Paging All Bookworms! discussion

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Read any good books lately? We want to know about them.

Enter your reading list and/or reviews here. Did you like it? Hate it? Feel lukewarm? Share your thoughts with us.

Happy reading!

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Missing May by Cynthia Rylant, 5*****s
This is a wonderful book about a young girl and a loss in her family, and how they deal with it.
It is written for 8-12 year old children, but I laughed and I cried, and I read it in one sitting! Absolutely loved it and the way it was written. Recommended to Everyone!!

Shipwreck by Maureen Jennings
3 stars

This short story is part of the Good Reads series funded in part by the Government of Canada's Office of Literacy and Essential Skills. The intent is for various authors to write stories with limited vocabulary in order to provide interesting literature for those who are just starting their reading adventures. I just saw Maureen at Magna Cum Murder this last weekend and she screened the last episode of Season 9 of The Murdoch Mysteries for the group and this is based on that episode. I loved the screening and this book, although the main time frame was more current with a flashback being shared as a type of "bedtime" telling, followed one of the main story lines very closely. It is basically the tale of why William Murdoch eventually became a detective. I'm glad I read it.

The Walking Dead, Vol. 8 Made to Suffer by Robert Kirkman
4 stars

Covers the showdown with the Governor at the prison. I continue to be fascinated by the differences between the graphic novels and the TV show. So, although Judith is still sneaking by on TV, she's shot in the fight at the prison at the same time as her mother Lori.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
4 stars

I feel like I'm one of the last people in the world to have read this book. I was a little leary originally because I had read "Sharp Objects" by Ms. Flynn and it was so dark that I wasn't sure I wanted to go there again. But, this book--although certainly twisted--was not nearly as distressing. A young woman disappears on her anniversary. Her husband is confounded and unable to understand what could have possibly happened. But as the police become involved and start tracking down the clues, it suddenly becomes almost obvious that the husband must have done it and everyone believes that she is dead. I liked the way the book was written, a chapter by the husband and then one by the wife. The changes that the reader goes through--at least I did--as the story unfolds are amazing. I really wish I hadn't seen the movie before reading the book. This audio was read by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne. I thought they both did a great job of representing their parts. If you are hooked on psychological thrillers, I would say this book would be a great one for you.

The Monkey’s Raincoat – Robert Crais– 3.5***
This is a great detective story that reminds me of the old-fashioned noir tales by Chandler. I was hooked from the beginning and interested throughout. Will definitely read more of this series.
Full Review HERE

I just finished Anne of the Island Wonderful book! -- about the ongoing saga of Anne, her life, and her loves. This is book #3, and I will try to get to Book #4 "Anne's House of Dreams" as soon as possible!

The Red Leather Diary – Lili Koppel – 4****
Lily Koppel was a young (age 22) writer working at the New York Times when she discovered an old red leather diary. It had originally been given to Florence Wolfson for her 14th birthday – Aug 11, 1929, and Florence dutifully wrote in it every day for the five years allowed on its pages. The diary did more than offer a fascinating glimpse into the past. As Lily read the young Florence’s record of her hopes, dreams, heartbreaks and triumphs, she discovered something about herself. And then Koppel went searching for Florence…
Full Review HERE

Terris wrote: "I just finished Anne of the Island Wonderful book! -- about the ongoing saga of Anne, her life, and her loves. This is book #3, and I will try to ge..."

I never read these as a child / young adult, and I'm really enjoying them now. I just finished Anne's House of Dreams in October.

David Grant Noble, Ancient Ruins and Rock Art of the Southwest: An Archaeological Guide [4th ed., 2015] 280 pages
A guidebook to the ruins of the early Indian cultures, primarily architecture with a few examples of rock art. It is organized by sites, grouped more or less by different cultures; but since more than one culture may have inhabited a particular site, often there is mention of a culture before it has been dealt with in the introduction to a section. The book really needs a general introduction to explain the history of the various cultures before the specific sites are dealt with; there are many maps, but a general map with the areas of all the cultures would have been helpful, as would a timeline. Despite these shortcomings, the book does provide information about the earliest known cultures (Clovis and Archaic), the Mogollon, the Hohokam, the Salado, the inhabitants of the Mesa Verde region, Chaco Canyon, the Kayenta, the Sinagua, the Fremont, and the region around the Rio Grande, and something of their history. It is well illustrated. The author has intentionally limited coverage to well-known publicly accessible sites to avoid encouraging the vandalism which is destroying many of the ancient sites; he is more optimistic about preservation than the second book which I am reading now.

Jonathan Bailey, Rock Art: A Vision of a Vanishing Cultural Landscape [2016] 187 pages
This is a large format (27 cm) book, mainly consisting of full-page color photographs of rock art from Utah. There are also one or two page essays by Lawrence Baca, Greg Child, Andrew Gulliford, James Keyser, William Lipe, Lawrence Loendorf, Lorran Meares, Scott Thybony, Paul Tosa, and the author, which are of uneven interest; some deal with interpretation of the art, some are about vandalism and destruction of the art, and some are “spiritual”, which others may appreciate more than I did.

Book Concierge wrote: "Terris wrote: "I just finished Anne of the Island Wonderful book! -- about the ongoing saga of Anne, her life, and her loves. This is book #3, and I..."

I'm starting that next! I didn't read these as a child either, but I'm not sure why. I think I would have loved them!

Nov 5 - Currently Reading

TEXT - The Girl Who Played Go by Shan Sa
AUDIO in the car - Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan
Portable AUDIO - Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Up To This Pointe – Jennifer Longo
2**

Harper Scott and her best friend Kate have had a plan since they were tiny tykes just starting ballet classes. They will graduate early from high school, audition for the San Francisco Ballet, be hired as ballerinas and share an apartment together. But despite all her hard work and dedication, the plan falls apart. So Harper finagles a way to get to Antarctica for six months.

Really? This story line is so ridiculous that I made myself dizzy rolling my eyes. Harper is so focused on her PLAN, that she can’t see what is so obviously wrong. But she’s only a teenager. It’s the adults around her that I find so irresponsible. From her teacher, to her parents, to the “scientist” who is her supervisor in Antarctica, none of them seems to have a clue what is wrong. And then there are her long conversations with the ghosts of Shackleton, Amundsen and Scott.

On the plus side, Harper does mature (a little) over the course of the novel, and while she makes some foolish mistakes she does eventually learn some important lessons, and by the end seems to – maybe – be on the path to a happy and fulfilled adulthood.

Bob Dylan, The Lyrics: 1961-2012 [2016] 679 pages

This is the most recent edition of Dylan’s official version of all of his lyrics. The book is my year’s main reading for my Nobel Prize Winners in Literature project; perhaps over the next eleven months I will actually be able to go back and finish the rest of Mario Vargas Llosa and maybe even go back before 2007 as I originally intended (I started the project then with the intention of working my way backwards but somehow almost each winner took me more than a year to cover.)

It is somewhat unjust to critique a book of written lyrics when they were intended to be sung, and I’m sure some of the poems that didn’t say anything much to me as poetry were justified by the musical interest. Having said that, my impression was that the first two thirds of the book were mostly very good, and the last third was of less interest. Prejudice, maybe; I listened to (and virtually memorized) his earlier albums when they came out, and I was more into folk and “folk-rock” than any other style, and of course the music we listened to in high school will always have a special resonance. But at that time, he was breaking new ground with almost every album; first the political themes of The Freewheeling Bob Dylan and The Times They Are A-Changin’, and the surrealistic lyrics of songs like “A Hard Rain’s A-gonna Fall”; then the introduction of folk song themes into rock, which defined the music of the later sixties; then the crossover between country and rock in John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline which created a whole new genre; and finally the inspired nonsense of The Basement Tapes (and interspersed through all the albums). His inspiration flags a little in some of the later albums, but Blood on the Tracks is one of his best and all of them up through Street Legal have some interesting words, not even considering the music.

The dividing line was of course his conversion to Christianity, although there are Christian references in his earlier work as well (e.g. the next to last verse of “With God on Our Side” which no one except Dylan ever includes). The problem with his two totally Christian albums (Slow Train Coming and Saved) isn’t really that they are Christian, but that the lyrics alternate between standard Christian platitudes without any originality and self-righteous condemnation of non-Christians. After the immediate fervor wore off, he returns to his earlier themes, with only occasional Christian references, but there is somewhat less originality in my opinion; the lyrics become more repetitive, the same themes of love and breaking-up (and the love songs almost seem like set-ups for the break-up songs) and much less inspired, almost forced-sounding nonsense, with even the same phrases repeated song after song (walking down the road, etc.) This is not to deny that there are some interesting lyrics in most of the albums.

Still, all in all an impressive body of poetry.

James wrote: "Bob Dylan,
The Lyrics: 1961-2012
[2016] 679 pages

This is the most recent edition of Dylan’s official version of all of his lyrics. The book is my year’s main reading for my Nobel Prize Winner..."

As it was for you, James, Dylan's early music career coincided with my high school and college days. I was never a big fan of his, however I really like your review. Definitely gives me much to consider about his body of work.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
4 stars

While at the Southern Festival of Books, I attended a presentation by Ms. Gyasi. She read a partial chapter from this book. I enjoyed the reading so much, she has a wonderful voice, that I immediately placed the book on hold from my library. I thought the story was amazing. Basically it follows the families of 2 young African girls, half sisters, although neither of the girls knows this. One is captured and sent to America and the other marries one of the white British officers in the regiment stationed near her people. One is living in comfort married to a slave trader while her half sister is being held beneath the castle until they can load her onto the next departing slave ship. The reader then learns how the blood lines carry on through the next 300 years, how differently the lives of each line end up. Woven throughout are the political and racial attitudes that affect every aspect of the following generations. I found this to be a fascinating panorama of information regarding the slave trade and a satisfying read--I really enjoyed the way the book ended.

Knit the Season
Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs
2 stars

Oh goodness, this was just a little too sugary sweet for me. I have read the first book in this series and this continues the saga of the lovely little knitting shop in downtown New York City. The owner dies of cancer in the first book but the workers and shoppers and her daughter and ex-husband are all still around and still knitting and cooking and carrying on with their lives. Dakota, the young daughter, is trying to decide what to do with the rest of her life and taking a job to further her cooking career right during the holidays may put a huge dent in the family's need to celebrate their last big Christmas in Scotland. Of course, things work out and the holiday is wonderful and includes many heartwarming memories revolving around friends and family. The reader is also treated to several romantic connections that are being tied up in this 3rd book. There are some cute and funny conversations that made me chuckle and there were some teary moments as well but not enough to make me feel like I really cared about these characters.

Saving Fish From Drowning – Amy Tan – 3***
Twelve American tourists join an art expedition that begins in the Himalayan foothills of China and heads south into the jungles of Burma. And then, on Christmas morning, eleven of the travelers boat across a misty lake for a sunrise cruise – and disappear. I like Tan’s writing. She has the ability to plop me right into the middle of a completely different culture. This story has some elements of magical realism. Tan deftly explores the ways in which American tourists make “innocent” mistakes that have significant consequences. At 474 pages, this is longer than it needs to be. Still, I enjoyed it and was entertained throughout.
LINK to my review

The Dinner by Herman Koch, 4****s
This psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat! It is not fast-paced, but certainly keeps you thinking and guessing as the author lets out a few clues at a time as to what is happening and going to happen.
It is the story of two brothers, and their wives, having dinner at a restaurant. They are there to discuss a family situation regarding each of their sons, and how they are going to handle it. All the time thinking how their decisions will affect the boys' futures, and their own futures, one of which is a high level politician. All the information is not revealed till the very end, and even then the reader is left with a few questions, such as "What just happened?!..."
I enjoyed this book very much and think it would make a good movie!

Terris wrote: "The Dinner by Herman Koch, 4****s
I enjoyed this book very much and think it would make a good movie! ..."

It's being filmed - Richard Gere and Laura Linney, I think ...

Something for "the day after" - read on Nov 9

Make Way For Ducklings – Robert McCloskey – 5***** and a ❤
Mr and Mrs Mallard search for a good home in which to raise their brood. This is a perennial favorite for children and their parents. Oh, how I loved the story of how Policeman Michael and the other people ensured the safety of Mrs Mallard and her brood: Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack, as they crossed busy streets, waddled past coffee shops and book stores, and finally made their way to the Public Gardens, for a reunion with Mr Mallard who waited patiently on the little island in the pond. It’s an absolute delight to revisit this story and I marvel at the wonderfully detailed illustrations.
LINK to my review

The Girl Who Played Go – Shan Sa – 4****
Set in Manchuria circa 1931, the novel is told in alternating points of view: a 16-year-old Chinese girl who has mastered the game of go, and a Japanese soldier in disguise to challenges her to a game. I’m glad that Shan Sa included footnotes on the Japanese and Chinese history, because my own education in this is woefully lacking. What really shines in the novel, however, is how the characters come to life. . I was engrossed in their lives, and completely stunned by the ending.
LINK to my review

Stendhal, La Chartreuse de Parme [1838] 700 pages [in French]

One of the great classics of European literature, La Chartreuse de Parme delineates Italy in the post-Napoleonic period the way Le Rouge et le Noir (and the unfinished Lucien Leeuwen) did France. The later novel is much longer, and begins rather slowly with a lot of background material, but once it gets started it reads like a modern political "thriller", except of course much better written. Like the earlier novels, this looks forward to the Realist novel, although some of the characters are still treated in a Romantic way; unlike Romantics such as Scott and Hugo, the Stendhalien hero doesn't fall for the fainting, useless women and ignore the strong female characters (the duchesse is one of the strongest female characters in any nineteenth century novel not written by a female author.) It took me a while to get through this, but it was worth the time. The edition I read (Gallimard "folio" paperback) has some background material on Pope Paul III (much of the plot is based on his early life, but moved 300 years later) and the famous and very perceptive review of the novel by Balzac.

James wrote: "Stendhal,
La Chartreuse de Parme
[1838] 700 pages [in French]

One of the great classics of European literature, La Chartreuse de Parme delineates Italy in the post-Napoleonic period the way Le..."

This sounds interesting so I searched for an English translation. I found a few versions of the translated book as The Charter House of Parma . I don't suppose you (or anyone else in the group for that matter) can recommend a particular version?
-Thanks!

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
5 stars

I loved this book. It was recommended to me by a friend and I was really expecting it be a story about a haunting or at least something paranormal, since he knows I'm partial to that type of book. I guess in all fairness, it is about something paranormal but it's so much more than that. Ever since Conor's mom started her cancer treatments, he's had horrible nightmares almost every night. When the gigantic twisted monster starts showing up at night while he's still awake, he just assumes he should be terrified. But this monster wants to tell him stories and then make him face up to the deep seated feelings he has about his mother and her illness--something that could be scarier than any nightmare.

Beverly wrote: "
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
5 stars

I loved this book. It was recommended to me by a friend and I was really expecting it be a story about a haunting or at ..."

I loved this one! So glad you did too :)

Book Concierge wrote: "Terris wrote: "The Dinner by Herman Koch, 4****s
I enjoyed this book very much and think it would make a good movie! ..."

It's being filmed - Richard Gere and Laura ..."

I'm so glad! I'll be watching for it! Good casting, BTW :)

The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
4 stars

I love the Mrs. Pollifax series. She never fails to make me laugh. This unassuming "little old lady" kind of stumbled into working for the CIA in the first book and she did so well that in this second tale, she is asked once again to go on assignment. And once again, in spite of the specific directions they give her, she ends up in the middle of a dangerous situation. She has amazing perceptions regarding the inner workings of those around her and an unfailing ability to keep a level head in spite of whatever is going on around her. Being a little old lady myself, I would love to be her friend and/or assistant--I would never be "on the ball" enough to handle things as well as she does. This is just starting out as a great series, I'm really looking forward to reading the next one.

Beverly wrote: "
The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
4 stars

I love the Mrs. Pollifax series. She never fails to make me laugh. This unassuming "little old lad..."

Oh Beverly! This is a wonderful series! I think I read all 14 one summer a few years ago. I wish there were more. They are so much fun, and Mrs. Pollifax is a hoot! Enjoy :)

Just finished Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, 4****s
Poor Fanny Price! Jane really puts her through the mill in this book! But I guess "all's well that ends well." ;)
IMO, there were lots of details about everyone's feelings, conversations, and correspondence through the first 47 chapters. Then, it seemed to me like, Jane just got tired and decided to sum up the story in one final chapter. And "Bob's your uncle" the book's finished! Oh well, I enjoyed it overall. A traditional Jane Austen novel :)
Also, I listened on my LibriVox app and the reader, Karen Savage, did a fantastic job!

Bob Dylan, Tarantula [1966, pub. 1971] 149 pages

Okay, I lied. In a review last week I said I had never come across Tarantula and then I found it in a box in my garage. Dylan's only "novel", this is a surrealistic prose poem that resembles his most far-out lyrics, but even more uninhibited, and like a tarantula, with a vicious bite. Wish I could write like this.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
5 stars

Here's another book that I feel like I'm the last one in the world to have read. I'm glad I finally got around to it although it wasn't anything like I imagined it would be. This was really a funny read. Don Tillman is, putting it mildly, set in his ways. Although he is successful in his academic life, he is a professor of genetics, his social life is a little lacking--he has never had a second date. After some prodding by a friend he sets out to conduct a "wife project" but he has some pretty high standards. When he meets Rosie, he knows right off she's not the one because she falls short in a number of areas. But Rosie is on her own quest, to discover her real father. Don decides to help her and in the process, he discovers that maybe he can learn to relax a few of his standards in order to change his life forever. Really a great read/listen. This audio was read by Dan O'Grady who did a great job. I hope the second book lives up to this one.

My Brother's Secret by Dan Smith
4 stars

This was an interesting historical fiction written for middle grade/young adult readers. It focuses on the Edelweiss Pirates, who I have never heard of but were active during World War II. Karl Friedman is 12 and lives with his older brother Stefan and his mother. His father has gone off to fight for the Fuhrer. Karl spends his days training to join the Hitler Youth, he can hardly wait to be able to fight for his country. Stefan is totally the opposite but he loves his younger brother and is very protective towards him. When the family is notified that their father has been killed in action, they all go to live with their grandparents and cracks start developing in Karl's beliefs about the Fuhrer and the war. He starts seeing signs painted on walls in his new surroundings that seem to imply the Hitler is really doing much more harm than good and a small white flower is often drawn along with these statements. His brother also is being more secretive than ever. Trying to understand all the implications of his new knowledge leads Karl and his new friend into more and more dangerous situations. I enjoyed reading about a part of history that I knew nothing about and I think it's presented in an understandable way for the targeted age group.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris, 4****s
Oh my! What can I say?! This book was a total roller coaster ride -- and I hated it! -- and I still gave it 4 Stars!
I hated it because it was too scary for me and made me very uncomfortable. However, it was written very well, the descriptions made me feel like I was there, and it really kept me on the edge of my seat. Once I started it, I had to finish it!
It is the story of a woman who marries the wrong man and can't get out of it -- or away from him! She also can't convince anyone else that there is anything wrong. Her husband, a famous lawyer who looks perfect to all from the outside, has set the scene well by telling everyone that she has mental issues. So no one would believe her if she told them the truth! So how does it end?! You are going to have to find that out for yourself!! Read at your own risk ;)

Mrs. Mike – Benjamin and Nancy Freedman – 4****
This is a novel, but it is based on the real life story of Katherine Mary O’Fallon. It’s a great adventure story, love story, and pioneer story. The young couple endure several misadventures and tragedies, including wildfires, floods, and epidemics of diphtheria and influenza. It is their deep love for one another that sees them through, as well as their willingness to understand the cultural mores of the Indians and adapt to, or at least tolerate, their differences.
LINK to my review

Clinton Heylin, Still On the Road: The Songs of Bob Dylan, 1974-2006 [2010] 535 pages

Having read Dylan's lyrics, his one novel, and a commentary on the earlier songs, I was hoping when I found this at the library that it would give me a better appreciation of the later songs. Unfortunately, the book is rather heavier on the kind of minutiae about recording sessions, takes, order of tracks, performances and so forth that would be of interest only to a hard core fan. As much as I like much of Dylan, I've never been a "fannish" kind of person. Even more of a problem, though, is that the author is a total egotistical jerk, which almost caused me to abandon this book several times before I finally slogged my way through it. Oddly, for someone who devotes so much effort to Dylan trivia, he doesn't actually seem to like Dylan very much; or to be exact, he perversely likes only the born-again religious Dylan, while having a supercilious contempt for the more socially conscious Dylan (unlike the gullible Dylan, he knows that George Jackson, Hurricane Carter and the Rosenbergs were all guilty.) What kept me reading it were the explanations of many of Dylan's references, especially to earlier music. There must be better commentaries around, but for now I think I am finished with this subject.

The Borrowers by Mary Norton, 4****s
This is a fun children's book (on the 100 Top Children's Books list) about little people who live under the floorboards of the house. And they don't "steal" from the home owners, they just "borrow." Therefore, they are "The Borrowers." But their biggest fear is to be "seen" by one of the home owners who might bring a cat in to catch them! So this is part of the plot of this book which is the first in a series of five, written for children ages 7-10. Very cute, and would be fun to read to children in a classroom or to your own child/grandchild!

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley
5 stars

This is another series that I really enjoy!! This is the second time I've listened to this and enjoyed it just as much this second time around. Flavia de Luce, an 11 year old chemistry genius, likes nothing better than jumping feet first into whatever murder happens to occur in her neighborhood. This case involves a young boy who died by hanging and the Gibbet Wood woman, who's not quite all there, who seems to know what happened. I love the way Flavia approaches everything, she always makes me laugh with her incredible sense of humor. Jayne Entwistle, who performs these audio books is an incredible reader and just brings Flavia to life!

A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley
4 stars

The Detective Kubu series is written by Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. We met the authors last year at Magna Cum Murder and our Mystery Book Discussion leader decided we should try their first book. We had 7 people at group yesterday and everyone really enjoyed the read, two of our members had already started the next one in the series. We were actually able to skype with Stanley who was in South Africa and it was fascinating to hear about their process and their story ideas. I would describe the books as the 1st Ladies Detective Agency (by Alexander McCall Smith) on steroids. You get the same wonderful feel for Botswana and the surrounding countryside--just way less cozy. I've decided that if Precious Ramotswe wasn't already married, she and Kubu would be a great match! There is a lot of murder going on in this book, in fact, the opening scene is a body, mostly devoured by hyenas, being found. The background premise is based on the blood diamond situation in South Africa. Mr. Trollip indicated that each book in the series is based on an actual news worthy story that has occurred in South Africa.

Emily and Einstein – Linda Francis Lee – 3***
Alexander “Sandy” Portman dies in a tragic accident, but comes back as an old dog, which his widow, Emily, adopts and names Einstein. Interesting premise, mediocre execution. Much of the drama was over-the-top ridiculous, including the tortured memories and soul-searching. On the plus side, it was an entertaining and quick read. I was captured by the story and enjoyed it as a kind of break from more serious reading.
LINK to my review

Beverly wrote: "
A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley
4 stars
..."

It was a 4-star read for me as well. I haven't gotten to #2 in the series yet.

Book Concierge wrote: "Beverly wrote: "
A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley
4 stars
..."

It was a 4-star read for me as well. I haven't gotten to #2 in the series yet."

I have it on my Kindle and have great intentions...we'll see how soon I get to it!! :)

The Walking Dead, Compendium 2 by Robert Kirkman
4 stars

Just one more compendium to go...yeah!!! Of course, they are still doing more episodes so we'll probably end up Compendium 4. This second collection takes us through the first contact with Jesus and the other residents of the Hilltop. I'm still seeing considerable differences between the graphic novel and the television series but enjoy both.

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
3 stars

I was a little back and forth on liking this one. I enjoyed the reader, Imogen Church, and thought her voice provided the right tone for the story. It was the story that bothered me. First, the setting. The characters all gather at a glass house out in the middle of nowhere. There is barely more than a footpath to get to the house. I had a difficult time picturing a house like this being built so far from civilization--although if you're living in a glass house you probably don't want a lot of neighbors. The reason for getting everyone together is that Claire is getting married and her best friend has organized a hen party for her. A number of people have arrived, among them Leonora (she used to go by Lee but now prefers to be called Nora) who hasn't seen Claire for years. When Nora finally gets a chance to talk to Claire, she discovers that the reason she was invited was because Claire's intended is James who used to date Nora (when she was called Lee but James always called her Leo) but they were young and had a falling out and haven't been in contact for years. Then the group did some target shooting, then they played with an ouija board, then there were some mysterious footprints outside the house and then someone dies. After all of this sporadic activity is out of the way, the rest of the book starts pulling all the pieces together. At this point, I started enjoying it more. Not my favorite read by a long shot, but I ended up liking it OK.

Stendhal, Lamiel [unfinished, ca. 1842; first pub. 1889] 223 pages [in French]

Stendhal's unfinished last novel, set in France about 1830; a Bildungsroman about the life education of a young woman. Not only Stendhal's only novel (and one of the few good novels of the early nineteenth century) to be written with a female main character (and one who defies all the conventions), but written in a much more "modern" style than any other novel of the period, stripped down to the essentials without circumlocutions and euphemisms. The novel breaks off at the next-to-last chapter, and the final chapter is essentially just his notes for how it would have been continued; this is much more extravant in its plot than the completed part and he would undoubtedly have changed it. Had he finished the novel, it would have probably been his best book.


Mathew Josephson, Stendhal: or, The Pursuit of Happiness [1946] 489 pages

I read this biography alongside the major works, so I've been working on it for almost a year. Stendhal is one of the few writers whose life and personality is as interesting as his books. There are also a lot of good insights here into the works themselves.

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues – Tom Robbins – 2**
Entertained as I was by the occasional wild description and laugh-out-loud moment, however, in general I was bored by the book. All those interludes to wax poetic about this or that philosophy seemed nothing but an attempt to distract the reader from the lack of a story. Clearly, Robbins is not the writer for me.
LINK to my review

Nov 20 - Currently Reading

TEXT – People of the Deer by Farley Mowat
AUDIO in the car - Redwall by Brian Jacques
Portable AUDIO - Homemade Sin by Kathy Hogan Trocheck

At Wit's End by Erma Bombeck
2 stars

This took me forever because I just had such a difficult time getting into it. I think the major disconnect was based on the dated material in the book. Back in the day I really thought Erma Bombeck was funny. Unfortunately, I just waited way too long to finally get around to reading this!! There were some redeeming parts in the book, a few places where I actually did get a little laugh but strangely enough...Ms. Bombeck had a few portions of the book where she actually was actually very serious, talking about how precious her children were and how hard she tried to raise them properly so that they would turn out to be productive citizens. This portion of the book really resonated with me and almost brought me to tears. I have several more of her books in my "older than dirt" stacks. I may read another one but it will be a bit.

Summer by Edith Wharton, 3***s
A sweet, sad story of a young girl in a small town who gets herself into a bad position and then just has to live with it. Nothing unexpected or surprising, really. Just Wharton's beautiful writing to take you through it. I liked it. But I'm not sure that I'd recommend it, unless you're just a big Wharton fan and want to read all that she's written.

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
4 stars

I had a difficult time understanding this book as I was reading it but when I was finished and able to think about the story and put it all in order I decided that I really enjoyed it. The book was beautifully written. The words just conveyed such powerful visions even though there were a few scenes that I wished I couldn't imagine. I've always imagined that Indian families are rather loud and boisterous and close to one another and this book just re-enforced that feeling. The story is told in a rather layered fashion but not everything overlaps in a linear way. We learn about the twins, Estha and Rahel, and their cousin Sophie who comes to visit. The twin's mother falls in love with an "untouchable" and the reader learns about the attitudes and ramifications of this type of a relationship. There is also a strong political story line that runs throughout, my least favorite. But, as I said, once I had the entire story, it finally all came together for me. I am anxious to attend my book discussion group for this book. I always come away with an even better understanding when I listen to everyone else's comments.