Beth's (BLBera) Books in 2024 - Fall Chapter

My name is Beth, and I am a recently retired English instructor. I love retirement, and last year I was able to travel to Hawai’i, Spain, and Portugal. I also attended book festivals in Iowa City and Portland. Besides travel and reading, I also like to sew and spend time with my granddaughter Scout.

I read eclectically, mostly fiction, but I do tend to always have a volume of poetry and a book of essays going as well. I belong to a book club that has been going since 2002, and I do group reads here on LT. Otherwise I don't plan my reading. I always resolve to read more from my shelves, but those shiny new library books do distract me.

2024 has been a great year of reading so far. I hope I can squeeze in some more great reading during the last three months of the year.

Currently Reading

Plans?
Book Club
Oct. Ceremony ✔️
Nov. Breasts and Eggs ✔️
Dec. Scottoline month ✔️

LT shared reads - 2025
February: Silas Marner
April: The Husbands
June: The Mighty Red

Some books I look forward to in 2024:

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
The Hunter by Tana French ✔️
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez ✔️💜
Until August by Gabriel García Marquéz ✔️
James by Percival Everett
The Morningside by Tea Obreht ✔️💜
Real Americans by Rachel Khong ✔️
This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud
The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez ✔️
Memory Piece by Lisa Ko
The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez ✔️💜
Fire Exit by Morgan Talty ✔️💜
Bear by Julia Phillips ✔️💜
The Palace of Eros by Caro de Robertis
Say Hello to My Little Friend by Jennine Capó Crucet ✔️
The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney ✔️💜
You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue
Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson ✔️💜
There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

More Plans?
Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist
The Blue Beautiful World ✔️
And Then She Fell ✔️
8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster ✔️
Restless Dolly Maunder ✔️ SL
Western Lane ✔️
The Wren, The Wren ✔️ SL
A Trace of Sun by Pam Williams
Ordinary Human Failings
Hangman
Soldier Sailor SL
The Maiden by Kate Foster
In Defense of the Act by Effie Black
River East, River West ✔️SL
Brotherless Night SL WINNER
Enter Ghost ✔️ SL
Nightbloom ✔️

Q4 - 2024
🍁October🍁
98. What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing
99. Aimless Love*
100. Ceremony* REREAD 💜
101. We Are Meant to Rise
102. From Savagery*
103. intermezzo 💜
104. Because of Winn-Dixie* 💜

🥧November🥧
105. Mr. Darwin's Gardener* 💜
106. Ribsy*
107. The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science🎧
108. Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent
109. Jane Eyre Classics Illustrated*
110. Breasts and Eggs*
111. The Taming of the Shrew*
112. Damaged 🎧
113. Dragon's Lair*
114. Shakespeare: The World as Stage*

❄️December❄️
115. The Lady of the Mine*
116. The First Part of Henry IV*
117. We're Alone*
118. A Child's Christmas in Wales*
119. The Grey Wolf
120. Tell Me Everything
121. Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books
122. The Second Part of Henry IV*

* From my shelves
💜 Favorite

Q3 2024
🏖July🏖
64. The Future* 💜
65. "I" Is for Innocent 🎧
66. The Wild Robot Escapes 🎧
67. House on Endless Waters* 💜
68. Lessons in Chemistry REREAD
69. A Sunlit Weapon 🎧
70. America Fantastica*
71. Funeral Songs for Dying Girls*
72. The Britannias
73. The Galaxy Game*

☀️August☀️
74. The Wild Robot Protects 🎧
75. 8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster
76. The Art of Death: Writing the Final Story*
77. 1974: A Personal History
78. Until August
79. Force of Nature*
80. Bear
81. Life on Mars*
82. Transient Desires 🎧
83. Being Mortal* 💜
84. Stone Age Farmers Beside the Sea*
85. Glorious Exploits 💜
86. The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain
87. Goldenrod*

📗September📗
88. Parable of the Sower* REREAD
89. The Underground Library 🎧
90. Fire Exit 💜
91. The Comfort of Ghosts 🎧
92. Let Us Descend*
93. The Dictionary Story
94. The Blue, Beautiful World*
95. How to Read a Book 💜
96. Opinions*
97. Death at the Sign of the Rook 💜

* From my shelves
💜 Favorite

Read in Q2 2024
☔️April☔️
34. And Then She Fell 💜
35. Fourteen Days
36. Anita de Monte Laughs Last 💜
37. The Great Divide
38. Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth* 💜
39. The Lantern's Dance
40. The Best of All Possible Worlds* 💜
41. My Poets*
42. The Sentence* REREAD
43. When Books Went to War*
44. The Cemetery of Untold Stories
45. A Diary of the Plague Year*

🌷May🌷
46. When Maidens Mourn 🎧
47. Lolly Willowes* 💜
48. Say Hello to My Little Friend
49. Land of Milk and Honey
50. Orris and Timble
51. We Loved It All
52. Clear 💜
53. The Book Censor's Library*
54. Restless Dolly Maunder

🍓June🍓
55. The Unknown Ajax*
56. The Wild Robot 🎧
57. River East, River West
58. Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder 🎧
59. The Morningside 💜
60. Real Americans
61. The Hunter 💜
62. Square Haunting* REREAD
63. Toxic Prey 🎧

* From my shelves
💜 Favorite

Read in 2024 Q1
Read in 2024
🎉January🎉
1. Collected Poems Jane Kenyon* 💜
2. Sorry
3. Northwest Angle 🎧
4. The Postcard
5. Space Invaders*
6. North Woods
7. The Invisible Hour
8. I Must Be Dreaming
9. Poems of Akhmatova*
10. Judgment Prey
11. Chenneville* 💜

🌷February🌷
12. Where Shadows Dance* 🎧
13. American Mermaid 💜
14. Hotel Silence*
15. A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women*
16. On Juneteenth*
17. Family Lore* 💜
18. The Vulnerables
19. Normal Rules Don't Apply
20. Homeland of My Body*
21. The Wren, The Wren

🍀March🍀
22. Light in Gaza*
23. Fresh Water for Flowers*
24. Queen of a Rainy Country*
25. The Lost Journals of Sacajewea*
26. Orbital 💜
27. Enter Ghost 💜
28. Word by Word*
29. What You Are Looking for Is in the Library
30. A Map to the Next World*
31. Western Lane
32. Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma*
33. Bach and the Blues*

*From my shelves
💜Favorites

You Must Read This
I like to highlight books that I think deserve more attention. This one is a first novel. Talty's first book was a short story collection. This is what I wrote when I read it earlier this year.


90. Fire Exit
Charles Lamosway, the narrator of Fire Exit says, "We are made of stories, and if we don't know them -- the ones that make us -- how can we ever be fully realized? How can we ever be who we really are?" That is the central question in Morgan Talty's wonderful novel about identity.

Charles lives across the river from the Penobscot Reservation. He lived on the reservation with his indigenous stepfather Frederick and his white mother Louise until he was eighteen and had to leave the reservation because he didn't have any indigenous blood. Even though Frederick was the only father he knew, and the reservation was his home, he wasn't allowed to stay.

When his Penobscot girlfriend Mary becomes pregnant, she moves out and returns to the reservation and an indigenous husband, so her child can be enrolled in the tribe, denying Charles a chance to be a father. He spends the next twenty years in his house across the river watching his daughter from afar. As time passes, he becomes convinced that his daughter Elizabeth should know the truth about her parentage.

This is not a plot-driven novel, but instead a well-drawn character study. I loved spending time with Charles. When I see the tags for the novel: "alcoholism," and "depression," to name a couple, I think people might think, mistakenly, that this is a sad novel. It isn't.

I really liked Night of the Living Rez and think Fire Exit is even better. I will certainly look for Talty's next book.

Happy new thread, Beth. Love that topper. I love this season and wish it was longer!

Happy new one, Beth!

>11 jessibud2: Hi Shelley. Yes, I wish fall were longer because I know what's coming next!

>12 katiekrug: Hi Katie. Thanks.

I go to another Talking Volumes program this evening, to hear Louise Erdrich talk about her new book The Mighty Red.

September Reading
Books read: 10
By women: 8
By men: 2

Novels: 8
Essays: 1
Picture book: 1

Library: 6
My shelves: 4

Favorites: This was a great month. It was hard to choose favorites. But standouts include: Fire Exit, How to Read a Book, and Death at the Sign of the Rook

Happy new thread, Beth!

Happy new one Beth :). Hoping it brings lots of good reading.

Happy new thread Beth! I can't believe it's October already.

Checking in on the new thread before I lose you again, Beth.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Happy new thread, Beth!

Happy new one!

May October bring you plenty of good reads

Happy New Thread, Beth! Many good reads ahead!

Happy new thread, Beth.

Happy new thread Beth!

Thanks Anne, Reba, Charlotte, Stasia, Jim, Anita, Deborah, Paul, and Susan. I hope I didn't miss anyone.

I saw Louise Erdrich last night for the MPR sponsored "Talking Volumes" series. It was an interview/reading focused on her new book The Mighty Red. Yes, I did buy a copy, signed too. It was a great conversation, but our seats were terrible. We were in the second balcony and although the theater is small, with just two people on stage conversing, it seems like they were really far away. Note to self: get tickets earlier next time.

98. What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing
The book brought back fond memories of "The West Wing," and it is really intended for fans of the show. Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack, two members of the cast, spoke to other cast and crew and writers and have anecdotes, discussion of key episodes, and information about casting. One thread that runs through the book is the spirit of activism that many of the actors engage in, some because of their involvement in the show. There is also a chapter in which people currently involved in politics share their favorite moments on "The West Wing" and explain how it influenced their desire to get involved in public service. President Obama used to watch the show while he was on the campaign trail.

I've started to rewatch the show, and it holds up well. Aaron Sorkin did good.

Happy new thread, Beth!

>25 BLBera: I've heard good things about that West Wing book from all over... I never watched the series so it probably isn't for me, but I have friends who were devoted to it (one named her cat Toby after one of the characters), and I'm going to recommend it to them.

Yes, Lisa, if you haven't watched the show, the book would be a waste of time. I enjoyed it, but I loved the show.

>27 BLBera: Thanks for that heads up. I have never watched the show, so now I do not need to read the book :)

>28 alcottacre: One less book in your black hole, Stasia. Yes, if you are not familiar with the characters, the anecdotes won't make much sense to you.

>27 BLBera: Yeah, I'd just tell the show fans I know about it. But it looks like a good tip for them.

It's a lot of fun, Lisa.

>25 BLBera: I’m in the middle of watching the show now for the first time. I love it. Making note of that one for when I finish the series!

As you watch, take a look at the fish bowl. I never noticed this, but they put different things in it, a Christmas tree, for example.

I too love your page topper. Morgan Talty is on my read soon list.

Love the topper! So ready for fall.

Happy new thread!

>25 BLBera: Looks good and I am also considering a rewatch. I will check out the fishbowl.

Happy new thread, Beth. I hope that you and Scout are recovering nicely!

>34 labfs39: Thanks Lisa. I will watch for your comments on the Morgan Talty books.

>35 witchyrichy: Hi Karen. Thanks. I am really enjoying rewatching "The West Wing." Bartlett for President!

>36 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. I think she will get a smaller cast on Friday. She doesn't seem too bothered by her cast, except she can't wear things with long sleeves.

Now how did I not star your thread in January? I knew I was missing people. So I will rectify the error, even this late in the year.

Nice to see you here, Judy. There are just too many threads...

99. Aimless Love
I enjoy Billy Collins, mostly for his playfulness. He has such fun with words. In this collection of new and old poems, there were a few favorites such as "The Lanyard," "Monday," and "The Trouble with Poetry." From the new poems, "Villanelle" and "A Word about Transitions" especially illustrate Collins' joy with language.

Villanelle
The first line will not go away
though the middle ones disappear,
and the third, like the first, is bound to get more play.

Examples of this type are written everyday,
and whether uplifting or drear,
that first line will just not go away.

It seems some lines have the right of way.
It's their job to reappear,
for example, the third, designed to get more play.

Whether you squawk like an African Grey
or sing sweetly to the inner ear,
the line you wrote first will just not go away.

You may compose all night and day
under a bare lightbulb or a crystal chandelier,
but line number three must get more play.

How can a poet hope to go wildly astray
or sing out like a romantic gondolier
when the first line will not go away
and the third always has the final say?

>40 BLBera: I see the playfulness.

He plays with other forms as well, Susan. I love that.

>37 BLBera: Right after posting about Morgan Talty, I learned that my college's alumni book club would be discussing Fire Exit at their December meeting (via Zoom), including a live interview with the author and Q&A. Yay!

I really should read some Billy Collins, despite not being much of an appreciator of poetry. We share an alma mater, and there is a prize or scholarship or professorship or something named in his honor. Dr. Fauci also went to the college - they are probably the two best known alums (because we don't talk about Clarence Thomas ;-) ).

I hope you have a great weekend, Beth. Did I miss it or have you not yet seen 'The Wild Robot' with Scout?!?

Hi Beth, I have been struggling with keeping up with everyone but hopefully I will soon have my hubby home and can get back to my regular routine. I have been reading a lot but not really absorbing the words so finding light reading works best right now. I loved "The West Wing" so have taken note of What's Next: A Backstage Pass to the West Wing.

I'm not really a fan/appreciator of poetry but Billy Collins is one of very few poets I actually enjoy.

>43 labfs39: That sounds great, Lisa. You will have to report back if you get to hear him speak. The more I think about Fire Exit, the more I think it will be one of my favorite books this year. We talked about it today at my book club because we were reading ceremony. The issue of the blood quantum comes up in Silko's novel as well.

>44 katiekrug: I think you might like Billy Collins, Katie. One of the poems that made me laugh from this new collection was "To My Favorite 17-Year-Old High School Girl":

Do you realize that if you had started
building the Parthenon on the day you were born
you would be all done in only one more year?
Of course, you couldn't have done it alone,
so never mind, you're fine just as you are.
You are loved simply for being yourself.

But did you know that at your age Judy Garland
was pulling down $150,000 a picture,
Joan of Arc was leading the French army to victory,
and Blaise Pascal had cleaned up his room?
No wait, I mean he had invented the calculator.

Of course, there will be time for all that later in your life
after you come out of your room
and begin to blossom, or at least pick up all your socks.

For some reason, I keep remembering that Lady Jane Grey
was Queen of England when she was only fifteen,
but then she was beheaded, so never mind her as a role model.

A few centuries later, when he was your age,
Franz Schubert was doing the dishes for his family
but that did not keep him from composing two symphonies,
four operas, and two complete Masses as a youngster.

But of course that was in Austria at the height of
romantic lyricism, not here in the suburbs of Cleveland.

Frankly, who cares if Annie Oakley was a crack shot at 15
or if Maria Callas debuted as Tosca at 17?

We think you are special by just being you,
playing with your food and staring into space.
By the way, I lied about Schubert doing the dishes,
but that doesn't mean he never helped out around the house.

>45 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I hope life calms a bit for you soon.

>46 RebaRelishesReading: He is enjoyable, Reba.

My just-turned-eight year old niece and I saw The Wild Robot movie this week. We both enjoyed it very much, and it led to a nice conversation about adaptations and this adaptation in particular.

Hi Lisa - Yes, Scout and I liked it as well. We were amazed at how they were able to have the robot show emotion. And the animals were amazing.

>47 BLBera: Sweet poem!

>47 BLBera: Oh, I love that poem! I'm not much of a poetry reader, but maybe I'll put Billy Collins on my list. Is there one of his books that stands out to you?

>50 banjo123: It makes me smile, Rhonda.

>51 japaul22: I liked The Trouble with Poetry, Jennifer, but really his poems are pretty consistent through his collections.

100. Ceremony
I reread Ceremony for my book club, and as I read it, I was surprised at how relevant this novel still is. At one point the medicine man consoles the protagonist, saying, "most people are afraid of change. They think that if their children have the same color of skin, the same color of eyes, that nothing is changing...They are fools. They blame us, the ones who look different." Sound familiar?

Originally published in 1977, the novel follows Tayo, a Laguna Pueblo man who returns to the reservation after being a prisoner of war of the Japanese.

In many ways, the story is a universal one, revealing the effects of war on the soldier's psyche. Yet, it also shows the particular difficulties of the indigenous soldier. While in uniform, he was accepted, respected, but once the war was over, the racist attitudes return. The white doctors disregard traditional indigenous healing. They don't help Tayo at all, and until he returns to the old ways, he can't find any sort of peace.

Other themes touched on in the novel are the theft of land, problems of alcoholism, and the effects of Christianity on the old beliefs.

Silko integrates Laguna mythology into the story and shifts the point of view -- now things that are fairly common in indigenous literature but groundbreaking when this novel was published almost 50 years ago.

This is an important novel for any fan of indigenous literature.

It also made for a great discussion.

>53 BLBera: I've added this to the wishlist, sounds great.

My work bookgroup is reading Their Eyes Were Watching God this month. I thought I had a copy but have yet to be able to put my hands on it. Frustrating!

>53 BLBera: I have had this on my "to read" list since I did an Indigenous authors focus a few years back. Thanks for the reminder that I haven't gotten to it yet!

>53 BLBera: I have already read that one or I would be adding it to the BlackHole again. I am glad to see that you enjoyed it too.

Have a marvelous Monday!

>53 BLBera: One of my all time favorite books. I'm happy to hear it holds up!

>54 charl08: It is frustrating not to be able to find books, Charlotte. I need to have a better system as well.

>55 japaul22: It is a wonderful book, Jennifer. It has influenced lots of indigenous writers.

>56 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. Nice to see you here.

>57 ELiz_M: It is still very relevant, Liz. I was reminded of Morgan Talty's new novel Fire Exit; it also touches on the issue of blood quantum.

Hi Beth! Great reviews!

Fire Exit sounds wonderful. Like you, I really enjoyed Night of the Living Dead.

Ceremony also sounds great. I've only read one of Silko's books- her book of essays Yellow Woman and a Beauty of the Spirit. She's such an iconic author - I should read some of her fiction. When I went to the author's page to make sure I had the title right, I saw you listed as also having this. Such a fun part of LT - being able to see what our friends have in their library.

It's exciting to see so many great Native America authors.

I'm also a fan of West Wing. It's such a positive spin on the presidency. Fingers and toes crossed for the election this year.

Thanks Janet. I think Fire Exit is even better than Night of the Living Rez. I've read various essays from the "Yellow Woman" book, but Ceremony is in a class by itself.

I am enjoying my rewatching of West Wing.

>53 BLBera: Hi Twin! Sounds like a good one!! Wishing you a great week ahead. : )

I have never read Ceremony; it sounds like I should.

>61 Berly: Hey TwinK! Same to you. You sound crazy busy. How's your dad?

>62 banjo123: I think you would like it, Rhonda.

101.We Are Meant to Rise is subtitled "Voices for Justice from Minneapolis to the World." It is an anthology that responds to George Floyd's murder as well as inequalities revealed by COVID. Contributors come from a broad spectrum: Japanese American, Hmong American, African American, Indigenous, and Latino.

It's inspiring to see such a variety of talented and committed artists participate in this project, allowing readers to see, as David Mura expresses in his essay: "...we are far more than what those outside our communities who hate or attack us have done to us. We are far more than a statistic or headline in the news."

As with any anthology, some selections are better than others, but overall this is a worthwhile collection.

>64 BLBera: We Are Meant to Rise looks great! I’ve got it requested from my library. Thanks for the “heads up”!

Karen O

Thanks Karen. Did you read A Good Time for the Truth? A lot of the same people contribute to this one.

>66 BLBera: Yes, I read A Good Time for the Truth and really liked it. That bodes well for my read if this one!

Karen O

>53 BLBera: Ooh, Ceremony looks good. Thanks for your thoughtful review, Beth. I always get the best recommendations from you.

I also liked the chat about poetry upthread. I really do like Billy Collins and own a few of his collections including Aimless Love. My favorite poet would have to be Mary Oliver. Her poems about nature make me swoon.

>67 klobrien2: I thought A Good Time for the Truth was better, but both are worth reading.

>68 Donna828: Hi Donna. Ceremony is wonderful. Yes, I love Mary Oliver. You remind me that I have some of her works that I haven't read. I need to pick those up.

Happy Newish Thread, Beth! I'm so happy you are enjoying retirement! There is nothing like it!!
Looking forward to your thoughts on Intermezzo it is hot on my TBR list.

102. From Savagery
This excellent collection of short stories by Venezuelan writer Alejandra Banca immerses us in the lives of a group of young people who have immigrated from Venezuela to Barcelona. While Banca does not flinch from revealing the precariousness of existence of these young people, many of whom do not have documentation, she also shows their resilience. Maria Eugenia, a young woman who makes bike deliveries, has learned how to stay safe on the streets of Barcelona and during uphill deliveries, tries to distract herself with happy thoughts. But there's also a sense of alienation and homesickness among the group. Nanda listens for Venezuelan accents as she walks down the street, and Nacho notices that people speak Catalan to exclude him. Vividly written. Kudos to the translator.

>70 Carmenere: Hi Lynda. Intermezzo is great, Rooney's best so far. I should finish it this weekend.

>71 BLBera: Making note of this one.

I'm hoping to get to Intermezzo soonish, Beth. I have heard a lot of good things about it and you are enjoying it too.

>74 vancouverdeb: It was an ER book, Kay, and really good. I'd like to read in Spanish; the language was interesting.

>74 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. I loved Intermezzo; I think it's Rooney's best book so far. Comments to follow.

103.Intermezzo
I loved this novel by Sally Rooney. I enjoyed both Normal People and Beautiful World, Where Are You, but Intermezzo is in another class entirely. It may be a bit long -- at about page 350, I thought it dragged a bit, but the richness of the characters will stay with me for awhile.

Stylistically, this is so interesting to read, with the stream of consciousness and the focus on so few characters. Basically this is a story about complexities in relationships and how we are conditioned to think about relationships. What is normal?

Ivan and Peter Koubeck are brothers. Their father has recently died, and they are grieving. The only other characters are the women in their lives: Margaret, Ivan's significant other and Sylvia and Naomi, Peter's women. We only see the points of view of Peter, Ivan, and Margaret. Through the varied viewpoints, we can see missed communications and misunderstandings that interfere with the relationships. As Ivan notes, "It's not possible to tear away the constraints and simply carry on a senseless existence. People other people, make it impossible. But without other people there would be no life at all."

Rooney uses the stream of consciousness brilliantly to define the voices of Ivan and Peter.

If you are not a fan of stream of consciousness, this may not be for you. I loved it.

>53 BLBera: Definitely a great review of Ceremony.

Thanks Judy.

>53 BLBera: I've had this on the shelf for a while Beth. I think it goes on the list for early next year.

>76 BLBera: I too enjoyed this one. It works if you enjoy a good plotless novel, less if you prefer a plot structure I think. I like both kinds of novel.

>76 BLBera: Intermezzo sounds really interesting, Beth. Great review!

>79 Caroline_McElwee: Yes, I should have mentioned the no-plot thing, Caroline. I thought the characters were so well done. Ceremony is great.

>80 lauralkeet: I know Rooney isn't everyone's cup of tea, but this is quite good. I wouldn't be surprised to see it on prize lists.

104. Because of Winn-Dixie
During her "Talking Volumes" interview, Kate DiCamillo talked a lot about Because of Winn-Dixie, her first novel. She read the first chapter, and I was hooked. I wanted to read India Opal Buloni's story.

Opal, as her father calls her, is the daughter of a preacher, and they have recently moved so Opal is lonely. When a dog smiles at her, she is immediately won over and takes the dog, whom she calls Winn-Dixie, home. As she tells the story of her first summer in Naomi, Florida, she says everything happened "because of Winn-Dixie."

I read the novel in a couple of sittings and loved the characters and the descriptions. I can see why millions of kids fell in love with DeCamillo after reading this. DiCamillo doesn't shy away from sad events. Opal's mom left her when she was very young, and Opal misses her. DiCamillo recognizes that there is sadness in kids' lives, and I think that is one reason kids love her so much. She also gives them hope -- or dogs!

The novel will be 25 next year, and DiCamillo spoke about how it changed her life. She said last time she checked, it had sold 11 million copies and it allows her to make a living as a writer.

I've seen DiCamillo at readings before (Scout is a fan, and my daughter stalks her online so they know where and when she will be appearing), and she is warm and patient. There were quite a few kids in the audience at the "Talking Volumes" event, and they gave preference to the kids when it was time for questions.

You can listen to the "Talking Volumes" podcast.

I read Because of Winn Dixie eons ago. I remember it as a sweet and sad little story.

I haven't read Because of Winn Dixie but I'm pretty sure at least one of my daughters did, and the whole family went to see the movie (in the theater! those were the days ...). Sweet and sad, as Ellen said. I really liked it.

I adore dogs...I think Because of Winn Dixie needs to go onto my list.

>82 BLBera: I will read anything by DiCamillo (and I’m aiming for reading everything!)

I’ll have to check out the “Talking Volumes” podcast!

Karen O

>83 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I can't wait to hear about Paris! Yes, it is a sad story in some ways, but that is part of why kids love DiCamillo; she doesn't ignore the fact that bad things can happen. She does try to leave hope, though.

>84 lauralkeet: I Imagine your daughters either read or had Winn-Dixie read to them in school, Laura. My niece wrote DiCamillo a fan letter when she was in second grade and got a reply, so she is also a fan.

>85 RebaRelishesReading: The movie dog is adorable, Reba, if you want to watch it. It follows the book pretty closely.

>86 klobrien2: The programs I've gone to this year have been great. I am tempted to listen to them again, Karen.

>76 BLBera: I picked up my copy of Intermezzo from the library yesterday and I'm excited to start reading.

I will watch for your comments, Kay. I think it is Rooney's best.

I should add that during the "Talking Volumes" interview, both Kate DiCamillo and Kerri Miller, the interviewer, gave a lot of love to the Wolf Hall trilogy, which they have read more than once. DiCamillo also mentioned Ribsy as a book her mother read to her and which was the first time she ever saw her mother laugh that hard.

>87 BLBera: Good idea, Beth -- I'll look for it

>82 BLBera: I need to read more by DeCamillo. I loved Tale of Despereaux and recently read it to my niece. The only other book I've read by her is the first Mercy Watson book.

>91 RebaRelishesReading: Enjoy, Reba.

>92 labfs39: Because of Winn-Dixie is good. I think my favorites are Flora and Ulysses and The Beatryce Prophecy. Scout really loved The Beatryce Prophecy as well as the Raymie Nightingale books. Those are all for young readers. The new ones are for younger readers, more like the Mercy Watson books. DiCamillo is definitely worthwhile.

105. Mr. Darwin's Gardener
This is a novel published by Pereine publishers; I have a subscription and have loved all of their books that I have read. This is no exception, which reminds me to pull the others from my shelves!

The description on the back of the book calls Mr. Darwin's Gardener a "postmodern Victorian novel," and as I search for a good way to describe it, that is as good as anything I have come up with.

I tend to like novels that play with style, and Finnish writer Kristina Carlson certainly does that here. She plays with point of view throughout, beginning with third person and shifting to first person. For example: "Cathy Davies puts a scarf on John. We're going on an excursion, we'll walk along the path across the meadow. I made the picnic, there's milk in a bottle, sandwiches wrapped in paper." This requires careful reading because in some chapters, the viewpoint shifts in each paragraph. Also no quotation marks.

What Carlson achieves with this is to give us a comprehensive view of the collective consciousness of the village. This serves to reveal the various concerns and rivalries of the village, a village where an elderly Mr. Darwin resides, so some of the concerns revolve around science and religion and Mr. Darwin's theories: "Animals have nothing extra in their skulls that makes them stop in the middle of running or flying or crawling. Man is the only animal to wonder where he is going and why. He does up against a wall and starts asking questions. I think a more cool-headed species like rats will take over." This is a passage that made me smile.

In the end, I felt I knew the villagers. I liked this a lot and will return to it; I'm sure a second reading will allow me to see things I've missed the first time through.

>94 BLBera: I remember enjoying that Beth. I still have a handful of their books to read.

Yes, Caroline, I have quite a few of the Pereine books to read as well.

I was an election judge yesterday for the first time. It was an interesting experience. We were pretty steadily busy all day. I love that it is so easy to vote in Minnesota with same-day registration, and many who came to register were surprised at how easy the process is.

I only wish the election had a better outcome.

Ellen shared a NYT opinion by Patrick Healy and David French. French said we need to "protect the vulnerable and speak the truth."

Berly posted some inspirational words by Rebecca Solnit: "They want you to feel powerless and to surrender and to let them trample everything and you are not going to let them."

Those are two great quotes, Beth. Thank you for sharing them.

Mr. Darwin's Gardener sounds really good. I'm not familiar with that publishing company.

>98 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura.

>99 EBT1002: Here is the website, Ellen. I subscribe and love the books. https://www.peirenepress.com

Thanks to Berly for sharing this:

https://the.ink/p/hope-in-the-dark-election-loss

>97 BLBera: >101 BLBera: Thanks for reposting those comments. We have to stay strong. And my personal thanks to you for helping people vote in MN. : )

>97 BLBera: I always fancied being one of the people at the polling stations, but have never got far enough with that to work out how to apply (or if my work would give me the time off...). Same day registration *is* brilliant. I am still annoyed that they introduced ID the way they did here. Those who introduced it seemed to forget that a passport costs over £100, and not everyone drives...

I too have several Peirene to read. Maybe Xmas holiday reading :-)

>101 BLBera: Thanks for that. The clarity is needed in this moment.

>102 Berly: Thanks for bringing it to my attention, TwinK! I shared it with my daughter who called me in tears. She said it helped.

>103 charl08: Hi Charlotte. Here in Minnesota, people can get time off work to be election judges. If people are already registered, they don't need an ID, just to register they need some kind of photo ID and proof of address, a bill, lease, something like that. Most people know that and if they have to register, they came prepared.

I've loved all the Peirene books I've read; I need to work on them!

>104 RidgewayGirl: You are welcome, Kay. We are feeling very discouraged.

Thanks for posting the Solnit, it's great! And thanks also for helping with the voting. I am feeling discouraged also, but trying to manage my anxiety by focussing on one thing at a time, and on the support from the people around me.

Hi Rhonda. I think that's all we can do right now. I am avoiding commentary as well. There seems to be a lot of finger pointing going on, and I don't need that.

It was really interesting to work as an election judge. I will do it again although maybe do a shorter shift.

Hi Beth. Thanks for the website link. I don't want to subscribe to anything at this point -- I feel nervous about having committed to buying a house at this moment in history!! -- but I'm happy to know about another good publishing house.

>100 BLBera: Many thanks for the link https://www.peirenepress.com.

I always enjoy visiting here.

>82 BLBera: I'm a long-time fan of Kate DiCamillo. I've read almost everything she's written.

>108 EBT1002: I am so excited to hear more about the new house, Ellen. Good luck with the reno!

>109 Whisper1: Hi Linda. Thanks for the visit. Kate DiCamillo is great. I have not read close to everything she's written, but I have read a lot, and it has been wonderful. I can see why kids love her.

Hi Beth. I adore Kate DiCamillo. I'm pretty sure the first book of hers that I read was The Tale of Despereaux, which I read aloud. Just marvelous. That led us to many more, including Winn-Dixie. I'm happy to say that Winn-Dixie is just as in demand now after 25 years. I recently purchased a new copy for the library to replae the old one which was falling apart. I also loved The Beatryce Prophecy. I've enjoyed almost all of her books - The Magician's Elephant was one that was so dark and somber, and I wouldn't put it up with the favorites.

I have to say that I am encouraged by all of the Americans here on Library thing who are anti Trump. It's very encouraging to me.

>111 AMQS: I'm going to see if I can find a copy of The Tale of Despereaux. I looked it up and it looks like a great read, and I love the idea of reading it aloud!

>111 AMQS: Hi Anne. I knew you would be a DiCamillo fan. Have you read the Raymie Nightingale books? Scout really loved those. Vanessa thought Edward Tulane was super sad.

>112 vancouverdeb: I guess we have to take encouragement where we can these days, Deborah.

>113 EBT1002: Hi Ellen. Winn-Dixie is also great. The first chapter is hilarious.

>114 BLBera: I have read Raymie Nightengale but not the others in the series. I have them in the library. Raymie wasn't my favorite, though I can't remember now why that was. I feel bad getting too picky with Kate DiCamillo, though. The important thing is that kids love them! We loved Edward Tulane but yes, it was sad.

>115 AMQS: That is interesting, Anne. When Kate was asked about her favorite characters, she said Raymie and India Opal.

I just read Ribsy, a book that DiCamillo mentioned in her talk. She said she'd never seen her mother laugh so hard as when she was reading Ribsy to them. I needed a laugh, so I picked it up. It was very funny.

I am listening to Millicent Quibb right now, Kate McKinnon's novel. She reads it and is very funny but a bit over the top for me. But I am not her intended audience. My daughter listened to a bit and thought that Scout might like it.

107. The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science
Kate McKinnon (of "Saturday Night Live") wrote this book for young readers. In interviews, she has said that she wanted to write something for kids who don't feel they fit in anywhere, as she often did when she was a kid.

This is the story of the Porch sisters, Dee-Dee, Eugenia, and Gertrude. They don't fit into their adopted family or into the school of etiquette they attend. When they meet the ostracized mad scientist Millicent Quibb, they start on an adventure that might show them how to find their place in the world.

The audiobook read by Kate McKinnon will appeal to young readers, I think. McKinnon is very expressive and funny. I thought it was a bit over the top, but I am not the intended audience, and well, it IS Kate McKinnon. I am interested in hearing what Scout thinks of it. Her mom has reserved the audiobook.

I see Orbital won the Booker. It's the only one from the list I've read, and I loved it! What do people think?

>118 BLBera: I'll let you know. I was lucky enough to have checked it out of the library the day before the announcement.

It is one of the best things I've read this year, Kay, but I don't necessarily need something plot driven....

I liked Orbital a lot. I was pulling for James which, if you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend.

I am waiting to get James from the library, Ellen. I am looking forward to it.

>118 BLBera: I will read it these couple of days, Beth.

On a personal level I am pleased that she won as I am not in favour of American authors participating or being considered for the Prize as American authors have ample other awards that only they are eligible for. The Booker had been a great springboard for many writers from the wider Commonwealth and their opportunities are less nowadays. And this from someone so generally pro American!

I'm glad you enjoyed Orbital, Beth and what a good choice from the Booker list to read - the Winner. I've not read it, and I did have it out from the library. I may read it eventually, but it did not really appeal to me.

I haven't read Orbital yet; at a glance it didn't seem like something I'd like. But I requested it from the library right after the prize announcement, after reading a few reviews from trusted LTers on the book page. I'm glad to see you enjoyed it so much, Beth. That bodes well for me.

Hi Beth - I was glad to hear about Orbital's win as well. I'm usually a plot-driven reader, but Harvey's writing was so beautiful and evocative that I completely fell under her spell. I read the entire longlist this year, except for Stone Yard Devotional which is only available in February. (What's up with that? You'd think the publishers would have wanted to capitalize on the Booker momentum.) James, Creation Lake, and My Friends were the standouts for me, as was The Safekeep.

>123 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. I am just happy to see women included in the Booker.

>124 vancouverdeb: I can see why Orbital wouldn't appeal to everyone, Deborah. I just thought it was so wonderful at placing me on the space station, such a keen sense of place. It's hard to believe Harvey was never there.

>125 lauralkeet: I'll watch for your comments, Laura. I don't remember what prompted me to pick it up.

>126 vivians: Hi Vivian! Thanks for the recs for Booker reading. When I finish my current book I have My Friends to read. I am waiting for the others to be available.

108. Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent
Thanks to Laura, who brought this book to my attention.

This collection of conversations between Dame Judi Dench and Brendan O'Hea (an actor and director) is fascinating. Dench talks about the plays she was in and has tremendous recall for lines and scenes. She has a wonderful sense of humor as she recounts an amazing life on the stage. Anyone interested in the theater and/or Shakespeare will enjoy this. As Dench says, "There's something for everybody in Shakespeare. Everything you have felt or are yet to feel is all in there in his plays: oppression, ambition, Loneliness, remorse, everything."

This has inspired me to read through all of the plays. I've read most of them already with the exception of the histories. I'm going in roughly chronological order. I say roughly because there's no way to date the plays exactly. Most scholars group them in approximate periods. I'm starting with The Taming of the Shrew. This project will probably take me a couple of years....

>128 BLBera: This has inspired me to read through all of the plays
That's an ambitious but worthwhile project, Beth. I'm so glad you enjoyed the memoir.

Some years ago I worked my way through recordings of full cast productions on audio. It was a treat!

>128 BLBera: -I have seen this book in the stores and am intrigued. I am nowhere near having read a lot of Shakespeare and you are way more ambitious than I could ever be in this. But this past summer, I went to the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario and saw an absolutely fabulous musical called Something Rotten. It was a spoof and a mashup of Shakespeare's plays but there was a very definite storyline and plot, which was hilarious. The acting was outstanding, the energy was high, the songs were terrific, and the lyrics (and overall dialogue) simply brilliant. I have no idea if this is destined to go beyond Stratford, but in my humble opinion, just like Come From Away started small and local until it hit Broadway and beyond, Something Rotten has those same chops and talent to spare. Put it on your radar, is what I am saying. I bet Judi Dench would love it! I haven't checked if there is anything like a preview on youtube but if not, then there ought to be.

>129 lauralkeet: You can take either the credit or the blame, Laura. 😂

>130 AMQS: Hmm. That sounds interesting Anne. Do you remember who did them?

>131 jessibud2: "Something Rotten" sounds fun, Shelley. And the Stratford Festival sounds like something I should put on my bucket list. It's only a twelve-hour drive from my house.

>132 BLBera: - Do that, Beth. Stratford is a lovely town, and though, as with any festival, the roster of shows can be hit or miss, this one was a winner. I'd even see it again, given the chance! In fact, it's been extended past the festival and is still playing! I know this because my friend lives in Stratford and works at one of the theatres!

'Something Rotten' is great fun. It was on Broadway for two years and got nominated for a bunch of Tonys.

>134 katiekrug: - Oh, I hadn't known that! Good to hear, Thanks, Katie

>131 jessibud2: Years ago, Stratford, Ontario was my go-to vacation week in the summer. At one visit, I saw 13 productions in 8 days and came back to New York speaking in iambic pentameter. Did they do much Shakespeare this year?

>136 ffortsa: - Well, I saw 4 shows in 5 days. By far, Something Rotten was the best. Hedda Gabler was also good. We saw 2 Shakespeare plays and to be perfectly honest, I wasn't impressed. We saw 12th Night and Cymbeline and I think we left at intermission on that last one.

I don't yet have the schedule for next season but since my friend moved there 4 years ago, I stay with her when I go. And because she works at one of the theatres, she was able to get me amazing prices. This summer, I paid $20 per show. Pretty good! That. of course, isn't a given for next time.

Hi Beth, I am still struggling to keep up here. My husband being at home is great but it does create a lot more work for me. Your recent reading of Because of Winn Dixie reminded me of when my granddaughter and I read it together. It was her 2nd favorite book, right behind The Wizard of Oz.

>133 jessibud2:, >135 jessibud2:, >137 jessibud2: 😀

>134 katiekrug: Thanks Katie. It sounds like one I would like.

>136 ffortsa: That sounds like a lot of fun, Judy.

>138 DeltaQueen50: Because of Winn-Dixie is a great book, Judy. I hope your husband is getting better every day.

.
109. Classics Illustrated Jane Eyre
I found this, what is basically a comic book version of Jane Eyre, on my shelf and pulled it off to read. The story is abridged and I wonder if the artist actually read the novel; Jane Eyre is a cute little blond girl. The essayist does point this out in the essay. The essay is a nice introduction and might be useful to students who need to write an essay but don't read the book. Although I doubt Jane Eyre is assigned reading anywhere except grad school anymore...

Anyway, I will stick with the real thing and add this to my mini free library.

Breasts and Eggs
I liked this novel, which was a book club pick. It allowed for a good discussion around the many women's issues that arise in the novel, beginning with worries about appearance.

Breasts and Eggs is a snapshot of about ten years in the life of the protagonist Natsuko, a writer from Osaka living in Tokyo. She has a sister Makiko and a niece Midoriko and grew up with her mother and grandmother. Not many of the women in the novel have great relationships with men.

Much of the novel centers on Natsuko's struggle to decide whether she wants a child. This decision is complicated by the fact that she doesn't have a partner.

There are lots of place names and foods that I am not familiar with, but it doesn't interfere with the story. However, like with Marukami novels, I feel that more familiarity with Japanese culture would enrich my understanding.

I went to see the film Small Things Like These. It was well done and is true to the spirit of the book, but the book is still better. :) Still, if you want to see a film with no special effects and explosions, you might give this a try.

>142 BLBera: I'm glad to see you liked it, Beth. Cillian Murphy can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. I'll probably watch it when it's available on a streaming service.

Hi Laura - It's one that you could watch on a small screen. Cillian Murphy is very good in the role.

Thanks for the reminder about the film of Small Things Like These, Beth!

>144 BLBera: Good to know Beth, thanks.

I'm a big fan of Cillian Murphy. I'll probably wait to see Small Things Like These when it streams on TV though, Beth.

Beth, I've added The Man Who Pays the Rent to my tbr list. thanks for your excellent review.

>141 BLBera: Supporting a good discussion sounds like a great book group book. We've had a few fun rants at recent bookgroup meetings, but not so many 'meaty' discussions. Although maybe that's the nature of the group, as we only meet for an hour.

I watched the Small Things trailer and am sold, will try and get to the cinema (first time in possibly a year if I do....)

>145 katiekrug: You are welcome, Katie

>146 lauralkeet: Enjoy it, Laura.

>147 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. It is very good.

>148 Whisper1: I really enjoyed it, Linda. I'm just finishing The Taming of the Shrew in my reading of the complete works...

>149 charl08: Hi Charlotte. I usually have a good sense of books that promote good discussion, but lately I have been surprised at how good our discussions have been.

One of the people I went to the film with said that Bill's trauma is much more obvious in the film... If you go, I will watch for your comments.

I've been busy, rearranging a room to make it a reading space. As I shifted books around, I even found a few to add to my mini free library. :)

>151 BLBera: I will never tire of looking at other people's bookshelves...

Me either, Charlotte. Is there something wrong with us? My dad made the green ones.

>151 BLBera: That is a lovely and inviting room.

>151 BLBera: - I agree with Charlotte >152 charl08:. Do I recognize an IKEA shelf in there? I have one just like it!

That’s a lovely space Beth and I’m sure the rearranging is both fun and satisfying.

I love your reading space, Beth. Thanks for sharing the picture!

>151 BLBera: Nice!

Wow! What a lovely room for reading! So many books.

>153 BLBera: Nothing wrong with us - it's just our thing. I LOVE when it's students' thing, too, even though sometimes it means that I have to move them during direct instruction because they can't stop looking at the books!

Love the green bookcase - how special that it was made by your dad.

>154 RidgewayGirl: Thanks Kay.

>155 jessibud2: The unpainted one might be IKEA. I've had it for a long time.

>156 lauralkeet: It was fun, Laura. I still have work to do in other areas though. Still, it is fun to make changes in the house.

>157 katiekrug: Thanks Katie.

>158 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.

>159 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah. Yes, I do have a lot of books.

>160 AMQS: My dad has made several bookcases for me, and I love them.

The Taming of the Shrew
An early play, a comedy, and probably best seen performed. There is a lot of disguise in this one. Petruchio marries Katherine and does his best to “tame” her. Bianca, the younger sister, has a lot of suitors, Lucentio, who pretends to be a tutor, Tranio, Lucentio’s servant who pretends to be Lucentio, etc.

The play begins with two scenes that are a framing device, the “induction.” Christopher Sly, a tinker, is tricked into thinking he is a lord, and Petruchio’s and Katherine’s courtship is the play he is watching, a play within a play. In the Riverside version, Sly makes one more brief appearance and then disappears from the play.

Critics don't have a lot to say about this play, and they don't always agree. Marjorie Garber claims that the framing device and Katherine’s speech at the end are two key moments in the play. She says, though, that other elements of the plot are also worth attention: “because they reflect – and anticipate – Shakespeare’s continuing interest in certain kinds of interpersonal relationships, like those between apparently compliant and apparently defiant women, the pleasures and dangers of the ‘language lesson,’ and the love banter of married or engaged couples…”(58). She compares Katherine and Petruchio’s banter to Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy…

Garber says Kate’s “obedience” speech at the end must be viewed in context, not with a feminist or modern lens.

W.H. Auden says the play is “a complete failure” because it’s a farce and Shakespeare doesn’t do farce. Petruchio is a “cad” and we never understand why Katherine is tamed.

Harold Bloom says the induction doesn’t work. Bloom says Kate is the one who is really in charge, that her “obedience” speech is ironic: “…for she is advising women how to rule absolutely, while feigning obedience.”

So, there we get three very different opinions from three critics.

On to the Henry IV plays, which I have never read. Even though Part 1 was written after parts 2 and 3, I will read it first.

What a lovely space, Beth! I love the shelves your dad made especially.

He has fun doing it, Lisa, and I have MANY shelves he has made. I think I have book shelves in every room of my house.

>151 BLBera: Hi Beth. What a beautiful bookish room. How cool that your father made those green shelves. Like you, my books are spread out throughout my house. Makes for some interesting treasure hunts!

>165 Donna828: Thanks Donna. Yes, treasure hunt is a good way to put it! I keep thinking I need some kind of system, but that is probably never going to happen.

112. Damaged
I read this for my December book club. While Lisa Scottoline has an interesting premise, I found some of the plot unbelievable, and many of the characters were flat.

In this novel, Mary DiNuncio, a partner in the Rosato law firm, is drawn to the case of ten-year-old Patrick O'Brien, a boy who is dyslexic and who is being bullied in school. His grandfather, Patrick's only living relative, approaches Mary to get some kind of accommodation to help Patrick in school.

The premise drew me in, but some of Mary's actions seem very "unlawyerly" and, in the end, all of the loose ends were tied up a bit too neatly.

This was OK, but I am not tempted to read more in the series. I listened to the audiobook, which was well done.

>167 BLBera: Have you read anything else by Lisa Scottoline, Beth? She lives in the Philadelphia area and when we lived there, she had a regular column in the local paper and received a lot of publicity whenever she released a new book. Her book releases were so frequent it made me question their quality. So I was never tempted. Thanks for confirming my hunch! I hope your next read is a better one.

I think I may have read some of hers, but it was pre LT, and I don't have any memory of them. It wasn't horrible; there are just too many better books I would prefer to spend my time on. I do wonder about people who write books every year -- or more often.

>151 BLBera: Ooo, that's lovely Beth, teal and lime, along with orange and emerald are fave colours of mine.

The chair is surprisingly comfortable as well, Caroline. I may never leave this room.

Just swinging through, Beth.
>151 BLBera: I love that room! I can certainly understand your desire to spend time there. Having a comfortable reading space is so special. Also, the light seems really nice. Maybe you will be in that room for our next virtual reading group meeting (which we need to schedule, by the way).

I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving!

A visit from Ellen! Yes, we need to schedule our next meeting. I know Kim has been overwhelmed. I'll send a text with possible dates. I'm thinking it will be in December?

113. Dragon's Lair
I have really enjoyed these medieval mysteries by Sharon Kay Penman. Fans of Ariana Franklin would like these, I think.

In Dragon's Lair, the third novel in the series, Justin de Quincy, the Queen's man, returns to help Dowager Queen Eleanor retrieve stolen ransom. Queen Eleanor is anxious to free King Richard Lionheart from his German prison, while her son John is doing all that he can to prevent the ransom from reaching Germany. When a payment from Wales vanishes, Justin is sent to find it.

Penman does a good job of setting the scene in the twelfth century, and if you are a fan of historical mysteries, you will probably enjoy this one.

I am grateful for lists.

https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2024

>151 BLBera: Beth, Congratulations on a job well done! Your books shelves look marvelous!

>175 BLBera: How very eye catching these covers look! Thanks for posting this.

>175 BLBera: Me too! Thanks for posting. Here's another one....

100 Notable Books of 2024 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/26/books/notable-books.html?unlocked...

Grateful for my LibraryThing family! And happy new thread!



Was just stopping by to drop the greeting but had to say how much I *love* Sharon Kay Penman! I planned my trip to Wales based on her books about LLywelyn the Great and Edward.

And, I have accumulated a pile of Shakespeare books including the Bryson: maybe a holiday readathon.

>176 Whisper1:, >177 Whisper1: Thanks Linda! Happy Thanksgiving.

>178 charl08: Thanks Charlotte. It gives us an excuse to expand our WL, right?

>179 witchyrichy: Hi Karen. Penman is great. I would love to read her Welsh books, especially after getting a taste of Wales in Dragon's Lair. Maybe next year's project? I know what you mean about the pile of Shakespeare books. I am working on mine.

114. Shakespeare: The World as Stage
This is part of the "Eminent Lives" series. I read Francine Prose's book on Caravaggio, which was a good introduction, as is Bryson's book on Shakespeare. If you are new to Shakespeare, this is a good place to start. If you are familiar with Shakespeare and his times, there isn't much new here.

Bryson admits that little is known about Shakespeare's life, but he does give us background information about the times and the state of the theater during Shakespeare's life. He also devotes a chapter to some of the crazy theories that surround the authorship of the plays.

>151 BLBera: Love the reading room!!! Happy Thanksgiving my friend. xoxo

>178 charl08: Oooh! Have to look at this. ; )

Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. Take care. I hope you are having a great day.

In difficult times we have to be thankful for:
Friends and friendship
Books and readers.
This special group
Our loved ones near and far.

Thinking about you, Beth, this holiday period.

Thanks so much, Paul. I am very grateful for this group.

Here's a longer list!

https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2024

Thanks Beth for posting the best books!

You are welcome.

>184 PaulCranswick: I echo Paul's thoughts! There are so many wonderful people in this group, and I'm very glad I found your thread and added so many books that you posted.

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving. And, Happy December!

I DNF'd How Shakespeare Changed Everything. While I admire Marche's enthusiasm for Shakespeare, I found the scholarship sloppy; he got dates wrong, and when he talks about Shakespeare coining words, he should more accurately state that Shakespeare first wrote down words; we don't know how many of the words were in use. And his discussion of teens is just creepy.

November Reading
Books read: 10
By women: 6
By men: 3
By couple: 1

Novels: 4
Young reader: 2
Graphic novel: 1
Memoir: 1
Nonfiction: 1
Play: 1

Best: Mr. Darwin's Gardener

>190 BLBera: I can understand DNF-ing based on sloppy scholarship. There are so many books written about Shakespeare, and no doubt many that are much better.

>192 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. You are right; there are MANY great books about Shakespeare. Since I have been reading a lot about Shakespeare these days, this book really suffered in comparison.

Happy Monday. I'm off to help my mom decorate.

115. The Lady of the Mine
In The Lady of the Mine, Sergei Lebedev shows how important it is to bear witness to war atrocities and genocide, how silence allows the violence to continue, no matter who is in power. No one, Nazi or Communist has the moral high ground here.

At the center of the novel is Shaft 3/4, a sealed shaft at a Ukrainian coal mine. The shaft is the tomb of Jews killed by the Nazis. Everyone knows what lies in the shaft, yet no one speaks about it.

Lebedev uses four viewpoints to give us the story of a border town that has witnessed violence from both the east and the west, and in the five days covered in the novel, the cycle of violence continues. The various viewpoints work well to maintain tension in the novel.

However, people are not left without hope. Marianna, the mine's laundress, and woman of the title, is the mystical center of resistance. Perhaps the women will be able to keep the violence away? As the General considers: "The mothers had really gotten to him...just a bunch of women, nothing simpler than that. But they had a nameless force...An unyielding strength. Obdurate. Where could that have come from in a slavish, obedient country"?

Although the novel is set in Ukraine, it could be anywhere. The message is clear: it is important to speak up, to resist.

Hi Beth! I love the shelves your dad made. My dad enjoyed refinishing furniture and I have an end table that he did that is dear to me.

I haven't read anything by Sharon Kay Penman, but it sounds like a mystery series that I would enjoy.

That's a very intriguing review of Lady of the Mine. I love your final sentence: "The message is clear: it is important to speak up, to resist." The political situation in the US is so fraught right now, it seems a message we all need to hear.

The shelves are special, Janet, and will follow me anywhere I move.

If you like historical mysteries, you will like the Penman mysteries. And, there are only four.

It was hard to write comments on The Lady of the Mine; it's a very political book, yet there is also a mystical/magical element. And I didn't want to create any spoilers.

So many lists! I looked through them, ashamed that I recognized so few titles and so few authors! More attention must be paid.

I know, Judy! To get through our wishlists, we are going to have to live forever.

117. We're Alone
I love Edwidge Danticat's fiction, but her essays are also wonderful.

I saw Danticat as part of the "Talking Volumes" program in September. She explains the title of this essay collection in her preface: "...we're alone can...be a promise writers make to their readers, a reminder of this singular intimacy between us. At least we're alone together. Or as A.S. Byatt wrote in her 1990 novel Possession, 'The writer wrote alone, and the reader read alone, and they were alone with each other.'"

The essays cover a variety of topics, from family ("Writing the Self and Others") to writers she loves ("They Are Waiting in the Hills") to the current situation in Haiti with gang violence and kidnapping ("Chronicles of a Death Foretold" and "Wozo, Not Mawozo").

People who demonize Haitian immigrants should read these essays; perhaps it would help to turn down the heated rhetoric and give people some compassion.

Recommended.

>186 BLBera: I checked through the list and I've only read 6 books from the list.

Wow, it's a long list. I haven't counted how many I've read.

118. A Child's Christmas in Wales
This lyrical nostalgic look back at Christmases of childhood is wonderful, a must read during the Christmas season. The illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman in my edition are lovely.

>202 BLBera: That is the exact edition I have in the library. Unsurprisingly, it never checks out. Maybe I'll check it out myself.

>181 BLBera: What a coincidence. I am listening to the Bill Bryson Shakespeare book now while doing all the mundane chores I have been neglecting lately. I smiled when I heard that nobody (even him) could agree on the spelling of his last name.

>203 AMQS: Hi Anne. Are you back at school? When does your winter break start? I hope you get a nice long one. I would guess that kids would like this one best if it were read to them.

>204 Donna828: Bryson does give a nice background of the times, Donna. What struck me was the life expectancy at the time -- 35 for well-to-do people and 25 for poor people.

119. The Grey Wolf
I really enjoyed this last mystery set in Three Pines. In it Gamache and his team have to figure out where and how a terrorist attack will occur. This is much more a thriller than we normally see in this series. But Gamache and his team are back, and the Three Pines citizens make their appearances as well.

I didn't know that Ruth's poems are Margaret Atwood's. I guess I need to read the acknowledgments.

I started as number 30 on my library's wait list, and this was worth the wait.

Next, another one I have been waiting for: Tell Me Everything.

>206 BLBera: I didn't know that Ruth's poems are Margaret Atwood's. I guess I need to read the acknowledgments.
You and me both, Beth! I've always wondered whether Penny wrote them herself, which just didn't seem likely. It never occurred to me to read the acknowledgements. Duh.

I'm glad you enjoyed The Grey Wolf, and am happy to see Tell Me Everything up next.

>206 BLBera: I wonder how that conversation went re borrowing the poetry?

I liked Tell me everything a lot, hope you enjoy reading it.

Will have a look for a Child's Christmas in Wales. It sounds vaguely familiar, but not really sure why!

Hope you're enjoying your first retired Xmas 'break'.

>207 lauralkeet: I have high expectations for Tell Me Everything, Laura. No pressure. ;)

>208 charl08: Hi Charlotte. Penny actually says her assistants were having difficulty getting permission, so "I wrote to Margaret to ask for help. She leapt onto it right away, sending off emails to her agents and publishers, and staying with it until the issue was solved, even saying I could have it for free. I am smitten."

I hope you get a break as well.

>207 lauralkeet: Me 3 -- acknowledgements?

>186 BLBera: Thanks for the list. I think I have only read 4 books.....

>206 BLBera: I am still waiting for my hold at the library for that one.

Happy week ahead :)

Hi Beth, yes, back at school since the end of Thanksgiving break. This is our last week before winter break. I hope you are having a great week.

>210 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba. :)

>211 figsfromthistle: You are welcome, Anita.

>212 AMQS: Stay well, Anne. Have a great break.

Henry IV Part 1
This is the start of a group of history plays I will be reading. This play is remarkable. There is so much in it. As Marjorie Garber, a renowned Shakespearean scholar says, "The range of the play is as wide as the early modern world itself..."

In the beginning of the play, Prince Harry, or Hal, is hanging out in bars with Falstaff while his father, the King is dealing with rebellion. Hal is contrasted with another Henry, Henry Percy, who acts more like a prince and is leading the rebellion.

Scenes alternate between court and the tavern, a brilliant staging strategy. Falstaff is an unforgettable character, and it is interesting to see the change in Hal as the play progresses. In many ways this is a coming-of-age story.

Garber sees many contrasts in the play, which can be viewed as a morality play -- we see the conflict between vice and virtue in the very structure of the play.

Now, on to Henry IV Part 2

>206 BLBera: I doubt I'll have to wait that long, but the book was backordered. Our archives assistant will get it first, but I will probably grab it after she devours it. She loves Louise Penny more than I do--and I enjoy her immensely.

I hope you don't have long to wait, Lori. I imagine you have something else you could read while you are waiting. :)

>216 BLBera: I have several books checked out of our library besides all sorts of things I can access electronically until I'm back at work in January. It will probably be in by then. Linda will read it quickly, and I can keep working through books I want to read until then.

It sounds like a great break, Lori.

>214 BLBera: I see you are starting on your goal of reading Shakespeare's plays right away, Beth. You are much better at keeping to your intentions than I am!

Hi - I just finished MACBETH - Shakespeare goes right to the heart of his tale! No time wasted.

>214 BLBera: The tetralogy Richard II / Henry IV, Part 1 & 2 / Henry V is for me the soul of Shakespeare. I love these plays and think of them as one long play broken into four digestible (and endlessly rewarding) parts. My introduction to them was in a college survey class led by a professor who highlighted the ways Shakespeare wrestles with questions about legitimacy of authority -- questions that appealed to me then and do still. But there is so much more. Yay for reading and rereading these plays!

>219 Familyhistorian: Life is short, Meg, and I have tons of materials.

>220 m.belljackson: Macbeth is a fun one to read. I've seen it at the theater a couple of times, and have never been happy with it. I guess it is notoriously hard to stage.

>221 swynn: Hi Steve! The histories are the plays I am least familiar with. I can certainly see, as I started Part 2, that it continues right where Part 1 left off, remarkable considering that Part 1 was written later than the other parts! Yes, Shakespeare is still relevant for sure.

>221 swynn: That sounds like a fascinating course, Steve. Lucky you!

Hi Beth! My husband loves the history plays. I've seen dramatizations but never read them. There is, as you said, so much in it.

Hi Laura - I am enjoying the history plays so far. I've only seen Richard III and Henry V, and those were the only ones I had read previously. I think I should be able to finish the current one yet this year.

I have been reading and enjoying The Philosophy of Modern Song. One thing that strikes me is that Bob Dylan is a good writer, but I guess that shouldn't surprise me. I am not familiar with a lot of the songs he discusses, so I look them up and listen to them, then I read the chapter about them. Today there were two songs I did know, "On the Road Again" and "If You Don't Know Me By Now."

His final comments about "On the Road Again": "The thing about being on the road is that you're not bogged down by anything. Not even bad news. You give pleasure to other people and you keep your grief to yourself."

>226 BLBera: - This looks like a good read, Beth. Interesting to look at the reviews - everything from one star to 5 stars. I may get the audiobook version from the library if they have it. As one reviewer said, although it doesn't (and perhaps should) include the actual songs he writes about, it is well presented, read by both Dylan and other actors. That alone intrigues me. And in truth, while I like his writing, his lyrics, I have never been a fan of his (*singing*) voice.

>221 swynn: I must agree with Steve in that Richard II is a wonderful play. John O'Gaunt's death bed speech is one of the most marvelous things ever written in English.

I haven't read or seen either of the two Henry IV plays, Beth, and I must put that right soon.

Hey Beth, a long overdue visit to catch up a bit. I'm so jealous you're reading Shakespeare. I have his anthology and it's something I'd really like to go back to.
The philosophy of modern song sounds great. I'm adding it to my TBR!

>226 BLBera: The Dylan book sounds really awesome!! : )

I wish you and your loved ones a happy and blessed festive season.

>227 jessibud2: Hi Shelley. Some of the chapters are better than others, but I am enjoying it, and also hearing some new-to-me music.

>228 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. I will get to Richard II eventually. I am enjoying the journey so far.

>229 Carmenere: Merry Christmas Lynda.

>230 Berly: It's a must read for Dylan fans. He is such a good writer. Merry Christmas, TwinK. I hope you and yours are well and that Santa puts something nice in your stocking.

>231 Ameise1: Merry Christmas to you, Barbara.

Nadolig Llawen, Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Diolch yn fawr

Winslow and all of us wish you a very happy holidays!

Thinking of you at this time, Beth.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, Beth! Here's to a lot of good reading time.

>214 BLBera: I’ve been reading Shakespeare in Bloomsbury which has made me want to go back to the plays (I’ve probably only read half a dozen or so, and reread a couple more than once), so I’m aiming at 1 a month, and reading some crit too Beth.

>235 AMQS: Merry Christmas to you and yours, Anne. And happy new year! I hope 2025 is wonderful.

>236 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. I hope you and yours are doing well.

>237 lisapeet: Thanks Lisa. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you! Fingers crossed that we meet in 2025.

>238 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you.

>239 Caroline_McElwee: I love Garber, Caroline, and will definitely search out Shakespeare in Bloomsbury. I've read most of the plays except for the histories. It is fun to revisit them and read some commentary along with them.