Donna's Joy of Reading: June

JUNE...

I heard a red-winged blackbird singing
Down where the river sleeps in the reeds;
That was morning, and at noontime
A hummingbird flashed on the jewelweeds;
Clouds blew up, and in the evening a yellow sunset struck through the rain,
Then blue night, and the day was ended
That never will come again.

~Sara Teasdale

Books Read in June:

50. Last Friends by Jane Gardam. 3.7 stars.
We get the backstory of Veneering and learn more about Fiscal-Smith including his first name, Fred. A gratifying conclusion to the Old Filth trilogy.

51. Ordinary Friends by William Kent Krueger. 4.1 stars.
There is nothing ordinary about this coming-of-age story of Frankie Drum in small-town Minnesota after the deaths start happening.

52. The Twenty-Seventh City by Jonathan Franzen. 3.3 stars.
The decline of St. Louis in the 1980s is supposedly being turned around by the new female Police Chief from India. Or is it? Everyone seems to succumb to the charms of S. Jammu except Martin Probst and the members of Municipal Growth.

53. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. 4.5 stars.
The story of family connections from a painful beginning in Afghanistan to a poignant ending in California over a period of sixty years. The story of the love between a brother and sister, Abdullah and Pari, is memorable and heartrending.

54. Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell. 3.2 stars.
Russell writes beautifully, but her contrived plot about an American spinster taking part in the Cairo Conference of 1921 didn't work for me.

55. Framley Parsonage by Anthony Trollope. 4.2 stars.
Trollope's eternal optimism continues to delight! In this episode Mark Robarts is a likable young clergyman who gets caught up in debt. His sister Lucy has a problem with her potential future mother-in-law Lady Lufton.

56: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. 4.1 stars.
Retelling of the Achilles myth. In this version narrator and lover Patroclus turns out to be Achilles' "heel"! This debut novel was the winner of the 2012 Orange Prize.

57. A Dance to the Music of Time: 2nd Movement by Anthony Powell. 4 stars.
I am halfway through this 12-volume saga and beginning to fully appreciate the brilliance of it. Nick Jenkins tells about life amongst his fellow upper crust Brits in the first half of the twentieth century.

58. All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming. 3.8 stars.
Russ and Clare's world gets rocked and this reader gets blindsided twice in Book No. 5 . A must-read for fans of the series.

59. Reading Like A Writer by Francine Prose. 3.6 stars.
Ms. Prose (yes, that's her name!) gives some fine examples of great writing and urges would-be writers to study the masters to learn their craft.

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Books Read in May:
41. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. 3.8 stars.
Victoria is emancipated from a lifetime of foster care at age 18 and finds a job arranging flowers. Through the meaning of flowers, she is able to help others and to discover what has been missing in her life.

42. May We Be Forgiven by A. M. Homes. 3.25 stars.
A bizarre year in the Silver family: madness, murder, and infidelity leave two children in the care of their uncle who faces his own grief and struggle toward redemption.
**Winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction for 2012**

43. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple. 3 stars.
Cute book! I probably would have liked it better if I had read it on a beach. I don't think this one is prize worthy despite its entertainment value.

44. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. 4.6 stars.
Ursula was confused about what was real and what was not. No wonder! She died and was reborn many times over the course of this book. Ordinarily I wouldn't care for this kind of scenario, but Ms. Atkinson carried it off without it seeming too weird. Some excellent scenes during the London Blitz in WWII made this book one of my favorites for the year so far.

45. To Darkness and to Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming. 3.2 stars.
The adventures and "secret" love life of Rev. Clare Fergusson and Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne continue in Book 4 of this series. A woman is kidnapped over and over in this one! It is no surprise that some people will do anything for money. These books continue to amuse and entertain me.

46. The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker. 3.4 stars.
This was a fast-paced crime novel with plenty of bad guys for sassy and savvy P. I. Spenser to put in their place. The recovery of a medieval manuscript becomes tricky because of the murders and mafia involvement. I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

47. Exodus by Leon Uris. 4.7 stars.
I upgraded the rating of this reread by half a star. It stood the test of time for me. Although the writing was not quite up to my standards, the message of the faith and persistence of the Jewish people to secure a homeland made this book a real winner!

48. NW by Zadie Smith. 3.7 stars.
I liked the story of trying to rise above growing up in a poor neighborhood and of how the northwest section of London has become a trendier place to live. The diversity of class and race living together was interesting; however, I was distracted by the experimental devices Ms. Smith chose to tell her story.

49. Dr. Thorne by Anthony Trollope. 3.9 stars.
Trollope continues to entertain me with his stories of the restrictions of class in 19th century England. Young Frank will inherit his family's property - and its debt - which means he must marry for money. Of course, he has fallen in love with the lovely Miss Thorne who is without riches. Trollope makes a short story rather a long book, but I enjoyed every bit of it!

I read nine books in May. Only three of them were mine. The rest belonged to the library.
Total pages read for the month = 3,873 for an average of 430 pages per book.

visited 16 countres (7.11%)
Create your own visited map of The World


visited 14 states (28%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

Book acquisitions for the first four months of 2013:
37 print books; 8 e-books.

Purchased in May:
In Pursuit of Spenser - ebook

Purchased in June:
The Complete Stories - Flannery O'Connor - Kindle Daily Deal

From the JoCo Book Sale in Kansas City: (all half-price...$8.00 total!)
The Art of Fielding - Chad Harbach
Death in Summer - William Trevor
Mystic River - Dennis Lehane
The Master Butcher's Singing Club - Louise Erdrich
Lady Oracle - Margaret Atwood
Christine Falls - Benjamin Black
Death at La Fenice - Donna Leon
Foreign Affairs - Alison Lurie
Lullabies for Little Criminals - Heather O'Neill
Wench - Dolan Perkins-Valdez
Burnt Shadows - Kamilia Sharsie
The History of Love - Nicole Krauss

Hi there!

Hi Lori, I haven't been keeping up with my short book summaries to carry over to this thread. So here I am going back and forth trying to remember what I said about May's books. I think I need a secretary!

Congrats on the new thread, Donna! Nice poem and visuals. Love that red-winged blackbird in particular.

Thanks, Joe. I don't see as many red-winged blackbirds around here as I used to. Perhaps it could be because of the many crows that have invaded our area. I don't feed the hummingbirds, but we usually have quite a few visit us especially when the butterfly bushes are in bloom.

It's hard to carry things over. Sometimes I wish that we could mark the ones we want to carry forward on all threads. For example, in the category challenge, I have 15 spots I need to carry forward each time I start a new thread. One for the summary; 13 for the categories; and one for abandoned reads. As the list grows, I'll need to split some of those categories so the touchstones load properly. It's a lot of work.

Lovely new thread Donna. I especially love the red-winged blackbirds which I see around here too. I picked up Julia Spencer-Fleming's One was a Soldier to read before her new one comes out. I don't think I'll get to it this month but soonish.

>8 thornton37814:: Lori, it is a lot of work carrying things over. I enjoy tracking the countries and states I visit through books except when my saved information doesn't transfer and I have to enter in all the countries and states again. Grrrr...it's probably operator problems. I am tired after having the grandkids here all week end and I already feel behind for June.

>9 brenzi:: I am lagging behind you on the Julia Spencer-Fleming books, Bonnie. Nancy is going to loan me the next one I need to read, All Mortal Flesh. I'm in no great hurry to catch up because then I'll have to wait too long for the next book!

Donna

WOW! What great books you read in May.

I read In The Bleak Mid Winter by Julia Spencer Fleming and liked it very much.

>11 Whisper1:: Thanks, Linda! That was the first book in the series. I got it as an ER re-release and was immediately hooked. The two main characters are flawed but that's part of what makes them interesting. I enjoyed seeing your smiling face in the Philadelphia pictures!

I will echo Linda's comment. What a great list of books you've just read!

Glad to hear you escaped the recent rough weather - scary stuff.

Hi Donna- Love the June thread! Love the colorful photos, with their summer-time feel. Hope you have another great month of reading.

>13 Copperskye:: Hi Joanne, we have been very lucky weather-wise so far. I hope all this rain we're having means our grass will stay green all summer but I doubt it. Today was a beautiful day here in the Ozarks. It was in the low 70s which is perfect for me. I'm sure we'll heat up soon and I will do my summer hibernation!

>14 msf59:: Oops, we cross-posted, Mark. I have fun coordinating some images with my opening poem. But I think you must be the King of Images with your sexy librarians! Fun stuff. I hope your June reading is off to a good start. I got behind on threads again over the week end. It's hard to keep up with you!

Thanks for your kind words Donna. I really look forward to the November meet up in Joplin. It will be so nice to meet you!

Beautiful new thread, as usual, Donna!

Great pictures and I love the poem. I have a thing for birds.

>15 Donna828:: Linda, I am going to keep my fingers crossed that nothing gets in your way this year. Joplin or bust! I'm looking forward to meeting you, too.

>16 Whisper1:: Thanks for those kind words, Julia. It's always a pleasure to welcome you here.

It's been fun visiting but I must go to bed. It has been a long day and tomorrow is Tuesday with Haley! I need all my energy for her. She will be sad that her cousins have gone home. It was quiet around here when they left!

>18 banjo123:: Hi Rhonda. I love the birds too. I think our crows have scared away some of our songbirds. I have no idea why they have adopted us.

Love the photos! We have a duck pond just south of our neighborhood that is well populated with red wing blackbirds.

Happy new thread, Donna. I can't believe how many long books you read in May! I like your summaries at the top -- I may have to copy you...

Glad to be of help :-) and I, too, hope we make it to Lawrence in Sept.

Lovely new thread, Donna. Love the spring tulips you are marking your reads with : ).

21: Hi Jenn, that sounds like a good destination for a walk...or a short drive. Years ago we had a red-tailed blackbird that visited our feeder on occasion. We determined that it was a freak of nature rather than a new species.

22: Beth, it was just the opposite in April. I read 12 books and had 900 fewer pages read for the month! Exodus
was the longest book I read in May. It had 626 pages.

23: That would be so much fun, Reba, to hear about your summer at Chautauqua in person.

24: One more month of tulips, Nancy. Than I'll find a more summery theme. My page counter can keep its sun for the next several months. Hot weather is in my future, I'm sure, but, in the meantime, I'm loving these cool June mornings.

Lovely new thread, Donna! Grabbing my seat, so I'll be here for all the festivities. Did you get that new kiddie pool yet?

Hi Donna, checking into the lovely June thread.

Trollope makes a short story rather a long book
You are so right here... I enjoy the chronicles a lot, but I always need a longer break between the books. As they get longer and longer I hope the stories will also become a little more complex gradually.

Hello Donna, what a lovely new thread!

26: Not yet, Mamie. We are having some lovely cool weather. I'll have the pool ready for the first hot day we have...hopefully in July!

27: Good to see you, Nathalie. There does seem to be some padding and repetition in the Trollope books, but I do so enjoy them. I'm glad there are many more to look forward to.

28: Hi Anne. Welcome to the new digs!

"Old Filth, Terry Veneering, Fred Fiscal-Smith. Two accounted for, life completed. And in the shadows, like a little enigmatic scarecrow, Fiscal-Smith, born to be a background character." (Pg. 133)

Book No. 50: Last Friends by Jane Gardam. 3.7 stars.

Jane Gardam concludes the Old Filth trilogy in a satisfactory manner giving closure to the stories of Terry Veneering and the unloved Fiscal-Smith. This one was pretty light with a whimsical touch. It was a realistic story of aging. It must be difficult to be left behind when your best friends die. Fred Smith was always the third wheel but now he is the last one left and this is his story along with some background on Veneering. I enjoyed the book, although Old Filth remains my favorite of the trilogy. I'll definitely be reading more books by Jane Gardam.

Stopping by to say hi! What a wonderful bunch of books your read in May! Tomorrow the Orange Prize Winner is announced - or as it now called - Bailey's Prize for Women's Literature ( at least I think that is what it is called ). Bailey's Liqueur stepped up to the plate to fund the prize. Well, I'm not sure exactly what I think of that sponsor, but maybe we can get Mark reading the Bailey's Prize. I'm going to give it a try. :)

Not many of us have read May We Be Forgiven so it will be very interesting to see who wins. If it's Bring Up the Bodies I may cry, because I just cannot get into those dense reads that are in a time period that just not grab me ( yet anyway ).

Hi, Donna. I envy your cool weather. It's been up to 93 twice already this year. And the weather people are saying it's been so pleasantly cool so far. Oh really?

Great list of May books. I've loved the two Gardam books in the Old Filth series, but I'm saving the last one for exactly the right mood to enjoy it.

Hope your marvelous Spring continues.

31: Hi Deborah. Bailey's, huh? I'm okay with that...at least I think I am. Can't wait to see who wins. Bring Up the Bodies was wonderful - but so was Life After Life. I hope it is one of those.

32: Gail, it was in the low 70's again for a high today. It could change any day now. Dave drove to Atlanta today and told me it was hot there. I hope he doesn't bring the weather back home with him. Jane Gardam did a good job of tying up some loose ends in Last Friends. I thought it was the weakest of the trilogy but still very enjoyable.

Hi Donna, I just got a Jane Gardam book in the mail today: Crusoe's Daughter, which is said to be Ms. Gardam's personal favorite. I look forward to it (a late birthday present to myself, along with a couple others:)

Hi Donna, I have now made it over to your new thread. Great review of Last Friends. I was pleasantly surprised by Gardam's Old Filth and looking forward to the other two books in the trilogy.

Hi Donna

enjoying your introductory pictures and verse, as usual

On the dry days, our weather here in Missouri has been pretty nice this spring, hasn't it? But it can change any day. We have a friend who is also in Atlanta this week on business. I agree with you - they can keep the heat down there.

Are you planning to make it to the JOCO library sale this weekend?

Appreciate your take on Last Friends, Donna. And I'm glad to hear that Old Filth is still the best in the trilogy. My reasons are purely selfish: I STILL have to get to Old Filth, and I'm really not up to a trilogy. (but then, it's June, and I'm not up to much but working, marking, working, sleeping ...)

Ah, Bailey's in a cup of hot chocolate on a crisp evening -- there's very little better except to add a good book :-)

Some great reading and great reviewing as always, Donna. And love what you've done with the new place! I really should order Old Filth and get it off the WL - you have motivated me!

Hi Donna- Just a quick check in. Glad the Old Filth trilogy ended successfully. I NEED to get to The Man in the Wooden Hat sometime this summer. Hope your week is going well.

34: Thanks, Anne. I'd better put the author's personal favorite on my WL. Maybe it can be an early birthday present for me! The only other book I own by Gardam is God on the Rocks. Have you read it?

35: Lori, I thought the Old Filth trilogy was great! Interesting characters presented with both humor and pathos.

36: Hi Sandy. I just made my decision this morning about the JoCo sale. Yes! The call of plentiful cheap books is too hard to resist! I am waiting to see what day works best for you and Brenda. Friday or Saturday? And it's not too late for Nancy to change her mind and join us. ;-)

37: Ha! It sounds like you are a busy June "bug," Nancy, with all that working. All three of the books in the trilogy are quick reads, although you might want to slow down and enjoy each word because they are so well written!

38. Reba, I personally think Baileys gives a delicious added touch to most beverages. I may have to celebrate the new "Orange" with a bottle so I can make spiked milk shakes this summer!

39. I'm always glad to provide some motivation, Prue. Now, can you motivate me to read Morgan's Passing?

40. Mark, I'm confident you will like the other two books in the Old Filth trilogy. I am so far behind on your thread - along with many others. I had both Molly and Haley yesterday at different times. Molly in the morning and Haley in the afternoon and early evening. Over eight hours spent with granddaughters. Wonderful!...but not much reading done.

After seeing the mention of your granddaughters, Donna, I just had to chime in and thank you again for letting me share some of that "Molly" time! I not only got to meet her, but also hold her and give her her bottle! And she is absolutely adorable....and such an angel! I know Haley is a hard act to follow, but Molly should be able to hold her own. ;-)

Awwww, thanks, Nancy. I'll be glad to put you on the babysitting roster!

Lori sent me some pictures she took over the week end. I liked this one of Sadie holding Molly. The oldest meets the youngest grandchild.

Oh No! My 5th place pick (out of six books) won the Women's Prize for Fiction. I guess that explains why I don't have a job as a book critic!

Congratulations to author A. M. Homes for her prize-winning book May We Be Forgiven.

Maybe we'd be better off if you were, Donna. :-) A lot of people are questioning that pick. She's a new author to me.

Well, Donna, at least a book that I'd read of won the Bailey's/ Orange Prize. I had read that May We Be Forgiven was " tipped to win' although the bookies had Bring Up The Bodies in first place. I'm okay with the winner, but I had really been pulling for Life After Life. Well, lets drink to that!

Sadie and Molly are so cute!!! Both are such lovely names too!

Deborah, funny that we cross-posted about the same topic. You were the first one that I thought of when they announced the WPfF today as you liked May We Be Forgiven better than I did. I'll raise a glass of Baileys with you as long as it's blended with vanilla ice cream. Cheers!

ETA: I am already mixing up the grand girls' names: Haley and Molly have been known to be called Holly!

There was an interesting article in yesterday's WSJ titled, "Guilt Complex: Why Leaving A Book Half-Read is so Hard." The motivation to finish is strong especially when under 'social pressure' such as being in a book club. It was interesting to me to learn that Type A personalities are more likely to abandon books. E-readers make it easier to stop reading a book, but it is often picked up again later at a time when it is easier to connect because of a change in mood.

I find this kind of information fascinating. According to a GoodReads poll, the most abandoned book of all time is Catch 22 closely followed by books in The Lord of the Rings series.

It is hard for me to give up on a book. I will normally do so only if something in it like child or animal abuse distresses me, or if I run out of time for a library book. Any thoughts on the subject?

Guilt, eh? How interesting. I don't think I have ever left a book unread in my life. I did put The Kelly Gang down for a few years but ultimately I finished it. I thought it was my optimism that eventually I would engage with it and start liking it that kept me going but the "guilt" idea resonates, I must admit.

I very rarely abandon books but since joining LT, I allow myself to do so more and more - maybe because I'm more aware of all the great stuff out there? I don't subscribe to the Pearl Rule, though. Sometimes I abandon just a few pages in, sometimes I get halfway through or so, it just depends. I tend to finish books if I've gotten more than halfway through, though.

I am more likely to abandon a book early on than when I've read half of it. Sometimes I'll pick up a book, read the first few pages and know I'm not in the mood for it at that time.

I rarely abandon books but then again I rarely start reading a book I think I probably won't like.

Thanks for those great responses. I have book group in a short time and want to get my last book posted before then. I'll be back later with some comments about abandoned books.


"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain, which cannot forget, falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes widsom through the awful grace of God." ~ Aeschylus
(from the Prologue)

Book No. 51: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. 4.2 stars.

The summer of 1961 in New Bremen, Minnesota, was haunted by death. It began with young Bobby Cole on the railroad tracks followed by a deceased itinerant found under the railroad trestle. These deaths were not related and may or may not have been accidental, but the next three are connected and have more sinister undertones. The 13-year-old narrator, Frankie Drum, made this book much less morbid than it sounds. Frank and Jake are PKs (Preacher's Kids) so funerals are fairly common events to them. Here are some beautiful thoughts expressed by Frank as he attends the small service for the unknown man:

"It seemed to me a good day to be dead and by that I mean that if the dead cared no more about the worries they'd shouldered in life and could lie back and enjoy the best of what God had created it was a day for exactly such. The air was warm and still and the grass of the cemetery which Gus kept watered and clipped was soft green and the river that reflected the sky was a long ribbon of blue silk and I thought that when I died this was the place exactly I would want to lie and this was the scene that forever I would want to look upon." (Pg. 70)

Frankie and his tag-along younger brother have the usual childhood adventures until the deaths hit closer to home and two boys are forced to shoulder responsibilities beyond their years. As Frank looks back and tells this story of a summer over 40 years ago, he relives the times when he outwitted the town bully, made friends with an Indian on the run, and learned an even greater respect for his father. There is a mystery to be solved but the book is more about the life lessons that Frank and Jake learn and the way that families stick together no matter what. This is an extraordinary book about making sense out of tragedy. The story may be set in simpler times but the events read much like the daily misfortunes that we see on the nightly newscasts or read about in the daily newspapers...those catastrophes that can strengthen or break us.

Donna, wonderful review of Ordinary Grace. Just love the quotes, especially this: It seemed to me a good day to be dead and by that I mean that if the dead cared no more about the worries they'd shouldered in life and could lie back and enjoy the best of what God had created it was a day for exactly. Well done.

49: Reba, it sounds like you are a completist like me. I read a little bit (maybe 35 pages) in NW the first time I checked it out of the library. It wasn't grabbing me so I put it at the bottom of my stack and then ran out of time to read it. I felt so guilty that I checked it out again, read it, and while it wasn't my favorite book of the Orange SL by any means, I am glad I gave it a second chance.

50: Katie, another advantage of LT is getting good recommendations from people we trust. I remember years and years ago going to the library and wandering the stacks looking for appealing books. With the Internet I usually reserve my books and know with reasonable certainty that they will be to my taste.

51: Timing is so important, Beth. That is a great advantage to having books on an e-reader and bookmarking where you quit reading. I just have to remember to go back and finish the book!

52: I know my own tastes pretty well, too, Carrie. Every once in awhile, I read out of my comfort zone, but even then, I make a real effort to finish an experimental book to give it a fair chance.

54: Thank you, Nancy, for the thumb. So many excellent quotes in that book. I am tempted to begin Krueger's mystery/thriller series set in Minnesota.

********************************************

And now I have to pack for my quick trip to Kansas City. I'm leaving at 7:00 a.m. so I can be at the book sale when the doors open at 10:00. I am going to meet Brenda there along with some of her book friends from Lawrence -- and maybe Sandy if she can make it. Woo Hoo! Cheap books and a mini meet-up...then watching grandkids' ball games on Saturday.

I hope everyone else has a fantastic week end planned!

Oh, almost forgot. Tonight's book discussion was about Behind the Beautiful Forevers. Everyone loved it. I kind of wish I had taken the time to reread it because some of the names and events were a little fuzzy after a year's lapse.

LibraryThing is a big help to me for deciding whether I'm likely to enjoy a book or not. Just one of the many reasons I love it here.

Have a great time in Kansas City!

Have fun, Donna! Hope the weekend is full of fabulous!

Thanks for the good time wishes, Carrie and Mamie. I walked into the book sale a few minutes after it opened and found out that they put all the books on sale half-price a day early.
The book gods knew we were coming!

I bought twelve books for me and eight for the kids -- all for $13.00! I'll list the titles later when the kids are watching their movie.

We ate across the street from the book sale at Jack Stack's Barbecue, one of the restaurants for which Kansas City is famous.

Our mini meet-up picture:


Brenda (Brenpike) and me.
We missed you Sandy, Nancy, Terri, and Chris!

Nice photo and sounds like a nice (and very successful) meet-up

I've abandoned books one page in (The Expedition of Humphry Clinker) and two-thirds of the way completed (Wolf Hall). Most though are after two to three chapters (or about 50 pages, i.e. "Pearl Ruled"). Maybe that's how she came up with it?

Ah, have to love it when the book Gods are shining on you, Donna. And what a haul for $13! Lovely photo of you and Brenda.

59: Reba, there were actually five of us including Brenda's friends, Kathy and Joyce - and Joyce's daughter Kate. Wish you could have been there, too. Think September!

60: Morphy, you certainly gave Wolf Hall a more than fair chance. I ended up liking it but admit to having problems getting into it. I thought that Bring Up the Bodies was more accessible.

61: Thanks,, Nancy.

And now for that list of my books. The kiddos have already stashed theirs away.

Hardcovers::
The Art of Fielding - Chad Harbach. Leaving in KC for SIL Greg to read.
Death In Summer - William Trevor.
Mystic River - Dennis Lehane. For permanent collection.
The Master Butchers Singing Club - Louise Erdrich. Keeper.

Trade Paperbacks:
Lady Oracle - Margaret Atwood.
Christine Falls - Benjamin Black.
Death at La Fenice - Donna Leon.
Foreign Affairs - Alison Lurie.
Lullabies for Little Criminals - Heather O'Neill.
Wench - Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
Burnt Shadows - Kamila Shamsie.
The History of Love - Nicole Krauss. I loved this book. Another keeper!

Wow so much going on Donna: adorable shots of grandkids, an intriguing book review of a book I've never heard of, meet-up pic and interesting question about DNF books.

I seldom give up on a book and in the last four years I have only done it twice. Coincidentally, the last four years I've been on LT. Hmmm, connection???

ETA: forgot to mention the book haul. I loved Christine Falls and the next book in the series but haven't kept up. The next one being published is one of this month's ER offerings.

Great picture of you and Brenda, Donna....and great book haul! The book gods sure were smiling on you! I missed being there with you two, but I'm already looking forward to Joplin! ;-)

Enjoy the rest of your visit and have a safe trip home.

I never abandon books: I'm a quick enough reader that I figure even a bad (or worse, boring) book won't be around that long, but mostly I'm just paranoid that I'm going to miss out on something good.

Aww...I really like The Expedition Of Humphry Clinker. :)

Great meet-up pics, Donna! I bet that barbecue was awesome.

What a great picture, and it looks like you and Brenda got enough books that the FOTL won't miss me! Jack Stack is my favorite BBQ. I had BBQ for lunch today, too, but at a different place. It was good, but it wasn't Jack Stack. I'm sad that I wasn't able to make it out there today. Next time.

Hi Donna! Nice meet up pic with Brenda. Looks like your having a good time in KC and the books gods were in deed in your favor. Looking forward to see what you're bringing home with you.

I keep a list and it looks like I abandon about six books a year. That's two percent. So that's not exactly a lot! To me it means that I'm stretching my boundaries since it's rarely a book in my favorite genres. I'm bound to come across books I just don't care for.

yes, hoping for September. About to hit the road now and, actually, I'm glad we're planning to go I-80 instead of I-70.

63: Hi Bonnie, there's lots going on in your message, too. I'm glad to hear you liked Christine Falls. I told Brenda I had heard good things about it...most likely from you. It is strange that I don't give up on many books, but I'd like to give up on the one I'm trying to read for the Miasouri Readers Group. I think I'll set it aside until I get home. There is too much going on here to concentrate on all the characters and corruption going on in The Twenty-Seventh City, a book about St. Louis by Jonathan Franzen.

64: Thanks, Nancy. I wish you could have been with us to pick up some cheap books and share in some good company.

65: Liz, I've ended up loving some books that I would have given up on if I were enforcing the Pearl Rule. I guess I'll keep going on that Franzen book I mentioned to Bonnie. I started Framley Parsonage, but haven't gotten very far. I think it's going to be another winner!

66: The barbecue was great, Julia. My SIL has been smoking ribs all day for a block party tonight. I am in Kansas City!

67: I'm sad, too, Sandy, but I understand. Next time for sure! You were missed.

68: Lynda, see message #62 for my list of books purchased at the book sale. I'm glad my daughter didn't want to go to the sale today. Two ball games in one day provided enough excitement. I'm thinking about staying later tomorrow to catch another softball game by my soon-to-be 6th Grade granddaughter. Her team is pretty good!

69: Morphy, that's a decent ratio considering you are trying new genres. I would have more unfinished books if I tried more sci-fi and fantasy!

70: Happy Trails to you and your husband, Reba!

>30 Donna828: the last of the trilogy, good for you for having knocked them all off. I plan to, of course, planning and doing are two different things :)

Lovely meetup picture, I do love seeing the connections made and solidified. What a great thing the internet can be

*wave*
Great photo! Hope we get to see you this summer. :)

72: The Internet is a great thing. I even have a friend in New Zealand now. ;-)

73: *Waving back to Jenn*
I still hope to come out to CO in August. No dates set yet. Let me know if and when you will be gone.

Interesting article & discussion on abandoning books. I seem to be the anomaly here in that I regularly stop reading books that aren't grabbing me - I've stopped four so far this year (and that figure is low for me - I've often had months where I stopped reading one or two, I believe). I think it's partly because I read so many books a year that I simply don't have the time and energy to pour into one that I have to drag my feet through. It's not fair to me or the book. The other reason, I think, is that much of what I read is library books, and having a due date makes me decide within three weeks or so if I'm really going to pursue a book or return it.

Of course, I could always return to a book at a future date. I did so with Cutting for Stone. The first time I tried to read it, I just couldn't get into it reading a few pages at a time, and getting completely grossed out by the descriptions of surgery. The second time around, I had a whole morning to read before work and knew in advance not to read it while I was eating - I was past the place I'd stopped in one sitting, and the book was one of my top reads that year.

Edited to add - I'd be really interested to see an expansion on personality types being willing/able to abandon books. I don't stop reading books because I don't think others will praise me for finishing - I read what works for me, and don't when it's not. Though there are books that I won't pick up because I know enough to know they are not for me. So I don't know where I fit in to their breakdown of Type A/B reasons for quitting or not. Of course, I read far more than the average American adult too...

Thanks, Donna. So far this has NOT been a smooth trip but I'm hopeful it will get better soon (for gory detail see my thread).

#75 bell7 > I have failed to finish very few books. These days I vet my choices very carefully, looking at review ratings, relying on others with similar tastes, recognizing authors, and in general, making a commitment to finish the book. The only book I can recall not completing was David Copperfield when I was in high school (which was a year or two ago), and of course virtually every high school textbook I ever laid my hands on. Too many times, the best of the book is the last half, and if the book is highly regarded, I feel I must either finish it, or I've missed something completely.

I've even fallen behind pace in reaching 75 books again this year due to some huge novels in the 500 page range, and I've resisted the urge to feel pressured by that flimsy goal at the expense of reading some very good books. I agree that life is too short to waste on below average reading material. Aggressive vetting is my solution, and resisting solicitation of so many ARC freebies. I think I requested only one or two from the June ER list.

I feel I can't really depend much on review ratings and sometimes not even on relying on others with similar tastes. Sometimes I feel it's a crap shoot. A book I would think I would love based on ratings and recommendations by people I trust, I'm just meh about. I don't know whether it's my mood or the style or the phase of the moon, but sometimes a book just doesn't click for me.

Or maybe I've read so many thousands of books it takes something extra special to stand out.

>75 bell7:: Mary, I see your point about reading library books. I usually only reserve the "sure things" but when I do take a chance, I have no guilt about abandonment. However, books I've purchased and made room for on my shelves is an entirely different matter. There must have been something about the book that called to me so I'll persevere until I find some redeeming value. For example, I couldn't "get into" my latest Missouri Readers' book, The Twenty-Seventh City over the week end. I was only able to read in snatches while visiting my daughter and her family. When I got home, I read for longer periods of time and it finally grabbed me. If it had been a library book, I probably wouldn't have continued with it. Btw, I loved Cutting for Stone. I'm glad you gave it that second chance!

>76 RebaRelishesReading:: Yikes! Reba, have you put up that "for sale" sign in your RV yet? I hope you can get it fixed in Indiana and have no further problems with it. Personally, I would hate to be buying gas for a behemoth like that. ;-)

>77 mldavis2:: Hi Mike! Vetting is a good thing but, like Morphy, I do like to get out of my comfort zone sometimes. Advanced Reading Copies don't call to me unless they are part of a series or written by a beloved author. I need to finish my bio of Anne Frank, an ER that I requested because I was interested in the subject matter. I don't feel any pressure to read 75 books a year -- just to read as many as I can before my eyes and/or brain fail me!

>78 Morphidae:: "...maybe I've read so many thousands of books it takes something extra special to stand out." Morphy, I'd say in your case that you've nailed it! I think sometimes we can get too much of a good thing!

I'm glad this topic got people interested. Thanks for the great responses!

Excellent discussion on abandoning books! I never used to allow myself to do that, but I wouldn't want to finish the slog I was reading ... and it left everything on hold. I still don't like to abandon a book, but I will do if by 50 (more likely 100) pages, I am struggling to pick it up.

>80 lit_chick:: Nancy, no one should have to struggle to pick up a book. That's why I give myself permission to give it up and move on after I have given it a fair chance. It sounds like you do the same thing. There are way too many wonderful books out there to put up with one that doesn't have something you can admire in it. I admired the writing in my latest book! Here's my review...


"It was 3:00 in the afternoon, December 12. Bundled in his overcoat, a scarf beneath his chin, he pushed through two sets of doors in Plaza Frontenac, his and Barbara's shopping center of choice. The people entering with him had empty hands and a bounce in their steps. Those leaving had packages, Saks bags swinging at shin level, wrapped books or records in the crooks of arms, the serrated tops of small paper bags poking from coat pockets. Probst stopped to orient himself. Malls were never executive-friendly, and he felt especially unwanted at this hour on a weekday afternoon. Normally even a bad cold would not have kept him from going in to the office. But he'd also come down with a birthday, which was likewise the worst he'd had in several years. He was fifty." (210)

Book No. 52: The Twenty-Seventh City by Jonathan Franzen. 3.3 stars.

Well, somebody has to give this book a decent review. It was a decent book. Not great but good enough to keep reading if only to wallow in the luscious prose of Jonathan Franzen. This is the third book I've read by him. I can't really say that I loved any of them but his writing is so good that I can overlook some of the plot lines that don't grab me. This one had to do with corruption that came to St. Louis in the 1980s along with the female police chief from India. It sounds bizarre and becomes even more so when her minions start doing her dirty work behind the scenes. Her major foe is Martin Probst who built the Gateway Arch and is supposedly too level-headed to be taken in by Police Chief Jammu's "charms" so his family is targeted.

There are way too many characters to keep straight in the book but many are bit players who come and go. It took me awhile to figure out what was going on with the buying and selling of real estate, but it all comes down to political graft which, in my opinion, is not the most scintillating topic for a novel. I will recommend the book to fans of Franzen who are interested in reading his debut novel or my friends who hail from the St. Louis area. Franzen is a local boy who knows his turf and describes the beauty and decay in great detail.

We're going to the factory on Thurs. I'm sure they'll be able to fix it even though they said they've never heard of one doing that before (we haven't either). It's not all that big though, just 25', so gas isn't as bad as it could be. Plus it uses regular unleaded rather than diesel (like our old, big one did). I actually do love this thing. It's really pleasant to drive and just right for the two of us in terms of features. It's just that we do so many other things and we aren't "campers".

i second your liking Cutting for Bone, it is an amazing book.

#75 Bell7 > I have the advantage of having read so few classic works that my short list of reading material is rather limited to sure things. But that sets the bar much higher for dipping into the occasional ER or ARC offerings. It has to be a subject in which I am interested before I'll even request it, and then the chance of being awarded a copy is rather small, so I don't read many although I've perhaps averaged 3 or 4 a year here. It has been nearly 2 years since I've won anything over on Goodreads so I don't even bother requesting anything there anymore unless it's very promising.

Great discussion here, Donna. I agree with many that by now I have learned how to vet my books. I've also learned, as you pointed out, that a lot of reading is based on mood. Sometimes I pick up something I know I'll like and it doesn't speak to me. I always think I'll get to it later -- sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Nice review of the Franzen book. I think I'll pass on it.

82: Reba, it looks like the bad weather is seeking you out. I hope you are out of the way of the big storms tonight.

83: Mike, I still have many classics left to read, too. Right now I am enjoying a series of books by Anthony Trollope.

84: Beth, I don't blame you for passing on the Franzen book. It was so-so, hence the 3.3 rating. I hope you are reading something that makes your heart flutter - in a good way. Lol.

Hi, Donna. Looks like a successful book sale was had by all!

Great new thread, Donna and I am quite green with envy at the list of books you got for such a great price. Both The Art of Fielding and Burnt Shadows are on my wishlist so I'll be looking forward to your thoughts on them.

>77 mldavis2:/83 That makes sense, too. I work as a librarian, so I'm constantly reading reviews and I purchase the new fiction (and see all the threads on LT...), and have an ongoing list of the "Ooh! That looks good!" books. I don't tend to try to read a lot about a book before reading it, because I enjoy the unfolding or discovery process more the less I knew about the book beforehand. And since I'm primarily borrowing them from the library, starting to read them and see what I think essentially becomes my vetting system. It doesn't take me that long to read fifty pages (or more or less, depending) and decide a book isn't for me.

Now, the books I buy new are the sure things, books I read first as library books that I want to read again, or a trusted author, for example. (Used books or library book sales are a whole 'nother beast, let's not talk about those...) Of the four books I haven't finished so far this year, two are books that I still want to read, but the timing just wasn't right for one reason or another.

>86 ronincats:: Roni, I'm always pleased to add more books to my TBR pile, but the highlight was spending time with Brenda and her friends. I sincerely hope you will be able to join us next year at the book sale. You would love it!

>87 DeltaQueen50:: Hi Judy, i'll get to Burnt Shadows first as both my daughter and son-in-law want to read The Art of Fielding. I hope your normal flesh-color has returned by now. Lol.

>88 bell7:: Mary, I am just the opposite...I like knowing quite a bit about a book before I read it. Even mild spoilers don't bother me. I suppose it would be different, though, if I worked in a library and had easy access to many books. Yours sounds like a pretty good vetting system to me.

"Slowly Mrs. Wahdate recited, 'Today I have seen the charm, the beauty, the unfathomable grace of the face that I was looking for.' She smiles. 'Rumi, Have you heard of him? You'd think he'd composed it just for you, my dear.'" (41)

Book No. 53: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. 4.5 stars.

Ah, what to say about this wonderful book by a gifted author? I can't top Bonnie's comments on the book page so please read her review and know that I echo what she said. I'll just share a few thoughts here and let it go. I see that I didn't review Hosseini's other two books either. Perhaps when a book touches me as deeply as his do words fail me.

This book was quite different from his other two. The Kite Runner was about friendship and betrayal, and A Thousand Splendid Suns showed the abuse of women in memorable detail. This one was more about connections and fate set in the context of a family saga. It started with a separation and ended with a reunion tempered with sorrow. The complex set of characters, settings, and events made the reader pay attention to the shifts in time and place so as not not get lost in the telling of this story with many voices. Hosseini begins the book with a fable told by a father to his two children who listen in rapturous awe. I read Hosseini's stories in much the same way. He is a marvelous story teller. This is yet another book I will search out to become part of my permanent library.

Wonderful comments, Donna. Thanks for endorsing Bonnie's review. The the Mountains Echoed is one I'll most definitely be reading. Looking forward to it : ).

Having loved his two previous books, I can hardly wait to get my hands on And the Mountains Echoed, I enjoyed reading your throughts on the book, Donna.

Hi Nancy and Judy...I am pretty certain that you will both like the new Hosseini book. He is such a good writer about the Afghanistan people. I'm already looking forward to his next book!

Lovely "new" thread, Donna. Ha. I'm just way behind....
I do like the birds in your thread-topping photos.

I need to get a copy of And the Mountains Echoed. I adored The Kite Runner but still have not read A Thousand Splendid Suns, though I do own that one.

Happy Sunday to you!

Hi Donna, I'm so far behind - I only quickly scanned your thread. I find it very interesting that Type A's are more likely to abandon books. That seems counter-intuitive to me. I always felt that my lack of hesitation to abandon books was contrary to my Type A tendencies and now I find that it makes me even more Type A-ish! I never consider reading just a page or two to be abandonment - only the wrong book for the time. Life is too short to spend time with books that don't work for us.

Great meet-up photo! And a great book haul! I was happy to find a used copy of The History of Love after reading a library copy - I love it too.

I almost picked up a copy of And the Mountains Echoed at the library yesterday but I just started Life After Life and knew I wouldn't get to it. Glad to see you loved it!

The grands are adorable, as usual!!

Hi Donna, great meet-up photo, and terrific discussion about abandoning books. Since joining LT (5 years next week) most of my selections have been good, so I usually do enjoy the books I pick up. Interesting, though, because the last book I finished I MADE myself finish, and wrote that it was the worst book I read in 10 years. Why was I so determined to finish it? Then just last week I decided to stop reading The Big Rock Candy Mountain, but not abandon it. I had been so busy I had read and reread the first 50 pages and the book was starting to feel like a chore. I really want to read it, so I decided to set it aside for another time.

To answer your question in #41, I have never read anything by Jane Gardam, but I now own Crusoe's Daughter and The Man in the Wooden Hat, though I want to read Old Filth before I read Wooden Hat. How nice to have such a highly recommended author to try for the first time!

The Internet is a great thing. I even have a friend in New Zealand now

You know Donna that comment encapsulates one of the things I love most about this group. Of the near 750 members this year we have residents from Argentina, Canada, Ireland, UK, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain, India, Australia, New Zealand, I don't know how many States of the USA and, erm, Malaysia. The world is a smaller and better place. (I'm sure I have missed out a country or two).

Have a lovely weekend.

94: Thanks, Ellen. We are having a lazy Father's Day hanging out waiting for the ribs to reach their maximum awesomeness! My youngest son is here while his family is with Mary's father in Kansas. I miss the girls but it is nice to have Ben to ourselves. I hope you are having a good Sunday.

95: Joanne, it is great to hear from you. I have given up trying to keep up with everyone here. I just pay visits when I can and stay focused on my reading and family. My husband is very much a Type-A and has little patience with books or anything else that doesn't grab him right away. Enjoy Life After Life. I thought it was a great book.

96: Anne, you will enjoy Jane Gardam when you get to her. I did read about your "bad" book. I'm glad that you only get one every ten years! I still hope to get out there this summer...hopefully before school starts. Enjoy your summer!

97: Paul, I love the international aspect of LT. It does my heart good to know that reading is an activity enjoyed around the world. And I'm very glad to have a friend in Malaysia!

Gee Donna, thanks for the promotion of my review. I think anyone who loved his first two books will love this one (even though it is quite different) and I know there are millions of fans of his work. He's quite the storyteller. My only complaint is he doesn't write fast enough;-)

Hi Donna- Good review of And the Mountains Echoed. I hope to get to this title sometime over the summer. I loved his first 2 books!
Hope you had a nice weekend!

99: You are welcome, Bonnie. And I agree...I wish Hosseini would write faster...without losing any of the quality of his writing.

100: Mark, Hosseini wrote another winner! Lucky you, still having it to look forward to. In the same vein, I am getting closer to reading The Song of Achilles. So many great books out there!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And so much rain here! We had 3+ inches in our rain gauge over the week end plus another two inches overnight. Of course, there is more rain in the forecast. Looks like a good day to read!

Hi Donna! Hope you get some sunny weather soon. We had a beautiful day in Iowa today, but we've had our share of rainy ones too.

I'm so glad to hear that you loved And the Mountains Echoed. I bought it for my mom for a late Mother's Day present, and I'm hoping that she'll loan it back to me. She read it in just a few days and loved it too.

Donna, I think I lost you completely for most of this year! I have not kept up threads at all.

You've done some great reading. I'm glad to see you liked Ordinary Grace as much as I did.

Ah, a great abandoned book discussion. I'm doing it a bit more these days. Life is too short to slog through books I don't want to read . . . and there are too many other books waiting for me!
80 I wouldn't want to finish the slog I was reading ... and it left everything on hold.
That's been my experience when I try to force myself to read something I'm not enjoying. I'm a very moody reader.

Feel free to send over some of that rain. We've had a bit, but not enough the past couple of days, but it looks like we're in for very hot and very dry for the next few.

I'm delighted to have visitors after I have ignored my thread for two days. What can I say? I am busy reading!!!

>102 porch_reader:: Amy, that was a sneaky Mother's Day present you gave. Lol. You may have to drop a hint or two that you would like to share the reading experience. We've had sun for two days now. My flowers are happy and I've enjoyed reading on my swing.

>103 tymfos:: Hi Terri, keeping up with threads gets more challenging each year. I know you are a Krueger fan. Our library doesn't carry his early books and I do so want to read the Cork O'Connor (I hope I got the name right) series in order. I hope I can get them through our state-wide lending program. I think "MoodyReader" would make a great thread name!

>104 AMQS:: Hot and dry, huh? That doesn't sound good for the threat of forest fires. We have had a very wet spring but it can dry up and be miserable any day now. At least that would make it easier to keep up with the lawn mowing.

"All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." ~T. E. Lawrence.

Book No: 54: Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell. 3.2 stars.

*SPOILERS* ahead!
I have been dragging my feet (and eyes) about reading this book. In my vetting process I learned that it used the device of an average person being thrust into the middle of an important historic event. I dislike this type of "convenient" storytelling very much. It was bad enough when spinster Agnes Shanklin was thrown into the middle of the Cairo Conference of 1921 wherein the Arab states were divided into their present configurations, but I was even more taken aback by the ending when she was hobnobbing with St. Francis of Assisi , Napolean Bonaparte, and George McClellan along the banks of the Nile in the afterlife. *End of SPOILER*

Mary Doria Russell is a favorite author of mine. I can't hold this book against her because it contained many passages of her lyrical writing such as this description of her trip up the Nile River:

Imagine a coffe-brown river, lazy between high black banks. Listen to the palm fronds rustle and crackle. Hear the strange crooning of the falcons that soar above you, sharp-winged silhouettes against the luminous sky. Close your eyes against the bright Egyptian light...Drowse, then awaken to watch strings of heavily loaded camels swaying along. Donkeys carry men. Women carry water jars and small children. Dust rises at every step, fine as flour. It is dried river silt, that dust. Add water, and the soil is so fertile that you could plant a pencil and harvest a book." (212)

In a nutshell, I loved the writing (especially that last line I quoted) and disliked the way the story was told. It did add to my knowledge of the Middle East which is a good thing. The book best fit my 3-star rating which translates as, "I liked it pretty well, but had reservations."

Hi, Donna. Just dropping by to say hi!

Beautiful writing, Donna. Imagine a coffee-brown river, lazy between high black banks. Oh, swoon! I love the last line, too, in bold. Too bad the plot suffered from convenient storytelling. I recently had Thread of Grace out from the library, but it went back unread, thanks to June-school teacher madness. I'll get it again though. I just loved Doc when I read it this winter, a rec from several well-read LTers. Went to offer a thumb-up, but you didn't post ... are you going to?

Sorry that your last book didn't live up to your expectations. The quote you chose was lovely though, and your review was very good! I love that last line that you bolded, too! Magic there.

Happy Summer Solstice, Donna!

107: Hi Roni. Thanks for stopping by.

108: Nancy, I'm not going to post my comments on Dreamers of the Day because of the spoiler. I absolutely loved Thread of Grace and need to read Doc before Russell comes out with the sequel. It's one I want to buy so I can pass it on to my DIL who is from Dodge City, but I haven't been able to find a good used copy yet. It must be so good that everyone is keeping the book!

109: Mamie, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could grow books in the garden? Magic indeed!

110: Thanks, Ellen. Same to you! I had to abandon my swing earlier than usual this morning because of the heat and humidity. I'm hoping for cooler breezes this evening so I can get the most out of this longest day of the year.

Oh, Donna, it's hopeless to try to catch up, but you do have lovely granddaughters, and Holly is as good as calling the roll. (Did everybody else's Grandmother do that, "Come here Gail, Nancy, Jan, Elaine, Chip (!), Peggy Ann...."?)
Great buys from your meet-up with Brenda and great books showing up on your completed list. Keep it up!
I'll just bet everybody is keeping her copy of Doc! My ma is reading and enjoying it now.

Peggy, my mom would do that all the time. What made it worse is that it was my brother and me — you'd think she could at least tell her son from her daughter! But no, it was "John, I mean Julia, whatever your name is, take this to the kitchen!"

Hello Donna - I have just posted a review of A Severed head by Iris Murdoch if you are interested...

112: Peggy, you did an excellent job catching up! With 19 grandchildren, my grandmother had so many names to remember that I learned to answer to just about anything. I may be the last one to read Doc but I know there is a copy out there somewhere with my name on it!

113: Julia, I wasn't called by my brother's name, but my mother frequently called me "Don" which was my father's name. Close enough!

114: Prue, I'm interested in any book with a title like that. I haven't read anything by Iris Murdoch. I'll check out your review and see if that one calls to me.

Oh boy, I can hardly even imagine needing to abandon one's swing due to heat and humidity. I had on my fleece vest this afternoon.....

Have a great weekend, Donna.

>116 EBT1002:: Thanks, Ellen. I babysat - along with my husband - for both 2-year-old Haley and 2-month-old Molly today for ten hours while their parents shopped for a new vehicle. It was an exhausting day for both Grandma and Grandpa. The kids ended up getting a Honda Odyssey. No fleece vest for me... another day in the low 90s with humidity in about the same range - at least it seemed that way! Tomorrow is going to be a reading and recovery day. I hope you and P have a wonderful rest of the week end!

"She felt that she had received a severe blow in having been thus made the subject of remark with reference to Lord Lufton. She knew that her pleasant evenings at Framley Court were now over, and that she could not again talk to him in an unrestrained tone and without embarrassment. She had felt the air of the whole place to be very cold before her intimacy with him, and now it must be cold again."

Book No. 55. Framley Parsonage by Anthony Trollope. 4.2 stars.

Another interesting episode in the Barsetshire Chronicles. I really enjoyed running into many of the characters from previous books and meeting new characters including Mark Robarts and his sister Lucy. Mark is a clergyman in a plum position who longs for more and gets caught up in debt that he can not repay. His sister Lucy falls in love with Lord Lufton, the son of her brother's benefactress. Young Lufton very much wants to marry Lucy but she is reluctant because his mother thinks she is "insufficient". Knowing Trollope and his tender heart, one knows all will be well in the end, although both Mark and Lucy suffer through a series of circumstances that seem insurmountable. Once again, Trollope's eternal optimism shines through at the end of this quietly entertaining book.

Great quote from the Russell book Donna. I must look out for that one.

Have a lovely weekend.

I'm impressed with how many folks read Framley Parsonage for TIOLI this month. I've not ever read any Trollope, a condition which I suspect I must rectify.....

Great review of Framley Parsonage Donna! "Quietly entertaining" describes it well.

Well Donna you are always full of surprises. I really would have preferred that you loved Dreamers of the Day which I have on my shelf. I didn't actually read your review as I still plan on reading it. It looks like you're enjoying Trollope as much as I am. What a gem! And prolific as well, so lots of books to look forward to. I wonder when we'll get to the next volume? "Trollop's eternal optimism;" well said.

#118 Hooray for Trollope! Glad you enjoyed that one Donna.

Delighted you enjoyed Framley Parsonage, Donna. I'll echo Heather with Hooray for Trollope!

10 hours of babysitting does leave one tired, doesn't it? But then 10 hours of car shopping would totally wipe me out so I think you got the better end of that deal lol. Hot and humid here in NY too. I wish it would rain both to clear the humidity AND to get some of the pollen out of the air. My hay fever is awful.

>119 PaulCranswick:: Thanks, Paul. I can't credit Ms. Russell's writing with that Lawrence quote, but, trust me, she has a wonderful way with words. The week end is drawing to a close. My biggest joy of the next few hours will be deciding which book to read next. I need to wrap up my TIOLI reading by Saturday as we are going out of town for a week. Heading north to cooler weather I hope! This Malaysian type weather is getting me down.

>120 EBT1002:: Oh my goodness, Ellen, you are in for a treat with Trollope. He is a pleasure to read if one doesn't need a lot of suspense and action.

>121 lauralkeet:: Thanks, Laura. I have some more 'quiet entertainment' with Part 6 of A Dance to the Music of Time coming up soon. Another group read where I am following the pack. Someone has to be the rear guard!

>122 brenzi:: Bonnie, I did love the writing in Dreamers of the Day, just had a bit of disappointment in the story told. I am looking forward to reading all of those wonderful Trollope books in the next few years, Bonnie. I can't believe that I didn't think I would enjoy his work. I have you, Liz, Laura, and many others to thank for bringing him to my attention!

>123 souloftherose:: Heather, "Hooray for Trollope" could be our theme song/slogan.

>124 lit_chick:: Nancy, you and Heather are two more I need to thank for the Trollope love that got me interested in reading his books.

>125 RebaRelishesReading:: Reba, oh yeah, I would never spend ten hours at a stretch car shopping! Particularly on a hot and humid day. Mary said after spending an hour or so out on the lot at the Toyota dealership and then not being able to come to terms on price, they went right for the negotiations on the Honda Odyssey! Much cooler that way. At least we had our new Haley pool to help keep us cool!

"There were no words to speak to him of how I felt. Our world was one of blood, and the honor it won; only cowards did not fight. For a prince there was no choice. You warred and won, or warred and died." (221)

Book No. 56: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. 4.1 stars.

I enjoyed this retelling of The Iliad for the most part. It was interesting to me that the story was told from the POV of Patroclus. It made Achilles' human side stand out more to me. For the life of me, however, I did not see the attraction that Achilles would have for Patroclus the way he was portrayed as being weak, somewhat simple, and unattractive as well. I guess opposites do attract!

The beginning of the book was slow with too many descriptions of the golden locks of Achilles and the way his muscles rippled, etc., but it did sound like the beginning of puppy love during the early stages of puberty. I just wish as the young men matured that we wouldn't need quite as many reminders about the perfection of Achilles. The story really picked up for me in the last third of the book during the nine-year siege of Troy. Some action at last! I may not have been as enchanted with The Song of Achillles as some readers were, but I thought it was a good debut book from a new talent.

Enjoyed your comments on The Song of Achilles, Donna. I enjoyed it, too, think it was also a 4* read for me. I listened to the audiobook which was very well done.

Sweet pictures of Haley enjoying her pool!

Came over to see the Haley pool pics, and was also treated to two lovely reviews! I bet Haley loves her new larger pool! She is just so darn CUTE! And her parents are gonna love that new Honda Odyssey - that's what we have, and we couldn't be happier.

128: Thanks, Nancy. I read several reviews that raved about the narrator on the audiobook.

129: Mamie, I'm looking forward to riding in the Odyssey the next time we all want to go to Kansas City. After the birth of Molly, we would have had to take two vehicles. I would even volunteer to sit in back between the girls. Grandma heaven!

Oh, Haley looks like she is having SO much fun!

Haley just gets cuter and cuter! What a sweetheart!

How can it be that the lovely miss Hayley is getting so big?

I love these photos of your grandchildren. Grandchildren truly are a blessing from heaven. I was very close to my grandmother. Now that I am a grandmother (of four), I know just how deep her love was for me, and how much I carry it in my heart every day of my life.

Happy Summer Donna. I love the smiling faces of you and Brenda. I so hope to get to Joplin in November to meet you.

And, by the way, you are reading some great books!

What a doll Haley is!! I'd love to join her in that pool today too -- it's really hot and humid here :(

Catching up... I should be here in August. We are hoping to head out to New England in September, but we are also putting our house on the market in 2 weeks, so who knows. Not moving far though, as far as I know :).

That looks like pool heaven! I would have loved that at Haley's age.

I've always been nervous about trying Trollope but after reading your thread, I'm actually considering giving him a try.

I knew I could lure some visitors out of lurk mode by posting the Haley pics! Thanks for confirming that Haley personifies joie de vivre, Roni, Nancy, Linda, Reba, and Carrie.

133: Linda, I agree that grandkids are blessings from heaven. I'm so grateful for my five little angels.

134: Reba, the heat and humidity must be especially hard on someone from San Diego. I just consider it as my cross to bear each summer.

135: Good luck with the sale of your house, Jenn. It looks like the real estate market is perking up...finally. My son Ben (Haley's daddy) has their house in CO Springs up for sale, too. They are eager to get in a bigger house to go along with their new mini-van!

137: Morphy, reading Trollope reminds me of spending time with my Uncle Richard before he died. He wasn't British but he could spin a good yarn and he loved to talk...and talk... about the many people he had met over the years. Trollope is more comforting than exhilarating. You've been "warned"!

I like comforting reads. I was just talking with someone else about enjoying The Remains of the Day because it was a gentle, quiet read.

Cute pictures of Haley and her pool, Donna...but is that a lake in the background?

I was a bit disappointed to read your comments on The Song of Achilles, as I have it on my Kindle unread, but am now a bit less anxious to get to it.

>139 Morphidae:: For some reason I haven't read The Remains of the Day. The movie was good but I'll bet the book is even better!

>140 Linda92007:: Good eye, Linda. I just snapped a picture of the lake in back taken from the deck. It's too hot for me to walk down there to get more of the lake in the picture. Notice the swans swimming by just for you! I wouldn't put too much stock in my comments about Achilles. Many other people have raved about it. I guess you'll just have to read it and form your own opinion. I hope you are having a good summer.

What a lovely view you have, Donna. Haley's pool looks like just the thing for a hot summer day, looks big enough for Grandma to fit in as well!

Just what I was thinking. . . I'd have been in that kid's pool in a second!

Wow, beautiful view!!!

I'm not sure heat and humidity are tougher on people from San Diego but we aren't used to it and we manage to complain a lot :-)

>141 Donna828:. Wow! Breathtaking view!

>126 Donna828: Look at that adorable Haley...already a swimmer.

Gorgeous view, Donna. What a lovely spot to sit and read the summer away ...

Donna, I do believe we have the same exact patio furniture. Mine doesn't look upon anything as scenic as that lake, though! :-)

Hi Donna- Yah, for Haley pics! Just swinging through to say hi. Good review of The Song of Achilles and please do yourself a big big favor and read Doc. You will thank me later.

I wish I were there at your lake, Donna, although with our temperatures and humidity. I'd be throwing some lines in every morning!

Great reviews, adorable Haley pics and what a lovely view you have from your deck, Donna! I love how lush and green everything looks in the picture.

Wow, Donna -- that's quite a view! LOVE the pictures of Haley -- what perfect summertime fun. Hope to see you in August. I go back to school August 8. Isn't that terrible?

>142 DeltaQueen50:: Judy, I'll try out the pool next time we set it up. I was on diaper duty and had to be ready to switch places with Dave inside the house with Molly on short notice!

>143 brenpike:: My feet were the only things in the pool this time, Brenda. I'll jump in one of these days, but rest assured, there will be NO pictures of Grandma in the pool!

>144 RebaRelishesReading:: Reba, I am used to summer heat and humidity yet I still manage to complain a lot about it. We're headed for Northern Michigan next week and CO sometime in August so I have those respites to make me forget the heat for a bit.

>145 brenzi:: Thanks, Bonnie. Haley has yet to get her face wet in the pool but she does know "swimming position." You may notice in that picture that there is only a few inches of water to work with. We'll fill it up a little more each time as she gets braver.

>146 lit_chick:: It is a nice view, Nancy, until the pond gets more algae on it as the summer heat builds up. It's much prettier in the winter; plus, we can see more of the water without the leaves on the trees. I actually sit and read on my swing which is on the lower level patio. I'll have to snap a picture of that view. I am fairly addicted to my early morning swingathon!

>147 rosalita:: Julia, I'm glad we share the same good taste. Ours is quite old but still comfortable and serviceable. I like to eat out there when we have those perfect days in the spring and fall.

>148 msf59:: Mark, Doc is firmly on the reading agenda. I think I'm saving it for some reason. Isn't Russell going to come out with a sequel soon? Maybe that will spur me into action! I love puns. ;-)

>149 ronincats:: Roni, I think perch is about all people catch in our little lake. We used to have some bass stocked in there but most of them were killed by a sewage main break several years ago. It's a private lake and posted as "no fishing" but I don't care and have told people they can fish at the bottom of our property line because I remember when my youngest son used to fish over here as a youngster when we lived in another house in this area in pre-Colorado days.

>150 lkernagh:: Lori, we've had lots of rain this spring. I'm sure by August the grass will be brown and the algae will be the greenest thing in view! Thanks for stopping by.

>151 AMQS:: Hi Anne, school begins early here as well. I don't understand why. Well, I do, but I don't like it and I'm not even affected by it except for having to walk earlier in the morning because of traffic at the middle school around the corner from us. I don't know if I can make it to CO that early in August. It all depends on my son's schedule. I would feel awful if I make another trip out your way and don't get to see you.

>153 Donna828: well I'm not planning to work weekends:) We'll see how your plans shape up and then go from there. I should say that school actually starts August 19. Marina will start a couple days earlier (long story, but she gets two extra days off in May). Teachers, of course, have to report early, and librarians even earlier. Glad to have a job, though!

Whoa. When can I come over for some swing time and to enjoy that view? I'll bring the lemonade...

>154 AMQS:: ...well I'm not planning to work weekends... That's good to know, Anne! I'll let you know what my plans are as soon as I can. I know you are very glad to have a good job. I also think this will be an easier year for you now that you don't have to do classwork along with all your other duties.

>155 scaifea:: Amber, there's plenty of room on the swing for you, and Haley would love to share her new pool with Charlie. Lemonade is always welcome around here on a hot summer day. Bring it on!

This 'review" is mainly for my own use to remember the first half of this twelve-volume narrative about the life and times of Nick Jenkins in England during the first half of the twentieth century. There are probably some spoilers ahead so if you plan to read this at some time, you might want to skip my thoughts.



Book No 57: A Dance to the Music of Time: The Second Movement by Anthony Powell. 4 stars.

I read the three novellas in this book over the course of the past three months. I shared some thoughts about At Lady Molly's and Casanova's Chinese Restaurant on my April and May threads. I'm not rating the novellas as I read them; however since I gave the First Movement 3.5 stars, and I'm liking each installment a bit more than previous ones, I'll rate this book a solid four stars.

A few words about The Kindly Ones, my favorite novella to date:

I thought the title was brilliant. Powell reminds the reader that "The Kindly Ones" was a euphemism for the Furies in order to minimize their damage. It didn't work for the Greeks...or the nations fighting against the rise of German oppression in World Wars I and II. According to Nick's teacher, Miss Orchard, the wrath of the Furies "inflicted the vengeance of the gods by bringing in their train war, pestilence, dissension on earth; torturing, too, by the stings of conscience. That last characteristic alone, I could plainly see, made them sufficiently unwelcome guests." The dry wit continues even as Nick recalls his youth and the shadow that The Great War cast upon it. He ends the first chapter with this somber observation: "Childhood was brought suddenly, even rather brutally, to a close. Albert's shutters...did not effectively exclude the Furies."

The most memorable scene in Chapter 1 where Albert the cook announces he is to be married resulting in the shocking nude entrance of Billson in the dining room while Nick's family was entertaining General and Mrs. Conyers is followed by another comic vignette in Chapter 2 where Nick and some of his old buddies act out various poses of the Seven Deadly Sins. I certainly see why Nick is cast as Sloth as he still retains his laid back role as narrator and never seems to do much. I was quite angry with him in Chapter 3 when he reluctantly traveled to the seaside where his Uncle Giles had died at an "inconvenient moment" of a stroke at the Bellevue Hotel owned by the Jenkins' old cook Albert. I saw red when I read his grumbling..."to be forced to undertake this journey in order to dispose of the remains of Uncle Giles seemed to be the last straw in making life tedious, disagreeable, threatening, through no apparent fault of one's own." Giles got his revenge by leaving his money to the fortuneteller! The bothersome trip became even worse to Nick when he was forced into spending time with an old acquaintance, Bob Duport, who was married to Nick's past lover Jean. Dupont spent the drunken evening telling Nick of Jean's sexual exploits much to Nick's dismay.

Chapter 4 brings A Dance to the Music of Time up to its midway point with quite a change in Nick's personality, at least the way I had interpreted it up to this time in his life. He surprised me with his determination to gain a place in England's army, although he did make sure he entered as an officer. We are left with these ominious words:

"Outside the moon had gone behind a bank of cloud. I went home through the gloom, exhilarated, at the same time rather afraid. Ahead lay the region beyond the white-currant bushes, where the wild country began, where armies for ever campaigned, where the Rules and Discipline of War prevailed. Another stage of life was passed, just as finally, just as irrevocably, as on that day when childhood had come so abruptly to an end at Stonehurst."

Donna- Russell is working on the sequel right now. Doc ends just before the OK Corral, so there is a lot of story left. Keep your fingers crossed that I get to meet MDR, in September. She is a Goddess!

Gorgeous view from your deck, Donna! How can you keep your eyes on a book with a scene like that?!
Hope all is going well in your corner of the world.

>158 msf59:: Thanks for the info, Mark. I do so hope you get to meet Goddess Mary!

>159 Carmenere:: All is well here, Lynda. I take little breaks in my reading outside to think about the book and enjoy nature. I didn't last long this morning, though. Too hot with nary a breeze.

"There are moments in life that are between: between the blow and the pain, between the phone ringing and the answer, between the misstep and the fall. One that comes to everyone is a moment, or three, or five, between sleeping and waking, when the past has not yet been recreated out of memory and the present has made no impression. It is a moment of great mercy; disorienting, like all brushes with grace, but a gift nonetheless." (Pg. 12)

Book No. 58: All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming. 3.8 stars.

Russ Van Alstyne treasures the scarce moments of grace and mercy in his life after his wife asked him to leave their house. Just when he thinks his life is at its lowest, it gets worse. Much worse. This book blindsided me not once but twice with lots of pain and heartache in between. I still get upset with Russ and Clare but I also have a lot of compassion for them in their misery. This is not a happy book, but it's a must-read for fans of the series. I wonder what Spencer-Fleming will dream up next?

Great reading, Donna! So glad you continue to enjoy Anthony Powell's Dance to the Music of Time. Julia Spencer-Fleming is a series I intend to delve into at some point (time, time!); very interesting quote you've included here. I like that.

I have been enjoying your reviews on A Dance to the Music of Time, Donna. When I first saw you listing the latest as Book No. 57, my fuzzy brain interpreted it as the sequence in Powell's work and I choked on my coffee!

Catching up just to end up with nothing to say.

>162 lit_chick:: Nancy, the Clare and Russ series is an interesting one: part mystery, part police procedural, and part romance. Sounds weird but it works!

>163 Linda92007:: Sometimes when I pick up yet another volume, Linda, it feels like it could be No. 57! Thanks for the smile.

>164 mausergem:: I guess I don't have much to say either, Gautam. I'm busy getting ready to go on a trip. Lots of little things to do...and some big things like deciding which books to pack.

"Can creative writing be taught? ...if what people mean is: Can the love of language be taught? Can a gift for storytelling be taught? then the answer is no. Like most--maybe all--writers, I learned to write by writing and, by example, by reading books." (1, 2)

Book No. 59: Reading Like A Writer by Francine Prose. 3.6 stars.

I've never read a novel by Francine Prose, but I think she would be a remarkable teacher. She has a passion for reading and writing and is able to back up her 'lessons' with many examples of fine writing. She begins with describing the value of close reading "word by word, sentence by sentence, pondering each deceptively minor decision the writer had made." Prose (yes, what a wonderful name for a book about books!) then proceeds in orderly fashion through chapters on words, sentences, paragraphs, narration, character, dialogue, details, and gesture. I had never really thought about gestures I've come across in reading but I'll be looking for them after she describes them as being "like windows opening to let us see a persons's soul, his or her secret desires, fears or obsessions." (213)

After close reading to break down an author's writing into smaller pieces becoming increasingly larger until they form a novel may sound like too much work for the average reader. I doubt that I would ever read a book like that the first time...but I might on my second or third visit. If one truly loves an art form the way most LTers love reading, it makes sense to take the time to ferret out and understand the craft behind it. I love Prose's analogy to art: "It's something like the way you experience a master paining, a Rembrandt or a Velazquez, by viewing it not only far away but also up close, in order to see the brushstrokes."

Hi Donna - Nice review of the Prose book. I love these kinds of books and have had this one on the shelf for a while. It sounds as if I should get to it soonish.

Donna, great review of Reading Like a Writer. I think Francine Prose would be a wonderful teacher, too. Just love the quote you've included.

I just picked up the Prose book last week Donna and now I'm fairly anxious to get to it. I also have her novel My New American Life. I'll probably read them back to back. Am I the only one to wonder if her name is a pseudonym? I love that quote.

Was that the Russ and Clare with the car accident? You're getting caught up, aren't you?

>167 BLBera:: Beth, I love books about books, too. I have a few more on my shelf I haven't read: one by David Lodge and one by E. M. Forster - Aspects of the Novel. Have you read that one? I love his writing so I'm really looking forward to reading what he has to say about reading.

>168 lit_chick:: Bonnie, how clever to read one of Prose's books along with her "how to" book. I think Francine's last name is "real" but then I must be very gullible. As I mentioned I was taken in twice by Julia Spencer-Fleming in the last book I read by her. Yes, it was the one with the car accident...my second blindside. Only two more to read and I'll be up to date.

*********************************************************************

We are off in the morning for a V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N! I have to make a big deal about it because my husband doesn't take very many days off from work. Even this one is partly business with the wedding of his Minneapolis manager on Sunday evening in Stillwater, Minnesota. After that, we will head up to Duluth (far west side of map) -- just because neither one of us has been there. We'll follow Lake Superior as closely as we can around the southern side to Marquette. This includes a detour up into the Keweenaw Peninsula, another new place for us. North Country, Here We Come!

I forgot to post this along with the map.

Lake Superior Facts

Largest freshwater lake in the world.
350 miles east to west, 160 miles north to south.
31,280 square surface miles.
Average depth: 483 feet.
Deepest point: 1,333 feet.
3 quadrillion gallons, or 2,900 cubic miles, of water.
Elevation: 600 feet above sea level; not to exceed 602 feet, as ordered by the International Join Commission.
Large enough to dramatically affect weather patterns in surrounding areas; in Duluth, that means warmer winters and cooler summers.
Final resting place for over 350 shipwrecks, including the famous Edmund Fitzgerald.
Shoreline length, including islands: 2,726 miles.
Empties into Lake Huron via the St. Mary’s River.
Is large enough to contain all the other Great Lakes, plus three additional lakes the size of Lake Erie.
Water flows into the lake from a drainage basin area of 49,300 square miles.
It would take 191 years for the rivers in the drainage basin to refill the lake.
Named by French explorers as “le lac superieur,” meaning “upper lake.”
Known for its clear, cold water and agate beaches.
Average water temp.: 40°F.
Could cover all of North America in water three feet deep.
Seasonal storms can lead to waves over 20 feet high.

If hubby ever retires, I would like to drive around the entire lake. This will be our test run. Wish us luck!

Have fun, Donna
I have a friend who does carriage rides in Duluth. I would like to visit someday so I'll be interested to hear about your trip.

Have a great time, Donna!

Have a wonderful trip Donna! It sounds like a lovely vacation plan.

Oh, I hope you have a wonderful v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n, Donna! Lake Superior is something else, isn't it? I remember as a child, probably twelve or so, we took a family trip to the "Lakehead" one summer. Superior was FREEZING! Your stats about the 40F strike me as spot-on, LOL. There's an enormous rock island in the lake around Thunder Bay called "The Sleeping Giant" -- very neat!

Hi Donna - Enjoy Lake Superior and Duluth. Walk around Gooseberry Falls and visit Grand Marais. The view as you are entering Duluth is breathtaking, so watch as you are getting close to the top of the hill.

Have a great vacation. I hope you have good weather.

I love the facts you posted regarding Lake Superior. I haven't traveled through the Great Lakes region but it is on the to-do list. Ah, yes, the Edmund Fitzgerald, my knowledge of that wreck comes from listening to the tribute song by Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald".

Could cover all of North America in water three feet deep. Now, that is a lot of water.

Have a wonderful vacation Donna!

edit to fix bad grammar. ;-)

I loved the Francine Prose book when I read it a couple of years ago, after LT recommendations. You are heading to country where I've never been--I'll look forward to your comments on it.

Donna, I loved your comments about the 5th Russ & Clare mystery. I remember being blindsided in a similar manner -- oomph! What a doozy. I have yet to read the 7th book but I need to get on it because I believe there's an 8th on the way.

I hope you have a marvelous vacation!

Any time to stop around Minneapolis for coffee or a meal on the way to or from?

One last visit before I shut the laptop down. I'm not taking it with me so my new July thread will have to wait until we get home a week from today. I have finished my June reading and updated Msg. 2 with the proper stats and book summaries. We are taking two Steve Hamilton books to listen to. He writes mystery/thrillers set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. My husband has read one and liked it so at least he will be happy! I also got the audio version of Through Black Spruce for the trip home. We're going to drive the 880 miles from Marquette, MI to Springfield, MO in one day. We've done it once before and it's a killer! I'm also taking a couple of real books along with me: Ride With Me, Mariah Montana and one I'm very excited about, The Long-Shining Waters about Lake Superior. I noticed on this morning's TIOLI that Katie put up a challenge to read a book bought on vacation. Hmmmm...wondering if there are any good used bookstores in Duluth...

>172 dallenbaugh:: Hi Donna! I'll look for your friend in Duluth. It sounds like a fun job to have. I'm so glad you paid me a visit. I plan to be in the Denver area sometime in August. I hope the fires and strange weather is over by then.

>173 katiekrug:: We will, Katie...and thanks for that TIOLI Challenge. ;-)

>174 cbl_tn:: Thanks, Carrie. I will probably do some quick daily updates. Gotta get my thread moving along so I can start a new one the easy way when we get home.

>175 lit_chick:: Beautiful picture, Nancy. I hope to see that when we make our journey around the lake someday. I used to swim in that 40 degree water at our own little rock island in Marquette called Picnic Rocks. That was when I was young and brave foolish.

>176 BLBera:: Thanks for the heads up about Duluth, Beth. We'll definitely look for the places you mentioned. I'm not sure why we are going there except it seemed like a good idea to me when we planned the trip!

>177 lkernagh:: Lori, "thanks" for putting that song title in my head. It will give us something to do if the books don't pan out. Lol. You really need to visit our Great Lakes. They are all beautiful, though I've only seen bits and pieces of each one. I thought those statistics were pretty awesome. I hope Lake Superior doesn't spring a leak!

>178 ronincats:: Roni, I forgot to mention that great book list in the back of the Francine Prose book. She quoted from most of those books which I thought was very impressive. She obviously practices what she preaches about writers being well read.

>179 lauralkeet:: Laura, I think the next Russ/Clare book is coming out later this year. I have mixed feelings about catching up. I kind of like having a backlog of books in a series to be read when I get in the mood. Oh well, I have a plethora of Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell books by Laurie R. King to catch up on! Thanks for the vacation wishes.

>180 Morphidae:: Morphy, I would love to do that...on our next trip. We will be hanging out with business friends the whole time (all two days!) that we are in the Minneapolis area this time. And then, I'll be eager to get on the roundabout journey to Marquette where we will be visiting relatives. Dave goes up to our store in Minny 4 or 5 times a year so I might work out a meet up on one of those trips. Thanks for thinking of it. I'll wave as we travel through! Btw, I used to wave to Stasia all the time when we traveled to Dallas and we did finally meet on several occasions.

Okay... it's time to get "On the Road Again"...another good travel song!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week end.

Bye . . . Have a great time!

Happy and safe travels, Donna!

Hi Donna- Have a great get-away! I loved the Lake Superior facts. What a monster! Isn't Duluth, Bob Dylan's hometown? What audiobooks did you bring along?

Hello Donna! I hope you have a splendid journey and vacation! I wish I could go to Minnesota. It looks absolutely gorgeous. Sigh. Oh, well, hopefully one day!

Safe travels, Donna. Have a wonderful vacation. I hope we'll get to see a great Lake Superior picture or 2 (or 3) when you get back.

Have a great trip! We spent about a week in the UP a couple of years ago, including the Keweenaw Penn. a couple of years ago. Great country.

I'll also chime in and wish you a lovely trip Donna. Take plenty of snaps.

Have fun Donna! "See" you when you get back

Safe travels, Donna.

Have a wonderful trip, Donna. Looking forward to hearing all about it when you get home.

Have a wonderful vacation, Donna! I look forward to stories and photos, and of course, that Denver visit!

You'll have to let us know where you ate! I love to hear foodie stories.

Quick update before we leave quaint Stillwater, "The Birthplace of Minnesota." Dave ran some rustic trail with the 80-year-old father of the bride this morning while I walked the downtown area once again.

Here are some (Internet) pictures of the lift bridge over the St. Croix River at Stillwell. I spent some quiet time this morning on a park bench near the flower bed in the first picture. Maybe I'll have more time in Duluth to download some of my pictures here at the Lowell Inn where we've been staying. A lovely place for a wedding. Now on to Lake Superior!

Oh, I almost forgot... I bought a book at Black Ink Books:
The Bedside Barsetshire. It's a beautiful hardcover edition of excerpts from the six volumes of The Barsetshire Chronicles divided into chapters according to subject matter. It also has a complete guide of "Who's Who in Barsetshire." I'm very excited about it! Here is the interior of the bookstore, one of three in close proximity. *sigh*

>197 Donna828:: I'm really jealous of that book find!

ooh, what scenery! Especially the last picture!

>197 Donna828: The fact that I never knew such a book existed will not stop me from trying to find it now. I have a GC for B&N that's been burning a hole in my pocket but not for long. Thanks Donna;-)

Oooohhhh . . . Love the looks of that bookstore!

The Bedside Barsetshire sounds perfect, Donna! And how nice that you found it at Black Ink Books while on holidays : ).

Some brief replies. This is not a lazy vacation! ;-)

183, 184: Thanks Brenda and Julia.

185: Yes Mark, we're in Bob Dylan land. We finished listening to The Winter of the Wolf Moon yesterday and will jump into Misery Bay today, both by Steve Hamilton. I think you would like these fast-paced suspense books set in Northern Michigan.

186: Minnesota is a pretty state, Eris. Hope you make it here someday.

187: Sandy, no worries there will be plenty of pics! I'll think of you when I have my first pasty!

188: I have seen adverts for a Northern Minnesota Chautauqua and thought of you, Reba.

189-193: Paul, Bonnie, Beth, Judy, Anne -- thank you so much for those good vacation wishes. So far it's been wonderful!

194: Morphy, we're not big foodies! My husband is a runner and eats a lot of soups and salads. I had a wonderful bratwurst at Grandma's last night, a local favorite here in Duluth. So far the best food has been at The Lowell Inn in Stillwater.

198-202: Laura, Roni, Bonnie, Brenda, Nancy -- I couldn't believe my luck in finding three nice bookstores within short distance of where we were staying in Stillwater. I did a silent squeal when I found the book about Barsetshire! It has some lovely illustrations and is in very good condition for an older book.

The photo vacation journal continues... These are my pictures.


The Lowell Inn in Stillwater, Minnesota was a lovely place to stay. Old and picturesque with modern rooms.


The Garden Room at Lowell Inn all set up for the after-wedding dinner. The huge dinner-plate size Hydrangeas weren't in the blue bowls on each table yet. they were gorgeous. We sat at the table with the bride's parents. Where else do you put your boss?

Beth was absolutely right about the breathtaking view of Duluth as we crested the hill. I had to nab a Photobucket image for that pic, but the ship is mine!




Dave and I got to see two ships come in to Duluth Harbor. My late uncle used to pilot foreign ships throughout the Great Lakes and he told many stories about Duluth and other places. We went to The Soo (Sault Ste. Marie) once when I was around 10 or 11, and I got to board one of his ships. Those ore boats are HUGE!

We spent some time at the Maritime Museum and took the Lakeview Walk to the Korean and Vietnam War Memorials. There is more to see here, but we are eager to get to our next stop in Houghton, MI, on the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Thanks for traveling along with us!

Great pictures Donna. Thanks for sharing . . .

Loving the photo journal, Donna ...

I love going on vacation with you, Donna, even if it's just through photos!

After googling Duluth, I now know a lot more than I did before (before it was nothing, so now its a little more than that). It sounds like a great place!

Greetings to Brenda, Nancy, Julia, and Megan. I'll have to take a picture of the view out my window this morning. I wouldn't mind spending the last two days of our trip right here in Houghton, Michigan, gazing at Portage Lake.

Megan, you probably know more about Duluth than I do! I like your curious mind.

We will explore a bit more of the Keweenaw Peninsula this morning and then head over to our real destination of Marquette, "Queen City of the Upper Peninsula" (population is around 20,000 which is large in this part of the country)!

We took a detour to Agate Beach on our drive yesterday so I could dip my toes in the cold waters of Lake Superior. The tide was coming in so most of the beautiful rocks were underwater.

Fabulous photos and travelogue, Donna!

Great photos, Donna. I think I'll try to make the North Shore sometime this summer. Since my daughter graduated, I haven't been back to Duluth.

Thanks for sharing the great photos, Donna!

I'm loving vacationing vicariously with you, Donna! We spent some time in the Upper Peninsula a few years ago, and I still remember how cold Lake Superior was!

I am fascinated absolutely by your travels - and had no idea that Lake Superior was so big! It's like being in the back seat! Oh and Donna, I am LOVING May we be forgiven - I really enjoy her style and sense of humour.

Good Morning from Michigan's Upper Peninsula! I am gazing out at a beautiful view of Lake Superior as I wait for Dave to come back from his run so we can go walk on the beach. It is supposed to get in the mid-70s here today. A perfect 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans. I sound like a politician. Lol. We are going to the big parade here later today with my aunt and uncle. They took us up to Mount Marquette yesterday evening -- someplace I had never been, and I used to live here! Beautiful views of the city and lake. I don't think the pictures on my cell phone do it justice.

I am happy to have some visitors following along with me on this vacation. I enjoy sharing a little piece of this great country that I love. Glad to have you along -- Darryl, Beth, Katie, Amy, and Prue. And I'm glad you are liking May We Be Forgiven, Prue.

Yesterday's highlight on our jaunt from Houghton here to Marquette was a hike to Canyon Falls. Just beautiful and Pure Michigan.


Beginning of hike...


Twenty minutes later...

Beautiful! I love waterfalls.

Happy 4th, Donna! Sounds like you are having a wonderful time in Michigan. Love the photos and your elegant pose, in front of the waterfall.

Thanks so much for posting the photos! I had no idea Michigan was so beautiful!

Happy 4th of July, Donna! The photos are just stunning. So beautiful. Enjoy, enjoy the rest of your trip : ).

Beautiful, Donna! Thank you for sharing travel photos and stories! I've only ever been to that part of the country on tour, but I want to go back!

Looks like you have been enjoying beautiful weather and taking in breathtaking scenery during your travels, Donna!

Happy 4th, Donna! Wow, what a beautiful hike. Looks wonderful.

What a great vacation you're on, Donna! I've never been to MI and the only Great Lake I've seen is Erie. Your pictures make me want to plan a visit.

I can't help but think of Peter Geye's books!

Absolutely gorgeous!

Great photos Donna! Looks like you are having a great time!

Home Sweet Home! After 14.5 hours in the car yesterday we got home around 8:00 p.m. I planned to do all my post-vacation work this morning. but the call of the swing was too great. I sat out there for over an hour finishing the book I took to read in Michigan. Unfortunately, not much reading got done while we were gone. The really bad news is that Dave didn't care much for Through Black Spruce. He stuck it out for 6 CDs but was thrilled when I told him he could listen to the radio so the last half of our trip had either country music or political talk radio. I was so tired that I didn't even care all that much.

I'll wrap up this thread with a few more vacation pictures. New thread will be coming tonight...if I last that long!

You can't go to Lake Superior without seeing some great lighthouses. Here are two of my favorite in Marquette, MI.:

Here is a quick walk around Marquette's lovely Presque Isle. It was closed to cars on the morning of the 4th of July so we got to walk around it! It was only three miles, but we had just finished walking about an hour on the beach across from where we were staying. Plus, Dave ran his usual 4 miles before I got up! No wonder I am tired. Lol.









Hello to Morphy, Mark, Janet, Nancy, Anne, Lori, Joe, Joanne, Roni, and Chelle. Thank you for all the visits and nice comments about our vacation.

The Upper Peninsula holds a special place in my heart. I hope each and every one of you have the same sort of magical place no matter where it is.

Beautiful pictures Donna. . . Welcome home!

Welcome home, Donna! And thanks for sharing your trip with us - such lovely photos! Sounds like you had a busy but fun time.

Welcome home Donna and thanks for sharing the great photos.

Beautiful photos, Donna. So happy you shared with us : ). Glad you are safely home after a brutally long drive.

Thank you for the welcome home greetings Brenda, Mamie, Beth, and Nancy. I'll try and be more focused on reading in my July/August thread! See you over there.