Klobrien2 Karen O Books and Life in 2024 - Part 9

Welcome to my ninth, and probably last, 2024 “Books and Life” thread!

I've been with the 75-bookers for many years now, and I enjoy so much the camaraderie and book talk that happens here. I'm very glad to join with you all again!

The year 2023 was my annus horribilus; I lost my husband (the love of my life) at the end of March, and had scary health concerns in November. But through it all, reading has been an anchor and a beacon for my life. This Library Thing group has provided me a safe and loving place to be.

I’ve had great reading in 2024. I find myself reading pretty much as the spirit leads. I participate in the American Author Challenge, and plan to continue with them. A long-term project of mine is to accomplish reads from the "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die" book, so that may guide my reading a little. Current 1001 Books count: 215.

What directs my reading more are my friends here on LT, so keep those recommendations coming!

This is my fifteenth year participating in the 75 Books Challenge. In 2009, I read 94 books; in 2010, I made it to 148!; 153 in 2011; 160 in 2012; 114 in 2013; 92 in 2014; 109 in 2015; 145 in 2016, 210 in 2017, 200 in 2018, 180 in 2019, 225 (3 x 75!) in 2020, 242 in 2021, 286 in 2022, 230 in 2023.

In addition to reading books, I've also discovered the world of Great Courses DVD lifelong learning courses. I love them! Below is a list of the courses I've completed, and I will try to always have at least one course going all the time.

A list of the Great Courses I have done can be found here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/331920

I've also begun some serious magazine reading, using my public library as source once again. I keep track of and read some fifteen magazines, on a range of topics: science, quilting, nature, birding, cats, news, etc.

I read two daily newspapers (St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Minneapolis Star Tribune), and I also read a lot of daily newsletters from the NYTimes.

Here's where I'll list the books I read (the number at the end of each line represents the post number where I listed the book).

MY FIRST THREAD:

The books I read in January:

A1. Traveling Light: Poems by Linda Pastan
A2. A Dog Runs Through It by Linda Pastan
3. An American Story by Kwame Alexander, art by Dare Coulter
4. There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds, art by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey
5. A Walk in the Woods by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pickney
A6. The Witches' Tree (Agatha Raisin #28) by M. C. Beaton
A7. The Dead Ringer (Agatha Raisin #29) by M. C. Beaton
8. You Nest Here With Me by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y Stemple, ill. Melissa Sweet
9. The Iridescence of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Hadley Hooper
10. Cat Kid Comic Club Influencers (Cat Kid Comic Club #5) by Dav Pilkey
A11. The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2) by Robert Galbraith
A12. My Everyday Lagos: Nigerian Cooking at Home and in the Diaspora by Yewande Kololafe
13. The Little Match Girl Strikes Back by Emma Carroll, illuminated by Lauren Childs
A14. Dinner in One: Exceptional and Easy One-Pan Meals by Melissa Clark
A15. Beating About the Bush by M. C. Beaton
16. Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein by Linda Bailey, ill. Julia Sarda
17. Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco
18. Coyote's Wild Home by Lily Kingsolver and Barbara Kingsolver, painted by Paul Mirocha
19. In the Dark by Kate Hoefler, art by Corinna Luyken
20. Just One Little Light by Kat Yeh, ill. Isabelle Arsenault
21. Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco
22. Zilot & Other Rhymes by Bob Odenkirk, ill. Erin Odenkirk
A23. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, ill. Grahame Baker-Smith
A24. She-Hulk Vol. 3: Girl Can't Help It by Rainbow Rowell
A25. Collected Poems by Jane Kenyon
A26. Without: Poems by Donald Hill
A27. Watership Down: The Graphic Novel by Richard Adams, adapted and illustrated by James Sturn and Joe Sutphin
A28. Eve's Diary (short story) by Mark Twain
A29. Banned Books, Burned Books: Forbidden Literary Works (DVD Great Course) by Maureen Corrigan
30. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, ill. Robert Lawson
31. Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest, ill. Katy Schneider
32. When Grandfather Flew by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Chris Sheban
33. Grief Is An Elephant by Tamara Ellis Smith, and Nancy Whiteside
A34. Homeland of My Body: New & Selected Poems by Richard Blanco

The books I read in February:

A35. Murder Most Royal (Her Majesty the Queen Investigates #3) by S. J. Bennett
36. My Indigo World by Rosa Sung Ji Chang
37. How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
38. How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham
A39. A Good Cry: What We Learn from Tears and Laughter by Nikki Giovanni
A40. Prince in Comics by Tony Laurenco, 16 illustrators
A41. This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America by Navied Mahdavian

MY SECOND THREAD:

A42. Hot to Trot (Agatha Raisin #31) by M. C. Beaton with R. W. Green
A43. Three Men Out (Nero Wolfe #23) by Rex Stout
A44. When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice From a Professional Clown by Kenan Thompson
45. Sloth Slept On by Frann Preston-Gannon
46. Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andraea, ill. Guy Parker-Rees
47. Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
48. Ironheart Vol. !: Those With Courage
A49. Cooking My Way: Recipes and Techniques for Economical Cooking by Jacques Pepin
A50. So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan
A51. Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet (Great Course) by John McWhorter
A52. The Tucci Table: Cooking With Family and Friends by Stanley Tucci and Felicity Blunt
A53. Down the Hatch (Agatha Raisin #32) by M. C. Beaton
A54. Open Throat: A Novel by Henry Hoke
55. I Wonder If I'll See a Whale by Francis Ward Weller, ill. Ted Lewin
56. Little Red Riding Hood, adapted from The Brothers Grimm by Gennady Spirin
A57. Ironheart, Vol. 2: Ten Rings by Eve L. Ewing
A58. Ironheart: Riri Williams by Brian Michael Bendis
A59. Artificial: A Love Story by Amy Kurzweil
A60. Orbital: A Novel by Samantha Harvey
61. My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Francesca Sanna
A62. The Diaries of Adam and Eve and Other Stories by Mark Twain
A63. Electric Arches by Eve L. Ewing
64. Dream Within a Dream by Patricia MacLachlan
A65. The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World by Matt Kracht
66. The Moon's Almost Here by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Tomie de Paola
67. Before She Was Harriet by Leea Cline-Ransome, ill. James E. Ransome
68. Snowflakes Fall by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Steven Kellogg
69. The Journey by Francesca Sanna
70. The Tale of Tsar Saltan by Alexander Pushkin, paintings by Gennady Spirin
71. Before You Came by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest, ill David Diaz

The books I read in March:

72. Through Grandpa's Eyes by Patricia MacLachlan, pictures by Deborah Ray
73. My Father's Words by Patricia MacLachlan
A74. Devil's Delight by M. C. Beaton and R. W. Green
75. Classic Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen, adapted by Valeria Manferto, ill. Francesca Rossi
76. Zin! Zin! Zin!: A Violin by Lloyd Moss, ill. Marjorie Priceman
77. I Am Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Brad Meltzer, ill. Christopher Eliopoulos
78. Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto
79. All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan, paintings by Mike Wimmer
80. Snow White and Rose Red by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, trans. May Sellars, ill. Gennady Spirin

MY THIRD THREAD:

A81. The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel, Vol. 1 by Neil Gaiman, graphic adaptation by P. Craig Russell, various illustrators
A82. The Middle Ages Around the World (Great Course) by Joyce E. Salisbury
A83. Dead on Target (Agatha Raisin #34) by M. C. Beaton with R. W. Green
84. Three Names by Patricia MacLachlan, pictures by Alexander Portzoff
85. Pretty Ugly (Toon Books) by David Sedaris, ill. Ian Falconer
A86. Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Short Stories by Truman Capote
A87. Guts by Raina Telgemeier
A88. The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel, Vol. 2 by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell various illustrators
A89. Notes on Grief by Chimimanda Ngosi Adechie
A90. Saga Volume 10 by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples (artist)
A91. At First Spite: A Harlot's Bay Novel by Olivia Dade
A92. Organizing for the Rest of Us: 100 Realistic Strategies to Keep Any House Under Control by Dana K. White
A93. Corn Dance: Inspired First American Cuisine by Loretta Barrett Oden with Beth Dooley
94. Geraldine by Elizabeth Lilly
95. Cat Talk by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest, ill. Barry Moser
96. The Sick Day by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Jane Dyer
97. Your Moon, My Moon: A Grandmother's Words to a Faraway Child by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Bryan Collier
A98. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
A99. Abandoned Malls of America: Crumbling Commerce Left Behind by Seph Lawless
A100. Ferris by Kate DiCamillo
A101. Saga, Volume 11 by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples (artist)
102. Smile by Raina Telgemeier
A103. A Commonplace Book of Pie by Kate Lebo
104. Prairie Days by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Micha Archer
105. My Poet by Patricia MacLachlan, ill. Jen Hill
106. Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting, ill. Ronald Himler
107. The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward
108. My Elephant is Blue: A Book About Big, Heavy Feelings by Melinda Szymanik, ill. Vasanti Unka

The books I read in April:

A109. The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate, ill. Patricia Castelao
A110. Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martin
A111. No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) by Kate Bowler
112. King Arthur's Very Great Grandson by Kenneth Kraegel
113. The Clown of God: An Old Story Told and Illustrated by Tomie DePaolo
114. I Didn't Do it by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest, ill. Katy Schneider -
115. Cher Ami: Based On The World War One Legend of the Fearless Pigeon by Meliande Potter, ill. Giselle Potter
A116. Ragnarok: The End of the Gods by A. S. Byatt

MY FOURTH THREAD:

A117. Answered Prayers: An Unfinished Novel by Truman Capote
A118. How Can I Help You by Laura Sims
A119. Post-Impressionism: The Beginnings of Modern Art (Great Course) by Ricky Allman
120. One Snowy Night by Nick Butterworth
121. Painting the Wind by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan, ill. Katy Schneider
122. Life in the Boreal Forest by Brenda Z. Guiberson, painting by Gennady Spirin
123. Oskar's Voyage by Laura Purdlle Salas, ill. Kayla Harren
A124. Grief is the Thing With Feathers: A Novel by Max Porter
125. Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
A126. Field Work by Seamus Heaney
A127. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
128. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
129. The School Trip by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
130. Field Day by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
131. One Blowy Night by Nick Butterworth
132. The Rescue Party by Nick Butterworth
133. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
134. Something About the Sky by Rachel Carson and Nikki McClure
135. The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung, ill. Hanna Cha
136. Gifts From Georgia's Garden: How Georgia O'Keefe Nourished Her Art by Lisa Robinson, ill. Hadley Hooper
137. The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, adapted and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
A138. Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan
A139. Olivetti by Allie Millington

The books I read in May:

140. Orris and Timble: The Beginning by Kate DiCamillo, ill. Carmen Mok
A141. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
A142. The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate, ill. Patricia Castelao
A143. Unnatural Habits (Phryne Fisher #19) by Kerry Greenwood
A144. Hello, Friends: Stories of Dating, Destiny, and Day Jobs by Dulce Sloan
A145. Crow: From the Life and Songs of the Crow by Ted Hughes
A146. The Art of Rube Goldberg: (A) Inventive (B) Cartoon (C) Genius by Jennifer George
147. Michael Rosen's Sad Book by Michael Rosen, ill. Quentin Blake
148. Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder by Dav Pilkey
149. Big Babies by Patrick O'Brien
150. Norman Didn't Do It (Yes He Did) by Ryan T. Higgins
A151. Mysterious, Marvelous Octopus by Paige Towler
152. The Truth of Me: About a Boy, His Grandmother, and a Very Good Dog by Patricia MacLachlan
A153. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
A154. The One and Only Family by Katherine Applegate, ill. Patricia Castelao
A155. A Wild Swan: And Other Tales by Michael Cunningham, ill. Yuko Shimizu
A156. Here After: A Memoir by Amy Lin
A157. Miracle Man: The Golden Age by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham
A158. A Map to the Next World: Poems and Tales by Joy Hargo
A159. How the Birds Got Their Songs by Travis Zimmerman, ill. Sam Zimmerman
160. Mercy Watson is Missing! by Kate DiCamillo, ill. Chris Van Dusen
A161. What the Bees See: A Honeybee's View of the World by Craig P. Burrows

MY FIFTH THREAD:

A162. Three Roads Back: How Emerson, Thoreau, and William James Responded to the Greatest Losses of Their Lives by Robert D. Richardson
163. A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse by Kate Allen Fox, ill. Khoa Le
164. Small in the City by Sydney Smith
165. The Twelve Dancing Princesses, retold and ill. by Ruth Sanderson
166. Odder by Katherine Applegate, ill. Charles Chantoso

The books I read in June:

A167. Timbuktu by Paul Aster (1001 Books #217)
A168. The Unofficial Ted Lasso Cookbook: From Biscuits to BBQ, 50 Recipes Inspired by TV's Most Lovable Football Team by Aki Berry and Meg Chang
A169. The Last Word by Elly Griffiths
170. Otto the Owl Who Loved Poetry by Vern Kousky
171. The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend, retold by Aaron Shepherd, ill. Gennady Spirin
172. The Poem Forest: Poet W. S. Merwin and the Palm Tree Forest He Grew from Scratch by Carrie Fountain, ill. Chris Turnham
173. The Mysteries of Harris BUrdick by Christ Van Allsburg
174. W is for Webster: Noah Webster and His American Dictionary by Tracey Fern, pictures by Boris Kulikov
A175. Facades by Bill Cunningham
A176. Following My Spirit Home: A Collection of Paintings and Stories by Sam Zimmerman
A177. Miracleman: The Original Epic by (a bunch of various artists)
178. The Serious Goose by Jimmy Kimmel
179. The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt, ill. Tony DiTerlizzi
A180. Yellowface by Rebecca R. Kuang
A181. The Lake Turned Upside Down: The Story of Unthinkable Tragedy and Incredible Survival in the 1969 Outing, Minnesota F4 Tornado by Sue Dugan Moline
A182. After Annie: A Novel by Anna Quindlen
183. Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown, ill. John Parra
184. Madeline Finn and the Blessing of the Animals by Lisa Papp
185. Once Upon a Northern Night by Jean E. Pendziwol, pics by Isabelle Arsenault
186. Me and You and the Red Canoe by Jean E. Pendziwol, pictures by "Phil"
187. When I Listen in Silence by Jean E. Pendziwol, ill. Carmen Mok
188. Skating Wild on an Inland Sea by Jean Pendziwol, ill. Todd Stewart
189. So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell
A190. England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest by Jennifer Paxton
191. Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp
192. Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog by Lisa Papp
193. Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, ill. Hudson Talbott
194. Star Party by Polly Carlson-Voiles, ill. Consie Powell
195. My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story by George Takei, ill. Michelle Lee
196. GRAY by Laura Dockrill, ill. Lauren Child
A197. The Guncle by Steven Rowley
A198. Poachers Caught!: The Adventures of a Northwoods Game Warden by Tom Chapin

The books I read in July:

199. To Know a Starry Night by Paul Bogard, photos by Beau Rogers
A200. Cooking Solo: The Joy of Cooking for Yourself by Klancy Miller
201. The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan
202. A Family Tree by Stacy Lol Drouillard, ill. Kate Gardiner
203. Animal Albums From A to Z by Cece Bell
204. Too Many Golems by Jane Yolen, ill. Maya Shleifer
205. Shy Willow by Cat Min
206. Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willem
207. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
A208. Antarctica by Claire Keegan
A209. She-Hulk, Vol. 4: Jen-Sational by Rainbow Rowell
A210. The World Central Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope by Jose Andres
A211. Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative by Herbert Mason
A212. Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed

MY SIXTH THREAD:

A213. The Rain in the Trees: Poems by W. S. Merwin
214. What if Night? by Paul Bogard, ill. Sarah Holden
215. Roar-choo! by Charlotte Cheng, art by Dan Sankat
216. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen, ill. Mark Teague
217. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
218. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
A219. Saga Volume 1 by Brian I. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies
A220. Saga Volume 2 by Brian I. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies
A221. Saga Volume 3 by Brian I. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies
A222. Saga Volume 4 by Brian I. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies
223. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, ill. John Schoenherr
224. How Do Dinosaurs Learn To Be Kind? by Jane Yolen, ill. Mark Teague
225. How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? by Jane Yolen, ill. Mark Teague
226. The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat
227. Sam, The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World by Mo Willems
228. A Matter of Pride by Emily Crofford, ill. Jim LaMarche
229. Being Home by Traci Sorell, ill. Michaela Goode
230. A Apple Pie by Kennady Spirin
231. Mice Skating by Annie Silvestro, ill. Teagan White
232. Winter is Coming by Tony Johnston, ill. Jim LaMarche
A233. The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson
A234. A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis
A235. My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Book One by Emil Ferris
236. There Was a Shadow by Bruce Handy, ill. Lisk Feng
237. The Shadow and the Ghost by Cat Min
238. Too Much Stuff by Emily Gravett
239. Let There Be Light by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, ill. Nancy Tillman
240. Simeon's Gift by Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton
241. A Medieval Feast written and illustrated by Aliki
242. Yakov and the Seven Thieves by Madonna, art by Gennady Spirin
243. Animals Marco Polo Saw: An Adventure On the Silk Road by Sandra Markle, ill. Daniela Jaglenka Terragine
A244. Saga Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies
A245. Saga Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies
A246. Saga Volume 7 by Brian K. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies
A247. Saga Volume 8 by Brian K. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies
A248. Saga Volume 9 by Brian K. Vaughan, ill. Fiona Davies

The books I read in August:

A249. Walk the Blue Fields: Stories by Claire Keegan
250. Rising by Sidura Ludwig, ill. Sophia Vincent Guy
251. Goodbye Old House by Margaret Wild, ill. Ann James
252. Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina, ill. Sonia Sanchez
253. This Is Not My Home by Eugenia Yoh and Vivienne Cheng
254. Lenny & Lucy by Philip C Stead, ill Erin E. Stead
255. Starting Over in Sunset Park by Jose Pelaez and Lynn McGee, pics by Bianca Diaz
256. Just Like Millie by Lauren Castillo
257. Southwest Sunrise by Nikki Grimes, ill. Wendell Minor
A258. Wendy by Walter Scott
A259. Wendy: Wendy's Revenge by Walter Scott
A260. Wendy: Wendy, Master of Art by Walter Scott
A261. Wendy: The Wendy Award by Walter Scott
A262. The Surprising Lives of Christian Saints (Great Course) by Emily Graham
A263. The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
A264. Ninety-Nine Stories of God by Joy Williams
265. A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, ill. Erin E. Stead
266. Kick Push: Be Your Epic Self by Frank Morrison
267. Lotsa de Casha by Madonna, art of Rui Paes
A268. Completely Kafka: A Comic Biography by Nicola Mahler
A269. The Shadow of Sirius by W. S Merwin
A270. Woman Life Freedom by Marjane Satrapi
A271. Failure to Launch: A Tour of Ill-Fated Futures, ed. Kel McDonald
A272. Everyday Contemplative: The Way of Prayerful Living by L. Roger Owens
273. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
274. How the Stars Came to Be by Poonam Mistry
275. Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride by Marjorie Priceman
276. Color the Sky by David Elliott, ill. Evan Turk
277. Bear Has a Story To Tell by Philip Christian Stead, ill. Erin E. Stead
278. Two Many Birds by Cindy Derby
279. Loaf the Cat Goes to the Powwow
280. Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna, ill. Loren Long
281. My Book and Me by Linda Sue Park, ill. Chris Raschka
282. The Memory String by Eve Bunting, ill. Ted Rand
A283. Miracleman: The Silver Age by Neil Gaiman, ill. Mark Buckingham
A284. The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln
A285. The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain: Lyrics for Stacey Kent by Kazuo Ishiguro

MY SEVENTH THREAD:

A286. Field Guide to North American Wildlife (Great Course) by David Wizejewski, in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation
287. If You Decide To Go To the Moon by Faith McNulty, ill. Steven Kellogg
288. How To Walk an Ant by Cindy Derby
289. Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
290. Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak
A291. Crows: Encounters With the Wise Guys of the Avian World by Candace Savage
292. Leo the Lightning Bug by Eric Drachman, ill. James Muscarello
293. I Wish You Knew by Jackie Azua Kramer, ill. Magdalena Mora
294. A Penguin Pup for Pinkerton by Steven Kellogg
295. Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten by Tricia Speed Shaskan, ill. Gerald Guerlais
296. Mama in the Moon by Doreen Cronin and Brian Cronin
297. The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston
A298. Clear by Carys Davies

The books I read in September:

299. Falling up: Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein
300. The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFee by Alexander McCall Smith
301. The Year We Learned to Fly by Jacqueline Woodson, ill. Rafael Lopez
302. Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak
303. Mr. S.: A First Day of School Book by Monica Arnaldo
304. Truman by Jean Ridy, ill. Lucy Ruth Cummins
305. The Yellow Bus by Loren Long
306. Mine!: A Story of Not Sharing by Klara Persson, ill. Charlotte Ramel
307. The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, pictures by David Small
308. Until You Find the Sun: A Story About Discovering Home Wherever You Go by Maryam Hassan, ill. Anna Wilson
309. Strange Trees and the Stories Behind Them by Bernadette Pourquie, ill. Cecile Gambini
310. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, ill. E. B. Lewis
311. The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg
312. Cat Wishes by Calista Brill, pictures by Kenard Pak
313. Keeping the City Going by Brian Floca
314. The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers
315. Sometimes We Fall by Randall de Seve, artwork by Kate Gardiner
316. Bright Star by Yuyi Morales
317. Ahoy! by Sophie Blackall
318. Adventures with Finn and Skip: Arctic
319. Never, Not Ever! by Beatrice Alemagna
A320. Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen
A321. Summer in the Spring: Anishinaabe Lyric Poems and Stories, ed. Gerald Vizenor
A322. The Boys Omnibus, Volume 1 by Garth Ennis, ill. Darick Robertson and Peter Snejbjerg
323. Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein
A324. Secrets of the Octopus by Sy Montgomery
325. A Light in the Attic: Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein
326. Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
327. Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathman
328. The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, ill. E. B. Lewis
329. Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee
330. I Wonder by K. A. Holt, pictures by Leonard Pak
331. Millie Fleur's Poison Garden by Christy Mandin
A332. The Loved One: An Anglo-American Tragedy by Evelyn Waugh
333. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book by Yuyi Morales
334. Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales
335. Thunder Boy, Jr. by Sherman Alexie, ill. Yuyi Morales
336. The Book of Turtles by Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson
337. Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers, ill. Marla Frazee
338. Mog the Forgetful Cat by Judith Kerr
339. Mog Time: Six Stories About Mog the Forgetful Cat by Judith Kerr
A340. James by Percival Everett
A341. The New York Time Cooking No-Recipe Recipes (cookbook) by Sam Sifton
A342. The Boys Omnibus Volume 2 by Garth Ennis

The books I read in October:

A343. The Scientific Wonder of Birds (Great Course) by Bruce E. Fleury
A344. Does This Taste Funny?: Recipes Our Family Loves by Steven Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert
345. The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg
346. The Boy and the Gorilla by Jackie Azua Kramer, ill. Cindy Derby
347. The Paper Princess by Elisa Kleven
348. A Rainy Dragon Day by Julie Volk, tr. Melody Shaw
349. Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem
350. Little Whale by Jo Weaver
351. Garbage Delight, poems by Dennis Lee, pics by Frank Newfeld
352. Sinclair, the Velociraptor Who Thought He Was a Chicken by Douglas Rees, ill. Galia Bernstein
353. The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
354. The Hotel Balzaar (The Norendy Tales) by Kate DiCamillo, ill. Julia Sarda
A355. Appetite for Change: Soulful Recipes from a North Minneapolis Kitchen by Appetite for Change
A356. What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust (Flavia de Luce #11) by Alan Bradley
A357. The Boys Omnibus Volume 3 by Garth Ennis

MY EIGHTH THREAD

358. Wombat Said Come In by Carmen Agra Deedy, ill. Brian Lies
359. Story Boat by Kyo Maclear, ill. Rashin Kheiriyeh
360. Before Morning by Joyce Sidman, ill. Beth Krommes
361. Rita and Ralph's Rotten Day by Carmen Agra Deedy, ill. Pete Oswald
362. Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Edna the Very First Chicken by Douglas Rees, ill. Jed Henry
363. The Hare-Shaped Hole by John Doherty, ill. Thomas Docherty
364. Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee, ill. Frank Newfeld
365. Emma Bean by Jean Van Leeuwen, pictures by Juan Wijngard
366. The Rainbabies by Laura Krauss Melmed, ill. Jim LaMarche
367. Owl Sees Owl by Laura Godwin, ill. Rob Dunlavey
368. Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, retold by Georghia Ellinas, ill. Jane Ray
369. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Color by Joyce Sidman, ill. Pamela Zagarenski
370. In the Woods by David Elliott, ill. Rob Dunlavey
371. Amazing Grapes and the Lost Dimension by Jules Feiffer
A372. Octavia E. Butler's Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damian Duffy, ill. John Jennings
A373. Lost Art: The Stories of Missing Masterpieces (Great Course) by Noah Charney
A374. Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram from Hell by Nicholas Meyer
375. One Moon, Two Cats by Laura Godwin, ill. Yoko Tanaka
376. Fred Stays With Me! by Nancy Coffelt, ill. Tricia Tusa
377. This Is Just to Say: Poem of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman, ill. Pamela Zagarenski
378. Old Turtle by Douglas Wood, watercolors by Cheng-Khee Chee
379. The Deer Watch by Pat Lowery Collins, ill. David Slonim
380. Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta by Aimee Lucido, ill. Mavisu Deming
381. The Dandelion's Tale by Kevin Sheehan and Rob Dunlavey
382. Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale, retold by Carmen Agra Deedy
383. Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman, ill. Beckie Prange
A384. As We Are Now: A Novel by May Sarton
A385. Anishinaabe Songs for a New Millennium by Marcie R. Rendon
A386. The Boys Omnibus Volume 4 by Garth Ennis
387. I Color Myself Different by Colin Kaepernick, ill. Eric Wilkerson
388. Old Turtle and the Broken Truth: Lessons of Old Turtle by Douglas Wood, ill. John J. Muth
389. Old Turtle: Questions of the Heart by Douglas Wood, ill. Greg Ruth
390. The Nutcracker: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids by Susan Jeffers
391. Abuela by Arthur Dorros, ill. Elisa Kleven
392. The Spaceman by Randy Cecil
393. Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, ill. Eric Carle
394. Agatha's Feather Bed: Not Just Another Wild Goose Story by Carmen Agra Deedy, ill. Laura L. Seeley
A395. Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay, ed. by Nancy Mitford
A396. Digging Dinosaurs: The Search that Unraveled the Mystery of Baby Dinosaurs by John R. Horner and James Gorman
A397. My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Book Two by Emil Ferris
A398. London in the Time of Dickens (Great Course) by Lillian Nayder

The books I read in November:

399. Kamala and Maya's Big Idea by Meena Harris, ill. Ann Ramirez Gonzalez
400. In Praise of Mystery by Ada Limon, ill. Peter Sis
401. Dalmartian: A Mars Rover's Story by Lucy Ruth Cummins
402. Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" by David LaRochelle, ill. Mike Wohnoutka
403. The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy, ill. Michael P. White
404. Lucy by Randy Cecil
405. Douglas by Randy Cecil
406. Glasswings: A Butterfly's Story by Elisa Kleven
407. Up and Down by Oliver Jeffers
408. 5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas by Jimmy Fallon, ill. Rich Dees
409. Louise: The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo, ill. Harry Bliss
A410. The Boys Omnibus Vol. 5 by Garth Ennis
411. Into the Uncut Grass by Trevor Noah, ill. Sabina Hahn
412. Our Big Home: An Earth Poem by Linda Glaser, ill. Elisa Kleven
413. The Return of the Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy, ill. Michael P. White
414. 13 Monsters Who Should Be Avoided by Kevin Shortsleeve, ill. Michael Austin
415. Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
416. The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers
417. Wish You Were Here: Postcards from Franz Kafka by Bernadette Watts
418. How To Apologize by David LaRochelle, ill. Mike Wohnoutka
419. Blue Ridge Babies 1, 2, 3: A Counting Book by Laura Sperry Gardner, ill. Stephanie Fizer Coleman
420. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel, ill. Trina Schart Hyman
421. We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang
422. The Library by Sarah Stewart, ill. David Small
423. 5 More Sleeps 'til Halloween by Jimmy Fallon
424. The parakeet Named Dreidel by Isaac Bashevis Singer, ill. Suanne Raphael Berkson
425. Why Noah Chose the Dove by Isaac Bashevis Singer, ill. Eric Carle
426. Dinosaurs in Space by Todd Sturgell
427. Cinderella by Kinuko Y. Craft
428. Momma's Going to March by Jennifer Maruno, ill. VIvian Rosas
429. Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains by Anita Yasuda, ill. Yuko Shimizu
430. The Boy and the Elephant by Freya Blackwood
431. Planting Hope: A Portrait of Photographer Sebastiao Solgado by Philip Hoelzel, ill. Renato Alarcao
432. Whalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas by Zachariah Ottova
433. Just What To Do by Kyle Lukoff, ill. Hala Tahboub
434. So Cold! by John Coy, ill. Chris Park
435. Here and There by Thea Lu
436. Wisdom Weavers: Explore the Ojibwe Language and the Meaning of Dream Catchers by James Vukelich Kaagegaebaw, ill. Marcus Trujillo
437. Yaya and the Sea by Karen Good Marable, ill. Tonya Engel
A438. Tell Me Everything: A Novel by Elizabeth Strout 3
439. The Last Dance by Carmen Agra Deedy, ill. Deborah Santini
A440. The Boys Omnibus, Vol, 6 by Garth Ennis
441. The Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffman, picture by Maurice Sendak
A442. Nancy & Sluggo's Guide to Life: Comics About Money, Food, and Other Essentials by Ernie Bushmiller
443. Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell
444. Mina by Matthew Forsythe
445. The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden by Heather Smith, ill. Rachel Wada
446. On Account of the Gum by Adam Rex
447. Real Cowboys by Kate Hoefler, ill. Jonathon Bean
448. Dog vs. Strawberry by Nelly Buchet, ill. Andrea Zuill
449. Dim Sum Palace by X. Fang
450. Under the Bodhi Tree: A Story of the Buddha by Deborah Hopkison, ill. Kailey Whitman
451. Under the Baobab Tree by Julie Stiegemeyer, ill. E. B. Lewis
452. Watch Out for the Lion! by Brook Hartman, ill. Anna Süßbauer
453. City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems, ill. John J. Muth
454. Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi
455. Widget by Lyn Rossiter McFarland, ill. Jim McFarland
456. The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Ryland, ill. Kathryn Brown
457. Six Dinner Sid by Inga Moore
458. The Day Moon and Earth Had an Argument by David Duff, ill. Noemi Vola
459. The Moons by Chan Poling, ill. Lucy Michell
460. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood, ill. LeUyen Pham
461. The Cat Way by Sara Lundberg, tr. B. J. Woodstein
462. The Greatest by Veera Hirnandani, ill. Vesper Stamper
463. As Edward Imagined: A Story of Edward Gorey in Three Acts by Matthew Burgess

MY NINTH THREAD

464. Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Arthur Howard -- 18
465. Mr. Putter & Tabby Feed the Fish by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Arthur Howard -- 18
466. The Show Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, ill. Bernadette Watts -- 18
467. Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio, ill. LeUyen Pham -- 18
468. Three Pebbles and a Song by Eileen Spinelli, ill. S. D. Schindler -- 18
A469. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #25) by AMS -- 19

The books I read in December:

A470. Twin Cities Snapshots: History Through the Lens of the St. Paul Pioneer Press -- 33
A471. The Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner -- 61
472. To Make by Danielle Davis, ill. Mags DeRoma -- 63
473. Grace Goes to Washington by Kelly DiPucchio, ill. LeUyen Pham -- 63
474. Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Arthur Howard -- 63
475. Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Arthur Howard -- 63
476. Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinsky -- 63
477. Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinsky -- 63
478. Sophie's Masterpiece: A Spider's Tale by Eileen Spinelli, ill. Jane Dyer -- 63
479. Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their Adventures by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Sucie Stevenson
A480. The Conditions of Unconditional Love (Isabel Dalhousie #15) by Alexander McCall Smith -- 81
A481. Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damien Duffy and John Jennings -- 82
A482. Cormac McCarthy's The Road: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Manu Larcenat -- 83
483. Awake by Mags DeRoma -- 105
484. A Fox Found a Box by Ged Adamson -- 105
485. All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinsky -- 105
486. The Bremen Town Musicians by The Brothers Grimm, ill. Bernadette Watts -- 105
487. Umami by Jacob Grant -- 105
488. There's a Ghost in the Garden by Kyo Maclear, ill. Katty Maurey -- 105
489. I Wonder About Worlds: Discovering Planets and Exoplanets by James Gladstone, ill. Yaara Eshet -- 105
A490. Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault, ill. Harry Clarke -- 108
491. Toy Dance Party by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinsky -- 109
492. Vincent Van Gogh by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, ill. Alette Straathof -- 133
493. Still Life by Alex London, ill. Paul O. Zelinski -- 133
494. Hello, Beech Tree! by Rasha Hamid, ill. Sofia Moore -- 133
495. Stitches of Tradition: (Gashkigwaaso Tradition) by Marie R. Rendon, ill. Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley -- 133
496. King Midas and the Golden Touch by Charlotte Craft, ill. K. Y. Craft -- 133
497. Douglas, You're a Genius! by Ged Adamson -- 133
498. Toys Come Home by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinski -- 140
499. All-of-a-Kind-Family by Sydney Taylor -- 142

Here is where I'll list the authors selected for the 2024 American Authors Challenge, the books I will read, and if I complete them (here's hoping!)

JANUARY: Mark Twain -- Read Eve's Diary -- COMPLETED
FEBRUARY: Susan Sontag -- not going to read
MARCH: Truman Capote -- Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories -- COMPLETED
APRIL: General Non-Fiction with host Caroline Caroline_McElwee -- No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) by Kate Bowler -- COMPLETED
MAY: William Maxwell -- So Long, See You Tomorrow -- COMPLETED
JUNE: Queer Authors with host Dr. Laura Koons lycomayflower -- The Guncle by Steven Rowley -- COMPLETED
JULY: Susan Power a/k/a Mona Susan Power -- not going to read
AUGUST: Jeffrey Lent -- not going to read
SEPTEMBER: Living American authors who were born outside the US but adopted this country as their home -- did not read this month
OCTOBER: Katharine Anne Porter -- did not read this month
NOVEMBER: Jewish American Authors with host Kristel kristelh -- I read a few illustrated stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer -- The parakeet Named Dreidel, ill. Suanne Raphael Berkson; and Why Noah Chose the Dove, ill. Eric Carle
DECEMBER: The Heartland (regional authors from the middle of the country): Reading Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
WILD CARD: 2015 Redux Pick an author from the 2015 Challenge
EXTRA POINTS CHALLENGE
(Complete the challenge by reading at least one work from the author or category featured each month AND one work from the Wildcard list each month.)

My 2003 "Books Read" list (casually kept, and probably incomplete): http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2003-reading-list.html
My 2004 "Books Read" list (see above caveats: things get better!):
http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2004-reading-list.html
My 2005 "Books Read" list (most pathetic list yet): http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2005-reading-list.html
My 2006 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2006-reading-list.htm
My 2007 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2007-reading-list.html
My 2008 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2008-reading-list.html
My 2009 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2009-reading-list.html
My 2010 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2010-reading-list.html

Here is a link to my last thread from 2011: http://www.librarything.com/topic/122919

Here is a link to my last thread from 2012: http://www.librarything.com/topic/138897

Here is a link to my last thread from 2013:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/156012

Here is a link to my thread from 2014: http://www.librarything.com/topic/163564

Here is a link to my thread from 2015: https://www.librarything.com/topic/186139

Here is a link to my thread from 2016: http://www.librarything.com/topic/211096

Here is a link to my last thread from 2017: http://www.librarything.com/topic/268142#

Here is a link to my last thread from 2018: https://www.librarything.com/topic/298557

Here is a link to my one-and-only thread from 2019: https://www.librarything.com/topic/301738

The books I've read in the first half of 2020 (115 of them) are here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/314888

The books I read in the second half of 2020 are here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/322010#

The books I read in the first half of 2021 are here:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328372#

The books I read in the second half of 2021 are here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/333390#

The books I read in the first quarter of 2022 are here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/338204#n7791489

The books I read in April and May of 2022 are here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340601#n7851702

The books I read in June, July, part of August of 2022 are here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342092#

The books I read in August through part of October of 2022 are here:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/343494#n7961305

The books I read from October to the end of year are here:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/345382#

Good reading to you!

Friday Reading Roundup!

Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (and do so much eBook reading), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (11/29/24):

Actively reading (or soon will be!)

Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia Butler; adapted by Damien Duffy and John Jennings -- p. 98 of 260
Great Hippopotamus Hotel (No. 1 Ladies' #25) by Alexander McCall Smith -- p. 190 of 225
Grief is for People by Sloan Crosley -- p. 3 of 191
Twin Cities' Snapshots: History through the Lens of the Saint Paul Pioneer Press -- p. 42 of 160
Frank Miller's Ronin -- 1/8th of the way (unnumbered book)
Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes, ill. J. Espila -- p. 9 of 185
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon -- p. 3 of 285
100 Poems by Seamus Heaney -- p. 3 of 169
Razor Girl (Andrew Yancy #2) by Carl Hiassen -- p. 64 of 333
Sipsworth by Simon van Booy -- p. 19 of 174
A Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle -- p. 73 of 250 (Libby)
The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer -- p. 3 of 238 (Mine)
The Comforts of Madness by Paul Sayer -- p. 1 of 120
Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13) by Jim Butcher -- p. 18 of 443 (Libby)
Before Midnight by Rex Stout -- p. 7 of 172 (Libby)
Murder and Mendelssohn (Phryne Fisher #20) by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 8 of 280 (Libby)
Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) by Robert Galbraith -- p. 96 of 439 (Libby)
The Wishing Pool and Other Stories by Tanarive Due

I'm overbooked! I don't want to lose track of these books, but I can't truly say that I am actively reading them right now:

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride -- p. 18 of 385
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman -- p. 20 of 173
The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger -- p. 82 of 421 (mine, on Nook)
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett -- p. 29 of 278 (mine, on Nook)
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal -- p. 81 of 253 (mine, on Nook)
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead -- p. 73 of 288 (Nook)
Agatha's First Case (Agatha Raisin #0.5) by M. C. Beaton (Nook)
Marple: Twelve New Stories by assorted authors
Fairy Tale by Stephen King

I try to participate in the American Authors Challenge. In November, the group read Jewish-American Authors. I read a few illustrated stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer -- The parakeet Named Dreidel, ill. Suanne Raphael Berkson; and Why Noah Chose the Dove, ill. Eric Carle.

I usually am reading/watching Great Courses. My current course is: The Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner. I've read and watched 18 of 24 lectures.

Are you open for bidness? Was your holiday fully thankful? I'm staggered by your reading numbers.

>3 weird_O: Yes, my thread is open, and you are my first visitor! Welcome.

I had a very nice Thanksgiving and was abundantly thankful for the plumbers, who restored my house’s plumbing and kept me sane (or a little more sane).

Next year, I’m going to keep a separate list for my illustrated books, because that’s where the ballooning numbers come from. But I’ve had a blast reading this year!

Thanks for checking in!

Happy new thread and happy Thanksgiving to you, Karen!

Happy New Thread, Karen. Stay warm.

Happy new one, Karen

Happy new thread, Karen. xx

Happy new thread!

Happy Saturday, Karen. Happy New Thread. You have done so well with the Jewison fest. I am glad I was able to join you on a couple of those.

Happy new thread! It appears the wiki isn’t working, but I’ll get this new one in the Threadbook once it’s back up again.

>5 AMQS: Thank you for the warm wishes! We need all the warmth we can get in chilly Minnesota!

>6 Kristelh: Thank you, Kristel! You stay warm, too!
My daughter’s in-laws in Perham were in the negative digits F. this morning (brrr!)

>7 jessibud2: Thank you!

>8 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! xx

>9 figsfromthistle: Thanks, figs!

>10 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I’ve really ejoyed the Jewison fest. I feel I’ve learned so much about his film making. I should finish up this weekend, with “The Statement.”

>11 drneutron: Thank you! And thank you so much for all you do for the group!

Thank you all for stopping by!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Get moving on some Christmas-ey stuff!

Books Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith, Library Book Day (only five “picture books” this week. Phew!)

Magazines:

Great Course Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner.
Watch: 19. The Irish Revival in Literature and Art, and 20. James Joyce’s Ireland.

Watching: GBBS ep. 15.10 (all done! Excellent season! Note to self: go look up Richard’s review!), Rivals eps. 7 and 8. Really enjoyed this series though I feel guilty for liking it so much. ☺️ It really feels like there will be a second series?

Listening:

Wordle 1,260 3/6 irate, aloha, dogma

⬜⬜🟦⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟦⬜🟧
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Connections
Puzzle #538
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟪🟪🟪
🟦🟦🟦🟦

Strands #272
“Yas Queen!”
🔵🔵🔵🔵
💡🔵🟡🔵
🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 11/30:
40/40 words (+8 bonus words)—3 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 25% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 84

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 11/30:
21/21 words (+1 bonus word)
🎯 In the top 14% by accuracy

Oh my goodness, Karen! I forget how much you actually read as your thread grows beyond my ability to catch up. Well done! Happy New Thread too!!

I'm wondering why you decided not to read any Jeffrey Lent.... Somebody recommended A Slant of Light very strongly, so I put it on my Kindle but haven't tried it yet. I have a lot to read, so I'll be interested to hear your thinking.

Minnesota! I can't imagine....... winter has come to SE NC too - 30° when I finally got up this morning and lows in the 20s for the next few days. Shiver! Shiver! Freeze! Freeze!
Stay warm!!!!!

>15 LizzieD: “ I'm wondering why you decided not to read any Jeffrey Lent”

Hmm…I don’t know. I had to go look up what he’s written, and none of the book titles jumped to my recollection.

If you ever get to A Slant of Light I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts.

You stay warm, too!

Edited to add: I see that Jeffrey Lent was the August American Author Challenge author. I knew the name seemed familiar! I don't know why I didn't get in on the reading, but none of his books jumped out at me this time, and they probably didn't then, either. Different books for different people, I guess.

Another dupe—to be replaced

*******************************************************
There are only three forms of high art: the symphony,
the illustrated children's book, and the board game.
(Saga Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan)
*******************************************************

So many of these lovely books are made known to me by whisper1 (thank you, so much!) Others who have pointed me in the right direction are: jessibud2, Norabelle, avatiakh, AMQS, Blbera, Booklist, and the NYTimes (please let me know if I've forgotten you!):

Library Book Day!:



464. Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Arthur Howard



"The shelterman brought Mr. Putter
the old yellow cat.

Its bones creaked, its fur was thinning, and it seemed a little deaf.

Mr. Putter creaked, his hair was thinning, and he was a little deaf, too."

"This is how their life began."

Very funny, quite sweet, and well done. Thanks to AMQS for recommending these books--they're a hoot!



465. Mr. Putter & Tabby Feed the Fish by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Arthur Howard



Hilarious, but realistic in emotions and cats! Illustrations are so well done!



466. The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, ill. Bernadette Watts



Quite an eerie story, but (spoiler) love conquers all. Charming illustrations.

I had to place an ILL request for this book, and a copy came to me all the way from Grand Marais, MN, which is WAY up on the northeast shore of Lake Superior. It tickles my fancy to see a book from one of my favorite places to visit. Libraries rule!



467. Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio, ill. LeUyen Pham



An introduction to the American electoral system. So timely. The story came about because one little girl (Grace) looked at pictures of American presidents, and asked "Where are the girls?" No kidding!

Well done, and informative.



468. Three Pebbles and a Song by Eileen Spinelli, ill. S. D. Schindler



"Everyone can contribute to their family's happiness, each in their own special way."

The author says, "Play can be just as satisfying as work."

The illustrator said that he was influenced by Beatrix Potter's illustrations for this book's illustrations. The illustrations are very nice.

469. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #25) by Alexander McCall Smith



A nice, tasty "book snack" from the author. Who is the villain who is trying to ruin the Great Hippopotamus Hotel, and why? Mma Makutsi is filling in for Mma Ramotswe on the case.

These books are very much about the location, and the people we meet there (maybe, not so much, the plot). They are a real balm to the reading soul, I think.

Happy new thread, Karen! Hope you're having a good weekend.

Hi Karen- Happy new thread.

We love Cynthia Rylant at our house, mainly because of Henry and Mudge. :)

Karen, I'm stopping by to say how very thankful I am for your participation in this group. I've very much enjoyed the way in which we share illustrated books. While I hope to read more non-illustrated books next year, illustrated books have a huge hold on my reading and one book leads to another to another and another. Many thanks for your wonderful recommendations and reviews.

I know 2024 was a tough year for you. You are an incredibly strong lady. And, I am very glad to find a soft place to land when I visit here. I hope to find more time to visit threads in 2025. 2024 was a year of issues with the house, and both time and money consumed a great deal of my time and money.

I admire you tremendously!!!

I'm so glad you enjoy Mr. Putter and Tabby! I have a few of them to send off to Germany for my nephew. I have decided he's ready.

OK I have another rec for you, and this is a beautiful picture book in its own right, but even better if read with Toys Go Out, which is such a wonderful book it's one of the only chapter books we read aloud more than once. Next is Toy Dance Party with a chapter about the washing machine that is so funny that we were rolling on the floor. You can certainly enjoy the picture book without having read these books, and it is lovely. The picture book is called Toys Meet Snow.

Happy New Thread, Karen!
>1 klobrien2: With recommendations it's a give and take - thank you for >19 klobrien2: I managed to get hold of the second volume in the series and am looking forward to it.

>20 bell7: Thank you! I’m having a nice, relaxing weekend. Just what I needed after a kind of stressful week (mixed blessings). I’ll be around to your thread in a bit.

>21 BLBera: Hello there! I’ll have to look for some Henry and Mudge. Thanks for the recommendation!

>22 Whisper1: What a sweet post! You know I feel the same way about you! Here’s to 2025 and easier ways in life!

>23 AMQS: Hail fellow, well met! I don’t know what made me think of that greeting, but I am very happy to take recommendations for illustrated books (as whisper1 knows, quite well!). I’ll go hunt them down.

>24 SirThomas: Happy Sunday!

Thanks to you all for stopping by! I love ti see you here!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Church (first day of Advent!) Get moving on some Christmas-ey stuff!

Books Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith—finished.
Started We Solve Murders by Richard Osman and another AMS, The Conditions of Unconditional Love.

Magazines: Atlantic Monthly (Nov), and NYT Book Review (11/17).

Great Course Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner.
Watch: 19. The Irish Revival in Literature and Art, and 20. James Joyce’s Ireland.

Watching:

Listening:

I love that word!

Wordle 1,261 3/6 irate, above, mauve

⬜⬜🟦⬜🟧
🟦⬜⬜🟧🟧
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Connections
Puzzle #539
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟪🟪🟪🟪

Strands #273
“Old hang-ups”
🔵🔵🟡🔵
🔵🔵🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/01:
74/74 words (+7 bonus words)—4/5 stars difficulty—
🎯 In the top 34% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 85

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/01:
28/28 words (+3 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 11% by accuracy

>28 IbrahimMash: Flagged and blocked.

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Get moving on some Christmas-ey stuff!

Books The Conditions of Unconditional Love by Alexander McCall Smith, Twin Cities Snapshots: History Through the Lens of the St. Paul Pioneer Press—finished.

Magazines:

Great Course Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner.
Watch: 19. The Irish Revival in Literature and Art, and 20. James Joyce’s Ireland.

Watching: Caught the end of “Thor: Ragnarok.”

Listening:

Wordle 1,262 6/6 irate, chime, noise, beige, glide, guile

🟦⬜⬜⬜🟧
⬜⬜🟧⬜🟧
⬜⬜🟧⬜🟧
⬜⬜🟧🟦🟧
🟧🟦🟧⬜🟧
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Connections
Puzzle #540
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟪🟦🟦
🟪🟦🟦🟦
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟪🟪🟪🟪

Strands #274
“Beatlemania!”
🔵🔵🔵🟡
🔵🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/02:
27/27 words (+3 bonus words)—1-1/2 of 5 stars difficulty—
🎯 In the top 18% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 86

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/02:
19/19 words
🎯 In the top 11% by accuracy

Blessed Advent, Karen!

I just thought I'd let you know that I was curious about the Jeffrey Lent I have, A Slant of Light. It starts with a double murder and one serious head injury. I don't know that I'll be continuing it, but my recommender has rarely let me down. At least I won't be going on right now.

470. Twin Cities Snapshots: History Through the Lens of the Pioneer Press



Terrific pictorial survey of pictures from the first 100+ years of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The book is ordered by decades, with an introductory paragraph for each decade, and ample captions for the photos.

What a task to select the photographs! The book is only 160 pages, so there are fewer than 500 pictures here, but they seem quite representative of the events (large and small) in the history of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

I quite see myself getting my own copy of this book, but I'm glad I waited for the library copy to view it for the first time.

Happy new thread, and happy December, Karen!

As Peggy said, it has gotten cold here in NC as well. Brrrrr.

>28 IbrahimMash: I just got notified that I have two new LT badges, both related to my work as Spam Avenger!

One is called ”Spam-Member Flagging for flagging members as spammers (5)” (I did this 5 times, I guess); and the other is ”Talk Spam-Fighting for flagging spam talk posts (40)”.

I’m proud of these badges! Stay away, you low-down, filthy spammers!

>35 klobrien2: 🥇👍👍👍

>34 atozgrl: Thank you for your kind wishes! I wish you a great December!

>36 SirThomas: 😇

Thank you both for stopping by!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Got a bunch of Christmas-ey stuff done yesterday, plan to continue today. Also, some KP and other adulting (meh).

Books The Conditions of Unconditional Love by Alexander McCall Smith.

Magazines:

Great Course Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner.
Watch: 19. The Irish Revival in Literature and Art, and 20. James Joyce’s Ireland.

Watching:

Listening:

Wordle 1,263 3/6 irate, blank, shaky

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Connections —Yikes! Barely squeaked by here!
Puzzle #541
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Strands #275
“Lead the way”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/03:
28/28 words (+7 bonus words)—2-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 13% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 87

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/03:
25/25 words (+1 bonus word)
🎯 Perfect accuracy

Thank you, Spam Buster!

>40 Kristelh: 😁

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Grocery list, Jerry list, KP, Christmas planning.

Books The Conditions of Unconditional Love by Alexander McCall Smith.

Magazines: New Yorker (12/02), The Week (11/29).

Great Course Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner.
Watched 19. The Irish Revival in Literature and Art, and 20. James Joyce’s Ireland.
Read: 21. Experiencing Belfast and 22. Northern Ireland Beyond Belfast.

Watching: Began The Statement
(Last film of my Norman Jewison Fest).

Listening: NYT Amplifier: Ultimate Yacht Rock Playlist.

Wordle 1,264 3/6 irate, trout, crypt

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Connections (Ugh…really tough today)
Puzzle #542
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Strands #276 — This one was tough, too!
“I now pronounce you ...”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/04:
55/55 words (+5 bonus words)—3 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 26% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 88

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/04:
24/24 words (+3 bonus words)
📖 In the top 28% by bonus words

Rock on, Karen. Rock on.

>44 weird_O: 😎

Time to finish up my “Norman Jewison Film Fest”:

Jewison, who passed away in January, was prolific, and directed a lot of my favorite movies. Here’s a mostly-complete list of his oeuvre (how do you like that cinema-speak?!) Jewison did a lot of TV, and I’ve omitted those shows. The films I’ve seen are in bold. I’ll be rewatching!



The Statement (2003). Michael Caine (awesome performance!), Tilda Swinton, Jeremy Northam, Ciaran Hinds, Alan Bates, Charlotte Rampling. All excellent; top-notch casting.

A former Nazi executioner becomes a target of hitmen and police investigators. The film is set in 1992.
"At the end of World War II, many of those involved in war crimes were prosecuted. Some got away. Until now." There is a secret society called "The Chevaliers of Sainte-Marie," and the Catholic Church (or, at least, certain groups of clerics) is implicated in the forty-year hiding and funding of Pierre Brossard (the Michael Caine character). Is this why the film is so hard to locate? The French Catholic Church does not come off at all well here.

Norman Jewison's son, Kevin Jewison, served as Director of Photography. The film was physically gorgeous, with lots of framing and other effects. I noticed stairs, steep, twisting. In a theological library, the books are contained by a chain-link fence. Early scenes of the murders of the Jewish men are shot in black and white; and there are flashbacks to these times, especially at the end of the film.

What a way to wind up my Jewison fest! Excellent, fast-paced, thriller of a movie. Jewison adds one more genre to his eclectic oeuvre!

Now I'm feeling a little bereft! I'll have to find a new project: Donald Sutherland? Scorsese?

The Fabulous Fifties (1960) 7.5 on IMDB (unavailable?)
40 Pounds of Trouble (1962) (6.3)
The Thrill of It All (1963) (6.9)
Send Me No Flowers (1964) (6.9)
The Art of Love (1965) (6.1) (DVD)
The Cincinnati Kid (1965) (7.2) (Tubi)
The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (1966) (7.0) (Tubi)
In the Heat of the Night (1967) (7.9) (Tubi)
The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) (6.9) (MGM+)
Gaily, Gaily (1969) (5.3–might skip this one)
Fiddler on the Roof (1971) (8.0) (Tubi)
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) (7.3) (Peacock)
Rollerball (1975) (6.5) (MGM+)
F.I.S.T. (1978) (6.4) Rent from MGM
And Justice For All (1979) (7.4) DVD
Best Friends (1982) (5.5–skip?)
A Soldier’s Story (1984) (7.2) DVD
Agnes of God (1985) (6.6) DVD (ILL)
Moonstruck (1987) (7.2) DVD
In Country (1989) (5.9) DVD (Kanopy, HCL)
Other People’s Money (1991) (6.2) DVD (ILL)
Only You (1994) (6.5) DVD
Bogus (1996) (5.3–skip?)
The Hurricane (1999) (7.6) DVD
The Statement (2003) (6.2; his last movie) DVD (ILL)

Anne is never wrong about kids' books. Toys Go Out was a favorite in our house.

Checking in on the new-ish thread, Karen!

>47 BLBera: >23 AMQS: I just got Toys Go Out and Toys Meet Snow from the library! I’ve been focusing on illustrated books, but the chapter book will give me a different view. Looking forward to both of them.

>48 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia!

>46 klobrien2: It sounds like I need to find both The Hurricane and The Statement. I had never even heard of the latter one. Thank you, I am benefiting from your film fest watching and reviews.

>51 atozgrl: I really enjoyed both of those films, and I think you would, too. The Statement was really hard to find (at least on DVD). I had to get it through ILL (interlibrary loan). I LOVE ILL!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Puttering, Christmas stuff.

Books The Conditions of Unconditional Love by Alexander McCall Smith, Library Book Day (3).

Magazines: NYT Mag (11/17), NYT Book Review (11/24).

Great Course Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner.
Watch: 21. Experiencing Belfast and 22. Northern Ireland Beyond Belfast.

Watching: The Statement
(Last film of my Norman Jewison Fest), Shrinking ep. 2.9.

Listening:

Wordle 1,265 3/6 irate, model, endow

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Connections
Puzzle #543
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Strands #277
“Gonna fly now!”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/05:
63/63 words (+11 bonus words)—3-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
📖 In the top 25% by bonus words
🔥 Solve streak: 89

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/05:
21/21 words
🎯 In the top 13% by accuracy

>47 BLBera: *blush* There are some absolutely wonderful children's books out there, and those of us who love them can't help wanting to share them with everyone we know:)

>49 klobrien2: I hope you love them, Karen. My daughter will read Toys Go Out to her 3rd graders this year.

Karen, I've so enjoyed our tours of illustrated books this year. Thank you for adding so many to my TBR list!

Many thanks. I've enjoyed getting to know you in 2024!

>55 AMQS: I read both Toys Go Out and Toys Meet Snow and really enjoyed both of them! I can really see how kids would like them, and how they must be a blast to read aloud. When Stingray gets on a roll, their words are almost poetry.

I’m think I’m going after the other two books in the trilogy. Don’t want to run out of books!

I also read a few more Mr. Putter and Tabby books, and found them a very sweet treat.

Thanks for the “heads-ups”!

>56 Whisper1: It’s I who should be thanking you for showing me the joy and healing of illustrated books! So, thank you! So much!

It’s amazing to know how friendships can grow out of the ether, like they do here at LT. Knowing you and “talking” with you has been such a comfort in my going on after losing my dear Art.

I’m wishing you a blessed 2025.☺️ Cheers!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Puttering, Christmas stuff.

Books The Conditions of Unconditional Love by Alexander McCall Smith, Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, Library Book Day (5 of ‘em).

Magazines:

Great Course Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner.
Watched: 21. Experiencing Belfast and 22. Northern Ireland Beyond Belfast.
Read and watched: 23. Pub Life and Traditional Irish Music, and 24. Ireland in Film and Sport, to finish this course. It was excellent!

Next up is Exploring the Mayan World

Watching:

Listening:

Wordle 1,266 5/6 irate, globe, choke, whose, shove

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Connections
Puzzle #544
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Strands #278
“Find your people”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/06:
74/74 words (+6 bonus words)—4 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 15% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 90

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/06:
20/20 words (+4 bonus words)
📖 In the top 17% by bonus words

471. Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland (Great Courses) by Marc C. Conner



Excellent course in an introduction to Ireland and Northern Ireland. Instructor is very familiar with the island, and covers history, architecture, the people, the music, the films...in fact, I got a synchronistic idea for my next film project from one of the last lectures.

Ireland Film Fest:

This list of films is suggested by the Great Course I just finished, Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland by Marc C. Conner. Films I have already seen are in bold; I will be rewatching! If any readers have suggestions for films about or of Ireland, please let me know!



The Quiet Man (1952) (dir. John Ford)--(Pluto)
Ryan's Daughter (1970) (David Lean)--DVD?
Michael Collins (1996) (Neil Jordan)--Prime
The Field (1990) (Jim Sheridan)--ILL?
My Left Foot (1989) (Jim Sheridan)--MGM+
Into the West (1992) (Mike Newell)--DVD?
In the Name of the Father (1993) (Jim Sheridan)--DVD?
The Commitments (1991) (Alan Parker)--DVD?
Dancing at Lughnasa (1998) (Pat O’Connor)--Tubi
The Dead (1987) (John Huston!)--Tubi
Angela's Ashes (1999) (Alan Parker)--MGM+
The Boys and Girl from County Clare (2003) (John Irvin)--DVD?
Brooklyn (2015) (John Crowley)--Max
Small Things Like These—

*******************************************************
There are only three forms of high art: the symphony,
the illustrated children's book, and the board game.
(Saga Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan)
*******************************************************

So many of these lovely books are made known to me by whisper1 (thank you, so much!) Others who have pointed me in the right direction are: jessibud2, Norabelle, avatiakh, AMQS, Blbera, Booklist, and the NYTimes (please let me know if I've forgotten you!):

Library Book Day!:



472. To Make by Danielle Davis, ill. Mags DeRoma



"To make...a cake, a garden, a song, you first
GATHER,
MAKE --
AND WAIT."

Lovely words and illustrations.



473. Grace Goes to Washington by Kelly DiPucchio, ill. LeUyen Pham



Follow-up to Grace for President. This one is "an introduction to how government makes decisions, but also what it takes to be a true public servant." Almost eerie to read this in our current state of American political confusion and angst, but quite refreshing!

Excellent quotations from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:

Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.

A finer, kinder world starts with us and the choices we make. Amen!



474. Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears by Cynthia Rylant ill. Arthur Howard



"Mr. Putter loves making pear jelly, but he can't climb the ladder to pick the pears. So, while Tabby waits patiently, Mr. Putter thinks up a zingy plan."

Cute and funny!



475. Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch by Cynthia Rylant ill. Arthur Howard



"Mr. Putter wants to paint his porch. He has paint, a brush, and Tabby to keep him company. Everything is perfect, until a squirrel catches Tabby's eye..."

Really funny, and the drawings are terrific.



476. Toys Go Out: Being the Adventure of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinksy



This one isn't an illustrated book, although there are a few illustrations. It is a chapter book, closely related to an illustrated book that will follow this one in my post.

So much fun, and so cleverly written!



477. Toys Meet Snow: Being the Wintertime Adventures of a Curious Stuffed Buffalo, a Sensitive Plush Stingray, and a Book-Loving Rubber Ball by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinksy



Lovely story and illustrations. Perfect for this time of year!



478. Sophie's Masterpiece: A Spider's Tale by Eileen Spinelli, ill. Jane Dyer



"Charming and bittersweet tale of an exceptionally gifted spider and the lengths she's willing to go to share her gifts with those around her."

Beautiful story and drawings--of humans, of the human-faced spider, Sophie.



479. Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their Adventures by Cynthia Rylant, ill. Sucie Stevenson



Sweet story and pictures.

Henry and Mudge! We love those books. They are so sweet.

For Irish films, Small Things Like These is a new one, still in the theater but worth seeing.

>64 BLBera: Thanks for the film recommendation! I’ve added the film to my list.

If you can find it, the film The Secret of Roan Inish is lovely - Irish folklore, gorgeous landscapes...

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Puttering, Christmas stuff. Update Reading Roundup, mags list.

Books The Conditions of Unconditional Love by Alexander McCall Smith, Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation.

Magazines:

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World

Watching: Caught up on a lot of half-hour shows: Abbott Elementary 4.7, 4.8; Somebody Somewhere—went back and rewatched 1.1 (suggested by NYT reviewer), then 3.6; St. Denis Medical ep. 5; What We Do In the Shadows 6.9.

Listening:

Wordle 1,267 5/6 irate, blind, milky, filly, hilly

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Connections
Puzzle #545
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Strands #279
“Prepare to be eaten”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/07:
70/70 words (+14 bonus words)—3-1/2 of 5 stars difficulty—
🎯 In the top 19% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 91

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/07:
20/20 words (+3 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 11% by accuracy

>68 klobrien2: - It also took me 5 today! Those guessy-guessy patterns seem easy but can ruin a good streak!

Friday Reading Roundup!

Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (and do so much eBook reading), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (12/07/24):

Actively reading (or soon will be!)

The Conditions of Unconditional Love (Isabel Dalhousie #15) by AMS -- p. 82 of 244
Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia Butler; adapted by Damien Duffy and John Jennings -- p. 160 of 260
Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes, ill. J. Espila -- p. 9 of 185
100 Poems by Seamus Heaney -- p. 3 of 169
Cormac McCarthy's The Road: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Manu Larcenet
The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers
Hum by Helen Phillips
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking
Razor Girl (Andrew Yancy #2) by Carl Hiassen -- p. 64 of 333
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman -- p. 8 of 389 (mine, on Nook)
A Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle -- p. 73 of 250 (Libby)
The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer -- p. 3 of 238 (Mine)
Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault, ill. Harry Clarke -- p. 6 of 109 (Libby)
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Mantell
Before Midnight by Rex Stout -- p. 7 of 172 (Libby)
Murder and Mendelssohn (Phryne Fisher #20) by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 8 of 280 (Libby)
Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) by Robert Galbraith -- p. 96 of 439 (Libby)
The Wishing Pool and Other Stories by Tanarive Due

I'm overbooked! I don't want to lose track of these books, but I can't truly say that I am actively reading them right now:

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon -- p. 3 of 285
Sipsworth by Simon van Booy -- p. 19 of 174
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride -- p. 18 of 385
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman -- p. 20 of 173
The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger -- p. 82 of 421 (mine, on Nook)
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett -- p. 29 of 278 (mine, on Nook)
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal -- p. 81 of 253 (mine, on Nook)
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead -- p. 73 of 288 (Nook)
Agatha's First Case (Agatha Raisin #0.5) by M. C. Beaton (Nook)
Marple: Twelve New Stories by assorted authors
Fairy Tale by Stephen King

I try to participate in the American Authors Challenge. In December, we are reading Authors from the Heartland. I am reading Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13) by Jim Butcher -- p. 18 of 443 (Libby)

I usually am reading/watching Great Courses. My current course is: Exploring the Mayan World. There are eight lectures, no book.

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Church (kids’ Christmas program!) Puttering, Christmas stuff.

Books The Conditions of Unconditional Love by Alexander McCall Smith—finished, Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation.

Magazines: The Week (12/6), New Yorker (12/9).

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World

Watching:

Listening:

Wordle 1,268 3/6 irate, maven, hyena

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Connections
Puzzle #546
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Strands #280
“A timely theme”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/08:
63/63 words (+6 bonus words)—4-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 16% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 92

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/08:
23/23 words (+4 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 13% by accuracy

Happy Sunday, Karen! I'm just breezing through. Looking at your Wordle, I see that your number 1 was my number 3, and I did it in 5, so you've made me feel a bit better.

>73 LizzieD: Wordle in 5 is nothing to scoff at! I was really happy with my 3, because…what an unusual word!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Cmas cards. Puttering. Errands?

Books Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation—finished. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.

Magazines: The Week (12/6), New Yorker (12/9).

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World

Watching: Night Court 3.3, Ghosts 4.6, George and Mandy’s First Marriage 1.6, Elsbeth 2.6.

Listening:

Wordle 1,269 5/6 irate, cloud, blush, fluff, flung

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Connections
Puzzle #547
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Strands #281–needed a lot of hints today
“Quiet at first”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/09:
26/26 words (+4 bonus words)—2 of 5 stars difficulty—
🎯 In the top 25% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 93

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/09:
22/22 words (+5 bonus words)
📖 In the top 22% by bonus words

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Grocery list, Jerry list.

Books Cormac McCarthy’s The Road: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Manu Larcenet—finished. Two dystopia graphic novels in a row (the previous was Parable of the Sower) meant I had to read something a LOT less heavy to cleanse my reading palette immediately—Rivals by Jilly Cooper.

Magazines: The Onion (October)

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World: Watched: 1. Merida, and 2. Chichen Itza.

Watching: Somebody Somewhere 3.7. Last episode ever? of this wonderful show. It was an excellent finale, lots of closure and new beginnings. I will probably do a rewatch of all three seasons now.

Listening:

Wordle 1,270 3/6 irate, admit, patio

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Connections
Puzzle #548
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🟪🟪🟪🟪

Strands #282
“Something to see”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/10:
24/24 words (+6 bonus words)—2-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
⏱️ In the top 19% by speed
🔥 Solve streak: 94

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/10:
21/21 words
🎯 Perfect accuracy

>77 klobrien2: I'm excited for your thoughts on Rivals! The show made me interested in the novels but I suspect they haven't aged well.

>79 norabelle414: I’m only 50 pages into a 688-page (?) ebook, but it reads really well. I got reminded of how life was “back then” from watching the show, so I’m not surprised to see bad behavior, like sexism, racism, and homophobia. Lack of technology that we now take for granted.

The characters are great, though. Dialogue is pretty sparkly. So far, so good.😁

480. The Conditions of Unconditional Love by Alexander McCall Smith



"A world where humor is gentle, suffering is acknowledged but not foregrounded, efforts to do good are usually rewarded. It's a wonderful place to visit, even if we don't get to live there."

Isabel Dalhousie is living her life, with her sweet and loving husband, and two little boys. Isabel has a rich inner life, and she is a true philosopher.

These books are like a long spa soak for the soul.

481. Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damien Duffy and John Jennings



"In order to rise from its own ashes, a phoenix first must burn."

The main protagonist of this book, Lauren, is a young woman caught, with the rest of the world, in a dystopic world. It is a dark, dark, story, and the graphics add to the sense of inferno and total ruin.

But Lauren is sowing the seed of a new way of thinking of God, and spirituality--she calls it "Earthseed." This vision provides hope for the future.

Interesting to note that the events of this book begin in 2024!

Here is wonderful autobiographical statement of Octavia Butler: "A pessimist if I'm not careful, a feminist, a Black, a former Baptist, an oil-and-water combination of ambition, laziness, insecurity, certainty, and drive."

482. Cormac McCarthy's The Road: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Manu Larcenat



As I stated up in post 77, after reading "Parable" and "The Road" graphic adaptations, I really need to take a break from any more dark, bleak, gloomy books. Luckily, I don't think I have any more waiting for me right now. Phew! Definitely time for one of my "Library Book Days"!

I read McCarthy's The Road back when it was first published. I recognized the strength of the book and the writing, but it was a hard book to read. This graphic adaptation is dark, shadowy, terrifying. Shades of gray pervade. Sometimes the gray has a golden overcast, sometimes it snows, so there is whitish gray. The graphic nature of this book brings the disaster and dystopia home to the reader.

"Stunning narrative accomplishment; visually austere, dark, beautifully human. Sheer perfection."

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas stuff. Order groceries.

Books Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault, ill. Harry Clarke.

Magazines:

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World: Watched: 3. Ek’ Balam, 4. Tihosuco.

Watching: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, first half. Old-style adventure film, lots of shooting and bluster, but really entertaining. I’ll watch the rest this morning.

Listening:

Wordle 1,271 4/6 irate, cloud, plump, plumb

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Connections
Puzzle #549
🟨🟨🟨🟨
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🟦🟦🟦🟦

Strands #283
“Board certified”
🔵🔵🟡🔵
🔵🔵🔵🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/11:
41/41 words (+10 bonus words)—3-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 12% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 95

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/11:
22/22 words (+1 bonus word)

Hi, Karen. Happy Newish Thread.

Wow, what a book-reading year you’ve had! I wondered about a couple of the graphic novels. What’d you think of Shubeik Lubeik? I was underwhelmed by it, although apparently it has a lot of fans. How about My Favorite Thing is Monsters? I loved that one, and just finished the very good Volume 2. Can’t wait for Vol. 3.

P.S. Like you, I thought that the graphic adaptation of The Road was very effective, and that the illustrations worked well.

Happy New Thread, Karen!

>86 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! I loved Shubeik Lubeik, but My Favorite Thing is Monsters is something special, isn’t it?! The artwork is gorgeous, and the characters and their stories are so involving. Thank you for alerting me to the coming volume 3!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

>87 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas stuff. Could run a few errands, but it’s really cold out (-4 F. right now) so they might wait until tomorrow.

Books Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault, ill. Harry Clarke.

Magazines: National Geographic (Sept) and Elle (Oct).

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World: Watched:

Watching: The second half of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Shrinking 2.10, What We Do in the Shadows 6.10. Both of these shows are almost done; WWDITS, for good (sniffle).

Listening:

Wordle 1,272 5/6 irate, blind, using, owing, vying

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⬜⬜🟧🟧⬜
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⬜⬜🟧🟧🟧
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Connections (Today’s puzzle featured rebuses—extra level of complexity!)
Puzzle #550
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🟨🟨🟨🟨
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Strands #284
“Shape and bake”
🔵🔵🔵🟡
🔵🔵🔵🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/12:
37/37 words (+9 bonus words)—4 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 27% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 96

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/12:
24/24 words (+4 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 29% by accuracy

Oh, no WONDER I haven't seen you lately. You jumped threads and I failed to notice!

Well, happy holly days and a big Yule *hug*

>91 richardderus: So good to see your post! I wondered where you were. You’re the one person I can count on to stop by and so I really miss you when you don’t.

And what a lovely greeting! A big Yule *hug* right back to you!

>89 klobrien2: I hear you about the cold. A cold front came and everything seems bone chilling. I really should have stopped to get gas but did not want to venture out of the car....so I will have to brave the weather tomorrow ;)

Happy weekend reading!

>93 figsfromthistle: Hi, figs! Yep, I’ll be out and about today (in the cold—although the temp is 0 F. right now, and it’s supposed to get up to 16!)

Happy reading to you too! Stay warm!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas stuff. Lunch with friends at local restaurant to celebrate holidays! I’ll take advantage of being out to run those pesky errands.

Books Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault, ill. Harry Clarke—fin. Library Book Day (7). Toy Dance Party by Emily Jenkins.

Magazines: NYT Magazine (11/24) (12/01), NYT Book Review (12/01).

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World: Watched:

Watching: Elsbeth 2.7.

Listening:

Wordle 1,273 3/6 Very lucky third guess! irate, poker, boxer

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Connections
Puzzle #551
🟩🟩🟩🟩
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🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦

Strands #285
“One for the Swifties”
💡🔵💡🔵
🟡🔵🔵🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/13:
56/56 words (+10 bonus words)—4 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 7% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 97

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/13:
23/23 words (+2 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 11% by accuracy

How do, Karen O. I hope you're not frozen solid. I'm really glad it's cold at last. I hugely prefer it to hot, and also worry about the plants not getting enough sleep.

I'm off to write up the last few illustrated books for my #Booksgiving before the self-giftin novels start on Monday.

>97 richardderus: Hi, Richard! I looked up NY weather, and seems to me it’s pretty nice there today. Yay! Have a great weekend!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas stuff. Lunch out with friends yesterday was lovely! Especially glad it was yesterday because today Minnesota has travel advisories because of “ferzgah durzel” (frzg drzl) (freezing drizzle). I have no need to go out today, so I’m quite happy to stay in.

Books Toy Dance Party by Emily Jenkins—finished.

Magazines: NYT Magazine (11/24) (12/01), NYT Book Review (12/01).

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World: Watched:

Watching: George and Mandy ep. 7, Ghosts 4.7.

Listening:

Wordle 1,274 6/6 Yes, “Phew!” irate, group, brown, crock, droll, drool

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Connections
Puzzle #552
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Strands #286
“Nothing can stop me!”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/14:
44/44 words (+8 bonus words)—2-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 36% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 98

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/14:
21/21 words (+2 bonus words)
🎯 Perfect accuracy

From msf59’s thread: “Once again here is the link to add your top 5:”

https://www.librarything.com/list/46058/Top-Five-Books-of-2024

Here are my top five (listed in the order that I read them) (As of 12/14 at about 4pm CST) (always subject to change):

Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Ninety-Nine Stories of God by Joy Williams
Clear by Caries Davies
James by Percival Everett

In going through my threads, I am reminded again of how much FUN reading is, and was for me this year!

>101 klobrien2: I am loving the lists, Karen. Orbital and Clear will be on mine.

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Church. Christmas stuff. Reading Roundup, mags list updates.

Books She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson.

Magazines:

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World: Watched: 5. Mayapan, and 6. Ukmal.

Watching:

Listening:

Wordle 1,275 5/6 irate, cloud, swung, junky, funky

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⬜⬜⬜🟦⬜
⬜⬜🟦🟦⬜
⬜🟧🟧🟧🟧
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Connections
Puzzle #553
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟪🟪🟪🟪

Strands #287
“Moonlighting”
🔵🔵🔵🔵
🟡🔵🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/15:
70/70 words (+12 bonus words)—4-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 23% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 99

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/15:
21/21 words (+2 bonus words)
🎯 Perfect accuracy

*******************************************************
There are only three forms of high art: the symphony,
the illustrated children's book, and the board game.
(Saga Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan)
*******************************************************

So many of these lovely books are made known to me by whisper1 (thank you, so much!) Others who have pointed me in the right direction are: jessibud2, Norabelle, avatiakh, AMQS, Blbera, Booklist, and the NYTimes (please let me know if I've forgotten you!):

Library Book Day!:



483. Awake by Mags DeRoma



"A kid. A spider. A plan."

Humorous, smart story, with an emphasis on problem-solving and respect for all creatures (including spiders!). Fantastic illustrations (cut paper?), including a four-page spread featuring a night skyline.



484. A Fox Found a Box by Ged Adamson



"Music is all around--if you take the time to listen."



485. All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinsky



"Based on the classic books by Sydney Taylor."

Sweet, cozy story, with lovely illustrations. Includes an interesting bio of Sydney Taylor; info about the Lower East Side of NYC, Yiddish, and Hanukkah.



486. The Bremen Town Musicians by the Brothers Grimm, ill. Bernadette Watts



Fun, classic story. Beautiful illustrations (very textured).

"The creatures are winningly depicted and children will love their triumphs over the foolish robbers and the animals' well-earned contentment at the end. This simple retelling of an old favorite will be a popular read-aloud choice.'



487. Umami by Jacob Grant



"Umami is tired of eating cold fish (he is a penguin)."

"But spicy foods had more than taste. Spice had punch. Spice had power. Spice was adventure!"

Really cute, fun book.



488. There's a Ghost in the Garden by Kyo Maclear, ill. Kathy Maurey



Superlatively beautiful words and paintings. The focus is remembering, mourning, grief, but all in a lovely, quiet, loving way.

This one made me cry, but tears of remembrance.



489. I Wonder About Worlds: Discovering Planets and Exoplanets by James Gladstone, Ill. Yaara Eshet



"A child's curiosity is sparked by a night of stargazing, and they imagine themself on a galactic voyage to see the planets beyond our solar system."

"...weaves together astronomy and imagination"

Gorgeous illustrations, a true feast for the eyes. "More about the Solar System" section at the end is terrific, full of science.

>98 klobrien2: It's perfectly fine weather for me, I like cold and loathe heat. It's been bright until a few hours ago, but again...wintertime wins, cloudy or sunny, over the hell that is summer and its blasting battering sunshine.

Unless you're a closet Ramblerholic, today's not the day to visit my thread....

xo

>106 richardderus: I visit your thread every day…one never knows what one will find!

Happy Sunday!

490. Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault, ill. Harry Clarke



I read this now because of my recent viewing of Great Tours: Ireland and Northern Ireland, and the instructor's fondness for all things Irish and for the Irish stained glass master, Harry Clarke. Clarke was the illustrator for this book, and his work imparted a real sense of magic and beauty. Also, some really strange hairstyles!

"Although now best known for his stained glass work, Harry Clarke (1889-1931) first found fame as a book illustrator." (my kind of artist!) Lovely book to peruse. These stories (some well-known, some not so well-known) are included:

Little Red Riding Hood
The Fairy
Blue Beard
The Sleeping Beauty
Puss in Boots
Cinderella
Riquet With the Tuft
Tom Thumb
The Ridiculous Wishes
Donkey Skin

The artwork is beautiful, although I read the book on my iPad, so it was all small-scale and limited to the capabilities of the electronic tablet. I still really enjoyed the read.

491. Toy Dance Party: Being the Further Adventures of a Bossyboots Stingray, a Courageous Buffalo, and a Hopeful Round Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinsky



This book was even more fun than the first book in the trilogy The Toys Go Out. Maybe because I knew what was going on, and that I shouldn't be disturbed at intelligent stuffed toys that move about and have feelings. A lot of fun!

Anxiously awaiting Toys Come Home which is, I guess, a prequel to the events in the other books.

Friday(-ish) Reading Roundup!

Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (and do so much eBook reading), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (12/13/24):

Actively reading (or soon will be!)

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman -- p. 20 of 173
Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes, ill. J. Espila -- p. 9 of 185
100 Poems by Seamus Heaney -- p. 3 of 169
The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
She Memes Well: Essays by Quinta Brunson -- p. 1 of 293
Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot
The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne
The Rivals by Jilly Cooper -- p. 50 of 688 (!)
Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking
Razor Girl (Andrew Yancy #2) by Carl Hiassen -- p. 64 of 333 (Libby)
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman -- p. 8 of 389 (mine, on Nook)
A Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle -- p. 73 of 250 (Libby)
The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer -- p. 3 of 238 (Mine)
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Mantell
Before Midnight by Rex Stout -- p. 7 of 172 (Libby)
Murder and Mendelssohn (Phryne Fisher #20) by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 8 of 280 (Libby)
Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) by Robert Galbraith -- p. 96 of 439 (Libby)
The Wishing Pool and Other Stories by Tanarive Due

I'm overbooked! I don't want to lose track of these books, but I can't truly say that I am actively reading them right now:

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon -- p. 3 of 285
Sipsworth by Simon van Booy -- p. 19 of 174
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride -- p. 18 of 385
The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger -- p. 82 of 421 (mine, on Nook)
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett -- p. 29 of 278 (mine, on Nook)
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal -- p. 81 of 253 (mine, on Nook)
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead -- p. 73 of 288 (Nook)
Agatha's First Case (Agatha Raisin #0.5) by M. C. Beaton (Nook)
Marple: Twelve New Stories by assorted authors
Fairy Tale by Stephen King

I try to participate in the American Authors Challenge. In December, we are reading Authors from the Heartland. I am reading Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13) by Jim Butcher -- p. 18 of 443 (Libby)

I usually am reading/watching Great Courses. My current course is: Exploring the Mayan World. There are eight lectures, no book. I've watched 6 of 8 lectures.

>103 klobrien2: Ooh, I didn't know Quinta Brunson had a book! It's too bad the audiobook seems to be exclusive to Amazon.

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas stuff.

Books I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

Magazines: The Week (12/13), New Yorker (12/16)

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World:
Watch: 7. Celestun and 8. Labna.

Watching:

Listening: Handel’s Messiah (will continue today). Utter joy for me!

Wordle 1,276 4/6 irate, stamp, blast, boast

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Connections (oops…I was close, a few times, but didn’t get it right)

Puzzle #554
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🟩🟪🟩🟩

Strands #288
“Crossed words”
🔵💡🔵💡
🔵🟡🔵🔵
🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/16:
22/22 words (+1 bonus word)—1-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 20% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 100

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/16:
20/20 words (+2 bonus words)
🎯 Perfect accuracy

>112 klobrien2: I would read I Who Have Never Known Men were I not so worried that gawd would thunderbolt me for being so misleading.

Monday orisons, dear lady.

>114 richardderus: Haha! It took me a minute. Happy week, Richard!

>190 I'm so glad you're enjoying these! Yes, Toys Come Home is a prequel.

>116 AMQS: Thanks again for the recommendations! And thanks for stopping by!

Karen O

>111 norabelle414: I missed you back here! Does Brunson narrate the audio? That would almost be worth it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas stuff. My family is coming to celebrate Christmas with me this weekend, so I have tons to do to get ready—for houseguests and for a Winter Solstice Christmas!

Books Rivals by Jilly Cooper

Magazines: Astronomy (Oct), Bon Appetit (Oct), Rolling Stone (Oct)

Great Course: Exploring the Mayan World:
Watched: 7. Celestun and 8. Labna. Finished this great Great Course!

Next up: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt

Watching: The Triplets of Belleville, written and directed by Sylvain Chomet. What a strange, lovely film. I’m not sure what triggered me to request this award-winning animated film, but I suspect it was my illustrated book reading. It was a treat.

“When her grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madame Souza and her beloved pooch Bruno team up up with the Belleville Sisters, an aged song-and-dance team from the days of Fred Astaire—to rescue him.”

Listening:

Wordle 1,277 3/6 irate, cloud, scowl

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Connections (Couldn’t get the allegedly easiest level! This game is all so subjective!)

Puzzle #555
🟨🟨🟨🟩
🟨🟨🟩🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟪🟪🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟪🟪🟪🟪
🟨🟨🟨🟨

Strands #289
“It's lit!”
🔵🔵🔵🟡
🔵🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/17:
39/39 words (+6 bonus words)—3 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 10% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 101

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/17:
19/19 words (+3 bonus words)
⏱️ In the top 22% by speed

>118 klobrien2: She does, but not worth it to me to have to subscribe to Amazon. I'll just have to read it on paper and pretend she's reading it to me.

>119 klobrien2: I watched The Triplets of Belleville once around when it was nominated for an Oscar and I still think about it. It is very distinctive.

>101 klobrien2: Great top five, Karen. I've only read James of your 5 , and I enjoyed it.

>101 klobrien2:. I've read 3 of your top 5, Karen (Orbital, James and the one by Williams.

>122 vancouverdeb: Thanks! And thanks for stopping by!

>123 Kristelh: I love to see your progress with the books, especially with the “1001.” Maybe I’ll try to focus on the 1001 next year! Thanks for stopping to chat!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas stuff. Household accounting. Grocery list. Jerry list.

Books

Magazines:

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig.

Watching: What We Do in the Shadows 6.11. Last show ever, but this would be a fun one to re-watch!

Listening:

Exploring the Mayan World by Edwin Barnhart



Excellent Great Course! I was a little disoriented when, at the start, the course seemed to focus on modern Maya in Yucatan, Mexico, but the course quickly got into the history of the culture, but with a focus on modern times and the Maya renaissance. Very interesting history and present!

Since there was no book, I'm not counting this as a read, but I will put it in my "Great Courses" thread.

Eight lectures of 30 minutes each.

Wordle 1,278 4/6 irate, melty, zesty, hefty

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Connections
Puzzle #556
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟪🟪🟪
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦

Strands #290
“You say you want a revolution”
🔵🔵💡🔵
🔵💡🔵🟡
🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/18:
37/37 words (+6 bonus words)—3 of 5 stars difficulty—
🎯 In the top 19% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 102

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/18:
25/25 words
🎯 In the top 15% by accuracy

>126 klobrien2: It's a great way to absorb anything about the Maya...their material culture is so vibrantly alive with imagery I flat-out adore. All those fascinating gods, the gloriously bent perspectives, the mythology to learn and love...I'm glad it was well-done and you enjoyed it, Karen O.

Wednesday orisons.

Your Great Courses sound fascinating. I just signed up for a course from the CVEC (Cannon Valley Elder Collegium). A friend who lives in Northfield has taken some and alerted me to "Colonialism to Independence - Caribbean Writers Tell Their Stories." I am looking forward to it.

>129 BLBera: That course sounds interesting! They call it “Lifelong Learning”—sounds great to me! I’ve always loved school of any kind.

I hadn’t heard of the CVEC before. Thanks for the heads-up, and enjoy your course! Thanks for stopping by!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Yesterday was pretty busy, but I’m feeling more ready for the weekend. Minnesota and Wisconsin are dealing with first real snowfall, and I hope the weather doesn’t mess up my family’s travel plans! Today, wrapping presents, writing cards, a little cleaning.

Books Library Book Day! Have six illustrated books to read this week.

Magazines: NYT Magazine (12/8), NYT Book Review (12/8).

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig. Really want to get started on this one today.

Watching: Shrinking 2.11, St. Denis Medical ep. 6, Night Court 3.4.

Listening:

Wordle 1,279 4/6 irate, actor, tardy, stray

⬜🟦🟦🟦⬜
🟦⬜🟦⬜🟦
🟦🟦🟧⬜🟧
🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧

Connections
Puzzle #557
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟩🟩🟪🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟪🟪🟪

Strands #291
“Roll with it”
🔵🔵🔵🔵
🔵🟡🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 12/19:
50/50 words (+7 bonus words)—3-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 16% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 103

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/19:
20/20 words
🎯 Perfect accuracy

*******************************************************
There are only three forms of high art: the symphony,
the illustrated children's book, and the board game.
(Saga Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan)
*******************************************************

So many of these lovely books are made known to me by whisper1 (thank you, so much!) Others who have pointed me in the right direction are: jessibud2, Norabelle, avatiakh, AMQS, Blbera, richardderus, Booklist, and the NYTimes (please let me know if I've forgotten you!):

Library Book Day!:



492. Vincent Van Gogh, Vegara by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, ill. Arlette Straathof



Beautiful paintings with saturated, gorgeous colors. Van Gogh's artistry and mental difficulties are dealt with, kindly and clearly.

"He proved that--even when we feel a bit lost--we can find joy by doing the things we love most."



493. Still Life, London by Alex London, ill. Paul O. Zelinsky



"Art takes on a life of its own, no matter how much the artist thinks the work can be controlled."

Clever story, terrific illustrations, very funny ending.



494. Hello, Beech Tree! by Rasha Hamid, ill. Sofia Moore



Based on a true story of a group of kids and their love of a particular tree. Excellent problem-solving, fostering love of green spaces (and trees!)



495. Stitches of Tradition: Gashkigwaaso Tradition by Marcia R. Rendon, ill. Mangeshig Pawis-Steckly



"Celebrates the power of indigenous craft and community and weaves together the spirit of resilience, female empowerment, and gratitude for the generations that came before us."

Sweet, moving story of a young girl and her grandmother, and of the ribbon skirts that were, and are, used to commemorate life events. This book has the rich, saturated colors that I love.

The ribbon skirt signifies for the indigenous women, "We are here, we have survived genocide, we are resilient and beautiful."



496. King Midas and the Golden Touch by Charlotte Craft, ill. K. Y. Craft



Beautiful book, gorgeous illustrations. Author says that she based her book on Nathaniel Hawthorne's retelling, and other sources, setting the story in medieval times. Illustrator used oil over watercolor (lovely!)



497. Douglas, You're a Genius! by Ged Adamson



I come across such an eclectic mix of illustrated books--I just love it!

This one is so different from the one before it, but both are wonderful in their own ways. This is a really funny book, featuring problem-solving, imagination, learning some Spanish vocab, and making new friends.

>133 klobrien2: The "little people, big dreams" series is nice, I like that they have thematic illustrators.

>134 norabelle414: I’ll have to look for more of the series!

I’ve also added richardderus to my list of recommenders of illustrated books! Who woulda thunk it! but that’s where I got the tip for the Van Gogh book! Thank you, Richard!

And thank you Nora, for the nudge to the other books in the series!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Because of the snow, my Duluth people won’t head here until tomorrow morning, which works out better in a few ways; firstly, that they won’t be driving in the dark on iffy roads. Today, wrapping presents, writing cards, a little cleaning. Tiny bit of food prep (veggies, grapes, etc.).

Books Library Book Day (I read 6 books).

Magazines:

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig. Read: 1. Exploring the Gift of the Nile, and 2. The Major Museums of Cairo.

Watching: I finally watched my church’s service from Sunday! There have been a few technical and administrative issues with the shift to a new communications director, but the website is looking great and well-organized, and my viewing worked like a charm.

Listening: Handel’s Messiah (the Robert Shaw Chorale version), Spotify’s Christmas Classics.

Wordle 1,280 5/6 A little “guessy-guessy” today…grrr! irate, shady, clash, slash, flash

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Connections
Puzzle #558
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Strands #292
“Morning morsel”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/20:
63/63 words (+13 bonus words)—4 stars of 5 difficulty—
📖 In the top 22% by bonus words
🔥 Solve streak: 104

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/20:
18/18 words (+1 bonus word)
🎯 In the top 21% by accuracy

>135 klobrien2: So glad you got a kick out of the van Gogh book. I think that series now has eight books, but I am not sure...I know I have four more to review: Harry Styles, William Kamkwamba, Yves Saint-Laurent, and Mary Earps.

Weekend-ahead's reading delight!

>138 richardderus: Thank you, Richard! You too!

498. Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences of an Intelligent Stingray, a Brave Buffalo, and a Brand-New Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins, ill. Paul O. Zelinsky



One of two illustrated-book-adjacent books I finished today. They both have a few illustrations, but are true chapter books, and so much fun to read.

I love the "Toys" books, and I can certainly see rereading them, both with kids, and on my own. This one is a prequel, showing us how the toys came to be with Girl. Sweet and funny.

Solstice cheer, Karen O.!

499. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor



"A captivating picture of Jewish family life (circa 1912) and religious observance...entertaining and heartwarming."

Family with five girls ("all of a kind") on the Lower East Side of New York. Taylor does such a good job of introducing the reader to the minutiae of the lives of the girls and the family. Provides snapshots of what life was like back then and in that culture.

There are at least three more books in the series, and I think I might be reading them!

>141 richardderus: That is gorgeous! I want ALL of those tree toppers (and I don't even have a tree up). I will imagine that I have a tree for each one of those beautiful things. Thank you!

>142 klobrien2: Good heavens, I'd never heard of this series of books until yesterday, when it turned up in LT's Winter Holiday Treasure Hunt. How odd to see it again here on the next day. It may be a series that I need to check out.

>144 atozgrl: This first one, All-of-a-Kind Family, caught me a little off-guard with how good it was. Really interesting reading, and I loved all of the characters. I’d never heard of the books, but requested it because of the link to Paul O. Zelinsky (he illustrated the illustrated book, All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah).

It’s a really quick read, and I heartily recommend it.

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Prepping for company, and our Christmas weekend!

Books Toys Come Home—finished. All-of-a-Kind Family—finished. Millicent Quibb.

Magazines: Vanity Fair (Oct), Smithsonian (Sept/Oct), Quiltmaker (2024 07-10).

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig. Watch: 1. Exploring the Gift of the Nile, and 2. The Major Museums of Cairo.

Watching: Elsbeth 2.8, Ghosts 4.8.

Listening:

Wordle 1,281 5/6 irate, flame, place, blaze, blade

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Connections
Puzzle #559
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Strands #293
“Keeping the faith”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/21:
33/33 words (+4 bonus words)—3-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 29% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 105

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/21:
19/19 words (+1 bonus word)

>145 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen, that's good to know. I'll have to check into those books.

Since we will be leaving town early Monday, and I don't expect that I will be on LT again until after the new year, I thought I would go ahead and send my holiday greetings. I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year. Have a great time with your family!

>142 klobrien2: I loved the All-of-a-Kind Family books as a kid! They appealed to me more than e.g. Laura Ingalls Wilder, because I grew up in a city and so they were more relatable.

>58 klobrien2: And, dear sweet friend, you have helped with with my grief of losing Will as well. Even though it is 5 1/2 years ago, still, there are times when the image of losing him her in our living room breaks my heart over and over again.

>150 Whisper1: Wishing you peace at this time of year! Memories are so deep and yet so close to the surface. They’ll be with us, always, and we are like caretakers. Oh, I’m being pretty deep for this early in the morning!

Thank you, once again, for your friendship!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Deep in the midst of my Christmas weekend! We had a fantastic meal last night, with a pasta station from Olive Garden. Everyone was able to pick and choose, trying different things. Lots of food left over, but lots of food to send with people.

Today, for our “Christmas dinner,” we’ll have Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, and green beans from a local Scandinavian restaurant, “Taste of Scandinavia.”

Having a great time with my family, cherishing our time together.

Books

Magazines:

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig. Watch: 1. Exploring the Gift of the Nile, and 2. The Major Museums of Cairo.

Watching: We continued our watching of the Harry Potter movies, with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Listening:

>152 klobrien2: I will bet the Cairo museums episode was great to watch. Especially now it's so cold! Even *I* the SummerGrinch want to go somewhere pleasantly warm.

Sunday orisons, dear lady.

Wordle 1,282 3/6 irate, brain, brawn

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Connections
Puzzle #560
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Strands #294 (The theme eluded me all the way through!)
“Are you listening?”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/22:
71/71 words (+21 bonus words)—4-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 21% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 106

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/22:
25/25 words (+5 bonus words)
🎯 Perfect accuracy

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Had a great time with my family this weekend, cherishing our time together! Sad to see everyone go yesterday afternoon, but I’ve got very nice memories (and a few lovely leftovers).

The only thing I would really want to accomplish today is getting my Christmas cards ready to mail.

Looking forward to a peaceful and blessed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Books Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon. I was given this book as one of my presents and it just happened to be at the top of my stack of “currently reading” books! Synchronicity!

Magazines:

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig. Watch: 1. Exploring the Gift of the Nile, and 2. The Major Museums of Cairo.

Watching: Thelma, starring June Squibb and Richard Roundtree. Excellent film about aging, and standing up for oneself, and family, and friendship. Funny, and tense at times, but the Thelma character is amazing. On Hulu.

Listening:

Wordle 1,283 4/6 irate, among, canny, sauna

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Connections
Puzzle #561
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Strands #295
“Pass the eggnog”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/23:
28/28 words (+2 bonus words)—2 of 5 stars difficulty—
🎯 In the top 7% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 107

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/23:
21/21 words (+2 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 18% by accuracy

Have a lovely slide into The Day, Karen O.!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas cards.

Looking forward to a peaceful and blessed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Books Rivals — Reads smoothly, lots of fun.

Magazines:

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig. Watch: 1. Exploring the Gift of the Nile, and 2. The Major Museums of Cairo.

Watching: My church’s service from yesterday.

Listening:

Merry Christmas, Karen. Have a peaceful holiday. I just finished S1 of Rivals on Hulu. It was very enjoyable. Such a great cast too.

Wordle 1,284 5/6 irate, above, flake, maple, eagle

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Connections
Puzzle #562
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Strands #296
“Who on earth ...?”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/24:
33/33 words (+5 bonus words)—2-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 28% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 108

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/24:
19/19 words (+1 bonus word)
🎯 Perfect accuracy

>159 msf59: Wasn’t that a fun show?! The show stuck pretty close to the book, so far in my reading anyway.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

Merry Christmas Karen

I think All of a Kind Family Hanukkah will become a new classic. I loved sharing those books with my girls.

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

>162 Kristelh: Merry Christmas to you, too, Kristel! Keep us in the loop with your travels, and be safe!

>163 johnsimpson: Lovely picture, John, thank you! And merry Christmas!

>164 AMQS: Terrific picture! Thank you! And Winslow is gorgeous! He reminds me of one of my gone-to-cat-heaven kitties, name of Shadow. He got his name because he came to us as part of a bonded pair with Sunny, an orange little chirp of a cat. Shadow was the calm, steady one of that pair.

And, speaking of “All of a Kind Family”—there was a TV show, I’d read. I’ll look for it. I’m loving the books, though.

Thank you all for stopping by!

Thinking of you at this time, Karen. x

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Christmas…er, New Year’s cards (!)

Had a very nice Christmas Eve. Lovely leftovers from the family weekend kept me festively fed. Beautiful “lessons and carols” service streaming from my church fed my soul. Looking forward to a peaceful and blessed Christmas Day.

Books Rivals — Reads smoothly, lots of fun.

Magazines: MN Monthly (Dec/Jan), New Yorker (12/23).

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig. Finally watched!: 1. Exploring the Gift of the Nile, and 2. The Major Museums of Cairo.

Read: 3. How to Build a Pyramid, and 4. The Last Ancient Wonder.

Watching: Shrinking 2.12 (Season finale. What a great show! Looking forward to another season).

Listening:

Wordle 1,285 3/6 irate, spare, share

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Connections
Puzzle #563
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Strands #297
“A visit from Santa”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/25:
51/51 words (+7 bonus words)—3-1/2 stars difficulty—
🎯 In the top 11% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 109

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/25:
20/20 words (+3 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 37% by accuracy

Dear Friend

I hope you had a wonderful day. I send all good wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). A little KP.

Books Rivals by Jilly Cooper, I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman.

Magazines: The Week (12/20), Archeology (Oct/Nov).

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig. WTch: 3. How to Build a Pyramid, and 4. The Last Ancient Wonder.

Watching: A Christmas Story, Doctor Who Christmas special, “Joy to the World”—it was very good! Call the Midwife holiday special—time to catch up with all the regulars; classic Call the Midwife.

Listening:

Wordle 1,286 4/6 irate, china, valid, affix

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Connections
Puzzle #564
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Strands #298
“Relative conjunction”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/26:
53/53 words (+11 bonus words)—3-1/2 stars of 5 difficulty—
📖 In the top 35% by bonus words
🔥 Solve streak: 110

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/26:
21/21 words (+2 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 13% by accuracy

>169 Whisper1: Lovely card! Reminds me of our lovely illustrated books.

I’m wishing you, in return, a wonderful new year. Here’s to 2025!

I'm kinda lonely over here....

https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/24622/75-Books-Challenge-for-2025

>173 drneutron: Thanks for setting up the group! I joined up, and will start a thread on New Year’s Day.

You are the best!

Hello Karen.

I have absolutely no chance of getting caught up for the most of the year that I didn't visit. I hope to do better next year. In the meantime,

>175 karenmarie: Thank you for the lovely image and wishes! Happy new year!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). A little KP.

Books Rivals by Jilly Cooper, Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians by Kenny Curtis—finished.

Magazines:

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig: Watch: 3. How to Build a Pyramid, and 4. The Last Ancient Wonder.

Watching:

Listening:

A two-ey! Useful first word. Yay!

Wordle 1,287 2/6 irate, grain

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Connections
Puzzle #565
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Strands #299
“Back in style”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/27:
56/56 words (+8 bonus words)—4 stars of 5 difficulty—
🎯 In the top 22% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 111

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/27:
27/27 words (+2 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 18% by accuracy

Checking in on you, Karen. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

>177 klobrien2: Cool stuff, Karen O. I love that title Greeking Out!

Sending hugs.

Friday Reading Roundup!

Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (and do so much eBook reading), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (12/27/24) (missed last week due to holiday busy-ness!:

Actively reading (or soon will be!)

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman -- p. 42 of 173
100 Poems by Seamus Heaney -- p. 3 of 169
Rivals by Jilly Cooper — p. 235 of 688
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
Sipsworth by Simon van Booy -- p. 19 of 174
Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot
The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne
Razor Girl (Andrew Yancy #2) by Carl Hiassen -- p. 64 of 333 (Libby)
The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon -- p. 4 of 243 (mine!)
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler -- p. 3 of 303
Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley -- p; 3 of 191
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman -- p. 8 of 389 (mine, on Nook)
A Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle -- p. 73 of 250 (Libby)
The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer -- p. 3 of 238 (Mine)
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Mantell
Before Midnight by Rex Stout -- p. 7 of 172 (Libby)
Murder and Mendelssohn (Phryne Fisher #20) by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 8 of 280 (Libby)
Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) by Robert Galbraith -- p. 96 of 439 (Libby)
The Wishing Pool and Other Stories by Tanarive Due

I'm overbooked! I don't want to lose track of these books, but I can't truly say that I am actively reading them right now:

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon -- p. 3 of 285
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride -- p. 18 of 385
The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger -- p. 82 of 421 (mine, on Nook)
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett -- p. 29 of 278 (mine, on Nook)
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal -- p. 81 of 253 (mine, on Nook)
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead -- p. 73 of 288 (Nook)
Agatha's First Case (Agatha Raisin #0.5) by M. C. Beaton (Nook)
Marple: Twelve New Stories by assorted authors
Fairy Tale by Stephen King

I try to participate in the American Authors Challenge. In December, we are reading Authors from the Heartland. I am reading Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13) by Jim Butcher -- p. 18 of 443 (Libby)

I usually am reading/watching Great Courses. My current course is: The Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt. I've read and watched 2 of 24 lectures.

>179 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! I wish you the same!

>180 richardderus: Hi, Richard! Isn't that a fun name! It's a little goofy, but the intended audience (kids) will like it. There is another book, actually the first, and I've requested it--Greeking Out: Epic Retellings of Classic Greek Myths.

Thank you both for dropping in!

500. Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes, ill. J. Espila



Easily digested, colorfully illustrated. Finagles a "moral" from the famously amoral Olympian gods for the good of today's youth. At the end of the book, a nice "Guide to the Greeks" and map, as well as an index. A National Geographic sponsored book.

Here's a passage I liked: "The plural of cyclops is cyclopes. That's pronounced sy-klo-pees. This is not a Dad joke. This is a fact."

>183 klobrien2: Wow! 500 books read! Congrats!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday

>184 figsfromthistle: Isn’t that something?! I mean to go through my list and count the “grown-up” books that I read. Next year, I’ll keep two separate lists.

Christmas was very different, but blessed. Got lots of time with family and friends before the actual holidays and quiet and peace on the days themselves.

Thanks for stopping by!

Today: Puzzles and papers and LT (the everyday things). Grocery list. Jerry list. Order groceries.

Books Rivals by Jilly Cooper.

Magazines:

Great Course: Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt by Melinda Hartwig: Watch: 3. How to Build a Pyramid, and 4. The Last Ancient Wonder.

Watching: Great Christmas Baking Show ep. 1 (Christmas). Really fun episode, with contestants returning from prior years. There’s a second episode, which I’ll probably watch on New Year’s Eve.

Listening:

Wordle 1,288 4/6 irate, resew, merry, decry

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Whoops! This was really hard!

Connections
Puzzle #566
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Strands #300
“Just the essentials”
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I played https://squaredle.com 12/28:
57/57 words (+11 bonus words)—3 of 5 stars difficulty—
🎯 In the top 19% by accuracy
🔥 Solve streak: 112

I played https://squaredle.com/xp 12/28:
21/21 words (+3 bonus words)
🎯 In the top 26% by accuracy

I just went through my “books read” list for 2024 and counted 165 “grown-up” books read out of my current 500 total. Next year I’ll differentiate between my beloved illustrated books and the rest of my pretty-eclectic reading.

Karen. I think keeping two separate lists regarding illustrated and non illustrated is a good idea. I'll do the same. Thanks for thinking of this.