I don’t really have anything to talk about this week, except books. That doesn’t mean you can’t tell us what’s happening in your life or with your local weather.
This month, our genre study at work is memoirs. On Saturday, I’ll review Valerie Bertinelli’s Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today. I’ll admit, this one was a little too self-help for me. I preferred Sharon Gless’ Apparently There Were Complaints, the one I reviewed yesterday. It seemed ironic that Bertinelli is trying to get past the ten pounds she tried to lose for most of her life, but the book contains recipes.
So what about you? What are you reading this week? Anything else you want to discuss?
I think I can pass on Ms. Bertinelli’s book.
It’s 2:18 a.m. and I just finished reading a book I did not want to end.
Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins gets fifty-seven gold stars.
“Reading a Kristan Higgins novel is like spending time with a dear friend, one who understands your soul, captivates your senses…and every now and then makes you snort with laughter. Higgins never disappoints! If you’re looking for a novel brimming with heart and humor, look no further than Out of the Clear Blue Sky. Each time I opened this book, it felt like reuniting with a dear friend. With her trademark wit, Higgins’ tackles tough issues, and does so with sensitivity and heart. Out of the Clear Blue Sky is everything I love in women’s fiction—smart, hilarious, and brimming with heart and hope.”—Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany
Time for bed!
Oh, I think you can pass on it, too. Especially after reading that review of Out of the Clear Blue Sky. Fifty-seven stars! Well, darn. It’s not due out until June!
Wow! I put a hold in for Out Of The Clear Blue Sky after seeing your rating. Thanks
Kaye, if it’s so wonderful, why is it “women’s fiction” instead of just fiction? Is it romance genre?
Well, Rick, you’ll have to ask the publishers or whoever it is who places novels in all these never ending sub-categories. Me, I think in simple terms like Fiction or Non-fiction and don’t get too jazzed or jacked about the rest. A subcategory is not going to sway me one way or another. A description, or a recommendation by someone who enjoys a lot of the same books I do, or the author of a book, is enough for me to give a book a try. if I don’t like it I stop reading. Easy Peasy.
Totally agree, Kaye.
Thank you, Kaye, I agree about sub-genre over abundance. I may give anything YOU say gets 57 Gold Stars.
Looking forward to a three day weekend this weekend. It will be crazy at work the next few weeks, so I’m trying to rest up while I can.
Earlier this week, I finished SINGING IN THE DARK, more a devotional than memoir from Christian singing Ginny Owens, but it does share lots of personal stories in it. I really enjoyed it. I’ll probably revisit it soon with a little more time to read and think about what she wrote.
But now, I’m reading FORBIDDEN CITY, the third City Spies middle grade novel from James Ponti. I’m a third of the way into the book and enjoying it, which is no surprise given how much I loved the first two in the series.
Rest up, Mark! At least it sounds as if you had a couple good books to help with that.
I’ve been busy with appointments this week, braving the sometimes hour long commute into Reno & Carson City just as winter returns. Monday night brought snow and icy roads, but warming this weekend.
I enjoyed the new novel by David Guterson, The Final Case. An examination of justice and injustice – and familial love. “This is a form of evil dressed up as a higher morality, as a superior or even supreme morality.” Beautiful writing and a wonderful sense of place….Seattle, Skagit County, Mt. Vernon, Sedro Wooley, tulips and rivers. Even included the Xwi7xwa (pronounced whei-wha) Library in Vancouver, BC.
I finally read The Beekeeper of Aleppo from 2019. A haunting story of Syrian war refugees journeying to a new life. Of Afra, a woman who was blinded by the explosion that killed her young son. Of memories of love and thousands of bees.
And at a hefty 400 pages, Patricia Cornwell brings back forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta in Autopsy, 2021. Returning to Virginia as Chief Medical Examiner and also working the first potential crime scene in space as a member of the classified Doomsday Commission. But one gets a feeling the author has gotten bored with a series that still sells.
Ah, MM. I wondered about Autopsy. It’s been so long since Cornwell had a Kay Scarpetta book. I’m glad I didn’t read that one.
I hope it does warm up for you. Running to appointments on snow and icy roads does not appeal to me.
I read the first few of her books, but got tired of her and hated the niece, so I quit. No interest in returning.
I tired of the series, too, Jeff. Like you, I didn’t like the niece, and, eventually, the direction the series took.
MM – Barbara got about a third in to Cornwell’s Autopsy and sent it back to the library. She liked the series in the early years, but thought this one was rushed and poorly written.
Can’t say we’re doing much, but that’s the way we like it! We’re enjoying being in Florida and missing the cold and occasional snow and ice up north. Our trip just passed the halfway mark, it has been rainier than usual in our previous experience of Florida winters, with a lot of cooler than normal weather. In other words, all good.
Jackie read the Amanda Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz) book, THE OTHER LADY VANISHES, and has me download the next in the series, CLOSE UP. But first she is going to read another library book, Jessie Mihalik’s HUNT THE STARS, first in a new series about an interstellar bounty hunter and her crew. She loved her previous space series.
My reading is still down – it just seems other things are taking up more and more of my time – but I have increased by short story reading significantly. Finished the Ed Hoch collection, THE NIGHT MY FRIEND, and have two more going.
Peter Lovesey, READER, I BURIED THEM is the latest by long-time creator of Sgt. Cribb and Peter Diamond. I’d read the title story before (probably in EQMM), but enjoyed rereading it and reading the others. The other collection (from Crippen & Landru) is William Link & RIchard Levinson’s SHOOTING SCRIPT And Other Mysteries, Levinson & Link are best known as the creators (and writers) of Lt. Columbo, as well as many other mystery movies and series (co-creators of MURDER, SHE WROTE). There was a previous (2010) collection of their Columbo stories from C & L. This one starts with their first published story, the clever “Whistle While You WOrk,” published while they were both 20 and in college in 1954. More than half the book has stories published in 1959, when they were 25 and just starting in writing for television, with most of the rest within the next few years. They were wonderfully clever and evocative. I found “Child’s Play” perfectly brought back what it felt like to be a 10 year old boy at summer sleep away camp in the late 1950s. Good stuff.
i’m also reading Nita Prose’s THE MAID (which some of you have mentioned). Not sure where it will be going, but so far I’m enjoying the writing and the character.
Jeff, I love to see that you’re not sure where a book is going. I hope you continue to enjoy The Maid. The character will continue to surprise you.
That’s just what winter in Florida is supposed to be – a lot of doing nothing, and then you can’t really say what you did. But, you relaxed and missed winter in NY. Good for you & Jackie!
I thought the best story in Reader, I Buried Them was the one with Peter Diamond in it, but it was a good collection.
Good morning!
Between the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day and a 400 page book, my reading has been low this week.
On Valentine’s Day, my husband and I went to see the new Death on the Nile. There is a lot to like about the movie, but I didn’t like it as much as I expected to. The scenery, cinematography, coloring and costumes were great. There were some slight changes to the story and Hercule Poirot didn’t quite seem like the man I know and love from Agatha Christie’s stories. Also, the murder investigation wasn’t the main focus of the movie and it was skimmed over too quickly.
As far as reading, I read Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin. As Nazi takeover of Paris is imminent, American citizens are warned to return to America. Ballerina Lucille Girard is determined to stay. Especially when her Jewish friends must leave their bookstore and return to America. Lucie decides to give up her spot in the Paris Opera Ballet School to buy the English-language bookstore. By continuing to ban books, especially English books, the Germans make it difficult to stay in business. As Lucie witnesses what she thinks is resistance activity in her store, she is eager to get involved.
After the death of his wife, American Automaker Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the United States with his daughter. However, the US Army convinces him to stay and make trucks for civilian use that would benefit the Germans. This way he could pick up bits of information he hears and pass it on to the US Military. It appears that Paul is a collaborator with the Germans. Paul and Lucie meet as Paul’s daughter browses the books at Lucie’s bookstore. But when Lucie discovers what his factory does, she refuses to talk to him. As war rages on, it becomes more dangerous for both Paul and Lucie to aid the resistance. In order to survive, they need to set aside their differences and work together.
This was a fascinating story with lots of layers. I really enjoyed it.
I hope you all have a great weekend!
I’m glad you enjoyed Until Leaves Fall in Paris, Gretchen. I have a copy on my table, but I’m not sure I’ll get to it.
Thank you for the review of Death on the Nile! I like to see what “real people” think more than the critics.
It’s been cold with some snow here so we’ve been working on a jigsaw puzzle of The Durango Silverton Railroad. I took that train ride years ago so when I saw the puzzle I had to get it.
This week I read IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE MURDER by Maria DiRico. It was a quick cozy but not especially memorable.
FROM BEER TO ETERNITY by Sherry Harris. A man is found murdered behind a bar in Florida. I liked this one and have the second book on order from the library.
An ARC of LOST COAST LITERARY by Ellie Alexander. This is quite a departure from her mysteries as it’s more magical realism. A book editor in NY inherits her grandmother’s house in a small Oregon coastal town. The catch is that she has to spend time at the house completing a task or no one inherits anything, but she’s been estranged from that side of her family since she was little and isn’t sure she wants to go. This was my favorite read of the week.
DEAD WRONG by Vannetta Chapman. A guest at an Amish Run B&B in Texas is found murdered and a retired police detective happens to live next door. I tend to like Amish based mysteries so I enjoyed this.
Jigsaw puzzles! My mother is a fan, Sandy. Her public library has all kinds of them, and she checks them out there. I enjoy doing them with her when I’m home. My cats enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles, too, which is why I don’t do them at my place.
Oh, good. It’s good to hear Lost Coast Literary was enjoyable. I think I have an ARC on my Kindle. And, I like magical realism. Thank you!
We used to do jigsaw puzzles, always had one going. Until Pongo arrived. He couldn’t leave them alone! So we do them no more. Sigh.
Since magic isn’t real, what is “ magical realism”?
Rick, “Magical realism is a combination of realistic fiction with magical moments weaved into it.” It can be very realistic, with believable characters, and then there’s a spirit or the main character has one magical ability.
Having enjoyed Mike Schur’s work as a writer on The Office and creator of The Good Place (two of my favorite pandemic binges), I was eager to hear what he has to say about how to define a “good person” (explored in some depth in The Good Place), how to live a more ethical life, and how we should embrace failure as a way to learn and grow in HOW TO BE PERFECT. Through a massive amount of self-reflection and research–his resources are laid out in the Notes section–Schur explains the major schools and proponents of Western moral philosophy in a way any reader can understand. And he does it using just the right mixture of serious discussion and light-heartedness. His footnotes alone are often hilarious. A self-professed “hard-core rules nerd,” Mike Schur has made an excellent attempt to find and communicate “the correct answer to every moral question” (the book’s subtitle). I was especially touched by the final chapter–a letter to his 10- and 12-year-old children to explain, in simple terms, what matters to him, and what he feels should matter to them. This is a book I would like to buy and re-read when I’m in a better personal frame of mind to appreciate all of the wonderful details and examples (maybe I’ll win it from Goodreads–right).
THE WEDDING SEASON by Katy Burchall–what a fun read! Rather than a typical (sexy) romance, I’d classify it as “romance recovery.” On the day before their wedding and after a 12-year relationship, Matthew tells Freya he can’t go through with the marriage because … they’re just too different. Thirtyish Freya didn’t see it coming, and now she has to weather seven other weddings during one long summer because all of her friends are getting hitched as well. Fortunately, one of those other couples are her best friends, who support her in outrage against Matthew, try to discourage her from expecting him to change his mind, and come up with a brilliant plan to keep her distracted. At each wedding, Freya has to accomplish a specified goal–some that seem doable and others that are downright insane! And of course, she runs into a couple of attractive men along the way. The story is peppered with genuine emotion, matchless friendship, and many hilarious details that keep things fresh and interesting. Secondary characters such as her flamboyant mother, devoted brother, and wonderful best friends enhance the story, and the plot resolution could not be more satisfying. I will definitely be reading Katy Birchall’s first book and hoping for more in the future. (May)
The third in the fascinating Maggie D’arcy mystery series by Sarah Taylor Stewart, THE DROWNING SEA, again features the juxtaposition of a mature love affair and family challenges with a murder mystery and local color in the Irish countryside–this time on the Ross Head peninsula on Ireland’s southwest coastline. Formerly a homicide detective on Long Island, Maggie and her teenage daughter, Lilly, are spending the summer in Ireland with Maggie’s history professor beau, Conor, and his son, to decide whether they want to move there permanently. When the battered body found at the bottom of the cliffs is identified as a young Polish man who worked in construction and was believed to have returned to his home several years back, Maggie can’t help but get involved. At the same time, her daughter, who has been troubled by her father’s death, is experiencing the throes of first love. The setting is a full-fledged character in the story. A creepy manor house with an uncertain history is being turned into a luxury hotel, to the dismay of the locals. But there are picturesque cottages, including the one Maggie, Lilly, and Conor are renting, and the bracing water of the nearby beaches to enjoy, not to mention the popular pubs frequented by the townspeople. It’s a twisty plot with plenty of suspects–maybe too many? I found it challenging to keep track of all of the characters, many of them with unfamiliar Irish or Polish names. But it is a strong series, with hopefully more in the offing. (June)
Margie, I’m just about to start The Drowning Sea, so I sort of skimmed your comments. I don’t like to know too much before I start a book. And, I really like this series, and the setting, so I definitely didn’t want to know too much.
The Wedding Season sounds fun.
I have a question, though. Are you okay? I know your son is seriously ill, so that might be the reason for this comment – “when I’m in a better personal frame of mind”. Take care of yourself. Sending hugs because I know that’s all I can really do.
Thank you for asking, Lesa. Nick is still in the hospital, but improving, and his spirits are good. My other son and I got to visit him yesterday, as the hospital finally opened up to visitors. He’s going to be very weak when he is released (no idea when at this point) and will probably spend a week or two at a rehab facility to gain strength. Then he’ll be on dialysis indefinitely, which is, as he says, “sobering.” I’ll probably move him into my house for at least a time. I’m hoping he will be allowed to keep his job, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Oh, Margie. I’m so sorry. What big changes in his life.
THE DROWING SEA sounds like a book which needs a list of characters, as do so many these days! I surely do wish writers/publishers would do those.
I’m reading a July release right now, Rick, based on the Golden Age mysteries, and it has a list of characters. Like you, I appreciate those lists.
I’m beta reading for friends this weekend before I launch into anything new. I haven’t been in the mood for memoir lately, so I’ll probably look for another thriller.
It does depend what you’re in the mood to read, Patricia. I hope the beta manuscripts go well!
I read Runner by Tracy Clark – a new author for me and pretty good story so I’ll watch for others by her. Also read Ice & Stone by Marcia Muller – she is an old favorite of mine and I was pleasantly surprised to find this on the library shelf – not her best but good to visit her character Sharon McCone. Looking forward to holiday long weekend so have to go to library today to stock up. Happy Presidents Day!
I’m glad you enjoyed Runner, Donna. I like Tracy Clark’s mysteries.
I hope the library has some appealing books on the shelves! Presidents Day isn’t a holiday for us, so I’m working. But, Happy Presidents Day, anyways!
Our libraries are closed Monday…it’s a National Holiday.
I finished No Stopping Us Now by Lucy Jane Bledsoe.
Louisa loves basketball and plays with her own startup team in Portland Oregon in 1974. But unlike the boy’s team, they have no coach, no uniforms,no transportation to games. The girls only get access to the gym in early morning before classes. They have only five on their team and you get to know each one’s personality and problems.
The main character, Louisa meets Gloria Steinman at a meeting and learns about Title IX which bans discrimination against gender. I wish that we had Title IX when I was in high school in the 1960s. I could have taken shop instead of sewing and been told that I could something else than a nurse or teacher. We would not have to have special permission from the principal to wear slacks instead of dresses and skirt in sub zero weather!
Louisa, asks her principal to start an official girl’s team, presents her idea to the school board. Th.y lie to hera and the male coaches put her down, and do not show respect for her. Louisa knows that it would easy to give up but their treatment of her only makes her more determined.
This is an inspiring story of a girl who would not give up her dream
Also, still listening to Fallen by David Baldacci, learning all about Fentaynl and the opiod crisis.
Just started Perpertual West by Mesha Maren..
No Stopping Us Now sounds interesting, Carolee. I’m glad to hear she won’t give up her dream.
It always sounds as if you pick up books that help you learn, even the fiction. Good for you!
Carolee- I wish they’d had a law like that when I was at school too! I attended a very blue-stocking girls’ school, and we had a strict uniform until we were in 6th (final two years) form. During the uniform years we had to wear regulation tunics (horrid) then skirts (length regularly measured with a ruler to ensure that whatever the fashionable length was that year, we did not have it…). Hats were worn at all times when wearing uniform outdoors – eg on the way to/from school. In winter these were velour pudding basin things, insummer straw boaters. Our terrifying French teacher used to wait at the end of a path many of us had to take to get to the town, and ambush any girl whose hat was not firmly on her head.
In 6th year we were still very heavily policed – no trousers, no short skirts, no cleavage on view, no sleeveless dresses or shirts.
Now I can see that that whole place ran on control. We were for the most part too scared to rebel, and that is how those scary women kept us in line. They did encourage our academic careers (almost every pupil went on to university as a matter of course) and there was never any suggestions of ‘all you can be is a secretary or a nurse while you wait to get married) – these were mostly single women who had been to prestigious universities themselves, in the days when few women had.
I love the way Gloria Steinham features in this book – I have become interested in her since watching Mrs America. I am going to see if my library has No Stopping Us Now. Thank you for telling us about it.
I read The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah. I had high hopes after loving her first book, but this one was disappointing. The story itself was a compelling one. An overwhelmed mother forgets to put her 4-month baby in the car and when she goes back minutes later the baby is missing. I would have loved the story to only be about her. Unfortunately, there is a parallel story about Raven which I had problems with believability and nearly quit read 3/4 of the way through. By the time I got to the end, there seemed to be a need to make many hot topics (addiction, attempted rape, mental illness, etc) a plot line. This could have been so much better.
Now I am reading Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly. A pleasant cozy mystery about a grilled cheese restaurant. One of Carly’s employees is suspected of murdering the big bad landlord who plans on not renewing the restaurant’s lease.
Happy Reading!
Don’t you hate it, Sharon, when an author you’ve liked doesn’t live up to expectations with the next book? And, sometimes authors do just try to stuff their books with too many relevant topics instead of writing a good story.
Happy Reading to you, too!
Lesa is it just me or do others feel this way? I just finished M.C. Beaton’s final Hamish Macbeth book that I didn’t realize was written when she was failing. I enjoyed many of her Agatha Raisin books but loved the Hamish Macbeth stories from the beginning. I was totally “bummed” with the ending and instead of wistfully saying goodbye to a favorite series, I am sad & disappointed. She could have wrapped it up with a happy farewell!!
Now I will have to move on to Veronica Speedwell for a total change of pace and place.
Pat, have you seen that there is a new Hamish Macbeth written by another author? The cover says M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green. The same thing is happening with the Agatha Raisin books as well. I won’t be reading any of those. I gave up on Agatha Raisin as she became too mean for my liking. The last Hamish Macbeth (my favorite of the two series as well) seemed to be all over the place. Like you, I would have been happier with an ending.
Yes, Pat. I’ve felt that way for years. I didn’t think Agatha Christie did justice to either of her characters with their final books. What’s even more irritating to me is when the estates have someone else write more books. As much as some authors have been praised for continuing Robert B. Parker’s series, I never felt as if they had the voice right. And, that Sue Grafton’s husband sold the rights to Kinsey Millhone to television after Sue Grafton would never do it! Nope. I’m sorry. I totally agree with you. I feel bad when an author has a hard time finishing the series, and I hate to see someone else write it.
We’ve had a dry February until Monday, when we had morning rain for Valentines Day, but it cleared by noon and was sunny the rest of the day. No special plans for the day, or Tuesday which is our Anniversary. That’s good because I was in the grip of a migraine all day Sunday (didn’t watch the football game or any TV) continuing through Tuesday. When the bad ones come there’s nothing to be done but stay in dark, quiet.
Before all that, however, I did read The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa, reviewed here by Lesa in January. I liked it a lot and it’ll be my blog post tomorrow.
In the mood for something classic, I pulled Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials Mystery (1924) off the shelf. It features Superintendent Battle in a tale of idle rich youth in country houses animist the hunt for a foreign spy after the plans for an important invention. Christie had her tongue firmly in her cheek with this one, and though it’s a bit o fun, this is one of the Grand Dame of crime writing’s weaker efforts. Read it as a parody, and you’ll be fine.
Now reading A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle (Penguin 2022 hardcover), which takes place aboard ship during a 1924 Atlantic crossing to New York. I’m at the midpoint.
Rick, My sister used to suffer from migraines. I’m sorry.
Sometimes, even a weaker effort of a classic is better than most of the other books I could choose. Sometimes, that’s just what’s needed.
Rick, I am looking forward to your post on The Cat Who Saved Books. Glen bought a copy of that so I will be reading it eventually, although I will give him a chance to get to it first.
Between The Super Bowl, Valentie’s Day, and other obligations, I didn’t get much reading done at all.
I did read this book called The Circle, by Steven J. Galgon. A young guy is forcibly recruited into a club where the members kill one another for thrills and social advancement. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, this sort of premise was popular, but nobody can imagine Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg actually getting their hands dirty like this.
What!? Real life, Glen, instead of books? Sometimes, that’s just good.
You know what I saw in a recent book that I hadn’t seen in years? A tontine! I loved Thomas B. Costain’s The Tontine. That premise was popular for a little while, and I hadn’t seen it again until that recent book.
Valerie Bertinelli was a paid spokesperson for Weight Watchers and is trying to portray herself as a expert on healthier living. She has been shopping around a cooking show as well as one that would be sort of a regular person’s Martha Stewart deal for network TV or elsewhere. Hence the recipes in the book. She tried this back a couple of years ago at the start of the pandemic and everything got scuttled by that. The book is now out and she s again trying all this other stuff through some production company she owns.
It didn’t work for me, Kevin. I appreciated the personal elements about Eddie Van Halen and Wolfie, but the self-help aspect became too much.
You don’t seem to like her much. I liked her in her early acting TV days, and like her as a judge in kids baking shows on Food Network.
Have not been reading much at all because, I have actually been writing for the first time in years and from before my Mom passed and then Sandi did. Back in December, I was directly invited to submit to a crime fiction anthology with a deadline at the end of this month. After weeks of the usual no ideas at all, I suddenly had the vaguest of ideas pop into my head about two weeks ago. Been working on it, things morphed significantly from that original idea, and the rough draft is done. I just have to run back through and tweak things as needed.
So, the focus has been elsewhere and reading has suffered.
That’s fabulous, Kevin! I’m happy to hear an idea found you! Good luck in getting it tuned up!
It hasn’t been much of a reading week for me. I’ve been extra busy with work and church. I did get a couple of Lily Adler mysteries from the library that I’ll dive into this weekend.
Trisha, As I said to Glen, once in a while it’s nice when life interferes!
I am currently listening to The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. It’s so good. For my book club, I am reading the Decision by Wanda Brunstetter
Oh I loved The Last House on the Street!!
Sharon, The book was Death of a Green-Eyed Monster. The forward by R.W. Green said that he collaborated with Marion (M.C. Beaton) on the book, it was a very good story and she was very clear about how she wanted it to end. So sad! He also sounded like there will be no more for Hamish Macbeth. I agree with you about Agatha Raisin as well, I finally had enough.
Thank you Pat! I put it on reserve.
Hi Lesa and everyone
I am just popping in here as I am about to go to the airport to collect my daughter Anna. Thank goodness we, for once, do not have the terrible weather that is apparently affecting parts of England and Wales. It was a little windy this afternoon but otherwise a beautiful day. Tomorrow, however, we have a forecast of heavy snow all day – in February, for goodness sake, when this year we have had virtually none all winter.
I finished reading THE BELL JAR and absolutely loved it – I felt quite overwhelmed when I came to the end. What a brilliant writer Plath was – Esther came alive for me, and I felt there was so much raw honesty in her story. So much of what happened to her stemmed from the social expectations and pressures on women in the mid-20th century. Girls who were clever and had been successful at school went to college and realised that success was still measured as much by marraige as academic achievement. The conflicts that drive Esther over the edge were – and still are, I fear – real.
What surprised me about the book, too, was how witty it was – there is some very funny interludes between all the angst. This will certainly be one of my top books this year.
Since then I have been reading the winter edition of SLIGHTLY FOXED, which is a quarterly publication with contributions from some very interesting people. In this, the 72nd edition, Adam Sisman writes about Anne Fadiman’s memoir of her father, ‘The Wine Lover’s Daughter’, Laurie Graham discusses Hugo Vickers’ ‘Behind Closed Doors’ about Mrs Simpson, late Duchess of Windsor, Andrew Bowden talks about Margot Pardoe’s Bunkle books, Andy Bourne writes on the novels of eccentric Irish writer Michael Curtin, Martin Edwards’ looks at Anthony Berkeley, his The Poisoned Chocolate Case, and other uses of poisoined chocolates in Golden Age mysteries, and Morag MacInnes writes about ‘Undelivered Letters to Hudson’s Bay Company Men on the North-West Coast of America, a book that sounds a lot more interesting than the title might at first suggest. And there’s lots more – something like 16 articles in each quarterly. Slightly Foxed is a great little publisher, and their podcast is exceptionally good too.
I’m also still reading LETTER FROM REACHFAR by Jane Duncan, which is wonderful – full of fascinating details about life on her fanily’s croft in Ross-Shire, the people who inspired her novels, and her own hesitant entry into the book world.
Now I really do have to dash. I hope everyone has a good week!
Oh, SLIGHTLY FOXED sounds wonderful! I’ll go down that rabbit hole.
I just subscribed to SLIGHTLY FOXED, Rosemary Kaye! I asked that it begin with the Dec 2021 issue, to be sure I get that one. I’m so excited! I don’t know how long it will take to process and send (Royal Mail by air) tome here in the US, but it will a happy day, and I’ll be sure and mention it here.
Have you gotten it for years?
Rosemary, You probably won’t have time to pick this up since you’re picking up Anna. Slightly Foxed sounds fascinating. And, I met Clifton Fadiman once, Anne Fadiman’s father. I was branch librarian on Captiva Island where he lived for a while, and he and his son, Kip, brought books to donate to the library. That’s one of those moments that you remember – I met Clifton Fadiman!
I am a little late today. I took a few days off from work to spend time with my daughter. She is home from NH for a week. She will be starting a new job and trying to relax a bit.
I loved my two most recent books Black Cake and We are the Brennans. I recommend them both.
I am listening to Who is Maude Dixon? I am not sure how I feel about it. I am past the mid-point and wondering how the story will continue to unfold. I can’t say I like the main character.
I thought the first half was a bit slow.
Have a wonderful week.
Kathleen, I’m happy to hear you loved Black Cake and We are the Brennans. It’s always good to hear that.
Enjoy your time with your daughter!
Well, I can tell I am really late today because there are so many comments already (59 at this point). Today we went to Costco, our first outing since the mask mandates were relaxed in California (and Santa Barbara County). At least 3/4 of the shoppers at Costco were masked still, and it looked like all employees were but not sure about that. (We are still wearing masks, and we are vaccinated and boosted of course.) We also went to a restaurant and only about a third of the staff was still wearing masks. But at least the restaurant was not crowded and we were not uncomfortable.
I have finished a lot of books since last Thursday. My reading mood must have improved in the last week or so.
I read CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN by Sayaka Murata. A very short book, about 160 pages, and very strange, but I loved it. The main character Keiko is a 36-year-old woman who has been a part-time convenience store worker for 18 years. Keiko is different from most people in many ways and she finds fulfillment and meaning in this job. Yet most people she knows (family and a few friends) want her to do more with her life and be more normal. It had a great ending and it was a thought-provoking read. It was for my Japanese Literature Challenge, and my husband read it last year. He is the one that got me started reading Japanese mystery novels.
I also finished CARRY ME HOME: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, about the civil rights movement in Birmingham in 1963. I started reading it one year ago. Reading the first 300 pages was very depressing for me, and I took a long break from reading it. When I got back to it this year, it took me about a month to finish the last 300 pages. That part was better, less depressing (sometimes), but still was a very slow read.
And then I read THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB, which I finished last night. I loved it. Most people here know about the book, and Lesa has reviewed it so I won’t summarize it, but there were so many aspects of this book that made it interesting to me.
A great reading week.
Good for you, Tracy, glad you’re getting your reading energy back! I really must take another try at the Osmand, everyone seems to love it. I think the 3rd on will be out later this year.
I am very happy to be reading more now, Rick. There are some issues with The Thursday Murder Club that bothered me, but not much. Some of it (maybe all?) is in present tense, and the story and the mystery plot are really complicated at times. But in this book those elements were not enough to ruin my enjoyment.
Like Rick, I’m happy to see you’re back to reading Tracy. I’ve read several Japanese books that I’ve found interesting, too. I’m going to check out Rick’s review of The Cat Who Saved Books today. That’s impressive that you did a Japanese Literature Challenge!
I will continue to wear my mask until I get back from NYC next month. I don’t want to get sick before going there.
Lesa, A tontine, My gosh! I didn’t think those existed any more!
Actually, Glen, I think they’re illegal most places. But, it made for an interesting mystery.
Rick, to be honest, I’m not entirely convinced that Magical Realism isn’t some kind of literary scam, like some of what modern art has become. It began as a description of books written mostly in Latin America, but has since become something far more encompassing.