1Tess_W
The short version: I'm a part-time history professor (post Renaissance/US Civil War), mother to 2 sons (44,45) and grandma to 7 (ages 7-24). This semester I'm teaching The Holocaust: When Does a Bystander Become a Perpetrator, a course for which I designed the curriculum. I'm a wannabe homesteader on 2 acres of clay, but do well growing flowers and a few veggies. I can most of what I grow and purchase from local farmers. (about 150 pints per year) I've done away with most paper products (not TP!) and plastic in my home and am trying to live sustainably. My home thread is in the Category Challenge group, come see me sometime! I am also coordinating the Emile Zola Les Rougon-Macquart group read. Join us as we begin book 3 in January, The Kill here: https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/24460/Emile-Zola-Group-Read
That being said, I can barely keep up with my two groups, let alone here.....so you won't see me often, but I'll stop by when I can! I especially enjoy Paul's and Benita's reads.
I'm going on my first cruise in March (Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and Bahamas). In October I will be traveling to Germany, where my sister will be living by then. We will use her home as our base and our first destination is Auschwitz.
That being said, I can barely keep up with my two groups, let alone here.....so you won't see me often, but I'll stop by when I can! I especially enjoy Paul's and Benita's reads.
I'm going on my first cruise in March (Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and Bahamas). In October I will be traveling to Germany, where my sister will be living by then. We will use her home as our base and our first destination is Auschwitz.
2Tess_W
My first read of the "new" year! (my reading year: Dec. 25-Dec. 24)
1. Not sure what I was presupposing when I began reading The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton. It’s billed as the lives of the women of Genghis Kahn. I was hoping to get totally immersed in the life of Genghis via his wives. I certainly did become involved in the lives of his wives, but feel cheated out of the more historical nature of Genghis himself. I felt that in this book Thornton focuses on the relationships of the women to the detriment of the historical (fiction), and since the women’s relationships are all fancy, I feel that ultimately, the book was lacking. It also felt overly long. 492 pages 3 stars
1. Not sure what I was presupposing when I began reading The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton. It’s billed as the lives of the women of Genghis Kahn. I was hoping to get totally immersed in the life of Genghis via his wives. I certainly did become involved in the lives of his wives, but feel cheated out of the more historical nature of Genghis himself. I felt that in this book Thornton focuses on the relationships of the women to the detriment of the historical (fiction), and since the women’s relationships are all fancy, I feel that ultimately, the book was lacking. It also felt overly long. 492 pages 3 stars
3PaulCranswick
Lovely to see you set up and more than ready to go, Tess.
I will join you for The Kill all being well.
I will join you for The Kill all being well.
4Tess_W
2. Harold Harefoot by Mark Craster-Chambers A very short biography about a little known king. Harold I was a son of King Cnute and stepson of Queen Emma, Cnute's second wife. Emma did much to destroy Harold's reputation, but as to the truth, little is known except he reigned from 1037-1040. His body was disinterred and beheaded, chopped up, and thrown in the sewers in London, so the story goes. A local farmer found the body and buried it in St. Clements Dane Church in London, again, as the story goes. I bought this book for a nickel at a garage sale. There were multiple grammatical errors. 70 pages 3.5 stars (info only)
5Tess_W
3. The Heroic Legacy of the 6888th Battalion by Tiffany C Kingsbury
An inspiring account of their remarkable service during World War II. Tasked with an enormous responsibility, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Batallion were entrusted with sorting and delivering over 70 million packages and letters, stored across 70 warehouses in London, to the correct soldiers. Despite no prior planning from the Allies, particularly the U.S., they succeeded in this directive. Their work involved opening and reading letters to identify recipients, writing correspondence, and cross-referencing outdated military rosters. With only six months allocated, they completed the job in three months and were then sent to France to continue their mission. Despite their exceptional service, they were segregated from the regular Army and Air Force, forbidden to eat, sleep, or socialize with their fellow soldiers simply because they were Black. What a testament to bravery and patriotism. 124 pages 5 stars
An inspiring account of their remarkable service during World War II. Tasked with an enormous responsibility, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Batallion were entrusted with sorting and delivering over 70 million packages and letters, stored across 70 warehouses in London, to the correct soldiers. Despite no prior planning from the Allies, particularly the U.S., they succeeded in this directive. Their work involved opening and reading letters to identify recipients, writing correspondence, and cross-referencing outdated military rosters. With only six months allocated, they completed the job in three months and were then sent to France to continue their mission. Despite their exceptional service, they were segregated from the regular Army and Air Force, forbidden to eat, sleep, or socialize with their fellow soldiers simply because they were Black. What a testament to bravery and patriotism. 124 pages 5 stars
6PaulCranswick
Wow Tess, what a reading start to the new year!
7johnsimpson
Hi Tess my dear, i have starred you once again dear friend.
