Bonnie's (brenzi) Minimalist Thread

WELCOME FRIENDS!

My two favorites will tag along again this year.



Mia age 7, with the little American Girl school house Santa brought and I can't even. Everything is to scale and works. Tiny pens and pencils, working smart board, everything is tiny and yet they all work. Amazing.



Cole age 4, covered in mud and water, in his natural habitat.

Who doesn't love Mary Oliver?

Joan Didion

Well I don't know how this happened but I've read 134 books this year. What?!?! The most I've ever read before was 116 in 2019.

BEST BOOKS OF 2021

I do this a little differently than most people. It doesn't matter to me whether I rated a book 5 stars or 4 stars or anywhere in between. That was my immediate reaction to it right after I finished the reading. To land on this list, the book has to be memorable or impactful for me. SOMETHING sticks with me even if I read it last January.

Driftless by David Rhodes hit me like no other book I read this year. The language was beautiful and the characters finely drawn and months later I still feel like I'm in Word, Wisconsin with July Montgomery and and Rev. Winifred, and Jacob, and Rusty and Maxine, and the Brasso sisters, and Gail Shotwell. All memorable characters. Kind, caring people. Lovely people

To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield is a true epic. A shell-shocked WWI veteran takes a position as a history teacher at a boarding school and I was immediately drawn into the world that the author created. Heartache, joy,
love, fully developed characters that had me tearing up, laughing out loud and pulling my hair out in frustration. So darn good.

The Copenhagen Trilogy: Childhood; Youth; Dependency by Tove Ditlevsen is a memoir or auto-fiction, whatever you want to call it she beautifully relates her life story from a tough tough childhood, through her youth and the first blossoms of her poetry, and on through more than one abusive husband and her dependency on drugs, including time in a mental hospital. She's a poet so the writing is, well, poetic. Beautiful.

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead - I didn't want this book to end, even though it ran over 600 pages. What a story! Marian Graves grows up under the care of her alcoholic uncle and has to learn to fend for herself. She does and oh, by the way, learns to fly a plan in the 1920s. She goes on to vow to circle the globe, longitudinally, and ends up in New Zealand. Meanwhile, her brother Jamie has his own adventures and becomes a military artist, depicting scenes during WWII. Adventure story supreme.

Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller is a beautifully written book that was shortlisted for The Women's Prize. Her story of the brother and sister, in their 50s, who are left bereft after the death of their mother because they have absolutely no knowledge of how the world works, gobsmacked me with its beauty and its way of addressing how people sometimes slip through the cracks and have to fight to keep their heads above water. Outstanding.

The Go-Between by L. P. Hartley surprised me because I'd never heard of the author and Paul surprised me with this book because of a little contest he was running on his thread. A beautiful coming of age story set in the English countryside where love and secrets and heartache abound. Lovely and bitterly sweet. Also, a classic as I discovered after reading it. I might've gone ahead and purchased another book by this author.

Zorrie by Laird Hunt - oh my Zorrie. If you enjoy character driven novels this may fill the bill for you. It's a short book but packs quite a punch as we follow Zorrie through her youth being raised by a rather uncaring aunt, through her work in the radium factory and finally when she marries and settles into farm life in Indiana. Beautifully written, joyous and heartbreaking. Did I mention that it's beautifully written.

The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell was the final book in Farrell's Empire Trilogy and deals with the attack and bombing of Singapore by the Japanese in the early days of WWII. The prose master doesn't let you down in this final book as he describes the greed and lust for power of the English corporate interests in Singapore whose abuses over many years led to the problems faced by the small shareholders trying to raise rubber. Wonderful end to a terrific trilogy.

All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler by Rebecca Donner was the story of the author's great-aunt, Mildred Harnock, who left the mid-west to teach at a university in Berlin with her German husband. They end up leading a group that is opposed to Hitler and all he stands for. Her trial was breathtaking in its horror. The book's depiction of how doing the right thing is not easy even though it is right was driven home with a deft touch. Excellent non-fiction.

Unfinished Business: Notes of a Chronic Rereader by Vivian Gornick is a treatise on how rereading sometimes changes your opinion of a book or author and sometimes reinforces your original opinion. Gornick is an inveterate rereader and, with gorgeous prose, explains why it's been an important part of her reading life. Some I was familiar with like Pat Barker, J. L. Carr, and Elizabeth Bowen. New writers I'd like to explore now that I've read this wonderful book: Natalia Ginzburg, D.H.Lawrence, Colette, and Thomas Hardy.

READING 2022

January

1. The Portrait of a Lady - Henry James - OTS - 5 stars
2. 1968: The Year that Rocked the World - Mark Kurlansky - audio - 4 stars
3. The Island of Missing Trees - Elif Shafak - Kindle - 4.2 stars
4. These Precious Days - Ann Patchett - audio - 4.6 stars
5. Strangers - Anita Brookner - OTS - 4.5 stars
6. At the Hairdresser's - Anita Brookner - Kindle/OTS - 4 stars
7. The Things We Cannot Say - Kelly Rimmer - 3 stars
8. Frost in May - Antonia White - OTS - 4 stars
9. A Ghost in the Throat - Doireann Ni Ghriofa - Kindle - 4.5 stars
10. When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanathi - audio - 4.2 stars
11. Blank Pages and Other Stories - Bernard MacLaverty - Kindle - 4.6 stars

February

12. The Cold, Cold Ground - Adrian McKinty - audio - 4 stars
13. North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell - OTS - 4.5 stars
14. The Sentence - Louise Erdrich - audio - 4.6 stars
15. Mornings in Jenin - Susan Abulhawa - OTS - 4.5 stars
16. Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner - audio - 4 stars
17. At Mrs. Lippincote's - Elizabeth Taylor - Kindle/OTS - 4.2 stars
18. The Dud Avocado - Elaine Dundy - OTS - 4.2 stars
19. Daisy Miller - Henry James - Kindle/OTS - 3.7 stars
20. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane - Lisa See - audio - 3.5 stars
21. Trieste - Dasa Drndic - OTS - Tr - 4.5 stars
22. Gentleman Overboard - Herbert Clyde Lewis - Kindle/OTS - 4 stars
23. Funny Weather - Olivia Liang - audio - 4.5 stars
24. The Odd Woman and the City - Vivian Gornick- L - 4.5 stars

March

25. Fight Night - Miriam Toews - audio - 4 stars
26. The Maid - Nita Prose - audio - 3.5 stars
27. Orwell's Roses - Rebecca Solnit - audio - 4 stars
28. If Beale Street Could Talk - James Baldwin - audio - 5 stars
29. The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky - Tr - Kindle/OTS - 4 stars
30. Universal Harvester - John Darnielle - audio - 3 stars
31. In the Distance - Hernan Diaz - Kindle/OTS - 4.5 stars
32. Palladian - Elizabeth Taylor - OTS - 3.5 stars
33. The Lost Apothecary - Sarah Penner - audio - 3.3 stars
34. The Tortoise and the Hare - Elizabeth Jenkins - OTS - 4.5 stars

April

35. The Shattering: America in the 1960s - Kevin Boyle - audio - 4 stars
36. The Black Prince - Iris Murdoch - Kindle - 4.5 stars
37. In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss - Amy Bloom - audio - 5 stars
38. A Terrible Kindness - Jo Browning Wroe - OTS - 5 stars
39. The Prettiest Star - Carter Sickels - audio - 4 stars
40. Valentino and Sagittarius - Natalia Ginzburg - Tr - OTS - 4.2 stars
41. Miss Mole - E. H. Young - OTS - 4.5 stars
42. The Men in My Life - Vivian Gornick - OTS - 4.5 stars
43. The Correspondents: Six Women Writers on the Front Lines of World War II - Judith Mackrell - audio - 4.5 stars
44. So Long, See You Tomorrow - William Maxwell - OTS - 4.6 stars
45. Miss Hargreaves - Frank Baker - Kindle - 3.5 stars
46. Cove - Cynan Jones - OTS - 3.5 stars

May

47. Daniel Deronda - George Eliot - Audio/Kindle - 5 stars
48. O Caledonia - Elspeth Barker - OTS - 4 stars
49. The Red Parts - Maggie Nelson - audio - 3.5 stars
50. The Unreality of Memory - Elisa Gabbert - audio - 4 stars
51. Train Dreams - Denis Johnson - audio - 4 stars
52. Improvement - Joan Silber - audio - 3 stars
53. The Outlaw Ocean - Ian Urbina - Kindle - 4 stars
54. The Palace Papers - Tina Brown - audio - 4 stars
55. Trust - Hernan Diaz - Kindle - 4.5 stars
56. Happening - Annie Ernaux - Tr - OTS - 4 stars
57. The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba - Chanel Cleeton - audio - 3.5 stars
58. Angel - Elizabeth Taylor - OTS - 4.5 stars
59. Leonard and Hungry Paul - Ronan Hession - 4 stars
60. I Hear the Sirens in the Street - Adrian Kinty - audio - 4 stars

June

61. The Plot - Jean Hanff Korelitz - audio - 4 stars
62. The Feast - Margaret Kennedy - Kindle - 4.6 stars
63. The Library Book - Susan Orlean - audio - 4 stars
64. The Summer Book - Tove Jansson - OTS - Tr - 4.5 stars
65. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen - Kindle/audio - 4.5 stars
66. Thank You, Mr. Nixon - Gish Jen - audio - 4 stars
67. Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus - Kindle - 4 stars
68. A Mother's Reckoning - Sue Klebold - audio - 4 stars
69. The Journalist and the Murderer - Janet Malcolm - audio - 3.5 stars
70. West with the Night - Beryl Markham - (reread) - OTS - 5 stars
71. I Let You Go - Clare Mackintosh - audio - 4 stars
72. An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed - Helene Turston - Tr - audio - 3 stars
73. Sorrow and Bliss - Meg Mason - audio - 4 stars
74. Lolly Willowes - Sylvia Townsend Warner - OTS - 3.5 stars

July

75. The Makioka Sisters - Junichiro Tanizaki - Tr - L - 5 stars
76. Five Little Indians - Michelle Good - audio - 4 stars
77. City on Fire - Don Winslow - audio - 4 stars
78. The End of the Novel of Love - Vivian Gornick - OTS - 4.3 stars
79. How Beautiful We Were - Imbolo Mbue- audio - 3.5 stars
80. The Betrayal of Anne Frank - Rosemary Sullivan - audio - 3.5 stars
81. Tess of the D'Ubervilles - Thomas Hardy - Kindle - 4.5 stars
82. The Element of Lavishness: Letters of Sylvia Townsend Warner and William Maxwell - Michael Steinman - L - 5 stars
83. They Came Like Swallows - William Maxwell - L - 4.5 stars
84. The True Heart - Sylvia Townsend Warner - OTS - 4.5 stars
85. A Carnival of Snackery - David Sedaris - audio - 4 stars
86. A Lost Lady - Willa Cather - Kindle - 4.5 stars

August

87. Elena Knows - Claudia Pinero - Tr - OTS - 4.5 stars
88. The Door - Magda Szabo - Tr - OTS - 5 stars
89. Optic Nerve - Maria Gainza - Tr - Kindle - 4.2 stars
90. Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks - Patrick Radden Keefe - audio - 4 stars
91. The Reef - Edith Wharton - Kindle - 4.5 stars
92. The Girl From the Metropole Hotel - Ludmila Petrushevskaya - Tr - audio - 3.5 stars
93. Properties of Thirst - Marianne Wiggins - L - 5 stars
94. The Lying Life of Adults - Elena Ferrante - Tr - audio - 3 stars
95. Plant Dreaming Deep - May Sarton - L - 4.8 stars

September

96. Angle of Repose - Wallace Stegner - *reread - OTS - 5 stars
97. The Pope at War - David Kertzer - audio - 4 stars
98. Carrie Soto is Back - Taylor Jenkins Reid - audio - 4 stars
99. Collected Stories: Frank O'Connor - L - 4.6 stars
100. The Happiness of Getting it Down Right: Letters of Frank O'Connor and William Maxwell - L - 4.2 stars
101. The Chateau - William Maxwell - Kindle - 4 stars
102. Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine - Anne Applebaum - audio - 4.3 stars
103. Taking a Long Look: Essays on Culture, Literature, and Feminism in Our Time - Vivian Gornick - OTS - 4 stars
104. Northline - Willy Vlautin - audio - 4 stars
105. Difficult Light - Tomas Gonzalez - Tr - OTS - 5 stars
106. The Soul of Kindness - Elizabeth Taylor - OTS - 4 stars

October

107. Journal of a Solitude - May Sarton - Kindle - 4 stars
108. Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? - Seamus O'Reilly - audio - 3 stars
109. Midaq Alley - Naguib Mahfouz - Tr - OTS - 4 stars
110. Killers of a Certain Age - Deanna Raybourn - audio - 4 stars
111. Shrines of Gaiety - Kate Atkinson - L - 4 stars
112. Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America - Maggie Haberman - audio - 4 stars
113. Travels with Myself and Another - Martha Gellhorn - OTS - 4.6 stars
114. The Bullet That Missed - Richard Osman - audio - 4 stars
115. Cold Enough for Snow - Jessica Au - L - 4.2 stars
116. I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jeannette McCurdy - audio - 3.5 stars
117. A Word Child - Iris Murdoch - Kindle - 4.2 stars
118. American Midnight: The Great War, A Violent Peace, and Democracy's Forgotten Crisis - Adam Hochschild - audio - 4 stars
119. The Turn of the Screw - Henry James - OTS - 3 stars

November

120. Signal Fires - Dani Shapiro - audio - 5 stars
121. Lucy by the Sea - Elizabeth Strout - audio - 4.2 stars
122. Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle - Dervla Murphy - L - 4.6 stars
123. Job: The Story of a Simple Man - Joseph Roth - Tr - OTS - 4 stars
124. Lost & Found - Kathryn Schulz - audio - 3.8 stars
125. Bear - Marian Engle - OTS - 3.5 stars
126. The House by the Sea - May Sarton - L - 4.5 stars
127. The Various Haunts of Men - Susan Hill - audio - 4 stars
128. My Phantoms - Gwendoline Riley - L - 4.2 stars
129. Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver - audio - 4.5 stars
130. A Man's Place - Annie Ernaux - Tr - L - 4 stars
131. The Collected Letters of Martha Gellhorn - Caroline Moorehead - OTS - 5 stars

December

132. The Marriage Portrait - Maggie O'Farrell - audio - 4.5 stars
133. Springs of Affection - Maeve Brennan - L - 4.2 stars
134. Trespasses - Louise Kennedy - audio - 3.4 stars
135. Desperate Characters - Paula Fox - L - 4.5 stars
136. Hiroshima - John Hersey - OTS - 4.2 stars
137. Dinners with Ruth - Nina Totenberg - audio - 4 stars
138. How to Read Now - Elaine Castillo - audio - 3 stars
139. Miss Austen - Gill Hornby - audio - 4.5 stars
140. The View from the Ground - Martha Gellhorn - Kindle - 4.5 stars
141. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands - Kate Beaton - graphic memoir - 4 stars
142. The English Understand Wool - Helen DeWitt - Kindle - 4 stars
143. Today a Woman Went Mad in the Supermarket - Hilma Wolitzer - L - 4.5 stars
144. The Book of Goose - Yiyun Li - audio - 4 stars

Total Books: 144

Author Gender
Male: 41
Female: 103

Author Status:
Living: 85
Dead: 59

Publication Medium
Hardback: 18
Trade: 36
eBook: 27
Audiobook: 65

Category
Fiction: 97
Nonfiction: 47

Source
Library: 95
Mine: 50

Translation: 16

CURRENTLY READING



The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

AUDIO



1968:The Year that Rocked the World by Mark Kurlansky

Happy new year, Bonnie!

*smooch*

Happy New Year!

Your best books list has me thinking. I've only read Unsettled Ground which I loved, but I'm making notes on some others. I got The Copenhagen Trilogy for Christmas so appreciate your remarks.

Welcome back for another year of reading!

>10 katiekrug: Thanks Katie and the same to you!

>11 richardderus: Back atcha Richard.

>12 AnneDC: Happy New Year to you Anne! I'm going to bet you end up enjoying the Tove Ditlevsen book.

>13 drneutron: Thanks so much Jim. Happy to be back.

Hey there Bonnie, happy new year!

On last year's thread you mentioned a book podcast you listen to regularly. Can you tell me more about it? I used to listen to a lot of podcasts when I was commuting, and have completely fallen off the bandwagon. I'm thinking about regularly listening to one or two, not necessarily about books but that's a good place to start.

Happy reading in 2022, Bonnie!

This group always helps me to read; welcome back to the group, Bonnie.

HAppy new year. May it be filled with joy and excellent reading material!

Happy New Year, Bonnie - I love the Prelutsky poems and all of your quotes/poems at the top. I've taken note of your best reads list; I've read a couple, some I have on my list already, and some are new to me.

Here's to a year of great reading!

I read 1968 a couple of months ago and loved it! 1968 was the year I graduated from high school and started college, and there are so many momentous events that took place that year. I really liked this book.
Unsettled Ground was one of my favorites of 2021 too.
Can't believe how grown-up Mia is getting.

Happy 2022 reading! >6 brenzi: Our online book club has All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days set for June. I'm glad to see it in your top reads list!

>15 lauralkeet: Oh boy, Laura. I'm looking at my phone right now to come up with the best. I really love Backlisted which explores old books. The way I do it is to look back over their past podcasts and see what books I already own or can get my hands on one way or another, read the book and then listen to the pod. It has really enhanced my appreciation of the books they choose. Really the best one in my opinion. I know Vivian likes it too. Another good one that is short and to the point is Books on the Go. Three Australian women review current new books, prize shortlists and popular fiction. Usually only 20-30 minutes so nice if you don't have a lot of time. I learned about this from Vivian. The Mookse and the Gripes podcast is another one I really enjoy. They cover whatever they happen to be reading or old favorites but that tends to be a long one, an hour or so. I've got a couple of others so if those don't work for you let me know.

>16 FAMeulstee: Thank you Anita. Happy reading to you, too.

>17 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. Good tips there.

>18 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita. Happy New Year to you!

>19 BLBera: Happy New Year Beth and happy reading.

>20 arubabookwoman: I was in college in 1968 Deborah, so this book is highly interesting to me. It never ceases to amaze me how fast these kids grow up. Good to see you.

>21 thornton37814: Happy New Year Lori! I hope your group loves All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days as much as I did. Just an amazing look at an unknown heroine.

Happy New Year, Bonnie, fellow minimalist ;0)

Yay for minimalist threads! Happy New Year, Bonnie!!

>1 brenzi: What a powerful message! Thanks, and Happy New Year.

Happy 2022, Bonnie! I loved your opening posts. How on earth did Mia get to be 7 already?

Seeing To Serve Them All My Days on your end of year favorites list has convinced me to reread it. Books don’t necessarily age well when you revisit them decades later but I remember loving it in the 70s but not much else about it. I need to fix that.

Happy new year, Bonnie!. I hope it's a good one for you.

That's some Santa Mia has -- that doll house sounds wonderful. You said it's American Girl. Is it made to scale for them or are there new, smaller dolls?

I thought I already posted a happy new year, Bonnie. I probably forgot to actually post it. The little faces at the top are adorable.

>4 brenzi: Love that!

Happy New Year, Bonnie!

Happy New year, Bonnie! Dropping a star. I was horrible about keeping up with threads last year but am hoping to do better in 2022.

Love the photos and images you have chosen for your thread. And I made a note of the podcasts, so thanks for that.

Happy ‘22, Bonnie!

>1 brenzi:. Great! We love Jack Prelutsky.

Love the photos of Mia and Cole.

“Who doesn’t love Mary Oliver?” Agreed.

I like your way of doing your favorites. To Serve Them All My Days stuck with me, too. That car accident just broke my heart.

>24 Carmenere: Happy New Year to you Lynda!

>25 EBT1002: Happy New Year Ellen!

>26 Whisper1: Thank you Linda. Happy New Year to you.

>27 Copperskye: Yes Joanne. Read it again. I doubt you'll be disappointed. Happy New Year!

>28 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, if you look in the picture you can see the American Girl doll standing at the front of the class. Mia put another smaller doll in the student desk. That gives you an idea of the size. Happy New Year!

>29 NanaCC: Happy New Year Colleen! You probably posted on my 2021 thread.

>30 alcottacre: Apropos Stasia, isn't it? Happy New Year!

>31 Crazymamie: You don't have to explain to mean about keeping up with threads Mamie lol. I'm pretty terrible at it. Happy New Year to you!

>32 jnwelch: Happy New Year, Joe! You've identified the single most heartbreaking incident in To Serve Them All My Days but what a book!

>33 brenzi: I opened the photo in a separate tab and was able to enlarge it so I could see the dolls. Pretty good scale.

>35 RebaRelishesReading: Here are some close-ups I took Reba. I just couldn't get over the detail of all these working elements. The American Girl doll is in the last photo. The Smartboard works. So does the clock.

I took this selfie this morning when I went for my walk. It was 10 degrees when I started out. Fortunately there was little wind. We've only gotten a couple of inches of snow. As a matter of fact we haven't really had much snow yet which is pretty odd here in Buffalo but it's really been too warm for much snow. Until now. Thursday we're supposed to get our first big snow.



I'm in there somewhere.

>37 brenzi: Oh well, I guess Florida isn't so bad after all.

Bonnie, I came by here last night and wrote a long message. Apparently I didn't save it. That's what I get for taking a year off. It took me almost three hours to set up my thread on New Year's Eve. I had completely forgotten how to do images and bold type, etc. Plus, my MacPro wouldn't let me on LT and I had to use the new HP computer I bought last year for Zooming. My Mac is ancient like me! Luckily, I'm persistent and have figured most of this stuff out.

Loved your favorites. Driftless is new to me but duly noted and on my TBR list. Great Circle is already on there. I too use a similar selection strategy for choosing my notable reads, although I've been known to change my ratings as I look at my year in books. I love the Mary Oliver poem...one of my favorites and I WANT the American Girl Schoolhouse. None of my five granddaughters would be interested, but I think I could have some fun with it. Haha. Clicking on Post Message now...

>37 brenzi: Bonnie, good for you walking about in 10 degree weather!

>37 brenzi: is that Bonnie, or a Yeti?
just kidding -- you're wise to bundle up and I'm impressed that you don't let a bit of cold weather keep you from getting your walk in.

Happy New Year, Bonnie. Finally dropping a star over here. I would never overlook, one of my favorite reading pals. Love the letter topper, the lovely grandkids and the Didion quote. I am really enjoying Love Medicine.

>37 brenzi: - Bonnie, that photo is inspirational! I am determined to get back to regular walking, no matter the weather.

>38 arubabookwoman: Ah yes. Florida.

>39 Donna828: Hi Donna. Driftless may certainly appeal to you. It may go down as one of my best books ever. Your granddaughters may be too old for the schoolhouse but you and I may be just the right age lol.

>40 Whisper1: Yes I don't usually let the low temps stop me Linda.

>41 lauralkeet: No it usually doesn't stop me. You know what does Laura? Wind. And we get an awful lot of wind. God how I hate wind.

>42 msf59: Hi Mark, Love Medicine is my favorite Erdrich. Maybe I should reread it and see how it holds up because it's been eons since I read it.

>43 katiekrug: Well I didn't intend to be an inspiration Katie, but if it helps you go ahead. As I mentioned to Laura, wind is what might stop me especially when it's combined with very low temps lol.

>37 brenzi:. I didn’t realize how much we look alike this time of year. It feels like -3 F here today.

>37 brenzi: My hoodie's green & my hat and scarf are red, but yeah....

>37 brenzi: I'm in there somewhere.

I'll believe it when I actually see you.

>45 jnwelch: we got maybe three inches of snow Joe but it'll probably melt over the weekend but yes, you probably look a lot like that pic lol.

>46 richardderus: I'm sure you look wonderful, no matter what Richard🙂

>47 alcottacre: Well you'll have to take my word for it Stasia lol.

>37 brenzi: We have only your word for the identity, Bonnie. Could it in fact be Lord Lucan?!

Have a lovely weekend.

>37 brenzi: That photo cracks me up!

Have a wonderful week, Bonnie! Stay warm.

#1.

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

This may be the book that will start me on the journey to #Beatbackthebacklog. This book has been sitting on my shelf for ten+ years. It seems almost (almost) every time I decide to read from my selves it's a most rewarding experience (I'm looking at you Driftless. This time I reached out to an old master and a friend of Edith Wharton, an old favorite. In short, it was a revelation.

I'd heard mention of the main character, Isabel Archer over the years, and was delighted to finally get the chance to figure her out for myself and I will say, she was one complicated character. But then, they were all complicated characters. Early in the novel, Isabel, (an American) travels to Great Britain to stay with her aunt and cousin in the English countryside. Somehow, she manages to have not just one but two manic suitors, one of which followed her across the Atlantic to beg her to marry him. But Isabel has other ideas. And when she inherits a lot of money she decides to travel and play the field.

In Italy, she meets Madame Merle, who becomes a close friend and in no time Isabel has another potential husband. Decisions decisions. I'll leave it there for the half dozen people left in the world who haven't already read the book. But why do these Victorian female characters always have so many men to choose from???

A couple of words about point of view because in this novel it's important. James explores and makes evident several points of view and not everybody is who they seem to be. It's what makes this psychological novel so darn compelling. Honestly, I could barely put it down. The pacing is absolutely wonderful. And I really don't know if there is another more endearing character in literature than Ralph Touchette ( is that a play on words?). Or a more annoying character than Henrietta Stackpole (again with the name).

But the language, the salubrious, evocative, beautiful, sometimes overbearing language. Oh my. Yes, it takes some getting used to but after fifty pages or so you're on your way.

So much to ponder, a mystery to figure out although I admit I had it pegged from fairly early on, and the ever present question: what will Isabel do? Absolutely glorious.

5 stars

*You just know I'm going to go ahead and work my way through James' work. Of course I am.

#2.

1968: The Year that Rocked the World by Mark Kurlansky, narrated by Christopher Cazenove

So much went on in 1968 all across the world and this was an excellent historical look at how events happened and how they effected the world for years to come. Excellent narration as well.

>52 brenzi: #1 ...now there's a goal to guarantee immortality! He wrote the way we breathe. Aren't there something like 56,077 stories and 2,733 novels?

*happy dance* Bonnie's here until the 22nd century!

>49 PaulCranswick: Snort. Thanks Paul.

>50 EBT1002: Me too Ellen. It's going to be cold tomorrow too.

>51 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia.

>53 richardderus: You may be exaggerating a bit Richard, but I'll take it with a grain of salt. I've made a list (of course I have) and it's not nearly as many as Anita Brookner, whose books I will finish this month after two years of reading my way through them.

>56 brenzi: I am looking forward to your thoughts on The Island of Missing Trees, Bonnie as it seems to have divided opinion somewhat.

>52 brenzi: I am not sure I have read a single Henry James title. I need to rectify that.

I will add 1968 to the BlackHole as well.

>56 brenzi: I just read These Precious Days last week and very much enjoyed it. I hope you do too.

Have a great week!

>52 brenzi: I read a lot of James in my 20's and loved him. You're making me think it might be time to dust some of those volumes off for a re-read.

I read Portrait of a Lady several years ago and loved it, too. I might re-read it, as I think I'd get even more from it.

>52 brenzi: I've read a reasonable amount of Henry James and Portrait of a Lady is my favorite, also one of my favorite books. I vaguely recall a group read on here many years ago. (I say "a reasonable amount" because James wrote even more books than I'd thought--32! I'd briefly considered him as an author to focus on but that might be too much of a commitment. But let me know if you decide to.)

I know James and The Portrait of a Lady has its detractors but I also loved the novel. Glad it worked so well for you. The Island of Missing Trees sounds really good too. I am also really enjoying the Patchett collection on audio. She Rocks!

>56 brenzi: I'm waiting for both of these from my library, Bonnie, we're on the same track!

>55 brenzi: see >61 AnneDC:...not quite so far off.

My favorites among the Jamesian ouevre are The Aspern Papers, The Spoils of Poynton, and The Americans. This week.

Next week, who knows....

>57 PaulCranswick: Well I'm only about 30% into my Kindle copy but I'm liking it, Paul. I wonder if anyone else feels like it's shades of The Overstory?

>58 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, I really enjoy Patchett's essays so this book is just excellent, especially since she's reading them herself.

>59 RebaRelishesReading: Oh I would think James is ripe for a reread Reba. Go for it.

>60 katiekrug: Hi Katie, I like the way you think.

>61 AnneDC: My edition had a list of James' novels divided into Early, Middle and Late publications and it added up to much fewer than 32, Anne. But then when I looked at a website I used for Brookner called Reading Series in Order of Publication, they siphoned off novellas and stories which were considerable, into another category entirely. I'll probably take a relaxed view of James and just do the more important novels.

>62 msf59: Hi Mark, I almost think Parchett's essay writing is better than her fiction. I really am loving this new set of essays.

>63 vivians: Again, Vivian? Hahahaha.

>64 richardderus: See my comments to Anne above Richard. I'm going to note your favorites.

>65 brenzi: True, but there area so many books I've never read...

>66 RebaRelishesReading: The eternal problem Reba. I've finally faced the fact that I'm not going to get to all the books I want to read before I leave this earth. Lol. I wonder if I'll at least be able to clear my shelves. Or my Kindle. Bwahahaha

>65 brenzi: I will be interested to see what your final verdict is, Bonnie. It has polarised a little with views going from rapture to rupture!

Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Bonnie. A belated happy new thread for 2022!

>37 brenzi: 10F. Brrrr. No wonder you’re all bundled up.

Well, we beat your 10° this morning by 4°! Single digits *ptooptoo* should be unConstitutional along with triples.

Go Bills, Bonnie. It's a romp! They look great and Allen is a marvel.

ETA- We played our first pickleball yesterday with friends. It was a lot of fun. I hope it continues.

>68 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. I finished it yesterday and liked it. I'm not sure what anyone found polarizing.

>69 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I woke up to 1 degree this morning so that 10 degrees seems like a heat wave lol.

>70 richardderus: See note to Karen above Richard. I feel your pain b-r-r-r-r.

>71 msf59: Hi Mark, Josh Allen is a wonder so no wonder we're all in love with him here and in all Bills Mafia land which covers the world surprisingly. Welcome to the world of pickleball my friend. It's a wonderful place to be isn't it? So much fun and so many opportunities to make new friends.

It's a far more sensible 11° today. The problem is, I think that's as warm as it's planning to get.

*brrrr*

#3.

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

Told through flashbacks from 1974 during the Cyprian Civil War and the late 2010s London (which I assume may be 2018-19) this book about love, loss, grief and how to live your life amidst tragedy was very good in so many ways. Although I'm not a fan of magical realism, the talking fig tree became my favorite part of the book because it revealed so much of the history that I had little knowledge of. The characters were well drawn and sympathetic for the most part and what stood out to me besides the history was the search in 2000 for all those lost and buried in unmarked graves throughout the island of Cyprus so that family burials could take place. So devastating a story.

4.2 stars

#4.

These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett, narrated by the author

Sometimes I think Patchett's nonfiction is even better than her fiction. These essays reveal so much about her life and character that it's hard not to feel very emotionally involved with her. I particularly loved the chapters: My Year of No Shopping, Three Fathers, How Knitting Saved My Life. Twice, Cover Stories, and Eudora Welty an Introduction which pushed me to order The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty. But the title story, these Precious Days and also A Day at the Beach, nearly tore my heart out. Such a great collection.

4.6 stars

>73 richardderus: Well it's supposed to get up to 30 here today but starting tonight we're supposed to get buried with over a foot of snow and howling winds. Ugh.

CURRENTLY READING

Strangers by Anita Brookner

AUDIO

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer book club pick. Sigh.

I also loved the Patchett essays, Bonnie. She included such a great variety of topics. Yes, the final essay made me tear up.

I found you! : ) Wishing you a wonderful year of reading...maybe you'll beat your new best record of books?! Love the pics of Mia and Cole up top and you all bundled up for the cold. >74 brenzi: I just finished These Precious Days, too and I loved it! Especially on audio read by Ann Patchett herself. Happy Sunday.

>74 brenzi: Great review of These Precious Days, Bonnie. I guess I'd better prepare to get my heart torn out as my copy is waiting for me at the library.

Happy Sunday! Stay warm out there...or better yet stay inside and enjoy the view of the falling snow.

>74 brenzi: I can't wait to read those essays, Bonnie. I'm in a long line at the library but I'll get there eventually.

>77 BLBera: >78 Berly: >79 Donna828: >80 lauralkeet: Thanks for the comments on my These Precious Days remarks. For those who are interested, check out the New York Times book review podcast, from sometime in November where they interview Patchett about writing the book of essays. She also had lots to say about the brouhaha over American Dirt which you may recall. I remember it well because I made a remark on a certain former 75er's thread disagreeing with him and saying basically that I would be reading that book. He then blocked me on LT and FB. Bwahahaha. Oh well.

Woke up to about 18" of snow and lots of blowing this morning. Winter has finally arrived, with a vengeance apparently. There was no school today because it's MLK day bu some schools are already closing for tomorrow. 😶‍🌫️🥶❄️☃️🌬

Garshk! I feel guilty whinging about the yuck-ick-ptui of 40° and rainy!

Wow 18" of snow!! That's winter for sure!

>82 richardderus: Of course you do Richard, and rightfully so lol.

>83 RebaRelishesReading: That's the most snow we've had since I moved into this house six years ago Reba. I'm no longer living in the snow belt, where I lived for 43 years and was very used to a boatload of snow. Every day. Not so much where I live now.

That's a s**t ton of snow, Bonnie. I didn't realize you had moved out of the snow belt. Are you still in the Buffalo area, just a part that tends to get less snow?

>52 brenzi: Every time I see Henry James, I now think of Paolo Brunetti. (Donna Leon's books) When I saw that book on 1968 come out, I intended to add it to a TBR list. I'm not sure if it made it onto a library list or not because I spotted it before it was released. I really need to make sure it is on one. I can think of so many historic events that occurred that year--and I was old enough to remember many of them.

ETA: Maybe I'm thinking of a different book. I see that one is older. One library still has print copies!

>85 lauralkeet: I spent 43 years in the snow belt of upstate NYS, Laura. This is where the ski resorts reside. I never knew what a "white out" was until I lived there, having grown up in Niagara Falls which just doesn't get that kind of weather, at least not on a regular basis although they got hammered in this last storm. I now live about 35 miles north of the snow belt. And of course we get snow but not like I used to experience on a daily basis during the winter. This was a fairly atypical storm.

>86 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I haven't read the Brunetti series so I'm not aware of the reference to Henry James. I'm not sure which version of 1968: The Year That Rocked the World you'll read but this one was quite good.

>87 brenzi: Thanks Bonnie.

>52 brenzi: Hi Bonnie. I read 1968: The Year that Rocked the World by Mark Kurlansky last year. I gave it four stars. I own a copy of a book regarding the 50's. I hope to read it this year.

Hooray for These Precious Days: Essays! I finished it today and completely agree with your assessment. I also just started Small Things Like These. I also think this will be a special one.

#5.

Strangers by Anita Brookner

"If Henry James were around, the only writer he'd be reading with complete approval would be Anita Brookner."
---THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"His doorbell rang before he could entertain further suppositions, or even decide whether or not he was pleased with the prospect of this visit. He had thought earlier that he would devote the evening to Henry James, one of the later novels, which would entail scrupulous attention, a plan appropriate to evenings in which there was no possibility of distraction." Page 53

So apparently all this time, 24 books read over the course of two years, Anita Brookner was telling me, subliminally, that I must go ahead and read Henry James extensively. But why did she wait until this last of her books to clue me in. Of course I'd seen the blurb from the New York Times Book Review many times over the course of my reading of Brookner but it never sunk in. And then without realizing why, I went ahead and read and loved The Portrait of a Lady earlier this month.

In this last Brookner book, she points out devastatingly how when we get to be a certain age, many of us find that we are surrounded by strangers. As the book opens, Paul Sturgis is 73, retired, unmarried and alone. He faces the prospect of coming to the end of his life in this very condition, which bothers him greatly. Then two women enter his life and give him hope that something might change for him. But this is Brookner, an author I've come to know very well, and there will be no rainbows and roses at the end of this book. I certainly know that. But in her signature glorious prose, she allows the plot to develop and surround Paul and these two strangers who have come to inhabit his life, in a rather perfunctory way, so of course she keeps us guessing. As he ponders one woman, a distant cousin that he has been expected to visit on a regular Sunday rotation, Brookner gives us this:

"Despite her age, she seemed to behave like a thoroughly contemporary woman, regarding men as indispensable for providing certain advantages, and vengeful in her opinions if these were not forthcoming. He felt sorry for men in this unequal struggle. Women today, he thought, were as indignant as suffragettes, but their indignation had nothing to do with a desire for equality, just the opposite. They wanted preferential treatment and were upset if this was not forthcoming. They had acquired the upper hand and had learned how to play it."

Brookner's no fool. She may see the glass as half empty but she knows exactly what's going on and spells it out for you, albeit in luscious prose. I don't know if it was because I knew this was her last book or if it hit closer to home because I'm old and cranky myself but this book was a very emotional read for me. I am really going to miss my monthly sojourn into Anita Brookner land and I mean that sincerely.

4.5 stars

#6.

At the Hairdresser's by Anita Brookner

Because I'm a completist of the manic variety, I had to read this very short novella (more like a long short story) that was published as an eBook only in 2011, two years after Brookner's last book. It told the story of elderly Elizabeth Warner who engages a driver suggested by her hairdresser and proceeds to become very dependent on him until.......well you'll have to read it to find that out because that's the whole story. Entertaining but not really in character with her other books. Maybe she thought she had one more book in her but then decided, eh, no.

3.7 stars

Sometime in the next few days I'll put together a summary of what I thought were my favorites among her books or ones that I would really recommend but I will say this was a very satisfying reading experience.

>91 brenzi: Looks like the last little piece can be skipped. Yay! I hope you'll enjoy your pottering among the Jameses.

>88 lauralkeet: 🙂

>89 Whisper1: Oh a book about the 50s would be interesting Linda. Maybe I'll look for an audio version.

>90 msf59: Hi Mark, You should look for Patchett's interview on the New York Times Book Review podcast. See >81 brenzi: and it may ring some bells.

>93 richardderus: I'm pretty sure I will Richard. Thanks for the good wishes.

>74 brenzi: I completely agree that Patchett's collection of essays is great! I am glad to see that you enjoyed it, Bonnie.

Excellent review of the Brookner, Bonnie. Even I am a bit sad that your journey has come to an end. I'm glad her work held up all the way through -- sometimes you can sense a decline in their later career.

>95 alcottacre: She really reveals a lot about herself in this new book of essays Stasia. So well done.

>96 lauralkeet: I never sensed a decline Laura, but I did see a change in her approach. As she got older, so did the protagonist of each novel. She was always adept at showing loneliness, and the ins and outs of private lives but later books show that she concentrated her concerns on older people.

I also read To Serve Them All My Days and it ended up on my personal best of the year list as well. I have had a copy of this book forever, and because you read it, I decided that it would be the perfect airport book to take with me while I traveled to my sister's for Thanksgiving. I enjoyed every minute I spent with Davy and his school. I thank you for prompting me to pick it up and read it.

Right next to it on my book shelves is an omnibus copy of the Mapp and Lucia books. I looked at it this morning and actually thought about pulling it off to start reading, but then I thought no - I will save that one for Spring Break and wherever I decide to travel - if I decide to travel - at that time.

>91 brenzi: I don't believe I have read anything by Brookner. I shall have to wait for your list of favourites and pick one.

>98 benitastrnad: Oh I'm glad you loved it Benita. It really was an unexpected treasure for me. I need to get back to the Mapp and Lucia books. I read the first four and then stalled so I still have the last two to read.

>99 figsfromthistle: Well you won't have to wait long Anita.

Well here we go. 24 books, two years and 6,000+ pages. But these were my favorite Anita Brookner books, not in any particular order:

A Start in Life
Look at Me
Hotel du Lac
Family and Friends
Fraud
A Family Romance
Lewis Percy
Visitors
The Bay of Angels
Strangers

Happy Friday, Bonnie! I finished and loved Small Things Like These. You were right about that one. Now, I want to read her story collection.

>102 brenzi: - Well done, Bonnie! And I appreciate the list of your favorites, so I can prioritize what to read. I have a copy of Hotel du Lac so that will probably be the first I try.

>102 brenzi: I'd make a note of these but from following your reading I'm also pretty sure I can't go wrong with anything Brookner. I might start by seeing what's available at my library.

>104 katiekrug: That's a good place to start, Katie. It was my intro to Brookner, back when I was working my way through Booker Prize winners.

>102 brenzi: A seriously excellent body of reads. Congratulations on achieving it, and on enjoying it with such infectious gusto.

>102 brenzi: I've read 5 Brookner's (thanks to your recommendation of her) only two of which are on your list of favorites (Look at me and Hotel du Lac). Hotel du Lac was definitely my favorite. I appreciate having your short list to pick future ones from :)

>103 msf59: How could you not like it Mark? Such a wonderful book. I downloaded her Antarctica right after I read it.

>104 katiekrug: Thanks Katie, you can't go wrong wherever you start but keep in mind these are quiet character studies written in glorious prose.

>105 lauralkeet: You're right Laura. I certainly don't think you can go wrong. These books are fairly easily obtained. I know you can't get a lot of them on Overdrive too.

>106 richardderus: Thanks Richard. It's a journey I will remember fondly.

>107 RebaRelishesReading: I hope you continue to enjoy them Reba.

Well done, Bonnie, for reading all of Brookner's novels. Who is next?

Have a lovely weekend.

Thanks Paul, I'm not going to do another "in order of publication" project but I'm going to concentrate on Henry James and do one of his every month. I think. Everything is in flux. Lol

#7.

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer, narrated by Ann Marie Gideon and Nancy Peterson

This was another book club pick. WWII Poland. I swear, all of these book club books are written by the same person using different pseudonyms. They read the same, they're so predictable, I had figured out what was going on that was the big family secret in no time. Luckily, I listened to the audiobook and the narration was excellent.

3 stars

#8.

Frost in May by Antonia White

I am so happy the Virago Group is doing monthly reads again, like they used to do several years ago. So many books I'd like to get off my shelf and this was one of them. Set in the early 1900s, Nanda is nine years old when her father enrolls her in the convent school outside of London called Convent of the Five Wounds. She quickly learns, in this closed society, that she has to please only God. And, of course, the stodgy, cruel nuns that run the place. (I can say that, as a lapsed Catholic who has had my fill of nuns.) There was a little too much of the holy affairs in the early part of the book but then as Nanda grew up to be a teenager there was a sense of dread that somehow her attention to the rules was slipping and the nuns were going to catch her doing something they didn't allow which was just about anything really. The author was great at character development and creating this sense of doom.

I followed it up by listening to the Backlisted podcast about the book and it was absolutely wonderful and revealed that the book was very autobiographical and played parts of an interview with the author from the 60s.

4 stars

I loved When Breath Becomes Air. I am sure you will too.

>11 richardderus:
I think you got me with a BB for Frost in May. It sounds like something I would like so it goes into the giant ever expanding TBR list. Actually you got me with 4 BB's. Frost in May is the first book in a quartet by Antonia White and our library happens to have all four of them. So I added them.

>111 brenzi: I've been enticed back into Virago reading this year as well, Bonnie. I needed a kick-starter to help me choose books off my shelves. The themes are just what I needed.

>113 msf59: I guess I was ready to have my heart torn out, Mark lol.

>114 benitastrnad: I hope you enjoy it Benita. The BBC did a miniseries of the four books too although I don't know where you could watch it.

>115 lauralkeet: Yes Laura, I was so happy to see that. Even if I don't have anything appropriate every month I'll participate when I can.

GO BILLS!!

>112 brenzi: I may have told you (if so I apologize) that Kalanithi's wife and mentor spoke at Chautauqua the year the book was published. Their presentation was great as was the book but what a sad, sweet story.

I'm sorry your Bills lost, Bonnie (I was rooting for them!). But my goodness, what a game! Allen is a marvel.

I was also rooting for your Bills, Bonnie! Allen put on an amazing show but so did Mahomes. A game for the ages, just sorry that the Bills fell a bit short.

Go Chief! I think Arrowhead was really rocking in the cold yesterday! Probably the only way the fans of either team could stay warm.

>118 RebaRelishesReading: I don't remember you telling me that Reba. I'll bet it was great but you're right. It's going to tear my heart out I think.

>119 katiekrug: Thanks Katie. I don't mind admitting I felt physically ill after that game and it's taken all day to feel halfway normal again.

>120 msf59: Yes Mark, a game for the ages for sure. We'll be back next year.

>121 benitastrnad: We're pretty used to the cold Benita.

I’m sorry to say that my grandson was rooting for the other team, Bonnie. He’s in seventh grade, and his school uses the playoffs as a way to teach them odds. My daughter said that he “bet” on certain teams based upon their stats. He was very invested in the games. I had to laugh because I’m pretty sure he never watched a game before, or if so, rarely.

>122 brenzi:
I figured that - but the Plains are cold. Good thing that there wasn't much of a wind. Of course, the wind coming off of Lake Erie is nothing to sneeze at either.

>123 NanaCC: And I'm sorry to hear that Colleen lol.

>124 benitastrnad: Can you say Lake Effect Snow Benita lol.

Congrats on finishing Brookner!! And sorry about the Bills. I admit I was busy watching tennis, but I know the game meant a lot to you.

What a great game that Bills- Chiefs one was! One for the ages. Sorry the Bills came up short, but their future is bright with Josh Allen.

when Breath Becomes Air is exceptional; i’m sure you’ll be glad you read it.

>126 Berly: Thanks Kim. Yes I'm a lifelong Bills fan and that will never change. I'd watch tennis if I could ever figure out where and when it's on. You'd think that info would be readily available.

>127 jnwelch: Yes Joe, I think Josh Allen was a godsend here Joe. And he's just such a nice guy from what I gather. Great community builder.

#9.

A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ni Ghriofa

A terrifically compelling memoir/auto fiction/fiction (why are so many books these days so hard to classify?) about a young Irish mother who becomes obsessed about the life and of a noted Irish woman Eibhlin Dubh, whose young husband is killed and in response she composes what became known as an unforgettable Irish lament. During the course of the book the author, as information about Eibhlin is impossible to recover, emphasizes how women are left out of the historical record and often don't even garner a mention while unworthy men are highly noted. She is researching her topic as she gives birth to four children, pumps breast milk for needy women and takes care of her family, demonstrating how tough it is for women, both historically and today. "This is a female text. This is a female text. This is a female text." The author is a published poet so the prose is stunningly beautiful and heartfelt. I listened to an interview with her on the podcast Between the Covers where she read from the book and my mouth was hanging open. Beautiful.

4.5 stars

#10.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, narrated by Sunil Malhotra and Cassandra Campbell

I'm late getting to this book, written by a young physician as he is dying from cancer, but suffice it to say, it's gut wrenching and heartbreaking and will tear your heart out. So very sad.

4.2 stars

#11.

Blank Pages and Other Stories by Bernard MacLaverty

Absolutely terrific collection of short stories written by an under rated Irish author, who has written five other collections that I will definitely be seeking out. (He was also a Booker nominee for a novel at some point.) They were beautifully written, mostly in a staccato fashion, which seemed perfect for the topics covered over different time periods throughout the 20th century. They were all excellent, not a dud among them, but one story that stood out for me was entitled "The End of Days: Vienna 1918" and told the harrowing story of a couple living in Austria during the pandemic, when the pregnant wife, Edi, contracts the virus. Just breathtaking.

4.6 stars

>130 brenzi: North and South is excellent! I hope you enjoy it.

Just wanted to stop by to thank you for your recent reminder that I had not finished J.G. Farrell's Empire trilogy. I completed The Singapore Grip over the weekend and loved it.

>129 brenzi: My husband just said he had seen great reviews about A Ghost in the Throat, and thought it might be a book for me. And now after reading your review, it goes on the list, thanks.

>129 brenzi: I quite enjoyed when breath becomes air. It is heartbreaking though.

>133 figsfromthistle:. What Anita said, Bonnie. I hope your week gets off to a good start.

>131 alcottacre: I am very much enjoying North and South Stasia. And wasn't the whole Empire Trilogy just so wonderful? I'm not sure which one I liked best. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

>132 FAMeulstee: I hope you enjoy it Anita. It's has gotten lots of rave reviews.

>133 figsfromthistle: Yes Anita. Soooo heartbreaking.

>134 jnwelch: Thanks Joe. It's off to a very good start.

Happy new-week's reads, Bonnie. You missed me with all of 'em in >129 brenzi:, thank all the goddesses, since Kerry's most recent book-bullet is getting a lot of extra support (it was Boy Swallows Universe...apparently ignorant Yankees are sleeping on Trent Dalton) and I can't buy it yet!

Hi, Bonnie! I just found your thread and planted a star. I'm reading more but still not getting around the threads much.

When Breath Becomes Air was truly a heartbreaking book, in many ways. So sad for him, and also for the world and all the patients that he had the potential to do so much good for.

>129 brenzi: Some tremendous reading there. Of your last three reviews I have read When Breath Becomes Air and thought similarly of it to you but the other two look great too. I haven't read anything from MacLaverty for a long time.

>135 brenzi: If I had to pick a favorite in the trilogy, I am not sure I could do it either, Bonnie.

>136 richardderus: Don't you hate when you hear about a book that sounds just perfect, Richard, but for whatever reason you can't get it here, in this country? Grrrrr.

>137 tymfos: Well Terri, I don't get around the threads much either so....And yes, When Breath Becomes Air was a real heartbreaker. Good to see you.

>138 PaulCranswick: MacLaverty was a new author for me Paul, but I'll be looking for more. Apparently he's a very deliberate writer, and his greatest output is story collections.

>139 alcottacre: Right you are Stasia.

#12.

The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty, narrated by Gerald Doyle

Somehow I started a new series. What??? I blame Katie. At any rate, top notch police procedural set in Northern Ireland in 1981. Shades of Margaret Thatcher, Sein Fein, hunger strikes, IRA and the shooting of Pope John Paul.
Sean Duffy is on the case and sticks his neck out more than once to try and get at the truth. Really well done. Yes, I will go on to the next book in the series because I needed another series. Certainly I did.

4.2 stars

#13.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

This book has been sitting on my shelf for eons. I had it tagged 10/10/10 some secret code only LT members knew back in 2010? Maybe. At any rate, once again, the best books are already on my shelf. Written in 1854, the book was serialized in Charles Dickens' literary newspaper at the time and later released as a book. It tells the tale of Miss Margaret Hale and her experiences moving in and out of lower and higher class society at that time in history in the UK. The struggles of the working class are brilliantly depicted and explaining Margaret's struggles with her conscience and her heartfelt desire to help those unfortunate people who can't feed their families is portrayed with great care. The activities of the early unions and the differences between the workers and the management were not apparent to Margaret until circumstances forced her to live among them. The last two chapters were added later and provide a bit of an awkward ending but the book is excellent in most regards. I will certainly read more of her work especially since I have Cranford on my Kindle.

4.5 stars

You're welcome!

Heh.

Glad to see you enjoying Elizabeth Gaskell, Bonnie. I read this one some time ago, followed by Wives and Daughters. I haven't read Cranford yet, for reasons unknown.

I loved Cranford, Bonnie, and hope to read North and South soonish. I also want to start the McKinty series because, like you, I really need to have another series going.

I LOVED The Sentence; I'll be interested to hear what you think of the audiobook. I've never listened to one of Erdrich's. I think she reads her own books?

>141 brenzi: I suspect that the 10/10/10 tag referred to the Category Challenge Group (or some such similar title) in which in 2010 a participant was to read 10 books in each of 10 categories, all chosen by the participant. In 2009, it was 9 books in 9 categories, in 2011, 11 books in 11 categories, at which point it was probably getting to be too much for most people. It was always great fun to choose the categories and the books, and to see the choices of others. I wonder what your 10/10/10 categories were, what books you had in the categories, and how many you still have to read?
I like what I've read of Elizabeth Gaskell, but North and South is still on my shelf unread.

>143 katiekrug: 🥴

>144 lauralkeet: I was surprised how much I enjoyed it Laura. I'll be moving on to more Gaskell but who knows when. Too. Many. Books.

>145 BLBera: Well Beth, if you're bound and determined to start another series, the McKinty is a good one. I'm really enjoying The Sentence and Erdrich does the reading herself. She's a very effective narrator, which isn't always the case with authors reading their own books.

>146 arubabookwoman: I have no memory of ever doing any kind of 10/10/10 challenge Deborah but maybe I picked up the recommendation there 🤷‍♀️

I forgot to torment mention to you the BBC adaptation of North & South is excellent, quite (as one would expect) faithful, and beautifully cast. Take a peek.

>147 brenzi: Ohhhhh I may have to watch that Richard. Thanks for the recommendation.

And so it's started:

Hi, Bonnie. I’m glad Still Life made the long list.

>150 brenzi: Thanks Bonnie. I'll check these out.

>150 brenzi: So glad you posted this, Bonnie - it's my favorite prize!

>150 brenzi: - Oooooh, some of these look intriguing!

>150 brenzi: oooooooooooo

There's a shopping list if ever I saw one. I really want to read The Sunken Road but the publisher declined my DRC request.

>151 jnwelch: >152 BLBera: >153 vivians: >154 katiekrug: >155 richardderus: Hi Joe, Beth, Vivian, Katie and Richard,

This does look like a promising list although I've only read two so far Still Life and The Fortune Men, both of which I loved. I have Lear Wife, China Room and The Magician on my Overdrive list but, as is often the case for these prizes, several have not yet been published here.

>150 brenzi: What a great list!

Have a great Thursday :)

#14.

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich, read by the author

I'll be the first to admit that I've been disappointed by Erdrich's more recent books and haven't read any in the last few years. That's after absolutely loving all her earlier books. But this book.....oh my, what a book! Brought completely to life by Erdrich's laudable narration, The Sentence is a crime novel. No it's a ghost story. Wait, no, it's a pandemic novel. A love story? A redemption novel. Its a book about books. It's all these things and more because, let's face it, "sentence" is a word with many interpretations, and vital as a mode of communication.

The story begins in 2019 in Minneapolis where the young protagonist, Tookie, makes an error in judgment and ends up being sentenced to twenty years in prison, a sentence that is soon vacated and she is released. She ends up working in a bookstore, owned by someone named Louise (😉)who is referred to only in a minor way. Soon the pandemic hits and the book store takes on a diminished role, as all businesses did, until the federal government designates it an essential business. One line will stick with me forever I think and takes place early in the pandemic, when everything was changing so fast you couldn't keep track of it all and Erdrich gives us this: "The rules for staying alive had changed."

One of its most loyal customers dies, but returns to haunt the store and interacts with Tookie on almost a daily business. Then we roll on into the summer and the George Floyd protests but come on. That's enough from me. It's a wonderful book and Erdrich is certainly at the top of her game. Her soft, warm voice is the perfect vehicle to tell this tale.

5 stars

#15.

Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

I feel like a stupid American. A really stupid American. Of course I've been aware of the Arab/Israeli conflict for decades but this gut wrenching book brought so much to the forefront, in graphic, horrifying detail that just tore my heart out. Read for Paul's Middle East Challenge, this book has been sitting on my shelf since 2011 and I'm so glad I finally read it because it was eye opening and even though it is fiction, the author had so many sources to verify the facts she presented in the book.

Forced to live their lives in a refugee camp in Jenin after continual bombing and attacks, not for months but for years and years after their land and home were taken from them, Amal and her family and friends suffer in numerous and terrible ways. Heartbreaking, and relevant to this day.

4.5 stars

>157 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita. It does look like a good list.

>150 brenzi: Historical fiction is a favourite of mine, Bonnie, and so I always look out for the Walter Scott Prize. The Abstainer by Ian McGuire is one I want to read soon and I am surprised it isn't on the list.

>158 brenzi: I don't own Mornings in Jenin or I might have joined in with you. I do have her recent book , Against the Loveless World. I'm pleased to see you adding your erudition to the Asian Book Challenge. x

Great comments on The Sentence, Bonnie. I agree it's her best book in a long time.

>141 brenzi: I enjoyed Cranford as well as North and South so I hope you do to, Bonnie.

>158 brenzi: I have The Sentence set aside to read at some point this year.

I know what you mean about feeling like a really stupid American, Bonnie. The book that I just read by Edward Said did the same to me.

I'm still waiting on The Sentence from the library your comments on top of Beth's glowing praise make me that much more impatient.

I see you're currently reading an Elizabeth Taylor novel. Is this a re-read for you or did you miss it in the Virago theme read way back when?

Happy Friday, Bonnie! I have not read North and South. I need to finally get to that one. Hooray for the latest Erdrich! I was a bit underwhelmed by her last one, so it is great to hear she came roaring back with this one.

>161 PaulCranswick: I'm going to be adding Against the Loveless World to my list since Katie loved it. I'm really glad to be able to read the books that your challenge generates Paul, although I doubt I have many more on my shelves so I'll have to make more of an effort to find something.

>162 BLBera: I'm not sure where I read that Erdrich's audiobook narration was so good Beth (probably book Twitter) but that's what urged me to give it a go. I'm so glad I did.

>163 alcottacre: I'm really looking forward to Cranford Stasia and eventually Wives and Daughters. North and South was such a pleasant surprise.

>164 lauralkeet: It looks like I only read three back in 2012 Laura. I now have six VMCs on my shelf, one NYRB, and on my Kindle I have six others including her Short story collection so I thought it was time I made my way through her books. She's also enjoying a huge resurgence as you probably know.

>165 msf59: Hi Mark, you must be shivering after being in Costa Rica, you lucky guy. I think you'd enjoy The Sentence.

>166 brenzi: I have not yet gotten to Wives and Daughters. I need to change that.

Have a wonderful weekend, Bonnie!

I'm going to wish list The Sentence for Audible I think. Thanks for the tip.

>167 alcottacre: Indeed Stasia 🙂

>168 RebaRelishesReading: Oh I hope you enjoy it as much as I did Reba.

#16.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, narrated by the author

Memoir dealing with the author's grief over the illness and death of her mother and her many regrets over the sour relationship between the two and how that impacted her in the end. Interesting that she found she could heal herself through the Korean food and habits that her mother brought her up knowing. Sad of course but somehow uplifting.

3.9 stars

#17.

At Mrs. Lippincote's by Elizabeth Taylor

Taylor's debut novel, set towards the end of WWII. Roddy, an Army officer, his wife Julia and young son Oliver, and his spinster cousin, Eleanor are billeted in elderly Mrs. Lippincote's house somewhere in the English countryside. It's the story of a marriage and its inevitable problems. Not a lot happens but not to worry. Taylor knows exactly what she's doing. And I have a history of loving books where not a lot happens. Most interesting to me was the dichotomy between Julia, our narrator, and Eleanor, each longing for the other's life. Julia, the mother and homemaker, bored out of her mind. Eleanor, a school teacher, unhappy with her life and being drawn into a circle of political advocates. Really enjoyable.

4 stars

#18.

The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy

"Last night was one of THOSE evenings. I wouldn't know what to call it. Eventful in an uneventful way. Boring; but interesting. Nothing much happening on the surface and everybody seething and stewing underneath---changing character all over the place." Page 180

I don't think I've read another novel where the protagonist came roaring off the page like Sally Jay Gorce does in this book. A twenty year old American girl who is spending the year (1958) in Paris, she is so fresh, so dynamic, so filled with energy that I couldn't help cheer her on as she faced one disaster after another. Lots of books have been written about Americans abroad but this one is the one that will stand out for me. All the characterizations are great but Sally Jay will stay with me for sure. Wild and wonderful.Enhanced by the terrific Backlisted podcast.

4.2 stars

#19.

Daisy Miller by Henry James

The introduction to The Dud Avocado mentioned that this book was a precursor to the books about American girls gone wild in Paris and since it was sitting on my Kindle.....

Daisy is outspoken and a bit wild but she can't put a patch on Sally Jay's ass I'm afraid. Still, it was interesting to compare the two protagonists, and how they each handle the men in their lives. Daisy has to deal with the fact that the American community in Europe look down their noses at her even though she has wealth (new money! Outrageous!). It's James so the writing is elegant. Bit of an unexpected ending.

3.7 stars

>172 brenzi: Both reads of delightful memory for me. Happily they seem to have made you smile, too.

>172 brenzi: I must look for The Dud Avocado, Bonnie.

I don't get on overly with Henry James but I do recall that Daisy Miller does have a bit of a twist in the tale.

Have a great weekend.

I have a copy of Dud Avocado around someplace. Maybe I should dig it out and read it?

>174 richardderus: It seems you've read just about everything before me, Richard. Lol.

>175 PaulCranswick: I didn't realize you weren't a James fan, Paul. I'm just getting started with him. I think you'd enjoy the rollicking time in The Dud Avocado.

>176 benitastrnad: You should Benita. It's great fun.

>172 brenzi: Oh dear, another BB! (The Dud Avocado). I love Henry James too but have read that one so I'm not going to list it as a BB even though I may end up being pushed to re-read it.

Hi, Bonnie. Just checking in. Glad to see you are enjoying those books. I am currently enjoying Moonglow. Have you read that one?

Just delurking to wish you a happy Monday!

I have a copy of The Dud Avocado, bought when I basically bought any NYRB edition I saw at used bookstores. I'll have to actually, you know, read it soon.

>178 RebaRelishesReading: It's short enough to read in a sitting Reba, but he has so many to choose from you could find something equally good.

>179 msf59: I haven't read Moonglow Mark. I have read a couple of Chabon's books though, The Yiddish Policeman's Union and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay and I loved both.

>180 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita, happy Tuesday.

>181 katiekrug: I think you'd really enjoy Sally Jay Gorse, Katie.

I think you will love Moonglow, once you get to it. Just sayin'...

Ugh, I just lost an entire post that included a lengthy review of a great book but I'm afraid I have no intention of rewriting it. I hate this website more every day for more than one reason.

#21.

Trieste by Dasa Drndic, translated by Ellen Elias-Bursac

Incredibly stark and moving novel about elderly Haya Tedeschi, who is sitting and waiting for the son she never knew as he was stolen from her by the Nazis as they occupied Northeastern Italy during WWII. As she waits she shuffles through photographs and documents in a basket at her feet and as she does so memories of that awful time overcome her. Beautifully written, the brutal horrors and the truths of that time are fully explored by Drndic, who was a Croatian author of great renown.

4.7 stars

#22.

Gentleman Overboard by Herbert Clyde Lewis

I can't remember where I heard about this book but it was last summer on some podcast I think. A sweet book and the title tells it all. As the novel progresses I found myself thinking about how people prepare for death. How people, men usually but occasionally women, suffer from a midlife crisis that puts them at odds with their families. I thought it was quite beautiful.

4 stars

#23.

Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency by Olivia Laing, narrated by Sophie Aldred

This is my second book by Laing, a British writer of culture who explores the role of art in the modern world by looking at the past. In this one she writes about Georgia O'Keefe, David Bowie, Ali Smith, Hilary Mantel, Patricia Highsmith. A wonderful book full of humor and heart where Laing shows how art can help in the terrifying time of Trump and politics.

4.5 stars

#24.

The Odd Woman and the City by Vivian Gornick

My third Gornick and I just have to ask myself, what took so long to find her? Like Laing, she writes about people and how they interact. Gornick lives in NYC and walks the streets of the city to find so many interesting things to talk about. As she walks, she absorbs the drama, humor and humanity on the streets and writes about it using absolutely beautiful prose. On top of that she throws in discussions about authors that I love and authors I would like to get to know. I now know I have to read George Gissing's The Odd Women and Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure. And every book she writes is like that. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars

>183 msf59: Well you've got me interested Mark.

>184 brenzi: #22 I heard of it via the Neglected Books blog I've been following since who-whipped-the-cat.

I think you'd like the book I reviewed today, Dreaming of Rose.

Ohhh Neglected Books. I must've seen it on Twitter then. Dreaming of Rose huh. Must check out, Richard.

>184 brenzi: Great comments, Bonnie. They all sound good. I'm adding Laing to my list of authors to look for.

>6 brenzi: Thanks for posting the Great Fun Photos.

I recently finished DRIFTLESS for the third time and enjoyed the sequel, JEWELWEED,
but DRIFTLESS is The Best. Sure hope that David Rhodes writes another nice long one.

>189 BLBera: Hi Beth, Laing's a really interesting writer. Between her and Vivian Gornick I've really loved the essays I've been reading lately. Different perspectives but just so intriguing.

>190 m.belljackson: Hi Marianne, David Rhodes turned out to be the best writer I left unread on my shelf for at least ten years until I finally read both of those books last year. Really loved Driftless (like you did) but Jewelweed was a bit of a letdown. Still good though, just not the impact of the first book. And yes, we need another long book.

>185 brenzi: Hello, Bonnie. Dostoevsky...I am impressed. I am going to try to read The Idiot sometime this year...just so I can feel good about myself. ;-)

I watched a YouTube interview with Miriam Toews and learned how to pronounce her last name. I kind of like my old pronunciation of "Toes" better.

I still haven't gotten to Driftless but I will eventually. I'm pretty certain I will love it after reading your reaction and want to take my time to get the full enjoyment out of it.

>177 brenzi: I managed to find a copy of The Dud Avocado, Bonnie and will try to shoe-horn it in fairly soon.

Have a lovely weekend.

I'm still working on Braiding Sweetgrass, but when I finish that, I do have a collection of Gornick's essays.

>192 Donna828: Hi Donna, I've had Karamazov for a long time and would just like to say I've read it I guess. Part One really dragged but now it's moving along quite well and I'm enjoying it but I'll be on it for quite awhile.

I think Driftless would be right up your alley.

>193 PaulCranswick: I hope you enjoy your time with Sally Jay Gorce Paul.

>194 BLBera: Oh I hope you enjoy her essays as much as I am Beth. She may be an acquired taste but I'm a real fan.

Hi Bonnie!

>91 brenzi: Because I'm a completist of the manic variety. I can relate. I’ve done the same thing with several authors over the years – J.D. Salinger, Dorothy L. Sayers, and J.D. Robb’s In Death series novellas most recently.

>102 brenzi: Congratulations.

>112 brenzi: What an excellent title – A Ghost in the Throat. And now that I’ve read the description of it on Amazon, it’s on my wish list!

>141 brenzi: I acquired the first six in this series from a Friends donation last year. I really need to get around to reading them. 4.2 stars says a lot to me.

>185 brenzi: I have never heard of Vivian Gornick, and she sounds absolutely fascinating. I just bought Unfinished Business, published in 2020 and it will arrive some time next week.

Hi Bonnie, wandering through waving my "ROSE MACAULAY" banner.

*smooch*

Happy Sunday, Bonnie. It looks like I have not visited in a while. Bad Mark? I have never read The Brothers Karamazov. Bad Mark II? In regard to Toews, have you read Women Talking? I have that one lined up.

>196 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I know I will be continuing with the Adrian McKinty series. There's a book that HAS stayed with me. I'm not sure where I heard about Gornick but Unfinished Business was my first. I find I'm drawn to essays lately. I hope you find something to like about it. A Ghost in the Throat is like nothing I've ever read.

>197 richardderus: Hmmm Rose Macaulay. I think I may have something by her. Must investigate.

>198 msf59: Hi Mark, I did read Women Talking a couple of years ago as well as All my Puny Sorrows. She's a favorite Canadian author for me.

>184 brenzi: Your descriptions of both the Laing and the Gornick tickled my fancy, so I put them on my WANT! list. With your name recorded in the "blame" column. Good luck with the brothers rooski. I failed in my effort to read it several years ago. More recently, a friend was grousing about his reading of it, citing a particular section that was dragging him into despair. I told him that having jumped ship at that very passage, I had looked it up on Wiki and learned that that exact passage is regarded as the high point of the novel. I'm confident that you'll deal with it better than I did.

>201 weird_O: Well, Bill, you must know I'd have to immediately look up the Wikipedia article and sure enough the part you refer to is called The Grand Inquisitor and that is exactly where I am right now. And I thought part One was slow....until I got to this part. I'm not sure how much longer I'll last. I'm not one to give up easily but I also don't want to purposely put myself into a reading funk, which may end up being the result. I'll probably finish this part and see how the next part goes before I decide whether to continue.🤷‍♀️

I hope you enjoy both Gornick and Laing. They're fairly new to me but I've really been enjoying them. I seem to be on an essay kick lately. I'll have to look for your thread.

Bonnie, I read Brothers Karamazov in college (for a whole class on Dostoevsky) and for a long time I identified it as my favorite book. And the Grand Inquisitor part made a huge and lasting impression on me. I wonder how I would react to a reread--I'm kind of afraid to try.

>170 brenzi: I have read Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont and In a Summer Season, but that is it. I will have to see if I can get a copy of that one as my local library does not have it.

>172 brenzi: I own The Dud Avocado. I just need to find it so that I can read it.

>184 brenzi: Adding Trieste to the BlackHole as it sounds right up my alley. Just for the heck of it, I am also throwing all of the other books in that post into the BlackHole too. Your thread is bad for me, Bonnie!

Just passing through, and waving to say hi, Bonnie. I’m leaving for Florida on Friday, and really haven’t read much of anything this past week. I have several books teed up on my kindle, though, so I promise not to be a slug while I’m gone. Unless, sitting and watching the dolphins go by whilst I read counts as being a slug. 🙂

How-diddledy-do, Bonnie. Wandering past.

>203 AnneDC: Hi Anne, I've finally settled into The Brothers Karamazov and it's turned into a real page turner and I'm enjoying it immensely. But I have to say the first 200-300 pages were a bit of a slog with just a few bright spots for me. The Grand Inquisitor section was deadly for me.

>204 alcottacre: I'm happy to add to your black hole Stasia. I hope you find something to enjoy.

>205 NanaCC: Lucky you Colleen. Have fun. I hope to return to my Florida routine next year.

>206 richardderus: waving at you, Richard 🙋🏼‍♀️

I've only got the recent audio books I've read to report on because I'm still reading The Brothers Karamazov and I'm really enjoying it but it is dense and long. I'm hoping to finish it by the weekend.

#25.

Fight Night by Miriam Toews, read by the author and her sister

Child narrator Shiv tells the story of the intertwining lives of herself, her pregnant mother and her ailing grandmother. Set in Canada, for the most part, it's a light and fun read, full of very lighthearted moments and humor.

4 stars

#26.

The Maid by Nita Prose, narrated by Lauren Ambrose

Molly Gray is a young maid in a luxury hotel who loves her job. Really loves it. She's consumed by her love for it. It doesn't take a mastermind to figure out that she's probably got Asperger's or at any rate falls somewhere on the spectrum. But I found her to be delightful. When she finds a dead body in a hotel room things change considerably for her. I found this to be a very enjoyable audio, beautifully narrated by Lauren Ambrose, one of my favorites from Six Feet Under.

4 stars

#27.

Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit

I've been reading a lot of essays lately and this is another good collection. Solnit explores Orwell's gardening life and it's impact on his writing and really the importance of green plants for people all over the world. The one about the greenhouses in Argentina that ship flowers all over the world, the hell with global warming, was fascinating. This is my third Solnit collection and I've enjoyed each one more.

4 stars

#28.

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin, narrated by Bahni Turpin

This was the star of the show for me. My third Baldwin and my favorite by far. Lonnie and Tish are in love and looking for a loft apt in 1974 NYC when they cross paths with a racist police officer who vows to make their lives miserable. The next thing you know Lonnie is in jail, Tish is pregnant and life is undone. Beautifully narrated the most frightening thing about this story is that it could've happened today. Or tomorrow. Things have remained pretty much the same for generations with no improvement in sight as far as racism is concerned. Beautifully written, incredible narration, and a sad, lovely, hopeless constant in the U.S. today.

5 stars

>208 brenzi: A whole heap of happy reads! Yay!

>208 brenzi: Fight Night and The Maid just found their way to my wishlist. Thank you, I think. 😊

I think you'll really enjoy The Maid Colleen. Murder mystery so right up your alley😀

Happy Wednesday, Bonnie. Nice crop of new reads. I have the Solnit on my audio list.

>208 brenzi: Yay for If Beale Street Could Talk! I read both it and The Fire Next Time last year, giving them 4.5 stars each. I really need to finish reading all of Baldwin's books.

>212 msf59: Hi Mark, I think you'll like the Solnit Mark, although she's not the greatest narrator.

>213 alcottacre: oh you've reminded me Stasia that I still have to read The Fire Next Time.

#29.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Dostoevsky's last and greatest novel, according to many, this book took me more than two weeks to read but being over 800 pages I don't know what I expected. What I didn't expect was the philosophical and religious arguments that filled the first 300 pages. That's not my thing. Eventually though, I got to the mystery that was presented on the first page:

"Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov was the third son of a landowner from our district, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, well known in his own day (and still remembered among us) because of his dark and tragic death, which happened exactly thirteen years ago and which I shall speak of in its proper place."

But I will say that once I got to the murder mystery, the book took off and even the prosecution and defense arguments were compelling. The characters were all well drawn and very, very complicated. I especially loved the young boys that loved each other and Alexei, the youngest son of Fyodor Karamazov, although he was much older than the boys. Filled with eloquent voices, I am very glad I persevered and got to the end of this classic Russian tale.

4.2 stars

#30.

Universal Harvester by John Darnielle, narrated by the author

Meh. Slightly off kilter tale about some weird people taping over video recordings that are obtained from a small video store in Iowa in the 1990s. I really couldn't get into this much and, although I kept waiting for a big payday, it never came. Darnielle was a good narrator though.

3 stars

#31.

In the Distance by Hernan Diaz

"The hole, a broken star on the ice, was the only interruption on the white plain merging into the white sky." First words of the story.

Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, this book deserves every accolade that has come it's way. A wonderful story filled with luscious prose and the grittiness that accompanied immigration to this country in the 1800s, around the time of the California Gold Rush. Young Swede, Hakan Sunderson, arrives in SanFrancisco with his older brother after the deaths of their parents. They are soon separated and young Hakan is left on his own. He knows his brother wants to go to NYC and so he tries to get across the country to be reunited with him. What happens after that, Hakan's travels across desert, mountains and plains, his interactions with Indians, criminals, naturalists, lawmen, and religious fanatics turn him into a mythic creature. Gritty. Brave. And pretty darn wonderful, I grew to love "the Hawk."

4.5 stars

Hi Bonnie! My husband keeps pushing me to read Brothers K. So far I have resisted. I'm glad it paid off for you in the end.

Congrats on reading The Brothers Karamazov and I am glad it paid off in the end. I hope to get to it, one of these days. So glad to hear that you loved In the Distance. I picked up a copy a few months ago. I moved it up in the stacks. Maybe, next month? What made you pick it up?

Hi Bonnie - I read a bunch of Russian classics in college for a Russian literature minor, but sadly I don't remember much about any of them. I do remember that rewarding feeling of "persevering" you referred to in your review.

Congratulations on enjoying The Bros K. I gave it a try but was smothered in that first 300 pages. I'm inspired. But...

 to you, Bonnie.

>215 brenzi: I do not think that I have read The Brothers Karamazov yet, Bonnie, so I will need to get around to that one. Maybe for the Classics challenge that I am doing?

Adding In the Distance to the BlackHole. I am not sure that I have ever even heard of that one!

Hi Bonnie - Congrats on finishing The Brothers K! That's one Dostoevsky I haven't read. I studied a lot of Russians in college and keep thinking I should reread, but they are all such tomes.

>217 lauralkeet: Hi Laura, there were times during that first three hundred pages when I thought I would give up. I only think I persisted because I'd heard that it would get much better. And it did. I'm not sure why I chose to read it now, but now I find I've been invited to a zoom meeting to talk about Russian literature by a podcast host. Heh.

>218 msf59: Hi Mark, Hernan Diaz has a new book coming out soon and I've had this one on my Kindle for probably a year or more so I thought I'd just read it now. Plus it was a short book to read after an 800 page book so there was that lol. I think you'd love it. Lots of passages about nature and living and dealing with weather and conditions on the Great Plains and the deserts out west.

>219 vivians: Hi Vivian, I'm not usually very good at persevering with books. I firmly believe that there are too many books to get stuck reading something you aren't really invested in and loving. This proved to be an exception for some reason.

>220 weird_O: Thanks so much Bill. It was your comments about The Grand Inquisitor section that really made me question whether I could continue but I was far enough in to hope that I was about to get to the great part.

>221 alcottacre: I'm not sure where I first heard about In the Distance but I've had it on my Kindle for more than a year so the time was right for me. You'll probably devour The Brothers Karamazov.

>222 BLBera: Yes Beth, those Russians could go on and on and on. It seems to be an inborn trait. I have Part One of The Gulag Archipelago sitting on my Kindle and Crime and Punishment on my shelf so..........

>223 brenzi:
One of the students who works in our library read the first book of Gulag Archipelago last summer. I asked him why he was reading it and he said just for fun. When pressed, he admitted that he thought it must be an important book in world literature and he decided he should read it.

One of my cousins thought that A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich was one of the best books he ever read. I have been trying to finish Dr. Zhivago for years and keep it by my bedside, but I just never finish it. I am bogged down in WWI where Lara is serving as a nurse at the front.

Hi Benita, I read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich when I was in my early twenties and liked it a lot. It's just a little over 200 pages so it's not your typical Russian novel. I've only seen the Dr. Zhivago movie. Never attempted the book.

>223 brenzi: I've been invited ... by a podcast host
Well that's pretty cool, Bonnie! Will this become part of a podcast episode?

>223 brenzi: I struggled through Crime and Punishment a few years ago. I read it because "I thought I should" -- it was better than I expected but still...

I am also curious about the podcast episode. Can you give us a few details? Or do you have to wait until it is published?

>226 lauralkeet: >228 benitastrnad: Will this become part of a podcast episode?

Oh God, I hope not Laura. Apparently they're just doing a discussion of different Russian literature that people have read over the first quarter of 2022. I'm hoping others have read some more recent Russian authors especially Maria Stepanova's new book which I'm intending to read next month. If it's available for the public at some point Benita, I'll let everyone know but I don't expect that.

>227 RebaRelishesReading: Well, I have Crime and Punishment sitting on my shelf Reba so it's certainly possible I'll read it but not anytime in the near future. Didn't you feel a sense of satisfaction when you finished it?

Glad to see that you enjoyed the Brothers! I quite enjoyed it when I read it years ago ( pre joining LT).

Enjoy the rest of the week

>229 brenzi: absolutely!!

#32.

Palladian by Elizabeth Taylor

This was Taylor's second book, published in 1946, and for me it seemed to suffer from sophomore slump. Not as memorable as her first, At Mrs. Lippincote's but still you see the beginnings of the excellent writing that she became known for. But the plot in this book is ludicrous and I have to admit there was a point when I flung my book across the room. (If you've read the book, you know exactly what I'm talking about.) Predictable ending didn't help much.

Like her debut novel, there are several related people living in the house, actually described as a country manor in decline, and their interactions. No idea who is working because other than the governess and the cook, cleaning lady and gardener/handyman there is no evidence of where the money to pay their salaries. But the heck with all that. You still get Taylor's prose:

"The sky looked swollen, as if it held some darker, heavier substance than rain, as if at a finger's pressure it would let down a stained syrup, like the blackberry juice dripping from the muslin net in the kitchen." (Page 124)

"The clouds lumbered by like pieces of torn scenery giving the sun a chance here and there." (Page 143)

I'll bet her next published novel showed some growth.

3.5 stars

#33.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, narrated by Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, Lauren Irwin

Uhhhhhhh. Well, Book Club pick so........meh. The narrators were all excellent though so they are the only reason I finished this ridiculous story. Two timelines ( of course, it seems like almost every book uses this device) present day and 1791 London, where Nella runs an apothecary with a hidden room where she provides potions for certain disorders that women experience, if you get my drift. Sometimes certain deadly poisons are dispensed to take care of other, er, common problems. The present day thread is about a woman in the US who travels to England to get away from her husband and work on an investigation of the use of poisons when she stumbles on a clue of sorts. It's all so improbable and ridiculous that I laughed a lot, and I don't believe I was meant to. Don't bother readers. Choose better.

3 stars

>232 brenzi: Sorry to see Palladian disappointed you, Bonnie. I liked it more than you did (4 stars), but didn't remember a thing. I just re-read the reviews on the book page, most of which are from the Virago Group read a decade ago now (!!). And they were mixed, so you're in good company.

>233 brenzi: I can't wait to see what you think of The Tortoise and the Hare. Again, it was the Virago Group that inspired my recent reading of it and I was glad they did.

Congratulations on finishing The Brothers Karamazov, Bonnie. I read it in 2009 and gave it 4.5 stars. Let me know when you want to tackle Crime and Punishment and I'll keep you company. As you can see, I haven't been in a hurry to read another one by Dostoevsky.

>234 lauralkeet: I'm about halfway through The Tortoise and the Hare and as a character study it's absolutely fascinating Laura. Did you listen to the Backlisted pod about it when you finished? I plan to do that.

>235 Donna828: Thanks Donna. It felt like an accomplishment of some sort. I'm in no hurry to get to Crime and Punishment either.

I love a good library bag sale and this one didn't disappoint. I managed to take two that I already owned but $10 for all this is amazing.

>237 brenzi: - Oooh, some good ones in there! I loved Housekeeping, The Shipping News, and Star of the Sea.

>237 brenzi: Nice haul, Bonnie!

Thanks for mentioning the podcast, Bonnie. I need to remember to check their episodes whenever I read a classic.

Nice book sale haul!!

>237 brenzi: Wow! Good for you!! I see six I've read in there and I liked them all.

>238 katiekrug: Hi Katie, I read Housekeeping and The Shipping News both of which I want to reread. You and/or Vivian recommended Star of the Sea and I'm looking forward to it.

>239 BLBera: Thanks Beth.

>240 lauralkeet: I think you'll find it enhances your reading Laura. At least it does mine.

>241 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba, I've read some of them too and want to do some rereading.

>237 brenzi: Wow, Bonnie, that’s very impressive! Angle Of Repose is an absolute favorite of mine and I keep meaning to reread The Shipping News.

I read Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont earlier this month and liked it so much that I immediately bought a copy of At Mrs Lippincote’s. I hope to get to it soon.

Hi Joanne, I loaded up on books that I've already read and want to reread including both of those. I hope you enjoy Elizabeth Taylor. She's pretty darn wonderful for the most part.

>237 brenzi: Great haul!

>232 brenzi: too bad about the lost apothecary. I was eyeing that one for a while because it sounded interesting.Now I will cross it off my list.

Have a great week!

>232 brenzi: Sounds like I can reasonably pass on both of those. I do hope your next reads are better for you, Bonnie.

>237 brenzi: Oh, wow! What a wonderful haul. The Worst Hard Time is so very good. I cannot read the titles of the others unfortunately.

>244 brenzi: I loaded up on books that I've already read and want to reread
Ahhh, that explains things. Several of my personal favorites made it onto your stack. I kept looking at your photo and thinking, "I can't believe she hasn't read ..."

I can't believe I had forgot about The Worst Hard Time. It was my favorite read of that year and could have easily made my NF list.

>237 brenzi: Nice haul, Bonnie. I would also love to do a reread of Angle of Repose.

Bonnie, I listened to the Backlisted podcast episode for The Tortoise and the Hare. I admit it was my first time listening to the podcast, so now I know how excellent it is. I don't know how this episode stacks up vs. others but it was chock full of interesting discussion, especially because their guest was none other than Carmen Callil, founder of Virago Press. She had some amazing insights on the author, as you might imagine. Oh, and your bff Anita Brookner was also mentioned a few times.

>237 brenzi: >248 msf59: I really need to get Angle of Repose reread too. It has been several years since I read it.

>245 figsfromthistle: Well please don't avoid that book because of my opinion Anita. Many people other than me liked it a lot including most of my book club.

>246 alcottacre: Yes, Stasia, The Worst Hard Time is a real favorite of mine too.

>247 lauralkeet: 🧐🧐🧐 hahaha

>248 msf59: I find at this point in my life Mark (read: aging lol) I have a desire to reread old favorites and see how they hold up. I think I'm going to read Angle of Repose this year along with Lonesome Dove and The Idea of Perfection.

>249 lauralkeet: It's the best of the best Laura. I listened to it today. Carmen Callil was on another one I listened to, maybe Frost in May. You should go through all their episodes to see what you're interested in. I have 27 lined up and I usually add more every month when they broadcast new ones. Are you familiar with George Gissing? He was evidently published by Virago and I thought he was a woman who'd taken a man's name like George Elliot but apparently not. I didn't think they'd published any men. Vivian Gornick's memoir brought him to my attention and I've downloaded his book The Odd Women, another Backlisted title. Love when one book leads to another.

>250 alcottacre: Go for it Stasia!

#34.

The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins

Ohhhh my, this book may be the most devastating portrait of the unraveling of a marriage that I've ever read. Written in 1954, it's a slow burning look at the ways a man can belittle and abandon his wife without her even being aware of it, or at least not at first. Evelyn Gresham is a handsome 52 year old lawyer who has everything he wants, including his doting wife Imogen and his 11 year old son. Their neighbor, near their large country estate, Blanche is everything Imogen isn't: unattractive and in her 50s, but athletic and interested in fishing, hunting, racing and other masculine things.

What I liked best was Jenkins way of slowly revealing the way this marriage was falling apart, and how Imogen seemed to operate with blinders on, continuing to cater to Evelyn's every wish and failing to realize what the reader can plainly see. The writing is both humorous and tragic in the way the plot is slowly developed. But this author can take down a character like nothing I've ever seen. Blanche's stepsister, Marcia for instance:

"Marcia Plender was short, plump and middle-aged. She was also excessively feminine, but so far from throwing her stepsister in the shade on this account whatever she might've done when both were girls, she now acted as a foil to her, though one would have been as far from suspecting it as the other. Marcia took great care of her person and appearance though she had allowed herself to get fat. As her constitution required her to rest in bed till half-past twelve and drink two double gins before lunch, it was difficult for her to avoid increasing weight....The assured, formidable appearance, combined with a sugary air, fluttering eyelids and die-away voice, made the beholder turn to Blanche with relief and even a sort of admiration. Blanche's abruptness and half-strangulated accents were not charming, but they were a great deal better than Marcia's efforts at charming" (Page75)

The minor characters are just as fully developed as the three protagonists and the ending knocked my socks off, but in a 2ay that made me think, "Oh, of course, all signs pointed to this. I should've known."

Just an absolutely brilliant book.

4.5 stars

>252 brenzi: I already have that one in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

>251 brenzi: Just adding my vote to Bonnie's Backlisted podcast. I'm a faithful listener and it never disappoints.

>251 brenzi: I went through the index last night, Bonnie, and saved a few for future listening -- mostly books I've already read, and would enjoy hearing their take. But I can see where listening could lead to reading other books as well.

>250 alcottacre: >251 brenzi: We should pick a time to reread Angle of Repose, (I own a "Keeper" copy). I think it would make a solid shared read.

>254 alcottacre: Well dig it out of that hole and read it Stasia. You won't regret it.

>255 vivians: You were the one who first introduced me to it Vivian. So thank you very much.

>256 lauralkeet: Oh yeah Laura, I looked for books I already owned and then I went back and looked for books I might buy or read library versions of. I'm trying to read one a month.

>257 msf59: Sure, we could do that Mark.

Quick drive-by greetings. Still trapped w/o reliable wifi. Good to see how much good reading you've been doing.

>259 richardderus:. Oh my when are you getting it back? It's ridiculous Richard. You have my sympathy.

Couldn't resist this Twitter acquisition.

>261 brenzi: :)

I loved The Black Prince, but it's been years. Maybe it's time for a reread although I do have a large collection of unread Murdochs on my shelves.

>261 brenzi: lol

>261 brenzi: I love that and it reminds me of travelling to work on the bus in Singapore and passing a sign for one of the city-state's leading electrical contractors - "Fook Yue Electrical" - I used to chortle to myself imagining the receptionist answering the phone.

>262 BLBera: I'm really enjoying The Black Prince, Beth. It's my first Murdoch but I've accumulated a few so I know I'll be reading more.

>263 RebaRelishesReading: 😂🤣

>264 PaulCranswick: Ohh that's another great one, Paul.

>261 brenzi: & >265 brenzi: The fact of the Chinese characters in the signboard above lend sober credence to the hilarity, Bonnie!

>266 PaulCranswick: 🤣🤣🤣

>258 brenzi: Both you and Laura have recommended it. My problem is geting my hands on a copy since my local library does not have a copy.

#35.

The Shattering: America in the 1960s by Kevin Boyle, narrated by Jonathan Yen

I lived through it and this very well researched investigation of the many, many news worthy items that happened in the 60s was very well done and brought back memories of some very difficult times in our history: segregation and desegregation, protest marches for equality for black Americans, the assassinations of JFK, MLK and Robert F. Kennedy, Viet Nam, Cambodia, the anti-war protests, Roe, and all the bigger than life personalities including Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, George McGovern, Eugene McCarthy, George Wallace and the Supreme Court. The Kent State killings in 1969 and the downfall of Nixon with the Watergate hearings in the early 70s brought the book to an American end. Very comprehensive and excellent narration.

4 stars

#36.

The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch

I don't know why I waited so long to read Murdoch but after finishing this one you can be sure I'll be back for more. A riotous black comedy about nearly 60 year old Bradley Pearson, his family and friends and how he interprets everything that's happened in his life including his first marriage, his relationships with his close friends and his obvious failure as a writer. But he's on a good track now. He's left his job in the tax department and now is the time for him to become the author he was always meant to be. At least, according to him because he's telling this story. It's just so much fun and can I see I never saw the end coming. It took me totally by surprise. Pretty darn brilliant. I really enjoyed it and it seemed so fresh and yet it was written in 1973. Wow.

4.5 stars

#37.

In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom, narrated by the author

I listened to this memoir this afternoon. I couldn't stop listening, it's that good. I started it on my morning walk and got home and just kept listening until it was done. (I'm retired. I can do whatever the hell I want lol.) Coincidentally, the Kindle copy came in from the library at the same time so I listened and read a part of it. The topic is of tremendous interest to me and this being my fourth Bloom book, I immediately remembered how absolutely gorgeous her prose can be.

Her husband is diagnosed with Alzheimer's and the options are few but before he is too far along into his illness he wants to have a say in how he goes forward. This is of special interest to me because 1) I'm old and 2) both of my parents died of complications from Alzheimer's. Is there a good way to get through this horrible diagnosis? Bloom and her husband have specific ideas and as the story propels them forward, I sobbed my way along with them, through this gut wrenching yet, somehow, hopeful memoir.

5 stars

>269 brenzi: I am so pleased that you were enamoured of Iris Murdoch (I do seem to recall recommending her) and I will be reading one of hers each month for the next six months (including a couple of re-reads). I am sure that I have something on the shelves by Amy Bloom and I'm off to scurry and check.

>269 brenzi: Bloom's book crouches in wait for me on the Kindle, I loved The Black Prince as well, and a general-purpose *smooch* for your good readin' self.

>269 brenzi: I felt the same way about the Bloom, Bonnie. I listened to the whole thing in one day (and I'm not even retired!!) and was in awe of her narration and mostly steady voice.

>271 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, it could very well be that you recommended Iris Murdoch. I've had a copy of The Sea, the Sea on my shelf for eons because it won the Booker. Then someone said not to start with that one so I downloaded to my Kindle The Bell, Under The Net, A Word Child and The Black Prince. Recently a Twitter friend tweeted out that The Black Prince was the place to start 🤷‍♀️

>272 richardderus: Hi Richard, I hope you can appreciate Bloom's memoir as much as I did Richard. So powerful.

>273 vivians: Yes Vivian, I noted just one brief second where I discern a tiny breakdown but otherwise just a perfectly beautiful narration.

Happy Wednesday, Bonnie. It looks like I will be adding the Bloom memoir to my audio list. You rarely steer me wrong.

Bonnie, it's been years since I read any Iris Murdoch but I have read several of her books. I started with The Sea, The Sea because I was working my way through Booker winners. I remember liking it, but also not quite "getting it." My next book was A Severed Head, which is not at all what you might imagine from the title. I liked that one a lot and went on to read several more. I think Murdoch is a bit of an acquired taste. You might also want to check out the film, Iris, starring Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent.

>275 msf59: Well I try not to Mark, lol. It's really well done.

>276 lauralkeet: Somehow, A Severed Head is now on my list. See how that happened Laura? I'll have to look for the movie but I do love Judi Dench.

My work is done, Bonnie. Ha!

>278 lauralkeet: And the Judi Dench movie is on HBO so I'm going to watch it tonight Laura😊

Hi Bonnie, and happy birthday!

>200 brenzi: Oh my, that really speaks to me.

>229 brenzi: I read all but about 50 pages of Crime and Punishment in my late teens, have tried various books by various Russian authors, and have concluded that I don’t need to try any more ever again.

>237 brenzi: Yay for bag sales! Nice haul, too. Our Friends of the Library recently had a two-day fiction/mystery/sci fi sale (not our usual 3-day 15-category 18,000 item sale) and didn’t have our normal last-day-of-sale bag day. Still netted $5K and nobody complained that I heard of. First sale in two years, too.

>252 brenzi: And onto the wish list it goes!

Happy natal anniversary, Bonnie! *smooch*

>269 brenzi: The only one of Boyle's books that I have read is Arc of Justice, which I enjoyed, so The Shattering goes into the BlackHole. I have already read the Murdoch, so I get to dodge that BB. I have added In love: a Memoir of Love and Loss to the BlackHole and my local library actually has a copy of that one. Thanks for the reviews and recommendations, Bonnie.

Happy birthday!

^I hope you are having a great day, Bonnie. I am starting In the Distance tomorrow. Just sayin'...

>280 karenmarie: I don't know what sparked me to read Dostoevsky Karen except for the fact that it's been residing on my Kindle for eons. I ended up enjoying it but whether or not I'll read Crime and Punishment which resides on my shelf and has for ages, is questionable. I hope you enjoy The Tortoise and the Hare. It's really quite and amazing book.

>281 richardderus: Thank you Richard.

>282 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. Have fun with The Shattering.

>283 msf59: Thanks Mark. I had a great day capped off with presents and way too much ice cream with Mia and Cole. Their parents were there too. I think you'll love In the Distance. He has a new one coming out soon.

Happy belated birthday, Bonnie. It sounds like you had a great day. I get to have a sleepover with my granddaughter today. :)

Oh dear Bonnie, sorry I missed your birthday. I'm glad to see it was a good one though (p.s. there is no such thing as "no much ice cream")

>285 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I love granddaughter sleepovers. Mia and I had one last weekend and she came with her written list of suggestions of things we could do lol.

>286 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you Reba. It was fun and I'm afraid you're wrong about the ice cream hahaha.

#38.

A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe

In October 1966, the small town of Aberfan in Wales, suffered a terrible tragedy when, after days of rain, a pile of spoils from the local coal mines slid in a slurry down the hillside into the town, taking down everything in its way, including the local school. 116 children and 28 adults were buried under the piles.

It took days to recover the bodies and the importance at that time of the embalmers cannot be overstated. They worked tirelessly to embalm the bodies after the grueling task of presenting devastated parents with the evidence that their child was among the lost. Jo Browning Wroe chose this setting for her enormously compelling and tragic novel.

Recently graduated embalmer, William Lavery, is asked to go to Aberfan to help and he accepts the challenge. He comes from a family of embalmers and funeral directors but his real love, nurtured by his mother and the Cambridge Choir she managed to get him into, is music and especially the singing of Allegri's 'Miserere'.

"It's a high wire act, this solo, like floating above a canyon. Getting up there isn't the problem; William can get to an F, never mind a C. The problem is holding the G in perfect pitch, rock steady, without cracking or fading while all the parts below are changing. Allegri's 'Miserere'. It still thrills him how his breath, his voice, can fill the chapel, soaring up to its high ceiling, piercing the silence, or slicing through other voices. And when he's a soloist, there's the thrill of knowing the others' voices are there to frame and magnify his own. It's magic. Pure magic." (Page 124)

Those are the two different threads of William's life that are woven together brilliantly in the novel, the Aberfan tragedy and the story that is William's life, both filled with challenges and sadness but the author handles all with aplomb and beautiful prose. This is historical fiction at the height of its powers, able to convey to the reader the horror of one particular event and its eventual impact on one individual, who is also fighting other demons. Wonderfully done and plenty of opportunities for tears. I played Allegri's 'Miserere' in the background while I read and it's just as beautiful as described. I'll remember this book for a long time and what more can we hope for as readers.

5 stars

One of the disadvantages of not dashing around the threads the way I used to is that I miss important events. Happy Belated Birthday, Bonnie. At our age ice cream and time with the family is the best way to celebrate.

>288 brenzi: What a tragedy. That picture shows the horrific power of Mother Nature. I also had music in the background for my latest book. Maybe some books should come with a soundtrack to make the reading experience more meaningful. I’m not sure I have the fortitude to read about so many deceased children.

I'm embarrassed to admit I had not heard of the Aberfan tragedy until it was featured in an episode of The Crown. I'll keep an eye out for the book.

>291 katiekrug: Same for me, Katie. That was such a sad episode. The book looks fantastic, Bonnie. I looked for it at my library, no luck. So then I tried Amazon. The search results made me spew my coffee. Normally Amazon will suggest a bunch of related books, but this time my search for "a terrible kindness" delivered only this book, and then ...


Do with that what you will. Ha.

Excellent review of A Terrible Kindness, Bonnie. Did you listen to this one on audio? It sounds like one I would enjoy in that format.

>292 lauralkeet: LMAO!! I hope Richard sees that one.

>252 brenzi: Hmmm..The Tortoise and the Hare--I know I own that, and Amazon says they delivered it to me in 2015, but when I decided to read it a few months ago I couldn't find it anywhere. What to do, what to do?
>269 brenzi: Last year I read what sounds to be a very similar book to The Shattering, 1968, (subtitle "The Year that Rocked the World"). I've added The Shattering to the WL even though there may be some overlap, because, like you, I lived it.
>288 brenzi:--I'm very interested in this, though it doesn't seem to be available on Kindle. I had a vague recollection of this, and my memory was revived when there was an episode of The Crown focusing on this tragedy.
Hope all is well with you.

Hi Bonnie!

>284 brenzi: I put The Tortoise and the Hare into my Amazon shopping cart the day I read about it here, added Sandi Toksvig's Toksvig's Almanac, due out in May, last night, and just now decided to spend some of my Amazon credit. What did I discover? The Tortoise and the Hare is temporarily out of stock. Grrr.

>288 brenzi: So glad you loved A Terrible Kindness - it was a five star read for me too.

>292 lauralkeet: I can imagine you spewed your coffee -- that is both very, very funny and very very curious.

>295 karenmarie: Barging into Bonnie's thread to recommend Abebooks. They have some used copies of The Tortoise and the Hare:
https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/kw/tortoise-and-the-hare-jenkins/

>290 Donna828: Thanks Donna. This was only the second time I've played music that was brought out in a book. The last time was when I read Valeria Luiselli's Lost Children Archive and she mentioned Laurie Anderson's O Superman, a really haunting song from the 80s that I'd never heard before. It's now a regular on my playlist.

>291 katiekrug: I'd heard of it long before the crown but then again I'm ancient, Katie.🤷‍♀️

>292 lauralkeet: Uhh, I don know what to make of that suggestion Laura. Looks a bit like whoever was in charge of the technology might've been a bit....high.

>293 msf59: Hi Mark, I didn't listen to the audio but you're right, it would be excellent I think.

>294 arubabookwoman: Hi Deborah, good to see you. I listened to the audio of 1968: the Year that Rocked the World last year. There's some repeat of events but two different books really. I'm not sure A Terrible Kindness has been published yet in this country. I got mine from Book Depository after Vivian mentioned it. I hope you locate your copy of The Tortoise and the Hare. It's a good one.

>295 karenmarie: Well that's maddening Karen. Try Abe's.

>296 vivians: I thought as much Vivian, from your comments. I ordered it immediately after I read them lol. You're such a good weather vane for me.

>297 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba😀

>298 lauralkeet: There you go Karen. Thanks Laura.

Hi Bonnie! Happy belated bday!

I've added A Terrible Kindness to my WL, Bonnie. Great comments.

Mia sounds very organized. Scout and I usually go with the flow. This time we played quite a few board games and made cookies for Easter.

>300 Berly: Thanks so much, Kim.

>301 BLBera: Well Beth, I'm not sure how organized Mia is but she certainly knows what she wants to do. Lol.

#39.

The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels, narrated by Charlie Thurston and Tiffany Morgan

I've mentioned before that I lost my brother to AIDS in 1993 so I'm not sure how or why I ended up listening to this heartbreaking book about a young man who, in 1986, returns from NYC to his parents' home in Ohio to die after he contracts the AIDS virus. Everything about this narrative rang true for me: a father who couldn't accept his son's gayness or his illness, the Reagan administration's denial that such an illness existed, the the snubbing and rejection by neighbors and former friends and relatives, and the relentless progress of the insidious disease. These issues and many more are brought to life quite brilliantly in this sad and revealing novel.

4 stars

#40.

Valentino and Sagittarius by Natalia Ginzburg, translated from the Italian by Avril Bardoni



Natalia Ginzburg was born in 1914 in Palermo, Sicily to a family of scholars and intellectuals. She and her first husband worked in the Italian resistance until he was captured, tortured and killed by the Nazis. She went on to be an editor and novelist, essayist, playwright and short story writer but not until the 1950s. I originally heard mention of her when I started reading Vivian Gornick's essays.

This NYRB book contains two novellas that were originally published in 1957. Her spare direct prose and the use of a first person narrator to tell each story add to the compelling nature of the narrative. In Valentino, the family lives in a small rented apartment and Valentino's sister narrates the story of their lives. Valentino's father expects his son to become "a man of consequence." Unfortunately, Valentino is a preening, selfish and lazy buffoon and everyone can see he will not amount to anything. But that doesn't stop the family from hoping things will turn out well. This is a theme with Ginzburg that flows through both novellas.

In Sagittarius, the narrator, a daughter who lives in a flat with a roommate, tells the story that centers around her totally self involved mother, who pins her hopes on another daughter who is quite beautiful, although sickly. In the meantime, the mother is continually scheming how to make money because she has very little.

Both books have much in common, particularly that the young narrators are the only sympathetic characters in the book. They both center on disappointment, fraud, unsavory secondary characters, selfishness, death, betrayal, down at the heels people and downright wishful thinking. And that seldom works out. Beautifully written and translated, this book gave me plenty to mull over. I'll be reading more of Ginsburg's work.

4.2 stars

>303 brenzi: #39 not a read I'd've aimed you at, Bonnie, but I can tell you responded to it with sensitive sad appreciation. That's the very best we can offer, I think.

*smooch*

#40 Valentino made me so damned mad! I wanted to smack the father up one side and thrash him down the other! *grrr*

Never read Sagittarius. Don't think I'll be burnin' up the carpet runnin' out to get it, though.

Sweet Thursday, Bonnie. I really enjoyed In the Distance. A very unique western novel. It reminded me of Cormac McCarthy at times. Looking forward to reading more of his work.

>303 brenzi: That must have been a hard book to read, especially for you. I don't think I'm up to it, even with no family connection. Hugs to you.

>305 richardderus: Thank you Richard. I have a habit of going into books knowing very little about them because, you know, spoilers. Sometimes that ends up biting me.

Ginzburg is an interesting writer. She doesn't seem to believe in happy characters, let alone happy endings. So, not uplifting reads certainly. But her writing is just so good and she portrays life as I'm sure it is (or was) for many regular people 🤷‍♀️

>306 msf59: Of course I was pretty sure you'd enjoy In the Distance, Mark. Just a very unusual western. He's got a new one coming soon.

>307 RebaRelishesReading: It was a bit like watching a car crash Reba, in that I couldn't look away.

>288 brenzi: Adding that one to the BlackHole. I have seen a documentary on this tragedy so have at least a little bit of knowledge beforehand.

>303 brenzi: Adding both of those to the BlackHole as well.

Thanks for the reviews and recommendations, Bonnie!

...Bonnie...dear...? You doing okay?

What Richard said...hope you are okay...?

Indeed hope all is well Bonnie!

*yodeleeee whoooooo hooooooooooooooooooooo*

All-y all-y out's in free!

>309 alcottacre: >310 richardderus: >311 Berly: >312 RebaRelishesReading: >313 richardderus:

Thanks for visiting this dormant thread Stasia, Richard, Kim and Reba. I am doing well and just suffer from not wanting to update this thread. This frequently happens to me especially when the good weather begins. I have read some really good books recently, including this one:

#58.

Angel by Elizabeth Taylor

I read Elizabeth Taylor's Angel and I have to ask how in the world did Taylor create such a completely unlikable character in a book I ended up loving? Doesn't make sense. I should've hated this book because well, Angel is absolutely toxic. But Taylor's writing is so gobsmacking beautiful and descriptive that it's hard to get beyond that. Plus it's her genius, I think, that could create a character that's so repellent while being so absolutely fascinating. I won't soon forget her.

"At that first meeting, long ago in London, she had seemed to need his protection while warning him not to offer it: arrogant and absurd she had been and had remained: she had warded off friendship and stayed lonely and made such fortifications within her own mind that the truth could not pierce it. At the slightest air of censure in the world about her, up had gone the barricades, the strenuous resistance begun by which she was preserved in her own imagination, beautiful, clever, successful and beloved."

And this amazing book:



Trust by Hernan Diaz

I gulped this book down like an insatiable drunk. It's wonderful but I advise you not to read any reviews because the slow reveal of what's actually happening will knock your socks off. Or at least it did mine.

Oh and this terrific book:



Daniel Deronda by George Eliot

I listened to the wonderful Juliet Stevenson narrate this audiobook of a book described by Pamela Paul, on the NYTimes Book Review podcast as, "better than Middlemarch." Huh? I loved Middlemarch. After a few chapters I picked up my copy and followed along with the narration, one of my favorite ways to read. It was glorious.

I will try to get caught up with everyone and maybe even start a new thread but not right away. I'm going to Florida on Tuesday with my grandchildren so I'll be tied up but I will be back.

>314 brenzi: Oh, I'm so pleased to hear you're doing well, and your trip sounds like a slice of Hell a perfect family-time getaway.

I retain next to nothing about Daniel Deronda except there's some Zionism running through it. And Gwendolen seemed to me a little bit judgmental.

I'm eager to see what happens next, thread-wise. *smooch*

Nice to see you checking in here, Bonnie. Have a lovely time with your grands.

Bonnie, I totally get your absence. After all, I took an entire year off! Sometimes we just need a break, right? You will come back from Florida with renewed vigor I am sure. At least you’re still reading. I would worry about you if that happened. Have a fantastic time with the kiddos!

Enjoy your trip to Florida with the grands, Bonnie.

Hi Bonnie. Have a great time in Florida with the grandkids!

Hi, Bonnie. Lots of good, helpful reviews!

I’m so glad that Crying in H Mart, The Maid and The Brothers Karamasov all worked for you. I’m fascinated by Michelle Zauner now, and watched her Japanese Breakfast band on SNL and Youtube. I found her writing her writing unexpectedly excellent.

We just gave The Maid to our daughter for her birthday; it’s one of my favorites this year. I’m a Brothers Karamasov fan, and even re-read it a few years ago. Your comments struck home for me. It’s worth sticking with for some of these classic whoppers. Tolstoy comes to mind.

It strikes me that I need to read more Elizabeth Taylor books.

>314 brenzi: Better than Middlemarch? I will have to get to it then. I am currently halfway through Silas Marner.

I came by to thank you for your recommendation of Zorrie last year. I read it over the weekend and loved it!

Enjoy your Florida trip!

Hi Bonnie! We're almost at a month since you've posted here, and it worries me a little bit. I hope you're doing well and just off having way too much fun to stop by.

Hi, Bonnie. So glad to hear that you loved Trust. That is on my summer list. I also hope to get to Zorrie soon.

Yep, WE MISS YOU!!

>314 brenzi: Trust is therefore a must have book based on your unerring judgement of what constitutes a good read.

Agree with the guys in missing you lots around these parts and I trust that all is well. x

Glad to see that you are updating your reading at least, Bonnie.

Will be interested to see what your 75th is and hope that all is well with you dear lady.

Yes, glad to see the reading is continuing so I know you're fine. I can only hope RL is just too much fun to spend time here right now! : )

Bonnie! Come home! Your favorite sport is being touted to solve the world's problems!
Can Pickleball Save America?

Hi, Bonnie! It seems we have long absences from our threads in common these days. But you're reading more than I am. Glad you're at least updating your reading list upthread.

Missing your posts and reviews, dear Bonnie.

Hope you are in a happy place. xx

Hello? : )

I miss your comments, Bonnie, but I can see you've been doing some great reading.

>331 Berly: & >332 BLBera: Like my friends Kim and Beth, I wanted to remind you how much you are esteemed here and how much, I personally miss your wonderfully enlightening reviews. xx

Glad to see you are still posting books, but I miss YOU! : ) Maybe you'll pop in soon, or perhaps next year you'll be back? Crossing fingers.

Thank you as always for books, thank you for this group and thanks for you. Have a lovely day, Bonnie.

Missing you. xx

Happy Thanksgiving Bonnie!

Malaysia's branch of the 75er's wishes you and yours a happy holiday season.

Still missing you, Bonnie.

Bonnie, I hope you and your family have survived relatively unscathed from the brutal weather in your area. I've been thinking about you and sending good mojo.

I think of you every time I see the weather reports! Yikes what a winter you're having! I hope you're able to stay safe and warm and maybe even have some family for company :)

Dusting things off. Sweeping out the cobwebs. Sorry to be a no- show for so long but I just can't maintain a thread anymore. I still want to be a member of the group but probably just a thread that I'll use to record my reads. Thank you to everyone who tried to keep this thread alive. I really appreciate your good thoughts.

>338 katiekrug: >339 RebaRelishesReading: thanks for your concern Katie and Reba. I had a safe but very lonely Christmas. I was by myself from Wednesday until yesterday when my son-in-law finally could get out and came to get me. Of course my son's flight was postponed then canceled so he's got a flight this Saturday to come in for a couple of days but airports are a mess so I'm not counting on it. I don't think I've ever seen it snow so hard for so long and I've seen a lot of snow in my long life. The winds were incredible and how I didn't lose power on Friday or Saturday I'll never know. The main grocery stores, including Wegmans, all closed on Friday morning and never opened until this morning. But I was safe which is more than some people can say. We had a lot of warning for this one. They'd been predicting a once in a lifetime storm and they were right.

Since I'm here now I should mention the wonderful year of reading I've had. That's mostly because my non-fiction reading this year has absolutely killed it. I somehow, maybe through a podcast, maybe through reading Vivian Gornick, maybe on bookish Twitter, I can't remember, but somewhere I discovered books of letters and read three of them and have two more on my shelf. They were all great and included



The Element of Lavishness: The Letters of Sylvia Townsend Warner and William Maxwell ended up being my Book of the Year. Something shifted in me when I read that book which I'm still thinking about even though I read it in July. I felt such a part of their lives but in the end people were dead and I was gutted. And that's what I found out about books of letters: you become part of an intimate little group.

In April, I listened to The Correspondents: Six Women Writers on the Front Lines of World War II by Judith Mackrell. The star was Martha Gellhorn so that book led me to another book:



Travels with Myself and Another by Martha Gellhorn was a fascinating travel memoir highlighting the horrors of travel in China in 1941; the Caribbean in 1942; Africa in 1962 and Russia in 1972. Just wonderful! (I'm sure you know who "another" is😉) And this book led me to



The Collected Letters of Martha Gellhorn revealed more about an absolutely fascinating woman who led the most adventurous life of any woman I've ever read about. And the Gellhorn binge continued with



The View from the Ground was a collection of Gellhorn's articles from various publications after the war years including the Viet Nam War protests in this country, Thatcher, Reagan, Castro, Eichmann, (she was at Dachau at its liberation) and much more, just a complete book of shrewd observations and timely wit from a woman who traveled and observed others all over the world.

And that leads me to a book brought to my attention by the Backlisted Pod podcast



Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy
(who just died this past May) told the incredible story of her trip across Eastern Europe, Afghanistan and into India on a bicycle as a very young woman and all I'll say is that Dervla Murphy is the gutsiest woman I've ever encountered in literature. Terrific!

I also started reading my way through May Sarton's journals. Don't ask me what led me here because I don't remember but I started with



Plant Dreaming Deep which is a wonderful start as she settles into her new home in New Hampshire and introduces us to those who play a pivotal role in her life. A terrific memoirist. I went on to read two more: Journal of a Solitude and The House by the Sea, equally as good.

I'll end with the Vivian Gornick essay collections that continue to delight me. I read three of them this year and although it's hard to pick a favorite because they were all so well done I'll go with



The Odd Woman and the City I actually wrote a brief review of this back in March.

My third Gornick and I just have to ask myself, what took so long to find her? Like Olivia Laing, she writes about people and how they interact. Gornick lives in NYC and walks the streets of the city to find so many interesting things to talk about. As she walks, she absorbs the drama, humor and humanity on the streets and writes about it using absolutely beautiful prose. On top of that she throws in discussions about authors that I love and authors I would like to get to know. I now know I have to read George Gissing's The Odd Women and Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure. And every book she writes is like that. Highly recommended.

If there's any interest I'll come back and talk about my fiction reads because I still read a lot more fiction than nonfiction and some of it was outstanding🤗

>340 brenzi: So sad to think of you feeling lonely at Christmas, Bonnie. Glad your son-in-law was able to eventually get to you.

I think the group is all about being comfortable, Bonnie. Just move at your own pace and use your thread as you wish. Your friends will still be around if and when you want to chat and if you don't feel like doing so that is entirely your prerogative dear lady.

Of course there is interest in your fiction reading - you will always remain my queen of reviews. xxx

Bonnie, thank you so much for checking in. I'm sorry you had a lonely holiday, but at least you were safe. I'm glad you'll be back with the 75ers next year. I agree with Paul, you should use your thread in a way that suits you.

Looks like some great reading, Bonnie. I'm glad to hear you were safe and warm through the storm but sorry it messed up your Christmas. Ours got pretty messed up too -- guess 2022 is the year of the messed up holiday season -- oh well, better luck next year.

Hi Bonnie,

I was just listening to a news item about Buffalo and came to check in to see if you were ok. I'm sorry you had a really lonely Christmas. It's great that your son is on his way to visit - I hope he makes it.

I loved your update on your non-fiction reading. I read Caroline Moorhead's biography of Martha Gellhorn about ten years ago and she has stuck in my mind as an amazing woman. You're one of the LTers who routinely hits me with BBs when I read your thread and your latest post is no different! I've had a cracking year of reading (not many books, but really good ones) but like you have really struggled to maintain a thread (over in Club Read) this year. Am forever optimistic that next year will be the year I spend more time both reading and being on LT...

>340 brenzi: Darn it, Bonnie - you have just added a slew of titles to my WL. One thing LT is good for. I am glad you were safe during the storm but sad that it disrupted your holiday.

>340 brenzi: what >345 BLBera: said! How dare you add books to my list...I'm supposed to be adding books to yours! No fair.

And what >341 PaulCranswick: said...you do you, Pickleballin Mama, and we'll be here to hear all about it when here's where you want to be.

>341 PaulCranswick: Hi there Paul, oh don't feel too sorry for me. I'm just fine now. I'll admit it was the worst Christmas of my life but it's over now and I'm over it. I'm not writing many reviews anymore, just a few snippets to help me remember what I read.

>342 lauralkeet: Hi Laura, thanks for the commiseration but things are fine now and I'm getting back to normal. Hopefully I'll be playing pickleball tomorrow🤗

>343 RebaRelishesReading: I had a wonderful year of reading Reba. I hope you did too. Let's leave this year behind and move on to 2023.

>344 cushlareads: So good to see you Cushla and thank you for your concern. I seem to fail at thread upkeep every year and then in January I have high hopes that I can keep it up but then like clockwork I peter out after a few months. It's been happening for several years so I'm just going to take a different approach in 2023 I think. I will get to the Moorehead bio of Gellhorn at some point I'm sure.

>345 BLBera: Hi Beth, well what can I say. I'm happy to add to your WL and I'm not going to apologize for having an amazing reading year hahaha. We're all enablers, aren't we?

>346 richardderus: Hi there Richard, I'm sorry to topple over your pile but what can I say. I wish I hadn't read so many great books??? You know I'm not going to say that lol.

Favorite fiction Reads of 2022:



Elena Knows by Claudia Pineiro, translated by Francis Riddle

The almost-absent in literature much older woman is Parkinson's-riddled Elena, who refuses to believe that her daughter committed suicide. Beautifully written.



Trieste by Dasa Drndic, translated by Ellen Elias Bursac

Incredibly stark and moving novel about Haya Tedeschi, who is sitting and waiting for the son she never knew as he was stolen from her many years earlier by the Nazis. Memories of that awful time overcome her. By the lauded Croatian writer.



Trust by Hernan Diaz

Set against the financial crash of 1930 in the U.S., this brilliant novel enthralled me from the first page. The unusual structure blew me away.



The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins

The most devastating portrait of a marriage unraveling that I've ever read. Talk about your slow burn!



Desperate Characters by Paula Fox

A Brilliant portrait of a marriage and life in the 60s. Worth it just to read the phenomenal three page description of an ER in the 60s. Just wonderful.



The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki, translated by Edward Seidensticker

This book has been described as the greatest Japanese novel of the twentieth century and it was easily my favorite novel of the year. An absolutely wonderful look at life before WWII in 1930s Japan about an upper class family trying desperately to marry off that last daughter. She's not having it. Terrific!

>340 brenzi: >348 brenzi: Wow! Impressive lists! You got me with The Element of Lavishness. I hope this available on audio. The Gellhorn books sound terrific too. Most of your fiction titles are completely new to me. I especially like the way The Makioka Sisters sounds. And hooray for Trust!!

I did have a terrific year of reading Mark. I just happened to find some completely different types of books from what I'd read in the past and it seemed to rejuvenate me. I'm eager to see what 2023 holds for me and the books.

I think you'd love The Makioka Sisters. It's just so beautifully written.

I hope you're able to find an audio of the Maxwell-Townsend Letters.

I don't think I'm done with Gellhorn yet. I haven't read any of her fiction although I don't feel a real need to but I'll probably read The Face of War.

>348 brenzi: Since Friday lunchtime is my book adding day, I will have a look for The Makioka Sisters, Bonnie.

I hadn't heard of the Paula Fox book, Bonnie and that one will also be kept in view.

Hi Bonnie!

It's line in the sand time and onward to next year's threads, I'm afraid. One of my new year’s resolutions is to be a better LT friend.

I read a work of nonfiction a couple of years ago that was a book of letters. What There Is To Say We Have Said edited by Suzanne Marrs was a book of the correspondence of Eudora Welty and William Maxwell. I never thought I would like that kind of book, but I really enjoyed it. It made me feel like a knew these authors as people. It is a much under-appreciated genre of nonfiction that will probably disappear completely now that people e-mail or text rather than write letters.

Hope you're staying warm and cozy with lots of wonderful books to keep you company. :)

>354 RebaRelishesReading: Reba I have a thread in the 2023 group.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/347144#