Smiler: Speedier than Lightning in 2011. Part Neuf.

Talk75 Books Challenge for 2011

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Smiler: Speedier than Lightning in 2011. Part Neuf.

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1Smiler69
Edited: Aug 21, 2011, 3:59 pm


Mary Cassatt, Mrs. Cassatt Reading to Her Grandchildren, 1888

Currently Reading:
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Les Contes Macabres by Edgar Allan Poe & Benjamin Lacombe
Princesses oubliées ou inconnues... / The Secret Lives of Princesses by Philippe Lechermeier, illustrated by Rébecca Dautremer
The Scarecrow And His Servant by Philip Pullman
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

My Threads
Part Un (Books 1-5)
Part Deux (Books 6-29)
Part Trois (Books 30-54)
Part Quatre (Books 55-72)
Part Cinq (Books 73-99)
Part Six (Books 100-110)
Part Sept (Books 111-128)
Part Huit (Books 129-145)

11 in 11 Challenge:
Category #1: The Classics 8/11
Category #2: Émile Zola's Rougon-Macquart Series 5/11
Category #3: Mysteries & Crime Fiction 8/11
Category #4: Visual Arts 7/11
Category #5: Books Published Since 2009 8/11
Category #6: New To Me Authors 8/11
Category #7: Big and Scary: books over 400 pages 6/11
Category #8: The Two World Wars and the Time In-Between 9/11
Category #9: En Français 7/11
Category #10: Sooner Than Later: Recent Acquisitions 7/11
Category #11: The Film Might Be Good But the Book is Better 8/11

2Smiler69
Edited: Aug 20, 2011, 5:28 pm

Books completed in August
153. Hurricane by David Wiesner ★★★ (review)
154. Kite flier by Dennis Haseley ★★½ (review)
155. Tuesday by David Wiesner ★★★★ (review)
156. Sector 7 by David Wiesner ★★★★ (review)
157. June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner ★★★★½ (review)
158. La Petite Sorcière by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★½ (review)
159. Grimoire de Sorcières by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★½ (review)
160. ♫ Watership Down by Richard Adams ★★★½ (review)
161. ♫ Charlotte's Web by E. B. White ★★½ (review)
162. La mélodie des tuyaux by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★ (review)
163. L'Esprit du temps, tome 1 by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★½ (review)
164. L'Esprit du temps, tome 2 by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★ (review)
165. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ★★★★★ (review)
166. L'amoureux by Rébecca Dautremer ★★★ (review)
167. Cyrano by Taï-Marc Le Thanh, illustrated by Rébecca Dautremer ★★★★ (review)
168. Nasreddine by Odile Weulersse, illustrated by Rébecca Dautremer ★★★★½ (review)
169. L'ange de grand père / Grandpa's Angel by Jutta Bauer ★★★★½ (review)
170. Selma by Jutta Bauer ★★★★⅞ (review)
171. Sweet Tooth Vol. 1: Out of the Woods by Jeff Lemire ★★★★ (review)
172. ♫ A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith ★★★★½ (review)
173. ♫ Once Upon A Time In The North by Philip Pullman ★★★★ (review)
174. ♫ Brokeback Mountain by E. Annie Proulx ★★★★½ (review)
175. Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo ★★★★★ (review)
176. La faute de l'abbé Mouret / The Sin of Father Mouret by Émile Zola (review)
177. Un Lion à Paris by Beatrice Alemagna ★★★★★ (review)
178. Le trésor de Clara by Beatrice Alemagna ★★★½ (review)
179. Le secret d'Ugolin by Beatrice Alemagna ★★★★ (review)
180. Un jour, grand-père m'a donné un ruisseau by Gaëlle Perret, illustrated by Aurélia Fronty ★★★★ (review)
181. Tristan et Iseult by Béatrice Fontanel, illustrated by Aurélia Fronty ★★★★ (review)
182. ♫ Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (rating & review on the way) ☀
183. Beware, Princess Elizabeth by Carolyn Meyer (rating & review on the way) ☀

☁☉☼☀♥❤☛⌚

My rating system:
★ - hated it (may or may not have finished it but listing it for the trouble)
★★ - it was just ok
★★★ - enjoyed it (good)
★★★★ - loved it! (very good)
★★★★★ - all-time favourite (blew me away—will read again)

⅛ ¼ ⅓ ½ ¾ ⅞

♫ = audiobook
✔ = off the shelf
☛☀ = TIOLI

3Smiler69
Edited: Aug 20, 2011, 12:00 am

Books I'd like to read in August
☛*♫ Watership Down by Richard Adams - (group read, TIOLI #1: under a 'w' adjective tag)
☛✔ The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck - (read before ER book, TIOLI #16: equal syllables)
☛* Pearl of China by Anchee Min - (ER book, TIOLI #4: Three words with 'of' in the middle)
☛✔ The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher (TIOLI #1)
☛* Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear (library book, TIOLI #17: biography of a 19th century figure)
☛♫ Brokeback Mountain by E. Annie Proulx (TIOLI #13: Read a Western)
La faute de l'abbé Mouret / The Sin of Father Mouret by Émile Zola

Also continuing with Children & YA reads:
☛* Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo - (library book, TIOLI #16)
☛* The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling - (library book, TIOLI #1)
☛* The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (library book, TIOLI #1)
☛* Cart & Cwidder by Diana Wynne Jones - (library book, TIOLI #14: author born in August)
☛* Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - (library book, TIOLI #14: author born in August)
☛* I Am the Great Horse by Katherine Roberts - (library book, TIOLI #22: Uncommon Main Character Name - Bucephalus!)
☛* To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (library book, TIOLI# 1)
☛* Destins de Chiens by Benjamin Lacombe - (library book, TIOLI #23)
* Kite flier by Dennis Haseley - (library book)
* Tigre le Dévoué by Qifeng Shen illustrated by Agata Kawa - (library book)
* Hurricane by David Wiesner - (library book)
☛* From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg - (library book, TIOLI #11)
☛* L'Esprit du temps, tome 1 by Benjamin Lacombe - (library book, TIOLI #23)
☛* L'Esprit du temps, tome 2 by Benjamin Lacombe - (library book, TIOLI #23)

☛* La mélodie des tuyaux by Benjamin Lacombe - (library book, TIOLI #18)
☛♫ A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (TIOLI #1)
The Scarecrow And His Servant by Philip Pullman
☛♫ Once Upon A Time In The North by Philip Pullman (TIOLI #22)
☛♫ Charlotte's Web by E. B. White - (library book, TIOLI #11)
☛✔ Beware, Princess Elizabeth by Carolyn Meyer (TIOLI #7: acquired in an unusual location)
☛✔ Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett - (TIOLI #16)
☛✔ Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger - (TIOLI #11)
☛✔ The Red Pony by John Steinbeck (TIOLI #7)
The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter (library book)
The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick (library book)
Dust by Arthur Slade (library book)

* = must read
♫ = audiobook
✔ = off the shelf
☛ = TIOLI

4Smiler69
Edited: Aug 19, 2011, 4:15 pm

Books I'd like to read in September
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWill (library book)

Suggestions for September Series & Sequels
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (The House of Earth : Trilogy, 1)
The Ghost Road by Pat Barker (Regeneration Trilogy 3)
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (Jackson Brodie 2)
The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman (omnibus)
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (Leviathan1)
The Crossing by Cormac Mccarthy (Border Trilogy 2)
Acqua Alta by Donna Leon (Commissario Brunetti 5)
World of Wonders by Robertson Davies (Deptford Trilogy 3)
The Lies of Locke Lamora (The Gentleman Bastard Sequence 1)
Caught Stealing by Charlie Huston (Hank Thompson 1)
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh (The Ibis Trilogy, 1)
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 4)
Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate 1)

Die Trying by Lee Child (Jack Reacher, No. 2)
Le Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac (La comédie humaine 22)
Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries 1)
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Oxford Time Travel series 1)
The Hunter: A Parker Novel by Richard Stark (Parker 1)
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (Shanghai Girls 1)
Still Life by Louise Penny (Inspector Armand Gamache, Three Pines Mystery 1)

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (Howl's Castle 1, library book)
Son Excellence Eugène Rougon by Émile Zola (Les Rougon-Macquart 6, library book)
Le tour du monde en 80 jours / Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (Les voyages extraordinaires 11,library book)
20,000 lieues sous les mers / Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Pt. 1) by Jules Verne (library book)
Chien de faïence / The Terracotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri (Inspector Montalbano Mysteries 2, library book)
The Moffats by Eleanor Estes (The Moffats 1, library book)

* = must read
♫ = audiobook
✔ = off the shelf
❉ = library
☛ = TIOLI

5Smiler69
Edited: Aug 10, 2011, 11:19 pm

Books I've read so far:

January:
1. Barney's Version by Mordecai Richler (TIOLI) ★★★★ (review)
2. La Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty) by Tahar Ben Jelloun (TIOLI) ★★★★ (review)
3. Regeneration - 1st of the Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker (TIOLI) ★★★★★ (review)
4. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane ★★★ (review)
5. Sanderson: The Essence of English Decoration by Mary Schoeser ★★★★½ (review)
6. Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart (TIOLI) ★★★ (review)
7. Doors Open by Ian Rankin (TIOLI) ★★★ (review)
8. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson ★★★★ (review)
9. A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon ★★★★ (review)
10. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt (TIOLI) ★★★★ (review)
11. Egon Schiele: The Leopold Collection by Rudolf Leopold (TIOLI) ★★★½ (review)
12. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (TIOLI, Group Read) ★★★ (review)
13. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket ★★★ (review)
14. The Arrival by Shaun Tan ★★★★★ (review)
15. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak ★★★★ (review)
16. The Bells by Richard Harvell ★★★★ (review)
17. Black and Blue by Ian Rankin ★★½ (TIOLI) (review)
18. ♫ Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens ★★★ (TIOLI) (review)
19. ♫ Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney ★★★★ (review)
20. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom ★★★★ (review)

February:
21. Through a Glass Darkly by Donna Leon ★★★ (review)
22. ♫ Skellig by David Almond ★★★ (review)
23. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman ★★★★★ (review)
24. Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe ★★★½ (review)
25. ♫ The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman ★★★★★ (review)
26. ♫ The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West ★★★★½ (review)
27. ♫ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins ★★★★⅓ (review)
28. ♫ Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll ★★★★½ (notes on the audiobook)
29. Three Seconds by Roslund & Hellström ★★★ (review)
30. The Turn of the Screw and The Aspern Papers by Henry James ★★★★ (review)
31. ♫ The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie ★★★½ (review)
32. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski ★★★★ (review)
33. ♫ Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman ★★★★¼ (review)
34. La Fortune des Rougons by Émile Zola ★★★★ (review)
35. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins ★★★★ (review)
36. ♫ The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton ★★★★ (review)
37. The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker ★★★⅘ (review)

March:
38. ♫ Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood ★★★⅘ (review)
39. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot ★★★★¼ (review)
40. ♫ The Help by Kathryn Stockett ★★★★⅓ (review)
41. Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman ★★★¾ (review)
42. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko ★★★¾ (review)
43. ♫ The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie ★★★ (review)
44. Coraline by Neil Gaiman ★★★★ (review)
45. Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan ★★★★ (review)
46. Dead Souls by Ian Rankin ★★½ (review)
47. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney ★★½ (review)
48. ♫ Already Dead by Charlie Huston ★★★¾ (review)
49. ♫ The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman ★★★★⅓ (review)
50. ♫ Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene ★★★½ (review)
51. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman ★★★¾ (review)
52. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ★★⅚ (review)
53. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy ★★⅚ (review)
54. ♫ Tripwire by Lee Child ★★★★ (review)
55. The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri ★★★½ (review)
56. ♫ Matilda by Roald Dahl ★★★★ (review)
57. The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James ★★★★½ (review)

April:
58. ♫ Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the dog) by Jerome K. Jerome ★★★★ (review)
59. Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman ★★½ (review)
60. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón ★★★★⅝ (review)
61. ♫ Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain ★★★★ (review)
62. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick ★★★★ (review)
63. Invisible River by Helena McEwen ★ (Read for Early Reviewers) (review)
64. ♫ Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn ★★★★⅓ (review)
65. ♫ Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson ★★★★⅞ (review)
66. ♫ Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh ★★★★⅓ (review)
67. La Curée (The Kill) by Émile Zola ★★★★⅓ (review)
68. ♫ The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse ★★⅘ (review)
69. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton ★★½ (review)
70. Mockingjay (Hunger Games 3) by Suzanne Collins ★★★★ (review)
71. ♫ Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë ★★★★⅞ (review)
72. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman ★★★★½ (review)
73. Apollo's Angels : A History of Ballet by Jennifer Homans ★★★★½ (review)
74. ♫ Grass for His Pillow (Tales of the Otori: Book 2) by Lian Hearn ★★★½ (review)
75. ♫ The Fall of the House of Usher: The Pit and the Pendulum and Other Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe ★★★⅝ (review)
76. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway ★★★★ (review)
77. ♫ The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino ★★★⅓ (review)
78. Le Ventre de Paris (The Belly of Paris) by Émile Zola ★★★★⅓ (review)

May:
79. ♫ Animal Farm by George Orwell ★★★★★ (review)
80. Playback: A Graphic Novel by Raymond Chandler ★★¼ (review)
81. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys ★★★★¼ (review)
82. ♫ Dubliners by James Joyce ★★★★ (review)
83. ♫ The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht ★★★★★ (review)
84. ♫ Gros-Câlin by Romain Gary ★★★★⅓ (review)
85. L'argent facile (Easy Money) - Stockholm Noir 1, by Jens Lapidus ★½ (review)
86. The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo ★★★★ (review)
87. ♫ And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie ★★★★ (review)
88. Emma, Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori ★★½ (review)
89. ♫ La petite fille de monsieur Linh (Monsieur Linh and His Child) by Philippe Claudel ★★★★½ (review)
90. Lost & Found by Shaun Tan ★★★★★ (review)
91. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain ★★★★ (review)
92. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen ★★★ (review)
93. ♫ Mansfield Park by Jane Austen ★★★¾ (review)
94. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva ★★★¾ (review)
95. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger ★★½ (review)
96. Daytripper by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba ★★★½ (review)
97. ♫ Killing Floor by Lee Child ★★★½ (review)
98. ♫ Flying Too High : a Phryne Fisher Mystery by Kerry Greenwood ★★★½ (review)
99. Silas Marner by George Eliot ★★★★ (review)
100. ♫ An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin ★★★★⅓ (review)

June
101. Le Chat du Rabbin: La Bar-Mitsva (The Rabbi's Cat, Book 1) ★★★★⅓ (review)
102. ♫ Les âmes grises (By a Slow River) by Philippe Claudel ★★★★½ (review)
103. Monstres Malades by Emmanuelle Houdart ★★★★ (review)
104. Le Chat du Rabbin: Le Malka des Lions (The Rabbi's Cat, Book 2) ★★★★ (review)
105. The Haunted Playground by Shaun Tan ★★★½ (review)
106. In Search of Klingsor by Jorge Volpi ★★½ (review)
107. ♫ The Prestige by Christopher Priest ★★★⅞ (review)
108. Le Chat du Rabbin: L'Exode (The Rabbi's Cat, Book 3) ★★★★ (review)
109. ♫ Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant ★★★★½ (review)
110. ♫ The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey ★★★★ (review)
111. The Tiger : A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant ★★★★ (review)
112. ♫ The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell ★★★¾ (review)
113. The Deadly Doll by Janine Burke ★★★★ (review)
114. ♫ Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach, read by Samuel L. Jackson ★★★★½ (review)
115. La Conquête de Plassans / The Conquest of Plassans by Émile Zola ★★★★⅓ (review)
116. The Art of Asking Your Boss for a Raise by Georges Perec ★★★ (review)
117. ♫ Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller ★★★½ (review)
118. Trapped by James Moloney ★★½ (review)
119. L'apprentissage amoureux by Laetitia Bourget ★★★★⅓ (review)
120. ♫ The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: The Primary Phase (BBC Radio Collection) by Douglas Adams ★★★★★ (review)
121. Le Chat du Rabbin: Le Paradis terrestre (The Rabbi's Cat, Book 4) ★★★½ (review)

July
122. Blanche Neige by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★¾ (review)
123. The Old Child by Jenny Erpenbeck ★★★½ (review)
124. ♫ Black Beauty by Anna Sewell ★★★½ (review)
125. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo ★★★½ (review)
126. The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin ★★★★ (review)
127. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes ★★★★ (review)
128. War Horse by Michael Morpurgo ★★★★★ (review)
129. ♫ The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain ★★★★ (review)
130. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame ★★★★ (review)
131. L'enfant silence by by Cécile Roumiguière & Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★⅓ (review)
132. Le petit chaperon rouge (Little Red Riding Hood) by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★ (review)
133. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan ★★★★ (review)
134. Le Carnet Rouge by Benjamin Lacombe illustrated by Agata Kawa ★★★★¾ (review)
135. ♫ Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris ★★★★ (review)
136. ♫ The Cat in the Hat and Other Dr. Seuss Favorites by Dr. Seuss ★★★★ (review)
137. ♫ The Roald Dahl Audio CD Collection by Roald Dahl ★★★★⅓ (review)
138. Le chat du rabbin 5: Jérusalem d'Afrique by Joann Sfar ★★★★⅓ (review)
139. Flotsam by David Wiesner ★★★★½ (review)
140. The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo ★★★★⅓ (review)
141. Le bois de Klara / Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck ★★★½ (review)
142. ♫ Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson ★★★ (review)
143. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman ★★★★⅓ (review)
144. Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones ★★★½ (review)
145. La funeste nuit d'Ernest by Sébastien Perez, Illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★ (review)
146. Longs Cheveux by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★ (review)
147. Blues Bayou by Benjamin Lacombe illustrated by Daniela Cytryn ★★★★(review)
148. Cerise Griotte / Cherry and Olve by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★ (review)
149. Pourquoi la carapace de la tortue... ? by Mimi Barthélémy illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★ (review)
150. Les Amants Papillons by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★ (review)
151. La grande journée du petit Lin Yi / Lin Yi's Lantern by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★ (review)
152. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead ★★★★⅓ (review)

6Smiler69
Edited: Aug 16, 2011, 11:27 pm

Books I'd like to read this year (the short list)

Prodigal Summer and/or The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
Polio: An American Story by David M. Oshinsky
Of Mice and Men and Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
La Fortune des Rougons by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 1)
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
The Moment of Seeing by Stephanie Comer
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky
Samarcande by Amin Maalouf
La vie devant soi (The Life Before Us) by Romain Gary
Stupeurs et tremblements (Fear and Trembling) by Amélie Nothomb
L'enfant de sable (The Sand Child) by Tahar Ben Jelloun
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Crete by Barry Unsworth
Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey
✔ Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
The Difference Engine by William Gibson
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
La Curée by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 2)
Le Ventre de Paris by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 3)
La Conquête de Plassans by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 4)
La Faute de l'Abbé Mouret by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 5)
Son Excellence Eugène Rougon by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 6)
L'Assomoir by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 7)
Une Page d'Amour by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 8)
Nana by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 9)
Pot-Bouille by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart 10)
Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet by Jennifer Homans
Cleopatra : A Life by Stacy Schiff
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman
L'élégance du hérisson by Muriel Barbery
La forme de l'eau by Andrea Camilleri
l'Excursion à Tindari by Andrea Camilleri
L'enfant de Noé by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt
La reine Margot by Alexandre Dumas
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
♫ ❉ A Doll's House and Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
♫ ❉ As You Like It by Shakespeare
Birds Without Wings by Louis de Bernières
Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
♫ ❉ Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
Dubliners by James Joyce
Gros-câlin by Romain Gary
Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
No Dominion by Charlie Huston (unfinished)
Passing by Nella Larsen
Tales Of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde (unfinished)
The Blue Notebook by James Levine
♫ ❉ The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov
The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
The Tenant by Javier Cercas
Possession by A.S. Byatt
The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa
Miss Hargreaves by Frank Baker
There Once Lived a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbor's Baby by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya
Queenpin by Megan Abbott
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Traitor to the Nation by M. T. Anderson
Howard's End is on the Landing by Susan Hill
The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace
The World of Gloria Vanderbilt by Wendy Goodman
Avedon Fashion 1944-2000 by Carol Squiers

✔ = off the shelf
♫ = audiobook (off the shelf)
❉ = performance

(ongoing editing)

7ronincats
Edited: Aug 1, 2011, 4:08 pm

Wow! That's a lot of books you've got listed above. I really liked Chasing Vermeer a lot. I've still got to try the Octavian Nothing and the Incorrigible Children books myself.

Oh, and a very appropriate picture!

8jolerie
Aug 1, 2011, 4:31 pm

Checking in my friend! As always, I look forward to seeing what you will be reading on this thread. :)

9JanetinLondon
Aug 1, 2011, 5:17 pm

Hi. Just dropping by to say how much I LOVE the painting at the top of this thread! Oh, and your reading looks pretty good, too!

10Chatterbox
Aug 1, 2011, 5:38 pm

Maybe I'll manage to keep up this month???

11PrueGallagher
Aug 1, 2011, 6:04 pm

Hello Ilana - just waving and starring!

12Smiler69
Aug 1, 2011, 6:23 pm

#8 Hi Valerie. I have quite a few Children's & YA books from July to review and will probably do one big batch at a time. Always great to get your comments!

#9 Hi Janet. I'm a fan of Mary Cassatt's and thought this painting, other than being quite wonderful in and of itself, also fitted perfectly for the season and for my reading theme this month.

#10 Hullo Charlotte. You're always welcome here you know, no matter if you're up to date or not. Nobody in this group manages to keep up to date, but it's all good fun anyway. :-)

#11 Waving back at you Prue!

13avatiakh
Aug 1, 2011, 6:56 pm

I have you starred again, I so pleased you had a good day with your friend 'late' or not.
As always I just love browsing through your lists. I'm still trying to think of a natty YA/childrens tag for August for us but my mind is not cooperating at present. I'm slowly getting caught up on my terribly neglected thread, I was so busy reading in July that I hardly posted.

14EBT1002
Aug 1, 2011, 8:04 pm

Hi Ilana! *waves*

15msf59
Aug 1, 2011, 8:12 pm

Hi Ilana- Love the New Thread! That's still a mighty To-Do list!

16Chatterbox
Aug 1, 2011, 9:07 pm

Erm, I'm not Charlotte, I'm Suzanne. But what the heck, basically francophone last name, with double letters... :-)

17Smiler69
Aug 1, 2011, 10:27 pm

#13 Kerry, being away because you're too busy reading is the best of reasons. Nice having you around though!

#14 Hi Ellen! *waves back*

#15 Mark: yes, you're right about the to-do list. A but tip intimidating to my liking at this point. I was considering re-editing it when I started this thread since my reading priorities have changed since I first started it. I may still do exactly that. It's not like there's anyone to tell me I shouldn't, right?

#16 SUZANNE! Of course! Of course it's you! Of course I know that. Don't know what's wrong with me. I'm getting more and more confused every day. Also have a lot on my mind lately, which no amount of reading can push back. Forgot my best friend's name the other day as we were having a conversation and we both just couldn't believe it.

Well, of course you're always welcome here too, but speaking about keeping up... I don't know how you manage to keep up with your own thread! LOL

18PiyushC
Aug 2, 2011, 12:23 am

Starred.

19EBT1002
Aug 2, 2011, 1:10 am

18 > LOL. And yep.

20souloftherose
Aug 2, 2011, 12:02 pm

New thread! I love the little symbols you use above in your lists.

21Smiler69
Aug 2, 2011, 1:17 pm

#18 Hi Piyush!

#19 :-)

#20 Hi Heather, I'm always trying to find ways to make my lists readable at a glance as I tend to refer to them quite a lot.

22calm
Aug 2, 2011, 2:00 pm

Hi Ilana - nice new thread here ... though that to read list looks incredibly daunting!

23Smiler69
Aug 2, 2011, 6:49 pm

Yes calm, you're right. As I was saying to Mark before (msf59), I'll probably be revising my yearly goals. Though I don't know if I can keep myself from setting completely unrealistic ones on a monthly basis.

24jdthloue
Aug 2, 2011, 7:38 pm

Found you...STARRED you

now, it's back to the fainting couch....too bloody humid here

;-}

25Smiler69
Aug 2, 2011, 7:55 pm

Hi Jude. Wishing you nice cool breezes and maybe a bit of refreshing rain showers to clear the atmosphere.

*****

Have reviews to write! Will try to make room for that tonight, though honestly, I'd rather spend that time actually reading, so I'll probably compromise and keep my comments very short. Which shouldn't be hard to do with a bunch of YA novels.

26Ape
Aug 2, 2011, 8:34 pm

Hey Ilana. We'll see how long I can last on your new thread! Hopefully I can stick around a little longer this time.

27KiwiNyx
Aug 2, 2011, 8:35 pm

Starred! Hi there, just got caught up on the old thread and spied the link to this one! Phew. Hopefully I'll do better at keeping up.

28jolerie
Aug 2, 2011, 9:20 pm

It's like a double edged sword. I want to read lots but then I think if I read really fast, then that means I have a lot of reviews to write. So I guess I will continue to read at my glacial pace and space my review out so I don't end up dreading it when it comes time to write them. :)
Always look forward to your reviews!

29Smiler69
Edited: Aug 2, 2011, 11:10 pm

My own little Benjamin Lacombe festival, cont'd: (read for Children's & YA July)



146. Longs Cheveux (Long Hair) by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★

A little boy who likes to wear his hair long is fed up of being mistaken for a girl and presents a bevy of male personalities throughout history who have been known to wear their hair long, such as Samson, Tarzan and Louis XIV the Sun King. He plays guitar just like his father (who also wears long hair) and discovers that as a guitarist, his long hair is part of his appeal. Probably great for the 3-7 year old crowd, but I can't say I was enthralled.

*****






147. Blues Bayou by Benjamin Lacombe illustrated by Daniela Cytryn ★★★★

A little white boy and a black girl living across from each other on the bayou conspire to meet secretly every Sunday because their parents forbid them to play together. On this day their boat is damaged and they find themselves at the mercy of the man with the red house who is reputed to kill and eat small children who comes along to save the children and brings them to his home. They discover a house filled with musical instruments and that the man, a trumpet player who repairs music instruments for a living is willing to give the children music lessons. Wonderful illustrations by Daniela Cytryn.



*****







148. Cerise Griotte / Cherry and Olive by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★

Cerise is an overweight little girl who gets bullied at school. We know she must be a good person though, because she's an avid reader. Her father owns a dog pound and when a Shar-pei is brought in, she begs him to keep the wrinkly dog as her own pet. Her father agrees on the condition that she take care of the dog for a month, after which she can have him if he is not claimed by his owners. This is the first project that got Lacombe noticed, and it's good, but I can't say I was enthralled by the story or the illustrations. One of the few books by Lacombe available in translation for English readers.

*****







149. Pourquoi la carapace de la tortue... ? by Mimi Barthélémy illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★

The title asks "Why is the turtle's shell...?" and this little story sets out to explain why the turtle's shell is no longer smooth. Based on a folk tale from Guyana. Apparently geared for the 6 and up crowd, but the illustration style would probably appeal to younger children.

*****







150. Les Amants Papillons by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★

When Naoko's father tells her she has been promised to a man as his future wife, she makes her way to Kyoto dressed as a man so she can study literature and write haikus. She becomes best friends with another students, Kamo, who doesn't know she's a woman. This story about star-crossed lovers is based on a Japanese popular legend and the stortelling here left something to be desired, but once again, the illustrations and quality of the book make it well worth the detour.



*****







151. La grande journée du petit Lin Yi / Lin Yi's Lantern by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★

On the day of the Moon festival, Lin Yi is dying to get a rabbit-shaped lantern for the festivities. His mother sends him off to market to get some groceries and tells him if he manages to negotiate with the merchants properly he will have the money he needs to buy one. A cute story, and great illustrations with rich detail showing Lacombe's range. The book ends with a section showing how to make a Japanese lantern and an explanation about the Moon festival. Sweet and probably great for the 3 and up crowd. This is another book available to English readers.

30Smiler69
Edited: Aug 2, 2011, 11:18 pm

#26 Hi Stephen, nice of you to drop by. How about this: if you leave me a little note when you start having trouble uploading, then I'll see what I can do.

#27 Leonie, no worries, it's really hard keeping up with everyone, I know something about that myself. I'm just happy you've found me. :-)

#28 Val, I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes I think the same: if I read slower, then I'd have less reviews to put out. But then... I'm the only person pressuring myself to actually write any reviews to begin with, so I must really enjoy doing them and then bitching about it at the same time. '-)

*****

I need to try to get to bed early tonight as have to get up bright and early so I can get to the institute on time for another try at this volunteering gig as an "artist in residence" tomorrow. Coco will be with me for moral support once again, and hopefully I can just relax, enjoy the experience, and not overthink it or try to anticipate what others are thinking either, which should make the whole experience that much smoother. Wish me luck with that.

31EBT1002
Aug 3, 2011, 12:13 am

Ilana the "artist in residence." Has a nice ring to it.

I love your reviews. I'm not much of a reader of children's/YA lit myself but some of your reviews make me kind of want to read them -- or at least purchase some of them for one of my little nieces or nephews. Ha. Next time one of them has a birthday, I know just where to come for ideas! I like to buy them books for their birthdays to encourage the love of books (the little one's I'm talking about are ages 8, 2, and 2).

32KiwiNyx
Aug 3, 2011, 4:42 pm

Oh, those illustrations are simply gorgeous. I tried to find a book of Lacombe's last weekend for my daughter's birthday but they didn't have anything.. ;( I will keep looking though.

Enjoy your second day of being an Artist in Residence, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on your first day in the old thread.

33Smiler69
Aug 3, 2011, 5:15 pm

#31 Ellen, I only really took to children's books all over again after joining this group and getting a bunch of great recommendations. I did buy a few here and there before, but thought I was being a bit of a freak. There'll be lots more of them this month since that's what I'm focusing on for the summer, but there's some adult reads underway as well.

Ellen and Leonie, Lacombe books tend to be harder to find in the English market since there are only a couple available in translation, but there'll be plenty of non-Lacombe books coming up on my thread that will be easier to find in non-French markets as well.

#32 Leonie, I'm glad you enjoyed reading about my experience with the volunteering gig last week. Truth be told, I was really hesitant about sharing my thoughts here to that degree and after I did so, worried that it might offend some people who might think it was completely inappropriate. I kind of made a decision that I wouldn't spill as much personal stuff this month here just to allay my concerns.

I don't know... I see people talking about lots of personal stuff on LT, but maybe talking about my neuroses is going too far? One of my neuroses is that I always worry that I'll push people away when they realize what a mess I am!

*****

Today went well, but it took everything out of me again, so I'm off for a nap now, then walking over to the library with Coco to pick up the 13 titles (!) waiting for me there.

34EBT1002
Edited: Aug 3, 2011, 5:21 pm

It takes more than a bit of neurosis to push me away!

I hope you had a lovely nap. And I gotta say - the walk to the library with Coco just sounds wonderful!!! We are having stunningly beautiful weather here in Seattle and it's the kind of day that makes me want to have a dog to take for a walk. Instead, I just speak to other people's dogs when I pass them on the street. I think some folks think I'm rude to speak to their dog first and then, as an afterthought, say hi to the human, but the truth is that I generally prefer animals. Animals are less judgmental and more zen than most humans I've met.

(where did that soapbox come from???? sorry about that!!)

160 minutes until vacation.

Enjoy your 13 books, Ilana!

35jolerie
Aug 3, 2011, 5:33 pm

Ilana, you can spill and spill and then spill some more and it will not offend me in the least. :) I think the personal sharing just adds to the books and kind of gives you a sense of maybe why certain people like certain books and not others. If this place was just endless lists of books and nothing more, I don't think I'd like this group as much. :) In then end, we follow the threads we want and if something doesn't appeal to someone, they will find other threads that they enjoy more. At least the community here is respectful and polite so that no one is being nasty to each other when there is a differing of opinions which is so commendable. Can't please everyone so just be yourself and don't let it stress you out too much.

36EBT1002
Aug 3, 2011, 6:10 pm

Yep. Everything 35 said.

37jdthloue
Aug 3, 2011, 7:14 pm

One of my neuroses is that I always worry that I'll push people away when they realize what a mess I am!

Never fear, dear..i probably have you beat in the Neuroses Sweepstakes.....you will never push me away, or get rid of me...for that matter

Being a "mess" is relative, anyway

;-}

38PrueGallagher
Aug 3, 2011, 8:41 pm

I'm with the last three comments - spill to your heart's content...

39Fourpawz2
Aug 3, 2011, 10:20 pm

The Queen of Inappropriate and the Duchess of Dysfunction (that would be moi) has no business complaining about a few little ol' neuroses. Bring 'em on!

40Smiler69
Aug 3, 2011, 10:50 pm

#34 Ellen, for a couple of years before getting Coco, I was in such a dog frenzy that I would stop every single dog and dog owner I would come across to pet the dog and ask questions about it to the owner. The dogs didn't mind the attention, and the owners were usually proud that someone was taking so much interest in their beloved pet.

As for worrying about being rude to dog owners by paying attention to their dog and not them, fear not. This is absolutely normal. Even among dog owners, we'll ask each other what our dog's names are and rarely actually introduce ourselves too.

#35 Valerie, thanks for your message. Of course you're right that we all choose who's thread we want to visit or not. I definitely think that we each react to different books based on our own personal experiences, background, current life situations etc and that knowing a bit (or a lot) about each other helps understand each person's appreciation for (or lack thereof) for certain books.

#37 Of course you're right Jude, being a *mess* really is relative. Goodness knows I've come across plenty of people in my life who probably needed help more than I do. The ones I tend to worry about are those who insist they're perfectly normal and there's nothing at all wrong with them when it's all too obvious they are deluding themselves.

#38 Thanks Prue. :-) Now that you've all given me your approval, I won't know what to say, just watch! LOL

*****

Had a long nap, which I think I never quite fully awoke up from.

It's nice and cool tonight, and it feels good to feel the breeze coming from outside since I've been keeping all the windows and doors shut for most of the summer so far just to keep the heat and humidity out.

Today's volunteering session went fine, but was a bit awkward at times. The patients there all know that I went through the program myself, and they sometimes ask personal questions which I don't mind answering, but I can't help but wonder how appropriate or not it is to be talking about myself sometimes.

For instance, one woman there said she was studying Fine Arts at one of the local universities, and asked me why I didn't apply myself. It was hard to explain to her that I was still just in the process of recovering my creativity and that I wouldn't do very well to work under pressure or have profs critiquing my work negatively or putting my personal process into question. She kept pressing though, and I finally had to explain to her where I was coming from, how I'd studied enough art to get into design school, then became an art director even though what I really wanted to do was be a fine artist, and then basically never worked on my own creations for close to 20 years until I had my breakdown. I did mention to them that I wasn't sure it was suitable for me to be talking about my experiences, but a couple of patients said it actually helped them knowing that others had gone through similar things as them.

Sharing on a personal level is strange that way. You just never know when it might help someone else figure things out for themselves.

In book news,

we went for a library run this evening, where I had a huge pile waiting for me, but I ended up having to leave a few behind because I couldn't carry them all. These are the latest spoils that I have with me now (all children's & YA save for the last one):

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Vernes (in the original French)
La Petite Sorcière by Benjamin Lacombe
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick
Sector 7 by David Wiesner
Tuesday by David Wiesner
June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner

And in non-fiction:
Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear

41Smiler69
Aug 3, 2011, 10:52 pm

#39 Charlotte, The Queen of Inappropriate and the Duchess of Dysfunction are such great titles that I might have to steal them from you! Does that mean we'll have to wage war against each other to see who gets to keep the spoils? :-)

42DeltaQueen50
Aug 4, 2011, 12:59 am

Finally getting caught up on your threads, Ilana. Loved your bus story, I tend to err the other way - always chronically early. Just to add to everyone else, I really enjoy reading about your ups and downs in life. Learning about your life, your books and your art just makes you so "real".

43vancouverdeb
Aug 4, 2011, 5:50 am

Part Neuf? Parlez vous en francais!;) Je parle un peu du francais . Yes, I took French from grade 8 until 12 . Just French as a subject, not immersion French. Anyway, just stopping by your thread to say hi!Best wishes in your work as a volunteer as an Artist in Residence. As for dogs, I have one too - a rescue Bichon Friese who came with the name Daisy. I'm not sure that she is Zen;) but she hilarious and such wonderful company. I'd say Daisy and I are equally neurotic - and both of us take antidepressants!!! Hahahaha! It's the truth!

44alcottacre
Aug 4, 2011, 7:06 am

I am 40+ posts behind with no chance of catching up, so I will just wave and try to keep up with you from here on out, Ilana :)

45Fourpawz2
Aug 4, 2011, 11:02 am

Maybe, Ilana, you can be the QoI and the DoD - Canada and I will be the US version. (See - I play well with others in spite of my only child status.) Or, alternatively, I can give you the DoD outright, but hold on to the QoI, which really describes me down to the ground. (I think I'm a little Aspberger-y - judging by my reactions to all kinds of things which are always out of sync with other people's.)

46Smiler69
Aug 4, 2011, 4:34 pm

EGGS-austed right now. Want to reply to you lovely visitors, but will have to come back later. Am too tired even to add my latest library hauls here on LT, which is one of my all-time favourite activities. Kinda lame, I know.

Anyway, off to lie down with my latest current reads. If I fall asleep, so be it.

47MickyFine
Aug 4, 2011, 5:46 pm

I really loved the Miyazaki film of Howl's Moving Castle but I've heard mixed reviews of the book. I'll be interested to see what you think, Ilana. :)

48KiwiNyx
Aug 4, 2011, 6:02 pm

Hi Ilana, just adding my thoughts and I agree with what others have said before me. Part of the pleasure of following threads is also reading small snippets about real life and it is part of what makes LT such a friendly community I think.

Glad to hear that day two went okay as well, and hope you had a good nap.

49msf59
Aug 4, 2011, 7:58 pm

Hi Ilana- Hope you are getting some well-needed rest. Check with your library and see if they have a copy of Anya's Ghost. It's a terrific graphic, (a new one at that) and one I think you will enjoy!

50phebj
Aug 4, 2011, 8:25 pm

a couple of patients said it actually helped them knowing that others had gone through similar things as them

Ilana, that makes alot of sense to me especially because they're seeing your successful transition.

As far as sharing things on your thread, I'm all for it. It makes you more real and that's a good thing!

51Matke
Aug 4, 2011, 8:45 pm

Just taking a moment to let you know that it surely does take more than a few neuroses or little difficulties to make LT'ers shy off one. Your openess is really refreshing and endearing, as you're obviously not trying to make some sort of false impression. LT and especially the 75'ers seem to be places of acceptance, for the most part, and understaning and caring as well.

I thought it was really interesting about your interactions with patients. Maybe knowing that you've come so very far will help them be more optimistic about their own situations, do you think? I'm so glad you're sticking with it; I know it's hard and a bit scary. Still, Coco is there.

Love the painting and I especially liked the illustration with the Japanese woman washing her face. Mmmm...beautiful.

52Smiler69
Aug 4, 2011, 11:16 pm

#42 Judy, you'll have to share tips with me on how you manage to be early all the time. As for sharing my life and making me seem more "real", it's refreshing to see that some people consider that a plus, because I've met many people in my life who would have preferred me to stay more on the surface of things.

#43 Deb, I love Bichon Frisés and glad to hear you adopted Daisy as a rescue. As for antidepressants, I've been taking quite a lot of them for the past four years as wouldn't be able to function otherwise. I think my older cat Ezra fell into a depression at the same time as I had my breakdown and I did consider getting him on antidepressants too. But they're horrendously expensive, so when I realized my insurance wouldn't cover his meds too, I gave up on the scheme. He's a bit better now. Guess he follows my moods.

#44 Hi Stasia. We're all doing our best to keep up with one another here. Glad you've found me!

#45 Charlotte, goodness knows I can be plenty inappropriate too, but I'll gladly leave you the QoI title and keep the Duchess of Dysfunction one, if only because it sounds so cool! I'm an only child too, so there's proof we can play nice with each other too. :-)

#47 I didn't know there was a movie version of Howl's Moving Castle. Guess I'll have to look it up when I'm done with the book. At this point I have so many children's book out from the library that it's anyone's guess whether I'll actually manage to read them all.

53Smiler69
Aug 5, 2011, 12:26 am

#48 Leonie, I finally ended up sitting on my balcony for a couple of hours and read there. It was a beautiful day and not too warm with a nice cooling breeze blowing. I like sitting out there as it faces a back alley filled with huge trees and is generally quite pleasant. I spent most of the summer there last year, but so far haven't been out much this year with the crushing heat and humidity. Hopefully this kinder weather will keep up!

#49 Mark, I looked up Anya's Ghost, and I guess it's too recent still as they don't have it at the library. But I'll put it on my wish list and look it up once in a while in case it turns up. Thanks for the suggestion!

#50 Pat, I wish I could say your statement is accurate, but I couldn't say I've quite made a successful transition yet. Sure, I'm out of the worst of the depression, have been for some time, but I'm still struggling on a daily basis, which is why I ask myself how appropriate it is to be sharing my experiences with these people, as I can't quite yet offer them an example of a successful recovery. But then again, considering all the elements I've got to compose with (heredity, screwy childhood, even screwier life experiences), I don't know whether I'll ever be what you'd call 'normal'. Not like I ever was before! :-)

#51 Gail, as far as having *come so far*, have a look at my note to Pat, above. It's true I don't give myself enough credit. There were a couple of years when I slept most of the day and night, rarely got of bed, much less out of the house, didn't see anyone except my shrink and therapist, and couldn't even concentrate enough to read because the depression was just all-consuming. Now I get outside every day, three times a day thanks to Coco, I take art classes, I interact with all kinds of people and on the whole, I've found some kind of contentment, and according to my therapist, I'm leading a more balanced life than I ever have before, including when I was supposedly a "successful" career woman.

****

Books:

Brought back three more from the library today:

The huge Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales which I'll read before tackling her biography
Around the World in 80 days by Jules Verne (in the original French)
and Dust by Arthur Slade, a YA novel recommended by Kerry (avatiakh)

Finished Watership Down and started watching the movie, which is available in 10 parts on YouTube (watched the first 3 so far).

Finished three books by David Wiesner, all wordless graphic novels: Tuesday, Sector 7 and June 29, 1999.

Also finished La petite sorcière and it's companion, Grimoire de sorcières by Benjamin Lacombe.

Making headway on To Kill a Mockingbird, which is of course brilliant.

54alcottacre
Aug 5, 2011, 1:37 am

I am glad to hear that you are enjoying To Kill a Mockingbird, Ilana. I never read it until about 3 years ago and then I wondered why I had waited so long to do so!

55PrueGallagher
Aug 5, 2011, 1:59 am

Yup To Kill a Mockingbird - a classic with good reason!

56PiyushC
Aug 5, 2011, 2:33 am

To Kill a Mockingbird was one of favourite reads last year, a classic that deserves all the praise and more!

57jolerie
Aug 5, 2011, 11:40 am

Mmm..reading on the balcony sounds really lovely. We went for a walk yesterday to get some rootbeer bloats and I ended up getting 3 mosquito bites. I wish they would sense the mood and quit ruining an otherwise pleasant walk. :)
Hope you are feeling refreshed after getting some rest.
And nice haul of books there! I have Around the world in 80 days sitting on my shelf somewhere....

58MickyFine
Aug 5, 2011, 5:44 pm

I've loved To Kill a Mockingbird since I had to read it for English in high school. Fabulous book. And the film with Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch is just as much of a classic.

59DragonFreak
Aug 5, 2011, 5:44 pm

I read To Kill a Mockingbird in 8th grade. It was a group read, and then afterwards watched the movie. I say it's good, although I embarassed myself by, uh, never mind.

60Donna828
Aug 5, 2011, 6:12 pm

Oh yeah, I'll jump on the To Kill A Mockingbird bandwagon. I'll treat myself to a reread one of these years. I've loved it every time I've read it.

Got you starred, Ilana, and am determined to keep up with you more frequently so I don't have 50 messages to read every time I visit. The chat is too good here to skip over anything.

61msf59
Aug 5, 2011, 7:18 pm

I'd like to add my 2 cents to the To Kill a Mockingbird discussion. I've read it twice but I've been hearing fantastic reports about the new audiobook, narrated by Sissy Spacek. That will be the version, I'll try next time I'm ready.

62Smiler69
Aug 5, 2011, 11:01 pm

#54 Stasia, just about every other classic I pick up is like that... I wonder how it is that I hadn't read it yet. This is definitely the case for Mockinbird.

#55 It's funny because as I'm reading it, I already look forward to reading it again so I can enjoy it in a different way. That's always a good sign.

#56 I liked it from the first page Piyush, and as I make progress I enjoy it more and more.

#57 Gotta hate those little bloodsuckers. They usually LOVE me, so I'm glad they haven't been around so far.

I don't know that I'll have time to get around to either of those Jules Verne books, but I've got good intentions.

Today again, I spent a good part of the afternoon reading on my balcony and then in the evening, walked over to a park nearby I really like that has a big antique water fountain. I keep forgetting it's there for some reason, so it always feels like a special treat when I do go. I had brought To Kill a Mockinbird with me and read a few chapters... couldn't put it down and finished the last few pages in the semi-darkness!

#58 I'll definitely be looking out for the movie once I'm done reading the book. Gregory Peck is (was) just so brilliant.

#59 Nathan, you DO realize that now you've brought it up you MUST go ahead and tell us the full story!

#60 Awww Donna, your comments always end up making me feel so special. You're a gem, and I'm always happy whenever you find the time to come over.

#61 Mark, I looked for an audiobook version before I borrowed the book from the library, but didn't find anything on Audible, which I found very surprising. I still don't see it there, but I'll keep looking and will keep it in mind for a future reread.

63jdthloue
Aug 5, 2011, 11:21 pm

Well, thank god you finally read To Kill a Mockingbird...why, i read that when i was but a wee child...................

Just kidding.... I did read it when I was......12...maybe...but I've read it many times since then

If you get a chance...check out the DVD...with Gregory Peck as Atticus...every bit as good as the book

Glad your 'second day" went better...I envy you your balcony..I always wanted one, whenever i lived in a city

Take care

64Smiler69
Aug 5, 2011, 11:41 pm

Jude, well I just checked on Netflix and of course they don't have the movie there. I cancelled my subscription after a couple of months with them because every time I looked for a movie, they didn't have it. EVERY TIME! So anyway, I looked it up on iTunes and they have it there so I'll be watching it as soon as I'm done with the novel.

My balcony is kinda small, but it's definitely one of the features I love about my place. I actually have two of them, but the one up front it taken up by my bicycle—which I haven't used ONCE this year, not into it for some reason.

65avatiakh
Aug 5, 2011, 11:52 pm

Ilana - I've just started listening to Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys narrated by Lenny Henry - it's excellent both story and narration. One that has me looking for excuses to leave the house so I can keep listening to it.

66alcottacre
Aug 5, 2011, 11:53 pm

I am surprised that Audible does not have the audio version of TKaM available, especially considering the book and the narrator.

67avatiakh
Aug 5, 2011, 11:54 pm

Ilana - can you get dvds at your library? Most of what I watch comes from the library now.

68jolerie
Aug 5, 2011, 11:55 pm

Yeah we were considering getting a subscription to Netflix awhile back and cutting our cable but we saw the selection they had available and were quite disappointed despite how convenient it would be to just d/l whatever you felt like watching. If they don't carry any of the remotely current stuff, it just isn't worth the money, no matter how cheap.

69Smiler69
Edited: Aug 6, 2011, 12:20 am

Oooh, was just off to do bedtime things and then saw a little flurry of messages all of the sudden! Makes me feel so special. :-)

#65 & 67 Kerry, I just listened to a sample of Anansi Boys, and you're right, Lenny Henry sounds like he does a great job. I know it's not a sequel to American Gods, but I've had the latter sitting on my shelf for a little while now and really do mean to get to it first, especially as it's set in the same world and all, but am putting AB on my wish list.

Thanks for the reminder about the library as a source for movies. The library is all quite new to me still, and I haven't developed the reflex of getting movies there yet, but just looked and sure enough, they have Mockingbird there. I'll reserve it as soon as I've read the final words of the novel.

#66 I know, it's really strange that they don't carry it. Especially now that I see that the audio was published in 2006?!? But stranger still, I just checked the library catalogue and see they have it there! I could swear I looked up TKaMB there before and never saw they had it. I'll still borrow and copy it so I have it on hand for a re-read.

#68 Valerie, in my case, I wasn't so much looking for the current stuff, but mostly for film adaptations of books I'd just read, like Portrait of a Lady and House of Mirth and other classics, but I did search for quite a wide selection of movies and systematically came up empty handed. Maybe their Canadian selection isn't as good because of copyrights or whatever? I cancelled the membership a few months ago now, and still, just to be sure, every time I think of a movie I want to see, I check to see if they have it, and so far, didn't find they had what I was looking for, not a single time.

70Smiler69
Edited: Aug 6, 2011, 10:22 pm

Migraine for a good part of the day today. It's back with a vengeance now.

The good news is I've spent most of the day reading. Made a lot of progress on To Kill a Mockingbird, am guessing I'll finish it tomorrow. Also read a few graphic novels. I tried following some of the threads today, but I can't seem to find words to comment and I don't really like to just lurk, especially when I WANT to participate but just... can't.

Feeling really blue today. Can't help but wonder how I'll get my act together, get out of my current situation and become a "productive member of society" again. If ever? I wonder about this a lot, but it just makes me feel more anxious and depressed. Best go read some more then.

71msf59
Aug 6, 2011, 10:19 pm

Ilana- Sorry you had a rough day! Sending a big hug to blow those blues away! Hope tomorrow is better for you!

72Smiler69
Aug 6, 2011, 10:21 pm

Almost forgot, I finished listening to Charlotte's Web this evening. I loved this story dearly as a child, but wasn't so enthralled this time around. I could suspend disbelief enough to go along with the fact that Charlotte (who is my favourite character by far in this story) could spell out words, but it just made no sense that people don't realize the real miracle is this spider, and not the stupid pig who, don't get me wrong, I love pigs too, but in this story, he doesn't do anything special at all, does he? And yet he gets all the credit. I hate that.

Maybe I'm just too grumpy lately.

73Smiler69
Aug 6, 2011, 10:22 pm

Thanks Mark, hugs are always especially appreciated.

74jolerie
Aug 6, 2011, 11:12 pm

Sending *hugs* your way Ilana! Feeling blue is never fun and hopefully the funk is short term.

75Deern
Aug 7, 2011, 3:15 am

When I signed on to LT this morning and saw your thread I thought "27 messages in a week is unusual for Ilana's thread, but at least that's a number I can handle" and then I saw that the last entry was done on Monday... so I am just saying 'Hi', and I'll read everything here at some later time.

Loved the bus story on the old thread and want to say that I am sorry I didn't comment yet on your volunteering. I think Prue found the perfect words in her post #190.

Belated congratulations for your 2x75!

Just read your post #72 here and had to laugh - those were my thoughts as well. I liked the book, but I wished I had read it as a child. I kept thinking that children probably imagined Wilbur as a piglet thoughout the book while in reality by the end he must be a not so cute (and very smelly) boar.

76alcottacre
Aug 7, 2011, 3:17 am

((Hugs)) and hopes that you are feeling better soon.

77Donna828
Aug 7, 2011, 12:21 pm

I watched "The House of Mirth" in lieu of a final exam for the American Realism in Lit class I took in the spring. No wonder I'm excited that it's almost time to sign up for another class. I was impressed with how well the movie followed the book.

>72 Smiler69:: "Stupid pig"? My goodness, you are in the doldrums. I have these dark cloud days occasionally too and hate the way they make me feel. I hope the sun is shining on your world today. I'll be glad to send some of our hot sunshine - along with some hugs - up your way.

78lkernagh
Aug 7, 2011, 1:23 pm

Hi Ilana - I found you new thread and think I am caught up again. ;-) Love the reviews as always and the discussion about To Kill a Mockingbird has me wanting to re-read it myself.

Have a Great Week!

79lit_chick
Edited: Aug 8, 2011, 12:45 pm

Hi llana, thoroughly enjoying your thread. While I've messaged you for LT tips a few times, I haven't visited here. Appreciate the personal touch you've brought to your thread, too - as others have said, I think knowing something about each other as people helps us to understand our different responses to books. And I haven't come across a more respectful community than LT. Speaking as one who is not terribly creative, your artist in residence/creativity fascinates me!

LOVE the illustrations and the children's/YA works you are posting. And you've given me the idea that I must find and re-watch Portrait of a Lady. I saw this some years ago - I think Nicole Kidman was in it? In any case, thanks for the tip/reminder : ). Love that you're reading To Kill a Mockingbird right now - enjoy!

80jdthloue
Aug 7, 2011, 3:09 pm

Oh, Ilana...you got the migraine..I had the earache ...yesterday...no fun for either of us....I blame mine on the increased humidity...

Also...maybe why you haven't felt like riding your bicycle, this year...too many damned "hot spells" ...not enough respite

Thanks all, for the heads-up regarding Netflix.....I haven't got my new TV set up yet....but was considering a subscription for downloads....now....reconsider, me

I have a ton of DVDs that i've acquired over the years...but my copy of To Kill a Mockingbird seems to have, uh, flown the coop.....a-hunting i shall go!

Hope you're doing better today...at least my ears don't hurt (as badly)

;}

81DragonFreak
Aug 7, 2011, 5:20 pm

>62 Smiler69: OK, I'll tell you, I should PM you so no one else will read it, but who cares. I don't know if you've been to this part I'll mention, but it won't spoil much.

So in eighth grade, I wasn't real...street smart. I'm still not, but it's better. So at the beginning of each section the whole class read in, he made us do class puzzles like hangman and such to see what that part will be about. One of the clues was "Strip Poker". I have never heard those two words together before. I knew what "strip" and "poker" was, but not together, and my brain couldn't put the two together. (Again, I'm still not good with putting things like that together.) So I raised my hand and asked what it was, and everybody laughed, and I knew I was the only one who didn't know. The teacher told everyone to stop laughing and told me what strip poker was. It doesn't seem really bad, but back then, I was super embarrassed.

82KiwiNyx
Aug 7, 2011, 7:41 pm

Hi Ilana, hope you're feeling better today, blue days are not so great. I have to agree with you about Charlotte's Web, I loved this book as a kid but as an adult and watching the recent movie with my kids I was quite put out that Charlotte doesn't get more credit for her good deeds, she is a gorgeous character.

Take it easy, read on that lovely balcony of yours, and sending you hugs as well.

83Smiler69
Edited: Aug 7, 2011, 11:04 pm

Just a quick hello and thanks to everyone for your messages. I'll be back to comment on them individually soon, but have some of my favourite shows coming on HBO, i.e. True Blood and Curb Your Enthusiasm so only have a few minutes of spare time right now.

I spent a good part of the day with my dad today, which is something that doesn't happen all that often. We care about each other very much, but to say we have a *complicated* relationship is probably an understatement. Let's just say he gives me plenty to talk about during therapy sessions.

He moves around a lot, so today I went to visit his new place along with Coco and we took our dogs for a walk along some parts of his neighbourhood he discovered which have not been built up and are basically unofficial and mostly unfrequented little islands of nature in the city. Our dogs had a great time playing and running around, and things were mostly easygoing and relaxed, which isn't something I take for granted, and which was especially appreciated today.

I started listening to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn today and just got to chapter 6 I think. Enjoying it very very much so far.

Show about to start, be back later!

84DeltaQueen50
Aug 7, 2011, 11:07 pm

Oh, I loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn! I recently watched the 1945 movie and, as usual for me, I preferred the book, but it was fairly well done and in particular I thought Dorothy McGuire shone as the mother.

85Smiler69
Aug 7, 2011, 11:34 pm

#74 Hi Valerie, I got out of the house today for a change, which was probably the best thing, though I'm annoyed that I didn't get as much reading done as I would have liked to.

#75 Nathalie, it's nice to hear from you, you've been missed! It took me a while to understand the first part of your message, I didn't think my thread moved that fast...

I'm glad I read Charlotte's Web as a kid. Then what I was most impressed with was that Wilbur got saved, but this time I was mostly wondering why everyone was being so gullible when they saw Charlotte's messages. Guess I lost that childhood innocence somewhere along the way (mustn't have helped that I worked in advertising for a while).

#76 Thanks for the hugs Stasia.

#77 Donna, I'll take the hugs, but no more hot sunshine, please! We've got more than enough as it is. And yes, when I'm down, everything is off colour. Hopefully this time it's just a passing thing, though I do struggle with depression more than I ever mention here. But Coco always helps cheer me up some, no matter what, if only because he's so darn cute! I'm sorry I said that about Wilbur. Will you forgive me?

#78 Hi Lori, I'm really enjoying TKaMB and actually spend quite a lot of time thinking about it when I'm not reading which doesn't happen with that many books, and I know already that I'll be reading it again in future. Will have to get my very own copy. I might even splurge and (gasp!) get a hardcover version.

86Smiler69
Aug 7, 2011, 11:53 pm

#79 Nancy, glad you found me. And you're absolutely right, it's a very special community here on LT and my only surprise it that it took me so long to start interacting with people here because for the longest time I was focused on the libraries and cataloguing my own books.

Speaking of Portrait of a Lady (which yes, is with Nicole Kidman), I just went to check on the library catalogue again, just in case they got it, but no, they only have two versions on video, which... who even watches videos anymore? :-S

#80 Hi Jude, hope you find your copy of TKaMB again soon. Sorry to hear about the earaches. In my case, it's pretty certain that the heat & humidity are not helping with the migraines. I get tension headaches most every day and am used to those, but when I have a hard time functioning it's not so great. Today I'm doing... I don't know how I'm doing actually, ask me again tomorrow. ;-)

#81 Nathan, that's such a great little story. I'm glad you shared it with us here. I had a lot of similar experiences as a child, especially when I was living in Israel and going to regular school while still trying to learn Hebrew. Kids were making fun of me all the time when I didn't understand the simplest expressions or misused words. It's true that when we're kids we get incredibly embarrassed about things that don't seem at all like a big deal when we're adults, but then again, kids can be pretty unforgiving among each other as well.

#82 Hi Leonie, you express perfectly what I felt about Charlotte. What stays with me the most about that story is what a special creature she was, and I guess E. B. White felt that way too, or he would have named the book "Some Pig" or something. :-)

#84 Judy, I just went to check whether the library has the film version of A Tree Grows, and they do, but once again, only on video. At least they had the audiobook, so I shouldn't complain.

87PrueGallagher
Aug 8, 2011, 12:11 am

phew! puff puff - just caought up on your thread, Ilana - going back to your Blue Day #70, the future hasn't arrived yet sweetie - look after yourself in the present and have faith that the universe, for you, is unfolding as it should. Continue to nourish yourself and take small steps outside your comnfort zone on a daily basis. You will know when it is time to take a bigger leap!

88vancouverdeb
Aug 8, 2011, 6:44 am

Hi there Ilana! I hope tommorow is better than today was. A migraine is no fun at all.And I confess - a few good tv shows can really lift the spirits! I hope you had a few laughs! hugs!

89msf59
Aug 8, 2011, 7:16 am

Hi Ilana- Hope you had a good time with your father and I hope that migraine stays at bay today. Hugs!

90Smiler69
Edited: Aug 8, 2011, 1:03 pm

#87 Prue, you sure have a way of making me feel better with your encouraging messages. You're right, no use trying to anticipate the future when I should be just taking care of the *now*. Thanks darling. :-)

#88 Deb, I did have some laughs last night, Larry David is so outrageous in Curb Your Enthusiasm, and everyone is so unbelievably, yet completely realistically neurotic in that show that I just crack up, and the more offensive they're being the better! Which is funny, because I would never stand for it in real life. Go figure!

#89 Hi Mark, I have to say that my dad and I did end up having a good day of it, which is something I never take for granted. I just have to always keep in mind that I have to make lots of allowances, because he is very much a unique individual; I know for a fact he takes pride in being an unrefined eccentric, which often rubs the wrong way with my sensibilities. But I know he cares a lot about me in his own way, and it always feels like a special treat when we manage to spend time together and get along throughout and part amiably. Now if only I could somehow stop feeling guilty about being a bad daughter! But I guess I'd need to get a lot more therapy to get there! ;-)

*****

Finished To Kill a Mockingbird last night. What a great book. It's funny with great classics like that that you've heard about your whole life; one has ideas about what the book must be like, and it's always such a surprise to find that the story is nothing like what I expected. I loved that as tragic as it was, there were also great touches of humour. I may have to read the last chapter again, because it left me somewhat confused—that Boo Radley character is still a complete mystery to me.

I'll be starting another children's / YA book today, though not sure which right now since I've got such a huge selection to choose from!

Today I'll be signing up for art classes for the fall session. I'm definitely taking a watercolour class with my favourite teacher again, and am strongly leaning toward an all day painting class where students work on personal projects, if only because I've got so many canvases started that I'd like to keep working on, and there's a great teacher with a really unique approach teaching it too. It'll be good for me to get back into making art again, though I don't know how I'll manage to tear myself away from all my beloved books!

I'm incredibly, ridiculously behind on my reviews at this point (for a change! LOL), so will try to make the time to get caught up a little today. Shouldn't be too difficult to get most of them written up since a large proportion of the books are graphic novels that won't require much more than a sentence or two.

91Matke
Aug 8, 2011, 1:09 pm

>90 Smiler69:: Wait! There's therapy to help with Daughter Guilt? How could one get enough sessions in within a lifetime?

I'm loving it that your taking some art classes. Hope that they'll be just what the doctor ordered, so to speak, to help with Blue Days and other psychic whatnot. You add a lot here, with one thing and another; I just know that you've got a lot to add artistically wherever you might be.

{{{Hugs}}}

92Smiler69
Aug 8, 2011, 1:52 pm

#91 Gail:

:-))

That's more or less the look on my face right now, because that's really sweet of you to say. As is happens, art classes actually ARE what the doctor (shrink) ordered, quite literally, because they do help a lot, if only by taking me out of my head and focusing on doing things that often actually benefit from all my complicated psychic whatnots and stuff. ;-) I've even learned that doing art helps with migraines and that oftentimes, if they're not the kinds of migraines that threaten to kill at any moment, they get alleviated about an hour into the classes... often to return when the class is finished mind you, but any kind of relief is good relief of course. It would seem that I often do my best work when I'm depressed or in pain (which amounts to the same thing really). Now if only I could get the discipline to do my own work here at home when I need relief, I'd probably be a very productive artist! :-)

I often joke that with the genetics I've been handed over, I should have been put in the therapist's chair right from birth, but no, even that would probably never help get one rid of Daughter Guilt, you're right. ;-)

(((Hugs))) right back to you.

93Smiler69
Edited: Aug 8, 2011, 8:42 pm



152. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead ★★★★⅓
(Read for Children's & YA July & TIOLI #22: Read a Newberry/Newberry Honor Award Book)

It's 1979 and Miranda lives with her mother in the heart of New York City. When the story begins, we find out that her mother has just won a spot as a contestant on the $20,000 Pyramid, a popular TV game show. Then the focus shifts when it becomes clear Miranda is telling this story to a particular person, and she goes on to describe how the whole thing started the day that her best friend Sam got punched in the face by an older guy neither of them has ever seen before. She goes on to describe a series of events and details that seem disconnected; how the kids at her school sometimes have to stay in for lunch because the cops are trying to catch a naked man running down Amsterdam Avenue; how the only book she ever reads is Margaret L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, which she practically knows by heart; how she and a couple of friends start working during their forty minute midday break for an eccentric deli owner who pays them in cheese sandwiches; how she's always careful to avoid a homeless guy she calls "The Laughing Man", who hangs out close to her building and is often seen lying under the postbox; and perhaps most intriguing of all, about a series of weird notes she finds in unlikely places that are addressed to her from a stranger who insists she can't tell anyone about him.

This is a very quirky novel, and it took me a while to get into it, because the short chapters seemed completely disconnected at first, but nevertheless I found myself reading on compulsively. One of the few things I knew about the story was that it was about time travel, though the connection to this theme only became evident at the end, by which point all the different threads suddenly come together in a brilliant way that makes you want to read the story all over again. Excellent and definitely recommended.

94Dejah_Thoris
Aug 8, 2011, 7:06 pm

What a wonderful review of When You Reach Me. I don't read a lot of YA / children's, but I may have to give this one a try. Thanks.

95msf59
Aug 8, 2011, 7:13 pm

Ilana- I loved your When You Reach Me review! I listened to this one on audio, awhile back and also really enjoyed it.
I'm also glad you enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird. It is such a perfect book. I re-read it with my daughter a few years ago and the 2nd time blew me away.

96Donna828
Aug 8, 2011, 8:42 pm

Of course, you're forgiven. I have no special love for Wilbur... I just felt bad that you were feeling so down. I think Wilbur is/was tough-skinned enough to take being called stupid. And, yes, Charlotte was clearly the cleverest critter in the barn.

I'm glad you're feeling more chipper today. Our sun must have wandered up your way without me sending it as it was a bit rainy and overcast here today. What a relief.

97Smiler69
Aug 8, 2011, 8:46 pm

#94 Glad you liked the review. I didn't read Children's / YA before only in the sense that I didn't know such a label existed; books were just books to me, no matter the category. There's a lot of great stuff worth exploring, and this book is a good place to start.

#95 Thanks Mark. I wish I'd noted who suggested When You Reach Me, I'm usually scrupulous about taking note of that. Hopefully my review will inspire others to read it too.

98Smiler69
Edited: Aug 9, 2011, 12:10 am

My Own David Wiesner Festival for Children's & YA July... in August





153. Hurricane by David Wiesner ★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July in August)

This book came with a CD for a multimedia experience. It's a story about two brothers who witness a hurricane going through their neighbourhood and how a fallen tree triggers their imagination. The illustrations were good, the story was simple but fun, but the background music on the CD was distracting, not to mention godawful and terribly dated. I'd like to say I'm not basing my rating on that, but the book minus the audio would probably have been more pleasant.







154. Kite flier by Dennis Haseley ★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July in August)

The premise of the story sounded great; a man who gave up on his passion for making and flying kites when he lost his beloved wife takes it up again for his infant son as an expression of his love for him. The prose was average, and the illustrations for this book (originally published in 1986) seem dated, though of course the kites themselves were gorgeously rendered. With so many other great books by Wiesner out there, I wouldn't recommend this one unless you, like me want to get a good feeling for the scope of his work.







155. Tuesday by David Wiesner ★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July in August)

A wordless story about a strange Tuesday night when suddenly all the frogs in the pond start floating up on their lily pads and travel through the nearby village in one great big flock, shocking humans and dogs along the way. An amusing premise and great illustrations. This Caldecott Medal winner definitely deserves the prestigious award.









156. Sector 7 by David Wiesner ★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July in August)

Another wordless wonder and a Caldecott Honour book, this graphic novel tells the fantastical story of a boy with artistic talents who goes on a school outing to the Empire State Building. Once in the observatory, the children are disappointed to find the sky is too cloudy to see the views, but the boy is approached by a friendly cloud who whisks him away to "Sector 7", a cloud manufacturing plant somewhere in the skies. Once there the boy causes a small revolution when he starts drawing creative shapes featuring gorgeous sea creatures for the outgoing clouds. I loved the concept and realization of this book, but just couldn't buy the idea of those friendly clouds with the smiling faces for some reason. Still, a book most definitely worth checking out for the sheer creativity and beautiful (and intricate!) watercolours by Wiesner.










157. June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner ★★★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July in August)

Holly Evans has the bright idea to send off plant seedlings into the sky by attaching them to Acme balloons for her science project . About a month later, on June 29, 1999, gigantic vegetables start floating down to earth, landing all over America: "Cucumbers circle Kalamazoo. Lima beans loom over Levittown. Artichokes advance on Anchorage. Parsnips pass by Providence." These strange events are widely reported in the media, but Holly is astounded when watching the TV coverage, she sees that "Cauliflower carpets California, spinach blankets Greenwich, and Arugula covers Ashtabula" because the strange thing is, Holly didn't include Arugula in her experiment. Another fantastic Wiesner project which to my mind is as great as Flotsam. Why it didn't get a Caldecott is the real mystery here.



99ronincats
Aug 8, 2011, 10:03 pm

I love the Weisner illustrations, Ilana. About words, I remember in 5th grade when the boys had great fun having me say the first syllable of pistol and then laughing uproariously--I'd never heard the word at that point. And I pronounced misled as misl-ed for years--one of the disadvantages of reading words you've not heard in real life. ;-)

100lit_chick
Aug 8, 2011, 10:15 pm

What fabulous illustrations! They are just beautiful!

101avatiakh
Aug 8, 2011, 10:42 pm

I've also enjoyed reading your reviews and love the Weisner illustrations too. So long since I read Charlotte's Web so I probably should reread it. You might like to take note of Dear Genius which is the correspondence of Ursula Nordstrom, children's publisher, to her writers and illustrators including Mr E.B. White. I adored this book, she was so encouraging, nurturing and funny.

102Fourpawz2
Aug 8, 2011, 10:51 pm

Love those frogs on lillypads. Looks as if it would be fun to do that - floating up over the pond in the moonlight...

About Charlotte's Web - I never read the thing until I was in my forties when my old boss gave me a copy of the book and a video (which I never watched). For some reason I was disappointed to find out that Charlotte was a spider and not the pig. Pigs are cute and spiders are - not cute. I fear that I would have thought that when a child as well; I did not much care for children's books, but that may have been because I hardly read any kid's books when I was one.

What's with the 'bad daughter' stuff? I can't imagine, Ilana, that you are any kind of a BD. Hope that's not you judging yourself. My mother used to say that the only person qualified to judge a mother was her child and I would suppose it's the same for judging a child - only a parent is entitled to do it. As for my own dear Mummy - she was a rotten one, but I was too cowed by her to be honest about my judgement of her success as a mother; I preferred to keep my head perched atop my neck where it was always meant to be instead of rolling across the floor in a bloody and disconnected condition.

*Gulp* Hope I haven't been inappropriate - again. I do find it so hard to figure out when I should keep my big, fat mouth shut. Just don't like to think of you beating up on yourself.

103Smiler69
Aug 8, 2011, 11:21 pm

#96 Sorry Donna, somehow I skipped over you comment while I was slaving over my reviews. To think I'm only halfway done! Things were looking better today, but then my mind has been focused on getting things done, like my reviews for example.

Also, I'm really enjoying A Tree Grows in Brooklyn which is great, because since it's an audio, I'll be more motivate to do my housecleaning, something I usually avoid doing at all cost, quite literally, since I have a cleaning lady come in while I laze about. But I went crazy with spending the past few month and now I'm having to cut down on extraneous expenses like that. Not complaining though, days like today I realize how blessed I am to be able to have such a good life. And I never take it for granted.

#99 Roni, I discovered Wiesner when Pat (phebj) posted a glowing review of Flotsam on her thread. I loved it too, and when I mentioned it on the July Children & YA thread, Marie said that they sought out all his books because they loved them so much, which gave me the idea to do the same.

I still mispronounce words on a daily basis because I spend so much time reading either books or on the internet and whatnot and hardly any time talking at all since I've been on my own for so long. I use the m-w.com pronunciation audio all the time, and even though I've listened to these over and over I still have a hard time between "weary" and "wary". Not to mention when I try to pronounce words which nowadays aren't really used in conversation (many many, as you know) and realize I probably need practice to say correctly.

#100 I love sharing samples of the illustrations when it comes to graphic novels because after all, that's what they're about!

104Smiler69
Edited: Aug 8, 2011, 11:54 pm

#101 Great. Just great. Don't you think you've done enough damage for one evening Kerry? First, the link to the Hans Christian Andersen Award winners and now another book that sounds amazing... how am I supposed to ever read books off the shelf???

But you know I love you for it, don't you? :-)

(by the way, I just checked, and they don't seem to have Dear Genius at the library. Shucks.

#102 Oh Charlotte, please don't worry, that's absolutely not inappropriate, but I know just how you feel. Every time I spill here or even on my own blog, I then worry sometimes for days later whether I should or shouldn't have done it.

But this time, I don't think I'm just beating up on myself when I say I'm a BD. Without going into details, my father has a way of getting under my skin to the point where I've (often) completely lost it with him. I found out from a book I loved (The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron) that he is what is called a crazymaker. Goodness knows I do love him, but the man just doesn't understand the concept of logic and universal laws or many kinds of boundaries most of us agree on, and to him, anything that is approved of by the majority is something to be avoided on principle, which, as you can imagine, can be infuriating. Lately, we had a conversation about our relationship and he was trying to convince me that the only reason we've had such a hard time getting through to each other over the years was because he wasn't present in my life enough. It's true that my parents separated when I was still a baby and that I didn't spend much time with him, but the first thought that went through my head when he said that was "and thank God for small mercies" because I do think I would have been completely dysfunctional (as opposed to "mostly" dysfunctional—lol) had he actually raised me. The second thought that went through my head was how I just couldn't wait to tell my therapists about what he'd just said because I'm sure even they'll have a pretty good laugh about it. I laugh about it when I can, because otherwise I just go under and get completely overwhelmed by how sad it all is. But at least there's love and good intentions there on both sides.

Now my mother is a whole different story. I'll never say she was a bad mother, but let's just say she decided before she even had me that she'd pretty well avoid anything that resembled what her own upbringing was like, so there wasn't much sense of continuity, or contact with grandparents and family in general, or a whole lot of traditions and such. This was good in some ways, but to say she took what at the time was an "experimental" approach would probably be accurate (nowadays, that goes for so many parents that it's no longer a relevant observation). But she did instill important principles in me which I'm forever grateful for. Also: a baseline of self-preservation which probably saved me from worse horrors many times in my life when I've made not so smart choices, to put it mildly. I've had plenty of opportunities to be a BD to her, and the fact that I haven't visited her in France for the last 8 years or so is just one of the ways I've expressed that. Mind you, she was married to a man I ended up loathing over the years. Now that he's gone (they separated in March), I suddenly feel like seeing her again. Go figure.

Sheesh. Charlotte: I think I just outdid you tenfold in the spilling department. ;-)

105Smiler69
Aug 9, 2011, 12:12 am

I just made an interesting discovery: all the David Wiesner books I reviewed above have to do with flying things. I wonder if that's a particular interest of his...?

106alcottacre
Aug 9, 2011, 5:36 am

Love the illustrations you posted, Ilana! Glad to see you enjoyed When You Reach Me too.

107msf59
Aug 9, 2011, 7:01 am

Ilana- I appreciate you sharing the illustrations. They are wonderful. Where do you find these pictures? I might do the same, at some point.

108PrueGallagher
Aug 9, 2011, 8:16 am

I love everything you share with us, Ilana - you are a very giving soul! I don't want to make folk feel bad about their various awful childhoods and flawed parents, but I do want to just share that my own mother - 87 and cannot talk, deaf, barely mobile - took a tumble on Sunday. Some of you may know that I am her full-time carer (I am lucky to be able to work from anywhere via internet, so I can continue my full-time career). Anyway, she broke several ribs and is in tremendous pain, and the doctor doubts she will make it back home this time. So my point is just if you have anything you need to sort out with your parents - don't leave it for another time. I had the great gift of time to say goodbye to my father and when he died I had no regrets over what I wished I could have said to him. There is great peace in that. And I don't think you need wait till someone is dying. You just need to step outside the petty hurts we carry and forgive them and forgive ourselves. We all do the best we can. *gets down from pulpit and scurries away: where the hell did THAT come from. they mutter*

109Matke
Aug 9, 2011, 9:46 am

Hey, Ilana. Nice reviews, thumbs distributed. I'd completely forgotten Tuesday, a book I loved to share with my students.

Nothing wrong with a little baring of one's soul or inner thoughts. Especially here, where acceptance and empathy abound, thank heavens.

110Smiler69
Aug 9, 2011, 12:07 pm

#106 Stasia, as I was returning When You Reach Me to the library, I'd already made the decision to borrow it again sometime in the near future. Guess I should've mentioned that in my review! ;-)

#107 Mark, sharing visual material is second nature to me, after all, I made a career of supplying visuals for magazine articles, books, advertising, etc... Whenever I look for images for my thread, I usually do it the easy way and just Google the name of the artist or book in question, go to the "images" section and then pick out the best ones I find at the best possible resolution. Most of the time I don't even bother downloading them, I just copy the image location and use that for my thread. I look forward to seeing what you'll be doing with that!

#108 Prue, I'm really sorry to hear about your mum's accident and also that she's in such pain right now. My loving thoughts go out to you both.

Of course you're absolutely right about the need to sort things out with our parents while they're still around. I guess that's something I should have broached in my long rant about my less than perfect upbringing (and who's is perfect, I wonder). I'm very conscious, more than ever these days, that neither of them will be around forever. We're actively working at trying to sort things out with both parents and and healing past and present hurts whenever possible, and if not, at least arriving at some kind of understanding, and above all, making sure to let each other know how much we love and care about one another. I know it's not very gracious of me to be pointing out their various flaws in a public forum like this, but I find that sharing these stories also helps me to gain acceptance and put things in perspective. Also, I always have in mind that I'd eventually like to use these experiences to write my own fiction. My own mother, who is a writer herself, is alway advising me to do just that. After all, they say "write what you know", and what is most familiar to us if not our own family stories?

#109 Gail, I just saw that you'd added June 29, 1999 to one of your collections, which made me smile. As for bearing of thoughts and souls, I guess that as dedicated readers, we all have a great love of stories, whether "real" or "fictitious", and what is more meaningful than our own real life stories really?

111PrueGallagher
Aug 9, 2011, 4:28 pm

Thanks Ilana - absolutely agree that in writing something down, you can rid it from your list of 'issues' and work it out. I wasn't making any judgements - I would be the last to do that! And, good grief, my mother still drives me NUTS - I was just having a bit of a 'vent'. Thanks for your loving thoughts - when doctors start asking if you have power of attorney, it is never a good sign. But she is surprisingly strong-willed. I have just started The Museum of Innocence - nice chunky book to dig my teeth into.

112Smiler69
Aug 9, 2011, 6:41 pm

No worries Prue, I didn't think for a second you were making any judgments—just expressing a very healthy point of view. And no, it doesn't sound too good when doctors start asking those kinds of questions, I'm really sorry you're both going through that. You seem to be taking it well from where I'm sitting right now.

I'll be curious to read your comments on Orhan Pamuk's latest, so will be staying tuned.

113gennyt
Aug 9, 2011, 7:22 pm

*Gasping for breath* I've just been jogging through a couple of threads, catching up as best I can. Loving all the illustrations and the snippets of interesting conversations I've paused over.

I too have only just read To Kill a Mockingbird, a couple of months back. Had no idea even what it was about until it got talked about last year quite a bit on the 40th anniversary of its publication. I loved it. Seemed like a kind of meditation on the question "Who is my neighbour?" in both the literal and metaphorical sense.

114Smiler69
Edited: Aug 9, 2011, 7:59 pm



158. La Petite Sorcière by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July... in August, TIOLI #23: initially written in French)

Just as she does every year, Lisbeth travels to spend Christmas with her grandmother Olga, since her parents are too busy to celebrate with her. Lisbeth likes spending the holidays with her granny. Unlike most people, Olga doesn't mind that the little girl is always finishing people's sentences for them. Then there's her little friend Edward, the next door neighbour who especially appreciates Lisbeth's gift, because his stutter makes it hard for him to finish sentence on his own. One day, the two friends go play in the attic, where Lisbeth discovers a mysterious old book. Her grandmother is furious when she finds out and takes the book away from her, which of course only makes our girl all the more curious to read it, and when she does, she's at first amazed to see it describes a lineage of unusual women going back to Lilith in 5,000 BC, who were all persecuted as witches. Amazement turns to astonishment when she finds pages describing her own grandmother, and then to shock when she turns to read the last pages.













159. Grimoire de Sorcières by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July... in August, TIOLI #4: A three-word title, with the middle word being "of")

This is the companion piece to La Petite Sorcière, and is a copy of the very book that Lisbeth had discovered in her grandma's attic. While the first book features beautiful illustrations and tells a cute little story, this book is a real stunner. It’s put together a bit like an encyclopedia, with a double page spread introducing each witch, then followed by one or two double page spreads with short descriptions and the "history" of each woman along with pictures and drawings of "artifacts" related to them. What I found absolutely astonishing here is that Lacombe has redrawn and remade each of those using his own style (including coins, paper money, sculptures, mosaics and more), something I might not have noticed right away had I not seen many comparative examples* on his blog before getting the book. Definitely among my favourites by him. These two books are available as a set and I do strongly recommend reading them in order. The've been translated into several languages and were supposed to be published in English too, so hopefully it's just a matter of time before they become available.

*it's a long thread so keep scrolling and you'll see them all



    

    

    

115avatiakh
Aug 9, 2011, 8:34 pm

Those last two books look fab, I'll have to wait for the English editions as both my French & Spanish were learnt and forgotten long ago.

116cindysprocket
Aug 9, 2011, 9:41 pm

I so envy you, being able to get all the lovely Lacombe books. At least we can see all his lovely art work on your thread. Thank you.

117lit_chick
Aug 9, 2011, 9:50 pm

Thank you for sharing more gorgeous art work, Ilana : ).

118Matke
Aug 9, 2011, 10:07 pm

I can't wait until the English versions are available. These look fantastic!

119jolerie
Aug 9, 2011, 10:53 pm

Just trying to catch up Ilana! I hope you are feeling better now? Awesome reviews and stunning illustrations as per usual. I really the enjoyed the drawings in the last 2 books - stunning! I am going to check to see if my library has When you reach me.

Just wanted to add as well that I don't GET my parents either. Neither of them. My dad was never around growing up and my mom is a nutcase, and I mean that in the most loving way possible. Sometimes I think about them and wonder if it was possible that I was adopted because I don't think, act, or reason in any way like them. We might as well be from different planets. :)

120Whisper1
Aug 9, 2011, 11:04 pm

Ilana

I'm stopping by to wave hello. I always enjoy visiting here. What a kind soul you are!

121Smiler69
Aug 9, 2011, 11:16 pm

#115 Darn! And here I was hoping to hit you with a book bullet! :-)

#116 I'm glad you're at least enjoying the artwork!

#117 My pleasure!

#118 I really hope they do come out with them. The second book really is quite amazing.

122Smiler69
Aug 9, 2011, 11:22 pm

#119 Hi Valerie, thanks for asking, I am doing better, yes.

I hope you find When You Reach Me at your library, and if you do I look forward to reading your comments on it.

As fot *getting* our parents, I'm sure there's a perfectly good biological reason that explains why it is that most of us don't, no matter how well they've done their job or what wonderful people they happen to be.

#120 Hi Linda! That's very nice of you to say, thank you.

123Smiler69
Edited: Aug 9, 2011, 11:46 pm

Well, I'm really behind on all the threads and no hope of catching up right now, since I want to get to bed as soon as possible so I can get some reading done since yesterday, I squandered all my reading time away by staying up till ridiculously late (even by my standards) and looking up Europa books which I've become very curious about, having seen several LTers talk about them in glowing terms, and with a TIOLI challenge devoted to them this month too.

There was that, but what really took up all that time was The Gallery of Regrettable Foods site which Nathalie (Deern) mentioned on her thread when she reviewed the book, which I then hurriedly went to blab all about on my blog (http://fromsmilerwithlove.com/2011/08/08/laughed-so-hard-i-cried) and then spent hours clicking through while laughing uproariously throughout. Good times.

Then today I spent the time I normally spend here on doing research to find out how/when & where to go about selling my MacBook Pro to get the best price, so that I can then amortize my cost when I upgrade to the latest model, which I want to hurry up and do before my Apple care runs out. I thought I had plenty of time between now and December to look into the selling part until another LTer suggested I'd get a better price if I sell while the laptop is still under warranty, which makes perfect sense. More good times.

Then tomorrow is a big days out... taking Coco to the groomers. LOL. At least I'll be able to catch up on some reading while I wait for him to be done getting all prettied up, though it'll cut back on my LT time again, which should be spent cranking out a few more reviews, which means by the time I can start visiting all you lovely people again, I'll be hopelessly behind with no hope of ever catching up. And here I thought I had my whole lifestyle set up so I could stay on top of the LT threads at all times! No such luck. Sheesh. Life sucks sometimes.

If I can be making jokes like that, things must be going pretty well around here. May it stay that way for at least a couple more days in a row.

124Smiler69
Aug 10, 2011, 1:38 pm

Finally I'm staying home today. Not feeling well enough to get out to that appointment. Nothing serious, just typical woman stuff. But that means I'll be able to hang out on LT for a while and see what all you good folks are up to, and take care of some reviews too of course.

125DeltaQueen50
Aug 10, 2011, 3:04 pm

I clicked on your link to The Gallery of Regrettable Foods and I was lost for the evening. What a fun site, I remember those Better Home and Garden cookbooks that they got a lot of the pictures from, and I always thought the pictures seemed a little off - but I never came up with the clever descriptions that Regrettable Foods has done. Lots of laughs, but I may have to give meat dishes a pass for the next few days.

Hope you have a nice, easy day Ilana.

126msf59
Aug 10, 2011, 4:37 pm

Hi Ilana- Hope you get some relaxation in, for the rest of your day and maybe crack a book...I'm cheering you on!

127jdthloue
Aug 10, 2011, 4:41 pm

Stopping by for a return visit

Won't comment on all the books...i can't seem to concentrate to read...does that count as "woman stuff"??

Empathize with the "not feeling well"...today is the first in a long while that the humidity isn't stifling....but, i'm still sore from Monday...rearranging the living room et al.....so, I laze about...

Can't add anything about selling the Mac...my old laptop is seriously deceased..won't stay "on" for more than 5 minutes...it's been exiled to an upstairs drawer for now

The Gallery of Regrettable Foods sounds like my first cooking attempts back in Middle School...will have to check out that site!

Take care

;-}

128Smiler69
Aug 10, 2011, 7:22 pm

Judy, isn't it an absolute riot? I'm not of a meat eater to begin with, but when I started looking at the "meat fisting" book, I thought I'd lose my dinner. Still laughing at the memory of it though because the comments truly made the whole thing absolutely hilarious. I keep stopping myself from going back on the site because I know I'll lose at least a couple more hours when go back for more.

#126 Hey Mark, didn't get much reading in, but did some online shopping in a big way! Somehow, that always makes me cheerier, though I'm hurting in advance at all those payments coming my way.

#127 Jude: do yourself a favour and go visit that site. I order you to do it. NOW! :-)

No but seriously, when you do go see for yourself, I'd be very surprised if you reported back to me that you did not practically pee yourself. There's some seriously twisted, funny stuff in there.

*****

Well, I guess I'd better start taking lots of pics and get on the selling wagon. I just called up David, my guy over at Apple and ordered up a whole new MacBook Pro setup. Same as what I have now 15", but 2011 version. The good news is I saw a guy on Craigslist Montreal just yesterday selling the exact same model as mine (late 2008) for just over $1000 and his is dented slightly, whereas mine is pristine. He's throwing in some accessories, but I can do that too, AND leave some software on there maybe, which will greatly amortize my purchase. This is the perfect time of year to be selling, since this is a university town (4 of them) and I know there's plenty of demand for laptops right now. I applied for financing while I was talking to David on the phone yesterday and he said it could take up to 30 seconds to get a response: mine came in within a nanosecond. These credit companies sure like my spending habits, which is NOT a good thing. At least I decided to sleep over it yesterday before jumping into this big purchase. Now it's done, I'm ahead of the tech curve for about... a nanosecond. In the time it took you to read this, my "new" computer system is already way over the hill. Sigh. Well at least I'm doing my bit to keep up and prop up the economy!

Off to the library with Coco. Tschuss!

129jdthloue
Edited: Aug 10, 2011, 7:58 pm

I did, I did visit "that site"...even Bookmarked it.....and, I own that BETTER HOMES & GARDENS MEAT COOKBOOK! Yes, i do! It was my Mother's..

So, there

I posted a link to the site on my Facebook page....

;-p

Congrats on the new MacBook....scary, isn't it, how easy those big purchases can be???!!!

130Smiler69
Aug 10, 2011, 9:56 pm

Jude: Yes, very scary. I've been feeling kinda giddy about it all evening. I always feel that way after I've spent money. That's because I don't have it to spend. Living la vida on credit sure is loco.

*****

Books!
Am just over halfway through listening to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and it just keeps growing on me too. One thing that almost continually amazes me is how candidly Betty Smith wrote about sexuality and many other touchy issues. I had to check back a couple of times to be sure I'd seen right: yes, it was published in 1943, but it feels like it was written much more recently than that. Great book.

Brought back from the library:

Brokeback Mountain by E. Annie Proulx
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (so I'll have it on a hand for a re-read)

and three small children's books which I borrowed based on Kerry (avatiakh) having pointed me in the direction of various illustrators, in this case Rebecca Dautremer and Jutta Bauer. There are others on the way as well. Of course I'll share whatever I can find when comes review time.

131lit_chick
Edited: Aug 10, 2011, 11:05 pm

Hi Illana, I'm not sure if I should keep reading your thread, hehe! I've now put my MacBook up for sale which I had no intention of doing until I was reading here and thinking, and reading and thinking ... I will go MacBook Pro, too, but I'll wait to see how easy (positive thinking) it is to sell this one first.

132Smiler69
Edited: Aug 10, 2011, 11:16 pm

Ok, now way I'm getting proper reviews written tonight. I'm tired and really want to be doing something else right now (like reading or maybe even *gasp!* watching telly) so it'll be what it'll be in the short time I'm giving myself to knock these out.



160. Watership Down by Richard Adams ★★★½
(Read for TIOLI #1: under a 'w' adjective tag—wild)

The story is about a group of rabbits who escape the warren they are initially living in after Fiver, a young rabbit with special gifts predicts that something terrible is coming their way (he's right, the humans are about to start building up the area). As they amble along toward greener pastures with Fiver's brother Hazel leading everyone along, they come upon another warren where theres an all you can eat buffet all the time, but here again, Fiver predicts that dark forces are at work. It's true the few inhabitants of that settlement all seem oddly depressed and fatalistic, and when big strong Bigwig gets caught in a snare and almost miraculously survives the ordeal, the group continue on their journey. I'd been asking myself all along why there were no females among them, and sure enough, they realize at some point that they need to get themselves some tail (bad pun intended). I'll skip over a lot of plot twists and fast forward to the point at which our crew has finally found the heavenly Watership Down location to establish their permanent living quarters; they are more than ever in need of does, so Bigwig decides to infiltrate a dangerous warren known as Efrafa to bring back some females. This community brought to mind the U.S.S.R. under Stalin, only here it's the decidedly unrabbit-like General Woundwort who runs the show. A big old fighter, he likes to instill fear among the rabbits in his charge whom he literally treats like prisoners with the help of his warden. How Bigwig and his crew manage the great escape against all odds constitutes the most exciting part of the adventure.

There's a lot more I could/should say about this book, for example, that the rabbits have their own religion and folklore and so on, but I've already been at this for a while, so I'll stop here. I really enjoyed the book, but it just seemed much too long in some sections. All the same, I'm glad I got to finally take in the whole story.






161. ♫ Charlotte's Web by E. B. White ★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July... in August, TIOLI #11: an author using his/her first two initials)

Wilbur the pig doesn't want to end up as a Christmas ham, and his best friend Charlotte the spider has a brilliant plan in place to save him which involves spinning webs that'll make people believe Wilbur is the most special pig there ever was. I absolutely loved this story as a child, but this time around was annoyed by the fact that Charlotte's amazing exploits are taken for granted while Wilbur takes all the credit. Maybe I'm bitter because for many years my mother slaved away as a speechwriter for a bunch of politicians who were the only ones to benefit from her talents. Still, I'm glad the pig was saved.

133ChelleBearss
Aug 10, 2011, 11:24 pm

#132 Smiler your summary of Watership Down makes it sound so interesting. I've tried to read it before and got bored and put it down. Maybe I should try again ....

134PiyushC
Aug 11, 2011, 12:27 am

#128 Ah, you are a proud owner MacPro 15" too?
Did you get the Office 2011 for Mac? It works better than any Office version Microsoft have released for Windows :P

135jolerie
Aug 11, 2011, 12:59 pm

My family is split right down the middle in terms of computers. I love my MacBook Pro (a gift from the hubby) whereas he is a diehard Microsoft/HP guy since he does support for them as a living. I don't think I use the Macbook fully as it was intended to be used since really I just surf the internet on it, but I know a lot of artsy and creative people use theirs more fully so really if I was being honest with myself, I just like it because it looks pretty, but shuuuusssssssshhh, don't tell my hubby that since I rave on and on about the functionality to sell him on the idea that I absolutely needed one! :)

136Smiler69
Aug 11, 2011, 1:37 pm

#133 Hi, and welcome to LT and the 75ers. I'm sure you've found out already what a friendly bunch this is. Truth be told, there were some moments during Watership Down that I felt things were dragging along and got a bit discouraged, but it's really such a great story overall that it's still worth sticking to it. I went for the audio version which I also recommend.

#134 Piyush, I sure am a proud MacBook Pro owner! I've still got the 2008 Office for Mac and have no intention of upgrading unless it becomes absolutely necessary, since I hardly ever use those apps anyway.

#135 LOL. No worries Valerie, I'm not about to tell on you. Your hubby must love you very much, because I don't know a lot of diehard PC users who are willing to concede that Macs are worth the price tag. Truth be told, I got all equipped software-wise to do design on my Mac, though I think that was my way of justifying my purchase, because all I ever do with it is pretty much just surf the web too. I do use Photoshop quite a bit to edit photos, but that's about it so far. I figure I'd rather be equipped for all eventualities, right?

137ronincats
Aug 11, 2011, 3:38 pm

There was an article recently in the news that figured up all the computer costs (hardware, software, maintenance, repairs) and calculated that Mac buyers ended up actually spending less overall than PC owners.

Go, Mac! (a 13" MacBook Pro owner--for the additional mobility.)

138Smiler69
Aug 11, 2011, 5:28 pm

#137 Really? That's awesome Roni, I'm trying to decide whether this surprises me or not... I know that for me there are many factors contributing to me having been a fan of Apple and Macs since they appeared on the market, one of the being that they're the only choice for professional designers, but other than that when it comes to personal use, the peace of mind that comes from knowing there are virtually no viruses to worry about is huge.

139drneutron
Aug 11, 2011, 8:14 pm

I'm a big fan of Apple's design philosophy. The extra upfront cost is well worth having something that work in a way that's very natural for me. We're Apple all the way...15" MacBook Pro for work, smaller MacBook for home (mostly the wife's), iPad for me at home and on travel, MacBook Air for the son at college, Airport for wifi, assorted iPods, yeesh. We've probably kept the company profitable all on our own! :)

140Smiler69
Edited: Aug 11, 2011, 10:51 pm

You said it Jim, I've always loved that Apple's products and software are completely intuitive. And yes, they just look so gosh darn good too! And I'll never find fault with a company that always sets the bar at being the frontrunner as far as technology and design go. Their customer service is great... what's there not to love?

*****

On the books front, I've decided to give up on Life a User's Manual for now. I'm 155 pages in and it's very interesting, but I'm not really in the mood to be taking in such a daunting amount of detail. Also, I've got a couple dozen of YA novels that I really want to get to and don't want to be tied down with the giant brick for the next couple of months. So that settles it then. I know I'll want to revisit it eventually and when I do I'll just pick it up from where I left off. I'm already feeling pangs of remorse as I type this and hesitating about my decision... you'd think it was a matter of life or death! I've been on a bout of reading several novels at once for a while and that's been fine, but I'd like to cut back and start concentrating my reads a little now. Also, I'm seeing September and art classes coming up, and I'll have to make room for these other things in my life, so inevitably will have to cut back somewhere. How I hate the thought of that.

I read Sweet Tooth: Out of the Woods this evening. Honestly didn't think I'd enjoy it because of a comment Mark made, but I got sucked right into the story and now can't wait to get my hands on part 2.

141jolerie
Aug 11, 2011, 11:14 pm

Oohh yes, I forgot about the virtually no viruses part of it! As well in terms of computer crashes, so far my beautiful Mac: 0, hubby's PC: more times then I can count, but really who's keeping score right> ;)

142DeltaQueen50
Aug 12, 2011, 12:05 am

Glad to see you enjoyed Sweet Tooth: Out of the Woods Ilana. I am eagerly awaiting for my library to get Part 2.

143PiyushC
Aug 12, 2011, 12:42 am

#137 Somehow that doesn't surprise me at all, Mac being as robust as it is.

#139 Apple needs to come up with a loyalty points program for sure! Though I don't own any other Apple product, I do love my MacPro dearly. I decided against MacAir, because of its inferior product specs compared to MacPro and ever since losing two Dell Latitude laptops in cabs in the same year, I prefer to keep mine at home, safe from all the evil cab drivers.

#140 Yes, looks are just an added incentive, the girl who first recommended MacPro to me likes her for all the more superficial reasons, it is since I got mine that she has realised that MacPro is not just all looks!

#141 Maybe thats why your husband doesn't like Mac, it doesn't require much in terms of support after all *tongue in cheek*

144alcottacre
Aug 12, 2011, 3:30 am

*waving* at Ilana - not even trying to catch up, too many posts behind. . .

145msf59
Aug 12, 2011, 7:36 am

Ilana- So glad you enjoyed Sweet Tooth. The 2nd one is even better. I just got notified, the 3rd one is ready for pick up at the library. Yah!

146Smiler69
Aug 12, 2011, 12:37 pm

#142 Judy, I might have to put in a purchase request for my library to get the the next issues in the series, otherwise I could wait indefinitely.

#143 What gets me every time is the combination of brains AND beauty! :-)

#144 *Waving* back right at you Stasia!

#145 Mark, I was looking up the series on Amazon and see the 4th one will be released in Jan. 12. Hopefully my library will be willing to get #s 2 & 3 relatively soon.

147Smiler69
Edited: Aug 12, 2011, 4:04 pm



162. La mélodie des tuyaux by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July... in August, TIOLI #18: reference to music in the title)

This book plus CD combo tells the story Alexandre, a young boy living in a bleak industrial community who's life is transformed when a circus caravan rolls into town. He falls in love with the beautiful Andalusian Elena who introduces him to a circle of musicians and when they put a guitar in his hands and ask him to play along while Elena's older sister dances flamenco, everyone, including Alexandre is surprised to discover he is a gifted musician. The book is beautifully illustrated by Lacombe and the CD features the audio version of the story which is accompanied by Spanish songs and rhythms. A beautiful project all around.






163. L'Esprit du temps, tome 1 by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July... in August, TIOLI #23: initially written in French)

Setsuko, the beloved daughter of Emperor Aratakashi loves to train with swords, but she also can't wait to be wed to the Chinese Prince Xao Ping, her childhood friend and love. But Daïtoku, the god of death wants Setsuko for himself and in a fit of jealous rage, he imprisons her spirit in a remote temple and the only way Setsuko can get away is by inhabiting the bodies of the rare visitors who visit it. When she finally manages to leave the temple for the first time, she finds out that two centuries have passed.

This comic strip, while it was beautifully rendered, didn't quite show the level of sophistication of some of Lacombe's later work. The story which was also written by Lacombe doesn't lack in imagination but the writing is sometimes stilted and awkward. Still, it made for a captivating story.





164. L'Esprit du temps, tome 2 by Benjamin Lacombe ★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July... in August, TIOLI #23: initially written in French)

In book 2, Setsuko, back at the temple is first visited by Dutch merchants in the 15th Century, and then again by a squadron of Kamikaze fighters during WWII. She is astounded to discover that one of the soldiers is the spitting image of her beloved Xao Ping, and leaves the temple with him in the guise of his companion. The 20th Century and the will of these young men to sacrifice themselves for ideals that they don't fully understand mystifies Setsuko.

In this second volume, published a few years after the first one, Lacombe's drawing style has become more refined, but with the main focus being on WWII, the story seems to have moved away from the initial plot, which might have worked for a longer series, but we'll probably never find out as the project seems to have been abandoned after this book.

148Cait86
Aug 12, 2011, 4:40 pm

Hi Ilana, I saw your question on Donna's thread about Europa Editions, and thought I would offer some suggestions here.

I haven't read anything by Roma Tearne yet, but I have Mosquito on the TBR, and know several people who love her books. Damon Galgut's In a Strange Room was excellent and challenging, and Milena Agus' From the Land of the Moon was a fantastic novel. I've heard good things about Alina Bronsky and Gail Jones as well.

Happy reading!

149Smiler69
Aug 12, 2011, 11:11 pm

Thanks for the suggestions Cait, I've added several books based on these to my library's wish list. I had already looked up Alina Bronsky's two books The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine and Broken Glass Park. Don't know if I'll be able to participate in this month's TIOLI challenge for Europa books, but I look forward to discovering them for myself soon enough.

*****

Finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn today. I've been with this story and the Nolan family for seemingly such a long time that I feel kind of lost now.

150alcottacre
Aug 13, 2011, 1:55 am

I bought A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last year at the library sale, but still have yet to read it. I really must get to it!

151msf59
Aug 13, 2011, 7:33 am

Stasia- I have not read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn either. Maybe we can pick a time to read it, later in the year. And I own 2 copies of it, classic hardback & paper editions.

152alcottacre
Aug 13, 2011, 7:38 am

#151: Sounds like a plan to me, Mark!

153Whisper1
Aug 13, 2011, 8:12 am

What great YA books you are reading. It sounds like you are having lots of fun.

154thornton37814
Aug 13, 2011, 9:24 am

I've got A Tree Grows in Brooklyn out to read if I have time after finishing off the other TIOLI challenges for which I signed up because it will match a read in one of the challenges. If not, I hope to get to it next month.

155Smiler69
Aug 13, 2011, 11:46 am

#150-152 Mark, Stasia, I thought it was a really fun read. I listened to the audio, which was fine, and every day I couldn't wait to plug into it. I just know you'll both enjoy it too.

#153 Linda, I am having lots of fun with all my YA reads, you're right. This summer I've been really concentrating on them, as my plan was to read mostly off the shelf since I'd accumulated so many since I joined the 75ers, but of course I ended up borrowing tonnes of books from the library! I'm pretty sure I'll feature some YA and Children's books in my selections on a monthly basis after this.

#154 Lori, I recommend this book to everyone, and I'll be saying so when I write my review. Also, just so you know, I listed it under Madeline's challenge #1 and it's already a shared read with one other person, so if you have a chance to get to it this month, it'll mean an extra point!

156EBT1002
Aug 13, 2011, 6:56 pm

Hi Ilana! Just back today from my vacation, finally sitting down to play on LT, had to check in on your thread. I admit it's been a bit of a skim, rather than a detailed read. Sorry to hear about a couple of tough days you've had (migraine and women's stuff... hehe) and congratulations on the new computer! I use a MacBook Pro at home and I love it. Of course, DP just got a brand new HP all-in-one with a huge monitor and now I'm jealous..... But I can sit on the couch with my laptop and I like that. lol

Anyway, just stopping by to say hi. I worry that you feel pressured to respond to each and every one of us who stops by just to say hi -- or, sometimes, with more substantive comments (not me today, too many hours in the car in the past two days), but I love the conversational feel it creates.

Take care, give Coco a head-scritch from me. waves good-bye and heads off to do some more laundry

157Smiler69
Aug 13, 2011, 9:58 pm

Hi Ellen, good to have you back! Sounds like you had a great time on vacation.

It's always my pleasure to respond to comments I get, first of all because it's my pleasure to, but also because I know all of us are always scrambling to make the rounds of threads and it's the least I can do.

Coco got shorn today! He looks half the size he was this morning and I can't help but be even more enchanted by what a cutie he is. He just makes my heart melt.

158EBT1002
Aug 13, 2011, 10:46 pm

157 > He just makes my heart melt. Oh, I can so relate. Puppy love: nothing better.

Some folks at the "resort" at which we stayed had a 4-month-old charcoal lab (first I've ever seen or even heard of) ---- too much dog for me, but he was SOOOOOO adorable. Animals = the best.

159Smiler69
Edited: Aug 13, 2011, 10:59 pm

#158 Huh, never heard of or seen a charcoal lab either before. I love all dogs, including labs, which we had when I was a girl. They sure have lots of energy. Animals are the best, you right. My life would be an abject misery without them.

*****

Tired, but I'll try to knock out a review or two, otherwise there's no hope in hell I'll ever manage to stay on top of 'em.

160Smiler69
Edited: Aug 14, 2011, 12:10 am



165. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ★★★★★

Read for Children's & YA July... in August
TIOLI Challenge #1: book found under a 'w' adjective tag (white)
11 in 11 Category #8: The Two World Wars and the Time In-Between

What more could I possibly say about this novel that hasn't been said before? That it's brilliant? Check. That it surpassed my expectations? Check. That Harper Lee's insight and keen observations on human nature can be both sublime and painful to read? Check, I'm sure. So I'll just share a couple of quotes. The first stood out to me because it was so simply expressed, but in that simplicity, all the tension of the moment had great immediacy. It almost felt like a scene from a classic Western movie, as the two opposing factions are about to face off. The second scene, featuring some brilliant dialogue was—on the surface anyway—very funny to me. But I felt I also shared Scout's bewilderment to be listening to this most Christian of ladies speak so patronizingly of the blacks of Africa and Maycomb alike:

"Nothing is more deadly than a deserted, waiting street. The trees were still, the mockingbirds were silent, the carpenters at Miss Maudie's house had vanished. I heard Mr. Tate sniff, then blow his nose. I saw him shift his gun to the crook of his arm. I saw Miss Stephanie Crawford's face framed in the glass window of her front door. Miss Maudie appeared and stood beside her. Atticus put his foot on the rung of a chair and rubbed his hand slowly down the side of his thigh."

"What did you all study this afternoon?" I asked.
"Oh child, those poor Mrunas," she said, and was off. Few other questions would be necessary.
Mrs. Merriweather's large brown eyes always filled with tears when she considered the oppressed. "Living in that jungle with nobody but J. Grimes Everett," she said. "Not a white person'll go near 'em but that saintly J. Grimes Everett."
Mrs. Merriweather played her voice like an organ; every word she said received its full measure: "The poverty...the darkness...the immorality—nobody but J. Grimes Everett knows. You know, when the church gave me that trip to the camp grounds J. Grimes Everett said to me—"
"Was he there, ma'am I thought—"
"Home on leave. J. Grimes Everett said to me, he said, 'Mrs. Merriweather, you have no conception, no conception of what we are fighting over there.' That's what he said to me. "
"Yes ma'am."
"I said to him, 'Mr. Everett,' I said, 'the ladies of the Maycomb Alabama Methodist Episcopal Church South are behind you one hundred per cent.' That's what I said to him. And you know, right then and there I made a pledge in my heart. I said to myself, when I go home I'm going to give a course on the Mrunas and bring J. Grimes Everett's message to Maycomb and that's just what I'm doing."
"Yes ma'am."
When Mrs. Merriweather shook her head, her black curls jiggled. "Jean Louise," she said, "you are a fortunate girl. You live in a Christian home with Christian folks in a Christian town. Out there in J. Grimes Everett's land there's nothing but sin and squalor."
"Yes ma'am."

161EBT1002
Aug 13, 2011, 11:20 pm

I'm so glad you found yourself so deeply touched by To Kill a Mockingbird. It is one of my two or three favorite books of all time. It may top the list. I think it's an amazing masterpiece.

162Smiler69
Aug 13, 2011, 11:33 pm

#160 Well it's definitely among my all time favourites too. As I was saying as I was reading it, I can't wait to read it again so I can pick up on all the nuances that you don't notice the first time around when you're getting your head around the story. I know for certain I'll be reading it again more than once too. As a matter of fact, I'm just now copying the audiobook version narrated by Sissy Spacek that I've borrowed from the library onto my hard drive.

163EBT1002
Aug 14, 2011, 1:14 am

Hmm, I've never listened to an audiobook. To Kill a Mockingbird narrated by Sissy Spacek may be the one to start with......

164alcottacre
Aug 14, 2011, 4:48 am

#160: Love the quotes from TKaM. I need to give it a re-read!

165ChelleBearss
Aug 14, 2011, 8:13 am

#160 To Kill a Mockingbird is such a wonderful story. I'm sure you will love it even more the second or third time around.
My local theater did it as a feature play last year and it was wonderful. Made me want to read the book again

166msf59
Aug 14, 2011, 8:31 am

Ilana- Nice review of To Kill a Mockingbird. See it's never to late to get lost in a classic. And I agree, with Gogs, Mockingbird only gets better on subsequent readings.

167Donna828
Aug 14, 2011, 11:10 am

I'm glad there is another fan of To Kill A Mockingbird here. One of my all-time favorites, too. I think that's one audiobook I would enjoy listening to, especially since I know the story so well.

It must still be hot there if Coco got a haircut. Not much we can do for our blonde Lab when it gets hot except keep him inside where it's air-conditioned. He likes to be by my side, so that's not a problem. ;-)

Have a great Sunday!

168DragonFreak
Edited: Aug 14, 2011, 11:59 am

>86 Smiler69: You used to live in Israel? Wow. But yeah, I end up embarassing myself alot, so I'm kind of used to it by now.

Also, I have a friend reading the True Blood books. It kind of makes me want to also.

Also, I'm thumbing your review of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Darn ever since I watched to movie A Time to Kill, I keep wanting to write A Time to Kill a Mocking Bird

169DeltaQueen50
Aug 14, 2011, 3:30 pm

Ilana, so glad that you loved both To Kill a Mockingbird and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, two of the best American Classic reads out there!

170Smiler69
Edited: Aug 14, 2011, 5:58 pm

#163 Ellen, would you believe I'd never in my life listened to an audiobook before January, until which point I considered that only people who were 'too lazy to read' partook in them? That is quite so. Only when I joined the 75ers did I realize that 'serious' readers considered them on par with 'real' books, and then Mark (msf59) who's a frequent listener somehow gave me an extra little nudge. I started with a couple of very short, maybe 5 min. long children's stories (The Gruffalo & The Gruffalo's Child in fact) just to see if I liked the experience before getting into full-length novels. I've never looked back since, especially when I realized it could double my 'reading' time!

#164 Stasia, it doesn't happen too often that I finish a book and want to start reading it all over again, but this is one such book. The only reason I'm not doing that is because I've got so many others on the burner that I want to finish right now that it seems kind of ridiculous to do so.

#165 Chele, I've reserved the movie version from the library and can't hardly wait to see it. I'm sure it must be great as a play too.

#166 It's funny you say that Mark, because I posted the same review on my blog yesterday with the title "Never too late to discover a masterpiece". Great minds think alike! :-)

#167 Hi Donna, as you can imagine, a poodle mix requires quite a bit of maintenance, which I'm quite guilty of shirring on most of the time. Professional grooming can be expensive, so I made a deal with myself that I'd take him 3 times a year for now. Can't get away with any less than that because his wooly coat grows so fast. Last time was in April, when I calculated that 4 months hence in August would be just in time for the summer heat... but the next time in December makes a little less sense... not sure what to do there!

And yes, Mockingbird is definitely going on the all-times favourite list, which only includes books I want to keep reading over and over again.

#168 Nathan, my father is Israeli, and though I was born here in Montreal from a mixed marriage, somehow I ended up being an Israeli citizen too when I was living out there. It's been decades since I've been back, and sometimes it seems like it's a distant dream. It was so very different from anything I've ever experienced since, but it made a huge impression on me and I'm sure changed me as a person too.

During True Blood season, I find myself looking forward to Sundays, which is when it airs. Funnily enough, I'm not a big fan of vampire stuff, but I just think the show is really well done. As much as I enjoy it, I'm not tempted to read the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris that it's based on at all. I've heard lots of mixed comments about it and what I like about the series has a lot to do with the casting and the awesome visuals and effects anyway.

Thanks for the thumb! :-)

#169 Judy, I'm sure A Tree Grows in Brookly will be another review that will give me trouble. Only I won't be able to fall back on quoting excerpts this time because I listened to it as an audio. It's always so daunting to try to review a book that so many people have already read and loved, don't you find?

*****

Ok, as much as I'm wanting to do the rounds of threads right now, I'm equally desirous of spending time with my books. I'm more conscious than ever that I'll have to cut back some on bookish things starting about a month for now to make room for my art classes (and art in general), which I've been woefully neglecting, along with everything else. Then in November, I also want to join NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), to write a draft for a novel that came to me suddenly in a dream last night. I wake up from really intense dreams (not to say nightmares, which they usually are) several times a week usually, and have to get up and do something (usually eat sweets) until I've calmed down, and that's just what happened at 4 a.m. today, only it wasn't a nightmare, it was just this... all these scattered ideas coming together in a really exciting way, which usually only happens when I'm in a manic phase. I hurried up and took a bunch of notes and I hope I can get it all to come together when I set to putting down some 2,000 words per day; the goal of NaNoWriMo being to write 50,000 words in 30 days. But if anything, the fact that I've even got an idea I'm excited about is already... pretty exciting.

171msf59
Aug 14, 2011, 5:55 pm

Ilana- What?? I'm not going to receive a Sunday visit? Well, I never. Hey, I did start a new thread and I also started a neat little graphic called Bayou. You would like it.
Have a nice evening!

172Smiler69
Aug 14, 2011, 6:46 pm

Aw Mark, you know I can't NOT visit you... especially with all that! I'll be right over.

***

In the meantime, just because I'm always contrary, most of all with myself, I've done everything BUT read since I posted my last message. I blogged, then I blogged some more on my 'other' site where I sometimes post my art. If you're curious to see the latest, feel free to visit: http://createthreesixty5.com/2011/08/14/a-man-and-his-thoughts/. Just a quick 'hi!' let's me know you've been there and really makes my day. Just sayin' ;-)

173alcottacre
Aug 15, 2011, 10:35 am

#172: I came, I saw, I clicked on the link to the blog. . .

174Smiler69
Aug 15, 2011, 11:16 am

Mornin' Stasia!

*****

I started the audiobook to Rules of Civility last night. Wasn't a planned read (*gasp*), but they made a big deal about it over on Audible and then when I read the New York Times review on Friday, well that sort of clinched it. I'm only about 30 mins in at this point (15-20 pages), but so far so good.

Doctor's appointment today for a much overdue annual checkup, and what with the usual hour wait or so prior, I should have time to get ahead. But then I'm also bringing Private Peaceful by Michael Murprugo, which I'm just a couple of chapters away from finishing, along with Beware, Princess Elizabeth by Carolyn Meyer, which was a gift from a lovely LT friend who sent it to me after I said that I'd like to gain a better understanding of the Tudor personalities and saga. If it weren't for the fact that I've got a handful of other books going right now, I wouldn't be able to put it down.

175Dejah_Thoris
Aug 15, 2011, 12:19 pm

Hopefully I'll be reading Rules of Civility this month, but I'm beginning to wonder if I'll get ahold of a copy from the library in time. My branch's copy is overdue to be returned....

176msf59
Aug 15, 2011, 12:42 pm

Hi Ilana- Yes, Rules of Civility seems to be the "it" book right now. I'll be waiting for your thoughts. Hey, I swung by the library and picked up 4 graphics, including Sweet Tooth: Vol 3. I hope to knock out 2 or 3 this week.

177Smiler69
Aug 15, 2011, 5:09 pm

#175 I hope for your sake it comes in soon. I'm at chapter 4 now and quite wrapped up in the story and warming to the characters. That's the thing with newly published books and libraries though—they can rarely supply all the demand, which is why I'm glad I went the Audible route. Rebecca Lowman does a good job with the narration too.

#176 Hey Marky Mark (I promised myself I wouldn't call you that, but I can make an exception, right?)

As you probably know, I don't jump onto the shiny new popular books all that often (more than ever since I joined this gang though), but this one sounded like too much fun to wait. I just love that whole 1930s Manhattan vibe and all.

I'll be requesting that they get Sweet Tooth Vols. 2 & 3 at the library, which is where we're headed to right now. Wish me luck with that!

178souloftherose
Aug 15, 2011, 5:31 pm

I've heard lots of good things about Rules of Civility so I will look forward to your review Ilana.

179LizzieD
Aug 15, 2011, 5:42 pm

Oh, Ilana, I lost you and there's JUST TOO MUCH to catch up on. I love looking at the wonderful illustrations and reading a little of what's going on with you. Now, I'll be a better girl and not lose you anymore!

180Matke
Aug 15, 2011, 6:29 pm

>174 Smiler69:: Aren't those waits annoying????? Gad. Hate them, especially now that the preferred mode in many dr.'s offices is the t.v. on, waaaaay too loud. One would think that dr.'s would be aware of all those studies showing loud environments increase stress levels...oops. Thread hijack; sorry.

So glad you loved both TKaM and ATGiB, two of my favorites. So relaxing to read them, and yet they pack plenty of meaning and depth and social commentary.

I've been off (in more ways than I care to admit) but hope that I am back now.

181DragonFreak
Aug 15, 2011, 10:03 pm

>170 Smiler69: What a life! I kind of want to go across the sea sometime soon.

I'm not big on Vampires either, because for once, the whole vampire thing is getting to be too much lately, right? Second, there's this unwritten rule with any good piece of vampire movie or book, there has to be romance. It's just how vampires were made, and I just hate romance. But you know, at least it isn't human romance. I'm kind of weird that I'll perfer non-human romance in books.

182avatiakh
Aug 15, 2011, 10:23 pm

Nathan - I read vampire novels that don't do romance. Try Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak or Catherine Jink's The reformed vampire support group. For non romantic werewolves, try Lonely Werewolf Girl.

Ilana - cute Coco with a haircut. Last time I was in Israel it was the height of summer and I couldn't get over all the shaved dogs, a great way for them to cope with the heat but I still thought the dogs looked quite weird.

183Smiler69
Aug 15, 2011, 10:45 pm

#178 Heather, Rules of Civility certainly seems like it's the book of the moment, and so far I think the hype is justified. Let's see how it holds up through to the end...

#179 Peggy, please don't worry, I know firsthand how hard it is to keep up with everybody here. Always happy to see you here of course!

#180 Gail, I don't mind waiting when I'm prepared for it. I use that captive time to read and relax. I learned to do that when I was working at my high pressure job and was travelling a lot. Airports and such places are filled with down time that you have no control over, so I learned to become very zen about it. Now if only I could adopt that attitude about the rest of life!

You're right that both those books make for relaxing reads. I hadn't thought about that since I was so wrapped up in the social commentary, but they made for very pleasant reading experiences.

Hope things pick up for you and stay that way. Hugs.

#181 Nathan, I totally agree, the vampire thing these days is just way over the top, which is part of the reason I'm not that keen on it as a genre. And the romance angle can get tiresome, though for some reason I can't explain to myself, I'm enjoying the romance angle on True Blood too. I've obviously got a favourable bias with that show. You're right though, non-human romance is much cooler somehow.

#182 Kerry, I need to take a picture of Coco with his fresh cut. He looks like a little mouse right now. He just melts my heart more than ever, if that's even possible.

Thanks for the non-romance recommendations in vampire fiction. What I'd really like to see is non-romance vampire non-fiction! Just kidding ;-)

184Smiler69
Edited: Aug 15, 2011, 11:25 pm

Got a great selection of books from the library today, if you're into illustration that is. On the novel front, picked up The Sisters Brothers, which I'll be reading in September and really look forward to, as I've heard so many great things about it here starting from Mark's (msf59) comments on his thread and most recently seen on Donna's thread as well. And the fact that it's up for the Booker Prize ups the interest factor too of course.

Books you can be pretty sure I'll be displaying images from (when available):

Un Lion à Paris by Beatrice Alemagna. An Italian illustrator directly or indirectly suggested by Kerry (avatiakh)
Un jour grand-père m'a donné un ruisseau Gaëlle Perret, illustrated by Aurélia Fronty who was recommended by... who else? Kerry.
Tristan et Iseult by Béatrice Fontanel, also illustrated by Aurélia Fronty
Rose Blanche by Roberto Innocenti, winner of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustration, 2008 (Italy), as pointed out to me by... you guessed it.
Selma by Jutta Bauer, winner of the HCAA for illustration, 2010 (Germany). Ditto.

185Donna828
Aug 16, 2011, 8:53 am

Oh yes, please post a picture of your "little mouse."

I picked up my third Europa book yesterday at my favorite used bookstore... Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery. Just couldn't pass it up after our recent conversations about Europa editions.

186alcottacre
Aug 16, 2011, 4:31 pm

#184: I am looking forward to seeing the illustrations, Ilana!

187Smiler69
Aug 16, 2011, 5:20 pm

#185 Donna, your wish is my command. I lurked on my own thread earlier today, saw your message and so made sure to take pics of the one I'm about to get a new "MOUSE" name tag for when we went on our walk. :-)
Uploading them from the iPhone now and will post shortly.

#186 Stasia, I need to set myself to writing up and collecting visuals for review RIGHT NOW, so I think you'll have something to look at sometime this evening. :-)

*****

Mark posted the link to Muppets: The Green Album" which I'm listening to right now and must say it's making me very happy indeed. I was thrilled a minute ago to hear they had 'Mahna Mahna' performed by The Fray (as I said on Mark's thread: "that was my favourite Muppet Show song, and I still catch myself humming it sometimes on good days, or at least days I need to convince myself that... it's a good day.") and just heard 'Our World' performed by My Morning Jacket as I was typing up this message and which I LOVED. Now playing: 'Mr. Bassman' performed by Sondre Lerche. So much fun! :-D

188Athabasca
Aug 16, 2011, 5:28 pm

>187 Smiler69: Mahna Mahna, doop, doo, be-doo, doop .......My absolute favourite - I find myself humming it in the strangest places! (I'll need to hunt that album down!)

189ChelleBearss
Aug 16, 2011, 6:03 pm

Oh I love Mahna Mahna!! As a joke a couples years back my roomie bought me a stuffed monster that sang tidbits of that song when you pushed it's belly. Made me smile!
I'll have to check out the album!

190msf59
Aug 16, 2011, 7:48 pm

Ilana- I'm glad you are enjoying the talented line-up on the Muppet soundtrack. Didn't they do a good job?

191DragonFreak
Aug 16, 2011, 9:10 pm

>182 avatiakh: Cirque du Freak sounds familiar. Is it a movie?

>183 Smiler69: I guess so. Ha, I had this whole tirade lined up of how I like non-human romance, but since you agreed with me, I'm throwing that out the window. Oops, it hit a cat.

192avatiakh
Aug 16, 2011, 10:12 pm

#191> Nathan - the first book was made into a bad movie, which came out a year or so ago. What's good about the Darren Shan books is that they are quick actionpacked reads.

193jolerie
Aug 16, 2011, 10:17 pm

Finally caught up Ilana!
Wonderful review of To Kill a Mockingbird. I read that one in HS so my memory of the details of the book is foggy at best but I do remember enjoying it quite a bit. But I think it's one of those books that I will probably enjoy that much more now being a bit older and experiencing a bit more. In HS, you read it because you were told to and you wrote the obligatory paper spewing things you know your teacher will appreciate. I guess maybe it's due for a reread sometime soon. :)

194Smiler69
Aug 16, 2011, 10:58 pm

#188 Athabasca, I know what you mean about that song, it's just so catchy and FUN! I just went over to iTunes and pre-ordered the album there. Seems it's coming out August 23rd.

#189 The really neat thing about that link is that you can hear the whole album. I've played it twice so far and loved it even more the second time. I love that they ended it with a song by Rachael Yamagata, I discovered her a few years back and love her music.

#190 Mark, I'm really glad you posted the link on your thread. I didn't jump on it right away (I get lazy about links sometimes, not sure why), but saw subsequent comments about it and glad I followed through today. Thanks for that, it really brightened up my day!

#191 Oh shucks! New thing learned about Nathan today: disagree with him as much as possible to keep him talking. ;-)
I WANT THE TIRADE! I hope the cat didn't get injured or anything.

#193 Hey Valerie! I'm slowly day by day trying to pull back from LT a bit just so that when my classes start up I won't have too many withdrawal symptoms, so I'm having a really hard time keeping up with everyone. When it came to compulsory reading and writing up papers at school, I was a complete nerd and actually really enjoyed it most of the time. So I wish we HAD studied To Kill a Mockingbird in high school, so I'd have grown up with it and seen changes in how I react to it on each reading, but the good news is we're continually growing, right?

*****

Finished my latest Émile Zola, La faute de l'abbé Mouret / The Sin of Father Mouret this evening. I went to sit in a lovely park I really like with Coco and by the time I got to the last page, the sun was almost completely gone and I was doing contortions to get enough light to keep reading! Not my favourite so far, but then I pretty much knew it wouldn't be, given the religious theme and all (not my favourite topic because find it hard to relate).

I promised some wonderful people some pics and reviews this evening and haven't delivered yet. Let's see if I can get the stuff posted within the hour...

195Smiler69
Aug 16, 2011, 11:19 pm

First things first:

Here's a pic of my little mouse:



I've also posted a little slideshow: http://fromsmilerwithlove.com/2011/08/16/meet-mouse/ took me a really long time to narrow down the selection. And now I've just got 40 mins or so to come up with review-like thingies. Lol

196craigkasterson4
Aug 16, 2011, 11:20 pm

This user has been removed as spam.

197Smiler69
Aug 16, 2011, 11:28 pm

Oh yay, spam! I was beginning to think nobody knew I existed. Gotta love it though eh?

198ChelleBearss
Aug 16, 2011, 11:42 pm

What a cute pup! Love the squint!

199EBT1002
Edited: Aug 17, 2011, 12:19 am

I LOVE the picture of your little mouse!!!! What a great expression.

I'm glad your spammer is "helpful," at least (oh brother).

ETA: I checked out your slide show and the description of Coco doing the squinty thing when you take out a camera just cracked me up. He's a ham!!

200Smiler69
Edited: Aug 17, 2011, 1:21 am

Three by Dautremer:





166. L'amoureux by Rébecca Dautremer ★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #23: Originally published in French)

A little girl is teased mercilessly by a little boy, and her mother tells her he must be smitten with her telling her she has an "amoureux" (literally translates to "Lover"). The girl doesn't understand the word and her friends all try to describe what "amoureux" can possibly mean. Cute story for young children, lovely little illustrations, but... I didn't LOVE; j'ai bien aimé, sans plus.



(click on image to view larger)

*****







167. Cyrano by Taï-Marc Le Thanh, illustrated by Rébecca Dautremer ★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #23: Originally published in French)

This take on the classic Edmond Rostand story of Cyrano de Bergerac—about a man with a humongous nose who is in love with the beautiful Roxanne, who in turn is in love with the no less beautiful but none too intelligent Christian—is adapted for children in a fun, lighthearted way that still does not shy away from the tragic ending. The twist here is that the story set in a place reminiscent of 19th century Japan. Gorgeous, intricately detailed illustrations. I very much liked; ça m'a beaucoup plu.





(click on images to view larger)

*****







168. Nasreddine by Odile Weulersse, illustrated by Rébecca Dautremer ★★★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #23: Originally published in French)

Little Nasreddine is very concerned about what people have to say when he makes his way to the market to sell goods every week with his father and their donkey. No matter what he tries: riding on the donkey by himself, or with his father, or walking by the donkey's side, there are always people who make fun of them. When Nasreddine suggest perhaps they should try carrying the donkey the next time, his wise father teaches him a valuable lesson. Loved this book with a gem of a story and beautiful, deceptively simple illustrations.



(click on cover and image to view larger)

201Smiler69
Edited: Aug 17, 2011, 1:16 am

Two by Bauer:



169. L'ange de grand père / Grandpa's Angel by Jutta Bauer ★★★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August)

An old man laying in a hospital bed tells his grandson the story of his life, not realizing that the whole time there was an angel at his side who helped him along every step of the way. The story is very simply told, with few words and with Bauer's signature simple illustrations that speak volumes. Loved it with a capital "L". (click on cover to view larger)







170. Selma by Jutta Bauer ★★★★⅞
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #22: Uncommon Main Character Name)

A dog asks the wise old ram to explain what happiness is, and the wise one answers by telling him the story of Selma: every morning at the break of dawn, she eats a little bit of grass; she gives speech lessons to her children till noon; she does a little bit of exercise during the afternoon; then she eats a bit more grass; in the evening, she has a chat with Mrs. Meier; at night she sleeps a deep peaceful sleep. A wonderful little story about the simple pleasures that give life all it's meaning. The simple pen & ink illustrations with beautiful colouring are just plain fun. An instant favourite.


202avatiakh
Aug 17, 2011, 1:23 am

Love all these images. I own a copy of Selma and would love to get my hands on a copy of Nasreddine.

203Smiler69
Edited: Aug 17, 2011, 1:38 am

#198 He's a cutie pie alright! :-)

#199 The slideshow wasn't anything revolutionary or anything, but I post them sometimes when I simply can't live with just showing two or three pics.

#201 Glad you appreciate the images Kerry. It takes a really long time to put together these reviews because I'm just a *teeny bit* of a perfectionist. Phew, I stayed up too late doing this, but I really enjoy sharing the images since, as you may have noticed, I have a great love of creative, quality illustration. If you can get your hands on Nasreddine, do. There's a follow up (or a previous book?) called Nasreddine et son âne (meaning: Nasreddine and his Donkey) which I'll borrow as soon as I can.

Too tired to read I think, if that's even possible. Off to let the mouse wee before sleep and then, crashhhhhzzzzzz....

eta: can't believe I'm still seven reviews behind. Acccccckkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!

204alcottacre
Aug 17, 2011, 5:28 am

Great picture of Coco!

Love the illustrations, Ilana. Thanks so much for sharing them!

205Deern
Aug 17, 2011, 6:27 am

Aaaaw, love the 'Mouse' slide show! Coco is just too cute. And he looks happy and proud with his new haircut.

I read most of the reviews, I am so glad you loved "Mocking Bird" as well, one of my best reads ever. Thanks for posting all those illustrations (I must!!! avoid looking at Grimoire de Sorcieres, it's just too tempting).

And you finished another Zola! I just downloaded #4, but it will have to wait a bit. Can't concentrate on those long French paragraphs/ chapters now.

206EBT1002
Aug 17, 2011, 10:02 am

I'm going to buy Selma for my niece (and, of course, I'll read it first). It looks terrific. And I love all of the illustrations you're sharing, Ilana.

207Smiler69
Aug 17, 2011, 4:27 pm

#204 Glad to share the illustrations Stasia, especially when I know that's it's appreciated! :-)

#205 Hi Nathalie! So nice to see you in these parts, especially since I know you've got a lot of serious stuff going on right now in your life.

You're right about Coco. I thought it was just my own impression at first, but I could now swear his whole demeanour has changed since he got his trim. He must feel quite different, with the breeze blowing onto his skin and minus all that wooly armour to fend for himself in the world.

Grimoire de Sorcières IS very tempting. I almost ordered it for myself online too, but then decided I could just borrow it again next time I want to see it. Sometimes I know that the desire to possess things is stronger than the urge to actually look at them/use them, if you know what I mean.

This latest Zola was a bit of a slog for me, but there was plenty there to keep me interested, so I just kept at it when the religious rites seemed to go on forever. But I would definitely not recommend reading him if you're head isn't in the right space, especially if reading in French is proving more of an effort than you can put out right now. I hope I can review this one soon. I told myself all day so far that I'd write reviews and got caught up in a bunch of other things, like going to a book sale and setting up my new "free" printer that I get with my upgraded laptop.

I'll go visit you on your thread, but I'll still say here that I hope things start looking up for you, no matter what direction they happen to take. And I'm sorry, but 40 is still YOUNG. That's what I keep telling myself when I start worrying that I'm getting too old to start over. People can re-invent themselves at any age! If we keep telling ourselves that, then we'll believe it and make it happen!

#206 Ellen, I saw in the reviews for Selma that a woman was saying she bought that book as a gift for people too, though I think she said she was getting one for herself too. The message it carries is so simple, and yet it's one that we need to keep reminding ourselves.

*****

As I just mentioned, I went to a book sale today. There's a library just up the street from me (where you have to pay a small fee to be a member) that has a sale every year. I hadn't been before, but I joined a group called The Montreal Book Bloggers just a week ago and got a note on Facebook that some members were going. I was hoping to run into them there, but arrived just a few minutes after they'd left. That's ok, because there'll be organized get-togethers in near future. The sale was very small, but charming, with a BBQ section with nicely aproned people serving hot dogs and stuff which I didn't partake in (commercial hot dogs freak me out since I KNOW what goes into them), though Coco would probably have given his left leg and right ear for one. I almost picked up a hardcover edition of The Bells in beautiful condition for a future re-read. I set it aside, but someone else picked it up. No matter. The selection wasn't all that great, with mostly the kind of crime fiction you find in airports and convenience stores. But there was a table with a great selection of YA books, most of them brand new ARCs donated by The Montreal Gazette. A high school librarian arrived at the same time as me and got her hands in three dozen books before I'd even had a chance to say *boo*, but then we chatted a bit, I saw a few of the titles she was taking, and she looked at what I had in my hands with a disinterested pout—turns out teenagers have very different tastes in YA than I do, according to her, which is fine by me.

Here's what I got for a grand total of $6:

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud (Book 1 in the Bartimaeus Trilogy)
A Nose for Adventure and The Boy from Earth. Part of the chronicles of Norbert "the tiny wisecracking alien from Jupiter" series. I just want to get my hands on the first book The Nose from Jupiter first, which sounds like fun.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (hardcover)
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman (illustrated hardcover)
The Dog Who Wouldn't Be by Farley Mowat (1980 edition, brand new)
The Teen's Guide to World Domination: Advice on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Awesomeness by Josh Shipp (so I can stay 'with it' and hopefully become Awesome too)
Jump Rope Rhymes Collected by The Lady With the Alligator Purse (unfortunately didn't come with the Special 8-Foot No-Twist No-Tangle Rope! usually attached)
Journey to the End of the World by Henning Mankel (last book in the Joel Gustafsson series which I haven't read)
A new edition of the 5 Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. Book 2 The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is missing, but book 1 has a DIY cover with really cool stickers!
and... Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. I had this one out from the library, but couldn't resist the brand new hardcover edition to keep or give away as a gift.

A bit of a strange collection, but good stuff at an unbeatable price. The only question now is where the heck am I going to put them?

208ChelleBearss
Aug 17, 2011, 5:00 pm

Good grabs! The Library sale in my city is not until October but I plan on going.

209Matke
Aug 17, 2011, 5:00 pm

Coco is as adorable as I'd imagined, with his new sophisticate style.

Great load of books for $6, Ilana. I'll be interested in your impression of the Gaiman book. And of course now I want A Nose for Adventure for myself!

210DeltaQueen50
Aug 17, 2011, 5:35 pm

Hi Ilana, I have posted the September Series and Sequels Thread. Looking forward to seeing you over there.

You have such a high traffic thread that hopefully lots of people will see this and come join us. Now I'm off to post the link to other high traffic threads - you know, like Mark's and Stasia's! :)

211Smiler69
Edited: Aug 17, 2011, 6:05 pm

#208 I actually missed the big municipal library sale, which is in May apparently. I won't miss it next time though! You have time to start doing arm curls between now and October!

#209 Hi Gail, I thought that was a pretty good deal too. I would have loved to pick up some, you know, more literary stuff too, but books are books!

#210 I have a hight traffic thread? Speaking of high traffic threads, don't forget to hit Stephen's. I'll go over to the new thread to star it right now, thanks Judy!

*****

Right. REVIEWS! 7pm is usually the time at which I take Coco for our evening walk, and I have books to pick up at the library too, so let's see how many I can knock out in the next hour or so... a new personal challenge. If I don't spend any time editing, should take no time at all, but I can't vouch for how readable nor typo-free they'll be! Lol.

212Smiler69
Edited: Aug 17, 2011, 6:13 pm



171. Sweet Tooth Vol. 1: Out of the Woods by Jeff Lemire ★★★★

Gus is a strange kid, not only because he's never been out of the woods and never seen any other humans besides his aging and sick dad, but he also happens to have antlers growing out of his head. Gus's father has taught him 5 cardinal rules, and one of them is never leave the woods, so it's a given that by page 3 he's already broken all of them, though it's not like he has too many options. When his father dies, some hunters discover the boy and are about to snatch him to sell him, because there's a big demand for mixes like Gus, who are the only 'humans' who can resist some terrible disease which is killing all humans. Then the big bad Jeppard ("like leopard") shows up, saves the boy and off they go on the road, but is the candy-toting saviour really out to help our young hero?

This is no children's book. It's violent, it's coarse and rough and rude, and I didn't think I'd like it, but I just got sucked right into the story and now am off to beg the librarian to order Vols. 2 & 3.

213Smiler69
Edited: Aug 19, 2011, 11:29 pm



172. ♫ A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith ★★★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #1: Found under a 'w' adjective)

Set in the Brooklyn of newly arrived immigrants in the 1910s, this novel tells the story of young Francie Nolin who, by the time she starts going to school, is the only girl in her class who can say that her parents are Americans, since they were both born in Brooklyn, unlike all her other classmates who's parents come from various European countries and have often only just arrived themselves. The Nolin family hardly gets by and never has enough food to eat, with Francie's beautiful mother Katie working as a janitor to support the family, a role she undertook early on in her marriage when she realized that her charming husband with his heavy drinking habit and rare gigs as a singing waiter can't be depended on to fulfill. Francie's saving grace, other than a close-knit family, is her love for books, and really, can we resist a young heroine who's favourite occupation is getting lost in novels? It's a charming story, but also a gripping social commentary and I often was quite startled at the directness of Betty Smith's discourse which seemed very contemporary, considering her book was originally published in 1943.

214Smiler69
Edited: Aug 19, 2011, 11:30 pm



173. ♫ Once Upon A Time In The North by Philip Pullman ★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI #22: Uncommon Main Character Name)

In this prequel to the His Dark Materials trilogy, we meet the young 24 year-old Lee Scoresby, Texan aeronaut, shortly after he's won his hot-air balloon in a game of poker. He and his daemon Hester are in the Great North at a place vaguely reminiscent of Russia called Novy Odense where a local politician is making election campaign speeches promising to get rid of the bear population, which is treated like vermin. Since he can't help but take a stand when he sees injustice, Scoresby and Hester get quickly tangled up in what could become a deadly skirmish. Though of course we know he survives, or he couldn't later go on to become Lyra's friend, could he? For those who've enjoyed the trilogy, this is like the cherry on the Sundae.

The audiobook version of this short novel is highly recommended, with Philip Pullman doing the narration along with a full cast of actors who bring the story to life.

215Smiler69
Edited: Aug 19, 2011, 11:32 pm



174. ♫ Brokeback Mountain by E. Annie Proulx ★★★★½
(Read for TIOLI #13: Read a Western and 11 in 11 Category #11: The Film Might Be Good But the Book is Better)

I listened to the audio version of this short novel, which took me through a walk with my dog and the preparation of a simple dinner—just one hour, but that hour was filled to the brim with emotion and gorgeous prose and imagery so vivid that I'm sure I would have imagined a movie in my head even had I not seen the film adaptation already. This story of two young men who let time and circumstance steal by and who never get a chance to fully express their love for one another is incredibly poignant, and speaks to all of us who've experienced loss and missed connections. Great narration by Campbell Scott.

216msf59
Aug 17, 2011, 7:02 pm

Ilana- As usual, I love the reviews. I'm so glad you enjoyed Sweet Tooth. The 2nd one is even better, although much darker. I have Volume 3 and plan to get to it in a few days.
I did not realize Once Upon A Time In The North was a prequel. Cool. I'll have to check it out.
I read Brokeback in her story collection, quite a few years ago. I loved it and was also a big fan of the film version.

217Smiler69
Edited: Aug 19, 2011, 11:37 pm



175. Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo ★★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI #16: equal syllables and 11 in 11 Category #8: The Two World Wars and the Time In-Between)

They've gone now, and I'm alone at last. I have the whole night ahead of me, and I won't waste a single moment of it. I shan't sleep it away. I won't dream it away either. I mustn't, because every moment of it will be far too precious.

I want to try to remember everything, just as it was, just as it happened. I've had nearly eighteen years of yesterdays and tomorrows, and tonight I must remember as many of them as I can. I want tonight to be long, as long as my life, not filled with fleeting dreams that rush me on towards dawn.

Tonight, more than any other night of my life, I want to feel alive.


Thus begins young Tommo Peaceful's narration of his short life story, which he tells us in several segments throughout the night. It isn't quite clear what dawn will bring, but we know he's racing against the clock—actually, not a clock, but a watch that his beloved older brother Charlie has given him. As Thomas Peaceful recounts their childhood growing up in wretched poverty after the loss of their father, in a small town run by a cruel and egomaniac Colonel, but with the joy of a special friendship with a girl who is close to both brothers, with the relative freedom allowed in a rural setting, we are made all too aware that Tommo is writing his tale while he is in the midst or World War I, which he and Charlie have so far spent fighting in Yprès amid the gruel trench warfare that senselessly took countless lives. Another short but powerful novel by Murporgo, who's War Horse I recently read, this one has been nominated for and won a slew of awards, and they are well deserved. Haunting.

218gennyt
Aug 17, 2011, 7:40 pm

Hi Ilana, I thought Private Peaceful was wonderfully done too - a very moving story of brothers' rivalry and love in the midst of horrors. Haven't read War Horse yet, but I'm keeping an eye out for all his books; I've read two other animal-related ones: Born to Run about a greyhound and Kaspar Prince of Cats about the Titanic (and a cat).

Intrigued by copy of Hitchhiker with DIY cover with stickers!

219DragonFreak
Edited: Aug 17, 2011, 8:14 pm

OK too many things to list, so I'm just going to go on.

There really isn't any tirade, and I'm afraid the cat did get injured, but healed instantly. And I know that I'm different. I like being different. And I have the subconscious quest to be different. And in that subconscious quest, one of the things is that I hate everything about humans. Maybe that's why I like fantasy books about dragons and bird-kids like the Maximum Ride books and The Lake House by James Patterson. You see. So not much of a tirade, but it's as close as it gets for me.

Second, I kind of almost wish someone will span my page. Mostly because that means I might be popular...

Third, I saw Sweet Tooth on my Wishlist, because Mark with his great salesman-like-persuasion made me do it. But I do agree it looks intriguing. And it will go with my sub-conscious quest!

>192 avatiakh: I might have to check into that then.

220PiyushC
Aug 18, 2011, 2:06 am

Looks like you got a great bargain at your Library sale, Bartimaeus Trilogy and the Hitchhiker's are amongst my all time favourites.

221alcottacre
Aug 18, 2011, 4:19 am

#207: Love the haul from the library sale, Ilana!

222Donna828
Aug 18, 2011, 11:16 am

Catching up.... loved the picture of the free-spirited Coco with his new hairdo! I also love library book sales. Once you discover the great prices and the aspect of hunting for treasures it's hard to resist the allure of them.

I've enjoyed your recent reviews, too, Ilana. You seem to be reading (and listening) 24/7 these days! A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of my favorite oldies but goodies. My copy came from my mother which makes it extra special to me.

223qebo
Aug 18, 2011, 1:08 pm

Aagh, you're approaching the thread police limit and I've just begun... Fantastic illustrations!

224jolerie
Aug 18, 2011, 1:18 pm

Trying to catch up again Ilana. That phrase is really getting old but it's the truth. :) I am so amazed each time I see the illustrations you posted because they are always so gorgeous. Whenever I'm browsing the children's section in the library, I never come across stuff like that!
You little mouse is uber cute as well! And ALL those books for $6?? In the words of my wise ancestors, "What a deal!" (insert heavy chinese accent). ;)

225Smiler69
Edited: Aug 18, 2011, 3:31 pm

#216 Mark, I asked for Vol. 2 of Sweet Tooth at the library yesterday. This particular branch is very small, with a small budget which is even more restrained when it comes to English books, so we'll see if they get it. If not, I'll hope it's just a matter of time before it's acquired by some other branch.

#218 Genny, after having read those two book by Morpurgo, I'm a bona fide fan of his now, so I'll be keeping an eye out for his books too. I've gotten two more from the library just yesterday in fact (listing my new arrivals below). I don't know if you're aware that War Horse the movie, directed by Steven Spielberg is being released for Christmas? Here's the trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2760350745/

#219 Nathan, I'd have to agree that Sweet Tooth will probably fit in perfectly with your quest. Especially since 'regular' human beings are dropping like flies in the story!

#220 Piyush, it's funny because when I read The Hitchhiker's Guide recently, I was kind of disappointed with it, but then when I listened to the BBC radio version, it reminded me why I had so enjoyed it the first time I had heard it back in the late 80s. I intend to listen to the other installations and THEN go back and read the novels, which will probably be a very different experience at that point. I wasn't familiar with the Bartimaeus Trilogy before, but I'm glad to know you're among it's fans!

#221 No too bad eh? It's such a high shopping for books, but then when I get back home and see there's really no space for anything, I start wondering what I could have been thinking. But then if we let that stop us, we'd be missing out on so much fun!

#222 Donna, it's hard to explain just how much I adore my little Coco to someone who isn't crazy about animals, but I know you understand when I say he changed my life for the better.

I can see why your copy of ATGiB would be so special to you. My mum gave me some books before she left for France that she'd been holding on to for quite some time, several of which I haven't read yet, like The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri illustrated by Gustave Doré which I haven't read yet, but which I can't imagine ever parting with.

#223 Glad you like the illustrations qebo. I've been brining home bagfuls of books by talented illustrators all summer and still have quite a few to look at and review, so there'll probably more to look at in my next thread too!

#224 Valerie, trying to stay caught up with this group is a never ending quest for all of us. When it comes to the talented illustrators I've been showing, I really owe a lot to Kerry, who's very knowledgeable about talented illustrators from around the world, and I'm also very grateful for our library system here, which is quite well stocked with the mostly French and European selections I've been showing here. I doubt I'd find this kind of quality material by just browsing at our local branch either!

*****

The latest batch of books from the library:

Son Excellence Eugène Rougon by Émile Zola (Rougon-Macquart book 6)
Carte Blanche by Carlo Lucarelli (Europa Editions book and book 1 of the De Luca Trilogy)
For Grace Received by Valeria Parrella (Europa Editions book)

Children's & YA:
The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips by Michael Morpurgo (read by the author)
The Mozart Question by Michael Morpurgo
Princesses oubliées ou inconnues... by Rébecca Dautremer
Le jeu des cent robes / The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna
Le trésor de Clara by Béatrice Alemagna
Le secret d'Ugolin by Béatrice Alemagna

I haven't posted my review of Un Lion à Paris with illustrations by Béatrice Alemagna yet, but once I do, I think you'll see why I'm raiding the library for whatever else I can get my hands on by her.

Not feeling too great today. I didn't sleep enough yesterday and was fine all day, but usually end up paying for it the day after. Didn't wake up till embarrassingly late, and still feel like I need to sleep some more, so instead of laying down for a nap I think I'll pore over some of these beautifully illustrated books I've got on every available surface.

226MickyFine
Aug 18, 2011, 4:17 pm

I really liked Golden Compass but had issues with Subtle Knife and didn't finish the trilogy. But I really loved Lee Scoresby so Once Upon a Time in the North is jumping onto the TBR list.

227DragonFreak
Aug 18, 2011, 9:01 pm

>225 Smiler69: Who needs humans anyways? What have they ever done that was truely good?

228Smiler69
Aug 18, 2011, 10:59 pm

#226 If you're a fan of Lee Scoresby, then I have no doubt you'll enjoy Once Upon a Time in the North.

#227 It's true that some humans are better than others, but I tend to be more comfortable around animals myself as a general rule.

*****

Just spent a quiet evening poring over some of the picture books I brought home. Several of those are the only copies listed on LT. Big surprise. I don't know if I'll be able to find visuals for them all online, and if not, might have to try out the scanner on my new printer. Not tonight though. I'm beat and will try to get to bed early, though for some reason that seems to be a real challenge for me, no matter how tired I am.

229alcottacre
Aug 19, 2011, 3:14 am

#228: I'm beat and will try to get to bed early, though for some reason that seems to be a real challenge for me, no matter how tired I am.

I am well acquainted with that feeling. I hope you managed the feat, Ilana!

230msf59
Aug 19, 2011, 8:22 am

Ilana- Hope you get plenty of rest today and feel much better. Hugs!

231Smiler69
Aug 19, 2011, 3:59 pm

#229 Didn't manage too well Stasia. I have improved on last year, when I would rarely get to sleep much before 3-4am, now it's closer to 1:45-2:30 after which I can't keep my eyes open, or in any case not both, so when I'm forced to read with just one eye open, it's a pretty good sign that I need to nod off! I like going to sleep late, but I would also really like to be able to get up at a more reasonable hour. If I get any less than 8-10 hours, I can't function properly. I so WISH I could be like you and get by on 5 hours!

#230 Hi Mark, I was woken up very early (for me) this morning by the UPS lady who delivered my new laptop. Can you believe I haven't opened the box yet? I went back to bed this morning, and then got up around 10:30, putzed around, but was so tired that I was all weepy and depressed. I think that's around the moment I read your message and decided to follow up on it. An hour of napping with my little guy on the couch, and I'm much better now, thanks! :-)

232DragonFreak
Aug 19, 2011, 6:42 pm

>228 Smiler69: Yeah, that time I was almost saying that as a joke, but you know...

233jolerie
Aug 19, 2011, 10:26 pm

Oooh..new laptop! I commend your patience because I would have ripped into that package faster than you can say thank you. :) Hope you are feeling better Ilana and here's to a restful weekend with lots of great reading to fill the time. Have a wonderful weekend my friend! :)

234Smiler69
Aug 19, 2011, 10:53 pm

#232 I figured as much, but I was quite in earnest with my reply. I should have qualified it by saying "animals and LT members" :-)

#233 Thanks Valerie. For the computer, I'm really hoping I'll be able to sell the old one at the price I'm asking for it, which is completely competitive, but the only reply to my ads on Craigslist and Kijiji I got so far is by some loser who was giving me a hard time for asking that price for an old computer. One sentence with like, 5 errors. But I guess I just need to be patient, it's only been about 24 hours since I posted my ads! You have a great weekend too doll!

235Smiler69
Edited: Aug 21, 2011, 3:46 pm



176. La faute de l'abbé Mouret / The Sin of Father Mouret by Émile Zola ★★⅞
(Read for 11 in 11 Category #2: Émile Zola's Rougon-Macquart Series and TIOLI: Originally published in French)

When we meet Serge Mouret at the beginning of the novel, he has just recently been ordained as a priest after spending many years, from adolescence until now at the age of twenty-five, on his religious studies. So enraptured is he with his religion and the many rites that his Catholic faith demands of him, that we soon learn that he was very pleased with being sent to this tiny village, Artaud, where the locals are all related by blood and scorn religion, because he sees this as an opportunity to demonstrate his undying devotion to the church, against all odds. But when we learn that he is most passionate about the Virgin Mary and the extent to which he is obsessed with her, we are made aware of two things: that he has inherited the mental instability of his grandmother Tante Dide, and that he's being set up for a fall. His uncle, the doctor Pascal invites him to accompany him to Le Paradou, and old domain which has been left practically abandoned, save for the old man who looks after the place. The old man's niece Albine is a beautiful and wild girl of sixteen, and soon after his visit, Serge has a complete mental breakdown when he realizes he is attracted to her. Suffering from amnesia following his meltdown, his uncle Pascal decides the best cure for him is to send him to Le Paradou, where he believes daily contact with nature will restore the young man to his health. Albine and Serge spend their days roaming the vast gardens, fields and orchards of the property and over time fall deeply in love with each other, though of course that state of affairs cannot last.

So far, this fifth book in the series is my least favourite. The theme of religion and of Catholic rites is one that doesn't particularly interest me, and I knew before reading the novel that there would be extensive descriptions of those rites and of Serge's battle with temptation. The romantic meanderings of the two young people in what seems like the Garden of Eden (Zola obviously intended to make that comparison by naming the place Le Paradou, a name so close to Paradis, or Paradise) was probably my favourite part, but there were many sections where the only thing keeping me going was the goal I've set myself of reading the whole series. The ending was predictable to a certain degree, though in all fairness, it was probably considered original in Zola's time. I would definitely NOT recommend to make this your first book by Zola, unless you happen to have a great interest in the themes explored here.

236alcottacre
Aug 20, 2011, 1:44 am

Happy Saturday, Ilana!

237Chatterbox
Aug 20, 2011, 3:36 am

I got a copy of Rules of civility from NetGalley after meeting a Penguin PR person at a cocktail party in late May who raved about it. I have only peeked at the first pages, but I really need to read it, given that the PR person was the one who authorized it for netGalley, and it would be a great book to blog about.

It's funny that you dreamed a novel plot -- that happened to me about three weeks ago. Or at least, something that was so vivid that I realized, with a bit of tweaking, could be a novel plot. In my dream, there was a body in a chair in a dress salon; I think I'll have to change some details to make the plot hang together. The plausibility standard for dreams is so much lower...

I just got a copy of Perec and am drawing a deep breath before tackling it...

238Smiler69
Aug 20, 2011, 1:54 pm

#236 Thanks Stasia, it's a beautiful day and getting ready for a walk with Coco to go... where else? To the library of course! Though I might bring my laptop and a book and stop over at a friendly little café right next to it where Coco is always welcome.

#237 Suzanne, I'm not going to say anything about Rules of Civility right now, even though I really want to, just because I don't know what I'll have left to say about it when comes time to write my review, which should be sometimes real soon... maybe even today? Unlike you, I'm not quite as disciplined about cranking out reviews as soon as I'm done with a book.

Your dream sounds intriguing. I went back and read the notes I took down when I woke up from my dream and got a bit discouraged because I don't know that it was a plot as much as an impression on fiction writing in general. In the dream everything came together perfectly, but as I was saying, the dream had a lot in common with how my mind works when I'm manic; all these flashes of 'brilliant' insight coming together in ways I'd never considered before and urging me on to new levels of creativity, but when I come down again, I can't for the life of me see what was so darn special about it, other than I must have been really high to think so! And as you say, the plausibility standard is on a whole other level in 'altered' states, such as dreaming.

Hope you enjoy Life a User's Manual. I thought it was really interesting, but decided this is not the right time for me to be reading it. It just required too much concentration, which would be fine if this was the only book I had going on, but at this time I'm more interested in reading lots of lighter stuff instead. I hope I'll get back to it eventually because I don't doubt it's worth the effort. I'll look forward to seeing what you have to say about it.

239Smiler69
Aug 20, 2011, 4:03 pm



177. Un Lion à Paris by Beatrice Alemagna ★★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #23: Originally published in French)

One day a lion, bored of his native savannah decides to take a train to Paris. When he arrives and starts touring the city, on foot and via the métro he is surprised and disappointed to discover that nobody seems to notice him. He visits some of the most popular spots of the city, from the Café de Flore in St-Germain to the pont des Arts, centre Pompidou, the Louvre, Sacré-Coeur and the Eiffel tower, and finally discovers a structure which seems to be awaiting his arrival, so he climbs on the base and decides to stay once he sees that the Parisians are cheered to see him there.

Alemagna created this story based on the real life statue of the lion at Denfert-Rochereau, which is much loved by Parisians. This large book opens up vertically with imaginative illustrations that combine a mixture of collage elements from magazines from the 50s with her own fresh and spontaneous drawings for a truly unexpected result which encourages the reader to pore over the illustrations. I fell in love with this book and was tempted to buy my own copy until I saw the price and decided I'd just hold on to my library loan for a while. A truly inspiring book and a fun and lighthearted way to visit or re-visit Paris. (click on cover and images to view larger)





240gennyt
Aug 20, 2011, 4:10 pm

Love the lion pictures!

241Smiler69
Edited: Aug 20, 2011, 5:26 pm

2 More by Alemagna



178. Le trésor de Clara by Beatrice Alemagna ★★★½
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #23: Originally published in French)

Clara lives in Brazil, where she runs around barefoot wearing an old oversized t-shirt. She works at the local orphanage, and every Thursday, he small group of friends await her arrival with impatience. While many of the homeless children spend their time sniffing glue to forget about their troubles, Clara and her friends have something better: she likes to share with them her great imagination and tell them stories that transport them far away. A touching story very simply told, with monotype illustrations that can best be described as cheerfully freeform and experimental.





***






179. Le secret d'Ugolin by Beatrice Alemagna ★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #23: Originally published in French)

Ugolin the dog doesn't like meat as much as he enjoys eating fish, he secretly enjoys having conversations with one of the neighbourhood cats, he's known to purr sometimes, and when his parents see him running has paw behind his ear they are mortified that their son seems to think he's a cat, but Ugolin is happy to finally be able to just be himself. A short story about being different, which can be interpreted as suits the reader, whether it be about religion, sexuality or dietary preferences. Loved the bright illustrations, here again combined with collage elements.







To see more work by Beatrice Alemagna, visit her site: http://www.beatricealemagna.com

242Smiler69
Aug 20, 2011, 4:41 pm

#240 Glad you like them Genny. I thought they were quite brilliant. I've been having lots of fun this summer discovering all these wonderful illustrators.

243jdthloue
Aug 20, 2011, 4:49 pm

;-}

244DragonFreak
Aug 20, 2011, 5:02 pm

>238 Smiler69: I hate dreaming. Actually I like dreaming, but do my dreams have to reflect just how...different I am? I do keep a small notepad to write down any good ideas, but most of my dreams don't make any sense, and occasionly I die. Like for a week in a row I dreamed that either I or someone else died violently. Really? But there comes a time where it's that perfect dream...

245Smiler69
Edited: Aug 21, 2011, 3:58 pm



180. Un jour, grand-père m'a donné un ruisseau by Gaëlle Perret, illustrated by Aurélia Fronty ★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #23: Originally published in French)

One day a child is given a stream by his grandfather. The stream accompanies him through his life, when it is at times small and barely audible, at others as vast as an ocean and filled with life. Gorgeous intricate illustrations which I wish I could turn into wallpaper and put on my walls. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any other sample from the book aside from this image below. Click on it and cover to view larger.



***






181. Tristan et Iseult by Béatrice Fontanel, illustrated by Aurélia Fronty ★★★★
(Read for Children's & YA July...in August, TIOLI Challenge #23: Originally published in French & 11 in 11 Category #4: Visual Arts)

The classic and tragic tale of Tristan and Isolde, about a young man who slays a dragon and a giant and falls in love with Isolde, a beautiful young woman who happens to be the giant's niece, that he is meant to bring to his king as a bride, here told in a more simplified manner and accompanied with gorgeous illustrations by Fronty. According to wikipedia: the legend of Tristan and Iseult "is an influential romance and tragedy, retold in numerous sources with as many variations. The tragic story is of the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan (Tristram) and the Irish princess Iseult (Isolde, Yseult, etc.). The narrative predates and most likely influenced the Arthurian romance of Lancelot and Guinevere, and has had a substantial impact on Western art, the idea of romantic love and literature since it first appeared in the 12th century. While the details of the story differ from one author to another, the overall plot structure remains much the same". Click on cover and images to view larger.







To see more work by Aurélia Fronty, visit her site: http://www.aureliafronty.com

246EBT1002
Aug 20, 2011, 6:05 pm

More wonderful illustrations! I especially like Un Lion a Paris but that's probably because I'm partial to all things feline (canines being high on the list, too, so Coco needn't worry). And the story sounds charming!

Like you, I often wish I were one of those people who only needs 4-5 hours of sleep a night. Alas, not so. I do pretty well on 7, though.

247Matke
Aug 20, 2011, 7:20 pm

An instant smile created by the first picture of Un Lion a Paris: what a charming book! Also love the looks (and message) of Le Secret d' Ugolin. Both appear to be books I'd treaure in my own collection. I'm developing a severe case of book envy here....

248Whisper1
Aug 20, 2011, 7:34 pm

I'm simply stopping by to say how much I love visiting here!

249Smiler69
Edited: Aug 20, 2011, 9:10 pm

#243 Hey Jude!

#244 Nathan, I don't know if this will reassure you or not, but I've come to the conclusion based on my life experiences that we're all freaks in one way or another. So join the club! I know what you mean when you say you hate dreaming. I don't think I've ever died in a dream, but there's often some really scary stuff going on and I usually wake up more tired than when I went to sleep because my dreams are so stressful! It's a good idea to write down dreams. I keep telling myself I'll do it, even keep notepad and pen by the bed, and wake up several times each night, but can never quite remember what I dreamt about, and when I do, I'd rather forget! Lol. This is why I'm in therapy, see? ;-)

#246 Considering how popular Coco is with just about everyone he comes across, I don't think he's too too worried. Today when I went to the library, a kid (maybe 7-10 years old, was hard to say) who was hanging about came up to us and begged me to keep Coco for me while I went inside to take care of my business. Now, I promised myself the day I got Coco that I would NEVER leave him with strangers because I can imagine the temptation to walk away with him might be too great for some, and I never want to take the chance and find out I was wrong about someone the hard way. So I told the kid he could come inside with me and hold him while he was sitting close by, because "Coco gets nervous if I'm not nearby" which is true enough. Afterwards, he asked where I was going to. When I mentioned I was going to a café nearby, his face brightened up and he said he's come along too! So I had to tell him a white lie and say I was meeting people there, because truth be told, I didn't feel like hanging out. Besides, I had brought my new laptop with me and for the FIRST time since I've had a portable computer, and actually hung out somewhere else than at home to prepare my reviews. It was fun to change scenery. I might just do it again!

#247 Hi Gail. That's the thing, see, I always worry that if I DON'T show images from the book, then I'll be keeping all the good stuff to myself, which really wouldn't be fair, but then if I DO, some people might be envious and annoyed with me that I keep writing up about all these books that aren't available to most. But I'm really selfish and like to make my threads all pretty, so envy is the risk I'm willing to take! ;-)

#249 Thanks for dropping by Linda!

*****

Ok, so I've spent many hours on the 'puter today and need to take a break. So what better way to do that with than to watch To Kill a Mockingbird, which I just got from the library today? I also got a few other books, but right now, my eyes are bleary from looking at tiny type on my new high res screen (when I make it larger, it just seems TOO big), so I'll list the books some other time and go spend some time with a great classic movie.

A Note to the Thread Police: I'll be starting a new thread either later tonight or tomorrow, that's a promise!

250EBT1002
Aug 20, 2011, 11:49 pm

Ilana, your (and Coco's) adventure with the young boy makes a great story. I'd have been telling the same white lies. It's cute that he wanted to hang out with you (or, more to the point, Coco), but sometimes a girl just has to be alone with her computer (especially a new one!).

I can't wait to hear how you like the film of To Kill a Mockingbird. When I was a kid and movies like that came on television just once a year, I remember watching it pretty much every year. I think Gregory Peck is near perfect.

251souloftherose
Aug 21, 2011, 9:50 am

More great illustrated books Ilana :-) I particularly like the look of Un lion a Paris. We're going to Paris for a holiday in a few months and I might see if I can find that one in a book shop there.

#247 We're only envious in a good way...!

252souloftherose
Aug 21, 2011, 9:55 am

I particularly liked the look of this book on Beatrice Alemagna's website:

253Smiler69
Aug 21, 2011, 5:13 pm

#250 Sometimes a girl just has to be alone with her computer should be my motto these days, you've nailed it Ellen! :-)

I bet you if the kid had been more sympathetic to me, or appealed to my heartstrings more in some way, then I would have been delighted to invite him to sit with us. But I always feel a bit uncomfortable around kids, like I might be a bad influence or something. He didn't strike me as completely sincere, because when I asked him if he had any dogs himself, he said yes he did, he had FOUR in fact. I said really, four! what kinds of dogs then? German Shepherds he told me and then I immediately said "you must live outside the city then", no, no, we live right here. Well. Then there's this whole business of the understandable paranoia about strangers talking to children. Only in this case, the stranger was in fact the child, who accosted us. I didn't quite know what he was doing there, and when I asked the librarian if she'd ever seen him or whether she'd seen his parents she said she hadn't and in fact he'd been hanging around the library for a while. Now that I write this, I realize that it didn't even occur to me to ask the kid what he was doing there or where his parents were, whereas if I'd found a dog hanging around like that, I'd have been much more concerned. Shows you where my priorities are (i.e. admittedly screwed up!) Ugh. Now I feel really badly about it. What if he got abandoned there? :-|

#251-52 Heather, I'm sure you'll find Un Lion à Paris when you go there. I know they have it at the fnac, which is a ubiquitous books-and-everything-else store chain. Thanks for the reminder about Bugs in a Blanket. It really appealed to me when I saw it on her site too, but then I forgot all about it a minute later, even though I'd meant to reserve it at the library. That's all done now. I've also reserved a bunch more of other illustrated works, so there's a good-to-excellent chance that my next thread will be quite visual too!

*****

Books brought back from the library yesterday:

From the Land of the Moon by Milena Angus (a Europa Editions book)
Renard & Renard by Max Bolliger, illustrated by Klaus Ensikat—another illustrator discovered via the Hans Christian Anderson Awards)
The Moffats by Eleanor Estes. This might be really silly, but it's such an old, yellowed edition that I'm a bit turned off by it. Almost left it at the library but I might get over it.
Songs from the Garden of Eden: Jewish Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes by Nathalie Soussana, illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna. I don't dwell very often into my Jewish roots, and thought this might be a fun way to do so as it's a storybook accompanied by a CD. Stangely, the touchstone points to the French edition, although the English exist DOES exist and is right here on my desk!

New thread coming up shortly.

254EBT1002
Aug 21, 2011, 6:13 pm

Okay, Ilana, let all of that go. Of course we don't know the kid's story but I'm a believer in trusting one's instincts. I think you'd have sensed if there was a need for you to intervene in some way. And - there are far worse places he could be hanging around than a library..... :-D
No, really, I hope you don't worry too much. If you see him again and again, you'll know if you need to inquire more into his situation.

Looking forward to your new thread. :-)

255Smiler69
Aug 21, 2011, 7:15 pm

You're right Ellen. In fact, I'm onto to new things with my

NEW THREAD!