Weekly Update: November 29, 2015

Ah, Sunday... the busy, family-filled holiday week is winding down. Daughter #1 is on a train headed to NYC, my brother and his family are back in Philly, Twin A leaves early tomorrow morning, and her boyfriend left last night. We had the best time together... I am so thankful for my family!

November is winding down, too. All of central New York is referring to this as "No Snow November". Other than a dusting earlier in the month, there has been no measurable snowfall. I don't remember that happening before, but am definitely NOT complaining. It hit 66 degrees on Friday and I loved every minute!

There is still one more event left to celebrate this month. Tomorrow is our 30th wedding anniversary!

Now on to the reading...

Finished this week//

The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope

 I have loved everything about this series and officially have a new favorite author. Now I want to read all of Trollope's work... a project that should keep me busy for decades!

Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern

Book 2 of The Country Club Murders, this was a perfect light, fun read for the holiday week. Look for a book brief soon.


Current reading//

The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman

Our next book club selection

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Written in verse, and a nice follow-up to Between the World and Me.

Up next//

Emma by Jane Austen

The readalong officially begins December 1. Hoping I can get started next weekend.

Coming in January//

The TBR Triple Dog Dare is back... maybe for the last time. All the details are at James Reads Books, but the basic idea is to read your own books for three months beginning January 1. We will be in Florida much of the winter and the bulk of my tbr pile will stay in New York, BUT I will pack a small bag of books and my kindle is loaded with enough 'Daily Deals' and classics to last the entire year. My biggest challenge will be the library. I love  our island library and visit often. Last year I committed to the dare for January only, but this time I'm in for the duration. Besides, I want Dakota's photo on my sidebar for all three months!


Recommendations needed//

Over the past two months, I've learned that cozy mysteries are the perfect remedy for a stressful day or an overtaxed mind. They are relaxing, easy reading and so much fun. The Country Club Murder series features a likable heroine, the social circle of the country club, plus a 1970s setting. I can't wait for book three. I've also enjoyed M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin character. The Costwolds village setting very appealing, too.

Now I'm stuck. As a cozy mystery novice, I have no idea where to turn next. What are some of your favorite series?


The week ahead//
As we move on to December, the fall decorations must come down and we will begin to deck the halls for Christmas. And I should probably start my Christmas shopping...


How was your week? What are you reading today?

This post will link to It's Monday, What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.

A Thanksgiving Poem

Thanksgiving Time

by Langston Hughes (1921)

When the night winds whistle through the trees and blow the crisp brown leaves a-crackling down,
When the autumn moon is big and yellow-orange and round,
When old Jack Frost is sparkling on the ground,
    It’s Thanksgiving Time!

When the pantry jars are full of mince-meat and the shelves are laden with sweet spices for a cake,
When the butcher man sends up a turkey nice and fat to bake,
When the stores are crammed with everything ingenious cooks can make,
    It’s Thanksgiving Time!

When the gales of coming winter outside your window howl,
When the air is sharp and cheery so it drives away your scowl,
When one’s appetite craves turkey and will have no other fowl,
    It’s Thanksgiving Time!


I first posted this poem and image in 2012, but last night's beautiful moon made me want to share it again. Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Pages From the Past: My 2003 Reading Journal

Over the past several months I've been sharing highlights from my old reading journal. I hope these posts have been as enjoyable for you as the memories are for me. Opening my journal to 2003, I found...

My Favorite Books Read in 2003

Independent People by Haldor Laxness

Read with an online book group. This Icelandic saga surely helped the author win a Nobel Prize.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

This is the edition which opened my eyes to the importance of translation.

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

I've reread this least once since 2003 and still love it.

The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch

Has it really been 12 years since I read this book? Keep meaning to read more Murdoch...

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I'm pretty sure Oprah prompted me to reread this all-time favorite.

The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

I must have started sharing books with my oldest daughter around this time. She loved it, too.

The Secret History by Donna Tart

Another book I shared with my oldest daughter, although she read it several years later.  The Goldfinch is still waiting on my kindle...

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Who knew Jane had a sense of humor?

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Not my favorite Wharton, but still enjoyable.

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus

A  hit with the book club, too.

Favorite Audiobook

Clara Callan by Richard B. Wright

narrated by Anne Twomey and Joanna P. Adler

Possibly my first experience with multi-narrator productions. I loved everything about this book!

Notable Noniction

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer

Eye-opening

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

This lead to a very good book club discussion.

Have you read any of these books? What were you reading in 2003?

More Pages from the Past :

1998

1999

2000 

2001

2002

Weekly Update: November 22, 2015

Hello, friends. It's been a long two weeks since my last update. I spent much of the first week sick with bronchitis, but pulled it together for my husband's birthday weekend in NYC. We had a great time (finally got to see the Hemingway exhibit at The Morgan Library & Museum) but then I ended up with a sinus infection and he caught my original cold. By midweek Twin B was sick, too.

We cancelled our trip to Philadelphia this weekend (Daughter #1 is running the half marathon this morning) and are focused on making a full recovery in time for Thanksgiving. So it's been a low-key weekend...

Current reading//

I've been reading The Last Chronicle of Barset all week and enjoying my time in Barchester, Allington, Framley Court, and Hogglestock. This is a long book (837 pages) and I'm a little more than three quarters done.

And now I'm thinking about book length and page count in general...

Many of the books I've read this year have been over 400 pages, and more than a few have been 500 plus. I don't choose books based on length, but recently I've been thrilled to discover a couple of selections were under 200 pages. Why? For the past two years I've taken part in the goodreads challenge and, while my goal is modest, reading so many chunksters makes it that much harder to reach it. I'm considering a couple of novellas and graphic novels/nonfiction in order to reach this year's goal. But isn't that silly? I should read whatever appeals to me regardless of length. Maybe I'll just skip this challenge next year...

Up next//

The Emma 200th Anniversary Readalong starts next month. Details are here... everyone is welcome to read with us.

Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern

The first book in this series was so much fun! This should be a light, entertaining read for the busy holiday week.


On the blog//

Book Brief: Between the World and Me  by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Nontraditional Nonfiction: Amazing Audiobooks
Weekend Cooking: Foodie Nonfiction Favorites


In the kitchen//
Easy and familiar was the name of the game last week - Baked Dijon Salmon is a favorite. Tonight we're having Maple Ginger Roasted Pork Tenderloin. Hope it tastes as good as it looks in this picture!

The week ahead//
... is going to be crazy. Monday and Tuesday I have hair and dental appointments, rescheduled from when I was sick (why did I think that was a good idea?) plus shopping and a lot of cleaning. Twin A will drive home on Tuesday, and I'll pick up Daughter#1 at the train station. Twin A's boyfriend arrives on Wednesday. For the first time in years, I am not hosting Thanksgiving Dinner. That's a big break, but I'll still make two pies (pumpkin and pecan), the cranberry sauce, and a couple of sides.

Friday we'll head to the local Christmas tree farm and cut down the perfect tree. I'll also try to take a picture or two for our annual card... cooperation is sometimes an issue. If we're feeling ambitious, I may even haul out the Christmas decorations.

Saturday is our annual Yankee Auction and Holiday Party with my cousins and their families - an event we look forward to all year. Sunday we crash in exhaustion!


How was your week? What have you been reading lately?

This post will link to It's Monday, What Are You Reading?  hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.

Book Brief: Between the World and Me

Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
narrated by the author
Random House Audio, 2015
3 hours and 35 minutes

WINNER:  2015 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD, NONFICTION

One sentence summary:
The author shares his perspective on race and what is means to be a black man in America today in a letter to his teenage son.

Brief thoughts:
Stop whatever you are doing right now and read this book! Better yet, listen.

There is no way I, a white woman from a small village in upstate New York, can ever understand what it means to be a black man in America today. But listening to Coates eloquent, crystal clear, and moving letter to his son, gives me a far more realistic framework for my thoughts. The book is mesmerizing and deeply affecting, especially on audio. It should be required for every citizen of this country.

Want to know more? I'll refer you to Thomas's post - he convinced me to read the book.

My rating:

Nontraditional Nonfiction: Amazing Audiobooks

We're into week three of Nonfiction November, our host is Rebecca at I'm Lost in Books, and here is the topic:

Nontraditional Nonfiction: This week we will be focusing on the nontraditional side of reading nonfiction. Nonfiction comes in many forms. There are the traditional hardcover or paperback print books, of course, but then you also have e-books, audiobooks, illustrated and graphic nonfiction, oversized folios, miniatures, internet publishing, and enhanced books complete with artifacts. So many choices! Do you find yourself drawn to or away from nontraditional nonfiction? Do you enjoy some nontraditional formats, but not others? Perhaps you have recommendations for readers who want to dive into nontraditional formats. We want to hear all about it this week!  

This is an easy one for me because I LOVE NONFICTION ON AUDIO. In most cases, I actually prefer listening to nonfiction rather than reading it. I'm especially happy when an author turns out to be a great narrator... this adds so much to the overall experience.

One thing I've learned: When listening to nonfiction, I try to borrow a print copy from the library or at least browse through one in the bookstore. That way, I won't miss any photographs, charts, maps, etc. that might be included.

And since today is Tuesday, I'll throw in a Top Ten...
Clicking on the title will take you to audible, where you can listen to a sample of the narration.

Audio Nonfiction Favorites

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Just finished this one: stunning, thought provoking, narrated by the author

This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

Narrated by the author, I cried as I walked the beach listening to her talk about her grandmother (Thank God for sunglasses!) Don't miss this essay collection.

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen

Narrated by the author. I think Quindlen and I could be BFFs... a must read for every woman over 50 (or getting close). An all-time favorite.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

by Laura Hillenbrand, narrated By Edward Herrmann

Positively riveting... though the movie may be too much for me.

Downtown: My Manhattan by Pete Hamill

A must-listen for fans of the city or Pete Hamill. I'm ready to listen again! Read by the author.

Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck

Narrated by Gary Sinise, but so easy to imagine it was Steinbeck. I've read many of his novels, but it felt like I got to know the author himself here.

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Narrated by the author. Fascinating.

The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood

by Helene Cooper, narrated by the author

One of my favorites from several years ago, I still think about it today.

The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy

by David Nasaw, narrated By Malcolm Hillgartner

I've been interested in the Kennedy family forever. This book digs into the truths behind the myths. Well researched and so, so interesting...not sure I would have made it all the way through in print, but I loved each of the 31(!) hours.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Bahni Turpin

Science meets human interest.. the true story behind HeLa cells. An excellent book!

Do you ever listen to nonfiction? What are some of your favorite audiobooks?

Weekend Cooking: Foodie Nonfiction Favorites

Q: What happens when you combine Weekend Cooking, Top Ten Tuesday and Nonfiction November?

A: A Weekend Cooking list of Foodie Nonfiction Favorites

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

My Foodie Nonfiction Favorites

Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation 

by Michael Pollan

I especially recommend the audio version, narrated by author.

Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us 

by Michael Moss

This book is fascinating, but it will make you angry. 

My Life in France by Julia Child

An all-time favorite

A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

A memoir with recipes, my book club cooked (and ate) our way through this one.

The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber

Another memoir with recipes book club selection, this time with a local connection.

97 Orchard: An Edible History of Five Immigrant Families in One New York Tenement by Jane Ziegelman

I enjoyed the social history, but would have appreciated more about the individual families.

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

by Michael Pollan 

I will read anything Michael Pollan writes.

The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee's, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table by Tracie McMillan

Very interesting... and disturbing

Beyond the Pasta: Recipes, Language & Life with an Italian Family 

by Mark Leslie

A month in Italy learning the language and culinary skills while living in a family setting? Yes, please.

Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin

Recipes. stories, and more from one of America's most beloved food writers.

What are your foodie nonfiction favorites? Have you read any of these?

Links to all of this week's Nonfiction November posts are here.