Tess Does Her Own Thing-3rd page

Hi, I'm Tess. A once-retired high school history teacher and now part-time history professor and a very part-time (6 hours per week) private school history teacher. I tell people that I'm recycled! I live with my husband of 49 years on 3 acres in central Ohio. No, it's not "good" land, mostly clay; but I do manage to grow peppers, tomatoes, flowers, potatoes, and herbs. I'm really into canning and dehydrating foods to have a sustainable pantry that is also chemical and GMO free.

1st time making grape jelly--not a jelly fan, but the grape juice was free!


This year I want to either begin or complete some author's canons.(Dickens, Balzac, Hardy, Trollope, Buck)

My rating system:
1 star--waste of paper and ink
2 stars-Is this literature? -major flaws or mind numbing boring
2 1/2 stars-not so bad I had to stop reading, but I wanted to!
3 stars-average
3 1/2 fun, informative, thought provoking
4 stars-excellent read
4 1/2 exceptionally good, among my favorites
5 stars-in all ways a superior read

My reading year runs from Dec. 25 to Dec. 24

I try to always read from my own TBR. I have whittled down my TBR from 1500 books to a little less than 300 in the past 10-11 years. My goal is to get down to somewhere around 100. New books are so tempting!

TBR on Dec. 25 2023: 307

Hosting Duties
January MysteryKit Short Story Mysteries
February ScaredyKit Gothic
February CalendarCAT
March RTT Medicine & Epidemics
April HistoryCAT Riots, Revolution, and Mayhem
May RandomKit
June Book lists PrizeCAT
November PrizeCAT Children's Book Awards

JANUARY

This month I started making my own almond extract. Should be done in 18-24 months.



Recipe:
1 pound of raw almonds, chopped or slivered. I just put whole almonds in my food processor and pulsed twice. Be careful not to get them too fine! Put in a 32 oz mason jar and add vodka to the neck of the jar. Place in a dark, cool place and shake about once a month-every two months or whenever you think about it! When you have determined that it is extract, (the alcohol smell/taste is very light and what you taste is basically almond flavor), strain to separate, discard almonds.

1. The Pickwick Papers 3.5*
2. The Death of a Neanderthal 2*
3. The Denisovans 2.5*
4. H is for Hawk 3*
5. Life and Death in Rebel Prisons: Giving a Complete History of the Inhuman and Barbarous Treatment of Our Brave Soldiers by Rebel Authorities, ... Ga., and Florence, S. C (Civil War) 5*
6. Come into my Cave 3*
7. Early Christian Fathers 4*
8. Andorra Revealed 4.5*
9. Bad Days in History: A Gleefully Grim Chronicle of Misfortune, Mayhem, and Misery for Every Day of the Year 3.5*
10. Helen of Troy by Margaret George 4*
11. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell 4*
12. What She Left Behind by Ellen Wiseman 3*
13. The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliffe 3.5*
14. Hannibal: Rome's Greatest Enemy by Philip Freeman 5*
15. Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell 3* (barely)

FEBRUARY

I made vanilla extract in 2020 and it was ready to gift in 2023.

16. Cathedral by Ben Hopkins DNF
17. The Making of Byzantium, 600-1025 3.5*
18. Extinct Birds 5*
19. The Woman They Could Not Silence 3.5*
20. The Devil's Disciple 3*
21. To Try Men's Souls 5*
22. Ephesians 3*
23. Found Object 3.5*
24. Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues 2.5*
25. Rhinos in Nebraska 3.5*
26. Elvis, What Happened 3.5*
27. Gentleman Jim 3.5*
28. Atomic Steppe 3.5*
29. The Monster of Florence 3*
30. We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance 4*

MARCH

In September of 2023 I canned 17 quarts and 70 pints of organic green beans.


1. Polio 4*
2. Justinian's Flea 3*
3. The Disappearing Act 3.5*
4. I Found You 4*
5. Forensic History: Crimes, Frauds, and Scandals 3.5*
6. Bonnie Prince Charlie and the '45 3*
7. The Thirty Years War by Hourly History 3*
8. The Black Arrow 3*
9. The Viscount's Sinful Bargain 4*
40. Along the Broken Bay 4.5*

APRIL

According to my husband, salsa is the best thing I have ever canned.


41. From Here to Eternity 3*
42. The Secret History 3*
43. Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor 3*
44. Ormond 3*
45. Globalization: A Short History
46. That Quail, Robert 3.5*
47. The Covenant of Water 3*
48. Charlotte Temple 2.5*
49. Remembrance of Letters Past: Famous Authors - Fake Letters & Other Parodies 3*
50. Who Killed Zebedee 4*
51. The Burning Chambers 3.5*
52. Lunatic: The Rise and Fall of an American Asylum 4.5*
53. On Airs, Waters, and Places 3*
54. Song at Dawn 3*
55. Sergeant York and the Great War
56. Paul Revere's Ride 5*
57. The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere5*

MAY
One of my favorite months because on the last week of the month I get to plant the flowers and veggies outside! One of my favorite flowers are hollyhocks. Sadly, last year, my 3-4 year old hollyhocks got rust and I had to pull them up! On to new ones (already purchased) this year that claim to be rust resistant


Grass of the Earth: The Story of A Norwegian Immigrant Family in Dakota 3*
Work Song by Ivan Doig 3*
The Children's Blizzard 3*
Double Fold DNF
63. The Gathering Storm 4*
Napoleon’s Escape from Elba: The History of the French Emperor’s Return from Exile and the Road to Waterloo (no touchstone) by Charles Rivers Editors 3*
64. The Great Portrait Mystery by Austin Freeman
65. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 3*
66. The Trumpet Major by Thomas Hardy 3*
67. Napoleon's Hemorrhoids and other small events that changed history by Phil Mason 2.5*
68. Shakespeare's Kings: The Great Plays and the History of England in the Middle Ages: 1337-1485 by John Julius Norwich 4.5*
69. West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge 3*
70 Where here the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderhal 3*
71. The Harvest Gypsies by John Steinbeck 4.5*
72. The Storm Before the Storm 3*
73. The Reluctant Midwife 3.5*

JUNE
Everything is beginning to bloom! One of my favorite plants are peonies. They are so fragrant. However, their actual blooms only last about a week, so just a short time to enjoy them. All of my dark pink ones have passed! They were 20+ years old and had a good run. Just light pink and white ones remain. Oh, they also attract ants!


77. A History of Cornwall 4*
78. The Long Dissolved Parliament 3.5*
79. Humanism and Terror by Maurice Merleau-Ponty 4*
80. The King's General 5*

JULY
Most people that I know don't "like" July. They say it's too hot! I say, bring it on!



Con/Artist by Tony Tetro
Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
Victory at Yorktown by Newt Gingrich
Why insects matter : Earth's most essential species Great Courses
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
95. The Great Escape by Paul Brickhill
96. The Fortunes of the Rougons by Emile Zola
97. The Guilty One: A Novel by Bill Schweigert
98. The Lost Tomb of King Arthur (Celtic Twilight Book 2) by Oliver Hayes
99. Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser
100. Boys in the Trees by Carly Simon
101. Merlin's Booke by Jane Yolen
102. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

AUGUST
We have lots of cookouts and swims in August. This is my youngest son's favorite: vegetable pizza

2 cans pillsbury crescent roll dough (I normally make my own=flour, sugar, yeast), but in a pinch....
1 cup mayo
2 TBSP dry ranch dressing (I make my own, but again, you can buy the dry Hidden Valley Ranch or its equivalent)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, match sticked
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped (or any color pepper)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Spread the crescent dough on a cookie sheet and bake as directed. Let cool. Mix the mayo, cream cheese, and dry ranch dressing together until well blended. Spread on crescent dough. Add each of the vegetables and top with cheese. Cover and store in fridge. I usually bring to room temp 1 hour before eating. It's gone in a flash! This isn't my pic--who knew I would ever need a pic of my food? But mine looks just like this!


pic by Amanda's Cookin'

104. The Last Jew of Treblinka 3*
105. The Hell of Treblinka 5*
106. The Bridge Over the River Kwai 4*
107. Used and Rare 4.5*
108. Nobody Knows My Name 3*
109. Lady Audley's Secret 3*
110. The Dreyfus Affair
111. Hiroshima 4*
112. Trinity 4*

September
The last of the month is harvest time. I alternate planting and canning different items about every 2-3 years, depending upon usage. In 2022 I canned about 40 pints and 20 quarts of tomatoes, so I didn't need any in 2023. I use the canned tomatoes to make chili, tomato soup, marinara sauce, and whenever else canned tomatoes are needed. It's a lot of work to preserve tomatoes!

October
Potato month! 2023 was my first attempt at growing both red, white, and sweet potatoes. I was most excited for my German Butterball potatoes and I got NOTHING, even though it did appear above ground that everything was going well. I did harvest Pontiac Red, Yukon Gold (not very many), and two kinds of sweet potatoes. Will give potatoes another go next year!

NOVEMBER
I celebrate November because it is the month of my mother's birthday. She passed in 2024 at 90+ years of age. She still lived by herself, drove, played the organ at church and had FUN! I love her so much!

DECEMBER
In December my family celebrates the birth of Messiah. May your holidays be blessed!


My "parlor" tree decorated with a Victorian angel theme.

This is just an extra. I made laundry detergent and I deem it a success. The cost for 5 gallons was just over $7. That makes the cost of each load about 17 cents. Our ladies service group made this and put it in every USED glass container with a lid we could find. (spaghetti sauce jars, etc.) We donated 8 oz. jars to the food bank and they reported their clients loved it! Next time I make it will search for a substitute for the Borax to be more eco-friendly. I did need to mix it with an immersion blender after I put it in the jars. (I skipped this step initially, directions stated it was optional.......)



Recipe
1 bar Castile or Fels Napatha soap, grated
1 cup washing soda
1 cup Borax
3 gallons water
10-20 drops of essential oils (for scent), optional

In 1 gallon of hot water on the stove, melt the grated soap. Stir frequently and do NOT boil.

In the 5 gallon container, add the other 2 gallons of hot (from the tap) water, the washing soda, and the borax. When the soap is melted, add this to the bucket. Stir very well and leave set overnight. It will jell. The next day, mix with an immersion blender and put in containers. Glass works best. Use 1/4 cup for regular laundry.

NON-FICTION CHALLANGE (75 Group)
January - Prize Winners - prize winning books that won literary prizes that are off the beaten tracks. Not the National Book Award, Pulitzer, or other prizes of that ilk. There will be more details in subsequent posts.

February - Women's Work - what women do or did. This could be books about WWII pilots, civil war nurses, the women who sued Newsweek over pay and promotion issues, or the history of home economics.

March - Forensic Sciences - forensics is a wide open topic so read about criminal forensics, genetic forensics, even astronomical forensics.

April - Globalization - all things global, exports, international banking, terrorism, pandemics.

May - Wild Wild West - books about the western U.S. Historical or modern. Indian wars, water wars, conservation, settlement, etc. (The Children's Blizzard)

June - Middle Europe - anything about Europe from the Elbe to the Ural's, from Finland to Turkey. History, language, travel, etc. (Hitler's Children: Sons and Daughters of Third Reich Leaders)

July - Insect World - insects are important. Butterflies, honey bees, mosquitoes, ants, roaches, etc. (Why Insects Matter-Great Courses)

August - Being Jewish - this topic is wide open as long as it is nonfiction. Zionism, modern Israel, history, religion, Kabbalah, Judaism. (A Tale of Love and Darkness)

September - Essays - any book of essays. Scientific, religious, political, racial, social commentary, etc. (Two Essays be Georgi Markov)

October - Music, more music - lots of books being published now about composers, the music industry, history of music, and even memoirs and biography's from the Boss to Bach. (The Piano Shop on the Left Bank)

November - Too Small to See - books about Bacteria, Viruses, Atoms, Dust. maybe even microaggressions? (Viruses, Plagues, and History: Past, Present, and Future)

December - This is a dual topic month. As You Like It - whatever you want to catch up on that is nonfiction
OR
Political Biography - ancient or modern, any person who had a role in politics of their day. Even people who might not have had a job or title, like historian Theodore White, or women like Madam Chiang Kai-Shek or Nancy Regan. People who had influence in the politics of their day, but not a job title that would indicate the scope of their power. (Madam President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson)

PAUL'S WAR ROOM CHALLENGE (75ers)
MONTH - BY - MONTH IN THE WAR ROOM

JANUARY - The Ancients (Greeks, Romans etc)
FEBRUARY - The American War of Independence
MARCH - The War of the Roses
APRIL - Wars of Religion (The Burning Chambers)
MAY - The Napoleonic Wars (Trumpet Major)
JUNE - The English Civil War (The King's General)
JULY - Colonial Wars (Johnny Tremain)
AUGUST - World War Two (Prisoner B-3087)
SEPTEMBER - The American Civil War (Re-read of Gone with the Wind)
OCTOBER - American Follies (Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and the Gulf Wars) (Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam)
NOVEMBER - World War One (Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey: A Novel)
DECEMBER - The Spanish Civil War (Homage to Catalonia)
WILDCARD - Pick your own fight!

Welcome to the 3rd quarter (a month late!) Let's read!

Happy new thread

Happy new thread, Tess! I am impressed with your do-it-yourself detergent!

Happy New Thread, Tess!

Happy new thread -- looking forward to more of your reading (and canning) adventures!

>16 lowelibrary:
>17 MissWatson:
>18 MissBrangwen:
>19 christina_reads:

TY all!

103. Peony by Pearl S. Buck This is a beautiful story about a Jewish family that ended up in China during the diaspora and how they live in peace with their Chinese neighbors. Peony is a young Chinese woman who serves the Jewish family faithfully for years. Problems arises when she travels with the family and unknowingly insults a government eneuch who demands "justice." I learned so much about Chinese culture. A great, soothing read. 352 pages 4 stars 2/5 Buck books completed thus far this year

What's up for August? I probably won't be reading many CATS this month as school begins. However, I hope to:

complete Peony: A Novel of China by Pearl S. Buck READ
complete Girl Runner by Carrie Anderson
complete Oliver Twist READ
The Last Jew of Treblinka 75's NF Jews/Jewish 75's War Room-WWII READ
Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World RTT Aug The Joy of Reading
maybe a book by Baldwin if time permits
read His Excellency Eugène Rougon

104. The Last Jew of Treblinka by Chil Rajchman Mr. Rajchman served as both a barber and a dentist at Treblinka. Unlike Wiesel or Levi, Mr. Rajchman does not have a way with words, although his tale is horrifying. Rajchman participated in the uprising and was 1/100 prisoners who escaped. He made his way to Warsaw where he participated in that ghetto uprising. For safety reasons he and his new wife lived many years in Uruguay before moving back to Poland. He was one who testified against John Demjanjuk, one-time auto dealership owner from Cleveland, Ohio, later convicted as being a guard at Treblinka and Sobibor. Nothing "new" in this book, but it's always good to "remember." I make it a point to read at least one book about the Holocaust per year. 192 pages 3 stars NF/War Room WWII/Being Jewish

One "annoying" (for lack of a better word) aside, is that Mr. Rajchman used the word "murderer" for everybody not Jewish within the camp instead of labels such as guards, cooks, gassers, etc. While I don't quibble with the word and its implication, it became so repetitive as to wear thin.

105. The Hell of Treblinka (not a good touchstone) by Vasily Grossman “It is the writer’s duty to tell the terrible truth, and it is a reader’s civic duty to learn this truth. To turn away, to close one’s eyes and walk past is to insult the memory of those who have perished.” Grossman was a reporter that traveled with the Red Army. He was one of the first to enter Treblinka.

"The thrift, precision, and calculation and pedantic cleanliness common to most Germans are not bad traits in themselves. Applied to agriculture or industry they produce laudable results. Hiterlism applied these traits to crimes against mankind and the Reich's SS behaved in the Polish labour camp exactly as though they were raising cauliflower or potatoes."

Grossman's short article (62 pages) on Treblinka is one of the most revealing that I have ever read. The author presents the facts as told to him by survivors and captured Nazis. His last comment was, "a story so unreal that it seems like the product of insanity and delirium”. 5 stars

Happy new thread! I'm intrigued by the home-made laundry detergent!

>25 Jackie_K: I tried it in my quest to make life "gentler", less costly, and more sustainable. I need to find a more eco friendly substitute for borax, though.

106. The Bridge Over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle Several days ago I heard the song from the movie being whistled and discovered my husband was watching the movie by the same name. I remembered that I had that book on a shelf somewhere. I located same book and it was a quick read at 207 pages. I remember reading the book sometime ago, at least before 2014 when I joined LT. I find the character of Col. Nicholson to be the most disturbing and naive, thinking that everybody will perform their duty and play by the rules, especially during wartime. This is the fictionalized account of Allied soldiers being forced to build the Burma railway. 4 stars

>27 Tess_W: I read this book many years ago and my thoughts were similar to yours. I visited the actual bridge in 2015 and several of the museum and war cemeteries in the area. It was a somber experience!

>28 MissBrangwen: How cool!

Happy new thread, Tess. I am in awe of your canning abilities!

>27 Tess_W: I remember a copy of this being around either my house or my grandmother's as a child/young teen. I read everything I could get my hands on back then. If it was at my grandmother's it could have been a condensed book loaned to her by a lady named Mrs. Price. She had an unusual old timey first name, but that's all I remember. I've searched some public records and think it might have been Edra, but without her street address, I'm not 100% sure.

ETA: I finally found a public record with the address. It was her! So her name was Edra.

Happy new thread, Tess. It looks like you have gotten off to a good start with your August planning. I expect as harvest time approaches, you will be busy with food prep. as well as school.

Happy new thread! Yes, it is the 3rd quarter, isn't it? And I'm also one of your friends congratulating you on your detergent.

I'm so sorry that Merlin's Booke was not an enjoyable one for you! It never occurred to me that the jumping into different aspects of Merlin the way that Ms. Yolen does could be off-putting if you're not familiar with the different tales or POV.

Looking forward to joining you on your next set of reading adventures.

Happy new thread.

>30 VivienneR:
>32 DeltaQueen50:
>33 threadnsong:
>34 Helenliz:

Thank you!

>33 threadnsong: Thanks. I love it when I can save money and be environmentally friendly. Seven cents a load!

I wish I was more learned in the area of mythology and Arthurian legends. I'm only reading this now because the Reading Thru Time Group's quarterly read is 'Arthurian Britain.' I really do want to be a well rounded reader, so I participate, even grudgingly! I love Janet Yolen's other books such as The Mary Celeste: An Unsolved Mystery from History and An Egret's Day.

>14 Tess_W: I'm interested in your homemade laundry detergent because my daughter-in-law has been told not to use commercial laundry detergent that has high phosphates and bad for a septic system. I've only seen liquid Castile soap and wondered how your recipe would be adjusted to accommodate it.

>37 VivienneR: Vivienne: My friend used the liquid Castile soap. I will contact her for her recipe.

107. Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World by Lawrence Goldstone. The author and his wife were just middleclass Americans who liked the modern classics and liked to read. They knew nothing but Amazon and Barnes and Noble. They did like hardback books, though. They stumbled upon a rather odd, decrepit bookstore and an even odder owner who taught them a thing or two about first printings, editions, etc. For a few years they were "wooed" into spending more than they normally would have on collector's editions. However, this is their ending comment, "We loved our $700 Bleak House and our $650 Martin Chuzzlewit, but we also love our $10 Josephine Tey, our $20 Andersonville, our $10 War and and Peace..........the more we thought about it, the more we came back to our original view. You don't really need first editions at all. They are just affectations.........still....Great book by level-headed people. 215 pages 4.5 stars RTT: The Joy of Reading.

>38 Tess_W: Thank you so much, Tess.

>39 Tess_W: I agree, first editions are not needed to enjoy a book. I doubt that any collector of rare books read them. I've often looked through the rare books in libraries where I worked and yes, some with silky smooth pages are a delight to hold, but many have a font that is tiresome to read and the history of the book may provide a much more interesting story than the pages do. For reading, I'll have the $10 copy.

> 39 I followed the Goldstones for decades although I haven't kept up with them very well in recent years. I think you would be interested in reading an article she wrote for Time in 2018 on why she doesn't support women's history month.

>40 VivienneR: I've known a few collectors though the years who had 2 copies in their library, one for reading and another to be part of a collection of original printings. One in particular liked to collect because she felt like she was saving (as in saving a life) a book that might be destroyed otherwise. My guess is she's unique in thinking that way.

>41 clue: Sounds a bit like my DIL, not that she buys first editions, but when I ask her why she bought a tatty, dog-eared, disreputable book, her answer is that no one else will buy it so she's saving it from the landfill.

>41 clue: Thanks, Luanne. Off to find the article and see if we are in agreement on the reason why we don't women's history month. I also don't support Black history month, Hispanic history month, Jewish history month, etc. Those topics are included in every single unit that I teach, by design. Their study is not limited to a month!

ETA: She states it more eloquent than I, but the same philosophy! For those interested: https://time.com/5209670/historian-against-womens-history-month/

I did not know she was a trained historian! I will be looking for more Goldstone(s)!

108. I read James Baldwin's Nobody Knows my Name: More Notes of a Native Son. These essays touched on the themes of race, identity, and society. Baldwin was frustrated with the limitations imposed on Black education-whether through underfunded schools or curricula that failed to reflect the Black experience. A bit harsh on teachers, IMHO. Perhaps teachers in the 1960’s had more of a say as to teaching curricula, but today it is mostly prescribed by boards of education. Baldwin asserts that the only alternative to institutionally racist white schools was the "criminally useless all Black schools where nothing is taught."

Baldwin did not hesitate to call out and condemn those who conformed to the rules of the racist system for personal advantage. One of my favorite essays was “Fly in the Buttermilk”, which tells the story of a young boy, and his mother confronted by a group of racists and verbally attacked and threatened on the street. Other essays that stood out were Baldwin’s rocky relationship with Richard Wright, his condemnation of Faulkner’s south, growing up in Harlem, and his interviews with Ingmar Bergman and Norman Mailer.

While I feel Baldwin's examples are dated, certainly some of the themes are presently applicable. I really appreciate Baldwin's assertation that true freedom can only exist when all have an identity which flows from personal integrity. I liked the concepts and ideas better than the actual writing.256 pages 3 stars-The ideas are better than the writing. AOTM August

>36 Tess_W: Hmmm, knowing your interest in history, the Diana Paxson books may interest you. They're based on the Anglo-Saxon invasions of Britain during the time of Arthur and his rise to the kingship. The edition I have is The Hallowed Isle.

Geoffrey Ashe also wrote a book from a more historical perspective, and Bernard Cornwall has written a series on Arthur. And Jack Whyte also did a good job (I only read the first of the books) setting Arthur's legend strongly in post-Roman Britain.

Kudos to you for continuing with your reading this part of history/legend!

>45 threadnsong: I have put your suggestions on my WL, although I will not actively be seeking them for about 4 years! The LT group Reading Through Time does an era of history each quarter and we have 16 eras, so it takes us 4 years to cycle through. This quarter is/was Arthurian Britain. I have suffered through it, not as bad as some years!

109. Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon is a Victorian/Gothic novel that revolves around the mysterious Lady Audley, whose "perfect" life comes unraveled when dark secrets emerge. The "mystery" was pretty much solvable. The book was "sufficient." 385 pages 3 stars

>41 clue:, >43 Tess_W: Interesting article. Thank you.

110. The Dreyfus Affair by Charles River Editors In preparation for reading Zola's 20 volumes, Les Rougon-Macquart, I thought I would become better acquainted with the Dreyfus Affair, in which Zola was heavily involved. The Dreyfus Affair was a major political scandal in France from 1894 to 1906 that involved the wrongful conviction of Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish French army officer, for treason. The case became a focal point for debates on anti-Semitism, injustice, and the misuse of power. Zola, a prominent writer and social critic, became a vocal supporter of Dreyfus and a critic of the military and judicial authorities who had wrongfully convicted him. Zola’s famous open letter, "J'accuse…!" published in 1898, was a bold and critical piece denouncing the military’s cover-up and the injustice done to Dreyfus. This letter was a significant factor in bringing the case to public attention. Zola was convicted of libel, sentenced to a year in prison, and stripped of his Legion d'Honneur. Instead of serving prison time, Zola fled to England and lived in exile for one year before returning to France. I won't give the details of Dreyfus' third and final trial so as to not spoil the story. This very generic retailing of the trial sufficed for what I needed, but there was nothing in depth nor did it provide any notes/footnotes. 52 pages 3 stars

>49 Tess_W: A gripping, fictionalised account of the Dreyfus case is Robert Harris's An Officer and a Spy.

>50 pamelad: Will put that on my WL when I need another book of that time period...because who doesn't need a book set in the 3rd French Republic? LOL!

Did a lil unnecessary shopping:

Young Queens: Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power by Lia Chang
To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Jeff Shaara
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover had to see what this author is all about!
Henry IV Parts I and II Wordsworth Classics/Shakespeare
The Lost King of France: How DNA Solved the Mystery of the Murdered Son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette by Deborah Cadbury
The Luckiest Lady in London (The London Trilogy) Book 1--like I need another series to begin
Miss Eliza's English Kitchen: A Novel of Victorian Cookery and Friendship Annabel Abbs
Confessions on the 7:45: A Novel by Lisa Unger
The Mystery of Olga Chekhova by Anthony Beevor
Betrayal at the Vel D'Hiv by Claude Levy

BOGO's are my downfall! When my thingaversary comes up in December, I will remind myself I have all these books that I probably haven't read yet!

>52 Tess_W: We all need a little unnecessary book shopping now and then.

>52 Tess_W: Great haul! And I absolutely agree with >53 lowelibrary: :-)

>52 Tess_W: What a terrific haul! It would be difficult to know where to start.

>55 VivienneR: You are right about that!

While rearranging to shelf above purchases, found and read:

111. Hiroshima by David Hersey This was a re-read for me after about 20 years. The book follows the lives of 6 survivors of said blast. Great then and now. 160 pages 4 stars War Room

112. Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm Only ever read one graphic "novel" in my life, Maus, so I was curious. Found this at a garage sale for a quarter. It was quite good! Much more scientific that I would have guessed about the development, construction, and aftermath of the first atomic weapon. 160 pages 4 stars War Room

>52 Tess_W: The Mystery of Olga Chekova looks interesting. I have Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, which I bought after reading Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate and keep postponing.

I hope you like The Luckiest Lady in London. It's different from the usual run of historical romances.

What are BOGOs?

>58 pamelad: Buy One Get One (free!)

We must have some of the same books on our shelves! I've Beevor's and Grossman's Stalingrad, as well as Grossman's Everything Flows.

I want to read ALL the books!

>59 Tess_W: I've read both the Grossman books you mentioned and was almost as impressed by Everything Flows as I was by Life and Fate, both of which seemed less affected by censorship than Stalingrad. But Stalingrad is well worth reading too.

You'll have to live to a ripe old age to read even the books on your wish list! May your marbles remain with you.

>60 pamelad: LOL to the marbles remaining! The more I age, the more I wish that, even over the knees or the hips, which can be replaced!

P.S. I really need to do away with my WL and start over!

Where did August go? I know: school started on the 21st and canning began and ended--rather early this year: 38 pints of salsa, 12 pints of sweet potatoes, 6 quarts of Yukon Gold potatoes, and 17 pints of sweet corn! I did manage:

Books read: 9
Cheers (books rated 4 stars & above)
The Hell of Treblinka
The Bridge Over the River Kwai
Used and Rare
Hiroshima
Trinity
Jeers: (books rated less than 3 stars)
NONE!

A great reading month!

September plans:
The Mennonite channel I follow on Youtube is having "Souptember" where they are making a different soup daily. Today was canning vegetable soup. I need to convert some of my tomatoes to tomato juice and I will can a least 6 quarts. This series will keep me busy in the kitchen! (Not all the soup is for canning)

Participating in 2 readalongs:
Emile Zola-Book 1 The Fortune of the Rougons already read-but follow discussions
Ray Bradbury-The October Country a book of short stories, read The Dwarf this week

finish The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora by Stephanie Thornton (historycat August) (RTT Royal to the Bone)
read Two Essays by Georgi Markov (75's non fiction-essays)

Kits/Kats as I choose!

>62 Tess_W: My husband and I love soups. I am going to check out the Youtube channel.

>63 lowelibrary: It's called the Mennonite Kitchen

First book of September was The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora by Stephanie Thornton. Earlier this year I had read a non-fiction of Theodora and Justinian written by historian Procopious. It was the one that was not published until after his death because of the scandalous material it contained. When I ran across this novel, I thought I would get a different perspective. What this novel did was give context to some of the material contained in Procopious' account. Thornton's account tells the story of Theodora from the time she was an actress and a prostitute until her death. It was obvious that she and Justinian loved each other greatly. Thornton's narrative was both informative and immersive. I did some additional research after reading this novel and it would appear the novel is probably more accurate the Procopious' account. The author had an afterward where she explained what characters were real and which were a combination of several historical figures. The author has written several other novels in the same vein and I will be seeking out the one about the women of Genghis Khan. 445 pages 5 stars RTT: Royal to the Bone

114. The Emperor's Tomb by Joseph Roth. This is Roth's work that followed The Radetzky March. It does not have to be read sequentially, but it makes sense to do so. The following quote sums up the book succinctly: "We all had lost our position, our rank, our house, our home, our money, our worth, our past, our present and our future. Each morning when we got up, each night when we went to bed, we cursed death who had invited us in vain to her grand party. " This book picks up post WWI until the Anschluss. This book is narrated by Franz Trotta in first person narrative in which he bares his soul. Franz is trying to stay afloat, one day at a time. He is not equipped to survive in the new post war world. Of course, Trotta is just a symbol for Austria, too focused on what was lost instead of looking forward. 208 pages 4 stars This fulfills 3 Cats for me!: History, Calendar, and Prize Cats Triple Play!

115. Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder Why it has taken me a year to read this, I don't know! It was not a bad read, but that being said, really didn't hold my interest. This novel that follows the life of Aganetha “Aggie” Smart, an aging former Olympic runner reflecting on her past. The narrative alternates between her present-day life in a nursing home and flashbacks to her youth in the 1920s, when she was a pioneering athlete. 294 pages 3 stars

>62 Tess_W: I made vegetable beef soup last weekend and still have some. I ate a late lunch today so I doubt I'll eat anything for supper, but I'll probably have it for lunch tomorrow.

116. The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis. This book was gut-wrenching. It was a dual timeline and worked quite well--although they weren't removed too much in time. Ashlyn, owner of a book repair shop, finds a bound book with no title, author, cover page, etc. It is a "love" letter that is quite painful. Then she finds the response to that letter. The remainder of the book alternates between the writers of the letters and Ashlyn's research. This is a tear-jerker, but tastefully done. Highly recommended. 431 pages 4.5*

>69 Tess_W: I plan to read this later this year, so I am glad you recommend it!

>69 Tess_W: - I read this earlier this year and quite enjoyed it.

>69 Tess_W: It's available on Kindle Unlimited.

>69 Tess_W: Taking a BB for this one.

>52 Tess_W: I have this on my WL as well, having seen it as source material for a Sebastian St Cyr mystery I read last month. I will be interested in a) which of us reads it first and b) what your thoughts are on it.

And as always, congrats on your canning accomplishments!

117. The Destruction of Hillary Clinton by Susan Bordo. I knew I should not have read it--wasted my time! The author, a devoted groupie of Clinton rehashes the election of 2016. The author seems to cite every probable cause as to why Clinton lost the election, except to point the finger solidly at Clinton for her shenanigans. Bah humbug. 256 pages 2.5 stars

118. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy I read this because I've read a lot of Hardy and I really like him, in general, as an author. However, this particular book was a real slog-fest. I kept waiting for it to get better, but alas and alack, that was not the case. This book follows the life of Jude Fawley, a working class man with aspirations of becoming a scholar. Jude makes some really poor choices in his personal life that have life-long consequences for him and all those in which he is involved. Of all the Hardy's I've read, Jude and his two wives, are amongst the most ignorant characters the author has created. If it's analysis one wants, I think this is Hardy's take on the institution of marriage. 416 pages 2.5* RTT: Adultery

119. Needed a change of pace after #118, and sure got it! I read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. This has been on my shelf for 20 years? This was a pretty sappy love story as romances go, but it was poignant. A quick read and a good break between heavier books. 226 pages 3 stars

120. Crusoe's Daughter by Jane Gardam This was a haunting tale of Polly, an orphan raised by two eccentric aunts. Polly, while having encounters with others, is still lonely to the bone. She finds Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and immediately identifies with Crusoe, both on an island of solitude. Polly is on a life-long (book-long) course to find human connections. While this wasn't a bad book, it wasn't satisfying, either. 224 pages AOTM 3*



This week's canning adventures: Canned 8 quarts of beef stew and 16 pints of sloppy joes.

>76 Tess_W: My biggest takeaway from Jude the Obscure is when he puts down a book he is reading to go chat with his lady love.

121. The Mysteries of the Court of Louis Napoleon by Emile Zola. I didn't mean to read this NOW! I'm part of the Zola reading group and it has sparked my interest in the second empire/republic history, of which I know nothing! I came across this book and thought I would read up on this time period. However, about half way through, I discovered that this book also has two alternative titles: His Excellency, Eugene Rougon and Clorinde (no touch stone). His Excellency was to be the group read for November. I read it under another name not realizing it, therefore the "accident!" Guess I'm ahead of the reading schedule. In this book Zola writes of the several political ascents and descents of Eugene Rougon. Rougon is manipulative and deceitful, as are his "friends." This book tells of the corruption and intrigue at Court. Better than book one! 392 pages 3.5*

>80 Tess_W: sometimes it's hard to stick to a schedule - even when you created it! Glad to know you enjoyed this one more than the first.

122. Two Essays (Kindle Single) (Ploughshares Solos) by Georgi Markov. Markhov was the self-exiled Bulgarian who was assassinated on London Bridge on Sept 11, 1978, by an umbrella dart. He was a writer and was often critical of those in power. However, I can't imagine that either of these essays would be the cause of said assassination. The first essay, "Prostitution" explored the social, economic, and psychological components of prostitution. There might have been a slight hint of criticism of law enforcement for their part in perpetuating this practice. The second essay, "Wastewaters" brought together technology, public health, and environmental ethics. Markov highlighted the lack of funding and outdated technology which can lead to public health outbreaks of disease. These two essays were quite mild by any standards. Markov did not write these in a militant or demanding style. They were originally radio broadcasts from the BBC in London. This was a BB from Jackie in 2022. 52 pages 4 stars

>82 Tess_W: Yes, it is hard to imagine, but the authorities saw any perceived criticism as fair game, and Markov telling the world that Bulgaria wasn't actually a workers' utopia meant that his card was well and truly marked. I remember his assassination, I was 9 at the time but starting to be aware of world affairs. It was truly shocking that such a thing could happen.

>64 Tess_W: I am going to check on them also.

>83 Jackie_K: I've since read some more online about Markov, and it seems he always thought "they" were out to get him. Some of his friends thought he was paranoid.

>85 Tess_W: Interesting. Turns out he wasn't wrong.

>80 Tess_W: My recollection of Zola was that he was not afraid to dig into the underbelly of society. This one seems to fit that assessment. Think of it this way: now you have the time to read up more on the Second Empire/Louis Napoleon well ahead of November's group read!

Very busy week this week between hair cut, eye doctor, dentist visit, working 2 days, etc. I know I won't get anymore reading completed this month.

September wrap up:
Books read: 10

Cheers (4-5 star reads)
Two Essays (Kindle Single) (Ploughshares Solos) by Georgi Markov
The Echo of Old Books by Margaret Davis
The Secret History: A Novel of Theodora by Stephanie Thornton

Jeers (less than 3 stars)
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
The Destruction of Hillary Clinton by Susan Bordo

October Plans:
Finish: East Lynne by Mrs. Henry Wood, Gritli's Children by Johanna Spyri
Read:
In Praise of Bees by Kristin Gleeson (Irish Medieval) RTT
2 short stories by Isaac Singer (AOTM)
Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam by H.R. McMaster (Paul's War Room)
The Piano Shop on the Left Bank by Thad Carhart (75 NF)

Cats/Kits as suits my fancies!

>88 Tess_W: I'm looking forward to your comments on East Lynne! I read it almost fifteen years ago, but remember it well.

Tess-I know you on a lot of message boards and you were on Readers Over Sixty. I goofed and put 224 for the subject October 2024 reads. Can I correct the topic? You can leave a message on Readers Over Sixty and Thank You.
Leona

>90 mnleona: Leona, I'm not in charge over there anymore, so I can't help you!

123. Crassus by Plutarch John Dryden translator. I wanted to get some more information on Spartacus. Plutarch provided a good primary source. I learned a little about Crassus, but nothing new about Spartacus. 80 pages 3 stars

124. East Lynne by Mrs. Henry Wood (Ellen Wood) . This novel is a Victorian melodrama that explores morality in depth. The story revolves around Lady Isabel Vane, who becomes entangled in a scandalous affair that ultimately leads to her downfall. Throughout the story, she makes a series of poor choices and suffers from what we today know as postpartum depression. Additionally, some sections of the novel feel overly long, particularly the death scenes. 417 pages (felt longer!) 3.5*

125. If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home by Tim O'Brien read by Dan John Miller. This was O'Brien's non-fiction counter-part to his fictional The Things They Carried, one of my all time favorites. However, this book seemed very lackluster. This book is tagged: memoir, non-fiction, and fiction. It is the author's personal memoir of his time spent in Vietnam. I can understand why some people tagged it fiction, as it has almost a mystical quality about it. O'Brien writes on the themes of duty, fear, and the complexities of combat. The author describes battlefield friendships and deaths. I was much less engaged with this book than I had hoped. 240 pages 3 stars

126-127. I read two short stories byIsaac Bashevis Singer: SPOILERS!

1. Gimpel the Fool Gimpel was a simple baker in a shetl and struggles with being the object of ridicule and deception. Gimpel has an unwavering faith in the goodness of people. Was he a fool?

2. Spinoza of Market Street Set in 20th century Warsaw, the story follows Mendel, a Jewish philosopher. Mendel tried to reconcile the old ways of life and the new mentality which rejected the Torah and supported strikes and riots. The description of the marketplace was certainly sensory.

I'm not a short story fan, so meh! But they are better than most I have read. 3 stars

128. Domestic Monastery by Ronald Rolheiser This was a free book from Audible. The author is a very traditional religious person who "assumes" that one hour of prayer per day is required/necessary. His argument for the purposes of this book is that a mother at home overwhelmed by several children may not be able to carve out an hour a day for prayer. He believes that the care and nurturing of children is Godly work (amen!) and if done with love and care can "substitute" for that hour of prayer. Meh......3- stars 1 hour 5 minutes.

129. Killing Reagan: The Violent Assault that Changed a Presidency by Bill O'Reilly What a great trip down memory lane! This book offers a thorough look at Ronald Reagan's life, starting from his days in Hollywood and concluding with his death and burial. I appreciate O'Reilly's "Killing" series for its informative and mostly factual narrative.

The book delves into Reagan's relationships (or lack thereof) with figures like Carter, Nixon, Bush, the Kennedy brothers, Margaret Thatcher, and Leonid Brezhnev. Reagan was a compelling orator, but Nancy Reagan's portrayal is quite troubling—depicted as an emotionally distant mother. For instance, when Reagan was married to Jane Wyman, they had both a biological and an adopted child. After their divorce, Ronald married Nancy, and during family vacations, they took only his biological child, leaving the adopted child at camp. Nancy once made a hurtful comment about Patti’s looks, saying, "How did your father and I birth such an ugly daughter?" It’s no surprise that Patti later posed for Playboy to combat those insecurities.

The dysfunction in this family is shocking, but perhaps not surprising given Reagan's father's alcoholism and Nancy's mother’s neglectful behavior, leaving Nancy with relatives for six years while she sought a new husband. The book also covers John Hinckley Jr., Reagan's would-be assassin, who had scary connections, including correspondence with Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, Sarah Jane Moore, and Charles Manson.

Many of Reagan's staff found him incompetent, while he perceived them as "dumber than a box of rocks." 320 pages 5 stars

130. I listened to a Great Courses free with my Audible subscription. It was 39+ hours and I was leery of starting it due to its length, but it was so absorbing that I'm glad I did. I listened to How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, 3rd Edition written and taught by Robert Greenberg. Greenberg studied at Princeton and UC-Berkley. I find him to be delightful with a great sense of humor. I think he would be a great teacher no matter the subject, if he had the passion for it.

This particular course began during the ancient world and ended with the early 20th century. Greenburg explained the greatest "invention" or movement of each time period with accompanying musical clips. My favorite unit was the Ancient Greeks. The Greek culture was humanistic. They believed music was able to create miracles and was omnipresent. Their belief in the power of music was so strong that they believed it could create moral character (Doctrine of Ethos).

To sum it up in Greenburg's words: "Concert halls and opera houses are not museums or mausoleums!" and........"One era's popular music is another era's concert music." 36 hours 18 min 5 stars

P.S. Only one boring section--Renaissance--Pythagoras had to get involved in music!;)

>97 Tess_W: I have this book. I may have to put in a reading stack for next year.

A couple of quick ones off the shelf!
131. Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes by Robert Louis Stevenson This was a short travelogue memoir of the author's trip through the Cevennes Mountains in France in 1878. This was a 12 day trek undertaken only by Stevenson and his donkey, Modestine. The reader gets descriptions of the landscapes and the people, oftentimes with humor. 82 pages 4 stars

132. Gritli's Children by Johanna Spyri This book told the story of the of Gritli, a devoted mother, and her children as they live a hard but wholesome life in rural Switzerland. It's been 50 years since I've read Heidi, but this book seems awfully similar/familiar. Bit too sugary for me. 86 pages 3- stars

>98 Tess_W: What an interesting way to journey through history and music! I love this view of the Greeks and their perception of music. I'm finding myself drawn towards the Baroque these days, especially enjoying the snippets I hear of Tehlemann.

>91 Tess_W: Sorry, I am so late in reading the messages. Thanks anyway.

>98 Tess_W: That's a BB for me!

>103 VivienneR: Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

133. Dead Simple by Peter James is a mystery concerning a groom that is buried alive on his wedding day. It is never what you think it is! Although, to fully participate one must suspend rational thought for a bit! This is book number one in the DSI Roy Grace series. I will give book two a go! 481 pages 3.5 stars A BB from Vivienne in 2022

>104 Tess_W: I really don't believe any bachelor party would consider that trick, but it's fiction so anything can happen!

A warning, the next one in the series was graphic and, as you say 481 pages, which I regard as far too long for a mystery novel. I had the third in the series too but donated it to the library booksale, unread.

>98 Tess_W: I was delighted to discover the library has this collection. Looking forward to it.

>105 VivienneR: If it's graphic, I will probably pass!

134. The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon. What an odd book--and not in a good way! Oedipa Maas is the main character which the reader follows as she discovers a mysterious underground postal system. Odd names that I'm sure mean more than I can get out of them: Stanley Koteks, Genghis Cohen, and Dr Hilarius, just to name a few. I almost gave up several times, but it's a relatively short read at 194 pages. It's described as comedy and satire, but I find it the theater of the absurd. 2 stars

>106 Tess_W: Sorry Tess, it was the second in the series Looking Good Dead that I donated. Dead Like You was the one that was unexpectedly graphic. I watched an episode of the tv show and didn't like it much either. Peter James has been crossed off my reading list.

>107 VivienneR: Since I don't have anymore on my shelf, and the first one was so-so, I think I'll probably pass on that series!

135. The Gentleman From Peru by Andre Aciman. Wow-what a read. This book was sensual and spiritual. It started out slow and built to a great crescendo. The story is about the past, the present, chance meetings, and the impact of yearning and desire through time. Do such relationships exist or are they only in fairy tales? Beautiful prose! My eyes were watering at the end! 176 pages 5 stars

>106 Tess_W: Congratulations on finishing this. I've tried, but have binned Thomas Pynchon as Long and Unreadable, along with John Dos Passos and William Gaddis (though I did read A Frolic of His Own).

And Don DeLillo. I didn't even try David Foster Wallace.

>110 pamelad: Great minds must think alike! I have also banned Dos Passos, Gaddis, and Delillo from my shelves. I'm going to add Wallace after looking him up and your recommendation. They are all tagged postmodernism--too far out there for me! Virginia Wolfe, also gone! I have an Italo Calvino on my shelf, but he's also tagged as postmodernism, so I will give him a short trial (If on a Winters Night a Traveler) and decide his fate! I know that you liked him, but Giorgio Bassani is off my shelves, also!

ETA: I forgot, Haruki Murakami, also banned from my shelves. I've suffered through two of his and nope, not gonna do it!

>93 Tess_W: I read East Lynne at uni and my reaction was similar to yours. I am still glad I read it though to experience a sensation novel.

>98 Tess_W: That sounds really good! It is already on my Audible wishlist, although there are so many interesting Great Courses that I find it hard to decide.

>112 MissBrangwen: Glad I read it, also!

136. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson This book follows the adventures of David Balfour, a young Scottish boy who, after the death of his father, seeks his inheritance. He is betrayed by his uncle and kidnapped on a ship bound for the Americas. Escaping, David teams up with Alan Breck Stewart, a Jacobite fugitive. They travel the Scottish highlands with its dangers of the warring clans, the Stewarts and the MacGregors. It had been 50 years since I had read this and I had remembered nothing! 156 pages 4 stars Monthly Author Reads/November

137. The Professor by Charlotte Bronte This was certainly not Jane Eyre! I understand this book was rejected by the publishers (first novel she wrote) and only published posthumously. This was the story of William Crimsworth, an Englishman who goes to Belgium to teach English. He certainly seems to encounter people who would do him harm! He finds the love of his life and they all live happily ever after?! Like Villette, too many French passages! Meh 410 pages 3 stars

I'm always shocked that the woman who wrote Jane Eyre, one of the most captivating books I've read and a true favorite, could also write Villette and The Professor which I found completely boring.

>116 japaul22: I'm with you on this one!

>115 Tess_W: I gave up on Villette and The Professor sounds no better. Will stick with Jane Eyre.

>111 Tess_W: I've liked books by Haruki Murakami and Italo Calvino, so am not binning all the post-modernists! These two tread lightly.

138. The Dream Job by Kirsten Modglin Billed as a psychological thriller. It was a mini-thriller, up until the end, which was such a let down! Also, one really had to suspend belief to go along with the plot. A more sophisticated Hunger Game. Listened to this on audio 7 hours 22 mins 3 stars meh

139. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys A YA novel about 4 people trying to make their way to the MV Wilhelm Gustloff to evade the advancing Soviets. IMHO the teens I know would not enjoy/read this. It's too choppy and doesn't flow easily. Each person's perspective is 1-1 1/2 pages and then it's on to the next, over and over again. Each person's 'secret' is discernible fairly quickly. Reading this book caused me to purchase another about the MV Wilhelm November PRIZEKAT: Children's Award Winners

October round up:

Books read: 16 books

Cheers (rated 4-5 stars)
Killing Reagan by Bill O'Reilly
Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Gentleman From Peru
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Jeers (rated less than 3 stars)
The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon

Everything else 3-3.5 stars--average, mediocre, fun/informative

November Plans:
finish You Can't Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie DONE
Read Anthem by Ayn Rand (kids at school read, I want to know!) DONE
Read Eugene Rougon by Emile Zola for the November read DONE
Read a book set in the Medieval Ages The Fifth Knight
Read a biography or a memoir The Forgotten Presidents by Michael Gerhardt
finish The Goddess Abides by Pearl S. Buck

Whatever else tickles my fancy, kits/kats, etc.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys Children/YA Book Awards DONE

>120 Tess_W: I read her Between Shades of Grey last year and loved it, so I will probably give this book a go one day in the future. But I can see that her style is not for everyone.

140. Anthem by Ayn Rand What an odd little book! This book examines individualism vs. collectivism in the form of a dystopian novel where the word "I" is forbidden (and has been for hundreds of years). The protagonist, Equality 7-2521, rebels against a society that prioritizes the group over the individual. The author criticizes collectivism as stifling creativity and innovation. Not a surprising topic for Rand, as she was born and educated in Russia before coming to the U.S. (1920's--the height of the revolution) 104 pages 4.5 stars

141. You Can't Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie Two women walk into a bar.......one for a drink and one to carry out a con. The remainder of the book is self-explanatory. The ending was a bit of a let-down. 333 pages 3 stars

Limping along..........Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged Listening on Audio 52 hours+ 1-2 hours per day................debating whether it's worth it to continue!

>125 Tess_W: I found The Fountainhead a lot more engaging than Atlas Shrugged. In fact, "Atlas" became a DNF for me after a hundred pages or so. Just in case you're still trying to decide!

I listened to Ayn Rand and the World She Made back in 2016 and found it interesting to know more about her life.

>126 threadnsong: You convinced me! I've read 100+ pages worth (or listened to) and I'm done!

142. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand I tried! This book is a philosophy book masquerading at a novel. Rand is laying our her philosophy of objectivism very meticulously in a dystopian novel. I did read her Anthem, which I liked, and she seems to be recycling some of those ideas. Rand is championing rational self-interest and individualism. I find her militancy to be extremely irritating and needlessly exaggerated. I find that Rand leaves no role for societal responsibility. Perhaps she did address that later in the book. DNF Listened to 4+ hours/51+ hours. (About 108 pages)

>123 Tess_W: I never thought I'd read a book by Ayn Rand but this shortie is a real possibility, and it's available on KoboPlus. No plans to read The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged at this stage.

>128 pamelad: I think you will like it. Just know that the pronouns "we" and "they" and "us" are singular in the book!

>129 Tess_W: A woman before her time!

I was hooked on Ayn Rand's books back in the seventies and read everything I could lay my hands on. Now, just the mention of her takes me back to that time although I don't remember many details of her work, just that I enjoyed them tremendously.

>131 VivienneR: Glad you enjoyed them! I'm one for two right now and think I will put her to bed!

Finished shopping for my Christmas gifts--from hubby--he buys me 10 books each year, usually around Christmas and December is also my Thingaversary--so I combine them:

Arabian Sands by William Thesiger non-fiction, travels in Empty Quarter
To Sir Phillip, with Love by by Julia Quinn book 5 in the Bridgerton series (have not read 1-4) Regency Romance
Five Little Pigs: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition (Hercule Poirot Mysteries, 23) by Agatha Christie
Tell Me Lies by Teresa Driscoll family drama/mystery/thriller
The Curse of Pietro Houdini: A Novel historical fiction WWII
Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder by William Shatner autobiography

Advice needed: My sister and I will be traveling to Auschwitz in 2025. We will spend 4-5 days between Krakow and Warsaw. We want to spend another 3-4 days in Europe, but have to be close enough to some airport to get us home. Germany? Czech Republic? Slovakia? Suggestions welcome from those who have more knowledge of this area than I do (which is none!). Gdansk has been suggested and we are looking into it.

I have never been to Poland, so I don't have any firsthand knowledge, but I do think that Gdansk is a good idea. Another Polish city you could consider is Wrocław. It does have an airport although I think you would have to check what kind of long haul connections are available.

If you would like to visit another country, both Prague and Berlin might be interesting options for you, but you would have to spend quite some time on the train (between five and seven hours depending on the connection, with connections to Berlin appearing to be a bit quicker). It looks like Bratislava can be reached within the same time, but I haven't been there and can't say much about it, although it does look nice!

I think it really depends on if you would like to visit a city in another country like that or stay closer to Warsaw/Krakow so you don't have to spend your time traveling between places. On the other hand, I would compare actual connections to see if it is that much of a difference after all.

You can use www.bahn.de to check train connections all over Europe, although it will not give you all of the prices.

I hope this is helpful so far!

>135 MissBrangwen: Very helpful, thank you! I think we do want to go to at least one other country....we were thinking Germany and perhaps Austria. I checked the train from Warsaw to Berlin is 5 1/2 hours and cost about $35 (US). The train cost is so much cheaper than in the US! (plus, where I live, we don't have passenger trains). So many places, so little time (about 10 days) (and $!)
Thanks!

143. The Blood of the Fifth Knight by E.M. Powell is a historical fiction/thriller set in 12th century England. Of course, the protagonist is the good swashbuckling knight who has to save his king and his own family. Interesting backstory of Rosamund Clifford, one of Henry II's lovers while he had his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, imprisoned. Great read--held my attention 100%. Book 2/3 in a series. 374 pages 4.5*

I think in 2025 I want to read a few Dr. Who's; they seem to be popular! I will know after the first two books if they are for me or not. I went about the net trying to determine what is book one, but there are many different sources and the original book is not made clear. Can somebody please advise? Which book should I read first, knowing nothing about Dr. Who?

I re-read the preface and chapters 13-15 of Emile Zola's His Excellency, Eugene Rougon. I read The Mysteries of the Court of Napoleon (same book, different name!) in September, but needed to refresh myself for this month's discussion.

If you would like to join our Zola group, it's here: https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/24460/Emile-Zola-Group-Read

We are reading one novel every other month, or 6 per year. We will be reading in odd months in 2025. (Jan, March, May, etc.)

>138 Tess_W: Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I would recommend the Doctor Who novelizations or spin-off novels to someone who was not already familiar with the Doctor Who TV show. There is a novelization of the very first episode, Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child, as well as more recent iterations like Doctor Who: Rose or Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road, which might be your best starting points but I'm not sure they stand up on their own.

>140 norabelle414: Hmmm, ok! We don't really get Dr. Who TV series in the U.S. We can get seasons 9-14 on HBO/Cinemax if we pay for it, which I won't do.

>141 Tess_W: I'm in the US and have watched it all! It's all available legally here but on a variety of streaming apps. It originally aired in the US on BBC America (or PBS if you want to go back to the 60s and 70s) but they don't have the rights anymore.

You could check your local library, they might have some seasons on DVD (though likely not the really old stuff nor the most recent season)

I agree with >140 norabelle414:; if you're not familiar with the show, it's going to be tricky to find an entry point into the novelizations or novels set in the Doctor Who universe. I do think some preliminary knowledge is required.

One way to go about it might be to find a Doctor Who novel set during a particular historical period that strikes your fancy. Then you can at least skim Wikipedia for a general description of that particular Doctor so you know what they and their companions are like. So for example, if you wanted to read The Roundheads, by Mark Gatiss (set during the English Civil War), you'd read a bit about the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton).

Another way to do it is to read a little bit about each Doctor and find a novel featuring one you like the sound of.

Thanks for all the tips! I thought that it was a TV series based on novels.

>142 norabelle414:
>143 rabbitprincess:

I do see where Roku (free) has 1963 and 1964 (seasons 1-2) I will start off there. The sad thing is, I don't watch TV! (hardly ever).

Rome: Empire of the Eagles, 753 BC - AD 476 by Neil Faulkner This was a broad comprehensive history of ancient Rome from its founding through its fall. Topics covered in depth are military conquests, political upheavals, and cultural developments. Surprisingly, I don't think Julius Caesar got the press time he deserved! Even though this was a NF book, Faulkner is a good story teller and its reading was smooth and flowing. 378 pages 3.5 stars CAT: November HistoryCAT: Ancient History

145. Men in German Uniform: POWs in America during World War II by Antonio Thompson A very interesting book about which I knew nothing! Eight years studying history at universities and never knew that there were about 400,000 German POW'S in the U.S.! Most of these men were caught in Africa, Greece, or Turkey, and many surrendered and wanted to be taken prisoner by the U.S., rather than the Soviet Union. There were 70 camps in the US, primarily in the south and southwest. I was surprised but the camps really did attempt to follow the Geneva Convention(s). Great read! P.S. Few men were actual Nazis as the Germans had conscripted and forced men in conquered territories into the Wehrmacht. 194 pages 5 stars

>146 Tess_W: There was a German POW camp where I live in Arkansas and we now have a small museum on the former military base where they were kept. These men were officers and they were given much more freedom than POWs in other places. The pictures show them working with no guard standing over them, etc. The person who runs the museum said that some have come back through the years with their families.

The E. M. Powell series has been on my radar for a while, but I haven't started it yet. One day!

>147 clue: How interesting!

I was not raised in Minnesota but I think there was one here. I will have to research it.

146. The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks This is a memoir that explores the life of a shepherd in the Lake District in England. This reader was grateful for the entire chapter on the Lake District in general. Rebanks recounts his childhood upbringing in a farm family as well as the challenges of sustaining a traditional farm. Great read! 306 pages 4.5 stars RTT Biography/Memoir

>151 Tess_W: I loved that book too!

>152 Jackie_K: I marked it as a BB, but forgot to attribute it to somebody! It must have been you! Thank you!

>151 Tess_W: I've read this and have it on my reread list. I have also caught his program on PBS a few times. You might see, supposing you get PBS, if your station carries it. It's been about a year since I've seen one but I just watch TV for the most part when I have nothing else to do so I wasn't really following it.

>154 clue: I do have PBS...somewhere on ROKU! My hubby will know--he watches TV, but I generally don't. Thanks...I will certainly look it up!

147. Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey by Kathleen Rooney This is a historical novel that intertwines the stories of two World War I figures: Cher Ami, a pigeon who served with the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and Major Charles Whittlesey, the leader of the Lost Battalion. The story alternates between the story of the pigeon (narrated by himself) and Major Whittlesey. I am at a loss as to the first chapter--Major Whittlesey's trysts, not sure if they occurred before or after the war--definitely were not needed. Think I might be better off reading a NF about this! 336 pages 3 stars Paul's War Room: Great War

P.S. Cher Ami tells his story as a taxidermied pigeon at the Smithsonian! Some amusing initial parts.

148. The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy, and the Wrecking of Henry I's Dream by Charles Spencer While Charles Spencer is clearly knowledgeable about this time period/incident, I felt there was no delivery of any engaging material, especially about the titular subject. I felt like I was reading a bad history text, with lists and lists of people; irrelevant because their character was never developed or linked to the story in any meaningful way. This would better be described as a biography of Henry I or a broad sweeping history of England from the Norman Conquest through the Anarchy. I would guess that 75% of the book is about the lineage of Henry I. 352 pages 3 stars RTT: Medieval Ages

>157 Tess_W: Thank you for your honest review. I did enjoy this book, and you're right that Spencer is knowledgeable about his topic. I would like to have known more about how he posits that the wreck of this one ship affected the later history of England (after the King Stephen/Empress Maude civil war).

>151 Tess_W: I've always wanted to hike the Lake District, and this is certainly a timely book in its look at the struggles of family farms.

>157 Tess_W: >158 threadnsong: If you haven't already read it, you might enjoy Sharon Kay Penman's trilogy of novels about the aftermath of the White Ship! The first book is When Christ and His Saints Slept, and subsequent books cover the reign of Henry II and what happens with his children.

>159 christina_reads: I have read them and I love them! Actually, I love anything Sharon Penman wrote!

>160 Tess_W: Same, she is one of my favorite historical fiction authors!

>151 Tess_W: The Shepherd's Life looks interesting because I'm going to England next year and have booked a four day walk in the Lake District. Just found it in the local library and have reserved it.

>136 Tess_W: The Man in Seat 61 is really enthusiastic and informative about train travel.

>163 Tess_W: Beautiful.

149. When a Nation Forgets God: 7 Lessons We Must Learn from Nazi Germany by Erwin Lutzer I decided to reread this upon seeing the movie "Bonhoffer" last week. The movie was "okay." There was a 2013 version (Bonhoffer, Agent of Grace) that I thought was better. The 2024 version was more sanitized. Lutzer draws parallels between the moral decline in Germany and the erosion of ethical values in contemporary cultures. He identifies seven crucial lessons, including the consequences of ignoring moral absolutes, the power of propaganda, and the role of the church in resisting evil. Lutzer warns against complacency and encourages vigilance against the gradual undermining of religious and moral foundations. The author draws upon writings and speeches (sermons) by Hitler, Bonhoffer, and Niemoller. 160 pages 5 stars

"Found" more reading time than usual over the Thanksgiving holiday by listening to two audiobooks whilst cooking and cleaning for 8 hours a day!

150. A Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell I've read most of what Orwell has written, and this is my least favorite. I think it is because there are so many political parties, groups, and cities/areas of which I was unfamiliar that it just seemed so jumbled. This was Orwell's experiences during the Spanish Civil War, where he fought for the Republican (Socialist/Communist) side against Franco's Fascists. Interesting that he used the word Fascists and the history textbooks (at least in the US) use the word Nationalists to describe Franco's forces. Orwell spent a lot of time describing the in-fighting of the Republicans and what he finally saw as a betrayal by the same. He also addresses loyalty and the propaganda of the leftist press. The book ends with Orwell's escape from Barcelona into France when the POUM (Workers' Party of Marxist Unification) was suppressed. 8 hours 25 mins 3.5*



151. Madame President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson by William Hazelgrove This book is fatally flawed by a confusing and disorganized chronology. The structure is chaotic, jumping between years without clear order—one chapter starts in 1921, the next in 1911, followed by 1919, and so on. At times, it feels disorienting, especially when the narrative shifts abruptly between events, such as moving from President Wilson courting Edith to her working on League of Nations papers in the span of a few pages. Much of the information is not new, and can be found in other sources. I had previously read Starling of the White House, which provided similar details from a Secret Service agent's perspective on the Wilsons. 8 hours 8 min 2.5*

Reading plans remainder of year:
1. Finish The Last White Rose (Medieval)
2. Read God is in the Manger by Bonhoffer (movie tie-in & Dec. HistoryCAT)
3. Finish Pearl S. Buck The Goddess Abides
4. Read Felix Holt, the Radical by George Eliot AOTM read

152. A Promised Land by Barak Obama. I read this sometime earlier in the year, and marked it as read, but never listed it or reviewed it. I was hyped for this biography, but was ultimately let down. Firstly, it was overly long (700+ pages) and could have used a good editor, especially in the chapters of policy making, which are minutely detailed and oftentimes slow. I think Mr. Obama might have wanted to make this a "feel good" book and hence refrained from addressing some of his administration's failings, such as handling the financial crisis, drone warfare, or the shortcomings in his relationship with Congress. While Obama does lightly touch upon what he considers his own flaws, he glosses over issues where he played the main protagonist such as healthcare reform and racial tensions. The tone of the writing was a problem for me. Obama comes off either aloof or pseudo-intellectual (he's trying too hard); it's not a natural tone. It doesn't flow well. Despite my dislike of the book, I am able to see its value as a perspective of America's first black president. 732 pages 2*

153. The Last White Rose: A Novel of Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir. This book focused on Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV (Elizabeth Woodville), niece of Richard III, sister to the princes in the tower, wife of Henry VII, and mother or Henry VIII. Elizabeth walked a very fine line as with the princes missing, rightfully she would be the heir to the English crown; but there had been no women on the throne yet who had ruled in their own right. She was the unifying force behind the blending of the Houses of York and Tudor. 545 pages 4.5* RTT Medieval Ages/Vikings (on the cusp)

>169 Tess_W: I have this one on my kindle, so I am glad to see you liked it so much!

>169 Tess_W: I have some of Alison Weir books but not this one. I will have to check on this one.

154. Felix Holt, The Radical by George Eliot A rabid fan of Eliot, but not so much in this case. The story takes place in the mid 19th century in a fictional industrial town in England, Treby Magna. Felix is an idealistic radical young man seeking changes, yet he is often disillusioned by politics. Felix is tempered by Esther, a more moderate (needs be a woman in that day!) whose moral integrity and personal growth is another side of social reform. I think Eliot was trying to show that idealism without practical wisdom can lead to failure. I got the feeling that Ms. Eliot was not a fan of radicalism, which surprised me with her being a female at this time in history. This was my least favorite of all the Eliot's I have read (which are most of them). I felt this was hardcore politics. While most of Eliot's work contains politics of some sort, this was just too detailed and too drawn out. 578 pages 3- stars 99 cents on Kindle (US)

155. Hymns, Prayers and Songs: An Anthology of Ancient Egyptian Lyric Poetry by John L. Foster This anthology includes prayers, hymns, and poetry from various periods of Egyptian history. Some of the themes are devotion to god(s), requests for divine favor, and thoughts on life and death. These works are both historical and culturally revealing. 230 pages 3 stars---off the shelf (from a 2005 course I took!)

156. Unanswered Cries by Thomas French is a true crime book about the rape and death of Karen Gregory of Gulfport, Florida, in 1986. The book was dated as far as DNA and blood sampling, but the story was still good. Many neighbors heard a few loud screams on the night of her death, even looked out their windows, but none called the police. A 22 year old firefighter was eventually found guilty after many false leads. A bit too long. 402 pages 3 stars

157. Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell The familiar trope of a family coming together for an emergency or death is all too familiar. This time the Riordan family comes "back home" when the father goes missing. They bring all their baggage and grievances with them. To be honest, I didn't like even one character in this story. They were all a bunch of self-centered whiners. The ending was not plausible. Sorry I wasted my time. Heat wave=tensions. 338 pages 2.5 stars

>175 Tess_W: I've started Hamnet three times and given up, but people here say that it's slow to start and gets better, so I'll give it another try. Also read her memoir, I am, I am, I am: seventeen brushes with death, another whiny one.

>176 pamelad: I, too, started Hamnet three times and then took a DNF. I tried again this year and was able to finish it by sheer determination. I did not enjoy it and found it to be mediocre. The hype escapes me and historical fiction is my fav genre.

158. How the Body of Christ Talks by C. Christopher Smith The author writes about the importance of language within Christian communities, emphasizing how words shape the life and mission of the church. The book suggests that Christians must pay attention to the way they speak, ensuring their words reflect the gospel message and promote reconciliation and understanding. Finally, the book challenges readers to be intentional in their language aligning it with love that is central to the body of Christ. The first two chapters was about the biology and neurology of communication and I felt that it didn't really belong, but I persevered. I also think that "society" could be substituted for "church" in this book and still be applicable. 199 pages 3 stars

Goodbye 2024 and hello 2025 (Reading wise!) I always start my new reading year on December 25 to begin reading new books that I may have gotten for Christmas--it's a tradition!

2024 wrap up
Books read: 158
TRB Dec 25 2023 307
TBR Dec 25 2024 399

The much higher number of TBR books is mostly from the shelves of my mother, who passed in March of 2024.

Highlights of reading 2024:
* Discovered Emile Zola and plan to read the Les Rougon-Macquart Series (20+ books) over the course of the next 3-4 years. (Join the Emile Zola group read here: https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/24460/Emile-Zola-Group-Read)
*Five star reads:
Killing Reagan: The Violent Assault That Changed a Presidency by Bill O'Reilly
Valley Forge: A Novel by Newt Gingrich
The King's General by Daphne du Maurier
Life and Death in Rebel Prisons: Giving a Complete History of the Inhuman and Barbarous Treatment of Our Brave Soldiers by Rebel Authorities, ... Ga., and Florence, S. C (Civil War) by Robert Kellogg
The Gentleman from Peru by Edoardo Ballerini
Hannibal: Rome's Greatest Enemy by Philip Freeman
Polio: An American Story by David M. Oshinsky
Victory at Yorktown: A Novel by Newt Gingrich
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Hell of Treblinka by Vasily Grossman
How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, 3rd Edition by Robert Greenberg
When a Nation Forgets God: 7 Lessons We Must Learn from Nazi Germany by Erwin Lutzer

Best fiction 2024: The Gentleman from Peru
Best non-fiction 2024: When a Nation Forgets God: 7 Lessons We Must Learn from Nazi Germany by Erwin Lutzer

See you on the 2025 side!

>180 Tess_W: I see you read Polio: An American Story. I had not thought about it for years. My best friend in High School had polio and has a limp. I am 86 so remember those days.

I'm glad you had so many five star reads!

I still mean to join you in the Zola group read - I didn't manage to read the first two books so far, but still plan to do so.

>180 Tess_W: Excellent choices for 5 stars!

Polio was a world-wide story. Many lives were saved with a vaccination. Like mnleona, my childhood friend was left crippled, which wasn't uncommon.

Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year, Tess!

I wasn't aware that a friend of 15 years or so had polio as a child until about two years ago when, for lack of correct terminology, she relapsed. She had some struggle, but has really done well. She walks with a cane but can still drive. Unfortunately her husband died about the same time she began hiving trouble. They had a large two-story house she couldn't navigate on her own and has since moved to a lovely assisted living cottage and seems to be happy there.