The Sunday Salon: Post-Milton Edition

Hello, friends. It's Sunday again, and what a week it's been! Hurricane Milton blew through Wednesday and Thursday causing damage up and down both coasts of Florida. Our gulf coast barrier islands bore the brunt of the storm. We were incredibly lucky and did not have flooding in our home, but friends and neighbors on our island were not as fortunate. Just to our north in Captiva and Boca Grande, things are pretty bad and it gets worse as you move north toward Sarasota. Tornados wiped out neighborhoods in North Fort Myers and caused fatalities on the east coast. The cleanup and recovery continue this week and we hope to have power and water back within the next few days. 

Meanwhile, we will remain in Connecticut...

RECENT READING

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

Elizabeth Strout is my favorite living author and reading her latest novel was like a satisfying visit with old friends. I've known these characters for years, feel invested in their lives, and really enjoyed catching up with their latest activities. Best of all, Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge finally meet! You can certainly read and enjoy this book without having read Strout's earlier novels, but I think you'll have a much richer experience if you already know Lucy, Olive, and the rest of the crew.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

I love a good dysfunctional family drama and have read quite a few over the years, but the Briscoe family of Olympus, Texas takes dysfunction to a whole new level. I can't recall ever coming across a family as messed up as this one! None of the characters are particularly likable, not a single one of them seems capable of making a good decision, and yet I was completely engrossed as their story played out over the course of one week.

The novel also features several clever parallels to Greek mythology. My knowledge of mythology is embarrassingly deficient, so most of them went over my head. But since Olympus, Texas  is the October selection of the MMD book club, I'm sure the discussion will clue me in.

This was a read/listen combination for me and the audio edition narrated by Karissa Vacker added to my overall enjoyment. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

CURRENT READING

A Guest at the Feast: Essays by Colm Tóibín

I enjoy having an essay collection to pick up occasionally and have read about a third of this one.

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

This is another long term read, but I was just too distracted to pick it up last week.

In addition, I plan to start another novel tonight.

Later today//

We've been babysitting our grandpup, Winnie the Whippet this weekend. It's been fun having a dog around again... and I might have even caught myself calling her Zelda a couple of times! I'm sure she'll be happy to see her parents when they arrive later today. We'll all have pizza for dinner before they drive back to NYC.

The week ahead//

We'll take a brief hiatus from the bathroom remodel (which has taken much longer than planned, of course) to go to NYC for a few days. I have tickets to a couple of author events at Symphony Space, including Elizabeth Strout in conversation with Meg Wolitzer! I'll also spend a day occupying Winner while her parents move into their new apartment. It should be an exciting trip!

How was your week? What are you reading today?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

 

A September Reading Wrap-Up and October Possibilities

October is here, so that means it's time to post my September wrap-up. Our main event for September was our oldest daughter's wedding in central NY. We spent just over a week "back home" where we saw friends and family, made final preparations, and enjoyed every second of Wedding Weekend. Even with all of that, I managed to finish four books. They were all quite enjoyable, too.

SEPTEMBER BOOKS

September by Rosamunde Pilcher - a buddy read with Tina and Les, ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

The Safekeep by Yael Van der Wouden - Booker Prize shortlist, ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes - family drama, romance ⭐⭐⭐💫

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout - new novel from my favorite author, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

OCTOBER READING POSSIBILITIES

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan - my current slow read

A Guest at the Feast: Essays by Colm Tóibín - in progress

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann - in progress

D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire, Edgar Parin d'Aulaire

Where the Forest Meets the River by Shannon Bowring

Also in October

We are in the midst of a bathroom remodel at our CT condo. It was past time to update the nearly 30-year-old cabinets, tile, and fixtures. That will probably continue for another week or two.

We plan to spend a few days in NYC mid-month. One of our daughters, her husband, and the grandpup are moving into a new apartment on the Upper West Side, so we will help with that . Our other NYC daughter (the newlywed) and I have tickets to attend two evening programs at Symphony Space - Power and Storytelling with Margaret Atwood and Min Jin Lee, and Elizabeth Strout in conversation with Meg Wolitzer. We're still working out the daytime activities.

And of course, topping my list of immediate concerns is yet another hurricane taking aim at Florida's gulf coast. Milton is predicted to be a Cat 3 at landfall and the latest "spaghetti models" have it trending south of Tampa. Our island still has standing water leftover from Helene; I just don't know how we're going to absorb any more! The storm surge is the scariest thing at this point. Here we go again... And there's still another month and a half left in hurricane season.

How was your September? What was your favorite book of the month?

My Fall Reading List

With the end of September fast approaching, it's past time for a fall reading list. I put this one together a few weeks ago, got distracted by our daughter's wedding, and never got around to sharing it. Better late than never, right?

As you know, I'm better at making lists than actually following through and reading from them. BUT my summer reading list  really kept me focused for a few months and I'm hoping for a similar outcome this time. I do have several library holds, mostly literary prize nominees, that could complicate things. We'll see how it goes...

2024 FALL READING LIST

The Safekeep by Yael van her Wouden

Booker Prize short list (completed)

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes

New fiction from an author I enjoy (completed)

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

new fiction from a favorite author (in progress)

Where the Forest Meets the River by Shanon Bowring

Sequel to The Road to Dalton, a 2024 favorite

Nathan Coulter by Wendell Berry

The first novel in the Port William series and an author I've been meaning to read

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

A debut novel that's been on my shelf for a few years, October selection of MMD book club

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

1989 Booker Prize winner

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

An author I've been meaning to read for years

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

Nature nonfiction with beautiful artwork (in progress)

The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff

84, Charing Cross Road is a nonfiction favorite, but I've never read Hanff's visit to London

What books are you looking forward to this fall?  Have you made a reading list?

The Sunday Salon: Fall is here!

Hello, friends, it's good to be back here on the blog. The past few week have been both amazing and exhausting! We were in central NY for a week prior to our daughter's wedding and returned to CT on Tuesday. It took several more days to catch up and recover, but I think we're finally there. The wedding itself was just about perfect - the setting idyllic, the weather couldn't have been better, plus a spectacular sunset and nearly full moon. The photographer's "teaser" photos were stunning... I can't wait to see the rest of them!

Recent Reading//

September by Rosamunde Pilcher

I can always count on Rosamunde Pilcher for a wonderfully cozy reading experience, and this was just the right book to balance the pre-wedding stress and craziness. Reading with Tina and Les added even more to my enjoyment! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

The Safekeep by Yael van her Wouden

I requested this book from the library when it appeared on the Booker Prize long list and by the the time my hold arrived, it had advanced to the short list. This character-driven story, set in The Netherlands in the early 1960s, is a tension-filled, sometimes shocking slow burn of a novel. It centers around three siblings, their childhood home, and the eldest brother's girlfriend. I loved the gradual reveal of both the characters and their situations. It's probably best to go into this novel without knowing much about the plot, but it does deserve a warning for sexual content.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes

I've enjoyed several novels by this author over the years and this was another good one. Days before Dara and Austin's wedding, something happens which causes Dara to call it off... but she gives no explanation to family and friends. The story continues as everyone deals with the situation in their own way, before gradually forging a new path forward. This wasn't my favorite Mayes novel, but the premise was unique and I enjoyed the characters. It was an easy, undemanding post-wedding diversion and I'm glad I read it.

⭐⭐⭐💫

About to start//

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

Elizabeth Strout is a favorite author, and I can't wait to begin her latest novel. My daughter and I have tickets to see her in conversation with Meg Wolitzer at Symphony Space NYC next month.

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

This is my next slow nonfiction read. The book consists of a series of journal entries with drawings by the author. I read the introduction today and plan to read an entry or two each morning.

In the kitchen//

After over a week away, it felt good to plan and prepare our own meals again. I tried a pretty basic chicken marinade from the New York Times -  Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts. It's basically equal portions of mayonnaise and dijon mustard, with garlic and thyme. I let it marinade for about 8 hours, wiped off the excess, and placed the chicken pieces directly on the grill rack. It was delicious! I'm glad I made extra to use in a salad for another meal.

The week ahead//

Now that the wedding is over, our next project is a master bathroom remodel... demolition begins tomorrow! It's a small space and is supposed to be completed in about two weeks. We shall see!

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

 

Summer Reading Wrap-Up

Today is Labor Day. September is here and, while I love a long weekend as much as anyone, this one always feels a little bittersweet. It's hard to say good-bye to summer... even though I really love fall! And this has been one great summer. We attended family weddings, a bridal shower, graduation parties, traveled to NYC twice, three times to central NY, once to both Pittsburg and Philadelphia, plus we had an amazing week in Santa Fe.

A side effect of all that travel (in addition to Covid!) was a summer of scarce reading time. I've only finished ten books since Memorial Day... BUT the quality of those books has, for the most part, been outstanding! The other notable aspect of my summer reading was that I made a "priority tbr list" in May and actually read 7 of the 10 books on it. I'm sure that's a record! It seems like I usually only manage a few.

To recap, here is my  SUMMER 2024 PRIORITY TBR LIST:

✅ Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin - nonfiction, summer project read, 5/5 stars

✅ Horse by Geraldine Brooks - 4.5/ 5 stars

✅ Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González - 4.5/ 5 stars

✅ The Annotated Persuasion by Jane Austen, David M. Shapard -classic, 5/5 stars

Long Island by Colm Tóibín

✅ How to Read a Book by Monica Wood - new release, 4/5 stars

✅ September by Rosamunde Pilcher -  buddy read, 4.5/ 5 stars

✅ The Bodyguard by Katherine Center - romance, 3/5 stars

Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin

I still want to read the three books I didn't get to over the summer. Maybe this fall. 

ADDITIONAL SUMMER READS

Sandwich by Catherine Newman - a new release, 4/5 stars

Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro - for Women in Translation Month - 5/5

Dayswork by Christopher Bachelder, Jennifer Habel - book club selection - 3/5

MY SUMMER FAVORITES

How was your summer reading season? What were your favorite books?

The Sunday Salon: The Last Lazy Days of Summer

Hello, friends! After a whirlwind 24-hour midweek trip to NYC for our daughter's final wedding gown fitting, I'm happy to be spending a quiet weekend at home. Yesterday we attended a local parade/celebration in honor of the Fire Department's 100th anniversary and today I'm hoping to just read and relax. 

Covid is behind me at last, but it took a full two weeks to get rid of the lingering cough and fatigue this time. At least the recovery period allowed for time to finish off a few books.

RECENT READING//

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln 

by Doris Kearns Goodwin

I started this book at the end of May. My plan was to read it slowly over the course of a couple of months, but travel and Covid stretched that timeline. It feels like I've been talking about Goodwin and Lincoln here all summer so, now that I'm finished, I'll just add that this is one of the most amazing books I've ever read!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

The Annotated Persuasion by Jane Austen, David M. Shapard 

I've read Persuasion before, but this was the first time I've ever read an annotated edition of an Austen novel. After a bit of experimentation, I settled into a routine of reading the unannotated chapter on my kindle, then picking up my annotated paperback to read the notes. Even though I am familiar with Austen's language, the notes still added plenty of interesting historical context and enhanced my overall reading experience. I plan to look for another annotated edition when it's time for my next Austen reread.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dayswork by Chris Bachelder, Jennifer Habel 

This was unlike any novel I’ve ever read. In fact, I had to keep reminding myself that it actually was  a novel! It read more like the pandemic memoir of a Herman Melville enthusiast. Overall Dayswork  proved more interesting than enjoyable but, for the first time in my life, I briefly considered reading Moby Dick. And that's something! This is the September selection for MMD book club.

⭐⭐⭐

CURRENT READING//

 

September by Rosamunde Pilcher

I thought about waiting until September to get started, but I'm ready for a dose of Pilcher's coziness and comfort right now!  This will be a buddy read with Tina and Les.😀

In the kitchen//

I have a new recipe to share... finally! My favorite dish at one of our favorite Sanibel restaurants is Trout Amandine. I've been ordering it for years, but have never tried preparing trout at home... until last night. The trout was on sale at a local grocery, so I searched for a recipe and settled on this one from allrecipes. It was quick, simple, and tasted almost  as good as the restaurant! I'll definitely make it again.

The week ahead//

Next weekend is Labor Day?! Most of the local schools start classes this week but other than a couple of lunches with friends, I don't have much planned. One thing I would like to do is review my summer reading, figure out what I still might finish by the end Labor Day weekend, and start working on a fall plan. September is coming...

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

 

The Sunday Salon: Covid... again!

With all of our activities lately, I suppose it was bound to happen... and it did. I got Covid, again. I started feeling rotten Monday, tested Wednesday morning, and finally began feeling more like myself again by Friday night. Today I'm almost back to normal, but it's been a long week.

Recent Reading//

Elena Knows

by Claudia Piñeiro, translated by Frances Riddle

This novel really got to me. Several days have passed and I can't seem to shake it. The author was able to do so much in just 150 pages - truly masterful. Let me warn you thought, it's a difficult novel to read, especially if Parkinson's Disease has impacted someone in your life. 

Elena is an elderly widow suffering from Parkinson's Disease. Her daughter, and full-time caregiver, is  found hanging in the church bell tower one morning. The death is ruled a suicide, but Elena knows this can't be true and sets out to prove it. I thought this was going to be a murder mystery, but the novel evolves into an examination of their mother-daughter relationship instead.

I read this book for Women in Translation month. The ebook and audio are both available on hoopla.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Current reading//

The Annotated Persuasion

by Jane Austen, David M. Shapard

This is a reread for me, but the first time I've ever read an annotated edition. 

Dayswork by Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel

This is such an unusual novel! Strangely interesting, but I have to keep reminding myself that it's fiction. I've read about a third of it.

In the endless days of the pandemic, a woman spends her time sorting fact from fiction in the life and work of Herman Melville....

Absorbing, charming, and intimate, Dayswork considers the blurry lines between life and literature, the slippage between what happens and what gets recorded, and the ways we locate ourselves in the lives of others. In wry, epigrammatic prose, Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel have crafted an exquisite and daring novel.

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

I didn't had the brain power for this book while I was sick, so set it aside for most of the week. With about 200 pages to go, I'm hoping to finish this week.

The week ahead//

This will hopefully be a low-key week. I'll be happy get the basics accomplished (grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, etc.) and spend the afternoons reading.

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.