Banjo Reads in 2015 # 2

Dorothea Lange, self-portrait

Back for a third year in the 75 group, and a fourth year in LT. In real life, I am a 50-something social worker, living in Portland, Oregon. My real name is Rhonda (Banjo was borrowed from one of my cats); I live with my partner and a variety of four-egged companions. We have a daughter who is a freshman in college, so we are into the empty-nest blues; except that Banjo, Jr. is currently home for summer break.

I love the conviviality of this group, but it has caused my TBR stacks to teeter even more than usual. I am looking forward to the challenges of 2015.

For 2014, my favorite reads were:

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa'Thiong'o
Path to Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro
Middlemarch by George Eliot

FAVORITE READS OF 2015

The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
The Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood
Blindness by Jose Saramago
Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Shalimar the Clown by Salmon Rushdie

Currently Reading:

Read in 2015:
1. Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn
2. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
3. Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively 1/15/15
4. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers 1/16
5. The Porcelain Thief by Huan Hsu 1/19
6. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan 1/24
7. Nevada by Imogen Binnie 1/23
8. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

9. What We See When we Read by Peter Mendelsund 2/13
10. The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro 2/16
11. Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
12. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

13. The Upstairs Wife by Rafia Zakaria3/6
14. The Wild Truth by Carine McCandless 3/8
15. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth 3/12
16. Hamlet's Dresser by Bob Smith 3/26
17. Royal Ghosts by Samrat Uphadyay 3/25
18. Perdido Street Station by China Mievelle 3/31

19. Canada by Richard Ford 4/6
20. The Education of John Quincy Adams by Phyllis Lee Levin 4/6
21. The Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood 4/5
22. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter 4/8
23. Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell 4/13
24. Forgive Me IF I've Told You this Before by Karelia Stetz-Waters 4/15
25. Blindness by Jose Saramago 4/16
26. Day of Atonement by David Liss 4/19
27. Can't We talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast
28. After Freedom by Newman and Delannoy
29. Love Medicine by Louise Erdich 4/29

30. The Color Purple by Alice Walker 5/1/15
31. Good to Great
32. The Free by Willy Vlautin
33. The Radiant Way by Margaret Drabble
34. The People in the Trees

35. I Called Him Necktie
36. The Theft of Memory by jonathan Kozol 6/20
37. Main Street by Sinclair Lewis 6/21
38. The Sound of Our Steps by Ronit Matalon 6/22

39. Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner 7/4
40. Ghettoside by Jil Leovy
41. Changing Planes by Ursula Leguin
42. Clandestine in Chile by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
43. Visiting Hours by Amy Butcher 7/18
44. Nothing Like the Sun by Anthony Burgess

45. Bingo Barge Murder by Jessie Chambers
46. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
47. Five Days at Memorial By Sherri Fink
48. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson
49. Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison
50. The Polish Boxer

51. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
52. The Point of Vanishing by Howard Axelrod 9/12.
53. My Education by Susan Choi 9/23
54. The Undertaking of Lily Chen

55. Means of Ascent by Robert Caro 10/4
56. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson 10/4
57. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande 10/7
58. The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante 10/9
59. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto 10/11
60. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury 10/12
61. The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch 10/13
62. the Tenth of December by George Saunders 10/13
63. Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor
64. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchel
65. The Swashbuckler by Lee Lynch 10/28
66. Shalimar the Clown by Salmon Rushdie 10/29

67. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan 11/7
68. Plainsong by Kent Haruf 11/10
69, Memento Mori by Muriel Spark 11/20
70. White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi.

71. Slade House by David Mitchell12/1
72. The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker 12/6/15
73. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
74. Boys in the Boat
75. The Vegetarian by Han Kang 12/31

And Happy May everyone! It's a gorgeous weekend here.

I was looking at my stacks of books, and decided that I won't make any plans for my May reading---I am going to let myself read spontaneously. I probably will read for the AAC and BAC; but if I don't feel like it, I will skip it. My Lesbian Book group is reading The Chronology of Water for June. I read that a few years ago, and did not really like it, so I won't re-read it, though I may page through it to remind myself of what I didn't like.

I have some books to review, and will try to get to this today.... probably the quick and dirty kind of review.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

I loved this book when I first read it, back in the 80's. It didn't hold up that well with the re-read. The plot was just so unlikely, and the epistolary style did not work for me the second time around.

Love Medicine by Louise Erdich

Another re-read, and I think that I read this one in the 80's as well. This book held up better. Erdich writes beautifully, and does a good job showing the structure of family and community. It is a little lacking in plot, however.

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast

I found this graphic memoir very engrossing, but had some problems with it. Since I work in the aging field, the story of Chast's struggles with her own parents' decline and eventual death, was interesting to me. I found her descriptions honest and realistic. However, I am not very found of Chast's art style:



One of the things I liked about the book was that she was honest about her own ambivalence due to a difficult relationship with her parents stemming from childhood. However, I would have liked her to have gone deeper into her own experience. I was disappointed that she didn't seem to make a greater leap in terms of self-awareness during the course of the experience.

The one thing that I totally loved in this book were the pictures at the end, of her mother as she was dying. These were beautiful.

Good to hear the new job is going well.

I am a huge fan of spontaneous reading. Planning too much makes me resentful of the books.

Happy new thread, Rhonda!

Happy Sunday! And Happy new thread, Rhonda! Love the Lange topper!

We are also having a beautiful weekend here. It feels great.

Great comments about Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, Rhonda. I agree that the drawings at the end were so moving and beautiful.

Isn't this weather amazing???!!!

>8 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli! Sometimes I like planning out my books, but right now the rest of my life is taking plenty of thinking, so I thought I'd let my reading fall where it may.

>9 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>10 msf59: Thanks Mark, and hooray for May!

>11 EBT1002: Totally amazing weather, Ellen.

It's been a nice weekend so far. I am trying to take it a bit easy, as being in a new job is pretty tiring. I think I am going to really enjoy it, but I have some work ahead of me, as the unit has been without a manager for several months and people are pretty fried, and there are lots of details needing attention. The good thing is: everyone is really nice and very welcoming.

Last night we went out to a play: Arthur Miller's The Price. It isn't a perfect play and wasn't a perfect production, but was really interesting and has had a thinking about it since. It's really a play about middle age, and how the decisions we make in our youth play out in middle age. Perfect for me right now.

On the home front, we have a couple of projects underway, and some financial anxiety. Last year we did a big landscaping project---which is amazing, and really adds to our enjoyment of the house, but it WAS pricier than we had anticipated. Then we realized that we need a new roof this year, plus the house needs painting. So we are busy getting bids, picking out colors, etc. And there are a few garden things that need doing too.

This is on top of college bills...so our savings are going to be gone very soon. And, just for a bit of ironic timing, right after I took the new job; Mrs. Banjo found out that she will be getting a lay-off notice next month. I suspect that she will not be unemployed long, and in the long run everything will be fine, but in the meantime we are going to be scrambling to figure out health insurance, etc. :(

The good news, is that in a week and a half, Banjo, Jr. comes home from college for the summer. We are so excited to see her! Hopefully she won't get too bored at home.

Here are a few pictures to show how much we are enjoying the new landscaping. I am afraid that the pets are not really all that good for the plants!

Hi Rhonda - Happy new thread. I always enjoy new threads because of the amazing pictures people put at the top, and it gives me a chance to take another look at the books you've read this year. What a great year in reading you're having so far.

And -- hooray for spontaneous reading!

With houses it's always something. I have several costly projects on the horizon...

Lovely thread topper, Rhonda. Congratulations on your new thread my dear. xx

>14 BLBera: Thanks Beth! I am happy with my reading this year. And yeah, houses are expensive, especially when you like the older homes, with character. But I think we have good contractors lined up to do the work, and we will enjoy it when it's done.

>15 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

Happy new thread, Rhonda!

>13 banjo123: - Haha, love the pictures! It looks like the pets enjoy the new landscaping. ;-)

Thanks Lori! The pets are loving the patio--we hadn't had an outdoor space for them before, so it's quite a thrill.

Reading Update: I finished a couple of books, and am now on Margaret Drabble's The Radiant Way. So far I am enjoying it.

Happy Mother's Day, Rhonda! Hope you are having a terrific weekend. Enjoy the Drabble. I do not think I will get to her this month.

Thanks, Mark! Banjo, Jr. sent a nice mother's day letter, and is planning to take us out when she gets back in town. This morning I spent 15 minutes figuring out how to change my facebook profile to a picture of my mom. As it happens, there is only one picture of her that I could find digitally; so now my two sisters and I all have the same profile picture. Here it is:



I am not sure who wrote the commentary on top of the photo, but that was my mom, a wonderful phenomena of nature.

And onto book reviewing....

I read Good to Great by James Collins because my new job moves me into management, and I thought I needed some knowledge for that. Not sure that this helped a lot--he has a book based on non-profits, but this was about big business, very far from my world. The thing that I learned of interest is that the charismatic business leader types (think Lee Iacocco) tend not to be successful in the long term. People who are modest and hardworking actually have better results.

The Free by Willy Vlautin

This book was a winner of the Oregon Book Awards, and is a book that I think many LT'ers would like. It's gritty and sweet at the same time. The characters in the book are all struggling; Leroy suffered a brain injury in the Iraq war, and has spent the past eight years in a group home; Freddie works two jobs to pay for child support and for medical bills for his disabled daughter; Pauline works as a nurse, and also cares for her mentally ill father. Somehow, all manage to reach out and touch others lives for the better.

I do have some reservations. The book is well written, but I did feel that the dialogue could have been improved. Several of the characters speak with the same voice. Also, the sci-fi story within a story did not work for me; although I understood why it was there.

I love the photo of your mom, Rhonda!

Gorgeous photos. Amazing how much style can be captured in just one image.

The pets clearly approve of the new landscaping ;-)

Love the backyard pictures. Your pets look very happy. I hope the new job is going well.

>23 scaifea: Thanks Amber! It was nice to remember her on Mother's Day.

>24 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte!

>25 SuziQoregon: Yes, they love it! Just wish that the cats would stay in the yard.

>26 Oregonreader: Thanks, Jan! The new job is going well, but there is so much to learn. It's going to be a while before I am not learning 2-3 new things every day.

Reading wise, I am still enjoying The Radiant Way, but it is dense. I also picked up The People in the Trees which is amazing, and CREEPY.

It's an exciting night here in Banjo-land, as Banjo, Jr. comes home for the summer tonight! Her plane gets in late, so we will be TIRED tomorrow, but it will be worth it to see her.

Congrats on the new job going well so far. Hooray for Banjo Jr coming home soon! I can't wait to have Jess back either. Sorry about the layoff--I am hoping it will lead to better things. And good luck with all the house projects! Your life is not boring!! Oh, and I think you look just like your Mom. Love the picture--thanks for sharing. : )

Thanks Kim! Yes, life is sometimes exhausting, but not boring. And thanks for saying I look like my mom! I am at the age when that is a compliment.

The new job is still good; but takes a lot of time and brain-power, leading to me not having done much reading over the next week.
It is great having Banjo, Jr. home. She is SO much more grown-up. And she does make awesome peanut butter cookies.

When perusing Tumblr the other day, I found this Dorothea Lange picture, which I have to share:

The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara

I read about this book in someone else's thread, and they wrote a perfect review. Unfortunately, I can't recall who it was! Anyway, this book is beautifully put together, and I will definitely want to read Yanagihara's next book. It deals with tough issues: medical research ethics, cultural imperialism, child abuse. It has a fascinatingly unreliable narrator. But it's a creepy story and I am not entirely sure that I liked it.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda! Hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend.

Enjoyed your thoughts on The People in the Trees. This has been on my To-Read list for awhile now. I am also looking forward to her latest.

>29 banjo123: Wondeful photo, Rhonda!

>31 msf59: Thanks Mark! It's a nice weekend so far. Yesterday we went to the movies; Ex Machina. I am not sure what I think about it---very well done, but disturbing. We spent the day at the coast, where it was grey and windy; but we had loads of fun.
I hope you do read The People in the Trees. Then we can discuss it, along with the 75-er who got me interested in it. I still don't recall who that was, but it might've been Charlotte.

>32 rebeccanyc: Thanks, Rebecca.

Hi Rhonda - Your comments about The People in the Trees echo what others have said; I'm not sure about this one...It goes on the "maybe" list.

>34 BLBera: Yes, Beth, it's a definite maybe. But it would be a great companion to State of Wonder.

We camped this weekend, which was great but not much reading (or anything else) got done. I have finished The Radiant Way, which I liked and will review later. That makes 5 books for May. Hopefully June is better, but I am not holding my breath. Life is busy right now, and I want to take advantage of the summertime. I plan to continue my "reading by whim" reading plan, still hoping to do the BAC and AAC challenges, but if it doesn't happen, I am fine with that.

We are entering the third summer after we did a major landscaping at our house, and it gets better every year. We anxiously await the progression of blooms and scents. Our cats especially love the catnip! Despite the cost, it was so worth it.

I read another book by Vlautin a few years ago, Motel Life, which I liked and in a strange way reminded me of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. I have The Free on my Kindle, and hope to get to it soon.

Hooray for reading by whim!

I love the sound of reading by whim, especially when the job is still in the new and challenging bit. The People in the trees has stuck with me when I struggle to remember others so I guess that's the sign of a powerful book, but oh, such a creepy narrator.

Hi! I, too, love reading by whim. I used to be very blocked, scheduled, planned, etc....now that's all out the window and I'm enjoying reading even more!

>36 arubabookwoman: I can see the Vlautin/Steinbeck comparison. Kind of a "wretched of the earth" sort of thing. I actually haven't read and Steinbeck in forever, so would like to soon.

>37 BLBera: Thanks Beth! The problem with my reading by whim is that it seems to have devolved into "Read a few pages in a book that looks interesting, and then set it aside and never finish anything" kind of system. But, I figure that's OK for a while.

>38 charl08: Yes..SO creepy. And brilliantly done.

>39 Tess_W: Hi Tess! Yes, it's fun to just pick something up....

Speaking of which, I recently picked up a book I saw at Powell's: I Called Him Necktie It's a marvel of a book so far. Has anyone else read this?

This is the second time I have heard the Vlautin/Steinbeck comparison. That works for me! And I totally endorse reading by whim. : )

>40 banjo123: Not heard of that one: look forward to hearing more though...

I enjoyed I Called Him Necktie when I read it earlier this year, Rhonda. I didn't write a review of it, though.

Hi, Rhonda! Hope you had a nice weekend. How is Main Street coming? Slow?

Were you going to read a Stegner?

Rhonda, I'll be interested to read what you think about I Called Him Necktie. I've read about it elsewhere and it sounds very appealing. Hope the new job is going well. Keep cool!

>41 Berly: Thanks Kim! Have you gotten to The Free yet?

>42 charl08: It's good! I have finished it now. Here is a passage:

"Nowadays I realize that it is impossible not to encounter anyone. In that you are there and breath, you encounter the whole world. The invisible thread has bound you to the others from the moment of birth. To sever it requires more than a death, and there's no use opposing it."

>43 kidzdoc: Isn't it an interesting story, Darryl? I plan to write a review, soon.

>44 msf59: It was a great weekend, Mark! I am still working on Main Street; which is good, but not as compelling to me as other things.

>45 Oregonreader: Thanks, Jan! It's nice that things have finally cooled down.

Well, it's Saturday, after a hectic week. Banjo, jr is working, which is great for her and for college expenses, but her schedule is irregular and she really needs a car, so we have all sorts of complicated car-pool arrangements. She is now, I think, appreciating her working parents a little more. The other day she asked "How does anyone work and have a life?"

I am going to spend an little time getting caught up here, and then I am getting a pedicure. It will be nice to have my toes looking decent again!

The Radiant Way by Margaret Drabble

This is the story of three women who are long time friends, and how their lives; jobs, families, and relationships; develop over time. Drabble is really good at showing the many complexities of women's lives; and how politics, gender and class intersect. A strength of this book is that it covers events over a very long range. We see the way an even (as in the end of a marriage) can seem like a crisis one year, but a few years later, it's something in the distant past. This is also a weakness... the book moved slowly at times, sort of as life does.

But overall, I liked this book and am pleased that Paul's BAC pushed me to read it.

I Called Him Necktie by Milena Michiko Flasar

This is a lovely little book about the power of human connection. The narrator is a Hikikomori. This is a phenomenon in Japan, where youth, mostly young men, refuse to leave their parent's house, shut themselves in their rooms, and reduce contact with the family to a minimum. Length of time varies, but some spend 15 years or longer shut in. Estimates are that between 100,000 and 320,000 young people fall victim to this. Taguchi Hiro, after two years as a shut-in, starts to re-enter the world and encounters a salaryman, Ohara Tetsu on a park bench. Tetsu had lost his job, but found himself unable to tell his wife about the loss, so leaves home every day, as if for his job.

The book is told in a series of short chapters; and the stories of both lives unfold. Both have significant feelings of guilt surrounding their failures in previous relationships. As this relationship continues, Taguchi realizes that he must reengage with the world.

"Nowadays I realize that it is impossible not to encounter anyone. In that you are there and breath, you encounter the whole world. The invisible thread has bound you to the others from the moment of birth. To sever it requires more than a death, and there's no use opposing it."

I found this book beautifully written. The author is the daughter of a Japanese mother and Austrian father. She lives in Vienna and the book was originally written in German, and was translated by Sheila Dickie.

>49 banjo123: sounds absolutely lovely. To my wish list it goes!

Hi Rhonda - I love it when kids start to appreciate the hard work of their parents! Both the Drabble and the Flasar sound great. They go onto the list.

>49 banjo123: This sounds lovely, adding it to the wishlist.

Thanks Tess, Beth and Charlotte! I hope you like the Flasar. Now I am a little worried, because it WAS lovely, but a difficult topic.

Right now I am mainly reading The Sound of Our Steps, and ER book. I am liking it as well.

Also, I have to mention, that we have started the third season of Orange is The New Black; and it's really good so far.

>47 banjo123: "The other day she asked 'How does anyone work and have a life?'" Cracked me up. It's the million-dollar question!

Rhonda, your life sounds full of shifts and changes, uncertainties and transitions --- and optimism and appreciation for the wonderful life you and Mrs. Banjo and Banjo Jr. have together! I love the landscaping photos and I can relate to the effort to get bids for a new roof (ugh) and paint and all that..... I'm plying telephone tag with a guy to see about having a front porch added to our rather plain house, and in my dreams it would entail taking up the sidewalk and creating a more permeable walk up to stairs that would be in a different place than present..... We got a bid last year and decided to hold off and I seem to be pursuing it again. Of course, I also really want to paint the house. It's got old vinyl siding and I can live with that except that it's snow white and I want some color! Even gray would be better!

Anyway..., I Called Him Necktie sounds interesting. Since human connection is my favorite theme, I might try to find a copy. Of course, I'm supposed to be buying fewer books so I can afford that front porch..... ha.

Have a great week, Rhonda. I hope your summer with Banjo Jr. is wonderful.

>47 banjo123: "How does anyone work and have a life?"
Sigh, that is the question.

>53 banjo123: third season of Orange is The New Black
Oh, right, it's back. I should check Netflix.

Good luck with the transportation shuffle. That's got to be challenging with Banjo Jr. having irregular hours.

And yay for pedicures - a little pampering is always nice.

>54 EBT1002: Aww--that is sweet Ellen. And good luck with the house projects! It is always a time and money suck, but nice when it is done.
I think you'd like I Called Him Necktie. I got it from the library. (Just sayin')

>55 qebo: Coffee. That's how to work and have a life. Lots of coffee.

>56 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli! The pedicure was great.

Not much reading progress here, but hopefully there will be on the weekend!

Happy Friday!!!

Nice review of I Called Him Necktie, Rhonda. I enjoyed it as well.

Thanks Ellen and Darryl!

We DID have a good weekend--zipped up to Seattle to watch the Mariners play. And they won! Also, I got lots of reading time on the Bolt Bus. I will have to report on that later, however, as my family is calling me to watch OITNB.

But first--Father's Day poem:

my father moved through dooms of love

E. E. Cummings, 1894 - 1962

34

my father moved through dooms of love
through sames of am through haves of give,
singing each morning out of each night
my father moved through depths of height

this motionless forgetful where
turned at his glance to shining here;
that if (so timid air is firm)
under his eyes would stir and squirm

newly as from unburied which
floats the first who, his april touch
drove sleeping selves to swarm their fates
woke dreamers to their ghostly roots

and should some why completely weep
my father’s fingers brought her sleep:
vainly no smallest voice might cry
for he could feel the mountains grow.

Lifting the valleys of the sea
my father moved through griefs of joy;
praising a forehead called the moon
singing desire into begin

joy was his song and joy so pure
a heart of star by him could steer
and pure so now and now so yes
the wrists of twilight would rejoice

keen as midsummer’s keen beyond
conceiving mind of sun will stand,
so strictly (over utmost him
so hugely) stood my father’s dream

his flesh was flesh his blood was blood:
no hungry man but wished him food;
no cripple wouldn’t creep one mile
uphill to only see him smile.

Scorning the Pomp of must and shall
my father moved through dooms of feel;
his anger was as right as rain
his pity was as green as grain

septembering arms of year extend
less humbly wealth to foe and friend
than he to foolish and to wise
offered immeasurable is

proudly and (by octobering flame
beckoned) as earth will downward climb,
so naked for immortal work
his shoulders marched against the dark

his sorrow was as true as bread:
no liar looked him in the head;
if every friend became his foe
he’d laugh and build a world with snow.

My father moved through theys of we,
singing each new leaf out of each tree
(and every child was sure that spring
danced when she heard my father sing)

then let men kill which cannot share,
let blood and flesh be mud and mire,
scheming imagine, passion willed,
freedom a drug that’s bought and sold

giving to steal and cruel kind,
a heart to fear, to doubt a mind,
to differ a disease of same,
conform the pinnacle of am

though dull were all we taste as bright,
bitter all utterly things sweet,
maggoty minus and dumb death
all we inherit, all bequeath

and nothing quite so least as truth
—i say though hate were why men breathe—
because my Father lived his soul
love is the whole and more than all

Great poem, Rhonda.

Thanks for sharing the poem, Rhonda. Strong stuff.

Thanks, Beth and Mark! I like e.e. cummings

I have several books to review: Main Street, my AAC from last month, and two ERCs The Sound of Our Steps and Theft of Memory. So I do feel like I am getting some reading mojo back, but life is busy enough that the reviews have to wait.

I started on Big Rock Candy Mountain. Stegner is a good writer!

Yay for seeing the Mariners win. Doesn't look like we'll get up there for a game this year but our local minor league team The Hillsboro Hops are playing now. They play close to our house and we have a 4 game mini package of tickets again this year. It's Single A ball so it's the young kids and it's fun to see them and their enthusiasm.

>65 SuziQoregon: Hi Juli! Single A ball is fun. And the hops have a nice park. I hope you are staying cool.

It is SO HOT here. Today is supposed to be 100, and it looks like we are in the middle of a 2 week heat wave, with most days 90 and above. In a little while, we are going to the movies--planning to see Spy. But first, I will try to get a little caught up here. It's going to be quickie review time.

Main Street by Sinclair Lewis

This is a story about the stultification of small town life. It was published in 1920, and does feel it's age. Lewis is a good writer, overall, but I feel that he is not great at characterization, and the people felt fairly flat. I did appreciate that Lewis was so sympathetic to a woman struggling with traditional gender roles.

The Theft of Memory by Jonathan Kozol

This Early Reviewer's book is a memoir about Kozol's father's descent into Alzheimer's. Kozol is a good writer, and his father was fascinating. His father was a neurologist and psychiatrist, who, as his memory was slipping, was able to identify the parts of the brain involved in it's failure. The book is easy to read, but in the end, I was not satisfied with it. I felt that Kozol was not direct enough about the emotional and financial cost of his father's illness. He also skirted around any ambivalence he had about his relationship with his father, and about the difficulties in his parent's marriage. (He does address some of these issues obliquely, and in the last chapter.) I felt that the book suffered in being a chronicle of the illness, and not of the caregiver's struggle. It suffers in comparison to Roz Chast's more brutally honest graphic novel, which I read earlier this year.

The Sound of Our Steps by Ronit Matalon

This early reviewer book was translated from Hebrew by Dalya Bilu. (and it's a lovely translation.) I did some internet research, and found out that this book is mostly autobiographical. Matalon has a fascinating history. She grew up in a Tel Aviv slum, her mother an Egyptian-Jewish refugee, with a difficult personality. Her mother had grown up privileged, but in Israel, worked as a cleaning woman. Her father was mostly absent,. The story is told in a series of vignettes, but a child narrator. Here is a description of her mother's return home, after work:

"But she wasn't at ease. Her entrances, the way she burst through the front door, starved after long hungry hours of not-home, of longing for home, of keeping up appearances out in the world, which was not home. The wariness corroded her like acid, a weariness of body, but more than that, the weariness of keeping up appearances, of not-home.
We listened for her entrances, for their violence, we knew every detail, step by step, yet we were still taken by surprise. The dread was the surprise."

I liked this book and enjoyed the descriptions and the characterizations. I did feel that the book was lacking in plot, and could have probably been edited down a bit.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda! Hope you are enjoying the weekend. Sorry, the Lewis didn't pan out for you. I hope your next AAC selection is much stronger.

Hi Mark! The Lewis was OK--I am glad I read it, anyway, since I don't think I had read anything by Lewis before. Now I am onto Big Rock Candy Mountain, which is totally my kind of book. And I love that it's part set in Seattle.

Big Rock Candy Mountain, is a big sprawling read. Not as tightly written as his later work but there is still, much to admire.

>72 msf59: Yes, it is long and sprawly. I am OK with that, but good to know some of his other work is tighter. I picked this one for the title--love that song.

I won't finish it this month, but hopefully within the next week or so. I also started Ghettoside which is fascinating so far.

“There was somewhere, if you knew where to find it, some place where money could be made like drawing water from a well, some Big Rock Candy Mountain where life was effortless and rich and unrestricted and full of adventure and action, where something could be had for nothing.”

Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner

I loved this semi-autobiographical novel. It matches the song referenced in the title; sweet and hard, full of hope and despair. There is a strong sense of place, and also of rootlessness, as the family moves from community to community, in search of the never-quite-realizable American dream. The descriptions of landscape and nature are beautiful. The characters are fully realized, and even Bo, the thoughtless husband and abusive father, seems like someone you might run into, maybe on a road trip, when you stopped at a bar in some small town looking for a cold drink. And he's awful, on the one hand, but you might actually like him, or at least feel sorry for him.

Happy 4th of July, everyone! Our heat wave continues--today is predicted for 93, tomorrow 97. :( Usually we go to the blues festival over the 4th of July weekend, but this year it just feels too hot to sit around outside. Plus Banjo, jr is working. We have no AC in the house, so tonight we are going out to dinner with friends (Lebanese food--yum) and may try to catch the fire works from somewhere nearby.

June was a slow reading month for me--4 books read. I am excited about July reading, however, as I just finished a wonderful book (see above post) and am really liking the other book I am reading Ghettoside. After that I may try to read Burgess' Nothing Like the Sun, which I picked up for the June BAC. (I am late). We are going down next weekend to Ashland to the Shakespeare festival, so it would be appropriate.

Happy 4th, Rhonda! Sorry about that relentless heat wave. keep cool.

Glad you enjoyed Big Rock Candy Mountain. It's interesting to see how he evolved as a writer.

Hope you continue to enjoy Ghettoside. It is such a terrific read.

Happy Fourth, Rhonda. I hope the it cools off for you soon. I loved Ghettoside; it's one of the best so far this year. I must get to Stegner one of these days.

>76 msf59: Thanks, Mark! It looks like the heatwave will continue at least another week. It has sapped all my energy. I did finish Ghettoside--what a good book!

>77 BLBera: Beth, I think you would like Stegner. And Ghettoside was really good--I think I heard about it from you first.

Hi LT Pals! I have been away from my thread for awhile--life and work have been busy, and we spent the weekend in Ashland, Oregon, for the Shakespeare Festival. We saw an excellent production of Much Ado About Nothing. The actor who played Benedick was SO comic. Also saw a production of The Count of Monte Cristo which was good; and antony and Cleopatra. We had some complaints about A & C --- specifically, Antony was good, but he was not Richard Burton.

I did finish a couple of books, so have reviews to write soon.

Hi Rhonda - I'm going to see Much Ado this weekend at the Great River Shakespeare Festival. It's a fun play.

Good to see you posting, Rhonda! Looking forward to hearing about your recent books.

I am listening to Missoula. It's tough to stomach at times, but another terrific book by Mr. Krakauer.

>80 BLBera: Enjoy, Beth! here is a trailer for the production we saw.

>81 msf59: Hi Mark! I want to read Missoula but I might wait until after my daughter graduates from college.

Ghettoside by Jill Leovy
Leovy is a crime reporter for the LA times, and this book discusses the problems of homicide in South Los Angelos; specifically the failure to the criminal justice system to deal with the murders of young black men. She follows several heartbreaking stories, and makes the victims real for us. She also shows us the careers of several homicide detectives trying their best to solve the homicides and honor the lives of the murdered.

This is a well-written and important book. She really makes the point that in the absence of a functioning criminal justice system, a community makes it's own rough justice.

"I want to read Missoula but I might wait until after my daughter graduates from college." That is an excellent idea, Rhonda!

Big Thumbs Up, for Ghettoside!!

Nice comments on Ghettoside; you said it. It is an important book.

Thanks Mark and Beth! I forgot to mention, but another thing that was really intriguing about Ghettoside was Leovy's descriptions of what makes a good homicide detective.

This weekend is another scorcher. We are mostly laying low and eating lots of salads. Last night we went to see a production of Macbeth in a nearby cemetery. It was part of Shakespeare in the Parks, and really fun. There are a lot of trees in the Lone Fir cemetery, so it stayed pretty cool. Here is a picture of the location:



Reading-wise, I am trying to catch up on the BAC. I am reading Nothing Like the Sun and Mrs. Dalloway. I am enjoying both, but neither is an easy read. I also finished Visiting Hours by Amy Butcher, which was easy, but not really satisfying.

Changing Planes by Ursula LeGuin

This is a series of short stories, describing different worlds. LeGuin is an idea-driven writer, and these stories primarily illustrate social/political problems in our own world. I like LeGuin's writing and sense of humor, but, frankly, this got a little old after a while, because plot and character development are pretty absent. I think that my favorites of the stories were "Porridge on Islac', which is about genetic engineering and "Great Joy"-- which addresses cultural imperialism through the story of a holiday themed planet.

Clandestine in Chile by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This short non-fiction book is about Chilean film maker Miguel Littin. Littin was exiled by the Pinochet regime, and in 1985, disguised as an Uruguayal public relations agent, returned to Chile to film a documentary about Chile under siege. It's an interesting story, with harrowing and comic turns. It was difficult for Littin to be back in his beloved country, but not be able to be himself, and to visit family and friends. GGM's prose is lovely to read.

Visiting Hours: A Memoir of Friendship and Murder by Amy Butcher

I picked this book up, because I've often been curious about what it must be like to have a close friend or family member who commits a horrific crime. Amy Butcher's college friend, Kevin Schaeffer, brutally murdered his former girlfriend at the end of their senior year of college. Butcher was on the periphery of the incident, Schaeffer was not one of her closest friends, but was profoundly affected and later developed PTSD. This is a book about her experiences and feeling; and not so much a book about Schaeffer.

I had some difficulties with this book, which I felt glossed over several important points, and didn't give the reader enough information to really understand the meaning of the events. Butcher describes this as a result of Schaeffer's mental illness. I was not fully convinced of this; and felt that Butcher failed to explore the issues of dating violence.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda! I like your burst of mini-reviews. I think the Marquez sounds like the best bet.

Hope you are having a good weekend and keeping cool.

>89 banjo123: My sister's partner just read about this in this morning's New York Times and it sounded interesting. I'm sorry it fell short.

>86 banjo123: Wow, this sounds lovely. With all the family sickness we didn't go to our local campus' outdoor Shakespeare, but a few years ago caught a production of The Merry Wives of Windsor which was just lovely. And funny. My ugrad used to stage history plays in the folly by a river, but have terrible trouble with the weather, June not being known for reliability in dryness. A graveyard sounds even more atmospheric.

Hi Rhonda - It looks like a great setting for Macbeth. The Marquez sounds good. I loved his nonfiction News of a Kidnapping. I haven't heard about this one.

>90 msf59: Thanks, Mark, I am afraid mini-reviews are the best I can do lately. Yes, the Marquez was the best of the lot!

>91 EBT1002: Ellen, the review did make it sound more interesting than I thought it was. You might get more out of it, actually, since it is in your area.

>92 charl08: Yes, the graveyard was perfect for the Scottish Play.

>93 BLBera: Beth, you probably would like Clandestine in Chile. It's very good.

I finished Nothing Like the Sun by Anthony Burgess

This is a novel about Shakespeare's love life. Burgess' language is colorful and non-conventional, so initially I found it hard to read and follow. However, it clicked in and I ended up really enjoying the book. It made me think differently about Shakespeare as a person. And I learned too---I had not known that Shakespeare was thought to have died of syphilis.

I haven't read that Burgess, but I should - I've loved all of his stuff that I've read so far.

That's neat, Amber. I don't think that I'd read anything by Burgess before, except maybe Clockwork Orange many years ago.

I have also finished lMrs. Dalloway, which ended up being another book I liked better than expected. Currently reading Five Days at Memorial. Just started it but the writing and research are amazing.

It's been a nice weekend so far. It rained yesterday, and is supposed to today. Wonderful in many ways, but ironic, as it's been dry for so long, and this weekend we invited some people over to check out our garden!

A Clockwork Orange is one that I *haven't* read yet - ha! But I *do* have Five Days on my Read Soon! Shelf, just right behind me, in fact. I need to get to it...soon...

Here's hoping you get all the rain you need before the weekend, eh?

Hi Amber! We did get a little rain, but now it's back up to 90's and actually 103 yesterday.

We are camping this weekend, to celebrate Banjo, Jr's 19th birthday. I love camping, but the prep for it is sure a bear! That's what we are up to now. Reading-wise--I am totally into Five Days at Memorial but am putting aside for the weekend, as it's a library book. My camping books for this weekend are Bingo Barge Murder (for my Lesbian book-group) and Why Be Happy When You Could be Normal by Jeanette Winterson, Hopefully I will have something to report when we get back on Sunday!

I was interested in your comment about Antony and Cleopatra in Ashland. We'll be down there later this month and will see that one. Last time we saw it in Ashland it was in the small Thomas theater and I was disappointed in the actor who played Antony that year. Was hoping for better this year.

I hope you're having a great camping weekend, Rhonda (and happy 19th to Banjo Jr!).

I have Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal on my TBR shelf (I keep thinking it must be called Why Be Normal When You Could Be Happy but that is the point, I think). I'll be interested to hear how you like it.

I'm glad you're into Five Days. I thought it was a great read. My SIL is reading it now and, as we're spending lots of time with family celebrating birthdays and preparing for our nephew's upcoming wedding, it's providing good fodder for discussion. :-)

Hang in there with the heat (we're heading to the cinema today to help us survive).

Oh, and I miss our annual trek to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival!!!

From our camping trip--Mirror Lake on Mt Hood.

>103 banjo123: Could be difficult to return home from there.

>103 banjo123: - What a lovely shot of Mirror Lake. Looks like a wonderful place for camping!

Love the Mirror Lake photo!!

What a gorgeous shot of Mirror Lake! Swoons...

Hope you had a nice weekend, Rhonda! It looks like things are beginning to cool off for you. Yah!

>100 SuziQoregon: Juli, I hope you like Antony and Cleopatra. The actor who played Antony is good; just did not seem right for the part to me. Cleopatra is fabulous.

>101 EBT1002:, Ellen: I still didn't manage to get into Why Be Happy but I loved the other Winterson I've read; so I have high hopes. And Five Days is amazingly researched, isn't it?

I hope you get back to Ashland sometimes soon!

>103 banjo123: I should clarify that we didn't actually camp at Mirror Lake. But we hiked up there on Saturday. Gorgeous.

>104 qebo: Yes, hard to leave, but we were glad for showers and soft beds!

>105 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! Mount Hood is pretty spectacular.

>106 SuziQoregon: Juli, it's hard to believe I'd never been to Mirror Lake before. And it's an easy hike.

>107 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Yes the weather is a bit better, and this weekend was OK for us, because Mt Hood was quite a bit cooler than Portland.

Reading Update: I finished Bingo Barge Murder, so I am ready for book group. Not my usual thing, but an easy read at any rate. Next I am HOPING to finish Five Days at Memorial before it has to go back to the library. Then I have Lonesome Dove for the AAC -- it has had such great reviews that I am looking forward to it, but I must say I was a bit startled to see just how much of a chunkster it is.

" Then I have Lonesome Dove for the AAC ..."



And do not fret over the length. Once you get swept into it, you will wish it was much longer.

Stopping by to say hi, Rhonda! Wonderful to know you are enjoying a lovely camping trip! And Happy Birthday to Banjo Jr! As you mentioned on my thread, yes, getting my hair" blown out " by a unknown stylist was scary! I was surprised to find out that in city there are dedicated " blow out bars" for hair! LOL! It sure proved handy, if a bit stressful . The stylist was very pleasant and very willing to understand more or less what Iwanted. I can't imagine having having scads of new clients with a variety of hair types etc , wanting different styles . But the lady said she enjoyed the challenged of the different clients. Thankfully that is all behind me!

If I won a million dollars - or a lot more, one of the things on my list would be to have a personal hair stylist for each day!:)

My reading has been very slow this past month or so and I hope to pick up the pace a bit. Ah, looking at your post #2 - yes, recently my husband and I have faced a bit of the "empty nest syndrome" with our son recently getting married, and our other son moved out some 8 years ago. Gasp - our eldest is 30! I plead " child bride ;) ! Fortunately we have a small four legged canine friend named Poppy, and she is a huge help with " empty nest syndrome. She is not yet two years old, so she keeps us very busy.

I agree with Mark: Lonesome Dove reads quickly and is worthwhile.

>109 msf59: and >111 EBT1002: Glad to hear the Lonesome Dove love. Next week is another camping trip, and I think that I will try to read it then.

>110 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb! I agree with you on pets being the best cure for an empty nest. Our little dog Chica is perfect for that. She is super-sweet and doesn't mind being doted on.

Reading updated: Life has kind of gotten in the way of my reading. Work has been stressful, and I have been distracted and not reading much at home. I am about half way through Five Days which is so interesting, and creepy.

Hi, Rhonda! Hope you had a nice weekend. Have a great time on the camping trip. Squeeze some reading in...

>113 banjo123: Like!

Thanks Mark and Jim!

Well we are back from camping! Plenty of adventures and plenty of reading. I completed three books: Five Days at Memorial; Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal; Bastard Out of Carolina. I also started Lonesome Dove; which is so far living up to its expectations, but it was too heavy of a book for reading in a sleeping bag, by flashlight, so I am also reading The Polish Boxer by Eduardo Halfon

Camping Adventure Recap (and pictures) as well as book reviews to be provided later--now I am of shopping with Banjo, Jr. She needs some last minute things for her return to college.

That sounds like a successful trip. After reading the brick that was Seven Killings, I was tempted to write to the publisher suggesting a return to multi-volumes editions that you can carry / hold easily...

Glad you had a great time, Rhonda! And hooray, for starting LD!!

Thanks Charlotte and Mark! I think that e-books are good for large tomes, but somehow the books I want to read often aren't available in that format. Anyway, here's a quick picture from our trip. It's Mt. Rainier from the Paradise area.

Here is a picture from Iron Creek, our first night's campground. We had originally intended to camp in Central Oregon, but wild fires scotched that idea, so we decided to go to Washington, and camp on the Lewis River, On the way up, we took a wrong turn--which we realized 37 miles later. A bit worrisome, as it was close to dusk. Luckily we found this campsite in time!

It sounds like your vacation was great, Rhonda. Thanks for sharing pictures. AND you got some reading done. Impressive, or as Scout would say, "awesome."

Beautiful pics! Thanks for sharing them.

Some lovely photos Rhonda even though the one in >120 banjo123: is disturbingly phallic.

>121 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! It was nice, although I am afraid that the relaxation is a bit worn off now.
>122 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.
>123 PaulCranswick: Haha! Paul. Good point--I hadn't thought of it.

Life here moves on. Banjo, jr is off at college, so back to the empty nest. Our house is being painted, and will be a bright, cheerful yellow. I am back to work; and not yet caught back up. Today was a bit stressful, and capped off with my scraping a car in the parking lot, backing up. Arggh. I left a note and am waiting for the car's owner to call me. :(

Reading-wise, I am still enjoying Lonesome Dove, but I don't manage to get much read of an evening.

And onto some quick reviews:

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

I really enjoyed this book, which was a bit of a surprise because I often have trouble with stream-of-consciousness. Also, the other Woolf novel I read (To A Lighthouse) went right over my head. But this book was easier for me to read, and I appreciated the portrayal of gender roles, and the intersection between the personal and the political as it played out in the novel.

Bingo Barge Murder by Jessie Chandler

We read this from my lesbian book group. It is a mystery, and a "caper", which is apparently a type of mystery. I think that it was pretty well done for this type of book--kind of madcap action with a bunch of odd-ball characters, and a romance between the narrator, a cafe-owner in Minneapolis, and a woman police-officer who is investigating a murder on a Bingo Barge. Honestly, the book was not really my thing, but if you liked the genre, you'd probably like the book.

Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink

This is an amazing non-fiction book. Everyone should read it. The topic is the evacuation of a hospital during Hurricane Katrina, and the decision by some staff to euthanize patients who they did not think would survive the evacuation. The author researched this extensively. I was left shaking my head that these professionals, who seemed otherwise like good, caring people, could make such a bad decision, and with so little process to guide that decision.

This raised a number of questions about emergency preparedness and crisis management. It has led me to consider getting involved with earthquake preparedness here in the Northwest.

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson

I love Winterson's writing, and this memoir was hard to put down. Winterson has had a difficult life, but she made the most of it. The book covers issues of adoption, working-class life in Northern England, fundamental religion, education, child-abuse, homophobia and mental illness. The central theme is Winterson's relationship with her adoptive mother. I was struck by her ability to sympathize with her mother despite the abuse that she suffered.

A really interesting part of this book was her description of the working class community that she grew up in. Her father was a laborer, and they lived in a home without indoor plumbing. There were few books in the home growing up, as her mother felt that reading could be dangerous. However, she was exposed to reading through the bible, which her mother read to the family. This gave Winterson a sense of the power of text;

"My mother was a good reader, confident and dramatic. She read the Bible as thought it had just been written -- and perhaps it was like that for her. I got a sense early on that the power of a text is not time-bound. The words go on doing their work."

Winterson goes on to explain that exposure to the Bible and the regional speech in Northern England at that time made it easy for working-class people to understand Shakespearean English.

Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison

Another book for the lesbian book group. This was a re-read for me, but it's been a LONG time. "Bone" is a young girl growing up in a poor, white South Carolina family. One of the strengths of the book is the portrayal of strong extended family bonds. This is a well-written, difficult read. I did not like it as well the second time, due to a part of the story which I found unlikely. However, I don't think that I can explain my objections without spoilers.

At any rate, it is still a solidly good book. I would probably rate it 4 stars.

And hooray! Caught up on reviews (pay no attention to quality of said reviews). Now I can check out other people's threads.

Hi Rhonda - The relaxation part of the vacation does wear off too fast, doesn't it? Sometimes I think it doesn't pay to take a vacation.

Great reviews - I'm so glad I've already read Mrs. Dalloway and Bastard Out of Carolina, both of which I loved. The Fink and Winterson both sound great, so, onto the list they go.

Thanks, Beth! We have had a lazy weekend, without much planned, so I am feeling more relaxed now. Some chores and errands done, yesterday went to a wedding, but otherwise it's been quiet. And we have finally gotten some lovely rain!

Banjo Jr is settling into her Sophomore year, so we miss her, but are happy for her.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda! It looks like you are getting some good reading in.

I also loved the Fink and the Winterson memoir.

How is L.D. coming?

>128 banjo123: Rather wonderfully, Jeanette Winterson's book was included in a giveaway programme for World Book Day here. I also found it a compelling read. The sections on her reading despite the attempts of her mother to ban anything outside her religious cult were particularly powerful.

Fingers crossed lots of the people who were given a copy went on to find more to read.

>133 msf59:-- Thanks Mark! Lonesome Dove is good, but long. I hope to finish it off this weekend.

>134 charl08: What a great giveaway! I also loved the sections about reading.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend, and September's beginning. It's turned cool and rainy here, which is nice. They finished painting our house, and it is lovely. Our neighbors all love it. Work has been busy, and I haven't been getting in as much reading as I like. I am behind on both the AAC and the BAC... not completely sure I will catch up! I was going to try a reading plan for September, but I am afraid I just need to give up and read what I read.

It's a three day weekend! Tonight we are going out for pizza and a movie--we are going to see the Brian Wilson movie (Love and Mercy), so no light frivolity here. Next up, Amy Winehouse.

>127 banjo123: I so agree with you. Five Days at Memorial is a very thought-provoking, excellent book (imho).

I agree with your neighbours..... wonderful pant job!

Happy Sunday, Rhonda. Is that your home up there? It is a nice one.

How was the Brian Wilson film? It has received good reviews.

>137 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks for stopping by, Reba! Five Days at Memorial really made me think as well.

>138 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. We are very happy with how it came out. It's always a bit of a gamble when you pick a paint sample.

>139 msf59: Thanks Mark! Yes, we are lucky that we bought our house back when the prices in Portland were not so outrageous. "Love and Mercy" was fabulous! I think I will comment on it a little more later, as it was so worth seeing.

And book news-- I finished Lonesome Dove last night. Review to follow. Also, I realized that I never commented on The Polish Boxer, which I finished a bit ago.

Next up I think with be MEANS OF ASCENT the second in Caro's LBJ series. I read the first a while ago, and have meaning to continue ever since, but the book is SO big, and there are so many other enticing books.... But right now Mrs. Banjo is reading the first in the series, and so I am motivated. She is completely captivated by the book, as I was when I read it.

Yesterday's Poem-of-the Day was so good that I wanted to share it.

Sonnet

Alice Dunbar Nelson

I had no thought of violets of late,
The wild, shy kind that spring beneath your feet
In wistful April days, when lovers mate
And wander through the fields in raptures sweet.
The thought of violets meant florists’ shops,
And bows and pins, and perfumed papers fine;
And garish lights, and mincing little fops
And cabarets and songs, and deadening wine.
So far from sweet real things my thoughts had strayed,
I had forgot wide fields, and clear brown streams;
The perfect loveliness that God has made,—
Wild violets shy and Heaven-mounting dreams.
And now—unwittingly, you’ve made me dream
Of violets, and my soul’s forgotten gleam.

The Polish Boxer is a book of interconnected short stories, by Guatemalan writer Eduardo Halfon

His writing is autobiographical, modern and global in scope. Halfon's grandfather was a Jewish concentration survivor, so Halfon has multiple identities, and really explores what that means in his writing. I had previously read a later work; Monastery, which includes some of the same material, and has similar themes. I thought that Monastery was better; more mature, and less self-absorbed.

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Really, I don't know what to say about this book, except that I liked it a lot, but I do not like it as much as Mark does. Four stars. McMurtry is a good story-teller, who really draws you in, even though the book is more character-driven that plot driven. Here's the Haiku:

Cowboys, Youth and Whores
Wandering through the Old West
Lots of Violence

ANd here is a map of the story which I found on Tumblr: (don't look at this closely if you haven't read the book.)

Hi Rhonda - Lovely house. I love the color and the flowers!

Great sonnet - I love violets.

Happy Labor Day, Rhonda! Glad you finished up Lonesome Dove. I will gladly take 4 stars. Love the Haiku!!

>136 banjo123: Pretty house, and the porch is especially appealing.

I thought your comments on Halfon really interesting, will look out for the later book you mention.

I love the idea of a map of a book, althoughI'm not studying that one as I've not taken the plungenerous with Lonesome Dove.

And your house looks wonderfully cheerful in yellow. I'm not sure why most people here don't paint their houses bright colours, I think it makes places look so picturesque.

>144 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! We are very happy with the house right now. I can't take credit for the flowers--Mrs. Banjo is the gardener.

>145 msf59: Happy labor day to you, too, Mark! And LD was really a good read.

>146 qebo: Thanks--the porch was a big selling factor, years ago, when we bought the house.

>147 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte! I also love maps.

For the record, here is our house in the old color:



I liked it pretty well, at first, but then our two nearest neighbors painted their homes similarly. So we really needed something warm and cheery.

"Love and Mercy"

I thought I'd write a few notes on this movie about Brian Wilson. We saw it with friends, and all four of us loved it. I think it is one of the best movies I have seen in terms of illustrating the creative process. The parts about Brian's studio work are super-interesting. It's also an amazing story about mental illness and recovery; abuse by a psychologist; and the power of love. Brain's wife Melinda is an amazingly strong character.

I looked Brian Wilson up on the wikipedia afterwards, and it appears that the film is very accurate, although of course there is a lot that gets left out in any movie.

Your home is beautiful! Lovely paint job! I've not read Lonesome Dove , though I've heard many good things about it. Love the Haiku. I think for me, the closest I'll ever get to reading a book about cowboys is The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt and it was hilariously satirical, though it really had a heart.

>150 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. I am a huge fan of Sisters Brothers! And part of it is set in Oregon, too. I am not a big fan of westerns, but there have been a few I really liked--Doc and All the Pretty Horses are two others.

>136 banjo123: I love your house. That style is just my cuppa. And the paint job is very nice.

>149 banjo123: We saw that movie a few weeks ago and I agree that it was very well done. Not a "light" film but a good examination of some difficult material. And, of course, a great soundtrack! :-)

>136 banjo123: Another one appreciative of your house and the sonnet @ >141 banjo123:.

Have a great Sunday, Rhonda.

Thanks Ellen! Definitely a real Portland house. Glad to hear you also liked "Love and Mercy"

Thanks, Paul! It was a great weekend, though pretty busy with hardly any LT time.

I have finished a book--hooray! It's an Early Reviewers book, a memoir by Howard Axelrod. I need to sit on it a day or two before reviewing, however.

Hi Ellen! Your house looks wonderful in its new charming yellow. And some great reads here. You liked 5 Days a bit more than I did. I loved the first half and enjoyed the lawyerly second half less so. But still a very good read. Lonesome Dove is a classic and I am glad you liked it as well. And I am glad your daughter is beginning to appreciate you as an adult (with the whole car/job thing). Isn't that fun when it happens?! Be seeing ya!

>155 Berly: Hi Kim! I am flattered to be mistaken for Ellen, and I am glad that you like the house. Looking forward to seeing you at Wordstock!

Life seems kind of busy and stressed lately. Work is being a bit of a pill, and cutting into my reading time. I was looking at the last few months and realized that I would be lucky to hit 75. I have made a resolution, however, to cut down on electronics in favor of more reading, so hopefully that will help.

Currently I am reading Caro's Means of Ascent (the second in his series about LBJ. It's not as good as the first, but still pretty good. LBJ was quite a piece of work! Also reading Susan Choi's My Education (for the lesbian bookclub) So far, I am lukewarm. It seems to be full of long descriptions of people's clothing, and I get bored by that.

Point of Vanishing by Howard Axelrod

I picked this book for two reasons: I like nature memoirs, and I am interested in the psychology of disability and vision loss. I pretty much liked this book. Axelrod has an interesting and compelling story. But let me just say straight up: this is not a nature memoir. Axelrod is no Annie Dillard, nature is part of his story, but it's a minor character.

Axelrod was a junior at Harvard when a freak basketball accident severed his optic nerve and left him with no vision in one eye. Axelrod had been a high achieving student, who felt that he also had a more sensitive and introspective side that he did not share much. After the accident; his feeling of disconnect between his true self and the self that others saw, grew. He graduated, and spent time in Italy, but within a few years, felt at odds with himself and the world.

He ended up spending 2 years in an isolated part of Vermont, basically isolating himself from the world. (although he continued to have some contact with family, and regular shopping trips,) It's not a spoiler to say that at the end of this time, he was able to move on, though perhaps not on the path that had been planned for him.

The book moves back and forth in time quite a bit, between his time in Vermont, and his life before. At times I found that confusing, but other than that, I felt the writing was good and I enjoyed reading the book.

>157 banjo123: I've been meaning to read a book by Rebecca Solnit on her choice to live a very isolated life (in Scotland). Not sure if books like these are a product of people wanting to get away from tech developments meaning we're connected all the time or something older, more rooted in need to be more connected to nature. Either way, sounds an unusual book from your description.

Hi Rhonda - I'm adding the Axelrod to the "someday" list.

>158 charl08: Now I will have to look up Rebecca Solnit! I think that one of her books appealed to me in the past, but I haven't ever read anything by her. I have been fascinated by people who seek out solitude since I read Heidi as a young girl. I loved the mountain man grandfather and his goats. There is section where Heidi asks him about why the hawks are screeching, and he tells her that they are saying that men should be more like hawks, each on his own mountain top, and not fight. Of course, the grandfather ends up getting civilized and going to church in town, but I liked him better before.

>159 BLBera: Hi Beth! Thanks!

I have finished My Education; and ended up liking it in the end. I will try to put a review together soon.

>158 charl08: >160 banjo123: I loved Rebecca Solnit's River of Shadows, which I read pre-LT, and went out and bought a bunch of books by her, none of which I've read.

Oops!! Sorry Rhonda--I glanced up at the message above which was you writing to Ellen and presto! You became Ellen. LOL. Who else can we talk in to going to Wordstock with us? I am working on Elisa Saphier from Another Read Through bookstore.

>161 rebeccanyc: That's good to know, Rebecca. I will look for one of her books.

>162 Berly: Quite Okay, Kim! I will work on Elisa, too, though Saturdays are hard for her. What about Juli? She should come.
I am bringing Mrs. Banjo (she has to come, since it's my birthday) and maybe another reading friend.

Awesome, Rhonda (see I got it right)! Yes, Juli should come. And I get to meet Mrs. B and sing Happy Birthday?! This is turning out to be an excellent day. : ) Should we meet at a particular time or place? Do we want to break away for lunch or dinner? Pastini's is close by. I posted something on the Oregon thread, too. http://www.librarything.com/topic/187289

My Education by Susan Choi

We read this for my Lesbian book group. Really more of a bisexual book. However, it should lead to good discussion, and, was a very compelling read for me. Choi is definitely a writer to look out for.

First the shortcomings. Choi has a tendency to over-write at times, and for me the long descriptions about people's clothing got very old. The last part of the book seems improbable. Also, not a shortcoming exactly, but just a note that this book has explicit sex, and if that's a problem for you, maybe skip the book.

On to the positives. The writing and characterization are very good. I felt that Choi did an amazing job of getting across the feeling of intensity in sexual, romantic love, especially for the young. She also made me think of the differences between generations, and how love plays out differently at different life stages. Here is a passage.

"Even now, all these years later, I pause at the brink.
Any telling seems sure to diminish, to transpose what was so overwhelming and painful into something absurd. And perhaps it was absurd, in its keening emotions and weakness for froth. At the time, I believed the least relevant factor of all was that we were both women. Of course this was the first fact that anyone saw, but for us it felt last. It failed to register, at least with me. My adoration of her was so unto itself it could not refer outward, to other affairs between women or even between human beings. It was its own totality, bottomless and consuming, a font of impossible pleasure that from the start also bore down on me like a drill until at last it accomplished a permanent perforation. "

>164 Berly: Yes, it should be tons of fun. We will need to eat at some point! Let's wait until the schedule is out before we make the plans too firm.

Hi Rhonda - My Education sounds like something I should try. Nice comments.

>167 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! My Education seems to have gotten pretty mixed reviews, but I think you might like it.

I stopped by the library, and found 3 books on hold. The Undertaking of Lily Chen; Being Mortal and A Brief History of Seven Killings. Now when am I going to read them?

Hi Rhonda - The Undertaking of Lily Chen is a quick read. Good luck with the James tome. :)

I did finish Lily Chen; but I am not sure that Seven Killings is going to get read before it has to go back to the library. It looks really good, however.
September was a slow reading month, with just 4 books read. I am almost done with Means of Ascent, however, and so have hope for October and for eventually reaching the 75 number.

last week was not good. A tough one at work, with several difficult employee and client issues. We've also had some financial and health ups and downs at home. All of this will work itself out for the best, I believe, but it did feel like one thing after another. On Thursday, there was the horrible news of the shooting at the Umpqua Community College. That really hit home for me; as it's about 3 hours from here, and my daughter is a college student and my wife works at a community college.

I am thankful that President Obama is addressing the gun violence issue. Clearly we need gun control AND better mental health treatment. In the meantime, it's a reminder to hold my loved ones close, and to enjoy every day that we have each other.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that all works out, both at home and at work. Terrible news from Oregon.

>170 banjo123: Wow, Rhonda, lots of connections there. I can understand it hit you extra hard. ((((Rhonda & family))))

Happy Saturday, Rhonda! Sorry to hear about the work woes. Hope that improves. I also hope you find plenty of R & R time this weekend.

I bought a copy of Seven Killings. I am thinking of doing it, on both audio & print...and soon.

I am so saddened by the Oregon shootings. Nothing shows how divided this country is, than the gun control issue. What is wrong with us??

I'm sorry to hear about your tough work week, Rhonda. I hope that you are able to relax this weekend.

>171 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I am sure everything will work out eventually. I just had a bunch of not-unexpected, but unpleasant things converge in one week. A good employee quit, one of my clients died, I had to deal with a tricky personnel issue. All stuff that was bound to happen, and except for the death, probably for the best in the end.

>172 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks for the hugs, Reba! It really drives me crazy that young people have to grow up in a world so full of violence.

>173 msf59: Thanks, Mark! The weekend has been good so far--dinner with friends, some nice walks. Mrs. Banjo is actually taking off tomorrow morning, on a family trip. I didn't have enough vacation time to join her, so I will be alone for a little bit. Luckily I have the pets to keep the house from being too quiet.

>174 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl. The weekend is good so far, and tomorrow I have a pedicure lined up.

The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgorodoff

This story is based on the Ghost Bride system in China; where families whose son has died young and unmarried, will purchase the corpse of a young woman, and marry the two, so that their son does not go into the after world without a companion. Apparently this was an old custom, still alive today, and this graphic novel shows how it plays out in the lives of two modern-day dysfunctional families.

The artwork is done using Chinese watercolor and it's gorgeous. The story is kind of creepy, but interesting. I am not the best Graphic Novel reader-- I tend to go too fast, and pay too much attention to the words and not enough to the graphics. Overall I found the story too disturbing to be enjoyable; but definitely worth reading if you have an interest in graphic novels or modern China. Here is one of the images that stuck with me:

>176 banjo123: Interesting comments Rhonda on the method of reading a graphic novel. Of course I read my cartoon books as a boy but I haven't ever read a GN and I reckon I would sweep across the pictures and miss out on most of the point.

Have a great Sunday.

>177 PaulCranswick: - thanks for stopping by, Paul! There are a lot of great graphic novels. Maus, is, I think, probably the best introduction to what a graphic novel can do with a serious topic.

But I only read a few GN's in a year, usually, and I think there are pieces of the genre that go right over my head.

I have been having a nice day, and lots of reading so far. I have completed Means of Ascent. Currently I am reading Being Mortal; which is of special interest since aging and disability is my field. I am also reading another GN - Nimona. This one is more comic book, and looks to be a quick, fun read.

Means of Ascent is the second in Robert Caro's multi-volume biography of Lyndon Baines Johnson.

For me, it fell short of the first book,. It is extensively researched, and sometimes it was kind of repetitive. However, it was still a great book, a four star read. I learned lots about election fraud in Texas, and what a total creep LBJ was. I just can't understand what Lady Bird saw in him.

I am looking forward to Master of the Senate which is the next up.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

This is a fun, young adult graphic novel. It's about heroes, victims, and sidekicks; and throughout the course of the novel, each major character changes roles several times. The art is nice, and the story is pretty intriguing. I would recommend it.

Hooray, for Nimona! That is still my favorite GN on the year but I just finished Honor Girl, which is also terrific. You might really like that one too.

Hi Rhonda - You are doing a lot of reading! I loved the art in The Undertaking of Lily Chen. I've also read Nimona, which I thought was fun. I think I've read more graphic novels this year than in my entire life.

>181 msf59: Thanks for the recommendation, Mark! I am going to take a break from graphic novels, but I will put Honor Girl on the list.

>182 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I think I heard about Lily Chen on your thread. The artwork is amazing.

I finished Being Mortal today, so I feel that October is off to a good start. I have also put this on my list of best of the year.

Lily Chen sounds really interesting. I wish my library carried more Graphic Novels. They seem to carry very few.

Hi Rhonda--Sorry you had a convergence of events and hope life is cooperating more at this point. I have started to read a few GN this year and I am enjoying them. Ghost Brides is an uncomfortable subject. Are all the brides already deceased or not? Grisly!

Rhonda, Kyran my son is a huge fan of mangga and draws his own graphic stories. I think I will get him the Lily Chen book as part of his birthday package tomorrow.

Have a lovely weekend.

>165 banjo123: Great review of My Education, Rhonda. I agree with your points about both the shortcomings and the positives. I will watch for more of her work and hope she relaxes a bit (thus addressing the overwriting thing).

Oh, and I'm glad you read Being Mortal as I am on a mission to get everyone I know to read it. :-)

>184 vancouverdeb: Lily Chen was interesting. Too bad about your library. Ours seems to have quite a few graphic novels.

>185 Berly: Hi Kim! Life is still converging, a bit, but I am feeling more centered so it's OK. I think you would like Lily Chen; even if it is a creepy subject matter.

>186 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Kyran sounds so talented. Hope he is having a great birthday.

>187 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen! I did end up enjoying My Education quite a bit. Pretty much everyone else in my book group disliked it though...

Life has been busy here. Last week we went back to New Jersey for a quick trip to see Banjo, Jr. It was super fun, and she is doing great--but it was so fast and furious and then I worked the rest of the week, So no time for LT; but I have been getting reading done. Travel is good for reading, I find. So I have a number of books to review, and several others half-read. Too tired to review today, but I will soon!

Here is a picture from the trip back east. We really enjoyed the trip to see the Statue of Liberty---this was the first time for me.

>188 banjo123: "Travel is good for reading..."
I completely agree.

>189 banjo123: Nice shot!

Yes, nice picture. It could be a postcard. What else of note did you see?

> 190 Thanks, Ellen!

>191 BLBera:-- It was a quick trip, Beth--got to NJ Saturday morning and left on Tuesday afternoon. I really enjoyed seeing the Statue of Liberty and learned a lot about her. Did you know that Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel tower fame) was involved, and that the copper sheeting is 3/32 inched thick, the thickness of two pennies? I guess because of the winds, she couldn't be too thick and has to be able to sway a bit.
We also got to NYC, and spent a day eating at different restaurants and visiting the Whitney. And then we went to the Jersey Shore, and walked on the beach, which was quite nice.
Mostly it was great to see Banjo, Jr, and meet some of her school friends.

And to catch up a bit on reading:

The lost daughter by Elena Ferrante. This is the story of a woman who has a complicated relationship with motherhood and with her own grown daughters. She visits the seaside, and becomes a bit obsessed with a family vacationing there, especially a young mother and her daughter.
The plot is strange, but interesting. I will try other works by Ferrante.

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

A slim book about love and loss. There are two stories here, both about young women who are facing grief. The writing is simple and sweet; and the stories full of odd twists.

Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

This was OK, but I thought a little over sentimental and not science-fiction. There were some good ideas in here, however.

The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch

This is a novel! Strange plot, unreliable narrator, weird characters--and it works! I really liked this book. Thanks to the BAC for getting me to read it!

The Tenth of December by George Sanders

Really well done, but creepy short stories with a dystopian twist.

>196 banjo123: Pleased to see you liked the Murdoch. I wasn't in the mood for it when I tried it earlier in the year but will go back to it again one day soon.

Hi, Rhonda! I was a big fan of Dandelion Wine. Sorry, it didn't grab you the same way.

I also enjoyed my Murdoch, The Bell.

I also loved The Tenth of December, my first Saunders collection. I would like to read it again.

>198 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! Hopefully you will try Murdoch again and like her. It was my first try, and I thought she was a really good writer.

>199 msf59: Hi Mark! I think I should have done a Bradbury Sci-Fi re-read, but, oh well. And that's cool that you also liked George Sanders. "The Semplica Girl Diaries" has especially stuck with me, but I don't know if I have the fortitude for a reread!

On the reading front: I am happy that I am gaining some ground on the challenges. I finished my David Mitchell last night. I didn't like The Thousand Autumns as well as I had liked Cloud Atlas; but it was an intriguing story. I am next going to try to read Rushdie's Shalimar the Clown as I am now in a new book club and that's what we are reading. So it will double as a BAC read.

I also have my lesbian book club read the Swashbuckler; a pretty easy read and almost done. And I started Wise Blood for the AAC, but it hasn't caught with me yet, so I am thinking of waiting until I can really focus on it.

Hi Rhonda - Well, some good reading going on here. I want to read another Mitchell. I have Bone Clocks sitting on my desk, so I'll probably read that next. I loved Cloud Atlas and would like to reread it. These pesky jobs just get in the way!

>201 BLBera: Bone Clocks is the next Mitchell on my list as well. Yes, pesky jobs! Though I think even if I read 8 hours a day, my TBR list would still be never-ending.

So far a nice weekend, a fair amount of reading done, including a really good start on Wise Blood which I read while my oil was being changed. And I am really enjoying Shalimar the Clown

Last night we went out to a concert with friends-- Joan Armitrading -- it was a fun evening and I had forgotten what a great song-writer she was. But her voice has sadly not held up well. Today was reading, errands and a nap. Tonight is a game night with old friends--I think we may do RummiCubes, which I really enjoy. It's nice to have a relaxing weekend, because the workweek was full of ups and downs. If I had an extra three hours a day, I might be able to keep up at work.

I finished Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor

I wasn't that crazy about this, although it was certainly powerfully written. I might have enjoyed it more if I was more interested in religious themes.

Hi Rhonda - Now I'm torn about which Mitchell to read -- I just read favorable comments on Jacob de Zoet, which I also own.

I love Armitrading -- too bad about her voice.

Well, you'll get one extra hour of sleep this weekend.

I haven't read Wise Blood, but I love O'Connor's short stories. I think she may be better at those.

>204 BLBera: Hi Beth! Good luck picking your next Mitchell. Mine has been picked for me--I won Slade House from the ERC.
Wise Blood was O'Connor's first book. I might try her short stories in the future; I can imagine that she would be good at those.

I have finished two more books -- reviews to come. I LOVED Shalimar the Clown.

Lucky you - I didn't get The Slade House. Oh well, I have other Mitchells on my shelf.

I'll watch for your comments on Shalimar; I haven't read that one and was thinking it's time for another Rushdie. I was thinking I might want to reread Midnight's Children...

Shalimar the Clown, for me, was more accessible than some of Rushdie's other works. I think because of the plot, which in addition to including magical realism elements, is also soap-opera-ish, with lots of sex and coincidence, spanning continents and generations and full of surprises. In the beginning, the book was a little slow to read, but Rushdie pulled all the elements together and the last 100 pages were a page-turner.

The hard thing about the book for me is that I know so little about Kashmiri history-- I think that if I did not more I'd have been able to get even more out of the book. The book uses a personal narrative-- that of Shalimar, his estranged with Boonyi, her lover, the Euro-American Max Orphils -- to illustrate the histories of Kashmir and India, and their relationships with colonialism and terrorism.

Also, I really enjoyed Rushdie's writing. He has such a sly, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor--it is a pleasure to read.

Happy Sunday. Rhonda! Congrats on winning Slade House. It is sooooooooo good and it is a shorty! Win, Win!

>206 BLBera: For what it's worth, I really enjoyed Midnight's Children

>203 banjo123: That's about how I felt about it, too.

I have yet to read any of Rushdie's works. I had planned to read Shame for the BAC but didn't get to it. I'll read it one of these days.

Have a good week, Rhonda!!

>203 banjo123: It is amazing that Rushdie has maintained his sense of humour despite everything isn't it? I thought his first novel Grimus was terrible but he has improved and mellowed like a fine wine.

>208 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I am looking forward to Slade House.
>209 RebaRelishesReading: I agree on Midnight's Children. It's really a good book.
>210 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I hope that you like Shame when you get to it. It's one I haven't read.

It's been a nice weekend. Saturday was my birthday-- we went to Wordstock, which was fun, but overcrowded. I had really wanted to see Jon Krakeur and Barry Lopez; but it was way too crowded. We heard Wendell Pierce, who was an amazing speaker. I want to read his book now; but I couldn't buy it--they had run out.

I finished The Joy Luck Club; which was fabulous the second time around.

Happy belated birthday!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember loving The Joy Luck Club when I read it eons ago. Nice to hear that it worked the second time around, as well!

Happy (belated) birthday, Rhonda!! Glad it was a nice day.

Oh, yes, Happy Birthday, Rhonda!

Happy Birthday, Rhonda! Sorry, for the delay. I also loved The Joy Luck Club and the film version was very good too.

Happy Reading!

Happy belated birthday.

Another rushing over the brow of the hill with cake and card only to see you disappearing into the sunset - Happy belated birthday, Rhonda

Happy belated birthday, Rhonda!

Ellen, Reba, Amber, Mark, Beth, Paul and Lori- Thanks to you all for the birthday wishes. I did have a lovely day.

Right now I am reading Plainsong; and enjoying it. I hope to get myself together soon, and write a review for The Joy Luck Club.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

I have been wanting to re-read this for some time. I first read it back in the early 90's; before I became a mother and before I learned to play Mah Jongg. I really liked it; but thought the story somewhat episodic; the mothers were really mean; and I didn't understand the Mah Jongg references.

The re-read was totally worthwhile--I like the book even better now. The only problem is that there is actually very little Mah Jongg in the book-- somehow I had remembered more. The story does bob and weave a bit--it is told from the alternating viewpoints of four different mother/daughter sets. But this time it felt like it held together better. I was also more sympathetic with the mother's now--they are difficult; but I understand better now how much trauma they went through with WWII and with immigration. Now what shines out is the love for their daughters, and their fierce desire for their daughters to have a better life.

The book is well written; funny and tender. The end made me cry.

>221 banjo123: How great it was even better on the reread. I enjoyed this the first time I read it. Now I think I like it best for being one of the books I spoke with a friend's mum about whose family came from China. No big confidences, just the feeling that she was pleasantly surprised that I had read and enjoyed books about that migration experience. Due a reread I think.

Although about Japanese women, also makes me think about Julie Otsuka's beautiful writing. Similar awareness of how women's experience of the move west is distinctive, and worth acknowledgement.

"I am reading Plainsong; and enjoying it."

Swoons uncontrollably...

Great comments on THe Joy Luck Club, which I also loved. Maybe it's time for a reread -- or I could pick up another Tan book that I haven't read.

>222 charl08: Yes, it's really a good book. Mrs. Banjo is reading it now (it's for a book group that we are in together) and having the same experience.

I have Julie Otsuko on my to-read list. It's nice to have another vote on her favor.

>223 msf59: Yes, Mark…it was good! Review to follow.

>224 BLBera: Beth, Tan is a favorite of mine. I have her latest on my to-read pile, so maybe this will motivate me to read it.

Reading update: I did finish Plainsong, which was really good. I was trying to read Andrea Levy's A Small Island, but could not get into it. I think it was the timing--it seems well written but I wasn't following the plot. So now I am reading Muriel Spark's Memento Mori; which I started out loving (so funny!) but now it's dragging a bit. But it's not too long in any case. A friend lent me the Boys in the Boat , so I think that is next, and then White is for Witching for the Lesbian book group.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda! I hope Plainsong HIT you in the sweet spot, like it did me.

Sorry, the Small Island didn't float your boat. i loved that one. And speaking of boats, I was also crazy about The Boys in the Boat. I hope it works for you.

>225 banjo123: Rhonda it is a bad sign if a book the length of Memento Mori is to drag for you!

> 226 Plainsong is definitely a sweet book. I think, actually, Small Island will be good if I read it another time. And hooray for another Boys in the Boat vote.

>227 PaulCranswick: You have a point, Paul. But she is awfully funny at times, so I am hoping that I get back in the groove.

I am having a quiet, rainy weekend here in Portland. Right now I am supposed to be vacuuming, but our vacuum is broken. :)

Feeling sad, today, for Paris and for the world.

>225 banjo123: Oh how I did love The Boys in the Boat -- hope you do too.

>229 RebaRelishesReading:- Thanks for stopping by, Reba! I am really looking forward to the read--the 1936 Olympics were so interesting.

Plainsong by Kent Haruf

Here we have the interconnected stories of a group of people in small town Colorado. it's a very American feeling story of hope and endurance, that echoes classic American authors such as Willa Cather. The central character, Guthrie, deals with a mentally ill wife, the dissolution of his marriage, the needs of his two young sons, and the demands and intricacies of his job as a high-school teacher. It's a complicated story, but simply told.

All the pictures of the Eiffel tower on the web, reminded me that Gustave Eiffel was instrumental in building the Statue of Liberty as well, showing that the struggle for freedom is global.

Here is a picture I found on the web, of the original presentation of the Statue in France, with the Eiffel tower in the background.

Timing is important for me, too, Rhonda. I loved Memento Mori, one of my favorite Sparks.

I have Memento Mori on my TBR shelves; I'll be interested in your comments, Rhonda.
And I hope you enjoy The Boys in the Boat. I loved it but living in Seattle and working at the U-Dub may have influenced my experience.

>232 banjo123: That is a lovely photo, surprisingly moving to see.

Thanks for stopping by Beth and Ellen! I did finish Memento Mori; It didn't work that well for me, but I could see that it might work better in a different mood.

I just started White is for Witching; so far really liking it. My reading is slower than I'd like this year, but I believe I WILL get to 75, at any rate.

Memento Mori by Muriel Spark

THis is a book about older people, behaving badly, and trying to avoid confronting their mortality. It's refreshing to read a book that treats older people as full characters, full of passions and petty jealousies. THere are a lot of super-funny bits in the book and I did enjoy it in parts, but at other times I got tired of the premise, and I never really bonded with any of the characters. So, for me, this was not bad, but not great either. 3 1/2 stars.

Poem of the day:

Forbearance

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hast thou named all the birds without a gun?
Loved the wood-rose, and left it on its stalk?
At rich men’s tables eaten bread and pulse?
Unarmed, faced danger with a heart of trust?
And loved so well a high behavior,
In man or maid, that thou from speech refrained,
Nobility more nobly to repay?
O, be my friend, and teach me to be thine

>237 banjo123: Lovely poem, Rhonda. Thanks for posting!

Ooh I've not read White is for Witching. I usually avoid fairy tale linked things, but recent experience with Fredrik Backman and Ishiguro means I should probably change that. (And I love the cover)

Thanks for stopping by, Ellen and Charlotte! I hope that everyone (who celebrates) is having a great thanksgiving. We are doing our meal on Saturday; to better accommodate various family members. So today was great--we drove up to Mt Hood for some cross-country skiing. Now I am pretty exhausted--going to try to get some reading in, and then we are going to go see "The Martian."

Your Thanksgiving Week plans sound great, Rhonda! Have a wonderful time.

Happy Thanksgiving, Rhonda. What Darryl says; your plans DO sound great.

Glad you enjoyed Plainsong, Rhonda! I've enjoyed all of Kent Haruf's books. I hope you can find a copy of The Mammy . It is was an interesting and fun but sad read. But there is definitely humour in there too. Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi, Rhonda! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family. Mt. Hood is gorgeous!!

Darryl, Beth, Deb and Mark! Thanks for the thanksgiving greetings. So far, a great weekend. We had our dinner tonight, and I am still happily full.

I finished White is for Witching -- will review later. It was good, but so sad. Now I am reading Slade House with is spooky-good. In other news, we LOVED the movie of "The Martian." If you haven't seen it, hop to it. Definitely a feel-good flick. One of my favorite lines:

I love the line! I just got the ebook from the library, so I'll be reading it at the gym over the next couple of weeks. I might have to see the movie before I finish the book...

>246 BLBera: The book is better than the movie, but the movie was still tons of fun.

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi

This book is part horror and part adolescent mental illness. Oyeyemi is a good writer, and the book is told in alternating voices, including the voice of the house itself. There is a focus on the intergenerational nature of mental illness; colonialism and eating disorders.

I liked the book, but, with a 19 year old daughter, I still have a hard time reading books about teenagers who are falling apart.

Hi Rhonda--Glad to hear Rhonda JR is doing well and that the trip was so much fun. I agree with your assessment of The Martian--glad I read/saw it. Happy belated birthday and Thanksgiving. : )

Best line of the movie - and the new motto for our spacecraft team!

>249 Berly: and >250 drneutron: Thanks Kim and Jim! Yes, fun book, fun movie... and "science the shit out of this" was a great line.

I can't believe it's December already! My reading continues to be slower than usual, but I think I will eke 75 out of the year. I just finished Slade House; which was really good, even though horror is not generally my thing. Now I am looking forward to Bone Clocks.

Wasn't The Martian fantastic! I've heard of some people not liking it because of all the science, but most everyone just loves it.

Happy Friday, Rhonda! Hooray for Slade House & The Martian! The Bone Clocks is a bit more work, but it still comes recommended by Marky-Mark.

I'm glad you saw the film of The Martian. It remains on my list of movies to see (I really wish we went to the cinema more often!).

>252 The_Hibernator: So far everyone I have talked to likes it. Fun, fun, fun!

>253 msf59: Hooray for Marky-Mark recommendations. I really liked Cloud Atlas, so I have hopes for Bone Clocks as well.

>254 EBT1002: Ellen, it's a great, escapist, feel-good movie. Perfect for this weather!

Speaking of weather, it is ridiculously rainy here. Mrs. Banjo and I just got back from a weekend trip to ... Disneyland. Not our usual stomping grounds, but Mrs. B had won a trip, and we had a great time. It was very hard to come home. At Disney, it was sunny, warm, full of music and sparkly lights. Here it is dark, rainy, and no one calls us "Princesses". I love Portland, but....

I did get some reading done--have finished The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker (really good, but tough topic) and started on The Luminaries. (Compelling, but confusing)

Hi, Rhonda! I heard you guys have had a bit of rain. How are you holding up?

I loved The Luminaries but I remember it was'nt always a smooth or easy read. Good luck.

Our news said yesterday was the rainiest day on record in Portland.

Stay dry.

>258 RebaRelishesReading: Wow! And I thought it rained in Portland constantly anyway?

Sandbags out Rhonda. Have a lovely weekend. xx

>256 msf59: Yes, Mark--I like The Luminaries, but I am not sure what's happening, and it's not a fast read. We have had a crazy amount of rain, but I am managing. Our basement leaked a little, but didn't flood, and we haven't lost power or anything.

>258 RebaRelishesReading: Yes, Reba, and flooding with clogged sewers, etc; though, as I said, we are managing OK.

>259 BLBera: Thanks, Beth--I will try!

>260 PaulCranswick: Paul, it does rain a lot here, but not usually quite so heavy.

Let's see... the week was busy and wet. I seem to have caught a cold, so trying to lay low this weekend. Mrs. Banjo and I are very excited, because next week Banjo, jr comes home for the winter break. We can't wait to see her!

I haven't been getting much reading done, and I need to buckle down to reach the 75 goal. I also have a couple of reviews to write, and one of them is on an ER book Slade House, so I need to get to it.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda! Hope you are staying afloat and I hope you are feeling better!

Slade House is a quick read. You should buzz through that one.

Hey Mark-- my cold continues to be annoying. I had to skip all my social events this weekend. I am making reading progress, however!

Slade House by David Mitchell

This is sort of a para-normal horror story, about a series of mysteries disappearances at Slade House. Normally this wouldn't be my thing, but I loved the clever plot; the characters, and the setting was loads of fun. The writing is really good, also!
One thing I appreciate about Mitchell, is that his books often feature strong women characters.

The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker

This is the second book in the Regeneration series, and in my opinion, it lives up to the promise of the first. It's a psychological thriller and a historical novel, focusing on class struggle, homophobia and the anti-war movement in England during WWI. The characters are strong and the plot is compelling.

On thing I noted, is that the story is told entirely by male characters. It would be interesting to talk to Pat Barker and find out why she chose not to use a female voice in this story.

And now I am looking forward to the third in the series; Ghost Road

Happy weekend Rhonda! Good to see you're getting some good books read! :) That's always a nice ending to the week.

Hi Rhonda - I've had my eye on the Regeneration trilogy for a while. Maybe 2016?

Thanks for stopping by Rachel and Beth!

I think you'd like the Regeneration trilogy, Beth. Also, I think that the books stand on their own.

Busy week here! Banjo, jr got home late Tuesday night; we've been busy with a whirlwind of holiday activity and other life tasks. It has been really nice! The most entertaining thing that happened was Friday night. We had friends over for dessert; the house was all nicely clean and decorated, tree sparkly, candles lit, a little fire in the fireplace. We were sitting in the living room chatting. Then suddenly a bad smell; and Willi that cat streaked by. Turns out that he had sat too close to a candle, and scorched his fur. (Yes, our cats are badly behaved and he was on a table he should not have been on.) Poor baby has a bald spot now. We got all settled, but then the fire started smoking, and a few minutes later the smoke alarm went off. Up to remove the batteries, open the windows. The chimney must be plugged somewhere...we will have to get it cleaned.

Luckily our friends rolled with it; and we had a lovely evening just the same. Poor Willi, however, was a bit wound up afterwards.

Reading-wise: I haven't finished anything this week but I am CLOSE to finishing The Luminaries. I have to read it today, because my library loan ends either tonight or tomorrow. That will put me at 73 books. I have a few days off after Christmas, so am hoping to complete the 75 then. But the next two up are Boys in the Boat and Wolf Hall; both chunksters; so I will really have to buckle down.

Happy Sunday, Rhonda. Nice to see you check in. Did you enjoy The Luminaries?

Good luck with "Boys" and Wolf Hall. I was a big fan of both.

Stopping by to get caught up with things here since my last visit. Sorry to see you didn't enjoy Momento Mori. That is one of my favorite Sparks read but I can understand how the premise can wear on a reader.

We just finally got around to seeing The Martian last week. Good movie, but I liked the book better. ;-)

>269 banjo123: - Poor Willi! Would it be safe to say the cat has probably now figured out that candles can be evil?

>270 msf59: Yes! The Luminaries was good. A little long and conceptual, but great characters. And I learned about the New Zealand gold rush.

>271 lkernagh: Hi Lori! I might try Sparks another time....

Willi is recovered, I think. I am not sure he will have learned from the experience, however.

Loved The Luminaries, one of those books I resent not having my own copy (read the library copy). I think if I was in your place I'd be filling with two quick novellas or light reads. I've got The Boys in the Boat but must get on and read it.

^And may your New Year be filled with books and bookish friends!

Hooray for Willi!

Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas, Rhonda!

Wishing you and the Banjo family the very best this holiday season, Rhonda!

Have a lovely holiday, Rhonda

Merry Christmas Rhonda!

Happy holidays, Rhonda!!

Charlotte, Mark, Ellen, Lori, Paul, Rachel, Reba and Kim -- thanks for the Christmas greetings! We had a lovely time---we spent the last few days at the Oregon coast with my sisters, and brother-in-law. Walks on the beach between rain bursts, puzzles, games, movies and reading. Oh, and lots of good food.

I am still reading Boys in the Boat- hoping to finish tonight or tomorrow. And sometime soon I will start my 2016 thread!

Reading Update! I have completed 75! And not quite down to the wire--I finished The Boys in the Boat on Monday, and last night finished The Vegetarian--a short ERC novel by a South Korean woman. So now I can go to the movies tonight, instead of staying home and reading.

Quick reviews: The Boys in the Boat was good, but I thought it could have gone a bit deeper. The descriptions of the Washington rowers was interestoing. I enjoyed reading more about the 1936 Olympics. Somehow I hadn't realized that Avery Brundage was involved back then.... It makes me want to read that book about the 1972 Olympics.

The Vegetarian was good, but sad and uncomfortable to read. It's about a South Korean woman dealing with sexism; abuse; and mental illness. I thought that the author did a good job of showing mental illness and anorexia as a result of powerlessness.

Congrats on making the 75 mark with room to spare!

Congrats!

Congrats on 75 and Happy New Year.

Thanks Ellen, Jim and Beth! And happy new year to everyone. My 2016 thread is here.

Congrats on completing 75 books!

>287 lkernagh:- Thanks!