Beth (BLBera)Turns the Pages in 2022 - Page 4

My name is Beth. I am a recently retired English instructor at my local community college (16 August 2022), so 2022 will be a year of change for me. I love books – talking about them, writing about them, reading about them. I also love to read with my granddaughter Scout.

I tend not to plan my reading, other than for my book club, which meets once a month. We celebrate twenty years in 2022.

Each year my goal is to read more books from my shelves, but those shiny new library books often distract me. In 2022, I would like to read more in translation.

As always, though, goals may fall by the wayside.

Please comment, lurk, make yourself at home.

Currently Reading

Tentative Reading Plans - Part 1
Book Club
✔️January: The Glass Hotel
DNF February: Anxious People
✔️ March: Hamnet
✔️ April: The Four Winds
✔️ May: The Hired Man
✔️June: The Midnight Library
✔️July: Swimming Lessons
✔️August: H Is for Hawk
September: A Visit from the Goon Squad
October: Little Fires Everywhere
November: To the Lighthouse
December: The Guest Cat

Shared Reads
✔️January: Red Clocks - Kim and Ellen
✔️February: Thirty Names of Night - Kim and Ellen
✔️March: Spring - Anne, Julia, and anyone else who cares to join us
✔️May: Summer - Anne, and anyone who cares to join us
✔️ Salt Lick - Ellen, Kim
✔️ June: The Intuitionist - Ellen, Kim
✔️June: (family reunion book) - The Sentence
✔️August: A Thousand Ships - Ellen
September: Cloud Cuckoo Land - Ellen, Kim

Tentative Reading Plans (cont.)
Longlist for the Women's Prize for Fiction
The Bread the Devil Knead SL
✔️Salt Lick by Lulu Allison
Careless by Kirsty Capes
Remote Sympathy
The Paper Palace
Flamingo
✔️The Sentence SL
Build Your House Around My Body
✔️Sorrow and Bliss SL
The Exhibitionist by Charlotte Mendelson
✔️The Book of Form and Emptiness WINNER
This One Sky Day
✔️The Island of Missing Trees SL
✔️Great Circle SL
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
✔️Creatures of Passage

Booker longlist

✔️Audrey Magee, The Colony
Selby Wynn Schwartz, After Sappho
NoViolet Bulawayo, Glory
✔️Claire Keegan, Small Things Like These
Leila Mottley, Nightcrawling
Maddie Mortimer, Maps of our Spectacular Bodies
Graeme Macrae Burnet, Case Study
Alan Garner, Treacle Walker
✔️Percival Everett, The Trees
Hernan Diaz, Trust
Shehan Karunatilaka, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
✔️Elizabeth Strout, Oh William!
Karen Joy Fowler, Booth

Books Read in 2022
☀️July☀️
70. Auē* 💜
71. Pandora's Jar*
72. Woman of Light
73. The Intuitionist* REREAD
74. Swimming Lessons* 💜
75. Vigil Harbor
76. A Match Made for Murder
77. The Locked Room
78. The Hurting Kind 💜
79. Reading Like a Writer*
80. Now Lila Knows*
81. The Blackhouse*

Reading Report - July
Books Read: 12
By women: 10
By men: 2
American: 5
Canadian: 1
Irish: 1
Scottish: 1
New Zealander: 1
English: 2
Trinidadian: 1

Novels: 9
Essays: 2
Poetry: 1

Library books: 5
From my shelves: 7

🏕August🏕
82. The Poet's House
83. The Wild Inside 🎧
84. Night of the Living Rez
85. Treacherous Strand
86. A Thousand Ships*
87. H Is for Hawk*
88. The Girl Who Drank the Moon*
89. Bitter Orange Tree
90. The Colony
91. F Is for Fugitive* 🎧
92.Lessons in Chemistry
93.One Thousand and One Nights: A Retelling*

*From my shelves

Books Read in 2022
☔️April☔️
39. The Four Winds*
40. Beautiful World, Where Are You
41. French Braid
42. Essays on the Self*
43. The Book of Form and Emptiness* 💜
44. Look Alive Twenty-Five* 🎧
45. Checkout 19
46. Sorrow and Bliss
47. Small Things Like These 💜
48. Unfinished Business*
49. Sea of Tranquility

April Reading
Books read: 11
By women: 11
- American: 5
- Irish: 3
- Canadian: 1
- English: 1
- New Zealander: 1

Novels: 9
Essays: 2

Library books: 6
From my shelves: 5

🌳May🌳
50. The Candy House💜
51. Clean Air
52. The Hired Man*
53. Mercy Street
54. The Investigator
55. Read Dangerously*💜
56. Salt Lick*
57. The Beatryce Prophecy*
58. Death at Whitewater Church*
59. Summer*💜
60. Cobweb*

May Reading
Books read: 11
By women: 10
By men: 1

Novels: 10
Essays: 1

Library books: 4
Books from my shelves: 7

🍓June🍓
61. Mecca 💜
62. Vermilion Drift* 🎧
63. The Midnight Library*
64. E Is for Evidence* 🎧
65. Thin Places
66. Love Marriage
67. A Deceptive Devotion
68. Home to Woefield
69. The Sentence* REREAD

Reading Report - June
Books read: 9
By women: 7
By men: 2
American: 5 (1 Indigenous)
Canadian: 2
Irish: 1
Bangladeshi/English: 1

Novels: 8
Essays/Memoir: 1

Library books: 5
From my shelves: 4

Books Read in 2022
☃️January☃️
1.Red Clocks* REREAD
2.The American Agent 🎧
3. The Boat People
4. Dare to Disappoint
5. The Glass Hotel* REREAD
6. These Precious Days 💜
7. A Sorrowful Sanctuary
8. Delivering Death 🎧
9. The Fell* 💜
10. Moon of the Crusted Snow*
11. Words Under the Words
12. No Land to Light On
13. Foster*

January Reading
Books read: 13
By women: 12
By men: 1
- American: 5
- Canadian: 3
- First Nation: 1
- Turkish: 1
- Irish: 1
- English: 1
- Lebanese: 1

Novels: 9
Novella: 1
Poetry: 1
Memoir (graphic): 1
Essays: 1

Library: 8
From my shelves: 5

💝February💝
14. A Really Good Day 🎧
15. My Monticello 💜
16. Tunnels
17. Artificial Condition 🎧
18. Violeta
19. Rogue Protocol 🎧
20. How High We Go in the Dark 💜
21. Exit Strategy 🎧
22. Poems to Learn by Heart*
23. The Vanishing Half* REREAD
24. The Thirty Names of Night

February reading
Books read: 11
By women: 9
By men: 1
Nonbinary: 1
- American: 9
- Israeli: 1
- Chilean: 1

Novels: 7
Short stories: 1
Memoir: 1
Graphic novel: 1
Poetry: 1

Library: 9
From my shelves: 2

🌷March🌷
25. The Island of Missing Trees
26. Olga Dies Dreaming 💜
27. Fugitive Telemetry 🎧
28. On the Bus with Rosa Parks
29. Hamnet* REREAD
30. Braiding Sweetgrass* 💜
31. Winter* REREAD
32. The Seed Keeper* REREAD
33. Radio Golf
34. Spring* 💜
35. Creatures of Passage
36. The Trees
37. Oh William!
38. The Taxidermist's Daughter* 🎧

March reading
Books read: 14
By women: 12
By men: 2
- American: 7
- Indigenous: 2
- British: 3
- Irish: 1
- Turkish: 1

Novels: 11
Poetry: 1
Essays: 1
Drama: 1

Library: 8
From my shelves: 6

* From my shelves

You Must Read This

This essay by John Boyne: "Women Are Better Writers than Men"
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/dec/12/double-x-factor-why-women-are-bett...
😁

From the essay:
I think women are better novelists than men.

There, I’ve said it. While it’s obviously an enormous generalisation, it’s no more ludicrous than some half-wit proudly claiming never to read books by women. For the record, purporting to love literature while dismissing the work of female writers is like claiming to be passionate about music while refusing to listen to anything but Ed Sheeran. However, I’m going to try to back up my sweeping statement.

I completely missed your last thread, I think, Beth. I will try and keep up better with this one.

>9 alcottacre: You're first, Stasia. It is hard to keep up around here. Welcome.

>11 BLBera: Yeah, it is hard to keep up, especially since I was dealing with a CFS flare up and being out of town for 2 weeks, lol.

Happy new thread, Beth.

Happy new thread, Beth!

>1 BLBera: Each year my goal is to read more books from my shelves, but those shiny new library books often distract me.
Same here, although the library books are usually not the newest. They have a due date, and those on the shelves are always patient.

>12 alcottacre: I hope you are feeling better, Stasia.

>13 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul

>14 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita. You have a point. I am trying to be better about returning library books unread if I don't have time, at least if there are not 100 reserves on them! I can always check them out again.

Happy new one, Beth! The image in >1 BLBera: is very peaceful somehow. I like it.

Hi Beth - I see you're reading Pandora's Jar. I just listened to a terrific interview with Natalie Haynes, who in addition to being a great writer is also a comedian! Who knew?

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/writersandcompany/natalie-haynes-on-the-fantastic-and-f...

Happy new thread Beth!

Happy new one!

Ahem... I think you need to update 'about to be..' in >1 BLBera: Beth.

>8 BLBera: I'll come back later for this. I really must read a Boyne novel soon.

Happy new thread!

>8 BLBera: I can't believe better or worse can apply to anything so broad as gender, but I can certainly say that within F&SF I enjoy more books by women than by men, still without making anything like an absolute ranking.

Happy new thread!

>16 katiekrug: Thanks Katie. It does seem summery.

>17 vivians: I didn't know that about Haynes, Vivian, but parts of this are funny. I am really enjoying it so far. Her knowledge of the Greek women is amazing. I looking forward to reading A Thousand Ships, which I have on my shelves.

>18 mdoris:, >19 figsfromthistle: Thanks Mary and Anita.

>20 Caroline_McElwee: Well technically, I am not retired yet. :) My last official day is Aug. 16. The Boyne essay is very good.

>21 quondame: Hi Susan - yes, it's impossible to generalize, but Boyne makes some good points about the struggles of women.

>22 drneutron: Thanks Jim.

>23 BLBera: A Thousand Ships was one of my top reads last year. Also read Pandoras Jar; it was interesting but prefer her fiction. She also has a take on the Oedipus story in Children of Jocasta that is very well done too. Looking forward to whatever else she writes!

ETA oh she has a new one coming in Feburary: Stone Blind a take on Medusa (which she talks about in Pandoras Jar) Something to look forward to!

>24 cindydavid4: Thanks Cindy. I'm on the Medusa chapter right now, so will certainly look for her new book.

>23 BLBera: She does make a good case, especially if you want to choose what panels to attend at a writing conference. It is kind of its own cliché that male authors are intensely self-involved, and that the publishing industry feeds into that. I'm reminded of the movie Crossing Delancey but then the writer and director were both women.

I have been woefully absent from LT as I train up my replacements and take a few last trips. I know you are also looking towards the end...and a new beginning!

Happy new thread and LT is part of my retirement plan.

Happy new thread and happy Friday! Hope you have a lovely weekend, Beth!

>26 quondame: Boyne's discussion makes sense to me, but then I do tend toward women writers.

>27 witchyrichy: Hi Karen! Are you counting the days? When are you done?

>28 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda. My daughter's birthday is today, so we'll have some celebration. Then, the heat sets in, so I will concentrate on staying cool.

Happy new one, Beth! Hoping your daughter's birthday is full of happy!

Happy new thread. Hope the celebration went well. Did you make the cake?

>30 Crazymamie: I'm sure she is enjoying herself. I haven't been able to get her on the phone.

>31 charl08: No cake. She likes flan, so I will make that for her soon.

Happy new thread, Beth. Love that topper.

68. Home to Woefield is an entertaining, light read about Prudence, an environmentally conscious young woman who inherits a farm. She is determined to live off the land. Along the way, she connects with a group of people who, like her, know little about farming.

Juby tells the story from the points of view of the various characters and does a good job with the distinct voices.

If you're looking for something to make you smile, this might be the book for you.

>33 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley.

Morning, Beth!

PSA:
I'm sure I'm not the only one intrigued by Mecca by Susan Straight after Beth's review of it recently. It is currently under $3 for Kindle.... You're welcome :)

Thanks Katie!

Hi Beth, Happy New Thread! I rushed off to Amazon to check on the Susan Straight book but unfortunately here in Canada it cost $15.99 - and that is considered the sale price!

Happy new thread!!

Thanks Judy. Sorry that you Canadians didn't get the deal.

>39 banjo123: Hi Rhonda! Thanks.

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/21/1106320865/why-states-are-changing-the-laws-that-...

Seriously, lawmakers are going bat@#@ crazy.

>41 BLBera: Seriously. The only glimmer of good news here in 1850s era is that this didn't pass — this year, anyway: "In Iowa, a bill was proposed allowing city councils to overturn librarians' decisions about what books to buy and where they're displayed."

>34 BLBera: Beth, congratulations on reading 67 books!

I am amazed that that gun laws are having a tough time passing, yet library book acquisitions are being monitored?

Happy new thread, Beth! Thanks for the link to the John Boyne article - that was interesting reading.

There's been a lot of pushback around the U.S. about library displays, programs and book selections in the past year in both school and public libraries. It's disheartening, to say the least.

>34 BLBera: That one looks interesting. Just like that, I'm hit with a BB!

>42 rosalita: I have always loved librarians, Julia, and really feel for them now.

>43 Whisper1:, >44 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. Yes, it is mind boggling, isn't it?

>45 bell7: I feel for your profession, Mary.

>46 figsfromthistle: I hope you enjoy it, Anita. It was entertaining.

Happy Weekend! Not that it matters as much now that you are retired. ; )

>42 rosalita: It is more than a little bit scary that censorship is moving in such a direction. I don't have the benefit of a lending library here in Malaysia so I would have hoped that libraries would be cherished and encouraged.

Have a lovely weekend, Beth, difficult as the times may be.

>48 Berly: Hey, TwinK! I will always love a weekend. Off to the lake with the family tomorrow.

>49 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul.

Have fun at the lake!

Thanks Rhonda. It was great. We had a family reunion, the first in four years. It was well attended and a lot of fun.

Hi Beth! Sounds like you enjoyed the reunion - how wonderful!

I fell so far behind... Stelios and Marina both loved A Thousand Ships, and it's on my long list, so I look forward to your thoughts about Pandora's Jar.

How are you spending your time between now and August when you retire?

Glad the reunion was fun!

Have a great weekend :)

>54 AMQS: Hi Anne - Yes, the reunion was fun. We had our book club discussion of The Sentence, which went well. The response was mostly favorable, but there were a couple who didn't love it. Someone took a photo. When I figure out how to post it, I will. Good to know A Thousand Ships gets a thumbs up from your family.

I am doing retirement paper work, some home projects, and watching Wimbledon right now. Go Rafa!

>55 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita. Thanks.

Here's my family reunion book club photo.

Wimbledon is slowing reading. :)

Your family book club looks like a lively bunch, Beth! And a lovely setting as well.

>57 BLBera: - I love this tradition of yours :)

>58 BLBera: - I hear ya, though in my case, my reading was already slow. But I'm enjoying the tennis. I know you're a Rafa fan, but I am having fun watching some of the not-super-well-known-to-me American men. Who are your favorites on the women's side? Coco looked really good yesterday, and I have a soft spot for Halep...

>59 rosalita: Hi Julia. It is a lively group. I always choose the book, and so far, there haven't been major complaints.

>60 katiekrug: I do like Coco. I like Kerber as well. It is fun to watch the young American men rise to the occasion. I like Tiafoe. Alcaraz is also fun to watch.

>34 BLBera: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the mention, Beth.

>57 BLBera: Cool beans!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hi Stasia. Thanks.

Here's another list: https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2022

>57 BLBera: Glad you had a great reunion Beth.

>64 Caroline_McElwee: It was fun to see everyone, Caroline.

I know some of us have been talking about reducing our plastic use. I thought this article was eye opening.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/07/02/1109498551/she-tried-to-avo...

Hi Beth, I'm making the rounds, post-vacation. I have no hope of catching up; rather, I'm just zipping to the bottom of threads to say hello and I'll start fresh from here.

Although I might check out that plastics article ...

Welcome back, Laura. I'm anxious to hear about your vacation.

Another good essay from Siri Hustvedt

https://lithub.com/racism-patriarchy-and-power-siri-hustvedt-on-the-toxic-thinki...

>66 BLBera: and >69 BLBera: are both so depressing, Beth, but valuable to read. Thanks for sharing them.

Didn't mean to depress, Anne. I think Hustvedt is brilliant.

70. Auē
Auē is an outstanding debut novel. In it, Becky Manawatu gives us a devastating portrayal of Māori culture in today's New Zealand. So many people seem lost, without resources, victims of violence and addition.This makes the novel hard to read in places, but Manawatu's characters are so engaging that we want to see how their stories end.

We know there's been a tragedy in the family from the first pages when Taukiri (Tauk) drops his brother Ārama (Ari) off to live with their aunt Katy. As the novel progresses, we start to learn about the tragedies that have affected the family. Told from several viewpoints, I found the brothers' stories especially moving. Ari's voice is poignant as Manawatu does an excellent job of creating the voice of a child who is trying to be brave in the face of terrible loss that he doesn't completely understand.

And the prose is breathtaking. One description of Tauk surfing is like a poem: "Drop down the face of the first wave, and turn quick, cut back, up, down. Forgive her. I forgive so much my heart swells full up. like she is, welling up. swelling up over us being back together again. Licked better, like an old bruise and she wants to make it all better now. And the blood in the bruise of me uncrystallises, and decides to swim about again, beneath my kissed-better skin." The novel is full of descriptive, poetic language.

Yet, despite the tragedy, we see hope, if only families can forgive.

If you would like to read this, PM me your address, and I will happily pass on my copy.

>57 BLBera: What a lovely photo of your reunion with the book club group!!!

Thanks Linda. We have a lot of fun.

>72 BLBera: Great review! I will keep my eye open for it. It sounds like a very interesting book.

>63 BLBera: That is an amazing article! We do try to avoid plastic but reading about how hard it would be to go 100% plastic free, just at the grocery store is enlightening. Fresh pineapple is a new favorite for me since I "learned" how to cut them up. I love it with cottage cheese. Every time I wonder why on Earth (pun not intended) that little plastic tag and connecter are necessary. Sigh.

>72 BLBera: Auē sounds wonderful!

I'm in between books right now, unsure what I want to read next.

Adding myself to the library queue for A Thousand Ships. I remember when it was nominated last year (for the Booker? The Women's Prize?) but it wasn't at that time available. It fell off my radar.

I'll send you Auē, Ellen. I think it's one you would like.

I'm almost done with Pandora's Jar, which is really good. Haynes is entertaining. I want to read A Thousand Ships soonish. Hey, maybe we could read it next month...

Beth, I love that you have a family book discussion at the lake every year. Great picture! And The Sentence was a good choice. Lots to discuss in that one.

>76 EBT1002: oh I envy you reading that for the first time....its excellent

>78 Donna828: I am lucky to be from a family of readers, Donna. We do usually have good discussions -- and I always get some good recommendations.

How lovely to get together for your family bookgroup again. I am hoping that my work bookgroup may pick up one of the Women's prize shortlist. At the moment it looks like it might be Ruth Ozeki's book.

I have a digital copy of Auē - I think recommended by Megan in NZ. It sounds like I should push this up the queue. Probably not going to get much reading done over the next couple of weeks, but then I'm on leave so hopefully will have a chance to just sit back and focus on the books.

Auē isn't always a comfortable read, but it is really good. The language is lovely, and the characters are so well drawn.

Yes, the book discussion is one of the highlights of the family reunion, IMHO.

Watching Wimbledon. Kyrgios is so annoying.

Started the day with pickle ball but got rained out. It looks like we are in for a rainy, gray day.

>69 BLBera: Thanks for the link Beth. A clear and insightful piece. I'm a big fan of Hustvedt's work, both fiction and non-fiction. Always very thought provoking.

I am officially retired! So far it just feels like a long holiday weekend so can't wait until tomorrow.

Loved the picture of your book group reunion and glad you had a good time. Being together with old friends has an added poignancy now that we know what it is like to be without.

As for Kyrgios, he really is a bully and Chris Evert commented that he really is in denial about his behavior. I hope he doesn't get to the finals.

>84 Caroline_McElwee: I thought Hustvedt's essay was better researched and more scholarly than Alito's decision. She is a very good essayist.

>85 witchyrichy: Hi Karen. Congrats. Yes, with the elders being in their 80s, we never know how many more reunions we will have them with us.

The really annoying thing about Kyrgios, is that he has tons of talent and could probably beat anyone if he would just play.

YES to reading A Thousand Ships together next month! And Pandora's Jar sounds interesting, too....

>72 BLBera:. That sounds good, and what a beautiful cover.

>87 EBT1002: OK - I hope that's agreeable to Kim. ;)

Have you been watching tennis? I think it would be cool if Jabuer would win. And, of course, Rafa.

>88 banjo123: It was very good.

>66 BLBera: - Eek. It truly is so difficult to do what she did. And depressing. I try too but just can't succeed.

It's especially hard when one lives in the north and there's such a short season when one can get fresh produce.

Well, I have 4 tomato plants in my garden, as well as 2 different lettuce and a raspberry bush but that is hardly a sustainable diet. My next door neighbour has more veggies than I do in her garden but still. Our growing season is from May to around September, I guess.

71. Pandora's Jar is an examination of ten women from Greek mythology including Pandora, Helen, Medea, Medusa, and Penelope, to name some of them. Haynes knows her stuff; she explains various versions of the myths through time, including modern versions, and examines related art. She points out that "As we change, so these characters have also changed as if to match us." Not so surprisingly, Haynes shows us that misogyny is not limited to ancient Greece.

And why should we care about these stories? Haynes explains, "We cannot hope to make sense of our stories or ourselves (myths are a mirror of us, after all) if we refuse to look at half of the picture. Or worse -- don't even notice half of it is missing."

Haynes has a great sense of humor, and I enjoyed learning about the various versions of the stories. I was surprised at how central some of the women were in the stories from ancient Greece.

>94 BLBera: I know so little about Greek mythology that it's embarrassing. I'll keep an eye out for this one.

I learned a lot from this, Julia. Haynes knows her stuff but is very accessible.

>72 BLBera: I can't wait to read this book, it was talked about a lot when published.

Also read this book at at first thought she was writing a thesis...but the more I got into it I saw what she was doing and like you ultimately really liked it. I do know a lot about greek mythology, but as she says one sided only. really appreciate seeing the other sides

Loved a thousand ships probably the best Ive read from her. She as a new one coming out in
Sept about Medusa, so if you read that section in Pandora you know you'll be i for a treat.

>97 LovingLit: I really enjoyed it; I'm anxious to get to A Thousand Ships.

>98 cindydavid4: Her book about Medusa should be interesting. First, I'll read A Thousand Ships, which is on my shelf.

>72 BLBera: You hit me with a BB. It looks like a good one as well.

>34 BLBera: This one sounds interesting! I’ll have to look for it.

>57 BLBera: How nice!!

I liked this one too, an entertaining read as much as an educative one. Your cover is much more dramatic than the UK paperback.
I hadn't realised she has a new one on the way, will try and find a copy.

Hmmm ... Pandora's Jar sounds interesting indeed. Another Beth-inspired book added to my library list, dang it.

Hey Beth! Your family book club reunion must have been a wonderful get together. Do you all read the same book? How often do you meet? Do you post online? Zoom? Ya never know, I may want to try a group of my own. hehehe
Oooooo, Pandora's Jar goes on my TBR list.

>100 figsfromthistle: I'm always happy to add books to others' lists, Anita.

>101 Copperskye: It was very entertaining, Joanne. I think you'd like it.

>102 charl08: I learned a lot, Charlotte. I will never look at Greek myths the same way again. I look forward to reading A Thousand Ships soon.

>103 lauralkeet: My job is done, Laura.

>104 Carmenere: Hi Lynda. Our family reunion happens every two years. We meet then to discuss a book. I have been choosing the books, and so far, people have not complained. Otherwise, we don't meet. Several of my cousins are in book groups where they live.

72. Woman of Light
"Pidre came from storytelling people, but as he passed a big top devoted to the reenactment of 'Custer's Last Stand,' he couldn't help but think that Anglos were perhaps the most dangerous storytellers of all -- for they believed only their own words, and they allowed their stories to trample the truths of nearly every other man on Earth."

In this very good historical novel, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, author of the wonderful Sabrina & Corina, tells some forgotten stories of the dispossessed. And in these stories, we can see that history does repeat itself. Her characters, mostly brown people, some Indigenous, some immigrants, are victims of prejudice and violence.

Mostly set in 1930s Denver, this is the story of Luz Lopez and her family. The story goes back to Luz's parents and grandparents, and shows the hardship and prejudice of life for brown people through generations. They eke out a living until white settlers want the land. And in Denver, jobs are scarce and segregation is enforced with violence. People who try for redress often become victims themselves. But in the middle of all this is family. In Luz, we see struggles but also joy, and finally Luz realizes that the only way forward is to keep connected to her family and to remember the stories of their ancestors.

>106 BLBera: Ya got me again, Beth. This one first grabbed me when I saw the cover, your description seals the deal.

That was quick, Lynda. It's really good.

Ons Jabeur is in the Wimbledon final; I'm cheering for her. And Rafa, but I think Kyrgios might beat him.

Oof. Just saw Nadal has withdrawn due to injury. I m not a huge fan of his but like him way more than Kyrigos...

>110 katiekrug: Oof is right, Katie. I just saw that he withdrew. It makes sense. Then you can cheer for him at the US Open. :) At least I got to see him tough it out and win against Fritz.

I saw the last set of that match. Fritz had him and then just *poof.* Nadal's greater experience won the day.

I'm rooting for Norrie now. And Jabeur in the women's final.

>110 katiekrug: Same here. Not a Kyrigos fan, and if the final ends up Kyrigos-Djokovic then I really can't be bothered.

>112 katiekrug: I'm with you, Katie. How cool if Jabeur would win and be the first Arab to win a major? Norrie is the best one, but I bet the final with be Djokovic-Kyrgios.

>113 lauralkeet: I agree, Laura. I don't like either one.

Hi Beth, I just stopped by to quickly catch up but the NPR list of Best Books caught my attention and even though I already had a number of them on my list already, I now added even more. I just can't read fast enough!

I know the feeling, Judy. I thought I would have a lot more time in retirement, but things have been busy around here.

I did attend a performance of Twelfth Night today at Winona's Great River Shakespeare Festival. It's been a couple of years since I last went, and as usual, it was very well done.

Another list. You're welcome. :)

https://lithub.com/lit-hubs-most-anticipated-books-of-2022-part-two/?utm_source=...

Four I'm especially looking forward to are new ones by Kate Atkinson, Barbara Kingsolver, Lydia Millet, and Jane Smiley. You're welcome.

>117 BLBera: I started to read this and my head exploded
>118 BLBera: So this is helpful. Some of my favorite authors there ...

I know what you mean by head exploding, Laura. I skimmed to see if any favorites were there -- and there were. The Kingsolver sounds interesting. And it's been a while.

Demon Copperhead
HARPER, OCTOBER 18

The latest novel from the author of The Bean Trees and Unsheltered offers a modern take on Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. The Dickens classic is a Victorian story of abandonment and poverty, and the long-ranging ramifications on the children who must grow up too soon. Kingsolver takes these themes (and Dickens’ plot structure) and superimposes them on current-day southern Appalachia: the main character is born to a teenaged single mother in a trailer in the mountains, and must contend with the lot he was given in life. Poverty, hunger, foster care, abuse, and discipline are all facts of his young existence, as he tries to carve a place for himself in a world that’s all but forgotten about him. –JH

Also, Maggie O'Farrell has a new historical fiction coming.

>117 BLBera: Helen DeWitt’s has a new one out? I havent seen a book from her since the the last samari decades ago. Must try this one out the english understand wool

also looking forward to the Atkinson, and the O'Farrell book the Marriage Portrait

>117 BLBera: - Thanks for sharing, Beth! I've added a few to my "Not Yet Released" list.

ETA: Weird match this morning. Jabeur looked solidly in control and then *poof*

>121 cindydavid4: Lots of good ones on the list, Cindy.

>122 katiekrug: I know, Katie. I was cheering for Jabeur. I skimmed the list and will go back to it. Too much to take in at once. I was able to reserve the Kingsolver from my library -- there were already five reserves!

Well, I've just spend the last couple of hours going through the Hubs Most Anticipated Books List. I have already picked up a couple - an audio version of The Wild Hunt by Emma Seckel and Half Outlaw by Alex Temblador, plus I've added a couple to my library list - Hokuloa Road by Elizabeth Hand (I loved her last book), and Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra. I will also be looking out for the new books by Joyce Carol Oates, Barbara Kingsolver and Kate Atkinson and quite a few more!

>117 BLBera: Rabbit hole, that one was.

>124 DeltaQueen50: I'm happy to provide some hours of enjoyment, Judy.

>125 quondame: Yes, indeed.

Yes, exploding head with that list, I see what you mean!

Well, two or three at the start aren't available here., so i shall stop and come back to this later!
Thanks for posting.

Hi Beth, and happy new thread.

>1 BLBera: Congrats on your upcoming retirement. I’m happy for you.

>2 BLBera: I have The Intuitionist on my shelves and will be interested in what you have to say about it.

>57 BLBera: Yay for your family reunion book club, thanks for posting the photo.

>116 BLBera: I thought I would have a lot more time in retirement, but things have been busy around here. I was told to not volunteer for anything – meaning board positions or local help situations - for the first six months when I retired, and I was so glad I did. I’ve been on the Board of the Friends of the Library ever since.

>127 mdoris: I skimmed through, Mary, because it was too much.

>128 charl08: You are welcome, Charlotte. I'll revisit the list as well. And other upcoming ones.

>129 karenmarie: Hi Karen. I am enjoying The Intuitionist more on this reread. I think I am less concerned with the plot and paying more attention to the language.

I've gotten similar advice about retirement, Karen. It doesn't seem like retirement yet because I never teach in the summer. I expect that in August, the reality will hit me.

Yup thats when it hit me; all my colleagues were busy setting up there rooms and I felt bereft! Till I decided to help them...

Oh, I keep meaning to read The Intuitionist again. I read it when it came out, and it was interesting and well-written, but so strange to wrap my head around that I didn't read anything else by Whitehead until Underground Railroad

>132 banjo123: I'm finding the reread rewarding, Rhonda. I can pay attention to things besides the plot.

>120 BLBera: Added Demon Copperhead to the TBR list. I am looking for a retelling to fill in a bingo card square. Looks like I may have to pay for it as my library doesn't seem to have either analog or digital.

I don't think it will be out for a couple of months yet.

"Since we don't control the air, our good air decided to float over to China's bad air. So when China gets our good air, their bad air got to move. So it moves over to our good air space. Then -- now we got we to clean that back up." - An actual quote from a candidate for the US Senate. Amazing.

he'll probably win.

:(

Hooray for Limón! I'm reading her new one now.

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/12/1110804783/ada-limon-named-new-u-s-poet-laureate

>139 BLBera: I could see that being a popular choice on LT!

>117 BLBera: Amazing list. Too many to add, but top on my list are Kingsolver, Atkinson, Marra and O'Farrell. A great fall to be retired!

>57 BLBera: Hi Twin!! Cute pic of the reading group!! Wait, what? You always get to choose the book? ; )

I watched Wimbledon. Lots of it. I was actually rooting for the the people who didn't win in both men's and women's final but it was fun to see so many new players. Sorry Rafa had to pull out.

Hopelessly behind so skimming. >117 BLBera: Thank you for the list -- I am gonna check it out! Need some suggestions for my family bookclub. The last one was just meh.

>141 vivians: Yes, there are many to look forward to, Vivian. You mentioned some of the ones I most anticipate. I already reserved the O'Farrell and the Kingsolver, and will keep checking my library as they are released.

>142 Berly: Thanks, TwinK. I usually run a couple of choices by my cousin, but yes, I choose. I watched quite a bit of Wimbledon as well. How are you feeling?

74. Swimming Lessons
I love this novel with its central question of whether it is better to know if someone is dead or to live in uncertainty. Ingrid Coleman disappears twelve years before the beginning of the story. Her body is never found. Did she drown? Or did she just walk away? Before her disappearance, Ingrid writes a series of letters to her husband Gil, which perhaps give us some answers.

The letters alternate with chapters that detail the life of Ingrid's daughter Flora in the present. The structure works well to propel the story, as more is revealed about the family that Ingrid left behind. We also see the same events from different perspectives.

Fuller also wrote Unsettled Ground, which I also loved. This is an earlier novel.

>144 BLBera: - I have that one on my Kindle. Looking forward to reading it... eventually.

mmm there is another book i read with a similar plot, except its much older and takes place in Scotland. Be interesting to see how these compare

>144 BLBera: Hi Beth, just put that one on reserve after your great review, with thanks!

Enjoy, Mary.

Another list. There's some overlap, but some new ones, too.
https://themillions.com/2022/07/most-anticipated-the-great-second-half-2022-book...

75. Vigil Harbor is set about fifteen years into the future and shows the world in crisis. Coastal cities are disappearing, along with fish and birds. Vigil Harbor is set on a cliff, an insular peninsula that in many ways is privileged.

Glass uses eight narrators to tell the story. One of her achievements is that each person has a distinctive voice. My favorite is Margo, the English teacher. I love her observations as she wakes predawn: "..I get up, make coffee, stare out the kitchen window and dare the sky not to pale toward that deceptively coy pink of which it is so pompously and perpetually proud. I feel like torching every treacly ode to dawn I ever taught. (Where is Sylvia Plath when you need her the most)?"

The downside to the number of narrators is that there are so many characters and stories that there isn't much depth to some of the characters and it's hard to see why she includes some of the storylines; they don't seem to go anywhere.

Still, even if it was a little long, overall I did enjoy my Vigil Harbor visit.

>149 BLBera: Congratulations on reaching 75, Beth!

>149 BLBera: That sounds interesting, although the excess of narrators isn't a favorite technique of mine for exactly the reasons you mentioned. I'll still look for it at the library, though.

Congrats on hitting the big 7-5!

Congrats!

Congrats. on reaching 75, Beth. I love the covers of both Swimming Lessons and Vigil Harbor.

>149 BLBera: I remember reading Three Junes by Julia Glass years ago, no details remain in my head other than I liked it. So thanks for the Vigil Harbor review - sounds intriguing. And congrats on 75!

Thanks Anita, Julia, Jim, Judy, Vivian, Cindy.

This review is a hoot!

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/19/opinions/netflix-persuasion-british-austen-thomas...

>149 BLBera: Congratulations on 75 reads!

Thanks Susan.

!!!!

>144 BLBera: That one looks interesting!

Congrats on getting to the magic number!

Yeah...75 books!!! I've added Swimming Lessons to the TBR pile. I'll see if my library has this one. I'm making a vow to curb my book buying. I've given away hundreds of books to the library. If feels good to get rid of books accumulated via library book sales -- mainly these were purchased on a whim. Now, I am no longer interested in many of the books I gave away. Still, I purchased two books at Barnes and Noble. But, it was only two purchases, so I can justify the purchases.

Thanks TwinK, Anita, and Linda!

Congrats on 75! >149 BLBera:. great cover, but the topic seems too close to home.

Congrats on the 75, Beth.

Congrats on 75, Beth!

And thank you for all the wonderful lists. I spent several hours catching up on your thread as I kept going down the rabbithole, checking out all your links.

Congratulations on 75!

Adding my congratulations on 75 reads Beth.

I wasn't particularly enamoured of the new Persuasion, though it made me want to pick uo the novel again,

Thanks Rhonda, Charlotte, Janet, Steve, and Caroline.

76. A Match Made for Murder is the seventh in the Lane Winslow series, and I realize my comments are spoilers for earlier books, but the book's description is also a spoiler so I'll continue. In this book Lane and Inspector Darling are on their honeymoon in Arizona, and Sergeant Ames is left in Canada to keep order. Of course, Lane soon stumbles on a murder at the hotel they're staying at.

Some things I liked about the novel is that it explores the adjustments necessary after marriage. It also looks at post WWII expectations for women. And Whishaw has added a black police officer to the Nelson police, and shows us the racism endured by the Hispanic population in Arizona.

However, plot wise, there is way too much going on. The book jumps from Canada to Arizona and then to the past of some of the characters, and it is too much. Also, I missed the people from King's Cove.

I do enjoy this series; this one just isn't the best one I've read.

>157 BLBera: Oh that was great, thanks for the link! My favorite line was "Ticking off an entire demographic of English majors (or in the case of the more committed Brits, English students) is an innovative means of securing a viewership, and dare I say, it has worked beautifully."

I should really reread Persuasion before doing any hate-watching though.

And congrats on reaching 75!

For some reason the other programmes I downloaded on my phone wouldn't work, but this wasn't enough to make me stick this out for more than ten minutes. I loved the version with Sally Hawkins though.

I tried to watch the new Persuasion. It did not go well.

>173 katiekrug: To no one's surprise ...

>174 lauralkeet: - It was even worse than expected!

>175 katiekrug: Forgot for a minute that I wasn't on your thread ... heading over there to read your comments.

Sorry Beth -- and hello to you!!

>176 lauralkeet: - LOL.

Hi Beth!

Thanks for posting the links to new books coming out, Beth. I think I'm set for the rest of the year now. ;-) Woo Hoo (!) on hitting the magic number of 75. Just think of how many books you can read next year.

>171 bell7: I thought the review was funny. That is a very perceptive line.

>172 charl08: I have mixed feelings about the new version, Charlotte.

Hi Laura and Katie. Post away.

>178 Donna828: You are welcome, Donna. I would think my reading time would increase, but I have been busy with other stuff. We'll see how this goes.

Congrats on reaching 75, Beth! Your thread is a dangerous place and you got me a few times - with Auē, Pandora's Jar (both Stelios and Marina loved A Thousand Ships), and Woman of Light. Did you see that Kali Fajardo-Anstine wrote an article this week for The Atlantic about Six Books to Guide You Through the Real American West?

Hi Anne - I didn't see that article, but I will take a look at it. Thanks.

77. The Locked Room is the latest in the Ruth Galloway series and takes place in early 2020, just as lockdown starts. Griffiths does a good job portraying the uncertainty and confusion that people felt at the start of the lockdown, even if her characters don't do a good job of following the rules. Still, hard to solve mysteries from one's house.

In this one, the team is looking at a series of mysterious suicides. The deaths all involve middle-aged women who had no signs of depression. And then Ruth's new neighbor Zoe disappears. Despite the difficulties of following clues while on lockdown, the team continues to work. Ruth struggles to teach on Zoom and to keep Kate occupied at home.

This is a satisfying entry in the series.

Woo hoo! Congratulations! I think you'll be reaching 100 before the year is out.
I really enjoy the Galloway series, glad to see this one did not disappoint.

>182 BLBera: How did you feel about the personal developments, Beth? I know some readers are getting impatient with the lack of a final resolution, but personally I've found all the developments up to now pretty realistic so I'm happy to go along for the ride.

>183 Carmenere: Hi Lynda. If you're a fan of Ruth, you'll like this one. The only problem is that now I have to wait a year until the next one appears.

>184 rosalita: Hi Julia. I was one of those who were impatient with the relationship stuff, but I've made peace with it. :) I think you're right and it is realistic. I wonder what will happen. I'm not sure Ruth really wants Nelson to live with them and I don't see her moving.

>185 BLBera: I think you've put your finger on why I'm not impatient for it to be resolved, Beth. There isn't one absolutely obvious solution that would be best for everyone. It's a very nuanced situation, and I like seeing how that plays out.

I think I dropped by a while ago but got totally distracted by the new books link. Thanks for sharing.

Congrats on reading 77 books already! I wasn’t sure about the new Julia Glass but I think I’ll request it from the library. It sounds interesting. I loved Three Junes.

I loved the latest Ruth book. I think I’ll be disappointed if/when the Ruth/Nelson situation is resolved, no matter what happens. I like that she keeps us guessing.

Skimmed your comments on the latest Ruth but glad to know you enjoyed it!

>186 rosalita: Exactly right, Julia.

>187 Copperskye: Hi Joanne - I know what you mean. I've spent way too much time on the new book lists. I really liked Vigil Harbor.

>188 katiekrug: I'll watch for your comments, Katie. I thought she did a good job with the lockdown -- even if her characters were not very compliant!

>182 BLBera: squeeeeeee! A copy of The Locked Room with my name on it is IN TRANSIT to my local library! I can't wait.

Great, Laura. I was so happy to get my copy that I put aside the book I was reading to pick up The Locked Room.

78. The Hurting Kind is another great collection of poetry by Ada Limón, our new poet laureate. Many of her poems celebrate nature. In fact, the book is divided into four parts, the seasons. Yet I also loved the poem about lockdown, "Banished Wonders," and maybe my favorite is the elegy to her grandfather, "The Hurting Kind."

>192 BLBera: This does sound tempting.

I wondered if you'd had a chance to see the Booker longlist: some interesting choices.

I haven't seen it. I've always preferred the Women's Prize list, but I'll check it out.

79. Reading Like a Writer
In this book, Francine Prose uses her experiences as a teacher and as a writer. She begins with a discussion of the importance of close reading and attention to words and continues with discussion of sentences, paragraphs, dialog, and characterization, using plenty of examples to illustrate her points.

Both readers and writers could benefit from this book. I added to my wishlist. I wish I had read it before teaching creative writing -- it would be a great resource for that course.

I think I heard about this from Deborah, so thanks!

80. Now Lila Knows
Lila Bonnard is from a fictional Caribbean island. She is a literature professor and receives a yearlong appointment at a small, elite liberal arts college in Vermont. On her arrival, she witnesses the shooting of a black man by the police. She later discovers that the dead man, Ron Brown, was a professor at the college, and Lila is drawn into the protests surrounding the shooting.

The novel has a great premise, but the story suffers from being too didactic. Too often, as I read, I felt I was being lectured about the differences in racism in the States and in the various Caribbean islands. We learn about colorism and the effects of colonialism in the islands. I would have liked to see more in-depth characterization. Even Lila, the protagonist seems flat.

Maybe my expectations were too high -- I've loved the other books by Nunez that I've read.

And the cover is terrible. It looks like the cover of a noir crime novel.

>192 BLBera: This is due out here next month, I'm looking forward to it Beth.

It is lovely, Caroline.

>195 BLBera: We have that book on our shelves, left behind by Kate. She had to read it either for AP English or one of her first-year English major (creative writing) courses. So I can attest that it's part of the curriculum somewhere!

I enjoyed it, Laura. Especially the chapters on words and sentences made me pay closer attention to my reading. She also includes a reading list, which is also nice. I do want to read more Chekov stories.

Congrats on reading past 75, Beth. I have that book about writers and readers. It was gifted to me by my brother who is a writer. You remind me that I should get back to it. I started it but never finished.

>195 BLBera: I have this on the shelf too. Should pick it up, especially as you mention she includes lists!

>201 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. I enjoyed it.

>202 charl08: There's a long list at the end, Charlotte, if you are not in the mood to read it. :)

81. The Blackhouse is set on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and is wonderfully descriptive. We get a keen sense of a cold, windy, unforgiving climate. Fin Macleod was born on the island and returns after eighteen years to work on a murder case. As he investigates, he is forced to face his past.

The setting is great, and I liked the way May alternated between first and third person narrative, first in the chapters set in Fin's past and third for the current investigation. There's also a huge twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

This is a satisfying read, and I'll certainly look for the others in the trilogy.

>204 BLBera: - I think I have this one on my Kindle. Glad to hear it was good! Have a great Sunday, Beth.

Thanks Katie.

>204 BLBera: I know you'll love the last two as well, Beth. Lewis Island is as much a character as Fin or any of the other people in the stories.

You are right, Julia. I love novels with such a clear sense of place.

Morning Beth your thread is one of my favorite go-to's to get book ideas. Again you did not disappoint the black house sounds like an excellent novel and when I know I can sink my teeth into so thanks I'll put that on my TBR list.
Have a great day!

>203 BLBera: I'm just not sure where it is. Which makes it sound like I have a lot of space, when I really don't!

82. The Poet's House
I'm not always a fan of coming-of-age stories, but The Poet's House won me over, mainly because the protagonist Carla is such a great character. She may feel stuck and unsure about what she wants to do with her life, but she's not a whiner. This sums her up: "Never in my life had anyone accused me of being charming. I wondered it is was something I should try for. I fought my fights the same way my mom did, with a hammer in each hand and my heels dug in."

As the novel opens, Carla lives with Aaron, who works in IT. She works for a landscaper. One day as Carla works in a yard, she meets Viridian, a poet. Carla has an unnamed learning disability and has trouble reading, yet when she hears Viridian read her poetry, she finds herself wanting to be part of a world she thought was closed to her.

She meets other poets (some great secondary characters) and tries to discover where she fits in this world. One of the things that drew me in was the way that Thompson shows us both the magic of poetry and its flawed practitioners. Carla, as an outsider, is well placed to observe the less attractive side of the arts world.

So, the novel ticks a number of boxes for me: interesting protagonist, importance of art, humor -- overall an entertaining novel that left me smiling.

This is the first novel by Thompson that I've read. I will look for other things by her.

>209 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda. I'm always happy if people find good suggestions here.

>210 charl08: I know the feeling, Charlotte.

>211 BLBera: - Oooh, that one sounds really interesting!

I think you'd like it, Katie.

>214 BLBera: - Neither of my library systems has it on Kindle (not even NYPL, which I was surprised about) but I've put in a request for a print copy from my local library.

It's a quick read, Katie. I hope you enjoy it. I think I heard about it in a review by Maureen Corrigan on NPR.

83. The Wild Inside is a mystery set in Glacier National Park. The crime is pretty awful; a man was tied to a tree in the park, and a grizzly bear ripped him apart. The victim was a meth head and a pretty miserable human being, and the investigation goes nowhere for much of the book until the last hour or so of the audiobook.

I love the setting, but the investigation is too long and drawn out and interspersed with the memories of a horrific bear mauling that Ted Systead, the lead detective, suffered when he was a teen. I found myself zoning out for much of the middle of the book.

This is a first novel, and I would be interested in seeing if the author tightens things up a bit in future novels. This one suffers in comparison to the Joe Pickett and Anna Pigeon books.

84. Night of the Living Rez
This is an excellent collection of linked stories set on a Penobscot reservation in Maine. In many of the stories, we follow the narrator, David, as he grows up and tries to make sense of his world. While there are tough times when we see the effects of drugs and alcohol on the family, there are also carefree times when David plays with his friends in the woods.

I will definitely follow Talty to see what he does next.

>218 BLBera:. This looks good!

I think you'd like it, Rhonda. Tommy Orange blurbed it, and I can see why. Did you read There, There? If you liked that, you would like this, I think.

Voting today. Concerned about some of the school board candidates, especially one who blames violence in schools on "the communist teacers' unions." And the candidates who want to take CRT out of schools (it's not taught in school, but oh well).

>221 BLBera: I hope common sense prevails in your elections today, Beth. Not enough people pay attention to the smaller hyper-local races, which means the whackadoodles on either edge of the spectrum have a great chance of success. I don't have any easy answers about how to encourage greater turnout for these types of elections.

I know, Julia. We all need to pay more attention to local elections, or we get the whackadoodles, who have far more influence on our day-to-day lives than the Prez does. I just remind people to vote.

>221 BLBera: we have had many people with scary views about schools running for the board. Just hope voters can distinguish th4e ones who will help kids and teachers the most, from the ones who want it all torn down

>218 BLBera: This is supposed to be out here but so far I've not been able to track down a copy. Grumble!

Thank you for the voting reminder. The event I was running last month included a speaker who had been a teacher in apartheid South Africa. She reminded attendees how important it was to be aware of state attempts to control the classroom. It was pretty chilling.

>225 charl08: Hi Charlotte. Yes, it is chilling to think that if some people had their way, we wouldn't talk about slavery or our treatment of Indigenous people. But, favorable election results here! The whackadoodles did not prevail, at least this time.

>226 BLBera: Hooray for vanquishing the whackadoodles, Beth! It's nice to hear some good election news for a change.

>211 BLBera: The Poet’s House looks like a fun way for a non-poetry lover like me to better understand it’s appeal. I do love Mary Oliver’s poems so maybe there is some hope for me.

>227 rosalita: :)

>228 Donna828: Hi Donna - I think The Poet's House is a fun book, and you will enjoy it even without loving poetry.

Happy ninth birthday to my Scout today! Can you believe it?

>230 BLBera: Happy birthday, Scout! They grow up so fast ...

Are you getting antsy at all about the prospect of a new school year about to begin without you?

Happy birthday to Scout!

>231 rosalita: Thanks Julia. I turned in my office key and badge this morning, so I am really done. That is a bittersweet feeling. I'm not sorry to avoid the new school year craziness, but I know I will miss my colleagues and the students.

>232 katiekrug: Thanks Katie.

I think it's perfectly normal to feel bittersweet about the end of an era. As long as you aren't second-guessing your decision to retire, I'd say you're doing just fine!

No second guessing, Julia. Thanks.

>233 BLBera: Oh yes, turning in keys and badge is a weird feeling. And then walking out that door ... well, it's not easy but I have a feeling you'll make the most of your retirement Beth. And happy birthday to Scout!!

Thanks Laura.

Happy birthday to Scout! Gosh, it seem like just the other day she was a newborn! I have The Wild Inside on my Kindle, bought because of the setting. I will have to actually get to it one of these days!

>182 BLBera: I love it that lockdown, and COVID-19 literature exists now and that that part of our lives is immortalised in this way

>217 BLBera: Well, that sounds kinda tramatising! I hope they didn't dwell on the murder part.

>238 DeltaQueen50: I know, Judy, right? The setting in The Wild Inside is wonderful. It is a bit slow moving, I thought.

>239 LovingLit: Hi Megan - It will be interesting to read the works from COVID, won't it?

85. Treacherous Strand
This is a well-plotted mystery with a great setting. In this second book of the series, Ben O'Keefe, soliciter, is not convinced that a client's death is a suicide. As she looks into it, there are the usual distractions of work, and other clients. Carter pulls it all together at the end for a satisfying solution.

>72 BLBera: Bought that one yesterday, Beth and am looking forward to it.

Have a lovely weekend.

Thanks, Paul. You as well, Enjoy.

Terrible news about Salman Rushdie
https://www.npr.org/2022/08/12/1117164727/salman-rushdie-condition-stabbing-new-...

Belated happy birthday Beth.

>245 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caroline. My birthday was in May...

>244 BLBera:. So horrible about Rushdie!

I'm glad Rushdie is doing well-ish. I've only read Midnight's Children which I enjoyed. I'm not quite up to Satanic Verses right now, but I've requested Step across this line : collected nonfiction 1992-2002 from the library since I haven't read any of his non-fiction.

Hi Beth, I’m sure retirement life is really starting to seem real lately as the new school year looms. I have both The Wild Inside and Death at Whitewater Church to read yet. Sorry to hear the Carbo was a bit slow but I’ve only heard good things about the Carter series.

Terrible about Rushdie.

>247 banjo123: It sounds like he is recovering, Rhonda.

>248 streamsong: I want to read Satanic Verses, but the collected nonfiction also sounds good, Janet.

>249 Copperskye: Hi Joanne. The Carbo was OK, but I listened to it. It might be better as a print book. I would like to try another to see if she tightens up the plot a bit.

>244 BLBera: I don't think that I have read anything of his. I will have to rectify that soon.

Quite awful that someone would do such a thing to him.

<251 Hi Anita. I want to read Satanic Verses soon; it's good to show the haters that violence only draws more attention to the author's work, and that the way to fight ideas is not through violence.

86. A Thousand Ships
I really liked this retelling of the fall of Troy, from the women's perspective. Reading Pandora's Jar recently helped; I was familiar with many of the stories. I like Haynes' style a lot; she gets her digs in through Calliope, the muse, in this novel. As we read the story of Oenone, Paris' wife, and one I was unfamiliar with, Calliope asks, "...is Oenone less of a hero than Menelaus? He loses his wife so he stirs up an army to bring her back to him, costing countless lives and creating countless widows, orphans and slaves. Oenone loses her husband and she raises their son. Which of those is the more heroic act?" Good question.

While many of the stories are familiar, those of Hecube, Andromache, Cassandra, and Penelope, Haynes gives each woman a distinctive voice. I especially liked Penelope's letters to Odysseus, with their tone of exasperation that increases as the years pass. Haynes also includes lesser known stories (at least to me), those of Oenone, Laodamia, and Penthesilea.

Some may find the emphasis on the importance of the women's stories tiresome, but I enjoyed this book and look forward to Haynes' novel about Medusa that is coming soon.

87. H Is for Hawk was my August book club read. It provoked some good discussion. All agreed that Macdonald is a good writer. All of us were troubled by the ethics of training a hawk for sport.

I loved the description of the woods and land, and I loved the way that she integrated the discussion of her grief over her father's death, falconry, and the life of T. H. White. One subject seemed to flow into the next. She is honest as she explores her grief, and finally seems to come to terms with it.

>253 BLBera: glad you liked it as much as I did! The only people who find it tiresome are the ones who wrote the original myths in the first place!

>254 BLBera: liked it too. only problem, mine only, was that TH White is one of my fav writers from childhood, and she takes him down several pegs (for good reason!) still love once and future king

88. The Girl Who Drank the Moon
This is a young reader fantasy that Scout and I are reading together. There's a witch, a swamp monster, a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, and magic. I think it's a little long, but Scout seems to like it.

Each year the Protectorate sacrifices a baby to the witch in the woods to keep the village safe. We soon find out that Xan, the witch, has no idea why people are bringing babies to the woods. She takes the baby to a city on the other side of the forest and gives it to a good family. Then one year, a woman tries to keep her baby, and everything changes. The baby Luna drinks the moon and becomes filled with magic, and Xan decides to keep her. Antain, an apprentice council member, never forgets the desperate mother.

There is the mystery of why the babies are being sacrificed, but this is the story of family, courage, and magic. Barnhill builds her world little by little until we understand what is happening, and she brings all the characters together in a satisfying ending, but one that is not without sorrow. Sometimes I wonder if it is a bit intense, but Scout likes it. I think this is most appropriate for older elementary students. This won a Newbury.

>256 cindydavid4: I read The Once and Future King as a child; I would like to reread it to see how it holds up.

>257 BLBera: Someone recommended this to me and I am so thankful. This book was terrific, yes perhaps long but such a great story and great writing I have since read several of her other books including the short story collection dreadful young ladies. While these are generally considered YA, she has a new one for adults when women were dragons which takes place during the McCarthy era, and is completely relevant to this era. Highly recommended

I found a lovely rebound copy of the book, and plan to reread it as well.

>253 BLBera: That's a BB for me. Sound quite interesting!

>254 BLBera: I quite enjoyed that one when I read it. Vesper Flights is also quite good.

Have a great Friday!

>259 cindydavid4: I can see that the details helped to build the world. And my granddaughter doesn't seem bored with it, so I guess Barnhill knows her audience.

>260 figsfromthistle: I've added Vesper Flights to the list, Anita. I loved A Thousand Ships; Haynes knows her stuff.

Hi Beth! You are reading a lot of great books. Congratulations on not only reaching 75 book challenge, but, surpassing that number rather quickly. For now, I've added Vesper Flights, A Thousand Ships, Night of the Living Rez, The Wild Inside, and The Black House. Now, I need to set aside time to read these very interesting books! Thanks for the excellent reviews.

I hope all is well with you. We are slated for another hot day tomorrow. We haven't had rain in a long time. The grass is crunchy and very brown.

Thanks Linda. I hope you like the books when you get to them. We've had a very temperate August so far. I'm not complaining. I don't like the hot stuff.

89. Bitter Orange Tree is a lovely, poetic novel about Zuhour, an Omani student in England. Zuhour feels sad and guilty that she didn't appreciate her grandmother when she was alive. The novel is an elegy to Bint Aamir as Zuhour remembers stories from her life. We also see how difficult it is for Zuhour to find connections so far from home, connections that can understand what her grandmother meant to her.

The language is lovely with rich metaphors: "Why don't words come automatically with threads that we can yank to pull them back inside ourselves?" I will look for more works by Alharthi.

>264 BLBera: Hit by a bullet Beth.

Happy to add to your WL, Caroline.

Best of luck easing your way into retirement, Beth.

Thanks Meg.

>264 BLBera:. This sounds good!

I think you'd like it, Rhonda.

Happy Monday, Beth. It's the first day of classes here at Iowa, with everything that entails, and that made me think of you and how you don't have to worry about that stuff anymore. Think of me as you go about your "lady of leisure" day. :-D

Julia, I am thinking of you! I want to attend the book festival. Do I need to register? I suppose I should make hotel reservations soonish...I'd really like to see Angie Cruz. So, maybe we will have a meetup!

I don't see anything on the festival website about needing to register, other than for the Anthony Doerr event at the Englert Theatre, which you have to buy a ticket for. Everything else I think is free and open to all, as far as I can tell.

I'm not sure about attending any of the talks yet, but if you come to Iowa City a meetup definitely needs to happen!

Thanks Julia. I'll look at the schedule and decide when I want to come. I won't be there for a whole week, maybe two nights?

>274 BLBera: We can make that work for sure! Once you know the dates, we can see if others (Steve? Kerri?) might be able to join us.

90. The Colony
This is a wonderful novel, one of my favorites this year. In it, Magee explores the various ways that peoples are colonized and the harm that it does.

It's the summer of 1979, and the small Irish island inhabited by a handful of people seems far removed from the Troubles of Northern Ireland. However, the arrival of an English painter and a French linguist upset the equilibrium of the island, and as the novel progresses we see the outside world intrude more and more, and the reports of the violence in the north start to make it into the discussions of the island's inhabitants.

Magee's style enhances the novel. For the painter, she uses short, descriptive stream of consciousness phrases, while for the linguist there are large blocks of text in a complete, linear narrative.

As the summer progresses, we see that the painter and the linguist are both using the islanders for their own purposes, and despite disclaimers, are not much better than the original English colonizers.

Great novel. Highly recommended. I will certainly move Magee's previous novel to the top of my TBR pile.

91. F Is for Fugitive
In this installment, private detective Kinsey Millhone is hired to prove the innocence of a man convicted of a murder nearly twenty years ago. Her job takes her to a small coastal town with a lot of secrets and puts her into the middle of a dysfunctional family.

This is well plotted as usual, but advances in forensics since this was published in 1989 date this. For example, a lot of the questions in the novel could be answered with DNA testing. Still, entertaining and the audiobooks are well done.

I just started Lessons in Chemistry - I had to wait for a long time for my turn. It seems like it will be a winner.

>277 BLBera: The thing I noticed when I re-read these a few years ago was how many times an investigation could have been wrapped up in half the time if people just had cellphones. It was almost comical.

>278 rosalita: Yes, Julia - I've had to train myself to ignore the fact she doesn't have a cellphone. It's too bad in a way that technology dates these -- they are good stories.

Agreed. The plots and the characters are first rate.

>278 rosalita:, >279 BLBera: I've had that feeling too, both in older mysteries an in certain Victorian novels (like Anthony Trollope) where people spend huge amounts of time traveling to track someone down for even the most trifling matter.

>280 rosalita: Yes, I am enjoying these a lot. Another series that I enjoy but am behind on is the Sara Paretsky one.

>281 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. It will be interesting to see how our technology rates in another 30 years.

The Paretsky series has been on my radar for years but I've yet to actually read a book yet. It's on the list, though!

It's a great series, but again, the lack of a cell phone -- and laptops date the earlier ones.

Great review of The Colony, Beth. I'm about to go to my local library to pick up the copy of it that I requested, so I'll probably read it next week.

I just picked up The Colony from the New Arrivals shelf at the library :)

>285m >286 katiekrug: Enjoy. It is really good.

>287 BLBera: FWIW both LTers and the members of the Booker Prize group within The Mookse and the Gripes group in Goodreads are all very fond of The Colony, which is currently the top rated book in the Goodreads group. Glory is also rated highly enough to make the shortlist, so I'll read both books after I finish The Satanic Verses early next week.

I'm waffling on Glory - not big on satire and animal allegory. I might give it a try though.

>276 BLBera: Glad to read you enjoyed it Beth. I thought the way she used the individual stories of deaths in the Troubles was inspired.

Yes, Charlotte. It was hard to read, but so good. And so sad. Lloyd really let down James.

>291 BLBera: Do you think Mairéad was really going to "come downstairs" later that morning after the threats? Or did James just not know she'd been killed? I wasn't sure what was implied. Perhaps that's the point though.

I will have to look for >276 BLBera:. Sounds great.

92.Lessons in Chemistry is the story of Elizabeth Zott. Elizabeth wants to be a chemist in the 1950s, when all of the men who work in the lab with her want her to make coffee. She doesn't. This is an entertaining story of a woman who has to work way too hard to achieve her goals. And in the process, she ends by inspiring other women.

Although set in the 1950s many of the inequities suffered by Elizabeth continue today. So, while I enjoyed this entertaining novel, I also sigh at how some things don't seem to change. And I have a new appreciation for pencils.

Highly recommended.

>294 banjo123: Hi Rhonda, I think you'll like it.

Hi Beth, I love that you and Scout are reading together - it brings back memories of when my granddaughter and I did the same. She's just turned 18 the other day and seems so grown up but although she didn't read for a few years she seems to have come back to it recently which makes me happy.

>276 BLBera: I must get around to The Colony. We read Audrey Magee's first book The Undertaking for my book club and I was very impressed with it.

>297 DeltaQueen50: It is so much fun, Judy.

>298 SandDune: Hi Rhian. Good to know that The Undertaking is good as well. I have a copy and would like to get to it soon. I loved The Colony; it's one of my favorites this year so far.

93. One Thousand and One Nights: A Retelling*

In her preface to these stories, al-Shaykh notes that on rereading them, she discovered "that women in those forgotten ancient societies were far from passive and fearful; they showed their strong will and intelligence and wit, all the time recognizing that their behavior was the second nature of the weak and oppressed." And in the nineteen stories she chose, we see that women are central and can hold their own. One surprise as I read this retelling was the open sexual desire expressed by the women. It's easy to see why al-Shaykh found the books under lock and key when she was a child.

This is an entertaining collection. One of the things that resonated with me was that Natalie Haynes in Pandora's Jar also points out that women were central to ancient Greek stories. Modern retellings have erased them.

I just started How to Read Now, which is a library book, but I think I'm going to have to buy my own copy; there are so many passages I want to underline.

In her essay "How to Read Now," Castillo says, "When I say that white supremacy makes for terrible readers, I mean that white supremacy is, among its myriad ills, a formative collection of fundamentally shitty reading techniques that impoverishes you as a reader, a thinker, and a feeling person; it's an education that promises that whole swaths of the world and their liveliness will be diminished in meaning to you."

I think I'm going to love this.

>301 BLBera: Oh my I must read that.

>301 BLBera: Oh, that sounds promising!

Hi Steve and Julia. Hey Steve are you going to come to Iowa City the the Book Festival?

>276 BLBera: I need to nudge this one up Beth, it's been in the pile a while.

>295 BLBera: I loved this one too.

Lessons in Chemistry was so much fun, Charlotte!

I think you'll like The Colony.

>300 BLBera: we will be watching the movie.Interested in rereading the novella its taken from the djinn in the nightingale's eye