Joanne (coppers) Reads in 2015 - Part 4

Hi and welcome to what I'm sure will be my final thread of the year. How did the year go by so fast? It's hard to believe that summer is nearly over and soon winter will set in....I plan on enjoying what's left of the warm weather!

How about some high altitude critters to start the thread - the first two photos are mountain goats, and the third is a field of rocks and Bighorn Sheep. They all live up on Mt Evans and do a great job blending into their surroundings.



I still love this list of favorites from last year so I'm including it again...

My 2014 favorites:

Doc by Mary Doria Russell
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
Hell's Bottom, Colorado by Laura Pritchett
Full Body Burden by Kristen Iversen
Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast
Stoner by John Williams
Lucky Us by Amy Bloom
The Long Way Home by Louise Penny
Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood
TransAtlantic by Colum McCann

Favorite new series: Andrea Camilleri's Montalbano series.

January 2015
1. Stars Go Blue by Laura Pritchett 4.5 stars OTS #1 ♥
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan OTS #2
3. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (audiobook) by Alexander McCall Smith
4. The Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Other Stories by Carson McCullers
5. The Scent of the Night by Andrea Camilleri 4 stars OTS #3
6. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 5 stars ♥
7. The Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill 3.5 stars

February 2015
8. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 3.75 stars
9. Dept of Speculation by Jenny Offill 3.75 stars
10. Mama's Bank Account by Kathyrn Forbes 4.5 stars OTS #4♥
11. The Men Who United the States by Simon Winchester 4 stars (audiobook)
12. West of Sunset by Stewart O'Nan 4 stars
13. The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson 4 stars
14. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote 4.5 stars

March 2015
15. Death Without Company by Craig Johnson 4 stars
16. Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams 4.5 stars OTS #5
17. Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat 4.5 stars
18. The Merry Misogynist by Colin Cotterill (audiobook) 4 stars
19. Yes Please by Amy Poehler's (audiobook) 3.75 stars
20. Dead Wake by Erik Larson 4.75 stars ♥ OTS #6
21. Love Songs From a Shallow Grave by Colin Cotterill (audiobook) 3.5 stars
22. The Room by Jonas Karlsson 4 stars

April 2015
23. Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson (audio) 3.75 stars
24. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler 4.25 stars OTS #7
25. Fire in the Hole by Elmore Leonard 4 stars
26. Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt 3.75 stars
27. Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson (audio) 3.5 stars
28. This House of Sky by Ivan Doig 5 stars, OTS #8 ♥
29. Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell 5 stars OTS #9 ♥
30. A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean (audio)

May 2015
31. World Gone By by Dennis Lehane
32. Love Life by Rob Lowe (audio)
33. First Degree by David Rosenfelt
34. The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson (audio)
35. Bury the Lead by David Rosenfelt
36. Sky Bridge by Laura Pritchett 4.25 stars OTS #10

June 2015
37. The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths 4 stars
38. The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys 3.5 stars OTS #11
39. Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson (audio) 4 stars
40. A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson 4.75 stars OTS #12 ♥
41. Rounding the Mark by Andrea Camilleri 4 stars OTS #13
42. Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson (audio) 3.5 stars

July 2015
43. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 4.75 stars OTS #14 ♥
44. Mind Scrambler by Chris Grabenstein 3.5 stars OTS #15
45. Heart Earth by Ivan Doig 4 stars OTS #16
46. This is Paradise by Kristiana Kahakauwila 4 stars OTS #17
47. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami 3.75 stars
48. The Shore by Sara Taylor 4.5 stars

August 2015
49. Mrs. Hemingway by Naomi Wood 3.75 stars
50. As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson (audio) 3.5 stars
51. Captive Paradise by James L Haley (audio) 4 stars
52. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby 4.75 stars OTS #18
53. This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz 4 stars OTS #19
54. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick (audio) OTS #20
55. Academy Street by Mary Costello
56. Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell (audio, reread) 4.5 stars
57. Housekeeping vs the Dirt by Nick Hornby 3.5 stars

September 2015
58. Circling the Sun by Paula McLain LTER, 4.5 stars
59. The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri 4 stars OTS #21
60. The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith (audio)
61. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny 4.5 stars OTS #22
62. More Baths, Less Talking by Nick Hornby 4 stars

October 2015
63. The Paper Moon by Andrea Camilleri OTS #23
64. The Martian by Andy Weir OTS #24
65. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
66. Missoula by Jon Krakauer 4.25 stars
67. All the Wild that Remains by David Gessner (audio)
68. Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig 4.25 stars
69. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys OTS #25

November 2015
70. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman 3 stars
71. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner 5 stars ♥
72. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith (audio) 3.75 stars
73. Slade House by David Mitchell 4.5 stars

December 2015
74. Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart
75. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
76. A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson (audio)

OK, that's all I need.

My current reads are the latest Gamache, The Nature of the Beast, which I just started, and the audio of Alexander McCall Smith's The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe. I also have a library copy of Adam Johnson's Fortune Smiles that I hope to get to before it needs to be returned.

58. Circling the Sun by Paula McLain (LTER)

A wonderful book to get lost in, Circling the Sun is the fictionalized story of Beryl Markham who is best known for being the first woman to fly solo, east to west, across the Atlantic. But this famous flight is where Paula McLain’s book ends. Rather than being a tale of a 1930s era aviatrix, this is the story of a young girl who is abandoned by her mother and raised by her horse trainer father in colonial British East Africa, later known as Kenya. She falls in and out of love, most famously with Karen Blixen’s lover, Denys Finch Hatton, and endures several scandals. Beryl resists the constraints of society, becoming the first woman in Kenya licensed to train race horses. She was also the youngest. And this at a time when women in England were still riding sidesaddle. She was nothing if not a wild child and she lived a remarkable life. She goes through a lot in her young life - the book ends when Markham is only 29 years old, before she made her historic flight at 34. McLain’s descriptions of Kenya and the high society that made it their home and their playground round out the book.

Somewhere in the middle it bogged down a bit for me - maybe I cared a little less about her love life than the life she was living. All in all, an entertaining read. Fans of McLain’s The Paris Wife will love this one, too. 4.5 stars

Hi Joanne - Happy new thread.
After two LT recommendations for the McLain, it goes onto the list. I just finished the latest Penny. I'll watch for your comments.

59. The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri

This is the eighth book in the Commissario Montalbano series. This one involves the kidnapping of a young woman. The books all have a great sense of place (Sicily) and a wonderful sense of humor. I also love how the translator includes some notes at the end to explain a few things that a non-Italian audience might not understand - sometimes food, sometimes politics. 4 stars

Hi Beth - Thanks! I really liked Circling the Sun - I loved getting lost in her world. I hope to get a small chunk, at least, of the Penny read tomorrow. Everyone seems to love it and so far so good!

Happy new thread, Joanne! I love the mountain goats and bighorn sheep.

I'm listening to one of the Inspector Montalbano books now - they're so much fun!

Happy new thread, Joanne. I did the audio of Handsome Man's Delux Cafe a week or so ago and enjoyed it. The Nature of the Beast should be waiting for me when I get home. I'll be thinking of you when I read it.

Happy new thread, Joanne!

Happy New Thread, Joanne! Love the High Altitude Critter Toppers!

Glad you enjoyed Circling the Sun. I hope to get to it, in the coming months.

Happy new thread Joanne! Love the goats/sheep pictures. I see you are continuing to enjoy the Inspector Montalbano books. I need to get back to the series. Maybe some time this fall.

>11 tymfos: Hi Terri Thanks! Is it Grover Gardner who narrates the Montalbano series? I imagine he'd be pretty good. I've been tempted to try the audios but I like reading them so I'll probably stick with that. Maybe if I want to reread, audio would be the way to go.

>12 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, Nice to see you! I love Lisette Lecat's narration. She adds a lot to the books. I still haven't had a chance to read more than a chapter or two of the Penny, I need to get to it!

>13 scaifea: Good morning, Amber!

>14 msf59: Hi Mark, Thanks! You'll like Circling the Sun.

>15 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Thanks! I was tempted to just pick up the next Montalbano book, they're a bit like popcorn and I'm glad to have so many to look forward to!

Happy Labor Day!

>16 Copperskye: Yes, Grover Gardner, and he does a great job.

>7 Copperskye: Out of Africa is one of my favorite books, and favorite movie. Circling the Sun is on my tbr pile. When I tried to reserve it from the local library, I discovered taht there is a long list of people ahead of me of people who want to read this. Thanks for your excellent review!

I gave Circling the Sun 4.5 stars too. I also felt that the relationship part was the only thing that could have been edited down. It was sort of incongruous to the girl power plot that helped make the book so exciting.

>17 tymfos: I'm sure he does! I'll have to give one of them a try sometime.

>18 Whisper1: I think you'll really like Circling the Sun, Linda. Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen is treated very well in this book and comes across as a sympathetic character. I haven't read Out of Africa but I have it and plan to. I saw Out of Africa in the movies years and years ago and plan on watching it again. I love when one book leads to another!

>19 PaperbackPirate: You're absolutely right, Pirate, and I love how you put that! There she was, as much as possible, shaping her own life - from the dead mamba snake to getting her training license, and yet with men, that all fell apart.

Great review of Circling the Sun. I have it on my list. I really liked her autobiography - West With the Night. I also love Out of Africa, and was amused to see Denys Finch Hatton appear there. I don't know why authors seem to think making the love story central is a good idea. Usually it works better as a secondary thing. IMHO. ;)

Stopping in - love the bighorns in the toppers. I did read the autobio ages ago. Circling the Sun is tempting!

>20 Copperskye: So often when great books are made into movies, the outcome is not positive in that the directors play loose with the facts of the book. In my opinion, there are only two books that when translated into movies do justice to the book and movie. Out of Africa and To Kill a Mockingbird are the examples of wonderful adherence to the book.

Your opening images are wonderful!!!!

All good wishes for a lovely day.

>21 nittnut: Well, you know, Jenn, historical romances are pretty darn popular. :) That part of the story could have been toned down a bit, especially considering there was plenty of other interesting stuff going on in her life. I need to catch up on my African memoirs.

>22 sibylline: Hi Lucy, She lived a fascinating life and the book was pretty good!

>23 Whisper1: Those are two wonderful movies you mentioned, Linda! I'm going to watch Out of Africa again since it's been decades since I've seen it.

I'm so proud of my little Skye! A few weeks ago she was accepted into the Pet Therapy program at Littleton Hospital and tonight was her training night and she did awesome! Frankly, I was a little worried about how she would do since she tends to get nervous and hides behind me in new situations. But she was totally grounded and friendly and took everything and everybody in stride. I think she is going to do great following in her big sister Copper's footsteps. :)

Oh, I do love mountain goats. That they walk in the places they do, it's one of the miracles on this planet.

I have both Stoner and Hell's Bottom, Colorado on the TBR shelves and I see that they are on your list of faves from last year. I need to get to them.

I'm so pleased to hear that Skye has been accepted into the Pet Therapy program! Not surprised as I find just looking at her photos to be therapeutic!
"...she was totally grounded and friendly and took everything and everybody in stride. I think she is going to do great following in her big sister Copper's footsteps." Awesome. We all know that Copper is looking down at her with pride, as well.

Congrats to Skye!!

Happy New Thread, Joanne. I love the goat topper.
Great news about Skye. Congrats.

Lovely to hear about Skye's training in pet therapy. I'm sure she'll be much appreciated. What a great scheme.

>25 EBT1002: Thank you, Ellen! I'm so proud of her, she's really starting to come into her own. Stoner and Hell's Bottom are both excellent, albeit dark, reads. I noticed that my son had it on his tbr list on Goodreads and told him, as a new teacher, perhaps he should hold off a bit on that one...

>26 scaifea: Thanks Amber!

>27 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara!

>28 charl08: Thanks Charlotte, it's a very popular program.

>24 Copperskye: How wonderful! I think Skye will do a great job as a therapy dog! She was so calm, gentle and interested in Nickel that time they met, without being overly interested. If you know what I mean. Congrats to her and you!

Hi Mary, Thank you! I do know what you mean - that was how she was last night, too. Friendly, but not overly so and that's really how they should be.

Oh so exciting that dog Skye has been accepted into a Pet Therapy program! How exiting for you and Skye. As much as I love our Poppy dog, I'm afraid she is the sort that would nip fingers and growl if she was approached by too many people at once. She needs a fairly consistent , predictable routine and suffers with a bit of fear - aggression. But she has come a long way in the nearly 2 years that we have had her.

Hi Deb, thanks! I hope Skye is happy about it - we'll see, I guess. I know she'll like going to the cafeteria for frozen yogurt while we're at the hospital! No, it doesn't sound like Poppy would be a good candidate, but it sounds like she's doing wonderfully under your care and training. Fear aggression is a difficult issue.

Our library's annual book sale is this weekend and I ducked out of work at lunchtime to take a quick look. I wish I had had more time, but I came home with 7 paperbacks:

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, never read it, loved Jane Eyre, lovely cover.
Crusoe's Daughter by Jane Gardam, I seem to be collecting Gardam's books, I know Anne recommended this one not too long ago
Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat, I read Claire of the Sea Light recently and loved it
How to Be Good by Nick Hornby, I just read High Fidelity and loved it
Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, A find! one of two or three in the series that I didn't own.
To Each His Own by W. S. Sciascia NYRB Edition, looked interesting
If Morning Ever Comes by Anne Tyler, read ages ago, time for a reread

Happy Friday, Joanne! Hooray for a book haul!

Happy new thread, a late greeting! Good news about Skye. Greta Garbo is doing her best to be a happy, friendly being in our new 55 yo+ community. There are plenty of walkers and canes to be a little scary to a 20 lbs dog, but so far she has barked "hello" and wagged her tail. She does go to standing up on 2 legs to get a good smell😃 but does not seem to threaten folks stability. People seem as happy to welcome her to the community as they have welcomed me. Dogs just make hearts happy don't they?

Nice haul, Joanne.

Great news about Skye; this will be a wonderful experience.

Yes, nice haul! Happy weekend! Got any fun plans? Besides reading?

>33 Copperskye: Nice book haul, Joanne. I enjoyed Wide Sargasso Sea. I like it when authors take a relatively minor character from a classic and expound on their experience. My favorite along these lines is still Mary Reilly.

>33 Copperskye: Well done on the library sale, Joanne. I could do with a few of those here in Malaysia, but then again, a library would be nice!

Have a lovely Sunday.

I'm late to the party, but please give Skye a hug and a kiss from me for becoming a Pet Therapy dog! I would have loved to have that beautiful girl come visit me any of the times I was in hospital.

>24 Copperskye: Yeah for Skye! I agree with Ellen, Wide Sargasso Sea is a great book.

Happy Sunday to you!

>34 msf59: Hiya Mark, Where did the weekend go already? Happy nearly Monday!

>35 maggie1944: Hi Karen, Greta Garbo sounds like a real little charmer! Little dogs get away with standing on two legs but it's a problem when big dogs do it. Dogs are so good at helping you meet your new neighbors - they're the perfect ice breakers and it's always good to know who the fellow dog lovers are. :)

>36 BLBera: Thanks Beth!

>37 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, Thanks, fun weekend, too short. And the weather was perfect!

>38 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, I'm glad to hear you liked Wide Saragasso Sea. I'm not familiar with Mary Reilly, but my favorite along those lines is Ahab's Wife.

>39 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, what a nice surprise! I probably shouldn't take our wonderful library system for granted but I guess I do. We're lucky to have it!

>40 rosalita: Hi Julia, Thanks, will do!

>41 Whisper1: Hi Linda, Oh wonderful! I'll read that one soon! I hope your Sunday was a great one.

Joanne, if you're familiar with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I recommend Mary Reilly. It's quite wonderful.

I have a copy of Ahab's Wife on my bedside table. A friend loaned it to me. She and her husband named their daughter Una after a character in that novel, so I really need to shoehorn it in one of these days. That, or give it back to her! Reading your comment above makes me think I need to find a way to fit it in sooner rather than later.

>43 EBT1002: Oh, of course, Mary Reilly! I'll check that one out. I hope you can get to Ahab's Wife before you return it, Ellen - it's a wonderful story and Una is such a great character.

Hmm - I have a copy of Ahab's Wife around somewhere, too...

>45 BLBera: Well, I think you know what I'll say about that, Beth, give it a try! I think you'll like it.

60. The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith (audio)

This is the 15th book in the #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and you'd have to be a real fan to still be interested at this point. Sweet and humorous with a dose of homespun philosophy, it's as if Andy Griffith was plopped down in Botswana. Lesette Lecat's narration makes it all the more fun and bearable.

I skipped a couple in the series because the audio versions weren't readily available at my library. I may try harder to find them.

I'm reluctantly admitting to looking forward to the next installment when it's published - (The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine).

Our local pool held their annual "Puppy Paddle" last weekend. All the dogs had fun.

Meanwhile, Boomer had fun with a box.

Great photos, Joanne.

Aw, adorable!

Cats in boxes and dogs in water. Make me smile. :)

>47 Copperskye: I'll admit to being a big fan...especially since our visit to Botswana in 2013. They're such sweet books.

Happy weekend, Joanne.

I love the new pics of Skye and Boomer!

Despite my little hang-up I also liked Circling the Sun a lot. I definitely recommend Marvel and a Wonder when you get a chance. It has the same beauty of Eventide.

Great photos, Joanne! Isn't it amazing how much fun cats can manage to have with a plain old box?

>24 Copperskye: I'm sure Copper would be proud of Sky, too. I'm proud of both of you. I know if I were I. The hospital. I would love to have a friendly visit from a dog and her handler. Oh, I love that juxtaposition of Skye at the pool and Boomer in the box. We all know what's fun for us, don't we? Btw, I am another fan of Ahab's wife.

>50 Ameise1: >51 scaifea: Thanks Barbara and Amber!

>52 nittnut: And all was right with the world... :)

>53 RebaRelishesReading: They are very sweet books and make me want to go to Botswana!

>54 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! I hope your weekend was wonderful!

>55 PaperbackPirate: Thanks Pirate! I definitely need to try Marvel and a Wonder with that comparison!

>56 tymfos: Thanks Terri! I had to take the box away after she started terrorizing Skye by jumping out at her every time she'd walk into the kitchen and then she'd run back into the box.

>57 Donna828: Thank you so much, Donna! The patients and staff get a lot out of visits but so do I. Yay for Ahab's Wife! I may do a reread.

Hi Joanne! I'm catching up and just have to say that Krik? Krak! is one of my favorites! I hope you enjoy it!

>59 porch_reader: I'm so glad to hear that, Amy! Thanks for stopping by and catching up!

>58 Copperskye: If you get a chance, do it!! Botswana is an amazing place in several ways.

>61 RebaRelishesReading: I need to add Botswana to my "TBV" list!



61. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny

It's hard for me to believe that this is the 11th book in the Gamache series and like the #1 Ladies Detective series, if you're reading this far into the series, you're a fan. This one seemed a little darker than most of the others - not as much witty conversations or talk of food, but the story was very good and I was surprised to read that it was based on a true event. I'm happy that Ms Penny is working on the next one. She has me caring about her characters and wondering what they'll be up to next. 4.5 stars

If you ever have a chance to join her when she is doing a book tour, grab it. She is delightful, and a fun person to see.

Howdy, Joanne! Safely back from Booktopia. I have only read the first 5 Three Pines books. I better get crackin'! This seems to be a very consistent series.

I am listening to A Spool of Blue Thread. It works very well on audio. I did not expect it to be this ambitious. Nice surprise.

I thought I had pre-ordered The Nature of the Beast but it hasn't come so guess I didn't. I'm about to run errands...guess the bookstore is on the list.

Hi Joanne! I love the thought of Skye being a therapy dog -- warms my heart!

Love the photo of Boomer, too. My cat can't stay away from boxes. There's a particular favorite of Maya's that is falling to shreds, but I don't have the heart to get rid of it.

>63 maggie1944: I'm still kicking myself for missing her when she came through Denver a couple of years ago, Karen. I don't remember why I didn't go but it won't happen again. I love her newsletter and fb posts. And she has a golden retriever....:)

>64 msf59: Welcome back, Mark! I'm glad you had fun at Booktopia. I really liked, but didn't love A Spool of Blue Thread. Since I recently reread Homesick Restaurant, I'm confident in saying it is my favorite Tyler, but I'm still rooting for it winning the Booker.

>65 RebaRelishesReading: I'll be waiting for your thoughts on it, Reba!

Current reads are The Paper Moon, More Baths Less Talking, and on audio, All the Wild That Remains, Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West.

>66 AMQS: Hi Anne! Thanks, it can be very rewarding! When we go to Costco and bring home a box we always leave it out for her for a day or two. She likes to play in them and chew on them.

Glad you liked The Nature of the Beast, Joanne.

I love your goats at the top of the thread, too.

I've got The Nature of the Beast in the queue. I have to read one my daughter checked out for me first, and I admit, it's getting a bit of a skim. :)

>67 Copperskye: Bookstore didn't have it (really!?!) so I ordered in on Amazon. Should be here tomorrow. I'm trying to finish Middlemarch on audio and it's due back in a couple of days so may have to wait 'til next week to get to The Nature of the Beast

Hi, Joanne! Fun pics of Skye and Boomer. I had a water dog once, and happens we had a backyard pool. Taffy was in it more often than I was. Nickel loves boxes too, though her pleasure is to tear them apart.

Looks like you're going to have another great weekend, weather-wise. Doing anything special? Fall color is supposed to be great this weekend up in the central and southern mountains.

>69 BLBera: I was glad to hear that she is working on the next book, Beth!
>
>70 nittnut: You're a good mom, Jenn!

>71 RebaRelishesReading: Well that's surprising, Reba. It's worth the wait.

>72 Storeetllr: We would have a soggy dog if we had a pool in the yard. I'd like it though. Skye would be in heaven. I love this weather! I think we'll take the boat out one last time tomorrow and then we might go up to Ft Collins on Sunday. We were in Breck last weekend and took the dirt road over Boreas Pass. It was gorgeous!





These were taken on Kenosha Pass.

On Boreas Pass. Golden aspens and impatient golden dog.

62. More Baths, Less Talking: Notes from the Reading Life of a Celebrated Author Locked in Battle with Football, Family, and Time Itself by Nick Hornby

Nick Hornby's monthly 2010-11 columns from Believer Magazine. These are so fun to read, especially when he's writing about books I loved (Unfamiliar Fishes, Brooklyn) or want to read. He's also added to my wishlist. I love how each column starts with a list of books bought and books read. 4 stars

Hi Joanne. Gorgeous photos of the Aspens!

>73 Copperskye: Thanks for the vote of confidence, lol. I also have a determined daughter. She read the Septimus Heap books and decided that I should too. I read the first one, and it was pretty good, but I thought I'd stop there. She has been regularly checking out the next in the series to keep me going. I will admit that I have enjoyed them much more than I thought I would. But I really want to get to Three Pines. :)

Great photos, Joanne. You remind me that I still have an unread collection of Hornby's essays around here somewhere. I know - it's great that he lists the purchases. He'd fit right in on LT.

Beautiful photos, Joanne!

Golden dog and golden aspens! Wonderful!

Lovely pictures. What a blue sky...

>76 nittnut: Hi Jenn, How sweet of your daughter to want to share a favorite series with you and how wonderful that you're actually enjoying it! Three Pines will still be there!

>77 BLBera: Hi Beth, This morning I ordered Shakespeare Wrote for Money and The Polysyllabic Spree since I couldn't get them from any of my libraries. I'm looking forward to them.

>78 AMQS: Thanks Anne!

>79 Storeetllr: Thanks Mary!

>80 charl08: Thanks Charlotte! After a particularly wet and smokey/hazy summer, we are having a gorgeous September, complete with brilliant blue skies.

I've been leafing through Mary Oliver's Dog Songs for months/years and thought I'd share a poem. September tends to find me feeling a little melancholy and this one is pretty perfect.

School

You're like a little wild thing
that was never sent to school.
Sit, I say, and you jump up.
Come, I say, and you go galloping down the sand
to the nearest dead fish
With which you perfume your sweet neck.
It is summer.
How many summers does a little dog have?

Run, run, Percy.
This is our school.

- Mary Oliver, Dog Songs

Happy Sunday, Joanne. What gorgeous photos.

I love the poem, Joanne.

>82 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, and thanks for the apples!

>83 BLBera: I'm glad, Beth, me too!

And currently, my reads are:
The Paper Moon by Andrea Camilleri
The Martian by Andy Weir
All the Wild That Remains (audio) by David Gessner

I'm reading The Nature of the Beast now, and loving it. In fact, I think I'll go back to my comfy chair and read some more . . .

>85 tymfos: Enjoy Terri!

Hooray for reading, The Martian. Perfect timing, my friend. I am embarrassed to say how far behind I am on the Montalbano series, so I won't.

>81 Copperskye: What a lovely little poem, Joanne! Thanks for sharing it. "How many summers does a little dog have?" Not enough, that's for sure.

Hi Mark, I'm liking The Martian more than I thought I would. Especially once I decided to stop treating the "science stuff" like a pop quiz was imminent. I'm trying to finish The Paper Moon before I leave on vacation but not sure I will. I want to take the next one with me. I'm reading three books now and listening to another. I'm beyond my limit, I'm afraid...

Julia! Good to see you! I'm glad you liked the poem. I'm also glad that you're enjoying the Susan Hill series (did I see that on GR?, I think so). The next one I need to read is A Question of Identity.

Love the poem. How sweet. Hoping to see the Martian at the flicks soon.

Hi Charlotte, The movie looks like a good one! Now I just need to finish the book. I'm also looking forward to the movie of In the Heart of the Sea. I saw a preview for it last weekend and it looks pretty good, too.

I've talked up The Martian so much, my sis wants to go see it the day it comes out. Hope the film doesn't disappoint.

Hoping to get up to the mountains today to see the fall color before it goes away for another year. We'll see.

Hey Joanne and Mary and the rest of you Colorado peeps: Do you know about this?

Authors, Book Lovers to Slumber in Style at BookBar's BookBed

It's apparently a book-themed B&B connected to a bookstore in Denver. Sounds like the perfect place for me to stay when I come out for a visit, eh?

I have a lot of reading to do before I can see the movie, Mary! Did it open today?

Hi Julia, I've heard of the BookBar but I've never been there (not that I wouldn't want to go but it's a little out of the way for me). I didn't know about the BookBed, though. What a great idea! It sounds like the perfect place for you to stay and what a great reason for me to check it out!

What wonderful photos! And, I love the one of the dogs swimming! Lilly tends to be very shy around other dogs, but it would be fun to see her jump in the water.

>93 rosalita: That sounds like the perfect B&B!

Oooh, that does sound like a wonderful B&B. I may have to look into it and even try it sometime. If I do, I'll let you know, Julia!

Hi, Joanne! Hope you're have a lovely weekend. It's perfect fall weather!

ETA The Martian opened in theaters yesterday, but I was still too beat from our trip of the day before up to Rocky Mountain National Park to get out and see it. We'll probably go on Monday. A friend said it was great, so yay.

A book themed B and B sounds wonderful. What a great idea!

Hi Linda, Thanks! Not every dog takes to water. When Skye is near water, and knows she is allowed to swim in it, she has a laser focus on retrieving. Nothing else matters. Copper was the same way. It's in their DNA.

Hi Terri!

Hi Mary, I was supposed to have been in Myrtle Beach tonight but flying into Charleston seemed like a bad idea (storms, flooding) and the people we were supposed to have met there opted not to drive down from NJ. :( We rescheduled to a flight leaving Monday, but may still cancel.... I am blue..... The good news is we just got back from seeing The Martian and it was excellent!! Now I need to finish the book. Also, I also get exhausted when I drive up into the mountains for a day - altitude?

Hi Charlotte, Make some reservations! :)

Hi Joanne. Sorry your holiday plans have been delayed. Hopefully you will be able to go on Monday.
We saw the Martian this weekend as well. I was almost finished reading it, but it turned out to be OK. Lol. I finished the book this morning. It was such a great read. I loved the science geeky stuff. :)

Happy Sunday, Joanne! Cool & gloomy here in Chicagoland.

Glad you enjoyed The Martian film. I am also glad you are able to finish the book. It is such a refreshing hoot!

I will be catching the movie of The Martian this week sometime I think. We saw The Visit today and it made me realise how much I don't enjoy scary movies these days. Spent half the movie with my glasses off so I didn't have to suffer the jumps it gave us.

Have a lovely Sunday.

Joanne, I'm glad to know that The Martian movie is as good as the book. Well, you didn't exactly say that but "excellent" is a great recommendation. We plan to see the movie soon. We waited around too long for A Walk in the Woods and it has already moved on. It will probably by at the cheap theatre soon which is fine with me!

I hope you are able to make it to the east coast tomorrow. A friend in Virginia said the rain is finally fizzling out there. I guess the waves were very impressive during the heart of the storm. Enjoy your time away!

>100 nittnut: Hi Jenn, we decided not going would be the best thing to do. Friends that were driving down from NJ cancelled and flooding in South Carolina didn't seem to be improving, so here we are. We'll go next year. Glad you loved the movie, too!

>101 msf59: Hi Mark, Cold and gloomy here, too. I think I liked the movie version of The Martian better than the book (am I allowed to say that?). I liked the book well enough, but loved the movie. I was so surprised after getting home to see that it was 2 hrs, 20 min long. I never even looked at my watch.

>102 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, I hope you do get to see it soon! We saw some previews for some horror movies that I will never see (i.e Crimson Peak). The previews really throw all the scary stuff at you all at once. I used to like them, but lately, I don't know, they're a little much.

>103 Donna828: Hi Donna, If you're kicking yourself for missing A Walk in the Woods, stop. You did good. It was very disappointing. Wait until you can get it at Redbox, if at all. Don't miss The Martian, though, the bigger the screen, the better! I'm sorry I missed my beach vaca, but I feel very bad for the people in SC...

Sorry your SC trip didn't work out, Jo.

Saw The Martian today with my sis and had a different reaction than you. I loved it, yes, but not more than the book. Perhaps in part because they left out my favorite line (well, one of them), to wit: Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped. Still, I wasn't disappointed and want to see it again. (Did you cry toward the end, too ~ when Watney did?)

Hi Mary, This certainly is movie weather! I think seeing the movie before I actually finished the book influenced my enjoyment of the book. My excuse is that I thought I'd be on an airplane with a lot of reading time. That was a great line and yes, I got a little teary eyed, too! I thought it was the best movie I'd seen in a while and, like I mentioned to Mark, the movie just flew by.

I'll probably give the audio version a go some time.

Oh Joanne -- I saw this article in the New York Times and immediately thought of you and that cutie pie Skye. I hope you enjoy reading it if you haven't seen it already:

Pure Comfort and Joy in the Hospital, Delivered by Poodle

I hadn't seen that article, Julia, and thank you so much for sharing it with me! It made me cry. In a good way, of course.

On my side of the pet visit, it's difficult to articulate how meaningful and heartwarming a really great encounter with a patient (or staff) can be. It's great to read about a parent and their child's reaction.

Sorry your trip didn't work out. It's really no fun to go visit someplace in the middle of a natural disaster though. :(

I've got a friend who is raising money for an autism service dog for her son. He met the dog for the first time today. So sweet. Dogs are amazing.

>109 nittnut: Yeah, I know, Jenn. I'd just feel like I was in the way... Dogs are pretty amazing, I couldn't agree more. Those service dogs are in a class by themselves. They can be expensive though, I hope she gets a lot of help.



63. The Paper Moon by Andrea Camilleri

Another solidly entertaining installment (#9) in the Inspector Montalbano series. 3.75 stars

64. The Martian by Andy Weir

Even if you're not a sci-fi fan (and I'm not), give this one a try. It's a great survival story with a sense of humor. 4.25 stars

65. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I finally decided to read this one for Banned Book Week. Great YA book that deals with the universal and private struggles of inclusion, bullying, racism, friendship, alcoholism, death, and determination. I think it's a book every middle school and older kid should read, either openly or under the covers with a flashlight, if necessary. 4.5 stars

My current read is Missoula which I'm finding to be very harrowing. I need to pick out a nice light mystery as a counter balance. On audio, I'm nearly finished with All the Wild That Remains and enjoying it quite a bit.

Hi, Joanne! I have no problem, with you liking the film version of The Martian better than the book. The movie is that good. I am just glad you read it first.

I also loved Part-Time Indian. Have you read Lone Ranger yet? That one remains my favorite. Hard-hitting stuff.

I agree, Missoula is difficult and uncomfortable but I really think it is a Must Read. I am glad you decided to read it.

>112 Copperskye: Interesting - I felt like I wouldn't have a problem with a college age kid or maybe older HS age kid reading it - depending on the kid. I definitely don't see it as a middle school book. I think the themes are pretty mature. Not an advocate of book banning, but I would not like seeing this on a school reading list for my kids. (imho)

>113 msf59: Hi Mark! That was the first book of Alexie's I've read. I have Lone Ranger on my Kindle, bought a few months ago for a couple bucks. I remember when you and Deborah read it a while back. Missoula really is difficult, almost as much as Columbine was.

>114 nittnut: I understand your point, Jenn. I feel its positive messages and its tone out weigh any of its rougher aspects. My own son didn't read it until he was a college junior (for an adolescent lit class) so we never had a discussion about it. As an aside, he's teaching middle school now and has three parents who are objecting to their children having to read The Hobbit. We all have such different levels of tolerance!

Happy weekend, Joanne.

Thanks Barbara - I hope you had a great weekend, too!



66. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer

A deeply disturbing book. College athletes, young women, excessive alcohol, lawyers...all very sad and horrifying.

4.25 stars

Sounds disturbing. Kind of makes me glad my beautiful daughter skipped a regular college education.

Hi Joanne! I'm catching up again, and I'm glad to see that you liked The Martian - both book and movie. I'm hoping to see the movie soon. I've had my eye on Missoula, but I know that it will be a difficult read. Living in a Big 10 college town, I am all too aware of the horrible situations that can result from excessive alcohol use.

>118 Storeetllr: Yes, it was a difficult read, Mary, and I was anxious to finish it. Kind of unforgettable though.

>119 porch_reader: Hi Amy! The Martian was such a fun movie! I'll watch it again when it's released on DVD. Missoula was nearly as hard to read as Columbine but I think it's an important book. I know my son has it on his tbr list and I'm looking forward to discussing it with him, especially after hearing stories he has passed along to me from some of his female friends.

I was going to start Did You Ever Have a Family but after 20 pages I think I need something a little lighter so I'm going back to Last Bus to Wisdom. I also started Wide Sargasso Sea. I haven't really settled into any of them yet. I am enjoying the Mets game....

Joanne, I understand perfectly why you might wish to read a lighter book after reading Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town. I have not read that particular book, but after reading Did You Ever Have a Family, I wanted to read another book up for a literary prize, but then I needed something little lighter, so I am reading Pardonable Lies, which is the 3rd in a new to me mystery series of Maisie Dobbs. Best of luck settling into a book - I sometimes have trouble with that too.

>61 RebaRelishesReading: Just in case you missed it - the new Mary Oliver, Felicity, is out today! I can't wait to get my copy.

>coppers I have Last Bus To Wisdom on the shelf, but knowing it is the last Ivan Doig book, I'm saving it along with one or two others that I haven't read. I will miss Doig! But, I'm moving on to Wallace Stegner and diving back into Wendell Berry to compensate.

Don't save it! Read it now! (I'm not a Doig fanchick (yet), but at this point in my life, after having "saved" too many things/activities until they were no longer enjoyable anymore (think melted special-occasion candles, an impossible-due-to-arthritis walking tour through the Lake District, etc.), I'm a big proponent of not waiting to indulge in little pleasures. Or big ones, for that matter.)

Oh, speaking from the perspective of being on the front porch of turning 71, let me agree >124 Storeetllr:! I, too, will miss Doig, and in addition to Stegner, and Berry, please consider adding Kent Haruf. His trilogy of Plainsong, Eventide, and Benediction.

Hi Joanne, I'm over the short-lived disappointment of missing A Walk in the Woods as we're going to see The Martian today. We'll catch the other one on TV...or maybe not.

I want to read the Missoula book but need to be in a certain mood for it. My library holds are coming in fast and furiously. The new one by Geraldine Brooks about King David is waiting for me.

>121 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! I think I've settled in with Ivan Doig's last book. I have several of the Maisie Dobbs books on my shelf but I haven't started the series yet. I'm glad you're enjoying them!

>122 alphaorder: Hi Nancy, I didn't know there was a new Mary Oliver collection. I need to look for it.

>123 witchyrichy: Hi Karen! I'm enjoying Last Bus to Wisdom. I'm very glad to have read This House of Sky to understand Doig's own childhood. I feel more sentimental about Haruf although I don't know why. I have a lot of Doig's books to catch up on. If you like Stegner, you might be interested in the book I just finished, All the Wild That Remains.

>124 Storeetllr: Words to live by, Mary, that's for sure! If you're interested in trying Doig, I haven't read much of his yet, but The Whistling Season is excellent as is This House of Sky.

>125 maggie1944: Hi Karen, "The front porch" - I like that. I haven't read any Berry yet, any suggestions?

>126 Donna828: I hope you liked The Martian! (I'm a little peeved that Amazon changed the cover on "my" Kindle copy to the movie tie-in, rather than the original pre-movie cover, but I digress...) Missoula needs to be read only when you're ready.

67. All the Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West by David Gessner (audio)

The book started a little slow for me but by the time the author arrived in Vernal and then Moab, UT, I was happily along for the ride. All the Wild That Remains is partly the story of the American West and the unique challenges its arid climate presents, but mostly it's the story of two very different western writers and their influence on the region and the region’s influence on them. Gessner also happened to journey through Colorado in the summer of 2012 when the drought-stricken landscape was ablaze, adding to the story in a sad, yet pointed way.

Gessner recalls the two acclaimed writer-environmentalists, button-down Wallace Stegner and monkey-wrencher Edward Abbey as he travels along in their footsteps. He interviews friends and neighbors, including Wendell Berry, and weaves their stories into an interesting and engaging narrative.

Early on in the book, Terry Tempest Williams questions their conservative/radical labels and posits that perhaps Abbey was the conservative and Stegner the radical. That question was in the back of my mind throughout the book and my own conclusion is that they were both conservative. Each reacted to the environmental concerns in very different ways according to their own upbringing and personalities.

Anyone with an interest in either of these authors and the environmental challenges facing the Western states will enjoy this book. I listened to the audio which was well read by Brian O’Neill. 4 stars

I am sorry, I'm not one who has read Berry. I am not available for giving recommendations.

I am, however, very interested in reading Western writers and love Doig, and Haruf. The Gessner audio book sounds very interesting.

Happy Friday, Joanne! All the Wild That Remains sounds good. I have taken note.

It looks like Doig is a lock for AACIII. I have a stack of his to read. I also have This House of Sky saved on audio.

Have a good weekend. And Go Cubs! It should be a great series.

Hi Joanne - All the Wild that Remains sounds good. Onto the list it goes. Have a great weekend.

All the Wild that Remains does sound good! I'll have to get it in the queue ~ onto my wishlist, I mean, because my TBR list is already too long, and my TBR pile is teetering on the brink of collapse. Damn, if only all my problems were such happy ones!

It's looking to be a gorgeous weekend here on the Front Range! Hope you are able to get out and enjoy it. May be the last one before the cold rains, snows, frost and icy winds. :)

>129 maggie1944: Karen, have you tried Laura Pritchett? I have to read more of Stegner's work, also Doig. I need to read English Creek.

>130 msf59: Hi Mark, I can't recommend This House of Sky more. The audio might be interesting. Glad to hear Doig will make the cut for next year's challenge. Good luck picking all 12! I beg to differ on the series...which should be good...but "Let's Go Mets!". But truly, may the best team win. Just don't break any legs.

>131 BLBera: Hi Beth, Thanks, hope you have a great weekend, too!

>132 Storeetllr: I know, Mary, too many books! Oh, the pressure... I'm loving this extended summery weather. We spent the afternoon at the Breckenridge Brewery's beer garden. (Mostly time spent waiting/trying to get a patio table with the dog when their dog policies are a big grey area, but it's a pretty place to hang out in the sunshine with a beer.) Tomorrow is cleaning out the boat day so it can be trailered away on Sunday. So we'll be outside all weekend. Should be great for it!

I'm still reading Last Bus to Wisdom and then I want to start Something Wicked This Way Comes which will be a reread although I don't remember much about it. I wanted something creepy for a Halloween read. I also have Coraline checked out from the library for the same reason. I also started Wide Sargasso Sea but I haven't picked it up for a few days. Too many books.....

>133 Copperskye: Thanks for the recommendation. I haven't read any Abbey and just dipped my toe into Stegner with Big Rock Candy Mountain this year.

>124 Storeetllr: >126 Donna828: I'm taking your advice. I've been traveling non stop and tomorrow is a day off...first cold day of the season so I'm going to curl up with Doig!

>127 Copperskye: As for Berry recommendations, his fiction is mostly set in Port William, a fictitious town in Kentucky. He has a book of short stories That Distant Land that are in chronological order of their events and then the novels can be inserted. But, if you aren't quite really to make that commitment, I loved Hannah Coulter and A Place on Earth. Berry's writing is quiet yet powerful in comparison to Doig's sometimes boisterous work. He's like the guy in the corner at the party who doesn't say much but when he does, everyone listens.

>112 Copperskye: Sherman Alexie is one of my favorite YA authors. He is quite talented.

You are reading so many great books! It is a cold, crisp fall day here. Fall has arrived.

"He's like the guy in the corner at the party who doesn't say much but when he does, everyone listens." What a powerful statement!

Linda, I don't think it is quite accurate to describe Alexie as a YA author. I believe some of his books are fully intended for an adult audience. Just an impression on my part, think I'll do look up what might be said of him.

>48 Copperskye: and >49 Copperskye: Skye and Boomer photos! LIKE

I'm a fan of Doig's work and need to figure out which I have read and which I have not (I know some, but I'm not sure about a few). I really loved the McCaskill Trilogy, especially Dancing at the Rascal Fair. Since I'm dedicating 2016 to completing some series as well as some author oeuvres, I will considering trying to close out Ivan Doig.

ETA: Okay, I just looked at the list of works by Doig. I will not complete his oeuvre in the coming year! But I'll make some headway.

>134 witchyrichy: Thanks for the Berry rec, Karen. Hannah Coulter looks like something I would like. The Big Rock Candy Mountain is the only Stegner novel I've read and I absolutely loved it.

>135 Whisper1: Hi Linda, It's definitely not cold and crisp here - we've had a lovely weekend with temps in the mid 70s. I had been meaning to try Alexie for a while now and I'm so glad I did. I'm looking forward to trying another, probably Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.

>136 maggie1944: I didn't realize Alexie was a poet, too. Alexie really is a multitalented writer with wide appeal. I must read more!

>137 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, thanks! Doig did write a lot of books. According to the "also by Ivan Doig" in Last Bus to Wisdom, 13 works of fiction (I've only read 3 1/2) and 3 non-fiction (I've read 2). I have a lot of catching up to do - lucky me, some good reading ahead. English Creek is one I want to get to soon. If you haven't read This House of Sky, I highly recommend it!

>138 Copperskye: Hmm, I don't think I've read This House of Sky so that will be on my list as I work my way through the Doig collection.

>139 EBT1002: So much of his own childhood, recalled in This House of Sky, infuses the lives of his young characters. It was a joy to discover this.

>140 Copperskye: Our RL book group is considering {This House of Sky for 2016. :-)

>141 EBT1002: Well I hope it gets picked!

68. Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig

It's 1951, and when 11 year old Donal's grandma takes ill, he travels solo from Montana on the "dog bus" to spend the summer in Wisconsin with relatives he's never met. Things take a turn and Donal finds himself this time heading west and to the best adventures of his summer. This is a rollicking, old-fashioned, travel-adventure story and a fine send-off for an author who will be sorely missed. You can just sense that Doig had fun writing this tale and it shines through in the dialog and characters. 4.25 stars

Wow! A lot of great reading going on your thread, Joanne! I've been enjoying my Maisie Dobbs series, and alternating with a book from this years three major Can Lit prizes. My library holds are coming in fast and furious too! It never rains but pours!

Hi Deborah! I have been enjoying my reads! Just as it should be. I need to get to Maisie. She's been waiting for me to read her for years now.

I'm looking forward to next year maybe getting to the Canadian authors that have been languishing on my shelves. Oh my goodness - I just remembered Stuart McLean. I need to suggest him!

OH, gosh, I think I've been hit with a BB! Last Bus sounds great!

Happy Friday, Joanne! Good review of the last Doig! Another one, to add to the list.

Have a good weekend. You guys are getting snow? Really?

>143 Copperskye: I need to read a little bit more of Ivan Doig, Joanne although his books are not that easy to find over here.
Have a lovely weekend.

Happy weekend, Joanne.

Hi Joanne - I still love your mountain goats. The Doig sounds great; I must give him a try soon.

>146 maggie1944: Hi Karen, It was good, but I should say that I liked The Whistling Season more!

>147 msf59: Howdy Mark, it was a feel-good kind of book! We had two sorry days of rain last week but no snow down here, just a frost warning. Our mountains are snowy white and beautiful, though. It's a gorgeous day today.

>148 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, No, I suppose he's not a world-wide sensation, by any means. I'm afraid he's more of a regional author. Sadly. Worth seeking out though. Hope all is well with you!

>149 Ameise1: How adorable, Barbara, thank you, my deer! :)

>150 BLBera: Hi Beth, Thanks. Have you not read anything by Doig? Yeah, he's pretty regional. If you're looking for a rec, I'd say try This House of Sky or The Whistling Season.

I also liked The Whistling Season quite a lot.

>143 Copperskye: If Mark's 2016 AAC lineup includes Doig, this may be the book I'll read. He's completely unknown to me, so I'm looking for recommendations of his books that are good starting places.

>152 maggie1944: Hi Karen, The Whistling Season is truly a favorite of a lot of us here!

>153 weird_O: Hi Bill! I don't know but I suspect that Doig will be included in Mark's AAC next year. Well, at least I hope so! It's been a while since I've read The Whistling Season, but I think it was actually a better book. I plan on reading his English Creek soon. I've heard lots of good thinks about it, too. It's always fun to see what everyone chooses to read for the challenge.

I have read English Creek and really enjoyed it but I have stalled out. I'll make up for it.

I watched the first episode of the new season of Fargo. It was very good. Darker and grittier than the first season.

Hi Mark, we've watched the first two episodes of Fargo and I think it's great. I love that we're seeing Molly as a child and following her father on the case. The cast is excellent. I'm watching The Leftovers, too, and I think this season is better than the first.

Currently I'm reading My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, which I'm not quite sure about, and Angle of Repose, which I'm sure I'm going to like.

69. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

I finished this a few days ago and I’m still not sure what I think of it, but I'm liking it more in retrospect.

Wide Sargasso Sea is the story of Rochester’s wife, aka the crazy wife in the attic of Thornton Hall, well known to the readers of Jane Eyre.

The book is separated into three parts. Antoinette’s childhood in the Caribbean, which is tragic. Then she meets and marries Rochester which is truly unfortunate. The final part is her sad life hidden away in the attic of the house in England as she is “cared for” by Grace Poole. As time goes by it is difficult to tell if she is sane or not and at a minimum, she was certainly harmed emotionally by the circumstances of her childhood and bad marriage.

I guess my main issue was Rochester who never seemed fully developed and I never had a sense that he was the same person as the man in Jane Eyre. Antoinette, however, is fully formed and a totally sympathetic character making me want to reread Jane Eyre with that point of view. 3.75stars

I've toyed with the idea of reading Wide Sargasso Sea but wasn't able to convince myself to do it. Maybe I will now after reading your good review.

>158 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, And it's a shorty - 171 pages so it's not a big commitment...

Happy Friday, Joanne. I gave up on The Leftovers. The 1st season was too uneven. But I am loving Fargo.

I hope you love Angle of Repose as much as I did. I should plan a reread.

>157 Copperskye: I had much the same reaction as you, Joanne. I'm glad I read it, but I almost wish it was a standalone or that I hadn't read Jane Eyre first. I suspect I would have liked it much more.

I think in general it's very difficult to write one of these "alternate viewpoint of a classic" books and have it really work. I tend to avoid them because I'm usually disappointed that the characterizations don't match up with the way I viewed the characters in the original. One of the few that I liked was Longbourn because it dealt primarily with characters who were essentially invisible in the original.

>156 Copperskye: My Grandmother... was the last book I read. I liked it, although A Man called Ove was definitely a hard act to follow.

>160 msf59: I wasn't thrilled with The Leftovers last year (my husband really likes it) but this year, so far, is much better. Fargo is great! I'm about 100 pages into Angle of Repose and I love it!

>161 rosalita: Hi Julia, I normally like when a secondary character gets to move to the forefront, I just need the other characters to remain themselves! I have Longbourne - I need to get to it. My favorite of the type is Ahab's Wife.

>162 charl08: Hi Charlotte, I'm not enjoying My Grandmother nearly as much as A Man Called Ove. Definitely a tough act to follow. I didn't realize there'd be such a fantasy element to it.

My lion dog. She kept it on long enough to get a few photos.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Love that image of your lion dog. I liked it on FB so much I shared it too! Happy Halloween!

Thanks Mary! She was a good sport. It worked out that there was a squirrel in the yard and the chickens next door were cackling and they all kept her attention off the ruff.

Have a good Halloween! I hope we get a lot of Trick or Treaters so I get rid of all this candy!

Back to the World Series - Let's go Mets! :)

* edited for a sugar induced typo

>164 Copperskye: Love the lion dog. A force to be reckoned with by the squirrels I am sure...

>164 Copperskye: - What a great picture! I love the regal posture of your lion dog.

What an awesome photo. A gentle beast. It looks like you had great fun with the camera.

Joanne, I picked up Last Bus on Friday before beginning the trip to Denver. I'm Looking forward to reading some more Doig. I've read five of his books including the excellent McCaskill Trilogy. I agree with you--Whistling Season is my favorite so far.

Skye makes a convincing lion. Very regal.

So sorry I don't have time for a meetup this trip. The time with Hope will go by way too fast as it is. She is at the cutest age...almost 2. I'm certain there will be gushing on my thread!

So adorable! Perfect costume.

>167 charl08: Hi Charlotte, The squirrels really seem to like to sit in the trees and taunt her. Maybe if she wore the lion mane more, they'd show some more respect. :)

>168 lkernagh: Hi Lori, Thanks! Goldens make good lions.

>169 Whisper1: Hi Linda, Thanks, she's very patient. Usually.

>170 Donna828: Hi Donna, Welcome back to sunny Colorado! I'm looking forward to reading English Creek, I just need to make some time for it.

>171 scaifea: Hi Amber, thanks!

>115 Copperskye: We definitely have varying levels of tolerance. :) I can't imagine middle school parents having a problem with The Hobbit. I let Margo read it when she was 8...

>164 Copperskye: Love the Lion-dog!

Hooray for Lion-Dog! She is such a beauty. Hope the week is going well, Joanne. Happy reading.

70. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

Backman’s A Man Called Ove was a favorite of mine earlier this year and I wanted to like this one so much more than I did. But somewhere along the way (too far in to just quit it, unfortunately) I just wanted it to end. There were things about it I liked and they kept me going – the language and the real-life story but two things that really bugged me. 1) The fairy-tale story started to be a real drag. I just didn’t take to it like I was meant to. 2) The main character, seven going on eight years old Elsa. She was entertaining and fun and I loved just how quirky and nerdy she was but she just seemed overly precocious and too nearly adult to be seven years old and that kind of thing bugs me. Had she been 12 or 13, she’d have been perfect and much more realistic. Many people seem to have loved it but I found it to be a disappointing 3.25 stars.

>173 nittnut: Hi Jenn! I know - The Hobbit. For religious reasons. Whatever.

>174 msf59: Hi Mark! A lovely week (well so far) here on the Front Range. I've been building up too much vacation time so I took the day off to enjoy a beautiful 70 degree day before it changes to more wintry weather tomorrow.

>175 Copperskye: Oh no! Sorry this didn't work so well for you.

I was charmed (again) by this author (although I didn't really buy in to the fairy stories either but I put that down to me generally not being a good audience for that genre).

Thanks for your review of My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. I've been looking at that one , but unsure because of the fairy tale element. I really loved A Man Called Ove, so like you , I would like to enjoy this, but I don't think it is the book for me.

Darling picture of your lion dog!

I love your lion dog. Too bad My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You didn't work for you.

>177 charl08: I'm sorry, too, Charlotte. I know you really liked it and some other LTers whose taste generally runs close to mine also liked it a lot. Oh well.

>178 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, it had some good moments, but overall, it just didn't work for me.

>179 BLBera: Thanks Beth, Every LT review raves about it. It makes me think I missed something. I'll never know.

But I am absolutely loving Angle of Repose! :)

Okay, Angle of Repose is going on the list for my first novel to be read in 2016. I've been meaning to get to it for years decades, ever since I did my college English 101 thesis on My Antonia utilizing criticisms of other authors, including Stegner.

In other news, did you get much snow last night?

Happy Friday, Joanne! I can't believe I have still not read A Man Called Ove, especially after so many of my LT pals have been singing it's praises. What is my problem, anyway?

Glad you are loving the Stegner.

I just watched the 3rd episode of Fargo. What a terrific show! I liked the first season, although it was uneven and missed the mark a few times, but this one, is just about perfect. B.A.G.

Hi Joanne and Mark -

Mark - you must move A Man Called Ove up your stack. And I too am loving the new Fargo. I will stop by your thread and share a great piece I read recently about the women of the this series.

Have a great Saturday you two!

Nancy

>181 Storeetllr: You won't be sorry to finally get to Angle of Repose, Mary. I've been meaning to read it for years and am so glad I decided to make the time for it. We didn't get any snow the other night but around midnight we had a heavy hail storm with thunder and lightning. There was an inch or so of snow on the ground at my office so I'm guessing you got some at home, too.

>182 msf59: Definitely make some time for Ove, Mark. I promise you won't be disappointed. As of last night, we are all caught up on Fargo - great show!

>183 alphaorder: Hi Nancy! Go Fargo! Go Ove!! Enjoy your weekend!

Since you are a Stegner and Stoner fan, I think you would like Crossing to Safety if you haven't read it already. Another of my favorites.

>185 alphaorder: Crossing to Safety is on my shelf, waiting to be read! I've heard a lot of good things about it.

Oh, I really liked Crossing to Safety! It's actually the only Stegner I've read so far, though I have Angle of Repose and keep meaning to get to it. The problem seems to be that my eyes are bigger than my brain when I am at the library and I keep checking out books with a "read by" date!

I read Angle of Repose a couple of years ago as part of my Pulitzer challenge and loved it.

Hey, Jo, haven't seen you around the threads for a few days. Hope all is well with you and you didn't get stuck in the big snow we had the other night. (Wasn't it beautiful? Fast-melting though.)

>187 rosalita: Well, Julia, you won't be disappointed when you eventually get to Angle of Repose. I also absolutely loved The Big Rock Candy Mountain!

>188 RebaRelishesReading: I love it, too, Reba. I'll be sorry to have it end.

>189 Storeetllr: Hi Mary! Next week looks a little snowy, too. I miss the warm temps.... All is well, busy around the house, we're painting upstairs and all the bedrooms are in, well, disarray, although that might be too mild of a word. My books will all be nicely dusted though, when they eventually get back in the bookcases. I'm also in a bit of a blue funk. I think the darkness has me down.

I loved "Ove", Joanne! And I am loving Fargo! I guess I am just a lover. LOL.

I am also crazy about Pigs in heaven. Have you read it?

>191 msf59: lol, nothing wrong with that!

I've read both The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven but pre-LT. I loved them both.

I still need to watch this week's Fargo. Tonight's TV viewing involves my husband yelling at the Jets, unfortunately.

I know you didn't like the first season of The Leftovers, and I was barely putting up with it, but this season is so much better.

I've been wanting to reread The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven... maybe next year. I also have to get to Angle of Repose one of these days.

I had a feeling you had read the Turtle books. Have you read Prodigal Summer? That one also seems to be getting a lot of AAC love.

I have not seen this week's Fargo either. I had mixed feelings about the first season of The Leftovers, some brilliance and then some flat stuff. Very uneven. I have been hearing very good reports on the new season. Maybe, I will check it out, at some point.

>193 BLBera: I just mentioned on Mark's thread that I could read them both again. Its been a very long time. You won't be sorry when you get to Angle of Repose. It took me a while to finally get around to it.

>194 msf59: I liked Prodigal Summer but I remember it took me a bit to get into it. I loved The Poisonwood Bible and I think it's my favorite of hers.

I totally agree with your thoughts on last year's season of The Leftovers. There's some brilliant stuff happening this year. It seems to have gotten in its groove.

Joanne, I wanted to let you know that there is a new Stuart McLean book out, Vinyl Cafe Turns the Page. I am so tempted by that one, but so far I have held off purchasing it. But I am quite sure that you enjoy the series like I do.

>195 Copperskye: I have made a start on The Poisonwood Bible, Joanne and I can see why Kingsolver is so popular she has a voice that speaks to the reader so distinctly.

Have a great weekend.

>197 PaulCranswick: Kingsolver is one of my favorite writers. For me, {The Poisonwood Bible was a difficult read (not because of the book but because of the story it told). I've read several of her books and find there's a lot of difference between them but all good. Just bought Animal Dreams so I have another waiting for me in Mt. TBR.

Hi Joanne -- love your lion dog -- great photo!

Great reading here. I have a hard time picturing a middle school parent objecting to The Hobbit.. What was the basis for the objection?

Hope you're having a lovely weekend. Snow next week...?

Enjoy the snow, Joanne, when it comes back. My husband flew through Denver when he went to CA last week and said it was beautiful. We're still battling leaves and high wind. We have plenty of our own leaves, and the winds tend to blow even more into our yard. I raked and bagged for four hours yesterday. Great exercise! I am a big fan of Angle of Repose. I read it for the second time this year and the rereading made me love it even more. That is disappointing about the Backman book. I was an Ove fan.

You'll be enjoying coming our storm soon enough, Donna, even if it drops rain rather than snow when it gets to you. :) I hear it's supposed to be a fast-moving one. Wheee!

Hi, Jo! Hope you had a great weekend and managed to get the painting finished and your rooms back in order! Good luck drivin' to/from work on Monday night/Tuesday morning. So glad I don't have to be out and about in it.

>196 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, Thanks for the Vinyl Cafe update! On Amazon at least, it's only available through third party sellers here and the price is a little steep, so I will need to wait a bit. :( I still have some earlier books to catch up on. I do love Stuart McLean and thanks to you!

>197 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, So glad to hear you're enjoying The Poisonwood Bible. I'm planning on a reread one of these days. Hope your weekend was a good one!

>198 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, Animal Dreams is one I haven't read yet.

>199 AMQS: Hi Anne, Thanks! The objection to The Hobbit apparently had to do with religious reasons. Anti-Christian? Wasn't this weekend beautiful? I'm not looking forward to the cold and wet this week. :(

>200 Donna828: Hi Donna, We spent a lot of time outside playing with leaves this weekend, too. Luckily, I'm sure we have fewer trees than you. Our neighbors have a huge Black Walnut Tree that is still full of little tiny leaves that will soon be all over our back lawn. I just finished Angle of Repose tonight and just loved it! I didn't want it to end.

>201 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, Last I heard, we were only going to get a couple of inches? That was a couple days ago though. I need to watch the weather tonight. Nope, no painting finished this weekend. We have weeks ahead of us! All is still in great disarray. Luckily, no Thanksgiving house guests this year. (Crazy fools that we are, we're going to Disneyland...) I hope your writing is continuing to go well. With the Paris attack on Friday, it was tough to muster up enthusiasm for much this weekend.

We went to see Craig Johnson on Friday night. What an entertaining, engaging, and friendly storyteller he is! Here he is signing my book (Wait for Signs).

71. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

From Wikipedia: The angle of repose, or the critical angle of repose, of a granular material is the steepest angle of descent or dip relative to the horizontal plane to which a material can be piled without slumping. At this angle, the material on the slope face is on the verge of sliding.

What a great book! I don't even care that it's the 15th of the month and this is only the second book I've read. I wanted to savor it and not have it end. A beautiful, complex story that was a joy to read. Lyman, Susan and Oliver Ward are characters I will not soon forget. 5 stars

>202 Copperskye: Oh, you met Craig Johnson! He is a favorite of mine. I'm green with envy. ;)

>203 Copperskye: Angle of Repose is really a masterpiece, isn't it?

Hi, Joanne! Hooray for seeing, Craig Johnson. We saw him here, a few months ago and agree with you,on how charming and entertaining he was.

And hooray, for Angle of Repose. It is a great one and one I would like to revisit.

Hi Terri, Angle of Repose was wonderful. For some reason I didn't think I'd like it as much as The Big Rock Candy Mountain, but I did. If you get the opportunity to see Craig Johnson sometime, don't miss him. He's very entertaining and personable.

Hi Mark, Honestly, I almost skipped out from seeing Craig Johnson Friday night but I remembered how much you enjoyed him so I went. He'd be fun to have a beer with, or muck a stall. Anything.

It was tough to start a book after Angle of Repose but I started Girl Waits With Gun and I think it'll be a good one.

or muck a stall

Made me laugh out loud.

Enjoying the snow yet, Joanne? We got about a foot here. My niece was home today, so she got to do the shoveling.

Hi Mary! I was just popping back to LT to ask you about your snow. I figured you got more than us. We got about 8-10". Our office had a late start - 10am - which was kind of nice. I was just outside with Skye and surprised by how warm it is. There's a lot of dripping going on out there.

Snow! Lucky you. We got rain out of the same system and I got soaked running a few errands. It's a good thing I don't melt in the rain. I am looking forward to our first snowfall but beyond that, you can keep it in CO! I am enjoying Craig Johnson's books and would like to meet him someday. He just looks like a good man enjoying what he does. Yay! for Happy Writers.

We are supposed to get our first snowfall of the season on Friday night/Saturday. They say "only" 4-7 inches which is about 3-6 inches more than I find acceptable. :-)

Don't move to Colorado then, Julia. LOL I think you'll be getting the storm that left us a good 10" of snow a couple days ago. It's melting fast, though, in the intense sunshine we've been having since. Still colder than aitch out there, though, especially at night.

Yeah, I didn't actually measure the depth, Jo, but it looked like at least a foot, though that might have just been me looking at it askance. :) We should be clear now for, oh, at least a week, when the next storm is supposed to roll in (according to one weather source).

I asked my daughter the other day if she wouldn't rather spend Christmas in the Caribbean than here, but she'd already made her flight reservations. Oh, well. Next year.

Denver's snow showed up on our news Tuesday evening but later I Facetimed in to a meeting in Denver and when I told the folks there to drive safely on the way home they told me the snow was nearly all gone. Sure didn't stick around long.

Well, we have had a lovely fall here -- still in the 1950s although that is changing this week. I can live without snow until late December. I'm hoping anything we get this weekend doesn't stick around.

What fun to see Johnson. I'll have to continue with the series.

AND I have to get to Angle of Repose soon. Everyone seems to love that book.

>213 BLBera: Well, we have had a lovely fall here -- still in the 1950s although that is changing this week.

I know people like to joke about Minnesota being the Land That Time Forgot, but that's going too far, Beth!

"He'd be fun to have a beer with." I was going to ask him, Joanne but he had dozens of books to sign. Maybe next time...

I have been hearing good things about Girl Waits With Gun. I will be watching for your thoughts.

We are supposed to get 2-5 inches by Saturday afternoon. Sighs...

Hey, Julia, maybe you want to move north a bit? Enjoy your day. :)

Hi Joanne! I'm stopping by to say you have read some wonderful books. I so enjoy your reviews!

Hi Joanne, I finally find time to do some weekend greetings. Wishing you a most lovely weekend.

>209 Donna828: Yeah, lucky us, Donna, I'm already tired of winter!

>210 rosalita: I heard Iowa got some snow, Julia, hopefully not too much by you!

>211 Storeetllr: Caribbean sounds wonderful, Mary....

>212 RebaRelishesReading: Sun was out before noon, Reba!

>213 BLBera: Oh Beth, absolutely try to squeeze in Angle of Repose!

>214 rosalita: lol!

>215 msf59: So far Girl Waits With Gun has been good, Mark, but I haven't had time to read for a couple of days(!), sadly.....

>216 BLBera: Lol!

>217 Whisper1: Hi Linda, How wonderful to see you here!

>218 Ameise1: Hi Barbara! Thanks for the autumn acorns!

>203 Copperskye: I'm so glad you enjoyed Angle of Repose as much as I remember enjoying it when I read it (many years ago).

Happy Thanksgiving, Jo! Hope you have a wonderful day. Inside. Because it's colder than "H" out there!

What are your plans for today? It's going to be a very small gathering here, just my sis, one of her daughters and me. Though we made enough food for an army. I think my sister is hoping for strays. LOL

Happy Thanksgiving, Joanne! I hope you are having a fantastic day, with your family.

All our snow is gone! Yippee!!

I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving!

Enjoy your long Thanksgiving weekend, Joanne. xx

>220 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! Angle of Repose was such a good book. I'm so glad I finally! got to it! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

>221 Storeetllr: Hi Mary! I am NOT ready for winter but that doesn't seem to matter. It came anyway...We were actually in California for Thanksgiving, visiting an old friend who lives in Long Beach and Disneyland. The weather was much nicer there! Food for an army is good - plenty of leftovers which are my favorite! Hope you had a great day!

>222 msf59: Hi Mark! Has the cold weather we're having reached Chicagoland yet? Brrrrrrrrr! I'm reading Slade House, btw. I'm about halfway through and love it!

>223 Whisper1: Hi Linda! Thank you and I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

>224 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. Long weekends are always so short....

72. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith (audio)

Another sweet Mma Ramotswe story. I'm going back and listening to the few that weren't readily available when I was going through the series in order. This is #8. Not necessarily memorable, but an enjoyable, comfort type read with gentle humor and wonderful characters. Lisette Lecat is a great narrator. 3.75 stars

73. Slade House by David Mitchell

Oh boy, this was fun and the first book I've read by David Mitchell. More than a haunted house story, I loved the characters even though we didn't get to spend a lot of time with a lot of them. I would have liked to have been able to read it in one sitting. I suppose I need to add The Bone Clocks to my list. 4.5 stars

I'm back to reading Girl Waits With Gun and listening to A Serpent's Tooth.

I just added Slade House to my list, although I do have The Bone Clocks sitting on my desk.

I'm wondering if I should try The Bone Clocks. Apparently there is a connection. I think you'd like Slade House, Beth!

>227 Copperskye: Yes, thank you so much, Joanne. Yet another shiny new book I don't have that I will simply have to read before getting to the ones I already have sitting on my TBR bookshelf. :) Actually, it does sound good, and a good intro to an author I have hesitated to read.

Hope you're enjoying the summer weather!

>228 BLBera:

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Girl Waits with a Gun. On my stack.

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Joanne.

Happy Saturday, Joanne! I am so glad you loved Slade House. The Bone Clocks is much, much longer and a bit more work but it is still a worthy read, IMHO.

I am crazy about A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories. I think you would love it. What a voice.

We are 7 episodes into Jessica Jones. Good show!

> 233

Glad to hear you're excited about Manual for Cleaning Women, Mark, as I just picked it up.

>230 Storeetllr: Yay for shiny new books and yay for our great library systems that make them affordable!! I thought Slade House was a great intro to Mitchell. Short and creepy in a fun kind of way! Gorgeous day out there today! Except for the wind. And mud. Have a great Sunday, Mary!

>231 alphaorder: Hi Nancy, I'm finding it slow but I do like it.

>232 Ameise1: Lovely, thanks Barbara! Happy Sunday to you.

>233 msf59: Slade House was a good intro and I will put The Bone Clocks on my list, something I would never had considered. I'm hearing good things about the collection you're reading and I'm looking forward to your final thoughts. Happy weekend, my friend!

>234 alphaorder: Looking forward to your thoughts, as well, Nancy.

I still have several by David Mitchell waiting to be read: The Bone Clocks and Cloud Atlas and Number9 Dream. I guess I need to add Slade House to the stack...

I did love The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet although I understand it was not in the usual Mitchell style.

I'm glad you loved the new Mitchell, Joanne. He is a versatile author. I'll save Slade House for a Halloween read...if I can hold off that long! I'm glad you had a good Thanksgiving in CA. I felt so bad when you had to cancel your Carolina trip. It's good to get out of town occasionally!

>236 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, I was surprised by how accessible Slade House was. I've heard good things about Jacob De Zoet but forgot it was written by Mitchell.

>237 Donna828: Hi Donna, Good to see you! We had fun over Thanksgiving, although it was the opposite of relaxing beach vaca!

I'm nearly finished with Girl Waits With Gun. It's been fun!

I think I've said this already (sorry) but I just love the cover of Girl waits with gun. Hope the UK copy is as stylish.

I love the cover, too, Charlotte. It fits the book perfectly!

Did you finish Girl Waits with Gun? It looks really good and is now on my 2016 list of books to read.

Hope you're having a great Friday and all ready for tomorrow's promised storm.

Happy Friday, Joanne! I am nearly done with Our Souls at Night. It is another beauty. I LOVED Benediction but I am so glad he had another book in the tank. I will MISS this man!

Hope you have a nice weekend.

Mark - I haven't read Benediction yet, but Our Souls at Night was a favorite read of 2015. So I have a great read ahead of me, is what you are saying, right?

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Joanne.

>241 Storeetllr: Hi Mary! Brrrrrr! I finished Girl Waits and liked it a lot. Strong female characters who can take care of themselves. It looks to be a start of a series.

>242 msf59: Hi Mark! I bought a copy of Our Souls At Night the day it came out but I can't bear to start it. Silly, I know, and I know I'll love it. The right day will come.

>243 alphaorder: Benediction was a treat, Nancy.

>244 Ameise1: you find the prettiest pictures, Barbara! Thank you!

Happy weekend all! I finally got the tree trimmed after it had a minimalist look for several days with only the lights on it. Most of the holiday clutter has been put out, too. I'll have two weeks off at the end of the year (use it or lose it - I have too many vacation hours accrued) so that'll be great!

I signed up for the LT Christmas Card exchange for the first time - anyone else? Hope my recipient isn't disappointed by a store bought card!

74. Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart

It took me a bit to get engaged with the story, but once I did I liked it a lot. Three strong women taking care of themselves in a time (1914) when women didn't really do that. Two things I loved - it's based on a true story and it takes place in Bergen and Passaic Counties in New Jersey, near where I grew up (my hometown was even mentioned once when a character rode through on a train).

And... it sounds like the characters will be living on in another book or two. Charming and light without being fluffy.

The link below is a article about the book and the original story from the local paper there, the Bergen Record, and it includes photos of Constance, Fleurette, and Sheriff Heath. I enjoyed reading it after I read the book. 4.25 stars

http://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/books/author-unearths-once-fam...

Next one is # 75! What are you going to read?

Hi Joanne! Hooray -- nearly to 75! Slade House and Girl Waits with Gun both sound great -- adding them to my wishlist! Hope you are staying warm and dry. We are loving our snow day!

Thanks for bringing my attention to the Christmas Card Exchange! You were right, and I signed up. I love sending and receiving cards from all over the world through PostCrossing! I just got a postcard the other day from a 19-year old woman from Voronezk in Russia with the picture of a beautiful samovar on it. Her closing line was "We are waiting for you in Russia." Not sure whether to be worried or pleased. :)

Stay safe in the snow! My sis said the roads are a nightmare.

75. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami

Yes, it was certainly strange. But it was short. I'm still not sure how I feel about Murakami. 3.75 stars

Not the book I would have chosen to be #75, but that's the way it happened to work out. I'm happy to have reached my goal, though, especially since I didn't the last couple of years. Yay me! :)

>247 BLBera: Hi Beth, As you can see, I've got #75 under my belt already! Certainly not a favorite though.

>248 AMQS: Hi Anne, Good to see you! I know it's a busy time of year for you. Yay for your snow day! This storm was quite a surprise!

>249 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, Oh good - it sounds like it might be fun! Perhaps something was lost in the language differences with your Russian correspondent. I hope so! The roads were pretty bad today, even later in the afternoon.

Yay for reaching 75, despite that special book being less than fully special. I'm at the point where I'm thinking about what will be my 100th and I just keep saying to myself "it does not matter."

I have put Slade House on hold at the library and added Girl Waits With Gun to my wish list (no copies at the library yet!).

Thanks Ellen! It really doesn't matter. It's just one of 75, some better than others. Or in your case, one in one hundred (nice!).

>250 Copperskye: I liked Strange Library. Its definitely weird, as is Murakami in general. But I found with him, it either clicks or it doesn't. For me, it does. At least so far.

Congrats on hitting 75. I won't this year, but I am right around my usual #. Either way, it was a pretty good reading year. Lots of interesting stuff.

Congrats!

Hooray for Joanne! I agree, Strange Library is a bit slight. I hope you don't give up on him completely.

Congrats on hitting 75, Joanne. It sounds like my reaction to Strange Library was a bit like yours.

Congrats on 75, Joanne!!

Congratulations to you, Joanne, for hitting the three-quarter century mark! Almost time to reset the counter, eh? Not sure I'm ready for 2016 just yet.

Another congrats on the 75 - very well timed.

>254 mahsdad: Thanks Jeff! This was my second Murakami book. I read Colorless Tsukuru not too long ago. My son is a big fan and wants to turn me into one, too. We'll see....

>255 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>256 msf59: Thanks Mark! You make "a bit slight" sound like a bad thing. :) It was the only reason why I read it. I'm sure I'll have another of his books pressed into my hands before I know it. Maybe one will eventually click! Suggestions?

>257 BLBera: Thanks Beth! Any Murakami books that you liked more? Our tastes are so similar, maybe I'd like the same one.

>258 scaifea: Thanks Amber!

>259 rosalita: Thanks Julia! Will you be joining us in 2016 this year? I hope so!

>260 charl08: Thanks Charlotte! Better timed than the last couple of years!

My current book is The Little Paris Bookshop which I'm enjoying very much. I haven't seen it talked about in the group very much.

Our book club read Kafka on the Shore, which we all liked. We were pretty agreed on the fact that we should probably read it again to "get" all of it, but I found it compelling. When I've read him, I've always felt at a disadvantage because I'm not that familiar with Japanese popular culture.

Any book with bookshop in the title is one that I'll at least pick up!

Thanks Beth. That's the one I'm probably leaning toward whenever I try him again. Good sign that everyone in your book group liked it.

And it's a floating bookstore! And so far, much fun!

Congrats on reaching 75, Joanne. Well done. :-)

Congrats on hitting 75! Chiming in on Murakami, I tried awhile back to read one of his ~ I think it was The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle ~ and just could not seem to get into it, so I put it down and didn't pick it back up before it had to go back to the library. Perhaps on audio? (Mark?)

Enjoy the warm (hah, never thought I'd say that about 47F) sun and clear blue skies!

>261 Copperskye: Happy Friday, Joanne. All I meant by "slight", is, I wanted to see a bit more depth and story in Strange Library. He usually offers so much more.

>266 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary! I have only listened to Murakami's NF, not any of his fiction. I plan on trying some next year.

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Joanne.

Congratulations on 75!

Dropping by early to wish you a very Merry Christmas. I hope it is full of wonderful things. xx

Congratulations on 75!

Have a great holiday, with the family, Joanne! Hugs to my pal!

For my Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Holiday image this year (we are so diverse!), I've chosen this photograph by local photographer Mark Lenoce of the pier at Pacific Beach to express my holiday wishes to you: Peace on Earth and Good Will toward All!

>264 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! I'm happy that I made my reading goal this year!

>266 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, Thanks! More cold weather coming our way!

>267 msf59: Hi Mark, Strange Library had such a fairy tale vibe that I thought the short length was very fitting. If it had been any longer I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have read it. :)

>268 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara - I've been in and out of the office and now I'm home until after the new year, and sadly, I'm having a tough time remembering what day it is!

>269 nittnut: Hi Jenn, Good to see you and thank you! Merry, merry Christmas to you and your family!

>270 lkernagh: Thanks Lori!

>271 Ameise1: Happy holidays to you as well, Barbara!

>272 msf59: Merry Christmas to you and your family, too, Mark!

>273 nittnut: Hardly the cold, blustery weather we're having back here in Colorado, Jenn! So pretty, thank you!

>274 ronincats: Wow Roni, that is a gorgeous photo! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Festivus, et al, to you! :)

76. A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson (audio)

The ninth book in the Longmire series finds Walt dealing with a "lost boy", a missing woman, and a polygamous Mormon sect. Pretty good story, kind of dark, worked well on audio. 3.5 stars

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my visitors, one and all!

Have a lovely holiday, Joanne

Warm wishes for a magical holiday season, Joanne!

Congratulations on reaching 75! Hope your holidays are wonderful :)

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas, Joanne!

Happy holidays. Hope you're having a good one.

Merry Christmas, Jo! Hope your holiday season is magical!

To Paul, Katie, Reba, Lori, and Charlotte - Merry Christmas (and thank you for the wonderful graphics)! I hope everyone is having a good day! I'm ready to settle in a read for a little bit, but dinner is calling....

My most recent pile o' books (and a Handmaid's Tale T-shirt):

Merry, merry Christmas to you, Mary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joanne, maybe you could model your new t-shirt for us? Wishing you and your family all things beautiful during the holiday season…although you may be getting tired of snow by now. We're still waiting here…

Oh, nice book pile - and I love the t-shirt!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Joanne. Great pile of books and I LOVE the T-shirt.

I hope your Christmas was great!

Congrats on passing the 75 book goal!

Great pile of books, Joanne -- lucky you! Hope you had a lovely Christmas.

>284 Copperskye: Great haul! Look forward to hearing more about them in 2016.

Happy Holidays to you, Joanne!!!

>286 Donna828: Hi Donna - Nice deer! I'm not sick of snow quite as much as I'm sick of the cold. Brrrrr...There will be no T-shirt wearing for at least the next week!

>287 scaifea: There were a lot of books unwrapped here this year!

>288 BLBera: Merry Christmas to you too, Beth!

>289 tymfos: Thanks Terri! My Christmas was great and I hope yours was, too!

>290 AMQS: Hi Anne, We had a nice, quiet day after a hectic Christmas Eve. Perfect!

>291 charl08: Hi Charlotte, I'm reading one at the moment - A Long Way Down.

>292 LauraBrook: Happy Holidays to you too, Laura!!

Well, it's time for my list of favorites from 2015. I came up with an even ten books. These are the books I found the most enjoyable and memorable. Angle of Repose is, by far, the best of the bunch, but I loved them all. In the order I read them:

Stars Go Blue by Laura Pritchett
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Mama's Bank Account By Kathryn Forbes
Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat
Dead Wake by Eric Larson
This House of Sky by Ivan Doig
Epitaph by Mary Russell
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

Nice! Dead Wake, Angle of Repose and A God in Ruins are on my list for 2016, and I really need to finish Epitaph which, for some odd reason, because I generally adore MDR's writing, I just couldn't seem to get into. I'm sure it was my mood at the time, and also because it didn't have enough JHH in it. I suppose I just need to read Doc again to get my fix, then go right on to Epitaph.

I'm making a list of books I want to read in 2016. It's already about half as long as the number of books I read this year. lol

Hi Mary, you really can't go wrong with any or all of those three books! Sometimes it's just not the right time for a book but it is especially disappointing when that happens with a book you're looking forward to.....I hope you find a good time soon. I know you'll like it! :)

Thank you, Barbara! Happy new year to you! I suppose it's nearly time to start a 2016 thread.

Happy New Year Joanne. I'm looking forward to lots of good reading ideas from you in 2016.

Great list, Joanne. Several are on my "to-read" list. A God in Ruins will also make my list this year.

Hi, Jo ~ Warmest wishes to you and your family for a 2016 filled with all good things ~ health, happiness, prosperity and lots of great books!

Cannot remember if you have your 2016 thread up and running so I am hedging my bets and stopping here to wish you a Happy New Year, Joanne and best wishes for 2016!

Hi Reba, Beth, Mary, and Lori! Happy New Year to you all!!

I finally started my 2016 thread and am looking forward to finding your threads and discovering what you plan on reading in the new year and sharing your thoughts and opinions.

My new thread is here - http://www.librarything.com/topic/210851