BLBera's Reading in 2016 - Part 7

My name is Beth. I love books.

I teach English at my local community college. I tend not to plan my reading. I belong to a book club that meets once a month.

I tend to read more fiction than nonfiction and more women authors than men. This year, once again, I would like to read more diversely, in every sense of the word. I like to discover new writers. In 2015, three of my favorites were first-time novelists.

I would also like to include more volumes of poetry in my 2016 reading.

Welcome to my thread. Lurk or stop and say hello.

Currently reading:

Read in 2016
December
111. Mister Monkey
112. The Hour of Land
113. The Jungle Book*
114. The Terranauts
115. Angel Catbird
116. A Dangerous Place*
117. Peacock & Vine
118. Swing Time
119. Guidebook to Murder*
120. A Strangeness in My Mind*

November
101. The Bones of Paradise
102. The Gustav Sonata
103. March: Book One
104. World of Trouble
105. Sleeping on Jupiter*
106. Another Brooklyn
107. The Poet's Dog*
108. Human Acts*
109. Miss Buncle Married*
110. No Time Like the Past*

January 2016
1. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
2. Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms*
3. And After Many Days*
4. The Man in the High Castle
5. The Pure in Heart*
6. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry* REREAD
7. The Tenderness of Wolves*
8. Golden Age
9. The Hanging Girl
10. A Trail through Time*
11. The Risk of Darkness*

February 2016
12. The Lake House
13. My Brilliant Friend*
14. These Old Shades*
15. Shylock Is My Name*
16. Girl Waits with Gun*
17. Vinegar Girl*
18. An Elegy for Easterly

March 2016
19. All Roads Lead to Austen*
20. The Big Green Tent
21. Ways to Disappear
22. Station Eleven* REREAD - Still great
23. Arcadia
24. Spider Woman's Daughter*
25. Speak
26. My Life on the Road
27. Good on Paper

April 2016
28. The Language of Secrets
29. A Visit from the Goon Squad* REREAD
30. River Road
31. Lighthouse Island*
32. The Little Red Chairs
33. Etta and Otto and Russell and James*
34. The Dream Keeper and Other Poems*
35. The Improbability of Love
36. Bitter River*
37. A Cold and Lonely Place*
38. Even in Paradise*

May 2016
39. Eligible
40. The Murder of Mary Russell
41. The Thirteen Clocks*
42. The Kindness of Enemies
43. The Quality of Silence
44. My Name Is Lucy Barton
45. The Portable Veblen
46. El Deafo*
47. The Woman in Blue
48. Last Night in Montreal*
49. Extreme Prey

June 2016
50. Sweet Lamb of Heaven
51. Boar Island
52. Death of an Englishman*
53. The Vanishing Velazquez
54. The Noise of Time
55. Into the Beautiful North*
56. Murder Is Binding*
57. LaRose*
58. Copper River*
59. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet*
60. Salt to the Sea
61. Kitchens of the Great Midwest*

July 2016
62. Spain in Our Hearts
63. The Crime at Black Dudley*
64. The Lanvin Murders*
65. A Country Road, A Tree
66. The Penderwicks in Spring*
67. Moon Tiger*
68. Life After Life* REREAD
69. Remarkable Creatures*
70. Homegoing
71. Outsider in Ansterdam* REREAD

August 2016
72. Pond
73. This Must Be the Place
74. Book Scavenger*
75. The Nightingale*
76. A Test of Wills*
77. Hell's Bottom, Colorado*
78. Three Day Road
79. The After Party*
80. Here Comes the Sun
81. The Sixth Idea

September
82. Hag-Seed*
83. A Murder of Magpies
84. Lost in Translation*
85. Multiple Choice
86. How to Set a Fire and Why
87. Conspiracy of Silence*
88. Behold the Dreamers
89. The Underground Railroad
90. A Great Reckoning
91. Commonwealth

October
92. The Bookseller*
93. A Bed of Scorpions
94. The Association of Small Bombs
95. News of the World
96. The House by the Lake
97. Northanger Abbey*
98. The Last Policeman*
99. Countdown City
100. Hot Milk

*Off my shelves

Favorites of 2016
Best of 2016 so far


Also: The Bones of Paradise, The Vanishing Velazquez, Commonwealth, News of the World, Human Acts, Mister Monkey, The Hour of Land

Gettysburg National Military Park - from The Hour of Land

"We are slowly returning to the hour of land where our human presence can take a side step and respect the integrity of the place itself -- paying attention to its own historical and ecological character beyond our needs and desires. This kind of generosity of spirit requires an uncommon humility to listen to the land first."

OK - the last thread of the year is open. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Oh, and I guess this is dedicated to Kim, who suggested I start a new thread. :)

Happy New Thread, Beth! Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a fine day with the family.

Happy new thread Beth. Great to see your threads so energised in 2016. xx

Thanks Paul and Mark.

Happy New Thread, Beth! I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thanks Deborah. It was great. My niece announced that she will be having a baby in May, so that was good news. The only bad thing was the fact that our football team lost.

My sister had Thanksgiving this year, and when I got to her house, I had a pie in each hand and looked into the house, and it seemed empty. Everyone was in the lower level watching football.

For fans of Department Q, there are some episodes on Netflix! I watched the first one The Keeper of Lost Causes and thought it was good. I hadn't been on Netflix for a while, so I was surprised, and thrilled.

I also recommend Good Girls Revolt on Amazon streaming. I hope to read the book next year.

Happy new thread, Beth, and a slightly belated Happy Thanksgiving! Sorry about your Vikes...

Happy New Thread, Beth! I'm glad that you found your family and trust that you had a lovely holiday.

That Viking game was the worst ending!! So mad!!!! Rant over--Hope the rest of your Thanksgiving day went well. And happy new thread. : )

Happy Thanksgiving, Beth!

Pies in each hand sound great. Happy new thread!

Thanks Katie - It was a hard game to lose.

Thanks Peggy. We had a wonderful day.

I know, Kim. We were quite vocal, startling Scout. Yes, the rest of the day was much better.

Thanks Joanne.

Thanks Charlotte. I make pies once a year. So, I've done my duty for this year.

Nice to hear that you had a lovely Thanksgiving, Beth. I am planning on finally getting around to All The Light We Cannot See in December and I am looking forward to it. I will also have to check and see if Netflicks has the Department Q shows available for Canadian viewers.

I thought the one I watched was very good, Judy. I might treat myself to another one this evening.

I did not know there was a Department Q, series on Netflix. Very cool. Is this a foreign import? And how can you find it, by the title?

Hi Mark: Yes, unless you speak Danish, you'll have to read the English subtitles. I found it by accident; it was in the queue of recent additions. Try searching Department Q - I found three episodes. I watched The Keeper of Lost Causes, and it was good. Good luck finding it!

108. Human Acts tells the story of the 1980 massacre of protestors in the city of Gwangju, a city in southern South Korea. Told from various points of view of people who participated in or who were affected by the massacre and its aftermath, this is a heartbreaking story that is, as the translator Deborah Smith says, a reminder of the human acts of which we are all capable."

Han Kang's poetic writing makes the scenes of brutality and torture all the more shocking. One protestor remembers what prompted his participation: "Those snapshot moments, when it seemed we'd all performed the miracle of stepping outside the shell of our own selves, one person's tender skin coming into grazed contact with another, felt as though they were rethreading the sinews of that world heart, patching up the fissures from which blood had flowed, making it beat again."

Each voice, from that of the middle school student and his mother, to the young women factory worker, to the writer trying to make sense of what happened, each adds to the story, revealing a crime that the world should recognize. An important, breathtaking novel.

Note: This is not for the faint of heart. It is a novel that will stay with me for a long time. Han Kang writes beautifully of horrific events - I think a lot of credit goes to the translator.

Now, I need to find something light and cheerful!

>22 BLBera: Great review Beth. I'm still a bit hesitant about this one, not sure if I'll enjoy it.

Hi Charlotte - I'm not sure "enjoy" is the right word; it's harrowing in places, but Kang writes beautifully and it's important to tell stories about events like these. It will be one of the year's best, and I am very squeamish.

So, I'm enjoying a change of pace right now with Miss Buncle Married; Stevenson is very clever.

When I read Human Acts, I gave it 5 stars, but in my review I almost warned against reading it, as it is so hard. But I am glad that I did read it.

Rhonda - I remember your saying that it was hard to read, and you are right. Still, some passages were so poetic. It will be one of my top reads this year, I think. Have you read anything else by her?

Happy new thread, Beth. Isn't it good to know that you are done making pies for the year? I have been asked to bake something for a bake sale which is really strange when I think about it because I usually buy baked goods.

Yes, enjoy was a poor word choice for what sounds like a powerful read.

I saw you mention on another thread you're not teaching station eleven next term. Can I be nosy and ask what you are considering?

Morning Beth! Happy Sunday! Thanks to you, I found "The Keeper of Lost Causes" and watched it. They did a good job, but they seemed to have made Assad a more straight forward character, without the humor. I miss that. I added the other 2, to my watchlist.

Good review of Human Acts. Sounds grimly, terrific. I will have to read it.

Have you read An American Childhood? If not, this just might be your cuppa. It may turn out to be one of the best memoirs I have read.

>22 BLBera: I wasn't surprised my small-town library doesn't have this one, but the Denver Overdrive catalog doesn't either. Weird.

Happy new thread, Beth!

>27 Familyhistorian: Yes, Meg. I bought some more sprinkles today, so Scout and I will start our Christmas cookie baking.

>28 charl08: Well, I'll watch for your comments if you decide to tackle it.

I'll teach Station Eleven in the spring and change it in the fall. I've been thinking of THe Book of Unknown Americans, The Turner House or going back to The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. One of my colleagues is urging me to read and use THe Orphan Master's Son. I have to do some reading over break. I think we have to order books by the end of March, so I have to do some serious thinking about it.

>29 msf59: >30 msf59: Great Mark. I plan to watch the others as well. Human Acts is powerful. Is American Childhood the one where she tells about throwing snowballs at cars? If so, I've read excerpts. It's definitely on my list.

>31 ursula: I got Human Acts as an ER book; I think the publication date is in January. That might be why you can't get it.

>32 scaifea: Thanks Amber

Yes, that is the same Dillard memoir. The snowball incident was a hoot, as a young man chased them, after throwing a snowball at his car.

I think The Orphan Master's Son would be an excellent choice. Plenty to chew on, with that one.

>34 msf59: And I have American Childhood on my Nook! Well, I will definitely be reading The Orphan Master's Son over break.

>33 BLBera: I will finally be reading Station Eleven soon, as I have put myself on the library holds list. Now I wish I was taking your class in the spring to take advantage of the discussion!

I was an outlier with The Orphan Master's Son, I think, because I did not really like it. And it's certainly not a book I'd ever want to re-read, just because I found the subject matter so disturbing.

Happy new thread, Beth! Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

>36 rosalita: Hi Julia - I'll watch for your comments on Station Eleven; it has been fun to teach because the students have liked it. And there is a lot to discuss. I'm not convinced that The Orphan Master's Son will work for me, but we'll see.

>37 Carmenere: Hi Lynda. Thanks. I have had a good weekend. I'm busy trying to get ready for class tomorrow, taking a break right now.

I loved The Orphan Master's Son, and I bet you will, too. The only problem with teaching it, is you need some background on North Korea, or else it all seems like a dystopian nightmare, and not actually real.

I forgot to answer, I read The Vegetarian by Han Kang and thought it was really good, but I thought Human Acts was a step up.

Love the thread topper, Beth. I am plannng on doing my part in reading some chunksters this winter. Nothing better than snuggling under one of my super-soft fuzzy blankets with a book. We are still waiting for winter here, though.

Too bad about the Vikings loss. My brother is a lifelong Lions fan and he was a Happy Camper on Thanksgiving. I am more interested in tonight's game between The Broncos and Chiefs, the only teams I follow. I'm ambivalent about the winner which is a good thing…I won't be disappointed.

Choosing my favorite books for the year will be tough. I'm glad I keep a good list with decimal point ratings. I find that my end-of-year thoughts don't always jibe with the ratings, though, and adjustments must be made. It's the whole comparison and fond memory thing competing with the just-finished-a-good-book thing. My Top Ten List is one of the things I can spend a long time thinking about.

>39 banjo123: I look forward to it, Rhonda. I can handle the background part; it might give the students an opportunity for some research as well. I just want to make sure that it will work, so I have to read it.

It would be hard to top Human Acts. I might look for THe Vegetarian at some point.

>41 Donna828: Thanks Donna. I have some lengthy books on tap for December, but that's OK.

I've been keeping track of my favorites so far; I don't know that I will be able to narrow them down to ten. It has been a wonderful year of reading.

109. Miss Buncle Married continues the story begun in Miss Buncle's Book. Written in 1936, before WWII, the novel reflects a simpler time. In this novel, Barbara and her husband, Arthur Abbott, move to the country and become immersed in the affairs of the village. Arthur's nephew Sam makes an appearance, and the neighborhood is complete with a manor house, a busybody vicar's wife and horrible neighbor children. Oh, and a ghost.

Stevenson writes with humor, just as Barbara does in her novels. She also writes beautifully of the countryside: "The day was bright and breezy, cloud shadows moved over the fields like smoke, and, like smoke, they faded and disappeared. A haze of tender green was spread upon the fields, as the seeds, which had lain dormant for so long, thrust forth their green blades to the warmth of the sun."

Enjoyable read. I look forward to the third and final novel about Miss Buncle.

Next: I have to look at my library books, probably Mister Monkey. I also am continuing reading about the National Parks in The Hour of Land.

Hi Beth and Happy New Thread! I'm way behind; visiting relatives in Tennessee is not conducive to reading, much less keeping up with LT.

I am just about to dig into The Poet's Dog and am glad to see your recommendation along with Joe's. I have a couple of novels by Han Kang on the shelves and haven't had the motivation to read them. I appreciate your comments about Human Acts.

I have brought The Vegetarian home from the library twice and returned it unread both times. It wasn't lack of interest so much as lack of time. I do plan to read it in 2017.

Hi Ellen. Welcome home!

You will love The Poet's Dog; it's sweet and perfect for this time of year.

>45 BLBera: You were right. I loved it. It made me want an Irish Wolfhound.....

Hi Beth! Love the new thread. I have added The Poet's Dog to the pile - I think it will be a Christmas read with the kids, along with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which I read to them every year. Every year I cry, and they laugh at me, but I am confident one day they will cry too. :)

>46 EBT1002: Whew! I'm always nervous when I recommend things, especially sweet, heartwarming things. What does that say about the kinds of friends I have...I'm thinking of giving it to my daughter; I think she could read it to Scout now.

Thanks, Jenn. Your kids will love it. I love The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, but it's been a while. I just remember the funny bits.

>33 BLBera: I had wondered that, but usually Denver has placeholders for new books ... at least ones somewhat in demand, and since Kang won the Booker for the last one I'd guess this would fall into that category. Oh well, I'll check back later!

Happy new thread Beth! Glad you enjoyed Miss Buncle Married. I liked it too although I still think Miss Buncle's Book is the best.

Good luck getting it, Ursula. It's hard to read in places but excellent.

Hi Heather - I think I liked Miss Buncle's Book better as well. Have you read The Two Mrs. Abbots?

110. No Time Like the Past is the latest in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series. As usual, very entertaining. Max gets to see Thermopylae, is forced to plan an open house and visits Florence during the bonfire of the vanities. I love the fun and history of these books. I've read them all on my e-reader, and they keep me stepping at the gym. Great fun.

>52 BLBera: I've got the first one on my Kindle unread - perhaps time to pick this up (and go to the gym, but the least said about that the better).

>52 BLBera: I think the St. Mary's books are great fun, too. I did learn when I had fallen behind and tried to play catchup that if you don't space them out the jokey bits can start to seem a tad repetitive, but the history bits are always great.

Well, Charlotte, they are good quick reads, nice when you don't want anything too heavy. I love the history, and I am partial to time travel.

>54 rosalita: Yes, Julia, I agree. They are all very similar, so I usually read about one a year. Though, don't you find that a lot of series suffer if you read them one after the other?

>52 BLBera: Hi, Beth! That is the wrong touchstone. This was the last St. Marys I have read. I like this series. Book 5. It is a lot of fun but I think I may be done with it now.

I am picking up The Poet's Dog this week. Grins...

>56 BLBera: Most series do suffer if you binge-read them. The only exceptions off the top of my head are the Deborah Crombie Kincaid/James series and Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge series. I binged on both of those and thought they were solid all the way through. In fact, I am impatiently awaiting the next book in both! I think I am on the library holds list for the next Todd book, but I need to check on Crombie.

Morning, Beth! I'm just bopping around trying to catch up a little. We all know that's nearly impossible. Good news! I've won an ER of Human Acts. Certainly not to be read during the holiday season.

>57 msf59: Thanks Mark. What is it with the touchstones these days? I space out the St. Marys books. Have fun with The Poet's Dog. I guarantee you will love it.

>58 rosalita: You remind me I have one Deborah Crombie to read before the new one comes out early next year. It's only the millionth book I'm planning to read over winter break. I've only read the first of the Ian Rutledge series, but I thought it was very good. Have you read Todd's series about the nurse? I don't like it as well.

>59 Carmenere: Hi Lynda - Bop away. Yes, I might wait to read Human Acts after the holidays. Congrats - it's a wonderful novel. I'll watch for your comments.

From The Hour of Land
Big Bend National Park, Texas

"For two hours, we sit on a hillside and watch light slowly come into the country. It is slow and subtle, a litany of yellow light, sun rays turning from yellow to orange to pink with clouds transposed from red to purple. We watch a black sky become indigo, then turquoise, then gold. And when the orange orb crests the horizon, birdsong erupts."

Lovely.

It's always fun to look at the best of lists that are starting to come out:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/books/review/100-notable-books-of-2016.html?_r...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/entertainment/2016-best-books/

Well, that first one's a dangerous list. Just asked the library for How to Survive a Plague.

>62 BLBera: The NYT liked The Mortifications more than I did!

>60 BLBera: I read the first book in the Bess Crawford series and felt no urge to continue. It wasn't bad but it didn't grab me the way the Ian Rutledge series did. You should read more of those!

My library has not gotten the most recent Crombie, so I have put in a request that they acquire it. Those are usually hit-or-miss, so I'm not holding my breath. I may need to ILL it.

>63 charl08: I haven't had time to really look at them closely, Charlotte. I always like to see if there's overlap. The NPR list isn't out yet.

>64 ursula: Ursula - I often don't agree with the NYT selections.

>65 rosalita: Hi Julia - I read a couple of the Bess Crawford, but Maisie Dobbs is so much better. I did like the Ian Rutledge one, so I'll be reading more of those.

I think the new Crombie will be out in February. I still have to read To Dwell in Darkness. One of the thousands of books I plan to read over break. :)

Thanks for the lists of 2016 bests. It's satisfying to know that I have read some of them , and others are on my radar, and yet others I have not heard about. Always more ideas for what to read. If only I was a power reader like Charlotte! :)

I see Underground Railroad is one of your favorite books this year. I've been wanting to read it. Hopefully I can get to it next year.

>67 vancouverdeb: You're very welcome Deborah. Don't we all wish we were readers like Charlotte!

>68 The_Hibernator: I loved it, Rachel. I hope you get the chance to read it soon.

Happy Friday, Beth! Glad you are still enjoying The Hour of Land. I am still thinking about that one.

Happy Friday back to you, Mark. Do you have the weekend off? Yes, The Hour of Land is lovely. I'm savoring it.

No, I work tomorrow but next weekend I am off. Yah!!

Have a great Saturday - at least you're not wading through snow.

Glad to see that you like the DE Stevenson books, Beth. She features in next year's British Author Challenge so save at least one book for her to read then!

Have a great weekend.

Hi Paul. Yes, I just visited your thread. You have some great choices for next year. I hope your weekend is wonderful as well.

Hi Beth, I have so much catching up to do around here! I love the end of year Best Books lists. I used to get a lot of recs from them before LT.

I thought The Poet's Dog was lovely. Thank you for the rec. I have The Chronicles of St Mary's series waiting on my Kindle. And the discussion above has reminded me that I keep meaning to read Crombie.

I love dipping into The Hour of Land, too.

I better go hit the books - too many good ones are waiting! :)

What's not to love about book lists, right, Joanne?

I am going to give my daughter The Poet's Dog for Christmas. The St. Mary's books are fun, and the Crombie series is really good. I have the latest to read before the new one comes out in 2017.

Have a great Sunday of reading!

111. Mister Monkey is the story of an off off off Broadway children's musical. Prose uses this really horrible play to comment on contemporary society. As the novel opens: "Margot arrives at the theater an hour early, since part of her preparation now involves a series of meditations designed to help her overcome the humiliation of squeeing into an outfit that her character -- Portia McBailey -- would never wear unless she'd quit being a lawyer and gone to work for an escort service, role-playing a slutty executive-secretary birthday clown."

Combining the sensibilities of Chekov and J. D. Salinger, the novel alternates between being hilarious and tragic. Prose tells the story through the points of view of both cast and audience members. In the end, through these accounts, we see how the play symbolizes the alienation and isolation of contemporary society. The novel takes on evolution, online dating, stage parents, to name just a few things along the way.

Remarkable, original novel. Certainly one of the year's best. I suspect I will continue to think about this for a long time.

>78 BLBera: I'll add that to the wishlist then Beth. Sounds worth the read.

I think you will like it, Charlotte. It's one that might not appeal to everyone, though.

I just started T. C. Boyle's new one The Terranauts. I like Boyle and it's been a while since I read one of this.

>78 BLBera: nice review! That sounds great. On the list!

Just stopping by to catch up with you, Beth. *waves*

Hi Rhonda - It's one that says a lot more than one might originally think, and I like novels that have some depth.

Hi Roni - Thanks. Waves back.

Gulf Islands National Seashore after the BP oil spill:

"My eyes focus on a large oyster bed where each shell is poised upright in the black tainted mud. I see them as hands, our own splayed hands, reaching beyond the oil."

The Hour of Land

>61 BLBera: Great quote which beautifully captures her elegiac narration.

>84 BLBera: Also excellent.

I'm glad you're enjoying the TTW work.

>78 BLBera: Very interesting! Kind of surprising, as you say.

NPR Best Books of 2016
http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2016/

>85 EBT1002: Hi Ellen - TTW is a poet; I am loving The Hour of Land.

>86 BLBera: Looks like some great books on that list - I like the fact they include a whole range of genres.

>51 BLBera: I have read The Two Mrs Abbotts - I think I liked it slightly better than Miss Buncle Married (not that I didn't like MBM) because the WWII setting was more interesting.

Hi Heather - Yes, I always love that they include a variety - and I love the covers!

I thought the WWII aspect of The Two Mrs. Abbots sounded interesting. Maybe I'll try to get to it during break... I hope no one is counting the books I plan to read during my break!

>84 BLBera: Lovely quote Beth.

Hope the Boyle is going well. I don't think I've read anything by him.

>86 BLBera: The lists begin!!

Browsing through NPR's extensive list, I am reminded that I have an ER copy of The Lesser Bohemians by Eimear McBride that I have not yet read, much less reviewed. Maybe that will be number 101 for me.

Thanks Charlotte. Williams is a poet. I love Boyle. I just started this HUGE book 500+ pages but it is drawing me in. I should just about finish it in time to start another TOME A Strangeness in my mind with Ellen.

Oh Ellen, you missed >62 BLBera:. :)

I have to read The Jungle Book for my book club, too, before I start the Pamuk. I think that will about do it for the year.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

"Water creates civilization. See wilderness as water, our aquifer as human beings that ties us to the whole of this planet, the water that allows us to drink deeply from the source of community that comprises all life, not just the culture of our own species."

Lovely.

From The Hour of Land

>90 charl08: - Charlotte - I just looked at my list, and my favorite T.C. Boyle novels are The Tortilla Curtain and When the Killing's Done. I have quite a few others on my list to read.

>86 BLBera: I always love browsing this list. Lots on there that I intend to get around to one day (probably 5-10 years from now at the rate I seem to go!).

Ok. I've added The Tortilla Curtain to the wishlist. It's groaning a bit. After the beautiful, but rather sad poetry of Over the Moon, I have retreated to a Maigret (again!). Good job he wrote so many.

I started browsing through the NPR Book Concierge, but had to stop after putting SIX books on my TBR list! I was glad to see a number of books that I've already read, considering I seldom read new books, because at least I can check those off.

>95 ursula: - I love the lists, Ursula, even though I often end up arguing with them. I was happy to see that some of my favorites made the lists.

>96 charl08: It's only fair, Charlotte. I wonder how many of my reads this year were recommended by you? I think it's hard to read challenging things at this time of year. Besides the holidy, I have end-of-semester grading, etc.

>97 rosalita: I know what you mean, Julia. I also had to stop. One thing I love about the NPR list is that it is so diverse. I'll go back to it later...

>92 BLBera: You're right, I had missed that. The lists have long since begun! And, really, lists get generated all year long, don't they? ;-)

Like others around here, I love the lists and they are really treacherous for my wish list. Oh well!

Happy Wednesday afternoon to you!

I love all the Best of the Year Lists that are making their appearance, the NPR list added a lot to my wish list!

Hi, Beth! I have also not read T.C. Boyle is awhile. Maybe you could spark something here. I LOVED Drop City, liked The Inner Circle but Tortilla Curtain fell flat. I have a whole bunch on the TBR and the T.R. list.

>100 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I know! I was looking at books this afternoon when I should have been grading. A colleague stopped by, caught me, and we had a nice break with a book conversation. One of the perks of teaching English. Most of my colleagues are book people.

>101 msf59: I haven't read either of those, Mark, but I have a few on my TBR list as well.

I have several T.C. Boyles on the TBR stacks. I guess I'll read one of them in 2017. :-)

Which one, Ellen? I have World's End; I think I read somewhere that that's his favorite... I'll have to double check on that.

How's your week going?

Next week is my last week of class, so it is crazy. Grading, grading, and more grading.

112. The Hour of Land is a lovely collection of personal essays in homage to our national parks. We must preserve our wild spaces. Absolutely beautiful.

She ends with the César Chávez National Monument: “If our national parks are to remain viable in the future, they must become sites of transformation where the paradigm of domination and manipulation ends and a vision of unison begins.”

I fear what will become of these spaces in the next few years.

Good luck with the marking Beth. Hope there's light at the end of the tunnel.

I added The Hour of Land to the wishlist - and since you asked, it's book 22 that I've blamed you for credited to your recommendation! I had no idea how many parks there were in the US. Just fifteen here.

>105 BLBera: That looks like one I should look for too.

>106 charl08: Thanks Charlotte. There's light, but my brain is tired. The students are tired, and everyone is just ready to be done. I'm sure I've gotten more than 22 recommendations from you. So, it's only fair.

>107 PaulCranswick: It's a lovely book, Paul. I think you would like it.

>104 BLBera: Well, I don't appear to have entered any T.C. Boyle works into my "To Read" collection. So, going by memory, I think I have:

Drop City
Tortilla Curtain
Wild Child and Other Stories

I'll check my shelves when I get home. :-)

>105 BLBera: I'm glad you liked it!

My week is going well so far. It's freezing here and my office is an ice box. I need to bring in a space heater (don't tell anyone).
Next week is finals week so campus should gradually become quieter. We only have a two week break and I'll be working the whole time, but I have a to-do list to work through and I am marked out to come in a bit later most mornings, providing opportunity for morning runs.

Hang in there with the grading, grading, and more grading!

I have really liked all the Boyles I've read. Tortilla Curtain is excellent. I haven't read the others on your list.

Dec. 16 is the last day of the semester. I imagine I'll finish grading the following Monday or Tuesday. It always gets done, but right now I am tired.

Thanks for the encouragement.

On the reading front, I'll be ready to start the Pamuk when I finish The Terranauts.

Happy Birthday Emily Dickinson

"Absolutely beautiful." Perfect description of The Hour of Land.

Happy Saturday, Beth! How is the Boyle book? Good?

Hi Mark - Keep warm! It's going to be very cold here the next week to ten days.

Yes, the Boyle book is very good so far; I'm in about 100 pages and hope to make some progress this weekend. After grading of course. ;)

Some of the long lists for the PEN awards. What a lot of books to add to the reading list!
https://pen.org/2017-pen-america-literary-awards-longlists

Beth, I want nearly all of the NF on that list, and I hardly dare look at the other categories! I hope your grading finally comes to an end and you can do other things.

I think I might break my library's request page with that PEN list Beth. Leaving the house before my order now finger finds itself on the Amazon page. I loved Andrew Solomon's earlier book on depression, and of course Evicted has had a lot of love here.

Howdy, Beth! Wow! Incredible quotes from The Hour of Land! I love the national parks are will certainly pick this baby up at some point!
I'm already reading the Pen critics circle semifinalists I'm not sure I'll be able to read much more before the new years award lists come out. Oh my, what am I to do?!!! I think with all of these awards I'm just going to focus on the short lists. I'm such a snail reader, as I've learned with the Booker long list, that I can't finish them all before the short list comes out and then half of what I've already read is cut from the short list. *sigh* So many books blablabla

>116 susanj67: I know, Susan. There are lots of good books to choose from; I think that could be my year's non-fiction reading. I am making progress on grading. I hope to finish by Dec. 20.

>117 charl08: Hah, Charlotte. If you haven't broken it by now, it's probably safe. Will the new job affect your reading progress?

>118 Carmenere: Hi Lynda. TTW writes beautifully. I took my time with this, reading an essay here and there. The lists are fun, but I think I would need to live in a cave by myself to get through all the books I want to read. I'm trying to think of resolutions for next year, especially the buying of books...When I've resolved not to buy books in the past, I usually caved by the end of February. So, I obviously need a better plan.

Well, back to grading.

"I would need to live in a cave by myself to get through all the books I want to read." Amen to that, my friend!

Morning Beth! We got a few inches of snow, not bad. It is quiet now but it is supposed to start gearing back up, a little later, to add to the totals. Sighs...

Hey Mark: I'm just taking a break from shoveling. We got about 6 inches, I think. I will do the other half later.

Hi Beth, have been wondering why your thread was so quiet -- here you are 121 posts into a new one! Good grief, trying to keep up around here can be a full-time job, LOL! Oh, and Happy New Thread!

>119 BLBera: Yes, indeedy sweetie!!!! This one suits me just fine, what do you think?

Sounds like similar things going on in your life and mine - snow and grading (my husband's doing the grading, obviously!). This week is finals, so that's a good thing. He'll be done on Tuesday and then hopefully grade those finals quick-like!

I know Nancy - I am busy with finals right now, so it's pretty quiet.

>123 Carmenere: - Yes! Exactly what I need. Thanks Lynda.

>124 ursula: Good luck to your husband finishing up. I hope to be finished by next Tuesday - right now I'm looking at piles of essays...

>125 BLBera: Thanks, good luck to you as well. At least he doesn't have to grade essays? I don't know, I just hear a lot of "what on earth were they even trying to do here?!?"

>126 ursula: Hah! Down the English hallway, you hear moans, and "What were they thinking," kinds of comments.

>115 BLBera: Dangerous lists. I was pleased to see my current read, Behold the Dreamers on one of them. It's early yet but I'm optimistic.

I loved it, Ellen. It will definitely be on my year's best list.

>128 EBT1002: Yes, there was shoveling yesterday. I wish I could share pictures of Scout in the snow. She was all over it, snow angels, shoveling, snowmen. Her enthusiasm made me less grouchy.

Chuckling at Scout revelling in the snow! Hard to be grouchy in the presence of such enthusiasm.

Hey, Beth. I just saw your post on Rhonda's thread about a possible Portland meet up in March. I return from San Antonio March 15, and probably fly to New Orleans March 19. I don't know if I'll be able to get down to Portland on one of the three days in between but if at all possible, I will be there.

>130 lit_chick: Yes, Nancy - I remember loving the snow when I was young, too. And she never seems to get cold.

>131 EBT1002: I'll keep my fingers crossed. Now I just have to do my paperwork and get organized. Winter break.

And don't forget the cookies, Beth. Because remember:

Susan! I love it! Where do you get these?

Hilarious, Susan! One of my students recently submitted a meme to accompany his persuasive essay on feminism. It so made me laugh!

Beth, I recently discovered this meme generator site :-) https://imgflip.com/memegenerator The possibilities are endless :-)

>135 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy :-)

>133 susanj67: That one made me chortle. All the sprinkles in the kingdom indeed.

I have begun the comparative spreadsheet of booklists, and wondering what I've started!

>135 lit_chick: I always tell my students, Nancy, that if they manage to make me laugh, they get a bump in their grade.

>136 susanj67: I'm not even going to look at it, Susan, or I won't get ANY grading done.

>137 charl08: It's very realistic, Charlotte. I find sprinkles everywhere for days after decorating with Scout.

You'll make the spreadsheet and then share with your friends, right?

Speaking of grading, one class had to write essays analyzing poetry, and three or four students decided to look at Bob Dylan's lyrics and argue whether he deserved the Nobel Prize. So far, it seems they are giving him thumbs up.

113. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling is a collection of short stories and poems. Most of them are set in India, and the most famous ones are the ones centered around Mowgli. Despite the fact that this is a children's book, there is a sense of sadness that runs through the stories. Mowgli is raised by wolves, but he is not a wolf. He tries to go back to live with humans, and that doesn't work. So, he's doomed to be an outsider.

One critic suggests that Kipling is writing about himself in this sense. He was born in India, and when he was six years old, his parents took him to England and left him, not telling him ahead of time they were going to do it. He didn't see them again until he was an adult.

The poems were definitely aimed at children, as were the stories. They were entertaining enough, but unless I read them to Scout, I won't return to them.

This is our book club choice, so it will be interesting to see what others think.

Hi, Beth! Are you surviving our arctic blast? It looks very bad tomorrow. Ugh...

Sadly, I have never read The Jungle Book but I recently saw the live action film and thought it was very good.

Are you a fan of Munro? I am really enjoying her collection, Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories. She sure makes it look easy.

Hi Mark! Cold enough for you? I feel for you with the cold, my friend. I drove by some construction workers making their way to their cars this afternoon, and they looked miserable. We're expecting another snowstorm starting Friday, then I guess it starts to get into the 20s the middle of next week.

Alice Munro is the rockstar of short story writing. I love her and am happy I have several unread volumes of hers ahead.

The Mowgli stories are the best ones in The Jungle Book

>133 susanj67: Love it!
>138 BLBera: I really like your grading criteria, Beth! Laughter lightens up the work load for both those writing and those grading!

Delighted you read The Jungle Book to Scout, Beth! She is a well read little girl : ).

>139 BLBera: I'd never connected Kipling's experience being sent to the UK with the Jungle Book. Intriguing stuff.

Nice to hear Bob has the vote of (some of) the class. Hoping there might be someone working away on some kind of critical edition now he's had the Nobel nod, so that I can understand the decision.

I posted this on Mark's thread but I think you might need it, too. Although you don't have to spend as much time out in the brutal weather!! Still, stay warm, Beth.

Interesting about Kipling. Isn't it odd how little people used to think of children's having feelings?

>142 Carmenere: Well, Lynda, it helps to have a laugh during this time of year. Now, I just have to tell the students not to email me asking about their grades.

>143 lit_chick: Scout does get read to, Nancy. Today, she said she wanted funny books, so we read The Cat in the Hat, The Little Blue Pickup and The Snowy Day, which she is in love with right now. Why I get a Shakespeare touchstone for the blue pickup book is a mystery.

>144 charl08: Two of the students who wrote about Dylan hadn't heard of him before. One said his roommates were not happy when he was listening to the music; it sounds like they were trying to drown each other out. But they all agreed that the lyrics can be considered poetry and fit the Nobel Prize criteria. They actually chose good lyrics to discuss, too.

>145 EBT1002: Yes, the temps here do not make one want to spend much time outside, Ellen. I have a Pilates class tonight, and it's the last one this year, so I should go, but...

>146 banjo123: It's amazing how people dismiss kids' feelings and understanding. Scout actually understands quite a lot, and she's only three.

I am enjoying The Terranauts - Boyle is a good writer, and this is an interesting exploration of dynamics in a small, isolated community.

Hi Beth! I just wrapped up final grades for one class and don't get my next stack of finals until tomorrow, so I'm taking advantage of the time to catch up on threads. Between all of your good reads and the best of lists, my TBR list is growing! The Hour of Land sounds especially good.

Hi Amy! I've reached a point where I have to take a breather from grades. My last final is tomorrow, and I think I should have everything wrapped up by Tuesday.

Then we just got a note saying our syllabi for spring semester are due next week. That's going to happen.

Yes, I just finished my syllabus for next semester yesterday. That always sneaks up on me! But we are going to FL over Christmas break, so I can't complain!

Good luck finishing grades!

You are super efficient, Amy. Florida sounds good right now.

BTW The Hour of Land is wonderful.

Dear Beth, I am cheering you on as you finish your term!!! What a great break you're going to have!!!!
I can't really catch up, but I introduced my mama, who is pretty much home-bound right now to D.E. Stevenson, and she's lapping them up. I don't know why Mama never read her. I'm about to put *2 Mrs Abbots* on her Kindle for Christmas.
I have The Mortifications yet to read for ER and can't quite get myself to get on with it. I'm 6 books short of 75 at the moment, so I need to read easy stuff. We'll see.
Courage. The time for rejoicing is nigh!!!!!

>145 EBT1002: Yes, it is cold here too! I'm sure my dog Poppy feels about like that, although she has been as eager as ever to run around outside. Even we are affected by the " polar vortex" or " polar outflow." That proably makes you chuckle, since I live in Vancouver, but really, we usually have the so - called " pineapple express " all winter. That is winds bringing in weather from Hawaii - warmer temps at around 45 F and rain. Brrr!

Enjoy your break, Beth!

Glad to hear you're nearly there with the marking, Beth. Bring on the sprinkles!

Thanks Peggy. You can reach 75! Plenty of time left.

Temperature is all relative, Deborah. This morning when I walked out to my car, it was 6 degrees F., about -10 C., I think. Anyway, it was 15 degrees warmer than yesterday morning and felt absolutely balmy. One of my book club members didn't even bother to wear a jacket when she walked down the block to the cafeteria where we meet.

Thanks Charlotte. I can't wait to be done.

114. The Terranauts is set in 1994 and tells the story of a crew locked in a biosphere for two years. Eight crew members, four men and four women play out what seems familiar to us today with reality TV shows set in houses. There is enough drama to keep the reader turning the pages, because the real experiment is how people can survive in such close proximity with no escape. Boyle's answer, not very well, as one of the narrators points out: "It came to me that we were like Browning's monk, exactly like, all of us, even if we'd come into this with the best of intentions, and we had, I'm sure we had. But we'd been locked up too long. We were too familiar, every tic and gesture, every phrase and routine and story we'd heard a hundred times grating on our psyches till the notion of camaraderie was just a sick joke."

Boyle has created a believable closed world. The story is told through three, basically unsympathetic narrators. That, to me, is the drawback of the novel. I find it hard to really care what happens to any of the people.

Interesting novel, but it's not my favorite Boyle.

>156 BLBera: I still haven't read anything by TC Boyle, Beth. What is your favourite of his? I have World's End on the shelves I am sure.

Have a splendid weekend.

Hi Paul - I think my two favorites are Tortilla Curtain and When the Killing's Done. I haven't read World's End. I hope your weekend is wonderful, as well. Mine will consist of grading and shoveling show.

115. Angel Catbird is a graphic novel written by Margaret Atwood. It's worth reading for the introduction alone. She starts: "Some find it strange that a person known for her novels and poetry would take to writing comic books, especially comic books called Angel Catbird. Why is a nice literary old lady like me -- an award-winning nice literary old lady -- a nice literary old lady who should be resting on her laurels in her rocking chair, being dignified and iconic -- why is such a nice old lady messing around with flying cat-owl superheroes and nightclubs for cat people, not to mention giant rat men? Strange."

She goes on to explain that as a child she was a fan of comics and wrote some. But science and conservation also are part of this project. There are factoids throughout that tell about the dangers of letting domesticated cats run loose. One fact: cats kill about 200 million birds each year in Canada.

This is volume 1, so we'll have to see how Angel Catbird and his allies, Cate Leone and Count Catula do against Ratman. Ratman, as is the case with most villains, wants to take over the world. Fun read.

At the end of the GN, there are sketches and information about coloring it.

Next: A Strangeness in My Mind.

Just passing through. Good luck with wrapping up the semester. I hope you get to do something other than school this weekend. :)
I think I will leave The Terranauts on the shelf. Too reality TV for me. Lol

Hi Jenn - Thanks for stopping by. I think if you want to read Boyle, there are better ones out there.

>159 BLBera: I like the quotes from Atwood. Sounds like a fun read.

Yes, Charlotte, it's nice to see that she has a sense of humor. I think parts of her intro to the GN were from an essay from In Other Worlds, which I really enjoyed.

It was a fun read.

I like the idea of an award-winning nice literary old lady writing comic books, Beth. Sounds like Atwood is packing an important message, too ... no surprise there.

I'm an Atwood fan, Nancy, but I love that she's willing to step outside the "literary" box.

I'm enjoying the first 100 pages of A Strangeness in My Mind. Pamuk is doing a great job of setting the scene, with details: "Some cars, like the 1956 Dodge with its enormous and perfectly circular headlights, looked like old men staring with their eyes wide open; the radiator grille on the 1957 Plymouth suggested a man with his thick upper lip topped by a handlebar mustache; other cars (the 1961 Opel Record, for instance) looked like spiteful women whose mouths had turned to stone in the middle of an evil cackle, so that now you could see their countless tiny teeth."

Wonderful.

Happy Sunday, Beth. After being out clearing my driveway and my elderly neighbors, I am in for the rest of the day.

The Boyle book does sound interesting but I have others of his, I want to read first.

I won a copy of Angel Catbird, a couple months ago and have it waiting nearby. I hope to start it soon.

Hi Beth. I like that you're posting the occasional quote from the Pamuk novel. I loved that bit about the types of faces brought to mind by car grills. I will start marking passages that stand out for me so that I can also share. I'm really enjoying it so far.

Tortilla Curtain is one of two Boyles on my TBR shelves.

Angel Catbird sounds like a fun GN!

Almost done with grading, etc? And when does your next semester start? (We're on the quarter system and winter quarter starts January 3. It's only a two-week break. I wish it were longer.)

Hi Ellen -
I am also enjoying the Pamuk so far. Which is good, because it is LONG.

Tortilla Curtain is really good, very timely, considering it was written a while ago.

Angel Catbird was fun. Atwood is genius.

I have one class left to do. We go back on Jan. 9. I have to finish my syllabi for next semester this week, so I'll probably get a start on them tomorrow. Breaks are never long enough...

And here's another list of books...
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/31-books-you-should-add-to-your-holiday-reading-...

Whee! Another list! My list of lists has taken a back burner but I need to get on with it really. I am not sure about Pamuk. I've tried him a couple of times and found him a bit wordy. Maybe I just need to be in the right mood the next time I pick him up. Istanbul is sitting on the shelf, so never too late...

Hi Charlotte - Happy to help with more lists.:)

I am enjoying this Pamuk. I love novels with such a clear sense of place. Although I am finding it goes on a bit in places. Istanbul is very much a character in this novel; is Istanbul a novel or nonfiction?

Well, back to grading and planning for next semester. I hope to finish today. We'll see.

I think it's a memoir Beth. But I've never done more than look at it on the shelf...

>169 BLBera: "Breaks are never long enough..." Amen to that.

>169 BLBera: "Breaks are never long enough..." Amen to that.

I agree that Pamuk does go on a bit at times (and that usually bugs me) but I'm rather enjoying the leisurely narrative style. I'm also enjoying the occasional first-person inserts. His humorous perspective on human foibles is subtle but palpable.

I think Istanbul: Memories and the City is a memoir. He seems to love that city.

>173 charl08: Thanks Charlotte - I can tell I'll be reading more Pamuk.

>175 EBT1002: Hi Ellen - Overall, I am enjoying the novel; I thought he went on a bit about Mevluk's masturbating. But, never having been a teenaged boy, I admit to lack of experience in that arena. Perhaps it deserves extended coverage.

But you are right; it is pretty funny.

116. A Dangerous Place is another in the Maisie Dobbs series. Winspear is still managing to keep this series going strong, allowing time to pass and people's lives to change.

In this novel, set in Gibraltar, Maisie is recovering from a tragedy in her life. When she stumbles across a man who was murdered, she decides to look into it, and embroils herself into the unstable political situation in Gibraltar. The Spanish Civil War is raging, and Gibraltar seems to be a central meeting place for spies.

Another war is looming, so I imagine the next novel in the series involve that. Great series.

Well, back to A Strangeness in My Mind. One thing I've been thinking as I read is that a map of Istanbul with the different neighborhoods labeled would be nice. Pamuk does an excellent job of describing the place, but I would like a map.

#175 It is a bit much!

>176 BLBera: Hmm, not sure I fancy extensive coverage of that particular topic! Hope you're nearly there with the sylllabi.

>176 BLBera: "I thought he went on a bit about Mevluk's masturbating." Yep, I totally agree.

>179 charl08: At least it wasn't, um, graphic. I just got bored with his moral struggle with it. I felt like: Right. Got it. Move on.

>179 charl08: Done with the syllabi, Charlotte. I thought I would sneak to Barnes & Noble right after lunch, thinking, it's a week day and there wouldn't be many people. Wrong. Still, I only needed a couple of gift cards and found the penguin book! It's Pip the Little Penguin and uses thumb prints as part of the animals. And there are no touchstone results. It's by Roger Priddy.
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Penguin-Alphaprints-picture-book/dp/0312521391/ref...

>180 EBT1002: I'm glad it wasn't just me, Ellen. Well, off to read. I'd really like to finish this in the next couple of days. I have Zadie Smith's new book from the library, and there is a long line of people waiting for it. I have to admit, at this point, that is calling my name, more than A Strangeness in My Mind. I love the writing, but am just not sure I want quite so much detail about Mevluk's life.

Hi Beth! I really liked Snow, so have been wanting to try more Pamuk. Maybe not this one, though?

Rhonda: If you would really like to try this one, I would be happy to send you my copy when I am finished. I do have Snow on my shelf also and will definitely try that one. If you'd like A Strangeness in My Mind, PM me your address.

Hi Beth, so glad you enjoyed A Dangerous Place. Great series, for sure!

>182 banjo123: and >183 BLBera: I also have Snow on my shelves. Maybe that could be another shared read.....
I'm enjoying A Strangeness in My Mind but it's not blowing me away.

>176 BLBera: I came to a similar conclusion about a couple of topics in City of Thieves. It's a teenage boy thing. I'm not that fascinated, but I guess it's a big deal in their lives.

>181 BLBera: Pip the Penguin is adorable! Such a clever idea.

Beth I am currently listening to Swing Time as well as reading A Strangeness in My Mind. I see Zadie Smith for a signing on January 13th. This is my first by her and it has not disappointed.

Hi, Beth! I have still not read Pamuk. Bad Mark?

I did not care much for The Mothers, although I know it has received a lot of non-LT praise, if that means anything. Grins...

On audio, I did start Hidden Figures. Now, this is more my cuppa. African American fiction/NF have really been impressive this year.

>184 lit_chick: Yes, Nancy. It is one of the few series that I think has kept up the quality throughout. I look forward to the next one.

>185 EBT1002: Agreed, Ellen, about A Strangeness in My Mind. I love the writing, but maybe it's a little long? I wonder if, as writers gain prestige, it becomes harder to edit them? I would be up for a joint reading of Snow. Next year.

>186 ursula: Hah, Ursula. Boys and their toys. :)

>187 rosalita: It's really cute, Julia. It was a good message, too.

>188 luvamystery65: Hi Roberta. I might have to start Swing Time before I've finished A Strangeness in My Mind. I have a towering stack of library books, and I have high hopes for my break.

Happy holidays to everyone. I will probably be largely absent until next week.

117. Peacock & Vine is an extended essay about William Morris and Mariano Fortuny. I really enjoyed this little book about a topic I knew nothing about. I do love A. S. Byatt and am impressed by her vast range of knowledge. Here, this is explained as she explores the work of Morris and Fortuny: "Reading Fortuny and Morris together made me think very hard, and with great pleasure, about the need to make representations of the outside world, and about the need to hand these on and change them."

Morris's wallpaper designs are still seen, and Fortuny's dresses are in museums throughout the world. Byatt explores different motifs used in both men's art, and the variety of media they worked in. Beautifully illustrated with examples of the work Byatt discusses.

One quote by Morris stands out:"If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody this is it: have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

Article about fiction that might help explain the election:
http://www.npr.org/2016/12/22/506476143/still-puzzled-by-the-election-authors-pr...

^^Did you miss me up there or was there nothing worth commenting on? Grins...

>191 BLBera: I didn't know that was Morris. It's a great quote - very practical. I didn't love The Children's Book but she was certainly impressive with the knowledge.

Happy holidays - hope Scout enjoys her books.

>189 msf59: MARK! I am so sorry. I did miss you. Maybe we were posting at the same time. Start with a Pamuk other than A Strangeness in My Mind.

Hmm - I've heard mostly raves about The Mothers - still we can't agree on all books. Will check out Hidden Figures.

Merry Christmas, Mark.

Thanks Charlotte - The Children's Book is not my favorite Byatt. I think Possession still holds that spot. I want to reread the tetraology, too, or at least reread the first two and then finish it. Next year.

Happy holidays to you. Scout will love her books. We're going to decorate cookies in a while. Her mom called to tell me that she's been fever free for 24 hours, so she must be feeling better.

>192 BLBera: That is an excellent article, Beth. Thanks for posting the link. I'm going to make a note on my thread of some of the book recommendations noted therein.

Thanks, Ellen. I thought Heat and Light and Preparation for the Next Life both looked good. And my library has both! I didn't put them on hold, though because I have to finish A Strangeness in My Mind and I already have 12 library books on my desk, threatening to topple.

Here's another list:
http://www.sfchronicle.com/books/article/Best-of-2016-100-recommended-books-1079...

I ordered a book box of Black Literature. My first box came in and it I has the The Mothers. The folks at the local bookstore just rave about it.

>200 luvamystery65: That sounds interesting!

>199 BLBera: You know, I just didn't love Commonwealth as much as all the reviewers and list-makers did!

In case I'm not able to make it back here in the next couple of days, I'm leaving this wish for the season.....

Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.

2017.

Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!

Merry Christmas, Beth, to you and yours ...

Happy Christmas Beth, and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas Beth! Thank you for your time, your kind words and the books we enjoy together. I hope your holidays are full of joy!

Merry Christmas, Beth!

Merry Christmas, Beth!

This is the Christmas tree at the end of the Pacific Beach Pier here in San Diego, a Christmas tradition.

To all my friends here at Library Thing, I want you to know how much I value you and how much I wish you a very happy holiday, whatever one you celebrate, and the very best of New Years!

Beth, best wishes for Christmas and for 2017. I'm looking forward to yet more excellent recommendations from you :-)

Merry Christmas, Beth.

Happy Holidays Beth!

Wishing you another day of holiday happiness

Thanks for the holiday wishes, everybody. I had a wonderful Christmas. Now, I have my favorite granddaughter Scout with me while her parents are away skiing. Today, she went to daycare for a bit while I do errands.

>200 luvamystery65: Roberta - I'd love to see what else you have in the box.

Thanks >201 EBT1002: Ellen, >202 PaulCranswick: Paul, >203 lit_chick: Nancy, >204 SandDune: Rhian, >205 nittnut: Jenn, >206 DeltaQueen50: Judy, >207 Crazymamie: Mamie, >208 ronincats: Roni, >209 susanj67: Susan, >210 Ameise1: Barbara, >211 luvamystery65: Roberta, and >2123 Lynda.

I'll do some visiting, and then off to run errands.

Hope you are surviving the cold and ice in MN! Have fun with Scout. And Happy Holidays!!

Oh, I hope you have a lovely time with Scout, Beth. May the sprinkles be plentiful :-)

Thanks Kim - It rained all day on Christmas, if you can believe it. Now, of course, as the temp lowered, any place where water pooled is an ice rink. I'm sure I'm going to fall on my butt in the next couple of days.

Thanks Charlotte: The cookies make good leverage for medicine taking. She has to finish out her course of antibiotic, and I am willing to use whatever means I can to get her to take it.

I'm looking forward to Scout stories while her parents are away skiing and she's with you, Beth! Baking (with her eye on the prize, of course), reading, snow-play and more ...

I asked you this on Ellen's thread, but decided I need to come ask you here. I have just started part 4 of Swing Time by Zadie Smith. This is my first work by her. What should I tackle next of hers?

>216 BLBera: I heard about the ice. My dad fell and hit his head. Hospital visit. : ( Stay safe!!

Good luck keeping your footing and I hope you enjoy the rest of your time off!

Nancy - Well, if I hadn't already realized this, Scout is much smarter than I am -- or at least she has my number. We are having a bit of a standoff about bedtime tonight. After about 30 minutes of trying to get her to settle, and usually she falls asleep right away, I said, "OK, how about one 'Little Einstein's' episode, and then you'll go to sleep?" She immediately said, "And I won't yell at you anymore and I'll go right to bed." Yup, she has my number.

I loved White Teeth, Roberta. One of the characters made a cameo in the early chapters of Swing Time; I'm only about 100 pages in though; I've had a visitor who consumes my time. See above. :)

Oh no, Kim! Is your dad OK?

Thanks Meg. Baby steps.

LOL, yes, she has your number, Beth! Too sweet! (and smart!)

>221 BLBera: Thanks Beth. My Dad is of good cheer. First test back today was positive. CT scan later today. Crossing my fingers! : )

Scout is definitely one to watch for the future! Hope you're having fun.

Scout is a clever girl!

I hope to be better at visiting in the new year, Beth. I've been terrible this past quarter. I'm glad that you have been able to enjoy your granddaughter during this Christmas season. Best wishes for a happy new year!

Hi, Beth! I hope your week is going well. I am glad you are enjoying Swing Time. I want to read that one. I have it saved on audio.

>222 lit_chick: Yes, Nancy, she is a good girl, overall although she is getting more definite about getting her way. My daughter is a strict disciplinarian, so I try to follow her lead. Sometimes, though, it's hard not to laugh.

>223 Berly: My fingers are crossed along with yours, Kim.

>224 charl08: Yes, Charlotte, I always tell my daughter we have a prodigy.

>225 EBT1002: Yes, Ellen, see above.

>226 NanaCC: Thanks for stopping by, Colleen. Yes, I do enjoy time with my granddaughter. Happy new year, to you, too.

>227 msf59: Thanks Mark. The weather is decent and now that Miss Scout is home, I hope to get a couple of books finished by the end of the year.

Your Scout story made me laugh. Clever, clever girl! Happy Thursday to you, Beth!

Thanks Mamie.

"Sometimes, though, it's hard not to laugh." I think that is one of the most classic "images" I have of grandmothers and great aunts all over the world: trying to instill discipline as that middle generation would have done, but struggling not to laugh because the youngest generation is just too dang cute.

You're absolutely right, Ellen.

Belated Merry Christmas and happy New Year Beth!

Sometimes, though, it's hard not to laugh. I'm often guilty of this when my nephews or goddaughter misbehave...

Sounds like you're having a blast with Scout! Will you be celebrating NY's eve with her?

118. Swing Time is mind glowingly excellent. Zadie Smith has written a novel about power, race, class, effects of slavery, all the while managing not to be didactic.

The unnamed narrator tells the story of two "brown girls" growing up in the projects of London. One girl, Tracey, has a white mother and a black father, while the narrator has a black mother and a white father. The narrator loves old music, Cab Calloway, old musicals and Fred Astaire's dancing. The musicals allow her to dream:

"In my dream we were all elegant and none of us know pain, we had never graced the sad pages of the history books my mother bought for me, never been called ugly or stupid, never entered theaters by the back door, drunk from separate water fountains or taken our seats at the back of any bus. None of our people ever swung by their necks from a tree, or found themselves suddenly thrown overboard, shackled, in dark water -- no in my dream we were golden!

There's so much to absorb here that my comments won't do justice to this wonderful novel, but even though Smith gives us a lot to think about, she also tells a riveting story of two girls.

Definitely one of the best of 2016 -- a strong way to end the year -- though I hope to finish A Strangeness in My Mind yet, as well.

>233 souloftherose: Thanks Heather. Same to you. Yes, those little ones are hard to resist.

>234 Carmenere: Hi Lynda - Actually, I will be spending New Year's Eve with friends. Do you have big plans?

Great review of Swing Time, Beth! One for the list, for sure. That is a powerful quote.

It was a powerful book, Nancy. One that I will certainly reread.

Yay for Zadie Smith! Great review Beth.

Thanks Charlotte - You loved this as well, correct?

>235 BLBera: I can't wait to get my paws on it! I just checked and I'm still only #513 in the queue! They have 110 copies but still....

Oh well, it's not like I don't have plenty of other things to read, including four books that are in fact ready for me to pick up at the library: Imagine Me Gone, Nutshell, The Color Purple, and Mercury by Margot Livesey.

Happy Friday, Beth!

119. Guidebook to Murder is a fun cozy mystery, set in a small touristy town in California. The protagonist, Jill Gardner, runs a bookstore/coffeeshop. When an elderly friend is murdered and Jill inherits, someone seems to have it in for her. This was an ebook, and it was a fun gym read.

Now, to finish A Strangeness in My Mind

^ Good luck finishing it, Beth!

>241 EBT1002: Your library system is a lot bigger than ours. Swing Time is great.

I have Mercury from the library as well; I'm not sure when I'll get to it.

>243 EBT1002: I'm almost there, Ellen. Now that I don't have Swing Time distracting me.

Happy Friday and Happy New Year. Any big plans for tomorrow?

Looking forward to your continued company in 2017.
Happy New Year, Beth

Thanks Paul, a Happy New Year to you as well. I will be around to star threads tomorrow.

And, the last book of the year:

120. A Strangeness in My Mind is the story of Mevlut, an everyman, as well as a love story to the city of Istanbul. Mevlut, through most of the fifty years covered in the novel, goes out every night, selling boza, a traditional fermented drink: "Mevlut sensed that the light and darkness inside his mind looked like the nighttime landscape of the city...So this is how Mevlut came to understand the truth that a part of him had known all along; walking around the city at night made him feel as if he were wandering around inside his own mind."

The detailed descriptions of the city and of Mevlut's life are outstanding. One of my first impressions was that the novel was Dickensian -- firmly rooted in a time and place. One of Mevlut's first views of Istanbul: "...women picking tomatoes from a small garden of a village house, hens walking along the train tracks, two donkeys scratching each other next to an electric water pump."

As I read, I had the feeling I would have appreciated this novel even more if I knew more about Turkish history. Mevlut is a remarkable achievement, a man we come to know and love over the fifty-year time span. But, if you want a page-turner, this novel is not the one to pick up.

Happy New Year to all of my LT friends.

I will be creating my 2017 thread tomorrow.

Happy New Year, Beth. You definitely convinced me to read Swing Time. Great review.

Have a great holiday weekend.

Happy new year Beth!

Happy new year, Beth! I'll look out for your thread tomorrow and drop in :-)

I wish you from my heart health, happiness, satisfaction and much exciting read in 2017. May all your wishes come true.


from my hometown Zürich, Switzerland

Thanks everybody - I love the fireworks, Barbara.

Thanks Kim