It's Monday and it feels like fall! At last. The heat and humidity have vanished and I'm enjoying the cooler days and almost chilly nights. This could be the week to break out the fall decorations and maybe even bake an apple pie.
Current reading//
Germinal by Emile Zola
I'm nearly halfway through this chunkster (596 pages, nearly 20 hours on audio) and it is excellent! The blurb talks about "a brutal depiction of the poverty and wretchedness of a mining community in northern France under the second empire", but I'm impressed with the respectful, humane tone Zola employs in his portrayal of the miners. I'd love to just sit and read for hours on end, but it will probably take another week, at least, to finish. Meanwhile, it's fun to chat with other readers on twitter, instagram, and litsy. #GerminalAlongUp next//
Amsterdam by Ian McEwan
This book has been on my shelf for years, so I'm happy to be finally reading it with Athira toward the end of the month. Feel free to join us!New books//
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
The ebook is only $2.99 right now, plus this is one of the original books on my Classics Club list. And since RIP XI is here...
Realistically, it will take me the rest of the month to read Germinal and Amsterdam. Plus I'm also dying to read A Gentleman in Moscow and Commonwealth, so this will likely be my only book for RIP XI.
On the blog//
Book Brief: Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent
#GerminalAlong: The Adventure Begins
It's Labor Day, and I'm Reading Again!
The week ahead//
With the cooler temperatures, I feel like getting back in the kitchen again... soups, apple and pumpkin treats, and some new dinner recipes, too. Hopefully I'll discover a few winners.
Did you hear about the Charlotte Brontë exhibit at The Morgan Library & Museum? It opened last week. As we begin planning a trip to NYC to see our daughters next month, I've already placed it near the top of my list.
What's new with you this week? Have you read any good books?
This post will link to It's Monday, What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.
Interesting. I've never read anything by Daphne DuMaurier except Rebecca. I am almost finished with Can You Forgive Her? I had to go to the library yesterday and stock up on new books.
ReplyDeletePatience_Crabstick - Rebecca is the only one of her books I've read, too, so I'm looking forward to My Cousin Rachel next month... and Can You Forgive Her? after the holidays.
DeleteI'm with you on being SO EXCITED about temperatures inching toward Fall. That's an Ian McEwan that I haven't read - hope it ends up being one of the good ones!
ReplyDeleteShannon - McEwan can be hit or miss, but the last couple of I've read were excellent. Fingers crossed for Amsterdam.
DeleteYum - pumpkin!!! And also I can't believe it's already pumpkin season. We were at the pool yesterday.
ReplyDeleteSarah - It was a little too cold for swimming here yesterday... we never even hit 70. I noticed Halloween candy in the stores a week or two ago. Fall must be here :)
DeleteIsn't this fall weather great!? I love it so much. I've read a couple of Du Maurier but not that one. Now that the weather is cool there are so many books I'd like to add to my reading list.
ReplyDeleteTrish - Isn't it funny how reading tastes change with the seasons? Since we spent the last couple of winters in FL, I hardly ever crave dead Russians ;-)
DeleteAh, fall! I can't wait for soup and home baked bread, bonfires, crispy, colorful leaves. Just everything about fall.
ReplyDeleteI need to sign up for R.I.P. still. I totally forgot about it!
Erin - I started seeing all the RIP posts last week, then realized I wouldn't be able to read anything until next month. It's going to be a short season for me this year. Fall is definitely my favorite season!
DeleteSo ready for fall temperatures, but alas, it will be a while for us. I am happy that we'll be returning to the mountains of NM in October. Guess I'll get my fall there. Pumpkin stuff is indeed arriving. My husband got a pumpkin scone at Starbucks yesterday. It looked good.
ReplyDeleteKay - We'll probably have our first snowfall before you're reaching for jackets! Seems like the "s word' is fair game around here by mid-October. Enjoy your return trip to NM...so beautiful there.
DeleteGlad to hear you are having very pleasant fall weather up your way. We're maybe due a shower today, much needed, and then the weather becomes window-opening weather. Yea! Finally finished Behind the Mask, bio if Vita Sackville-West and now into The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson. If you liked Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, this one should be on your list. Ann Patchett's newest is on the way, called Commonwealth, and I'm excited that I signed on early enough to get in on first copies the library receives of Ian McEwan's newest book, Nutshell. Fall reading looks really good!
ReplyDeleteJudyMac - I did enjoy Major Pettigrew, but have read mixed reviews of The Summer Before the War. Will look forward to your final opinion. Commonwealth is near the top of my list, her books are always a treat. I'm intrigued with the premise of Nutshell and am sure I'll get to it one of these days... after Amsterdam and another one of his books on my shelf. Wish I could remember which one ;-)
DeleteI enjoyed Amsterdam a while ago, and My Cousin Rachel...way back in the day. Reread time?
ReplyDeleteI am envious of your cool weather...and your apple pie! lol
Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting my blog.
Laurel-Rain Snow - I've never gotten beyond Rebecca with DuMaurier, so am hoping My Cousin Rachel will be another winner. Nothing is better than cool nights and mild days... my favorite time of year!
DeleteNice pic of the lake! I love the sunlight on the water. It's always so relaxing by water for some reason. The humidity has gone here too (crossing my fingers it stays that way) and this morning was cool. almost uncomfortably so ha ha! Fall is coming!
ReplyDeleteGreg - It was downright chilly here this morning... had a fleece on for my walk. Very careful not to complain about it though ;-)
DeleteIt's great now that the cooler weather is drawing in - it feels like time to get cooking, get cosy and get reading! I hope you enjoy all your upcoming reads!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jade. I do love this time of year... funny how even my reading tastes seem to change :)
DeleteI so want to join in R.I.P., too; but, like you, I've got so much to read yet this month and think by October, I'm just going to want to be free from commitments. Wish I would have been able to do Germinal with you guys; everyone seems to be enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteLisa - I've missed some good readalongs because I was overbooked. It's been great since I cut down on commitments though... hope you enjoy some free-range reading in October!
DeleteI haven't read that McEwan although, to be fair, there are still several I need to catch up on!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great week and enjoy the fall weather (and pie)!
Lindsey - I have quite a few McEwans to read, too. Seem to buy them faster than I read them ;-)
DeleteLooks like you have plenty of variety to keep you well-read LOL
ReplyDeleteDiane - Sure do, lol!
DeleteYour reading is so intense right now. I am flip flopping from title to title...something I normally never do. Our weather is lovely, too!
ReplyDeletePatty - That's how I was for the past month... glad to get back in the groove. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before you do, too :)
DeleteStunning picture. Apply pie sounds perfect now the cooler weather has set in your way. I haven't read Amsertdam but just finished Enduring Love by Ian McEwan for my book club. I have a soft spot for Daphne du Maurier too.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your books this week.
Amanda @ Mrs B's Book Reviews
Amanda - I know at least a could of bloggers that claim Enduring Love as their favorite McEwan... but that may have changed since he's written so many novels in the last few years! DuMaurier's Rebecca was great, so I'm looking forward to reading more.
DeleteWhat a gorgeous view! And, I'll take a piece of apple pie with a generous scoop of ice cream on top. ;) McEwan's book looks pretty interesting, and I haven't read his work before. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kathy! Haven't made that pie yet, but by this weekend for sure. Hope you're having a good week, too.
DeleteEnjoy the cooler weather!
ReplyDeletePat - I will! Rain tomorrow, but sunny and 60s on Thursday. I'll take it :)
DeleteLooking forward to reading Amsterdam! I haven't read any Ian McEwan book yet so I'm super excited!
ReplyDeleteWe don't feel very Fall-ish yet. Still too hot to venture outside. Hopefully, that changes soon.
Athira - Oh, good... so am I! I think I've read 3 or 4 of his books, but he's written so many. I should be ready to start closer to the end of the month.
DeleteKnowing absolutely nothing about Amsterdam, I'm intrigued by the cover. My Cousin Rachel is wonderful--a perfect RIP story. Enjoy your books and the wonderful fall weather.
ReplyDeleteJaneGS - Glad to hear My Cousin Rachel is a winner! Rebecca is the only DuMaurier I've read, so I look forward to starting.
DeleteWe've been getting a lot of rain in the past 24 hours and today's temp is only around 55! This is so unusual for our area in September. We're almost always closing in on triple digits and the lawns and gardens are looking tired and bedraggled. Not this year. Everything is still lush and the lawn is still very green. It actually felt like Oregon weather today, which made me very happy. :)
ReplyDeleteI've read Amsterdam, but it was years ago and as I vaguely recall, it wasn't a favorite. Certainly not as good as Atonement or Saturday. I gave up on Sweet Tooth, but still want to read The Children Act and On Chesil Beach. I'm also curious about today's new release, Nutshell. Meant to take a peek at it at work today, but the time got away from me. Sounds like it's an homage to Shakespeare's Hamlet told from a fetus' point-of-view. Hmmm.... McEwan certainly has his finger on weird stories.
No new books in my stacks. I'm still slogging my way through The Boys in the Boat (audio). I'm sorry to say that it's not going to be a 5-star book for me. :( I'm also reading (in print) Everyone Brave is Forgiven (Chris Cleave), which is very good, but I'm having a hard time finding time to read much more than a few pages every night. Maybe this weekend!
Les - The weather certainly has been crazy all year... we're cloudy and cool again today, but my hydrangea just bloomed! I though this would be the year it never flowered.
DeleteAtonement, On Chesil Beach, and The Children Act were all excellent, but I've seen mixed reviews for Amsterdam. Still have copies of Sweet Tooth and Saturday on my shelves. I seem to collect McEwan's books faster than I can read them ;-)
It took me a while to get into The Boys in the Boat, but I ended up loving it. My daughter just finished it in print and felt the same way... though I'm not sure I would have lasted it print. Audio definitely pulled me through. A book club friend was recommending Everyone Brave is Forgiven, but I may be done with war novels this year.
Will get your package out in tomorrow's mail :)
My hydrangea bloomed a lot this summer, but the stems were a bit weak and they never looked as nice as my mom's in Oregon. I'm just happy to have a green lawn. It's the little things, ya know? ;)
DeleteI loved Atonement and really hope to read it again someday. I've just reached the part where the boys are in Berlin for the Olympics (in The Boys in the Boat). I'm hoping it starts to pick up at this point. I never would've stuck with it in print.
Thanks again for sending the book. I'm super excited about it!!
I've loved these cooler days and nights. I'm reading a big book that will probably take weeks and weeks but I love it so I don't mind the size. It is The Fellowship - The Literary Lives of the Inklings. On kindle, I'm reading Shamini Flint's Inspector Singh series which I am so enjoying.
ReplyDeleteNan - I hadn't heard of The Fellowship, but just looked it up and think it sounds fascinating! One of the reasons I didn't sign up for the goodreads challenge this year is that I thought it prevented me from picking up very long books. I have read some chunksters this year and my overall numbers are down, but that's fine with me. Quality over quantity!
DeleteI wish we had cooler temps already but still quite warm here. Oh well, soon enough I guess. I hope you enjoy My Cousin Rachel. What a great book! Enjoy your current reads.
ReplyDeleteIliana - More rave reviews for My Cousin Rachel! I'm so excited to get started. Hope you don;t have to wait too much longer for some cooler weather.
DeleteOH OH! I want to read Amsterdam!! I'll go see if the library has it.... (can I crash?)
ReplyDeleteCare - Yay!! Hope they have it!!
Delete