

Disco for the Departed was really fine, wasn't it? I'm glad you did take up this series. I want to get back to it soon. I read Anarchy and Old Dogs, which is No. 4, but that's as far as I got.

>16 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, I have Anarchy and Old Dogs on my iPod, so I will get to it soon. Right now I have The Devil of Nanking started but I will get back to Dr. Siri soon.

When you've read it, Colleen, will you send me a private message and remind me how it ended? I see all these references in the reviews to a surprise ending, and my own mentions surprises too, but I cannot remember what they were!! (I have an excuse; I read it while in the hospital...) Before I go on to the next, I think I need to refresh my memory!

>18 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, I will let you know as soon as I've listened. I usually listen while driving, walking, or knitting, so hopefully not too long.

Nice to see you're enjoying your Rebus stories Colleen! We used to enjoy the TV series when it was on - with Ken Stott in the role - excellent! - but I've always resisted the books so far. I'm wary of getting hooked to a series of Rebuses!

ETA - I meant to say that I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on The Daughters of Mars, which is on my wishlist.

>20 Polaris-: Paul, I am completely hooked on Rebus, and since there are so many of them, I can enjoy them for quite a while.

The Daughters of Mars is really good so far, although I am not as far into it as I should be. It has been a busy week. I hope to put a big dent into it this weekend.

>10 NanaCC: I like the Cotterill series also but haven't read more than two. Need to get back to that series.

Yay I'm caught up with you!

>22 mkboylan: glad your back, Merrikay!

19. The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder, Narrated by Josephine Bailey and Simon Vance (Published 2004)

I'm not sure what to think about this book. It was a bit like a car crash - you shouldn't look, but you can't help yourself. I've never read a book by Mo Hayder before, and perhaps if I had, I would have had a better idea of what to expect. I don't even know who may have suggested it to me, as I downloaded it from Audible in 2007.

The story takes place in the 1990's and has a young English woman arriving in Tokyo to find a professor who was a survivor of the massacre of Nanking in 1937. (I learned a lot about that horrible event which took place during the Japanese invasion of China). She believes he has a piece of film that will confirm something she read many years ago. Something so horrible that people think she is crazy and has made it up. The story moves back and forth between the present and the 1937 diary entries of the professor who was a young man at the time. The professor has kept the film secreted away, and tells her he will show it to her only if she helps him find something. During her search, she finds herself in a very dangerous situation.

The two narrators do a fine job, with Simon Vance reading the chapters which are the professor's old diary. I think you would call the book horror/thriller. It gets very gruesome at times. In fact I was wishing I was reading it rather than listening to it, as I think that might have been easier to handle. I think I liked it with reservations. I gave it 3 1/2 stars. Recommended, but only if you have a strong stomach.

>24 NanaCC: I read that one when it was first out and liked it a lot. I have a strong stomach. :) I don't remember a thing about it now, but that's okay. I think this might have inspired me to pick up Iris Chang's The Rape of Nanking, or maybe I read that one first - I really can't remember. But yes, the events that happened in Nanking were horrific and gruesome.

>25 ursula: Hi, Ursula. The part of the book based upon the actual history, was really interesting and horrifying.

>24 NanaCC: Great review, Colleen. Now I'm not sure whether to start with this or the non-fiction accounts.

>27 Linda92007: Thank you, Linda. I did a lot of looking on the web to get some background on the Nanking massacre. I believe I read somewhere that in the paper version Mo Hayder dedicates the book to Iris Chang, but I can't swear to that. The fictional story has some far fetched bits, and as I said it would qualify as a horror story as far as I am concerned. The tension makes it qualify as a thriller.

Yes your review intrigues me and has me hooked. On the list it goes.

>24 NanaCC: this review got me to Wikipedia, although I'm unlikely to read this book. So much faceless mass killing...

Think you'll read anymore Mo Hayder?

Dan, I would definitely say this book is not for everyone.

Merrikay, I might try the author again, but not on audio. I can be a big baby when it comes to audio that is too graphic.

20. Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill, Narrated by Clive Chafer (©2007 Colin Cotterill (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.)

I think these books just keep getting better. This is the fourth in the Dr. Siri Paiboun series.

"The post office box was eighteen across, twelve down, and it had a loop of wool wound around the door so Dr. Buagaew wouldn't miss it. He traced the keyhole with his left hand and inserted the key with his right. From inside the wooden chamber came the scent of bygone correspondence: of brown-paper parcels and glue, of old parchment and secrets. His hand fell upon a thin envelope. He knew it would be there and he knew what it contained because only one other person was aware of the post office box address."

The first paragraph sets up the first of the mysteries to be solved. As Dr. Buagaew, the blind dentist, leaves the post office, he is killed by a runaway truck. Dr. Paiboun finds the letter, an encrypted note, in the pocket of the deceased's coat. He and his good friend Civilai travel from Vientiane to the doctor's town to try to unravel the meaning of what they discover after deciphering the note. Other mysteries unfold, and the good doctor reunites with an old friend.

Dr. Paiboun's spiritual helpers are less prevalent in this book. Nurse Dtui plays a big part again along with officer Phosi, and a new character, Auntie Bpoo, a fortune-teller transvestite, emerges. There is a lot of humor thrown in for good measure. It is the descriptions of 1970's Communist Laos that keep drawing me to this series.

>33 NanaCC: The more I read your reviews; the more I want to start reading this series.

>34 avidmom: Susie, That is the idea, right? :)

21. The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally. (Published by Atria Books 2013, Kindle Edition, 529 Pages)

This is the story of two Australian sisters, Naomi and Sally Durance, who volunteer their nursing skills in 1915 to aid Australian soldiers during the Great War. The nurses' travels take them from their father's dairy farm, first to Egypt, then to the Dardanelles, and finally to the Western Front in France. They start their journey with a shared secret that has held them distant from one another, but as their experiences caring for the wounded and dying become more and more personal, those same experiences bring the sisters closer together. More and more boys are carried away from the front, and more and more boys are poured in. Gas attacks add a new horror to the hospital tents. Influenza attacks not only the patients, but also the nurses and doctors. The friends they make and the friends they lose along the way, are defining parts of the story.

This is the fourth book I've read this year related to WWI and it is my favorite so far. The descriptions of the wounds and treatments are quite graphic, but I believe they were needed to give the full impact of the story. The harrowing experience aboard the hospital ship Archimedes was very realistic. Also woven into the story, the unimaginable descriptions of performing surgery at the clearing stations near the front as artillery fire sounded in the background or as bombs dropped around them made me worry about the main characters. While the story is fictional, history is fairly true to form as I know it. I definitely recommend this book.

***Keneally's note at the start of the book explains the lack of quotation marks in dialog ...might seem eccentric, but is designed to honor that of the forgotten private journals of the Great War...". I didn't have a problem with it.

You are doing well Colleen, reading four World War I books so far this year. nice review of The Daughters of Mars

What Barry said, on both counts.

Good review of The Daughters of Mars Colleen. Thanks.

I enjoyed your review of The Daughter of Mars, Colleen. It's one that I have waiting.

Thank you, Barry, Rebecca, Paul, and Linda. This one was well worth the time. When people went through experiences that were so horrific, I don't understand how they could begin to contemplate doing it again.

One movie scene I have never forgotten is in Apocalypse Now where there are bodies hanging in trees and other horrible stuff and someone asks Brando that question - how could you do it yourself after experiencing it? and Brando answers "You had to make friends with it."

It's just the creepiest scene I have ever scene and knocked me out.

I'm with you Colleen.

Merrikay, I often wonder if women were making the decisions would there be as much chaos.

Have you ever seen the production of "My Boy Jack"? It stars Daniel Radcliffe, Kim Catrell and David Haig. Based upon the true story of Rudyard Kipling and his son Jack. It takes place in 1914, and the son wants to enlist. He tries the army and the navy, but both reject him because of very poor eyesight. His father, Kipling, pulls strings to get him into the Irish Guards. His mother and sister are very much against this and would prefer he stay at home doing war work. Of course it ends tragically.

I just think that there was so much foolish loss of boys and young men, and they went and did it again 20 years later.

>43 NanaCC: that's such a sad film.

It was very sad, Laura.

I know that The Daughters of Mars was one of the selected books for the Virago Great War Theme in May / June, but it was calling to me now. I am so glad that I read it.

>43 NanaCC: - Who knows, but if we were at least working together it would have to be better.

I'm going to look for that movie. Thanks for the tip. It just about killed me watching my students enlisting during BOTH of those damn Iraq wars. Especially because I trained to do conscientious objector counseling when they were talking about bringing back the draft in the U.S. The Kipling story is so horrible.

My students had a hard time seeing it as a class issue. There is a direct and strong correlation between enlistment rates and unemployment rates by county and still.......and WalMart had pics of current active military lining their entryway.....I asked my students if they thought Nordstroms did that. From everything I've read, people simply dont enlist if they have a better option......

>46 mkboylan: From everything I've read, people simply dont enlist if they have a better option...... Don't get me started on the draft and why we'd have fewer wars if the children of members of Congress had to serve in the military!

>48 NanaCC: Agreed, Merrikay and Rebecca.

>43 NanaCC: Merrikay, I often wonder if women were making the decisions would there be as much chaos.

I think it might be worse if Margaret Thatcher is anything to go by.

>49 baswood: LOL!

Nice review of The Daughters of Mars, Colleen. I have it, but I'm not sure when I'll get to it.

baswood - SO true! but you know statisticians throw out the top and bottom, right? which leaves out her and Hitler.

>49 baswood: & 52: BAZINGA!!

>49 baswood: oooooh Phyllis Schlafly!

>36 NanaCC:, I'm so glad you liked The Daughters of Mars. I've got it on my Kindle to read. I'm doing really poorly in reading anything about WWI this year, which irks me.

>51 kidzdoc: & >55 fannyprice: I read The Daughters of Mars on my Kindle. Once I was able to find the time, it was a fairly quick read. Even though it was fiction, I think that the descriptions of the nurses and doctors experiences seemed very true to form. My father drove an ambulance for the army during WWII, and while he didn't talk about it unless asked, I know that he saw enough to want to keep my brothers from having to go to Vietnam.

>54 mkboylan: And she's back in the news, this time explaining that it would be best for women if there was more of a disparity between men's and women's earnings. It amazes me that she is still out there, flapping her gums.

22. The Man in My Basement by Walter Mosley, Narrated by Ernie Hudson (Published 2004 Time Warner AudioBooks)

I didn't really enjoy this book, and I can't say that it was because it was a bad book. I think that it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Charles Blakey is a 30+ year old black man who has done little with his life. He drinks, he plays cards, he has lots of girlfriends, and he has been fired from a job for stealing. He lives in a home that has been in his family for generations. He is behind on payments to the bank, and is in danger of losing the house. A rich white man shows up at his door wanting to live in his basement for the summer. He offers Charles a lot of money for this request, money that he could really use, but Charles is suspicious of the reason the man wants to live in his basement. As the story progresses, Charles accepts the offer and is drawn into a bizarre situation.

I think that part of my problem with the book was that I couldn't ever really relate to any of the characters. There are many books I've read where I didn't like the characters, but I was still able to enjoy the book. This was not one of them. I've read other glowing reviews calling this one of Mosley's best stories, so don't go by my thoughts.

Ernie Hudson's narration was very good.

Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson? I'd be interested for that factor alone. LOL! XD

>59 avidmom: Susie, Yes, that would be the Ernie Hudson. As I said his narration was very good. :)

Wonder if you would have thought differently if you read it in print.

>36 NanaCC: great review of The Daughters of Mars. Enjoyed the post-review conversation. Schlafly - shaking my head. I think if you throw out the top and bottom, you pretty much clear the field of politicians - regardless of the Y chromosome.

>61 dchaikin: Dan, I wondered myself about the print vs. audio in relation to my feeling about the book. I definitely can't fault Ernie Hudson's narration. That was very good. Have you read it? If so, what did you think.

The Daughters of Mars was excellent. So was the conversation. :)

I added The Daughters of Mars to my wishlist. I like stories about medical care during conflicts.

Lisa, I've never read Keneally's Schindler's List, but I've seen the movie based upon the book. I think he does some solid research before writing.

23. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (Little, Brown and Company (2013), Kindle Edition, 775 pages)

This book has had mixed reviews on LT and elsewhere. In CR, Kay (RidgewayGirl) and Chris (cabegley) were on both sides of the like or dislike it camp, with Kay really liking it, and Chris not so much. I tend to like the books that they both like, so I started reading it wondering where my thoughts would be. I must say that I agree with Kay. I thought it was beautifully written, and it was a darn good story.

Thirteen year old Theo Decker and his mother duck into the Met in New York City to escape a rainstorm. While showing Theo her favorite painting, Carel Fabritius' The Goldfinch, a terrorist bomb goes off killing several people, including Theo's mother. In the confusion that follows, Theo leaves the museum with the painting which becomes his albatross throughout the rest of the story. It must be said that Theo is not a good boy. He and his mother had been on the way to a meeting at his private school from which he had been suspended. Throughout the story his behavior is far from acceptable. It makes it hard to feel sorry for him, and yet I did. He made some good friends, Hobie and Pippa, Andy and Mrs. Barbour. He also met Boris (a great character) who was another motherless boy with an abominable father, who introduced him to drugs and dealing. Theo constantly makes poor decisions and through it all, the painting is an obsession. He loves it, and yet is afraid of where it might lead him.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the power of art, and the power of love that is unbearable and out of reach. The book may have flaws but they didn't take away the enjoyment. I gave it 4 stars.

Enjoyed your review of The Goldfinch It is a book I would probably not choose to read myself, but I can always hope that it will be a book club choice.

Barry, I think it would be a great book club choice on many levels. Theo's story, the power of art, and the fact that it seems to be liked or disliked in fairly equal measure should prompt some lively discussion.

>65 NanaCC: ooh, great review. I really liked it too but it seems like everyone takes away something different from the book. I enjoy reading all the reactions.

I enjoyed your review of The Goldfinch. I haven't read anything by Tartt, but I must give her a try sometime.

>65 NanaCC: Theo is not a good boy? I think I might enjoy this book.

>68 lauralkeet: Laura, I think it was your comment on Chris' thread that made me decide that I would like it well enough to invest the time. In my comments, I didn't really convey the emotions that I went through while reading it. I was sad, angry, tense and hopeful back and forth throughout the book. The way that Boris kept pulling Theo into hopeless situations would make me angry. And the way that Theo was drawn to Pippa over and over again was so sad. And poor, trusting Hobie... I could go on and on.

>69 StevenTX: I haven't read anything else by Tartt, but now I must.

>70 mkboylan: Merrikay, Not a good boy at all. And Boris.... really bad, but oh such a good character.

24. A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd, Narrated by Rosalyn Landor ((P)2009 BBC Audio)

Charles Todd is the pen name used by mother-and-son writing team, Caroline Todd and Charles Todd. This is the first book in the Bess Crawford mystery series. I found it to be a bit reminiscent of the Maisie Dobbs series. Bess Crawford is a British nurse during WWI. The book starts on board the hospital ship Britannic when it is sunk by the Germans. Bess' arm is broken, and she has been sent home to mend. While home, she is determined to follow through on a promise she had made to a dying patient, Arthur Graham. He had asked her to deliver a message to his brother and made her memorize the words. When she goes to the family's home to deliver the message which is meant to put right something about which he felt guilty, she is pulled into a mystery which brings several skeletons out of the Graham family's closet. She is determined to solve the mystery before she is sent back to France. I enjoyed this "cozy" mystery, and will read more in the series.

Charles Todd also writes the Ian Rutledge mysteries. I gave this one 3 1/2 stars.

I enjoy the historical aspects of the Maisie Dobbs series, so I'll keep an eye out for this one as well. Thanks!

>73 labfs39: Lisa, This definitely falls into the "light cozy" mystery category. The Daughters of Mars has a lot more meat to it.

>36 NanaCC: ***Keneally's note at the start of the book explains the lack of quotation marks in dialog ...might seem eccentric, but is designed to honor that of the forgotten private journals of the Great War...".
Great reason! I’ve seen reasons for the omission in other works (e.g. Angela’s Ashes, to evoke a child narrator; The Last Time They Met, to foreshadow a plot twist) but I’ve also heard authors claim they just hadn’t noticed the omission (yeah right, and your editor didn't either).

>58 NanaCC: I've read other glowing reviews calling this one of Mosley's best stories, so don't go by my thoughts.
I agree with your thoughts. I’ve loved a couple Mosley books and disliked a few. The love weighs stronger because I still think of him as a favorite author and am eager to get to two more by him in my TBRs.

MJ, I haven't read any other books by Mosley, so I haven't anything to go by. I think I have Devil in a Blue Dress . Have you read that one?

As for Keneally, there are no quotation marks in the book at all. I didn't find it confusing, but I can see where that might bother some people.

>76 NanaCC: I haven't, but I did enjoy Little Scarlet (8th in that series) and have Cinnamon Kiss (the 9th), then plan to start the series from the beginning (Devil in a Blue Dress). I'm also interested in his Socrates Fortlow series. My favorite by him is The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey.

>77 detailmuse: you have encouraged me to try him again. :)

I'll add a recommendation for The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. I had the ARC from the Early Reviewers program, and thought it was wonderful. Gritty and unsentimental, but ultimately hopeful.

>79 laytonwoman3rd: thank you, Linda. I am putting it on the wishlist.

25. Still Life by Louise Penny, Narrated by Ralph Cosham. (Published 2005, Unabridged Audio Published 2014, Macmillan Audio)

This book is first in a series. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec and his team are called to Three Pines, a rural village south of Montreal, to investigate the death of a well liked elderly woman. She had been found on a wooded walking path shot through the heart. It is up to the inspector to determine if it was a hunting accident, or was it murder. There is a lively cast of characters (some of them rather odd caricatures) and a fairly good story with a rushed ending. I really liked the character of Inspector Gamache and the descriptions of the town and the surroundings. The reader was very good, and I would listen to him again. I gave this one 3.5 stars, and will try another sometime.

26. The War Workers by E. M. Delafield. (Originally published 1918 by a. A. Knopf, Free Kindle version 2011, 152 pages)

I selected this book as part of the Virago Group "The Great War Theme Read: Fighting on the Frontline and on the Homefront". It is a very tongue-in-cheek social commentary about a group of women doing their bit at home while the boys are fighting in France. They live together in a Hostel and look up to their boss who is a privileged woman playing the martyr and letting her position go to her head, while working them into the ground. Another wealthy woman enters the picture and opens a Canteen for the soldiers. Between the two women, the war workers work very long hours and live in quite desperate conditions, making do with very little. The descriptions of some of the women are wonderful, and there are some funny scenes. As I first started reading it, the writing reminded me of an old black and white film with actresses like June Allison and Katherine Hepburn in the various roles.

I enjoyed the book, and gave it 3 1/2 stars.

Sounds interesting. Do you know if there is any historical basis for the story, Colleen?

>83 labfs39: Lisa, the author states at the beginning that the story is fictional. That said, there were women who worked, volunteered, or were very involved in doing what they could to help with the war effort. There are stories of the women with their skin turned yellow from working in the munitions factories.

Liz1564 in the Virago group said "Apparently, Delafield had to work under a real harridan in WWl and this is her sweet revenge."

Thanks for clarifying. And Happy Mother's Day

Hi Colleen! Enjoyed reading through your thread. Quite a few books from your 2013 list I've either read or they are sitting here waiting to be read. I note especially that you read the Mapp & Lucia books. I just start chuckling at the very thought. How delightful they are. Have you by any chance seen the old BBC series that was done in the '80s or '90s? They are an absolute hoot! You really must get them if they are available.

I see that you are going to be a good idea source for thrillers which are my escape fiction of choice.

The Goldfinch is a book I've been resisting. I read Donna Tartt's — who could forget that name? — earlier book The Secret History many years ago and thought it was a very well-constructed yarn. I guess I'll go ahead and put this new one on my list.

Thank you for stopping by, Suzanne. As you can probably tell, my reading tastes are all over the place. Escape fiction is an apt description of the mysteries and thrillers that I like, although now that I'm retired my hubby tells me I have nothing from which I need to escape. :)

I never saw the old BBC Mapp and Lucia series. I have it on DVD and haven't had a chance to watch. My daughter, Chris (cabegley), gave me that for Christmas, and just sent me a link a couple of days ago that said there is a new BBC production starring Miranda Richardson and Anna Chancellor as Mapp and Lucia. It did not give a release date, but I will keep my eyes open for more news of that one.

Good morning, Colleen. Last night I started the Hilary Tamar series (Thus was Adonis Murdered), and am enjoying its humorous tone. Thanks for recommending it.

Oh, I am glad you are enjoying it, Laura. You will have to let us know when you are finished whether you think Hilary is a man or a woman. I often wonder whether Caudwell would have revealed the gender if she had lived, or was it meant to be a mystery forever.

>88 lauralkeet: >89 NanaCC: Chiming in on the love for Sarah Caudwell and Hilary Tamar!

I wasn't very far into the book when I remembered there had been an inconclusive discussion here about Hilary's gender. Now I understand why!

>85 labfs39: Somehow I missed this post, Lisa. Thank you for the Mother's Day wish. It was a lovely day, and I went to Cape Cod with my youngest daughter and her family for the day. My oldest granddaughter was with us as well as my daughter's two little ones. I hope yours was wonderful too.

Catching up here -- enjoying the conversation and reviews. I have the Tartt on my Kindle -- hope to get to it while we're travelling soon.

>93 janeajones: I hope you enjoy it, Jane. As you can see, there are mixed reviews. I think it will be a great book for traveling. There are parts of it where it was difficult to put down.

Hi Colleen, just catching up. I enjoyed your review of The Goldfinch. I think I may have to succumb to the hype and get myself a copy...

And I'm excited to hear of the plans for a (new) Mapp and Lucia TV adaptation, though maybe I should look out for the old one. Still, I've got the books to keep me busy for now. I've just started Miss Mapp and am loving how awful she is!

>95 Rebeki: Hi, Rebecca. I will watch for your thoughts on The Goldfinch when you get to it.

Miss Mapp is awful, isn't she. Such a great character. I'm not sure if you are reading them in order, but when Mapp and Lucia finally meet, you can imagine the sparks. :)

Everything I've heard about Mapp and Lucia makes me believe I should love the books. But I tried Queen Lucia and couldn't get into it at all. I have Miss Mapp so before I give up on them I will try that. Perhaps the timing was just wrong.

Linda, The Mapp & Lucia books are definitely filled with very British humor, which I love. They were written at a time between the wars, when the social structure and finances were going through major changes. Benson ran with that in these books. I think that I remember you liking Wodehouse, so maybe timing was just not right.

27. Wild Decembers by Edna O'Brien (Houghton Mifflin (2000), Hardcover, 259 pages)

The story takes place in the west of Ireland. On a windswept mountain, Mick Bugler has come to claim his inheritance - land left to him by an uncle who has recently died. The land borders on that belonging to Joseph Brennan and his sister Breege. What starts out as having the beginning of friendship soon deteriorates as Bugler claims more and more of the adjoining land as rightfully belonging to him. Feuding has been the lot of the Buglers and the Brennans for over a hundred years, and as the story unfolds the reader knows that things are not going to change. In Romeo and Juliet fashion, Bugler and Breege fall in love, adding fuel to the hatred growing within Joseph.

This is my first book by O'Brien. I thought the writing was lovely, and I found the book hard to put down once I got into it. I didn't love the book, but will definitely try another by this author.

I gave it 3 1/2 stars.

Nice review! It's been a long time since I read Edna O'Brien. I used to enjoy her books. You have reminded me that I should try one of her more recent works.

>96 NanaCC: I am reading the books in order, so have plenty enjoyment ahead of me yet and I'm particularly looking forward to their meeting (presumably in Mapp and Lucia?)!

>97 laytonwoman3rd: I think the Mapp and Lucia books are often billed as an easy read, but it took me a little while to get into Queen Lucia too. The prose is more densely written than that of Wodehouse or Barbara Pym, say. I also found I had to adjust my mindset slightly, so that, like the characters, I could see great significance in the tiny details of everyday life. Once I'd done that I was able to enjoy the social one-upmanship and general snobbishness, and I'm moving through the second book, Miss Mapp, at a much quicker pace.

>100 VivienneR: I was in Massachusetts at my daughter's house last weekend, and we drove down to Cape Cod for the day on Mother's Day. After walking around all afternoon at the beautiful Heritage Museum, we stopped at their house on the Cape to rest before going to dinner. Surprisingly, I hadn't brought a book with me, so I searched the bookshelves there. Wild Decembers caught my eye, with "A mood akin to that of "Wuthering Heights"" on the cover. I'm glad it did, because it introduced me to a new author.

>101 Rebeki: I notice that LT has Miss Mapp as the second book, and Lucia in London as the third. The set of books I had, numbered them the opposite way. Either way would work, and when they meet in the fourth book, Mapp and Lucia it is delicious.

>99 NanaCC: I've been meaning to read Edna O'Brien for some time, because I thought I should read some of her books before reading the biography of her which recently came out. I have The Country Girls on the TBR and your review of Wild Decembers is encouraging me to take it off the shelf.

Good review of Wild Decembers --don't you just love serendipitous book finds while vacationing?

>103 rebeccanyc: Rebecca, I have August is a Wicked Month on my Kindle, so I think that will be the next O'Brien I will read. I know that Chris says that she loves her.

>104 janeajones: Jane, "don't you just love serendipitous book finds while vacationing?" Absolutely!

Glad you enjoyed your first Edna O'Brien novel.

Nice review of Wild Decembers, Colleen.

Thank you, Darryl & Barry. It was a good find.

28. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, Narrated by Jayne Entwistle ((P)2009 Random House Audio, Unabridged)

I wish I could remember on what thread I had seen a review of this book, as I would like to say thank you. It was fun.

A cozy mystery like so many cozy mysteries - set in 1950's England, in a small village, with a body in the garden of a crumbling big old house called Buckshaw. And yet, it is unlike any other cozy mystery that I've read. The amateur sleuth is Flavia de Luce, a wickedly smart 11 year old with a love of chemistry. Flavia is not frightened by the murder, but instead takes it upon herself as a challenge to solve the crime. The story is told by Flavia, and in true cozy mystery style, you know that everything will work out ok. There are a few situations where it is a bit unbelievable that an 11 year old would be able to come up with some of the things she says, but the fact that she loves to read makes it almost believable to me. I have a granddaughter who might be a pretty good match for her. :)

While Flavia is smart, she is also a child in so many ways. She has that innocence that existed in 1950. She fights with her sisters, and believes them when they tell her that she is the unloved one in the family. Her mother is dead and her father lives in his own world.

I am giving this one 3 1/2 stars, and will look for more in this series. The narrator, Jayne Entwistle, does a good job as the 11 year old Flavia.

Re Mapp and Lucia — for those of you who are having difficulty getting into the books, this may be one time when it helps to see the video first. I died laughing at Geraldine McEwan and Prunella Scales in the British series that appeared on American public TV in the 1980s. Highly recommended! And don't forget Nigel Hawthorne as Georgie — hilarious!

>110 Poquette: Suzanne, You are encouraging me to watch the DVD's that I have. I loved the books, and I'm sure I will love the series.

>109 NanaCC: Glad you found Flavia de Luce, she is a gem! Bradley's books reminds me of the mysteries that got me hooked when I was around Flavia's age.

"reminds me of the mysteries that got me hooked when I was around Flavia's age."

Yes, me too.

29. High Rising by Angela Thirkell (Originally Published 1933, Virago Press (2012), Paperback, 276 pages)

I received the first two books in this series as part of my Secret Santa exchange in the Virago Group. Angela Thirkell's Barsetshire Series is set in the fictional countryside borrowed from that created by Anthony Trollope. High Rising is the first in the series, and I would call it a perfect comedy of manners. The story centers around Laura Moreland, a widow, who writes popular fiction for women. She has three grown sons, and an exasperating young son named Tony, whose non-stop talking about his obsession with trains sends many an adult away with a headache. There are several great characters, including her publisher, her neighbors and friends, a secretary with devious plans, a couple of romances, and some very clever and funny dialog. I liked the fact that Laura is independent, not looking for another husband, and yet is not above doing a little matchmaking for others.

I will definitely read more in the series. I think that anyone who enjoys E. F. Benson would like it. However, as with many books written during this time period, you will find some dialog with anti-semitic tone. I gave it 3 1/2 stars.

I have High Rising on my shelf - hoping to get to it this year.

Jennifer, High Rising is good for a time when you need something to make you smile and to brighten your day.

Glad you enjoyed High Rising, Colleen. I agree with you about the tone. Fortunately it is not too prevalent, I tried to just skim over it and move on quickly.

>117 lauralkeet: "I tried to just skim over it and move on quickly."

Me too.

30. Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War by Sebastian Faulks (Vintage (1997), Edition: First Vintage International Edition, Paperback, 483 pages)

From the front cover: ""Overpowering and beautiful.... A great novel." -Simon Schama. The New Yorker" I agree wholeheartedly.

This novel will stay with me for a long time. Yes, there is a love story. But, far more than that, this is a novel of war. In 1910, a young Englishman, Stephen Wraysford, is sent to France by the company he works for. He stays with a family in the town of Amiens, and begins a life changing love affair. The books starts there, but quickly moves on to 1916 where Lieutenant Wraysford has been fighting in the trenches. Stephen and some of the other main characters are really well drawn. You feel their fear, bravery, and caring about the men they know. You feel their need of not wanting to get too close to the men that they don't know, because they know they are all going to die. They all struggle with understanding why they are doing what they are doing, and they try to find belief in some higher power to give some hope to what lies ahead. The descriptions of the trench warfare, and the tunneling under "No Man's Land" are very vivid and probably the best descriptions of the terrible sacrifice that I have ever read. I found myself really caring about these people and yet knowing that I shouldn't get too attached. After all, it was war.

I gave it 4 1/2 stars, but I may go back and change it to a 5.

Colleen, I loved Birdsong as well, especially Stephen's story. I did feel that the modern day plot line detracted from the book a bit though. Did you enjoy that aspect?

Jennifer, I am not sure that the modern day storyline was necessary, but I also didn't feel that it detracted from the book. Just thinking about Elizabeth visiting the nursing home to visit Brennan, a man who had spent 60 years there - most without a visitor - was touching. It showed how ignorant future generations were about this awful war that their grandparents had suffered through, if they made it through at all. I agree that Stephen's story was well told, and I think she was the end to his story.

I've had Birdsong on the TBR mountain for a long time. You make me want to get to it. But I am almost always disappointed when such stories are "framed" with a modern connection. One part or the other usually fails to work for me. I think of People of the Book, Sarah's Key, 13 Rue Therese and The Historian, for example.

Oh, I loooooved Birdsong. It was probably the first WWI novel I ever read, about 12 years ago now I guess, and it really moved me.

>122 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, The book was so powerful, that the few short chapters set in modern time didn't bother me. Of the books you mention, I've only read Sarah's Key, and agree that in that one the modern connection didn't work.

>123 lauralkeet: Hi, Laura. I agree, Birdsong was very moving and heartbreaking. Do you remember how you felt about the modern day chapters?

Delurking to wave hello. Enjoying your reviews, as usual. High Rising and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie sound like fun. :)

Guess I should clarify that the annoyance of the modern day plot only detracted a tiny bit since the rest of the book was so powerful.

>122 laytonwoman3rd: I've only read The Historian and People of the book from that list, but in my opinion Birdsong is head and shoulders above those books and worth a try!

>125 NanaCC: Do you remember how you felt about the modern day chapters?
Not in detail, Colleen, but I don't think they bothered me.

Enjoyed reading your review of Birdsong: a novel of love and war. It is one of my wife's favourite books, but I have not got to it yet.

>123 lauralkeet: Somehow I associate Birdsong with you, but if you read it that long ago....maybe you commented on another discussion of it somewhere in the past.
As I have just finished a book, and am in need of a new read, I think I will turn to Birdsong...you all have persuaded me to take it up next.

>129 baswood: Barry, Your wife has good taste. :)

>130 laytonwoman3rd: I'm looking forward to your thoughts, Linda.

>126 avidmom: Hi, Susie. They were both fun, although you do have to suspend disbelief quite a bit with Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. The 11 year old sleuth is, to quote my daughter, "an adult in an 11 year old body".

Nice review of Birdsong, Colleen.

Thank you, Darryl. Enjoy your trip. Looking forward to pictures.

>130 laytonwoman3rd: Somehow I associate Birdsong with you
I was probably raving about it somewhere. It was definitely pre-LT.

But funny how these associations crop up. I always associate Finn with you, Linda. When it came up elsewhere (Mark's thread?) I immediately thought of you and sure enough, you turned up to sing its praises. Which reminds me, I prolly oughta read it, huh?

>135 lauralkeet: If it appeals to you...you should definitely read it!

>119 NanaCC: Your review has me looking for a copy of Birdsong, Colleen. LT shows it as the second in a trilogy, but from everyone's responses, it sounds like it can be read as a standalone. Have you read either of the others: The Girl at the Lion d'Or and Charlotte Gray?

>137 Linda92007: Oh, I didn't see that before. about the trilogy...I have The Girl at the Lion d'Or right there on the shelf as well. Should I read that first?

Linda and Linda, I asked Chris, and she says that they are more thematic than strictly related. As far as she remembers, there is really no overt connection between the first and second. She hasn't read the third. She read Birdsong first.

Birdsong definitely stood on its own. I haven't read the other two myself.

* raises hand *
I've read them!!

I read Birdsong first and, as mentioned, loved it. I then snapped up Charlotte Gray which is set during WW II. I liked it, but didn't love. The Girl at the Lion d'Or is set between the wars (so second in the series chronologically), but was written before the other two books (so "first," in that respect). I was really disappointed with it, and gave it only two stars.

Chris is right. Each book stands alone. There are no common characters. I say, read what interests you and don't worry about it.

Thank you, Laura. :)

>139 NanaCC:, >140 lauralkeet: Thank you Laura, and thank you Chris, and thank you Colleen for asking Chris! I will proceed with Birdsong as planned without qualms.

31. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (Original Publication 1811, Edition Signet (1995), Movie Tie-In, Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages)

I love Jane Austen. This may not be the best of her works, IMO Pride and Prejudice holds that honor, but this was a really enjoyable read. Did I mention that I love Jane Austen?!?! For some reason, this is one novel by Austen that I hadn't read. (The movie with Emma Thompson was wonderful with a great cast). I needed a break from war after reading Birdsong, and this one fit the bill. Jane Austen's novels have wonderful, fully drawn characters, and the Dashwood sisters are no exception. There are always lots of characters to like and to dislike; lots of drama and romance; and you know everything will work out to provide a reasonably happy ending. This was first published in 1811, and the witty dialog is very much of that time, but still enjoyable today. It makes me want to reread some of her other works. Maybe later this summer.

I love Jane Austen, too. The Emma Thompson S&S movie seems to be on TV a lot, and if we're just surfing through channels we are likely to land there for a while. My favorite novel is Persuasion. I started rereading her books a couple years ago, with the intent to read one every year and start over when I reached the end. Which reminds me, I haven't read an Austen novel yet this year.

There will be a group or tutored read of Mansfield Park in a couple of months - SO I'M TOLD - and anyone who would like to tag along would be more than welcome. :)

Laura, I really find it hard to choose a favorite, but P&P was my first, and I think that colors my view.

Liz, Depending upon timing, I might be interested.

>143 NanaCC: *walks backwards out of room quietly because has never read a Jane Austen book*
There is one on my bookshelf though! That has to count for something, right?

>147 avidmom: "That has to count for something, right?"

Of course it does. :)

Maybe someday it will jump into your hands, or the mood will strike.

Kids occupied and quiet the weekend before last, my wife and I spent our free time watching the S&S movie with Emma Thompson. We had seen it before, we were watching for the nostalgia. I haven't read it yet, though.

>149 dchaikin: Austen's writing is clever and witty. I believe S&S is the first of her published books.

Now I want to watch the movie again. :)

>147 avidmom: Be of good cheer--I just read Austen for the first time in February of last year. (Enjoyed P&P, very much.) If I live long enough, I'll correct ALL the literary oversights...

>151 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, I have way more oversights than I can count. My plan is to keep plugging away.

My favourite Jane Austen is Persuation. It is so good to re-read those great novels.

Barry, I think we all have our favorite Austen's, but I think most of us will agree that they are all so good.

So true. I have three faves but I think Pride and Prejudice squeeks out past Persuasion and Emma by a hair! But I agree with Barry, they are perennial favorites for rereading.

Just catching up with you Colleen, after a long spell away. Always love seeing what you're reading.

Thank you for stopping by Suzanne and Kris. Catching up on threads now. It has been a busy week.

32. A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry (Penguin Books (2005), Paperback, 292 pages, Booker Prize Shortlist 2005)

The time is 1914, and young Willie Dunne joins the Allied forces on the Western Front with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. He wanted to join the Dublin police force just like his father, but Willie was unlucky enough to be five feet five inches tall. Too short to be a policeman, but not too short to fight for king and country. He was politically innocent, but followed his mates into the army because they felt it was a way to quicken the path to Home Rule. For Willie, it was a way of proving he was a man, and a way to earn his father's respect. He is granted home leave in April of 1916. When leave is over, as he is headed to transport back to the front, there is heavy gunfire in Dublin as the Easter Uprising begins. The officers want Willie and his fellow soldiers to fire at the rebels. Knowing that these could be friends and neighbors, Willie can't do it, and spends the rest of his time at the front trying to understand his feelings about home and his place at the front fighting with England. Above all, his love of family and his fellow soldiers shines through.

The Irish regiments were shunned by the folks at home, and not completely trusted by the English troops. The scenes of battle are vivid and disturbing, yet poignant and unforgettable. It is easy to become attached to Willie and many of the other characters. I liked this book and enjoyed Barry's prose.

I gave it 4 stars.

Now I think it's time for some escapist reading away from WWI. Ian Rankin and Rebus come to mind.

>158 NanaCC: that's a good book, I read it two years ago and gave it 3.5 stars. I can definitely see how you'd need an escape after reading it.

A Long, Long Way sounds interesting and I haven't yet read anything by Sebastian Barry. Have you read anything else by him?

>32 NanaCC: That sounds good Colleen. It will be good to have a break from the War.

>159 lauralkeet: Laura, I think that A Long Long Way after Birdsong was a little too much time in the trenches. I don't know how any of them did it.

>160 RidgewayGirl: Kay, This was my first by Barry. I liked his writing, and will look for more. What made this one interesting was the link to the troubles in Ireland. The men in this unit were very conflicted. as they felt in a way they were consorting with the enemy.

>161 baswood: Barry, I think it is time for some fun. A little Rebus, and then maybe I will tackle my second Trollope, Barchester Towers.

Catching up and enjoying your reviews, Colleen. Another Austen aficionado here, but my favorite changes with my mood.

>163 janeajones: Jane, I am afraid I am the same with many things. It depends upon which way the wind is blowing. :)

ooh, A Long Long Way sounds excellent. Definitely adding that one to my list.

>165 fannyprice: Kris, I would say that The Daughters of Mars, Birdsong, and A Long Long Way were all excellent. The latter was of particular interest for me because of my grandfather's involvement in the 1916 Easter Uprising in Dublin.

33. The Black Book by Ian Rankin (Minotaur Books (2009), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 336 pages)

This was just what I needed after back to back gut wrenching novels with WWI themes.

In this episode, Inspector Rebus becomes involved in a cold case related to a fire that destroyed the Central Hotel. An unidentified body had been found at the time of the fire, and even though the body had been shot prior to the fire, the investigation had not been looked into very closely due to the seedy atmosphere of the neighborhood. Rebus becomes involved after DS Brian Holmes, one of his team, is found knocked unconscious in an alley behind a restaurant. In Holmes' pocket Rebus finds his investigative notebook in which there are coded entries that indicate Holmes was investigating the Central Hotel fire on his own. Rebus picks up the investigation which leads him on a dangerous path into the past. Of course, it wouldn't be a complete Rebus novel without girlfriend troubles, brother troubles, and lots of drinking.

I love a crime story that has you racing to read to the end in order to find out "who done it", and why. This one fit that requirement perfectly.

I remember The Black Book, Ian Rankin Rebus at his best or should that be worst.

Nice review of A Long, Long Way, Colleen; that's another one for my wish list.

>168 baswood: Barry, I like that I have so many more to go.. Maybe "best worst" is a good description.

>169 kidzdoc: Darryl, I liked that it gave me a different perspective.

34. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, (Original Publication 1860, Edition: Mobile Reference, Kindle Edition, 688 pages)

I LOVED this book. SassyLassy had done a review of another book by Wilkie Collins, and it made me realize that I would probably enjoy one of his books. She highly recommended this one, which I had on my Kindle. I am so glad that I made the choice. I really went into it thinking I was going to be reading a ghost story which is not my usual fare. Definitely not a ghost story, but full of suspense and mystery, and a fabulous story, as well.

Walter Hartright is hired to teach drawing to a young woman and her step sister. Late at night, on his way to the estate, on a lonely dark road, he meets a mysterious woman who is dressed all in white. He helps the confused woman find her way to London. This chance meeting changes his life in unimaginable ways. The young woman he has been hired to teach is Laura Fairlie. She is painted as the usual Victorian woman in novels - there isn't a whole lot going on in that head, but she is beautiful. Her step-sister, Marian Halcombe, on the other hand, must be one of the best female characters in Victorian literature. She is smart, strong and capable - not a handsome woman though. Their uncle, Mr. Fairlie, is a wonderfully unlikable neurotic character. And there are a fair share of villainous characters too. Percival Glyde, Count Fosco and his wife add many different plot twists that keep moving the story forward.

The story is told by different people, each in first person, which works very well here. I was up very late several nights trying to find out what was going to happen next. If you haven't read this one, I highly recommend it.

This was a five star read for me.

Yeah, The Woman in White is fantastic. I think that Marian is one of the best women in literature.

I agree, Kay. Marian was fantastic. Have you read The Moonstone? I have that one on audio. I'm wondering if it is as good.

Colleen, when I read The Woman in White, I thought that I must immediately read all of Collins' books. And then that didn't happen. I will read the rest, though!

Loved The Woman in White and The Moonstone. I read The Woman in White first and like it best, but they are both great. I get the feeling that whichever one of those you read first will be the favorite.

Thank you, Jennifer. I am going to put The Moonstone on my TBR.

So glad you loved The Woman in White. As you say, Marion Halcombe is one of the best female characters in Victorian literature. Wilkie Collins was a master at creating those characters.

The idea of listening to The Moonstone rather that reading it made me think. At first I thought it wouldn't work, as Collins wrote in an era when people read books. Then I thought that at the same time, books were read aloud in the evening to family and it was a highly enjoyable pursuit. I think I would have to try this with one of the books I have already read. It would really also depend on the reader, maybe someone like Alan Rickman would do the trick.

>177 SassyLassy: Oh, Alan Rickman is great. The reader on the version I have, is Patrick Tull. I know I've heard him before, and I don't have a negative impression. But, I think I may go with the free Kindle download. If the formatting is as good as it was on the book I just finished, I'll be happy.

Thank you again for pushing me towards The Woman in White.

>171 NanaCC: I bought Hide and Seek after SassyLassy mentioned it, but now you make me want to read The Woman in White too!

>179 rebeccanyc: I'd love to hear your thoughts if you do. I highly recommend it, Rebecca.

Oh, I have so many books on my TBR, Colleen, I don't ever know when I'll get to any book!

I read Collins as a teenager, but don't remember his books at all. Maybe it is time to revisit.

>181 rebeccanyc: Rebecca, my wishlist is ridiculously long, and my book shelves are full of books that I've borrowed from Chris. My Kindle is also loaded with unread books, so needless to say, I have the same problem. I have given up trying to do a reading plan, because it changes every time I turn around. And even though I will never be able to get through all of the books to which I have access, I check that Kindle daily deal. Crazy.

>182 janeajones: Jane, I had never read anything by Collins, so this was a real treat. I will definitely look for more.

>183 NanaCC: your response to Rebecca sounds awfully familiar...

I read The Woman in White years ago and really liked it too.

35. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling) (Mulholland Books (2014), Hardcover, 464 pages)

After two very late nights, I finished the second in the Cormoran Strike Mystery crime series. I read The Cuckoo's Calling early this year, and really looked forward to this second installment. Anyone who has read the HP series will know that J.K. Rowling can certainly spin a good yarn, and this one is no exception.

The wife of a missing novelist asks Private Investigator, Cormoran Strike, to find her missing husband and send him home. The author, Owen Quine, has done this disappearing act before, and she is a bit tired of it. She needs him at home to help with their mentally disabled daughter who is upset and misses her daddy. As Strike begins to investigate, he finds that there is more to Quine's disappearance than the wife realizes. Quine was about to publish a new novel full of libelous characterizations of everyone in the publishing industry with whom he is connected. Strike, who lost a leg as a soldier in Afghanistan, is in pain (the leg, his former girlfriend) and needs to rely more heavily on his smart and exceptionally talented assistant, Robin Ellacott, to solve this case. The characters and the plotting are excellent. The crime gruesome.

I love mystery/crime series, and for the most part, I don't get in on them before they've already been around for a few years. I've discovered the flaw in starting a new series right away. You have way too long to wait for the next book. :) Thankfully, I have several more series on the go to fill the gaps.

I understand that there are a total of seven novels planned for this series. I will be waiting in line for the rest of them if they are all as good as the first two.

I gave it 4 1/2 stars

Glad to see your endorsement of this series, Colleen. I'm putting it "in reserve", as it were... I'd rather have 4 or 5 unread books in a series at hand before getting involved. I hate the wait too!

>186 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, I should do the same, and usually do. Thankfully, I have Rebus and a few others that I have just discovered, thanks to LT, to keep me going. :) Now I am waiting for the next in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series. I think it is due out in September. And Christopher Fowler has a new one scheduled for his Bryant and May series in December. (There are lots in that series if you haven't read them.)

So glad The Silkworm is good. I pre-ordered a copy from the book depository, but it didn't arrive before we left on vacation.

>186 laytonwoman3rd: ooh, good review. I just requested that The Silkworm from my library's Kindle loans. I was going to wait, but the hold list was pretty long so I thought I'd better get in line.

>188 RidgewayGirl: Something to look forward to, Kay. I'm pretty sure you will enjoy it.

>189 lauralkeet: Laura, my library has a pitiful selection of Kindle books, so I had put my name on the list for the hard copy. There were only five people ahead of me, and it went pretty fast. I read it in two days, which is good for me. It was a page turner.

I have The Woman in White and since reading all your comments above, I will have to push it up higher on the tbr list. Glad to hear Silkworm gets your approval too. It's on my wishlist.

>191 VivienneR: I think you would like both, Vivienne.

36. The Care and Management of Lies: A Novel of the Great War by Jacqueline Winspear, (Harper (2014), 336 pages)

Winspear planned the publication of this book to coincide with the 100 year anniversary of the beginning of WWI. For those who enjoy her Maisie Dobb's series, I think this stand-alone novel will be a treat, as well. In the author's note, Winspear says she found a book in a used bookstore called The Woman's Book. First published in London in 1911, it was subtitled "Everything a Woman Ought to Know". It covered things like household management, cookery, children, home doctor, dress, society, etc. It became her inspiration for this novel, as she pictured a young wife writing to her husband at the front. Each chapter begins with a quote from The Woman's Book.

"Many women find it difficult to begin their letters---others find equal difficulty concluding them. One sensible rule to observe in beginning a letter is to avoid starting off with the pronoun "I"."--- The Woman's Book

Kezia Marchant and Thea Brissenden have been close friends since meeting at a private girls' school. Their relationship has become strained as Kezia marries Thea's brother Tom, and Thea becomes involved in the suffrage movement. Thea gives Kezia a book for her wedding present, called The Woman's Book. It is meant as a snub because Thea believes Kezia is giving up herself by marrying into a life she doesn't know. War breaks out within a few months of their marriage, and Tom volunteers for the army, leaving Kezia with two of his men to run the farm. Kezia is a city girl, but takes on the task with relish wanting to prove that she can manage. Thea winds up enlisting as an ambulance driver at the front.

The lies alluded to in the title refer to the letters that go back and forth between Kezia at the farm and Tom fighting in France. Kezia cooks up imaginary dinners for Tom and describes them in her loving letters from home. He and his trench mates savor the letters as a comforting bit of home. Tom keeps his letters light and doesn't talk about the horrors that he and his men are facing. None of these horrors are meant to reach anyone back home.

The lies also are those told by the officers as they send letters to wives and mothers of the soldiers that have been slaughtered. Tom's officer contemplates the next battle..

"Would he soon be dead too? Would his luck hold? And if it did, how many letters would he begin to write, telling a wife, a mother, that the man had not suffered, that he had died instantly in the service of his country? Died instantly? Hawkes remembered studying classics at school, and it seemed Aeschylus had it down: "In war, truth is the first casualty." But what can you say when a man has been blown into a million pieces, a million pieces and his blood seeping down into a foreign field? He died instantly. Of course he bloody well died instantly --- no one can live without a head, a heart or a brain. Would he, too, die instantly within the next five minutes, or ten?"

Compared to a few of the WWI related books I've read lately, the battlefield scenes are not quite as gruesome, but war is not pretty no matter how you look at it.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series. I gave it 4 stars.

Excellent review Colleen. That's definitely one for my wishlist.

Sounds like I might enjoy this one more than I do the Maisie Dobbs books. I think I've read three of those, and although I like them, they don't make me hungry for more. Having finished Birdsong not too long ago, I don't think I'll take on another WWI novel right away, but I'm going to keep this one in mind for the future.

>194 VivienneR: Vivienne, I think that some people may think this is part of the Maisie Dobbs series. I think I did, until I read more about it.

>195 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, This is definitely not a brutal book like Birdsong, and I loved that one. The descriptions of the imaginary dinners (there was a shortage of food, but Kezia didn't want Tom to know that) made with love and imaginary ingredients and herbs are the heart of the story.

37. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, (Original Publication 1929; Edition: Fawcett Crest 1958; 175 Pages)

This is a slight novel at just under 200 pages, however, there is nothing slight about the story. There is a lot crammed into this little book.

Remarque wrote the story from his own experiences at the front while fighting as a German soldier. And, as you can guess, it is no different than the stories told from the French and British and American side. Limbs are lost, intestines spill onto the ground, brains fly through the air, and yet the fighting continued for over 4 years. Remarque left Germany after the war and moved to Switzerland. From there he moved to America, and became a U.S. citizen in 1947. His books were banned by Nazi Germany.

All Quiet follows a group of young soldiers who have been goaded into signing up for the war by their professor. Told through the voice of Paul Baumer, it follows the young men as they fight on the front lines, have rest periods just behind the lines, forage for food, and even for clothing. The company with which they fight starts out with 150 soldiers, and by chapter 7 they are down to 32 men. Until replacements arrive, this means more rations - more food, more drink, more cigars, and more cigarettes. Replacements are sent in to fill in the gaps, and sent to the front lines as Paul says, "before they know what cover means". Paul goes home on leave, and finds he no longer wants to be home.

"I imagined leave would be different from this. Indeed, it was different a year ago. It is I of course that have changed in the interval. There lies a gulf between that time and today. At that time I still knew nothing about the war, we had only been in quiet sectors. But now I see that I have been crushed without knowing it. I find I do not belong here any more, it is a foreign world. Some of these people ask questions, some ask no questions, but one can see that they are quite confident they know all about it; they often say so with their air of comprehension, so there is no point discussing it. They make up a picture of it for themselves."

As the end of the war approaches those who are left feel that they have nothing to go home to. They have been trained for nothing other than killing. It comes down to one last push and then a day where few sounds are heard and the dispatch sent home reports "All quiet on the western front'.

Remarque's anti-war message seems clear, and reading this, it points out that regardless of which side the soldiers were fighting for, it was brutal, and needless, and so many young men died on both sides wondering what they were fighting for.

I highly recommend this book. I gave it 5 stars.

Colleen, I should reread All Quiet on the Western Front. I read it as a teenager and remember being strongly affected by it. I'd like to see what I think now. Excellent review.

>198 RidgewayGirl: It is a quick read, Kay, but very powerful.

That's a book I've always felt I should read . . .

Excellent review of All Quiet on the Western Front I am going to read it before the year is out.

>200 rebeccanyc: I am very glad to have read it, Rebecca. I'm not sure that my edition was the best translation, but it didn't take anything away from the story.

>201 baswood: I will look forward to your thoughts, Barry.

I really enjoyed All Quiet on the Western Front when I read it back in high school. It was really a remarkable book. However, I never thought to pick up another Remarque book. Probably because All Quiet is THE book and is the only one people ever read. (In fact, I've been seeing this book all over LT this past week or so.) So when I stumbled on another Remarque on a shelf I decided now was the time to revisit this author so I'm reading A Time to Love and a Time to Die. So far I'm wrapped up in it as Remarque's writing is fantastic.

>203 lilisin: I will have to read your thoughts after you finish. I thought All Quiet on the Western Front was wonderful.

38. Fall of Giants by Ken Follett, Narrated by John Lee (Penguin Audio (2010), Edition: Unabridged)

The print book is close to 1,000 pages which translates to about 30 hours of listening time. John Lee is one of my favorite readers, and he did a fine job with this book.

Follett has created a saga much like he did in Pillars of the Earth. Fall of Giants is first in his Century Trilogy, and takes place just before, during, and shortly after WWI. It takes on WWI, the Russian Revolution, and the fight for Women's right to vote. It is the story of 5 families of English, Welsh, German, Russian and American backgrounds who are connected in various ways throughout the story. I found it to be an interesting way to learn more about the background of the beginning of the war, and of the Russian Revolution. Follett will follow these families and their children through the other two books in the trilogy.

It was an entertaining book to listen to. I gave it 3 1/2 stars.

Enjoyed catching up. Great inspiration to finally pick up All Quiet on the Western Front. Interesting about Follet's newest (?) series.

Dan, I would highly recommend All Quiet on the Western Front.

Ken Follett's series is a big family saga, and would not be everyone's cup of tea. I saw one review here on LT where the reviewer stated "I was never much of a history student. If my textbooks had as much sex in them as Follett injects into his characters in Europe during World War I, I might have felt differently." His books do have a lot of historical detail. He explains in the author's note that where he uses real people, he only uses them if they could have been there. Some of their dialog is taken from recorded speeches or diaries, but most is more something they "might" have said. He says that he never put them where they would not have been, or had them say something they would not have said.

Great review of All Quiet, Colleen. Remind me, have you read Not So Quiet? I wouldn't suggest reading them back-to-back or even in close proximity, but highly recommend it as another very powerful read, on the same subject matter with very similar style.

>208 lauralkeet: I haven't read Not So Quiet, but have it on my wishlist, Laura. I have done a fair bit of WWI related reading this year, and think I need to push a few others that I want to read to later in the year. I have to keep reminding myself that the war lasted until November 1918. Four years of war, so maybe I should spread some of this reading out for four years. A few of them have been brutal to read. I have We That Were Young sitting waiting for me to pick it up, but I think I'm going to wait until September on that one. It has been getting great reviews in the VMC group, so I really do want to get to it.

39. Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill, Narrated by Clive Chafer, (Originally Published 2008; Blackstone Audiobooks (2011), Edition: Unabridged, Audio)

This is the fifth book in the Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery crime series. I really like this quirky series which is filled with heart and humor. The story starts with Dr. Siri attending a communist party meeting in the north of Laos during the late 1970's. His tongue in cheek observations of the party big wigs are very funny. On the way back from the conference, Dr. Siri and his boss, Judge Haeng are kidnapped by several Hmong women to exorcize a demon from a young woman in the tribe. Meanwhile, back at the morgue, Dr. Siri's very able assistant, Nurse Dtui, foils an attempted bombing, and becomes involved in an exciting adventure to capture the villain.

The thing that makes these books so enjoyable for me, are the characters, and the descriptions of the beautiful Laotian countryside. The characters are so well drawn, that you can picture them as you read the entertaining dialog. Of course, you have to be able to believe that Dr. Siri's body houses the spirit of Yeh Ming, a thousand year old shaman, and that he feels the spirits of the dead. I guess I believe.

I gave the book 4 stars.

Good to hear your opinion of Colin Cotterill's books Colleen. I have a few on my tbr shelf that I'm looking forward to reading.

I love Dr. Siri. I think this one is the next one up in the series for me as well.

>211 VivienneR: I think you'd like the Dr. Siri series, Vivienne. Lots of humour and charm.

>212 laytonwoman3rd: I think you are right, Linda, based upon our prior conversation. I wanted to include a couple of quotes with this one, but that isn't really possible with an audiobook.

I'm on vacation in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and having a wonderful time with my family. All seven grandchildren are here, and that is always a pleasure. My reading has suffered, however, as I can't seem to read more than five pages before I fall asleep. So far I've managed to finish one book.



40. The Man From Beijing by Henning Mankell (Original Publication 2008; Vintage (2011), Paperback, 464 pages)

I love Mankell's Kurt Wallander series, so I thought I'd give one of his stand alone novels a try. I loved parts of this one, and found myself wanting other parts to move along a little more quickly. It starts with a mass murder in a small village, Hesjövallen, in Sweden. All of the victims are related in some way. A judge, Birgitta Roslin, from Helsingborg, becomes involved after she realizes that two of the victims had been her mother's foster parents. The police from the smaller village believe they have the case solved, but Birgitta doesn't believe it. From there the story goes back in time to the building of the transcontinental railroad, and the brutal treatment of the Chinese who had been kidnapped and brought to America to do the work. Birgitta winds up in China, and finds herself fearfully looking over her shoulder. Mankell takes the story from China to Africa and then back to Sweden.

Despite some flaws, I enjoyed the book and gave it 3.5 stars.

ETA: Book cover

Glad you are having such a nice vacation, Colleen. The books will be there when you get home!

I am getting so far behind on everyone's threads. I keep trying, but it isn't working. :). I'm doing a lot of thread reading, but not posting.

Have a great vacation, Colleen. Read now, post later. :)

What a lovely spot for a vacation!

I'm doing a lot of thread reading, but not posting.
Same here. My thread reading interferes with my real reading which interferes with my housework and other RL chores which interferes with my reading. If I started posting every time I read something of interest on someone else's thread ..... oh, dear. I would never leave my computer! LOL!

I know the feeling. I too am out of town at the moment so most of my LT time is just trying to keep up! Enjoy your vaca Colleen!

Thank you Vivienne, Susie, and Laura. It is indeed a beautiful spot. My daughter's house is on the beach, so sitting on the deck listening to the water is so relaxing. Of course that is when we aren't running around taking the kids to fun places. Perfect weather, perfect spot.

41. A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym (Published 1958; Edition-Open Road Media; 2013; 256 pages)

This tongue-in-cheek look at 1950's society in England was fun to read. Wilmet Forsyth is an elegant, self absorbed young woman, married to a handsome Major in the Ministry. She becomes rather bored with her life, and starts becoming involved in her church... or trying to. She fancies herself attracted to a handsome young man who is her friend's brother. All innocent, but amusing fun. I gave it 3 1/2 stars.

ETA: Book cover

42. A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie, Narrated by Michael Deehy

This is the first, and my introduction to the Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James mystery series. Superintendent Duncan Kincaid's cousin has a timeshare which he is unable to use, and convinces Kincaid to take a much needed vacation at Followdale House in the north of England. Murder ensues, and Kincaid needs to carefully try to avoid ruffling the feathers of the local constabulary.

This was an enjoyable read, and the reader was very good. I look forward to more in the series, and gave it 3 1/2 stars.

43. The Young Clementina by D. E. Stevenson (1938; Edition- Sourcebooks Landmark (2013), Kindle Edition, 352 pages)

Originally published in 1938, this book is characteristic of Stevenson's cozy romance novels set in and around London in the late 1920's. It is more serious in tone than her Miss Buncle and Mrs. Tim stories. Charlotte Dean is devastated when her childhood friend and love of her life, Garth Wisdon, returns after fighting in France during WWI a changed man. The story is told through Charlotte's diary entries. I thought the characters were well written, and although I could guess the ending long before I got there, I enjoyed taking the journey.

If you like Miss Buncle or Mrs. Tim, I'm pretty sure you will like Charlotte.

I gave this one 4 stars.

ETA: Book cover.

44. Around The World in 80 Days by Jules Verne, Narrated by Jim Dale (P:1873; Edition: Listening Library (Audio) (2005), Unabridged

I read this book so long ago that I had forgotten most of the details of the plot. Phileas Fogg is an unflappable Englishman who lives his life through mathematical precision and time. While at his club playing cards, he takes up a bet for 20,000 pounds that it is possible to travel around the world in 80 days. He leaves immediately, taking his new French manservant, Passepartout, with him. Adding to the plot is a Detective Fix who follows Fogg on his journey believing that he is a thief.

Verne wrote this book in 1873, and his view of the world at that time was full of stereotypes. If you can get past that, it is a great adventure tale, that uses many of the new events of the time (the opening of the Suez Canal, the completion of the Transcontinental Railway in the U.S., the widespread use of the technology of the steam engine). Plus, this unabridged version was so much better than the version I read as a youngster. Jim Dale's excellent narration, with different voices for all of the characters, added a lot of life to the story.

As for the air balloon on the cover, there is only a passing mention of an air balloon, and Fogg does not use one on his journey. It may be that the excellent film, with David Niven (and many others fine actors), is the idea behind that cover art.

I think that this is one of Jules Verne's most well known works, along with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and From the Earth to the Moon. It was a lot of fun.

I gave it 4 stars.

Now, I think it must be time for a new thread.