Mamie's 2016 Madness (Page 25)

Putting this thread to bed...

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snail's pace

Books Completed in December:
119. Murder in Belleville by Cara Black (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/detective
120. Bright Dead Things by Ada Limón (5 stars), library paperback, poetry - recommended by Ellen and Mark
121. A Murder of Quality by John Le Carré (3.5 stars), audiobook narrated by Michael Jayston, crime fiction/mystery
122. The Man With the Golden Gun by Ian Fleming (3.5 stars), audiobook narrated by Kenneth Branagh, crime fiction/espionage
123. For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond by Ben Macintyre (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, non-fiction
124. The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis (3.5 stars), audiobook narrated by Kenneth Branagh, YA/fantasy
125. Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg (5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook - recommended by Roberta and Charlotte
126. The Penguin History of the World by J. M. Roberts (4 stars), 2015 acquired ebook - I read this throughout the year with Katie, Susan, and Jenn
127. The View From the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired audiobook narrated by Neil Gaiman, non-fiction/speeches/essays/book introductions, etc.

Books Completed in January:
1. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (3 stars), ROOT ebook
2. Saga: Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughn, Fiona Staples (Illustrator) (4 stars), borrowed paperback, GN - fantasy
3. Mãn by Kim Thúy (5 stars), library paperback, literary fiction - read for the CAC
4. The Fade Out: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, graphic novel recommended by Joe - crime fiction/noir
5. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (4 stars), library hardback, GN - fantasy, recommended by the LT masses, read this because Abby had it out from the library
6. The Long Way to A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook - recommended by Heather
7. Ru by Kim Thúy (4 stars), library paperback - read foot the CAC
8. Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson (3 stars), library paperback, graphic novel recommended by Karen, read this because Abby had it out from the library
9. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (4.5 stars), audiobook/trade paperback - Group Read - Doorstopper challenge
10.The Fade Out: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/noir
11. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Vol. 1 by Philip K. Dick, Tony Parker illustrator (5 stars), library hardback, GN - science fiction/dystopian
12. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill (3.5 stars), ROOT ebook, mystery - police procedural - read for the BAC
13. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler (4.25 stars), ROOT paperback, contemporary fiction - dysfunctional family - recommended by Katie - read for the AAC
14. White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, mystery - police procedural

Books Completed in February:
15. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Volume 2 by Philip K. Dick, Tony Parker illustrator (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired hardback, GN - sci fi/dystopian
16. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, ROOT audiobook, narrated by Alan Rickman (5 stars) -audiobook recommended by Lucy - read for the BAC (early) and to honor Rickman's passing
17. A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler (4.25 stars), library paperback, short stories, Pulitzer Prize winner - recommended by Megan
18. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys (4.25 stars), library hardback, connected vignettes, read for the CAC
19. Fifth Business by Robertson Davies (4 stars), library hardback, humor, read for the CAC
20. Written in Red by Anne Bishop (4.4 stars), ROOT ebook/audiobook, urban fantasy - recommended by Morphy, qualifies for Fantasy February!
21. Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales, Juanjo Guarnido, (4 stars), library hardback, GN - noir, crime fiction - Mark told me about this one
22. City of Djinns by William Dalrymple (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, non-fiction - travel writing/a history of Delhi, read for the BAC - recommended by Susan
23. Snow Angels by Stuart O'Nan (4 stars) library hardback, contemporary fiction - relationship/divorce/coming of age - recommended by Katie
24. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (reread), audiobook, crime fiction - detective, read with Birdy
25. Winterdance by Gary Paulsen (4.5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/memoir - Iditarod race, recommended by Ellen, Karen, and Mark
26. The Drowned Detective by Neil Jordan (4.2 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, mystery - saw this is Charlotte's Guardian reviews
27. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild (5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, non-fiction/history/the Congo/slavery - read for Suz's Non-Fiction Challenge

Books Completed in March:
28. Empire Falls by Richard Russo (4 stars), ROOT paperback/audiobook, Pulitzer Prize winner, read for Mark's AAC
29. Fade Out: Volume 3 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/noir
30. Velvet: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/espionage - recommended by Roberta
31. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
32. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
33. Crooked House by Agatha Christie (reread), ROOT paperback, mystery/crime fiction - read for Paul's BAC (yes, I know this was last month's author)
34. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
35. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
36. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
37. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
38. Velvet: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/espionage - recommended by Roberta
39. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
40. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
41. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver (4 stars), library hardback, poetry - read for Mark's AAC
42. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
43. Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler (4 stars), ER paperback, retelling of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew

Books Completed in April:
44. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
45. The Misty Harbor by Georges Simenon (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural - recommended by Charlotte
46. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (3.5 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
47. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris (4 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
48. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris (4 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
49. Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2015 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
50. The Portable Veblen (I have no idea), 2016 acquired ebook, um...weird fiction?
51. Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, fantasy - series recommended by Roni
52. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab (4 stars), 2016 acquired audiobook, fantasy
53. Black Diamond by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2015 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
54. Gorsky by Vesna Goldsworthyy (2.5 stars), 2016 acquired book, retelling of The Great Gatsby
55. Ballistics by Billy Collins (4 stars), library hardback, poetry
56. Shaman Pass by Stan Jones (4 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural
57. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/mystery

Books Completed in May:
58. The Bird Artist by Howard Norman (4 stars), library hardback, literary fiction, GR
59. Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural - series recommended by Charlotte
60. The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
61. The Other Side of Silence by Phillip Kerr (4.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/mystery - recommended by Suz and Charlotte
62. Frozen Sun by Stan Jones (2.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural MY THOUGHTS
63. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (thinking), 2016 acquired paperback, Russian literature
64. A Talent for War by Jack McDevitt (4.3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, space opera/mystery

Books Completed in June:
65. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (reread), audiobook, literary fictiony/detective
66. Zero World by Jason Hough (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, scifi/suspense - recommended by Jim
67. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), ROOT ebook/2016 acquired audiobook - recommended by Beth and Katie, mystery/police procedural
68. The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, mystery/police procedural
69. White Noise by Don DeLillo (thinking), library paperback
70. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, literary fiction/detective
71. When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson (4.5 stars), literary fiction/detective
72. The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths (3 stars), library hardback, mystery/police procedural
73. Immortal in Death by J. B. Robb (4 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, mystery/police procedural

Books Completed in July:
74. Academy Street by Mary Costello (5 stars), 2015 acquired ebook, literary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
75. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/detective - recommended by Joe and Brodie
76. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (5 stars), 2012 acquired ebook, historical fiction - American West, recommended by the LT masses
77. Symphony for the City of the Dead by M. T. Anderson (4.25 stars), library hardback, YA - history, Siege of Leningrad/Dmitri Shostakovich - recommended by Beth
78. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo (5 stars), library paperback, literary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
79. I Am No One by Patrick Flanery (3 stars), ER paperback, literary thriller
80. The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien by Georges Simenon (3.5 stars), police procedural - Ahem. Charlotte

Books Completed in August:
81. A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths (3.5 stars), library hardback, police procedural - series recommended by Beth
82. Driving Mr. Dead by Molly Harper (reread), ebook, urban fantasy
83. The Good Wif by Stewart O'Nan (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, literary fiction - recommended by Jenn
--- Ruth's First Christmas Tree by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), 2016 free ebook, short story in the Ruth Galloway series
84. A Witch's Handbook by Molly Harper (3 stars), borrowed ebook, urban fantasy/paranormal romance
85. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (reread), 2016 acquired audiobook, literary fiction
86. Monstress by Marjorie m. Liu, artwork by Sana Takeda (4.5 stars), borrowed paperback from Birdy, GN - fantasy
87. Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, paranormal romance/urban fantasy
88. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, paranormal - recommended by Jim
89. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan (3.8 stars), library paperback, short story collection - Katie's Dirty Dozen
90. A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths (4.25 stars), library hardback, mystery/police procedural - series recommended by Beth
91. Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck (5 stars), audiobook, memoir - read for the AAC
92. The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), library hardback, mystery/police procedural
93. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey (5 stars), 2015 acquired ebook, literary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
---Bruno and the Carol Singers by Martin Walker (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, short story in the Bruno, Chief of Police series
94. The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, police procedural - series recommended by Beth
95. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, urban fantasy - series recommended by Roni

Books Completed in September:
96. The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired hardback, biographical fiction - recommended by Suz
97. Everybody Behaves Badly: The true Story Behind Hemingway's Masterpiece The Sun Also Rises by Lesley M. M. Blume (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, non-fiction
98. What Angels Fear by C. S. Harris (4 stars), 2010 acquired ebook, murder mystery - series recommended by Lucy
99. Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson (4 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, murder mystery/police procedural
100. Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson (4.25 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, murder mystery/police procedural
101. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara (5 stars), 2015 acquired ebook/audiobook, historical fiction, Pulitzer Prize winner - recommended by Mark and Brodie
102. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired audiobook, historical mystery/police procedural - recommended by Susan

Books Completed in October:
103. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (5 stars), library ebook, historical fiction/slavery - Katie's Dirty Dozen
104. Dark Matter by Blake Couch (4.5 stars), Jim's ER paperback - Thanks Jim! science fiction/suspense - recommended by Joe
105. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (reread, but rating it higher this time - 4 stars), library paperback, literary fiction
106. Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson (4 stars), 2012 acquired ebook, non-fiction/Galveston hurricane of 1900 - recommnded by Kathleen
107. Brandon Sanderson's White Sand by Brandon Sanderson, borrowed hardback, GN/fantasy - Birdy wanted me to read this one
108. Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson (4.5 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, literary fiction that contains murder/private detective (to spare Ms Atkinson's feelings in regards to labeling her books as crime fiction), the final Jackson Brodie book *sob*
109. In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri (3.5 stars), library ebook, memoir - learning language
110. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick (4 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, literary fiction/books made into movies
111. The Woman in Blue by Elly Grifffiths (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural
112. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (reread), 2014 acquired hardback, Bradbury fiction (I think he is his own genre)
------Divorce Horse by Craig Johnson (4 stars), 2013 acquired ebook short story, crime fiction/police procedural
113. As The Crow Flies by Craig Johnson (4.25 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural

Books Completed in November:
114. A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, sf/space opera
115. The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll (4 stars), library paperback, Irish fiction/family/humor - recommended by Nancy
116. You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming (3.5 stars), audiobook, espionage
117. When Gods Die by C. S. Harris (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, historical mystery - series recommended by Lucy
118. Pigeon Tunnel by John LeCarré (4.5 stars), audiobook, non-fiction/memoir

Katie’s Dirty Dozen – KAK has earned her own category on my thread because she has the habit of recommending books that I cannot resist adding to my stacks. Books listed here could be for the WL or purchased, but I will designate if I purchased them. Because Katie is a rebel, there will of course NOT be twelve books in her dirty dozen.

1. Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
2. Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
3. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez - seconded by Charlotte and Susan
4. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan COMPLETED 8/12/16 3.8 stars
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo COMPLETED 7/21/16 5 stars
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - she recommends the audio read by Cummings himself
9. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great, purchased 5/15/16
11. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi COMPLETED 10/2/16 5 stars
13. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - she pointed out that this was only $1.99 on Kindle and that it was one of her very favorites, purchased 7/13/16
14. Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America by Diane Roberts
15. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
16. Nutshell by Ian McEwan COMPLETED 1/2017 5 stars
17. Black River by S. M. Hulse

AND, from 2015:

1. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey ($1.99 on Kindle), purchase on 2/18/15 COMPLETED 8/19/16 5 stars
2. Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter (2.99 on Kindle), purchased on 2/23/15
3. The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly ($3.79 on Kindle), purchased on 3/31/15 COMPLETED 11/7/15 4.2 stars
4. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler ($12.77 trade paperback), purchased on 4/1/15, COMPLETED read for Mark's AAC in January 2016, 4.25 stars
5. Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker ($.99 on Kindle), purchased on 4/9/15 - second book in a series, first book Dreamland was recommended by Katie and purchased last year
6. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - used an Audible credit COMPLETED 6/16/15 4.9 stars
7. Academy Street by Mary Costello ($9.99 on Kindle), purchased on 6/12/15 COMPLETED 7/2/16 5 stars
8. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn ($5.99 on Kindle), purchased on 8/28/15
9. Sweetland by Michael Crummey ($.99 on Kindle), purchased 9/5/15 COMPLETED 11/19/15 4.5 stars
10. If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins ($7.99 on Kindle), purchased on 10/26/15

Saving this space for LT recommendations that I want to keep track of.

1. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - recommended by Heather (saw this as I was catching up with her 2015 thread) COMPLETED 1/15/16
2. Slade House by David Mitchell - recommended by Lynda - I know that Mark and several others loved this one, too, but it was Lynda's succinct review that places it firmly on the WL
3. Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Diana Kuan - recommended by Lori (thornton37814) - saw it listed as her favorite cookbook read of 2015
4. Revenant by Mel Odom - recommended by Mark, who came to my thread to deliver the book bullet!
5. Winterdance by Gary Paulsen - recommended by Ellen and Karen COMPLETED
6. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - Lucy mentioned that she loved this on her thread, and I looked it up because I was unfamiliar with it. Note to self: DO NOT look up books mentioned on Lucy's thread!
7. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra - saw Amy's review of this on her thread
8. I Am Spain by David Boyd - recommended by Charlotte
9. The Mirror in the Mist by Susan Hill - saw Lori's (lkernaugh) review of this on her thread
10. The Prestige by Christopher Priest - recommended by Mary (bell7)
11. The Electric Michelangelo by Sarah Hall - recommended by Charlotte - saw her review on her thread
12. The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker - Joe mentioned this one on the GN thread, and it sounds right up my alley COMPLETED 1/15/16
13. The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason - Faith reviewed the second book in this series on her thread
14. Names for the Sea by Sarah Moss - read Rhian's review on her thread
15. Amsterdam by Ian McEwan - again, Lynda got me with her succinct review on her thread - how DOES she do that?!
16. The Men Who Lost America by Andrew Jackson O"Shaughnessy - read the review on Reba's thread
17. Wartime: Stories From Ukraine by Tim Judah - read about this one on Charlotte's thread, part of her posted Guardian reviews. LOVE those!
18. The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill - recommended by Charlotte on her thread
19. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - Suz mentioned this one to Charlotte on the non-fiction challenge thread COMPLETED
20. Everything is Broken by Emma Larkin - recommended by Erik on my thread when we were discussing books on Burma
21. The Rebel of Rangoon by Delphine Schrank - Charlotte recommended this to me on my thread when we were discussing books on Burma
22. Unwind by Neal Shusterman - Mary (bell7) was talking about a follow-up collection of short stories to this series, and peaked my curiosity about the series itself
23. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler - read Megan's review of this on her thread - I love interconnected short stories COMPLETED
24. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson - I read Julia's excellent review on her thread
25. How It All Began by Penelope Lively - read Nancy's review on her thread
26. The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa - read Lori's (lkernagh) review of it on her thread
27. TransAtlantic by Colum McCaan - Charlotte and Katie talked me into this! And Marianne approves.
28. Willoughbyland by Matthew Parker - read Carrie's review on her thread
29. The Quiet American by Graham Greene - read Bill's review on his thread
30. Coast to Coast by Jan Morris - read Paul's review on his thread
31. After Hannibal by Barry Unsworth - read Ursula's review on her thread
32. Fear Stalks the Village by Ethel Lina White - read Heather's review on her thread
33. The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White - also Heather's fault!
34. Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore - recommended by Megan (evilmoose)
35. Mademoiselle Chanel by Pierre Galante - read Judy's review on her thread
36. Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon - read Suz's review on her thread
37. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson - read Nancy's review on her thread
38. War of Two by John Sedgwick - recommended by Reba
39. The Old Ways by David Dalglish - recommended by Charlotte
40. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel - recommended by Anne
41. The Noise of Time by Julian barnes - was included in Charlotte's Guardian reviews, and then Suz reviewed it which is what sold me COMPLETED 9/3/16
42. Countdown by Deborah Wiles - Judy hit me with this 60s Trilogy with her review of Revolution
43. Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal - recommended by Marianne, interconnected short stories - Beth and Susan also liked this
44. The Library at Night by Alberta Manguel - recommended by Carrie
45. Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis - recommended by Rhian
46. Tokyo Decadence by Ryu Murakami - recommended by Joe
47. American Housewife by Helen Ellis - recommended by Joanne
48. Trespass by Rose Tremain - recommended by Nancy
49. The Book of Sands: A Novel of the Arab Uprising by Karim Alwari - recommended by Deborah
50. A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin - recommended by Mary

LT recommendations continued...

51. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey - because Mark said so!
52. That's Not English by Erin Moore - recommended by Susan
53. In the Country: Stories by Mia Alver - recommended by Mark
55. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin - Mark again
56. The Wars of the Roses by Dan Jones - recommended by Suz
57. Saints and Boxers by Gene Luen Lang - recommended by Carrie (read them together)
58. The Good Wife by Stewart O'Nan - recommended by Jenn COMPLETED 8/3/16
59. Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift - recommended by Suz, Ellen also loved this
60. When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning - recommended by Amy
61. Exposure by Helen Dunmore - recommended by Charlotte
62. Reading Chekhov by Janet Malcolm - recommended by Charlotte
63. Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey - recommended by Beth
64. The Widow by Fiona Barton - recommended by Diane
65. Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo - recommended by Reba (over on Katie's thread)
66. Super Mutant by Jillian Tamaki - GN - Mark and Joe's fault!
66. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice - recommended by Charlotte
67. The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell - recommended by Susan
68. My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem - recommended by Beth
69. The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks - recommended by Rhian
70. Dodgers by Bill Beverly - recommended by Ellen and Mark
71. The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro - recommended by Mark
72. Zero World by Jason M. Hough - recommended by Jim COMPLETED
73. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie - recommended by Susan (and Carrie recommended it to her)
74. Without: Poems by Donald Hall - recommended by Ellen, who read it because of the poem that Katie had posted - poetry collection
75. City of Secrets by Stewart O'Nan - Ellen mentioned this on her thread as getting great reviews
76. River Thieves by Michael Crummey - Judy mentioned that she loved this one (on Ellen's thread)
77. The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild - Beth's review on her thread
78. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine - read Julia's review on her thread
79. Georgiana by Amanda Foreman - read Anne's review on her thread
80. Pleasantville by Attica Locke - read Charlotte's review on her thread
81. Locally Laid by Lucie Amundsen - Janet's review on her thread - I can't believe that she actually got me with this one, but there you have it!
82. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan Howard - Jim said to just read it, already COMPLETED
83. Black Water Rising by Attica Locke - recommended by Susan, Pleasantville is the next book in the series
84. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys - recommended by Mark, who said the audio was good, too. Joe also liked this one. Also Mary
85. Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel - read Beth's review on her thread
86. Body Politic by Paul Johnston - read Charlotte's review on her thread, she said Suz recommended it
87. All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews - read Anne's review on her thread, she said Beth had recommended it - Anne loved the audio narrated by Erin Moon
88. The Private Lives of the Tudors by Tracy Borman - Susan loved this one!
89. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley - recommended by Joe and Brodie and Ellie COMPLETED
90. Spain in Our Hearts by Adam Hochschild - read Beth's excellent review on her thread
91. Underground Airlines by Ben Winers - recommended by Mark
92. Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave - recommended by Joe
93. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel - recommended by Diane
94. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - recommended by Joe COMPLETED
95. The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu - recommended by Mark COMPLETED
96. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien - read Charlotte's excellent review on her thread
97. Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi - Charlotte says this might be her favorite Oyeyemi
98. What Angels Fear by C. S. Harris - I have had this on Kindle since 2010 (pre-LT!), but giving Lucy credit because her raving about the series is what got me to check out the series on Amazon, which reminded me that I had purchased the title! COMPLETED
99. The Bellini Card by Jason Goodwin - this is the third in the series, waiting to see if Lucy says to read them in order. Lucy says, "Absolutely read those Jason Goodwin's in order-- start with the first one! (The Janissary Tree) What makes these so good is that the fellow is a serious historian -- he really knows Istanbul/Constantinople/Byzantium well." So there you have it!
100. How to be Both by Ali Smith - loved Lucy's review of this!

LT recommendations continued...

101. Thicker Than Water: History, Secrets and Guilt: A Memoir by Cal Flyn - read Susan's excellent review
102. A Slanting of the Sun by Donal Ryan - read Charlotte's review on her thread, and also I loved The Spinning Heart
103. The Scribe by Matthew Guinn - read Jim's review on his thread - set in 1880s Georgia, he said "...and if you liked Gods of Gotham, this one will give a similar thrill."
104. Shultz by David Michaellis - recommended by Donna, NOT the audio, she says
105. Grief is the Thing With Feathers by Max Porter - read Mark's review on his thread
106. Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn - read Beth's review on her thread
107. The Drowned World by J. G. Ballard - read Ursula's review on her thread
108. Britain AD: A Quest for Arthur, England and the Anglo-Saxons by Francis Pryor - read Meg's review on her thread
109. The Wrong Kind of Blood by Declan Hughes - read Judy's review on her thread
110. A Touch of Stardust by Kate Alcott - Judy. Again.
111. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee - read Susan's review on her thread COMPLETED
112. An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick taylor - Deborah's comments on her thread made it sound like it might be just the thing for when I am wanting a quieter read
113. A Man Lies Dreaming by Lavie Tidhar - read Charlotte's review, plus she said, "I was reminded of his (Phillip Kerr's) Bernie Gunther series - that same murky quality from Chandler moved to a German context."
114. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry - recommended by Susan, who read Rhian's review
115. The Miss Tutti Frutti Contest by Graeme Lay - read Jenn's review on her thread
116. The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan - Joe said I would like this one
117. Way Station by Clifford D. Simak - recommended by Joe, who mentioned that it was Roni's favorite by this author
118. Blood, Tears and Folly: An Objective Look at World War II by Len Deighton - read Meg's review on her thread, she said the coverage of the Far East is not as good as the rest
119. The Burma Road by Donovan Webster - suggested by Paul on Meg's thread
120. Burma: The Longest War by Louis Allen - Paul on Meg's thread again
121. The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll - read Nancy's review of The Granny, which is the last book in this trilogy, on her thread COMPLETED
122. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett - series was recommended by Lucy on her thread
123. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - read Judy's review on her thread
124. Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure by Matthew Algeo - Judy again
125. Bright Dead Things: Poems by Ada Limon - read Ellen's review on her thread COMPLETED 12/10/16
126. An American Childhood by Annie Dillard - recommended by Mark
127. Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje - Charlotte mentioned this memoir on Mark's thread about the author's childhood in Sri Lanke
128. A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre - recommended by Mark, sho says this is great on audio and would fit perfectly with The Pigeon Tunnel
129. Helmet for my Pillow by Robert Leckie - read Judy's review on her thread
130. To the Letter: A Celebration of the Lost Art of Letter Writing by Simon Garfield - read Susan's review on her thread
131. Create Dangerously by Edwidge Danticat - read Joe's review on his thread
132. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - read Juli's comments on her thread about the second book in this series

That should do it - next one's yours!

11?

(Happy new thread)

ETA Those kittens are beautiful.

Happy New Thread, Mamie!

Phew - it was taking a while to load your old one on my pc. Thanks for breaking out the new one.

Hard to get more cute than those two kittles up top.

Happy new thread, Mamie!! Your topper could easily be titled Ying and Yang! Well, sort of, we'll have to flip one of the kitties.

Happy new one, Mamie!

>11 charl08:,>12 charl08: Nice math skills, Charlotte! And thank you! You are first, so here is your prize:



A penguin parade in your honor.

>1 Crazymamie: All together now everyone. 1... 2... 3...

Awwwwwwwwwww...

>13 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! I was really trying to avoid breaking out a new thread, but we still have ten days to go, and the old one was getting ridiculous. Next time just holler if you are having trouble loading, and I'll start a new one tout de suite. The kittens thank you for the compliment.

>14 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda! Here you go:

Happy new one, Mamie.

>15 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie!

>17 Morphidae: *grin* Hey, there, Morphy!

>19 BLBera: Thanks, Beth!

Happy new thread. I should probably have done that too before posting a bunch of photos but...I'm sorry...I just didn't :(

Thank you, Reba! No worries, the year is almost over.

Happy New Thread, Mamie! Looking forward to following the Mayhem & Mischief at the Pecan Paradiso!

Thanks, Mark! But...um...this is still my 2016 thread. Don't worry - I did the same thing over at Ellen's place.

Can I copy and paste it, when you do make a 2017 post? Grins...

I was alternating back and forth with '16 and '17 threads and finally blundered.

Yep. I know, this time of year makes the head spin.

Hahaha Mark is posting so much that he is no longer sure which group he is posting in!

Happy new thread, Mamie.

Happy new thread! Every time I visit there's a new and even more beautiful photo of those gorgeous kittens!

AWWWW! KITTIES!!!!!

Happy New Thread, Mamie!

Maybe I need some kittens. I bet they have fantastic therapeutic properties.

Happy new 2016 thread, Mamie. Great photo of the kitties for the topper. The Ref is one of my favourite Christmas movies too - but it doesn't seem to be on too many Christmas movie lists. I also like Trading Places as a Christmas movie.

Happy new thread, Mamie! All these 2016 and 2017 threads makes it hard to keep track of what year we are in! I think maybe I should have asked Santa to bring me a basket of kittens for Christmas, they are so adorable.

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Morning Mamie!

>18 Crazymamie: >14 Carmenere: LOL! Thank you!

Morning, Y'all! Sweet Thursday, as Mark would say. My days of the week are getting all mixed up with everyone's wonky schedules - Craig and Rae are off through Christmas now, but Daniel and Abby are working through Christmas Eve - poor Abby has a double shift on that day. And Craig is sick again, poor baby.

I'm planning on walking again this morning, but I am waiting on Birdy and Abby, who said they would go with me. Not much got done on the reading front yesterday - we tend to watch more movies at this time of year, so my reading time is suffering. I am hoping to make up for it between Christmas and New Year. I really don't have a specific number of books that I am aiming to reach before I run out of 2016, but I would like to finish up some of the ones I have going, so I can make more of a fresh start.

>28 PaulCranswick: I did the exact same thing over at Ellen's new thread, Paul. And thank you.

>29 cbl_tn: Thanks, Carrie! Glad you like the photos - I actually took those myself.

>30 tymfos: Hello, Terri! The kittens are growing like weeds. How is Sig doing?

Happy new thread, Mamie! I just ventured into the supermarket for some non-refrigerated things and it was as unbusy as I hoped (at least on the food floor - upstairs in gifts and housewares it was nuts). I hope you get your steps in. London is supposed to be Hotter Than Madrid And Athens for Christmas Day, so I might get some in over the break myself :-)

>31 LovingLit: I think you do, Megan - they do have fantastic therapeutic properties.

>32 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! I actually walked yesterday - Go Me! I had actually not heard of The Ref until Katie mentioned it being one of her favorite Christmas movies a few years ago. And I have not seen Trading Places in years!

>33 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! SO true about the threads. And yes, you should have asked Santa for a basket of kittens - they provide hours of entertainment and lots of love.

>34 scaifea: Thank you, Amber!

>35 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! You are welcome. *grin*

>38 susanj67: Thank you, Susan! Hooray for the market section being slow - a minor miracle. The weather has been so weird this year - it can't decide if it's winter or Spring. Our rose bush is so confused that it is blooming. Monday the high was something like 5os but Christmas Day will find us back in the high 70s. UGH. I want the cold to come and linger a bit. I managed 16,000 steps yesterday - it has been a long while since I have done that. Hoping you do get your steps in over your break.

>40 Crazymamie: Mamie, 16,000 is superb! I actually managed to hit my target on Monday, when I went for a walk with Super-Fit Friend, but it's a long time since I've done that. I'm planning some roaming around London while I'm not at work, though. I'll try and walk up into the City for lunch with a friend, and then maybe home again. And there must be some exhibitions I want to see...How funny about your rose bush. There was an item on the news here a couple of years ago about the very warm spring we were having - so warm, in fact, that even the lambs were being born early. A farming type quickly piped up and pointed out that the gestation period for mammals has nothing to do with the weather. I think the news people must have gotten carried away with the early-blooming flowers :-)

Sweet Thursday, Mamie!

I agree with Susan on the 16,000 steps - way to go!

Congrats on your 16,000 steps. I'll have to get a move on. It's so much harder with snow and ice on the sidewalks.

Ugh. Steps. No comment.

ETA: Hi Mamie!

>1 Crazymamie: Oh my squee.

>41 susanj67: Thanks, Susan - I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for finally getting out there. We walked again today, which has gotten me to 9,000, so I'll see what else I can manage. Roaming around London sounds fun, and hooray for hitting the target on a Monday - you get bonus points for that.

I loved the lamb story. Too funny!

>42 jnwelch: Sweet Thursday, Joe! It feels like Saturday to me since Craig and Rae are off - I'm all turned around. And thank you for the step cheering!

>43 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. You have the perfect excuse, I think. I definitely can't complain of cold or adverse conditions, darn it. I really need to get moving consistently before I put back on all the weight I worked so hard to lose.

>44 katiekrug: Right then. Carry on, Katie. And hello!

>45 The_Hibernator: Ha! They are mighty cute, aren't they, Rachel?!

16,000! Excellent! You're providing a wonderful example and encouragement to get going again as soon as we get home.

Very impressive Mamie. I need to get myself back to the pool...

Reba, I love your enthusiasm!

>48 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte! The funny thing is that I always have to talk myself into walking outside, but once I step out, I remember how lovely it is to walk outdoors. And of course, I feel so much better when I am getting regular exercise. Still, I have to talk myself into it...perhaps the pool is the same for you?

So, I was looking for something in my Audible library to listen to while wrapping, particularly something fun and requiring little mental exertion, and my eye came to The Tales of Max Carrados. Anyone else read this? A collection of mystery stories first published in 1914 and narrated by the fabulous Stephen Fry? I'm liking it so far - Max Carrados, the main character is a blind detective.

Stopping by today to say I hope your day is lovely.

Beautiful! Thank you, Linda! Hoping that your day has also been full of wonder.

I also had to start a new thread even with only a couple of weeks left in the year. It helps those of us with slower 'puters....

Kittens. What could be cuter? (absolutely nothin'). Okay, that's a reeeeeaaaly loose association!

I've been at work all day, have accomplished little but am still brain dead. Actually, I think quiet days at work can be worse than the busy ones on that front.

Maybe I should go read another chapter of my work-related book......

Happy almost Friday, Mamie!

Happy Holidays, Mamie. Hmm - the Max Carrados thing sounds interesting.

Did someone mention Stephen Fry?! Wishlisted.

Morning Mamie! Happy Friday. I am sure you are very busy with holiday tasks. You can do it!

>51 Crazymamie: I too had the audible Tales Of Max Carrados but I have to say I wasn't very impressed. I know it is a product of its time, but the idea that visually impaired people are somehow super-human in their other senses is not just false but also either ridiculous or offensive to some of my visually impaired friends. It feeds into a whole culture of disabled people being somehow "other", different to "normal" people, which in turns leads to general fear and distrust.

>54 EBT1002: I was really hoping to avoid the additional thread, Ellen, but, like you say, the longer threads just get too burdensome.

And I totally got your association - of course, now I won't be able to get that song out of my head for the rest of the day. Sorry to hear that work has been wearing the brain cells down. Hoping you get some much needed down time with your holidays.

Work-related book? Um...no.

Thanks for those Friday wishes - hoping yours is full of fabulous!

>55 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! I have only listened to the first two, but I am liking them for something lighter to listen to.

>56 scaifea: Ha! I know, right?! I love him, too, Amber.

>57 msf59: Morning Mark! Happy Friday! I got my walk in this morning, so this afternoon I will focus on finishing up the wrapping. Almost there...

>58 eclecticdodo: Welcome to my thread, Jo! I appreciate your comments, and I totally get where you are coming from - my Dad was blind. I am just enjoying the mysteries as lighter fare, and yes, they are very much a product of their time. I'm not sure that I agree with all of your thoughts, I mean, it's fiction, and fiction is allowed to stretch and even to misrepresent the truth. I think that people who walk away from books like these thinking of disabled people as "other" were probably already thinking that. Still, I am truly thankful that you took the time to post and share your thoughts. And I LOVE your username!

>60 Crazymamie: I tend to read these things as harmless too to be honest, but one visually impaired friend of mine gets particularly offended. I generally think it is up to the person being parodied to decide if something is offensive so I go with her decision. It's very tricky! You can't blame one piece of fiction for all negative attitudes, but on the other hand writing is so powerful and the picture created by literature as a whole impacts public perception.

I think you bring up a very good point that it is a very individual thing - one's reaction to a book. My Dad would have found the mysteries funny, preposterous maybe, but he would not have been offended by them. This is reminding me that earlier this year I read Belinda Bauer's book Rubbernecker, where the main character has Asperger's Syndrome. My oldest daughter has Asperger's Syndrome, so I am very familiar with it - I felt that Bauer's character did not accurately represent someone with Aspergers. I was not offended by it, but I felt that she should have done more research if she was going to call it Asperger's Syndrome, when really what it reflected was someone on the spectrum, but not specifically Asperger's. It made the book fall a bit flat for me, but still I could appreciate the quality of the writing and the telling of the story. And it would certainly not make me warn people away from the book because it was inaccurate - that'a my own individual opinion, after all. I think this is one of the things that makes this group so great - that we can exchange opinions and thoughts without having to agree. Books are powerful - true, but they also reflect what we bring to them. We have to also hold ourselves accountable for what we take away from them - how we interpret and digest them comes from inside, after all; we are not just blank slates waiting to be written upon.

Yes, it's very personal. Sorry to hijack your discussion by the way. I get on my high horse sometimes. It's been a long week of holding myself back from responding to my parents inflammatory and discriminatory comments so I'm a little over zealous I think.

No worries, Jo. Sorry to hear about the parental woes - I had a mom like that, and I have a MIL that makes me want to pull all of my hair out on a regular basis, so I get it. Sending you positive mojo and hoping you will feel free to come back and post any time.

Mamie, my friend, I'm hoping for two things in 2017: more frequent thread visits between you and me, and....

Happy new thread and Merry Christmas, Mamie! I have been losing track of my days all week, and yesterday I had to keep reminding myself it was Thursday, not Friday. Thankfully today is Friday and I'm looking forward to a quiet morning at home to clean my apartment before festivities begin! I feel for Abby working a double tomorrow. I'm getting two 3-day weekend because of the holiday schedule and am super excited for the extra reading time!

Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.

2017.

Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!

Merry Christmas, Mamie, to you and yours ...

Mamie, have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays to all of you at the Pecan Paradiso!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas Mamie! Thank you for your time, your kind words and the books we enjoy together. I hope your holidays are full of joy.

wishing you a merry Christmas

Wishing a very happy holiday to you and your family, Mamie!

This is the Christmas tree at the end of the Pacific Beach Pier here in San Diego, a Christmas tradition.

To all my friends here at Library Thing, I want you to know how much I value you and how much I wish you a very happy holiday, whatever one you celebrate, and the very best of New Years!


Mamie, I'm so impressed that you have personalized everyone's Christmas image. I especially liked my own cat and Linda's (Whisper) book image--that was amazing!

Yay for all the stepping, Mamie. I kind of gave up. Maybe if people would shovel their sidewalks it wouldn't be such a chore to get out there - just saying. Hope you have a great Christmas!

Mamie, all the very best to you and the family (including the fur-children) for a lovely Christmas and happy 2017. You inspired me to get out stepping yesterday and I'm even considering a Christmas Day walk!

Merry Christmas, Mamie.

^Morning Mamie! Hope you have a perfectly lazy day, at the Pecan Paradiso!

Merry Christmas Mamie!

Happy Christmas, Everyone! It was a good day here at the Pecan Paradisio - slow and sweet and indulgent. With our crazy schedules lately, it was just really nice to be together with no agenda except to soak up the day. Mischief and Mayhem were highly entertained by all of the paper and boxes, and they in return entertained us. In case you are wondering, I did get my long lusted after wireless noise-canceling headphones - so full of fabulous!

Hoping that each of you had a day full of wonder.

>65 EBT1002: Ellen! I am also wishing for those two things, my friend.

>66 bell7: Thank you, Mary! Two three-day weekends sounds most excellent! Craig and Rae are both off tomorrow, as his office is closed, but he is on call for the New Year's weekend, so no such luck next weekend. I will happily take what i can get. Hoping your holiday was lovely.

>67 PaulCranswick: That would be full of fabulous, Paul.

>68 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy!

>69 SandDune: Rhian, thank you so much! Hoping to see more of you next year and to be a better visitor to your thread.

>70 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba!

>71 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle! I am betting your Christmas was so delightful with Chloe - I love that age.

>72 nittnut: Jenn, thanks so much for that. I have enjoyed getting to know you better this year, and I look forward to following your thread next year.

>82 Crazymamie: Lovely. Looks like a picture postcard.

>73 eclecticdodo: Thank you, Jo! I love that Lego Santa!

>74 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary!

>75 DeltaQueen50: Judy, thank you!

>76 ronincats: That's gorgeous, Roni! I thank you for those kind words. I had fun choosing individual images for everyone - my way of saying that I really value each of you as an individual. I don't always have time for stuff like that, but I did this holiday. Sweet of you to notice.

>77 Familyhistorian: I would give up if I had your weather to contend with, Meg. It was 81F here today. And thanks for those wishes.

>78 susanj67: Thank you, Susan! And hooray for the stepping! OI have fallen off yesterday and today, but I will be back at it tomorrow.

>79 Ameise1: I love that image, Barbara! Thanks so much!

>80 msf59: I did, Mark, thank you!

>81 luvamystery65: Thank you, Roberta!

>85 Morphidae: Morphy! I have been worrying about you, so it is lovely to see you here! Merry Christmas, dear one! So happy you like the photo of Mercy!

love the wee furry beasties. they will be happy to help you with decorating and packaging throughout the year. :-)

Happy Booksmas!

Happy holidays!
That's for your awesome Christmas message. I hope you are revelling in the Mamie time and soaking in coffee and pumpkin choc chip muffins.

Wishing you another day of rest and relaxation!

Merry Christmas, Mamie! I hope you had a great one.

This looks like a lovely reading spot.

Crazy--Merry Day-After Christmas!!! Sounds like you had a wonderful day once everyone was finally through working. Double shift on Christmas Eve--no fun at all!! Happy reading or watching movies, or whatever mood strikes you. Enjoy!! Big hugs.

>89 mirrordrum: Love that image, Ellie! And you are so right in regards to our "wee furry beasties". Hoping your holiday was full of fabulous!

>90 LovingLit: Thank you, Megan! How did you know I was soaking in pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and coffee?! It's been some truly lovely down time, and I am very thankful for it.

>91 Carmenere: That made me laugh, Lynda! Thank you. I didn't even get out of my jammies today. It was full of wonder.

>92 brodiew2: Thank you, Brodie! It was most awesome. How was yours?

>93 Berly: Kim!! How fabulous to see you here! Abby ended up not working the double shift on Christmas Eve - she quit. The management was terrible, and they employees were getting treated like crap. Constantly having to work over (and I mean for hours, not for just a half hour or so), never getting their breaks, and getting called in when they weren't supposed to work. They also kept putting them on stations they hadn't yet been trained for with not even a quick walk through and then getting yelled at when they did something wrong. It was completely crazy. Abby was the 13th person to quit, and since then, there have been more.

We have been watching a lot of movies, so not much reading, but I am hoping to get back to it. Big hugs back to you, my friend!

Hi, Mamie! I am off today but have been taking care of business, around here and on errands and have not cracked a book. Say What? I think it is about that time, my friend. Enjoying the Larry Watson...

Hope your day is going well.

What?! Mark, are you feeling okay? You should probably sit down and take it easy for the rest of the day. And while you're sitting there, you could maybe open a book. And then maybe, just casually, read some of the words...

>94 Crazymamie: Oh wow, sounds like Abby had the right idea there!

I thought so, too, Mary.

>94 Crazymamie: Sounds like Abby's decision was a no-brainer! Bound to be something better out there for her. : )

Keep the holiday spirit going!!

Where did Abby work again?

>99 Berly: Yes, ma'am! We teach people how to treat us - no one should put up with that. Definitely still the holidays here!

>100 Morphidae: Panera Bread.

>101 Crazymamie: Ah, yes. The joys of food service.

>96 Crazymamie: LOL! I know shocking, right? Actually I hunkered down, took a very brief nap and then knocked out 50-60 pages and I am returning after dinner, for 20-30 more.

>102 Morphidae: Yes, Morphy, but I have worked in food service, and this was just ridiculous. The management was crap.

>103 msf59: Exactly. And good to hear you are back on track. I was worried...

I've heard similar stories about Panera Mgt up my way too.
Abby could find better.

>104 Crazymamie: I have too. And, yes, that sounds particularly bad. I was commiserating not being condescending.

>105 Carmenere: I think it must be how they do things, Lynda. Too bad because Abby is a really hard worker and was very excited about the job.

>106 Morphidae: My bad, Morphy - I did not mean to make it sounds like I thought you were being condescending. What I meant was that working in food service is always stressful and comes with its own pitfalls, but this was just crazy. Supposedly Panera has a "no jerk" policy - I guess this doesn't apply to management. When she told the store manager that she was quitting, the manager replied that some people just can't handle the stress. Abby said that she thought she handled the stress just fine - what she was not willing to handle was the disrespect and the callousness on the part of management.

>107 Crazymamie: Abby said that she thought she handled the stress just fine - what she was not willing to handle was the disrespect and the callousness on the part of management. Good for Abby!

Thanks, Meg. That's exactly what I told her.

>107 Crazymamie: Someone brought that girl up right.

What a lovely compliment. Hugs to you, dear one.

Morning Mamie! Breezy, sunny, 40ish. I will take it.

Really enjoyed Hidden Figures. Good audio too.

Good morning, Mamie! I hope all is well with you.

Did you ever watch LOST?

>107 Crazymamie: I'd have thought of that a week later. Great response. Smart and to the point, standing up for herself. Kudos.

Happy Holidays, Mamie!

I hope you all are having a nice holiday season at the Pecan Paradisio.

>112 msf59: Hello, Mark! Humid and 69F here already - YUCK. Tomorrow's high is supposed to be a mere 55, which is practically winter in these here parts. We better get it. Just saying...

I'll check out your review of Hidden Figures.

>113 brodiew2: Hey there, Brodie! All is well. I have never watched LOST - is that some kind of survivor show? They are stranded or something like that?

>114 charl08: Me, too, Charlotte. I was very proud of her for not taking any more crap.

>115 jnwelch: Happy Holidays, Joe! Welcome home, you!! We missed you around here. We are pretty much back to normal here as Craig has call for the New Year's holiday weekend. I am excited for all the Christmas stuff to come down - Craig likes to leave it up until after New Year, so we have a couple more days to go.

Forgot to report my Christmas haul:


Pride and Prejudice: An Annotated Edition edited by Patricia Meyer Spacks - this is a truly gorgeous oversized edition that is beautifully produced. Birdy and Abby were drooling over it, and the pages might have been fondled. A perfect fit for Ellen's Reread Challenge.


Rivers of London: Volume 1 - Body Work - this is a graphic novel from the Rivers of London series that falls between Foxglove Summer and The Hanging Tree (which is supposed to finally be released her at the end of January). I read about it on Heather's thread, and she gave it a good review, so I am excited to get to it.


The Phillip K. Dick Collection from the Library of America - SQUEE! This is so fabulous, and I never would have bought it for myself even though I wanted it because I have a bunch of his stuff in print and on my Kindle. This is a three volume set containing thirteen of Dick's novels, and it is stunning.


Virginia Woolf in Manhattan by Maggie Gee - This sounds really fun, and I will definitely make room for it in 2017.

Great book haul, Mamie.

Thanks, Meg!

Morning Mamie! Sweet Thursday! That PKD collection looks and sounds fantastic. I will have to research. I am very under-read, when it comes to him.

Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday - our last one this year. I love PKD - my favorite so far is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, but he also wrote some really great short stories.

Good morning, Mamie! I hope all is well with you.

>117 Crazymamie: Excellent Christmas haul. That Philip K. Dick collection looks mighty nice! I read a novel of his call Time Out of Joint years back. It was interesting, but had a strange ending.

Morning, Brodie. All is well. And thank you. HA! You pretty much just described all of his stuff that I have read - that's what I like about him: he takes you where you didn't think you were going.

Morning, Mamie!

Nice Christmas haul - I have that annotated P&P (as well as the Emma and Persuasion volumes from the same "series"). They are, indeed, gorgeous...

Morning, Katie! Oh, dear! I did not realize there were more of them. I think I can't possibly live without the Persuasion one.

Besides, P&P will be lonely without a companion.

That's so true.

*nods vigorously*

Sweet Thursday, Mamie!

>117 Crazymamie: Wow! I have that annotated P & P, too, and I loved it. I want that PKD collection! I second your SQUEE!

Sweet Thursday, Joe! Good to see both of the Sweet Thursday Boys here on our very last one of the year. The PKD collection is da Bomb!

Ooh. Annotated Persuasion sounds Very tempting...

Charlotte, if we both get it, then you and me and Katie could be triplets. And really, do you need any further...persuasion than that?

Yeah. What Mamie said!

Great Christmas haul, Mamie! The annotated P&P looks truly lovely.....

Nice Christmas haul, Mamie!

Looks like a great haul, Mamie.

>133 katiekrug: *grin*

>134 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. It's gorgeous - the endpapers are so pretty and the quality of the paper is superb. I love attention to details like that - makes just holding the book a treat.

>135 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

>136 BLBera: Thank you, Beth!

I have finished two more books for 2016!


Book #125: Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg (5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook - recommended by Roberta and Charlotte

I LOVED this book! Smilla's determination to find out who was responsible for her young friend Isaiah's death makes for a gripping tale. I think that Høeg did such a great job of including so much information of the historical and scientific kind without making it feel tedious. This is one I know I will read again.



Breaking out the champagne for this one:

Book #126: The Penguin History of the World by J. M. Roberts (4 stars), 2015 acquired ebook - I read this throughout the year with Katie, Susan, and Jenn

This was a year long project, reading about 100 pages a month, and while at first it was a bit of a slog, it did pick up. I think I can safely say that I won't be reading it again, but I am glad that I read it once. Katie, Susan and Jenn did a great job of reviewing it, so I am just gonna say that if you're interested, you should check out one of their reviews. Heh.

>117 Crazymamie: Lovely gifts. I'm definitely intrigued just by the title of Virginia Woolf in Manhattan, and that Rivers of London cover is awesome. One day, something like that PKD set would probably make a great gift for Morgan, too. His work is always interesting, that's for sure. I think I've only read 3 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Valis, and The Man in the High Castle.

>117 Crazymamie: Mamie, that's a lovely Christmas book haul!

>138 Crazymamie: And congratulations on finishing the PHW! I may reread pieces, but I doubt I'll tackle the whole thing again. Good to know we've got it, though, in case we ever find ourselves in an airport with a flight that's been delayed for three months.

>138 Crazymamie: - I finished PHW today, too! But I haven't reviewed it, so you are fibbing in your comments ;-)

Morning, Mamie. I remember really enjoying Smilla's Sense many years ago. Glad you found it so rewarding.

>139 ursula: Thank you, Ursula! Virginia Woolf in Manhattan just sounded like fun, so I am excited to get to it. I liked the cover for the Rivers of London book, too. The PKD is a total luxury - I have read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The Man in the High Castle, and I am almost finished with Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick, which is really good.

>140 susanj67: Thanks, Susan! Your post made me laugh!

>141 katiekrug: Why was I thinking that you had already finished it and reviewed it?! Mental. Anyway, I corrected my post above to be more truthful.

>142 msf59: Morning, Mark! It was the perfect book at the perfect time for me - just what I was in the mood for, and it's always good to be finishing up the year with a 5 star read.

Mornin', Mamie! I get to stay at home today, and it IS raining and 59 degrees. I'm going to end up at 130 books this year, so we are very close in our reading numbers.

ETA What was the most surprising thing you learned, that you didn't already know, from PHW?

>138 Crazymamie: I just knew you would love it Mamie! It was one of my top reads the year I read it, 2014. I don't know why I haven't tried to read anything else by Høeg.

I love my Harvard University Press annotated Jane Austen books. I have Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma. I really need to pick up the other three.

thanks, Mamie, for your presence in my life in 2016, for graciously sharing some of that stuff you know, and for your dazzling madness and wit. thanks for making me laugh. wishing you pumpkin pecan muffles, joys both quiet and boisterous and all manner of good things in the coming twelve-month.

>144 ronincats: Hey there, Roni! Hooray for staying home. Rae and I went for a walk today - so lovely for it to be in the low 50s in the middle of the afternoon! SO, I got my steps in today. *happy dance* How fun to be so close in numbers of books read - I am hoping to finish up one or two more before I run out of 2016.

Your ETA is killing me because my brain is mush at this moment. I'll think on it and get back to you.

>145 luvamystery65: I remembered that you really loved it, Roberta. I was impressed by Smilla's tenacity, and I loved that she made mistakes, and not just one or two, but she just kept pushing forward.

The Harvard Press books are so beautiful, and I love the format and the larger size of them. ANd yes, you should pick up the other three.

>146 mirrordrum: Ellie, what a very lovely post - thanks so much for that, especially the part about the "dazzling madness". I am wishing for you an entire year filled with fabulous and all manner of happy. I thank you for your sparkling conversation that always makes me smile and often makes me laugh. And for sharing your charm and your intelligence with all of us. I am hoping that we can get into all kinds of trouble in the New Year.

So, while Rae and I were out walking today, I finished an audiobook that I have been listening here and there to for quite awhile now:


Book #127: The View From the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired audiobook narrated by Neil Gaiman, non-fiction/speeches/essays/book introductions, etc.

This is such a treat, as it is narrated by Gaiman, who is always fabulous reading his own stuff. Well, reading anything, really. Anyway, this is a rather large collection of essays, speeches, book introductions, etc. with some childhood memories thrown in. The childhood parts were my very favorite, and I love how he shares his love of reading and of libraries. You really want to dip in and out of this one, or you may find it a bit of a slog, as there is a lot of material here and not all of it is of equal quality. Highly recommended, but remember what I said about the dipping in and out.

Crazy--Congrats on your steps today. Totally jealous as I sit here in bed with my Kleenex. Both my girls got Fitbits for Christmas so I will be competing with them soon.

Congrats on finishing out your 2016 reads on a high note!! And your "dazzling madness" is why I always affectionately address you by Crazy. : ) I eagerly await your antics in 2017. Thanks for bringing me such joy.

Thanks, Kim! Are you feeling any better? And hooray for the Fitbitting family members - it's fun to compete with each other and to "taunt".

I am happy that my ending books have not been duds. *blushes about the dazzling madness* Aw, shucks. I thank you for those kind words. I am delighted I could bring one so full of fabulous a bit of joy. I am very excited about getting to 2017 and causing a bit of mischief.

Congratulations on completing that Penguin history! Worthwhile?

Speaking of fitbits, it's time for my 250 steps for this hour.....

(I loved Smilla's Sense of Snow.)

By the way, given how much you love books as physical objects, you would LOVE Persephone Books!!!

>151 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen! Um...if you're really interested in it. The first part is a bit of a slog, but it picks up as you go along. It could be less dry. If you decide to go for it, I would recommend doing it how we did - just 100 or so pages a month so it doesn't wear you down.

Hooray for stepping! I am very excited that I will get more than my goal of 10,000 for today. Finally.

And another who loved Smilla! I had never heard of it until Roberta mentioned it a few years back. Thank goodness for LT!

I might have to indulge in Persephone in the New Year. I have been looking at them.

Nancy posted her answers to the end of the year meme, so I thought I'd give it a go:

Describe yourself: Nobody's Fool
Describe how you feel: When Will There Be Good News?
Describe where you currently live: Crooked House
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The House at Sea's End
Your favourite form of transportation: Travels With Charley
Your best friend is: Johannes Cabal, the Necromancer
You and your friends are: Everybody Behaves Badly
What’s the weather like: The Sun Also Rises
You fear: Hell is Empty
What is the best advice you have to give: You Only Live Twice
Thought for the day: Something Wicked This Way Comes
How I would like to die: Immortal in Death
My soul’s present condition: The Dark Vineyard

All right, let's try it again:

Describe yourself: Nobody's Fool
Describe how you feel: The Mermaid's Singing
Describe where you currently live: Crooked House
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The House at Sea's End
Your favourite form of transportation: As the Crow Flies
Your best friend is: The Woman in Blue
You and your friends are: Snow Angels
What’s the weather like: Winterdance
You fear: Hell is Empty
What is the best advice you have to give: Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
Thought for the day: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
How I would like to die: The Fade Out
My soul’s present condition: The Other Side of Silence

We described ourselves with the same book :) And I love your fear!

Oh, I love that we did that, Katie!! I read mostly murder mysteries this year - does it show?! LOL!

I did think some of your answers were a little, um, dark....

Hi, Mamie! I enjoyed your thoughts on The View From the Cheap Seats. It would have been a good idea to spread it out a bit but you know- Old dogs and all that...

That said, I agree it is a worthy read, with many gems throughout.

I finally got my '17 thread up. Just sayin'...

So do you prefer Hell at Full Capacity? Just wonderin'...

>157 katiekrug: I didn't have a lot of choices if you look at my titles read. I guess my best friend could be Nimona, but I thought the necromancer was funnier. Now I know why I never fill in that meme. Heh.

>158 msf59: Hey, Mark! I know you went straight through it, but that would have ruined it for me - too much of a good thing and all that.

I'll be right over!

>159 msf59: Let's just say that I would like it not to be empty. There are some people that I think should be in there. Not in my personal life - speaking more from a historical perspective.

I'll speak from a personal perspective and say I hope hell isn't empty :-)

Hey Mamie! Looks like your shutting down 2016 with a flurry of great books!
Best wishes for a wonderful new year of reading!!

Right?! And I tried the meme again, but the problem is that most of the books I read this year would sound like negative answers. I mean, they were murder mysteries, so they don't have light fluffy titles. Maybe I could direct my reading next year so that I could answer better. Ha!

>162 Carmenere: Hey, Lynda! I can't complain. And thank you!

Looking forward to your continued company in 2017.
Happy New Year, Mamie

Thank you, Paul. Happy New Year to you!

Some fun end of the year stats:

Books read: 127
Male authors: 68
Female authors: 58
m/f author combo: 1

Fiction: 114
Non-fiction: 13

GN: 13
short stories: 3
poetry: 3
rereads: 17

hardback:22
paperback: 25
ebook: 61
audiobook: 13
audiobook/print or ebook combo: 4

borrowed from an individual: 4
borrowed from the library: 29
ROOTS: 48
Acquired in 2016: 46

44 books read were recommended by LT members (I only counted the first book in the series that I read multiple books in). If multiple people recommended a book, each person got credit for it. So who was the top finisher for recommendations that I read this year? Katie!

Katie: 7
Charlotte, Jim, and Mark each had 4
Joe: 3
Beth, Brodie, Ellen, Karen, Roberta, Susan, and Suz each had 2
Heather, Jenn, Kathleen, Lucy, Megan, Morphy, Nancy, and Roni each had 1

Whoop!

Wait till you see my favorites list! You cleaned up - hoping you can do as well in 2017!

2017 Favorites:


Poetry: Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon - recommended by Ellen and Mark


GN: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, illustrated by Tony Parker - so great because the entire text of the novel is incorporated in this, and the illustrations are a perfect fit for the story


Series: Jackson Brodie - I read all four of these this year (the first was a reread), and they were all fabulous


Audiobook: Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, narrated by Alan Rickman


Fiction:
Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg - recommended by Charlotte and Roberta
Mãn by Kim Thúy - read this for the CAC
Academy Street by Mary Costello - Katie's Dirty Dozen
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo - Katie's Dirty Dozen
The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey - Katie's Dirty Dozen


Non-fiction:
King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - recommended by Suz on the non-fiction challenge thread
The Pigeon Tunnel by John LeCarré - he did his own narration of the audiobook, which is truly fabulous

Honorable mention: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi - Katie's Dirty Dozen

These were all 5 star reads for me, except for the Jackson Brodie books, which I rated individually

Okay, so my 2017 is up: Mamie's 2017 Madness

Happy Weekend, Mamie!

I loved When Will There Be Good News and Travels with Charley up in your meme answers. :-)

Yay for The Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick! I'm glad you're enjoying them. And I loved that PKD Electric Sheep graphic novel - which I got on your tip!

That Neil Gaiman is somewhere in my future, so I'll remember your dip in and out advice.

Happy Weekend, Joe! So glad you liked some of me meme answers - I was feeling like a fail. Ha! And yes, I am still slowly making my way through Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick - I love just reading a few at a time. It's a good collection, so thanks for the tip.

The Gaiman is lovely and funny and witty, but you definitely want to dip.

I had some runner-ups on some of my meme answers but decided against posting those. Glad someone else did it though!

Happy New Year, Mamie! Have a great evening. See you next year!

Have a Happy New Year, Mamie!

Happy New Year, Mamie! I've enjoyed keeping up with your reviews and pets this year. Looking forward to 2017

Happy New Year, Mamie! May it be filled with good books and lots of fellow readers with whom to discuss them! (I like the answers to your meme. They aren't as dark as mine, tho. :)

Morning Mamie! Happy New Year! I LOVE your best of list. So glad to see King Leopold's Ghost included, since it was a top read for me in '15. I am also happy to see Bright Dead Things make such a beautiful impact.

Lastly, I hope to finally read Nobody's Fool in the coming months.

>174 thornton37814: Hey there, Lori. I wasn't completely happy with either one, but it was fun thinking about it.

>175 brodiew2: Happy New Year, Brodie! We had fun last night - just playing games and watching movies and enjoying each others company.

>176 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe!

>177 Dianekeenoy: Thank you, Diane! Lovely to see you here!

>178 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! What wonderful wishes for my New Year - wishing the same for you.

>179 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy New Year! I read a lot of really great books this past year, and I am hoping for a repeat in 2017. It was hard choosing just a few standouts, but the Lecarré and Bright Dead Things were easy choices.

I think you will love Nobody's Fool when you get to it - it is one I know I will reread. SO good!

Happiest of New Years to you and yours, Mamie!! Furry and otherwise!!

Thank you, Lynda!

>170 Crazymamie: Great list Mamie. Lovely to see Miss Smilla make it. Maybe 2017 will be the year I get to Hothschild!

Thanks, Charlotte! Oh! I hope you do get to Hothschild in 2017!!