Six in Six : 2022 Edition

We're halfway through 2022 and it's time again for Six in Six, hosted by Jo of  The Book Jotter. This event (or exercise, as I like to think of it) has been around since 2012. I use it to reflect on the path my reading is taking each year. Jo provides a list of suggested categories, but you're welcome to come up with six of your own. The idea is to fit six books, authors, events, etc. from your first half reading into each of six categories. 

Six New-to-Me Authors:

1. Mary Lawson (A Town Called Solace, Crow Lake)
2. John Green (The Anthropocene Reviewed)
3. John Boyne (The Absolutist)
4. Damon Galgut (The Promise)
5. Maggie O'Farrell (The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox)
6. Bonnie Garmus (Lessons in Chemistry)

Six Repeat Authors: 

1. Amor Towles (The Lincoln Highway)
2. Anna Quindlen (Write for Your Life) 
3. Erik Larson (In the Garden of Beasts)
4. E. Lockhart (Family of Liars)
5. Emily Henry (Book Lovers)
6. Kristin Hannah (The Four Winds)

Six Fiction Favorites: 

1. A Town Called Solace  by Mary Lawson  (links to my thoughts )
2. The Absolutist  by John Boyne
3. Love & Saffron  by Kim Fay
4. Book Lovers  by Emily Henry
5. The Promise  by Damon Galgut
6. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox  by Maggie O'Farrell

Six books from the nonfiction shelf:

1. The Anthropocene Reviewed  by John Green (links to my thoughts)
2. Devil in the Grove  by Gilbert King
3. In the Garden of Beasts  by Erik Larson
4. Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore  by Patric Richardson
5. South to America  by Imani Perry
6. The Yellow House  by Sara M. Broom

(my three favorite nonfiction titles)

Six kindle daily deals I've purchased this year, but have not yet read:

1. The Daughters Of Yalta  by Catherine Grace Katz, 
2. The Thursday Murder Club  by Richard Osman
3. Road Ends  by Mary Lawson
4. The Blue Castle  by L.M. Montgomery
5. Fates and Furies  by Lauren Groff
6. Winter Solstice  by Rosamunde Pilcher

Six bookstores I've visited in 2022:

1. MacIntosh Books + Paper - Sanibel, FL
2. Gene's Books - Sanibel, FL
3. R.J. Julia Booksellers - Madison, CT
4. Strand Book Store - NY, NY
5. Shakespeare & Co - NY, NY
6. Book Culture - NY, NY

Visit Jo's post to read more Six in Six and leave a link to yours!

Six Degrees of Separation: From Atonement to Mrs. Osmond

Have you seen the Six Degrees of Separation meme? It's hosted by Kate @Books Are My Favourite and Best and has been around for a while. I frequently read the posts, but have never played along... until now.

Kate explains how #6degrees works:

On the first Saturday of every month, a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. Readers and bloggers are invited to join in by creating their own ‘chain’ leading from the selected book. 

Books can be linked in obvious ways – for example, books by the same authors, from the same era or genre, or books with similar themes or settings. Or, you may choose to link them in more personal or esoteric ways: books you read on the same holiday, books given to you by a particular friend, books that remind you of a particular time in your life, or books you read for an online challenge.

Simply put, "Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up!"

I like to think of this as a bookish free association exercise!

We begin with Atonement by Ian McEwan. I read this with an online book group many years ago (anyone remember Yahoo's Book Group List?) This is the book that introduced me to Ian McEwan, an author people seem to either love or hate. I've gone on to read quite a few of his novels and, although Atonement was not one of my favorites, I identify with the "love him" group.

This reminds me of another "gateway" book...  Wish You Were here by Stewart O'Nan. One year after the death of her husband, Emily Maxwell gathers her family on Lake Chautauqua in western New York for what will be a last vacation at their summer cottage. I remember reading this book over a rainy Labor Day weekend and enjoying it immensely. I went on to read several other novels by O'Nan including...

Emily, Alone which further chronicles the life of Emily Maxwell. It was a favorite the year I read it (2011) and I recall thinking how unusual and refreshing it was to read a book with an older female protagonist.

Since that time, it seems there have been more and more books featuring women "of a certain age." A few months ago I read  Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes. Three American women in the midst of upheavals in the personal lives bond and decide to rent a house in Italy for a year. The year, of course, is transforming. The book is positively sumptuous... the Italian countryside, the food, the art. It was the next best thing to being there!

Another book that transported me to Italy was The Enchanted April by Elizabeth van Arnim. This time a group of English women rent a castle in Portofino for a month. I remember it being dreary and cold here, but the book was like my own Italian vacation. Originally published in 1922, it is one of my favorite classic novels.

I do enjoy classics and am currently working on my second list for The Classics Club. The last one I read was The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James. A favorite nearly twenty years ago, James seemed a little more long-winded this time around. (Perhaps I'm growing impatient with age?) The audio version, narrated by Juliet Stevenson, helped pull me through.

I reread James because I wanted the story fresh in my mind before tackling Mrs. Ormond by John Banville.  In this novel, a sequel of sorts to The Portrait of a Lady, Banville takes on a Jamesian tone as he imagines Isabel Archer's life after her marriage to Gilbert Osmond. I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but honestly don't know why anyone unfamiliar with James' novel would want to read it!


So there you have it... my first #6degrees from Atonement by Ian McEwan to Mrs. Osmond by John Banville. Have you read any of these books?

Click over to Kate's post for links to more #6degrees.

This or That Book Tag

Pat at Posting For Now tagged me for This or That Book Tag, a meme created by Ayunda from Tea & Paperbacks that's making the rounds this week.

1.  Reading on the couch or reading in bed?

On the couch if I'm serious about reading, I usually fall asleep after ten or fifteen minutes in bed.


2.  Main character: Male or Female?

Female... easier to relate to, I guess.


3.  Sweet or salty snacks while reading?

I'll reach for a salty snack before dinner. This week it's Nabisco Good Thins rice crackers, sea salt & pepper.


4. Trilogies or quartets?

Neither. I prefer stand alone novels, although I did love all four of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels.


5.  First Person or Third Person POV?

Either one, but please not second person! That tends to annoy me.


6.  Night or morning reader?

Night (or late afternoon) for physical books or ebooks... audiobooks and a walk in the morning.


7.  Libraries or bookstores?

I'm very picky about the condition of books I read - no stains, funny smells, or badly battered books, please. Ebooks, new books, and digital audios are fine from the library, but I really love bookstores and new books!


8.  Books that make you laugh or books that make you cry?

I don't read many funny books, so I must prefer books that make me cry.


9.  Black or white book covers?

White. Black covers suggest vampires, paranormal, etc... and you know how I feel about that!


10.  Character driven or plot driven stories?

I want it all! If forced to choose, I'd go with character.


Thanks for tagging me, Pat. If anyone else would like to play along, please consider yourself tagged!

Six in Six: 2016 Edition

It's time for Six in Six again! Jo at The Book Jotter  created this meme several years ago. The purpose is to help to summarize six months of reading by sorting books into six categories. Choose from the ones Jo suggests or come up with your own... and it's okay to use the same book in multiple categories.

Six new-to-me authors:
1. Thrity Umrigar - The Story Hour
2. Garth Risk Hallberg - City on Fire
3. Paolo Giordano - Like Family
4. Graham Swift - Mothering Sunday
5. Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney - The Nest
6.  Helen Ellis - American Housewife: Stories

Six  tried-and-true  authors:
1. Henry James - What Maisie Knew
2. Anna Quindlen - Miller's Valley
3. Elena Ferrante - The Days of Abandonment
4. Julie Mulhern - Clouds in My Coffee
5. Ann Leary - The Children
6. Herman Koch - Summer House with Swimming Pool

Six from the nonfiction shelf:
1. The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan
2. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
3. Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon
4.When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
5. Kings of Queens: Life Beyond Baseball with '86 Mets by Erik Sherman
6. West With the Night by Beryl Markham

Six read/listen combinations:
1. City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg
2. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
3. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
4. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
5. Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
6. What Maisie Knew by Henry James

Six five-star ratings:
1. Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift
2. Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen
3. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
4. The Children Act by Ian McEwan
5. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo (audio)
6. Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson (audio)

Six books I plan to read before 2016 ends:
1. Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty
2. Everybody's Fool by Richard Russo
3. Amsterdam by Ian McEwan
4. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
5. They May Not Mean To, But They Do by Cathleen Schine
6. something by Anthony Trollope... so many choices!

Previous Six in Six posts:
Six in Six: 2015 Edition
Six in Six: 2013 Edition
Six in Six: 2012 Edition

Let me know if you decide to play along!

Six in Six: 2015 Edition

Jo at The Book Jotter  is running her Six in Six meme again this year. It's a fun way to summarize the first six months of your reading year by sorting books you've read into six different categories. Choose from the ones Jo suggests or feel free to create your own. The same book can obviously feature in more than one category.

I always enjoy this little exercise and participated in 2012 and 2013.  I could have sworn I played along last year, too, but can't seem to find the post.

Six new-to-me authors:
Emily St. John Mandel
Rabih Alameddine
Elena Ferrante
Paula Hawkins
Nickolas Butler
Atul Gawande

Six tried-and-true authors:
Dorothy Whipple
Stewart O'Nan
Anthony Trollope
Thomas Hardy
Theodore Dreiser
Lucy Knisley

Six classic novels:
Sister Carrie  by Theodore Dreiser
They Were Sisters  by Dorothy Whipple
Barchester Towers  by Anthony Trollope
Doctor Thorne  by Anthony Trollope
Far From the Madding Crowd  by Thomas Hardy
Bonjour Tristesse  by Françoise Sagan

Six Nonfiction titles:
Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?  by Roz Chast
Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading  by Nina Sankovitch
Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality  by Jacob Tomsky
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End  by Atul Gawande
On Immunity: An Inoculation  by Eula Biss
An Age of License: A Travelogue  by Lucy Knisley

Six in Translation:
My Brilliant Friend  by Elena Ferrante
The Story of a New Name  by Elena Ferrante
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay  by Elena Ferrante
Bonjour Tristesse  by Françoise Sagan
An Unnecessary Woman  by Rabih Alameddine
The Horla  by Guy de Maupassant

Six Newer Novels:
Shotgun Lovesongs  by Nickolas Butler
Euphoria  by Lily King
Station Eleven  by Emily St. John Mandel
Enchanted August: A Novel  by Brenda Bowen
Bittersweet: A Novel  by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
The Girl on the Train  by Paula Hawkins


How is your year stacking up? Let me know if you decide to play along.

Tagged: Seven Deadly Sins

Have you seen the bookish Seven Deadly Sins meme making the rounds this week? I was tagged by Pat at Posting for Now, who was tagged by Diana at BookofSecrets, who was tagged by...

So, my sins:

1. Greed:  What is your most expensive book?

My husband bought me a beautiful set of leather bound Jane Austen novels from The Easton Press several years ago for Christmas - I love them!


2. Wrath: What author do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Jodi Picoult - I used to love her  earlier books (Plain Truth, My Sister's Keeper), but then they started to feel formulaic. Now I don't read her at all.


3. Gluttony:  What book have you devoured over and over again with no shame?

As a kid, there was a time when I read Harriet the Spy  once a month (maybe fifth grade). My adult answer is Pride and Prejudice.


4. Sloth:  Which book have you neglected reading due to laziness?

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy - maybe this winter?


5. Pride:  What book do you most talk about in order to sound like an intellectual reader?

I think any book talk is perceived as intellectual among most people, but I particularly like talking about classics. Big surprise, right?


6. Lust:  What attributes do you find attractive in a male or female character?

Male: tall, dark, and handsome... intelligence and humor a big plus.
Female: intelligence and independence


7. Envy:  What book would you most like to receive as a gift?

I'd actually prefer a gift card so I can indulge my bookish whims and "buy with 1-click"!


Instead of tagging people, I'm going to urge you all to play along.
What are your bookish sins?

Today's Post is Brought to You By the Letter...

It all started with Simon. He began assigning letters to bloggers who agreed to list their favorite books, authors, movies, songs, and objects beginning with said letter. Anyone playing along can then "give" letters (using random.org) to others wanting to play along.  Frances got her letter from Simon, then selected one for Bellezza, who assigned a letter to Audrey... the source of my M.

Favorite book:

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. I actually left a New Year's Eve party early to go home and finish this book. No joke, that happened in 2004.

Favorite  author:

This one is easy - Jojo Moyes. Since December I've read Me Before You, The Girl You Left Behind, and Honeymoon in Paris. Over the weekend I started The Ship of Brides. She sure can tell a story!

Favorite song:

I had to think about this a little longer but decided on Paul McCartney's Maybe I'm Amazed. Yes, I'm that old!

Favorite movie:

I'll go with Midnight in Paris - romance, Paris, time travel, 1920's, Hemingway, Fitzgerald. Who could ask for more?

Favorite object:

Miniature poodles, black. As much as I love greyhounds, my youth was spent with these smart little dogs and they still hold a special place in my heart. Don't tell Zelda...

Would you like to play?
Let me know and I'll assign you a letter.

Six by Six: A Midyear Summary

It's that time again. We've reached the midpoint of 2013 and it's time to take a closer look at what I've been reading. Although I've modified the categories to suit my needs,  Jo  deserves credit for creating this little exercise.

Six books I loved:
1. Mudbound  by Hilary Jordan
2. Calling Me Home  by Julie Kibler
3. The Burgess Boys  by Elizabeth Strout
4. And the Mountains Echoed  by Khaled Hosseini
5. Tess of the d'Urbervilles  by Thomas Hardy
6. The Thirteenth Tale  by Diane Setterfield

Six new-to-me authors:
1. Ken Follett
2. Tana French
3. Angela Thirkell
4. Hilary Jordan
5. Diane Setterfield
6. Julie Kibler

Six tried-and-true authors:
1. Henry James
2. Barbara Pym
3. Elizabeth Strout
4. Khaled Hosseini
5. Michael Pollan
6. Laura Lippman

Six read/listen combinations:
1. Vanity Fair  by William Makepeace Thackery
2. The Picture of Dorian Gray  by Oscar Wilde
3. Tess of the d'Urbervilles  by Thomas Hardy
4. The Other Typist  by Suzanne Rindell
5. And the Mountains Echoed  by Khaled Hosseini
6. The Thirteenth Tale  by Diane Setterfield

Six favorite blogging events:
1. Vanity Fair  read-along
2. Barbara Pym Reading Week
3. Classics Spin, 1 and 2
4. Audiobook Week
5. Pin It and Do It Challenges
6. Estellagram

Six books I'm looking forward to reading:
1. The Dinner  by Herman Koch
2. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
3. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
4. Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner
5. The View from Penthouse B by Elinor Lipman
6. Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann

How's your year stacking up?

Twenty Questions: A Year-End Book Survey

*image credit

1. What is the best book you read in 2012?
I listed my ten favorites in yesterday's post.

2. Most disappointing book?
Ragtime  by E.L. Doctorow

3. Most surprising (in a good way) book of 2012?
This is How You Lose Her  by Junot Diaz (audio)

4. Book(s) you recommended most in 2012?
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake  by Anna Quindlen
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry  by Rachel Joyce

5. Best series you discovered in 2012?
I avoided series this year.

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?
Amor Towles
Elizabeth Gaskell
See my full list of ten here.

7. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake  by Jenny Wingfield

8. Book you most anticipated in 2012?
The Uninvited Guests  by Sadie Jones

9. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?

10. Most memorable character in 2012?
Swan Lake, The Homecoming of Samuel Lake

11. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?
Rules of Civility  by Amor Towles

12. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012?
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen

13. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?
North and South  by Elizabeth Gaskell

14. Favorite passage/quote from a book read in 2012?

"In out twenties, when there is still so much time ahead of us, time that seems ample for a hundred indecisions, for a hundred visions and revisions - we draw a card, and we must decide right then and there whether to keep that card and discard the next, or discard the first and keep the second. And before we know it, the deck has been played out and the decisions we have just made will shape our lives for decades to come."
― Amor Towles, Rules of Civility


“The thing about old friends is not that they love you, but that they know you. They remember that disastrous New Year's Eve when you mixed White Russians and champagne, and how you wore that red maternity dress until everyone was sick of seeing the blaze of it in the office, and the uncomfortable couch in your first apartment and the smoky stove in your beach rental. They look at you and don't really think you look older because they've grown old along with you, and, like the faded paint in a beloved room, they're used to the look. And then one of them is gone, and you've lost a chunk of yourself. The stories of the terrorist attacks of 2001, the tsunami, the Japanese earthquake always used numbers, the deaths of thousands a measure of how great the disaster. Catastrophe is numerical. Loss is singular, one beloved at a time.”
― Anna Quindlen, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake


15. Book read in 2012 that you would be most likely to reread in 2013?
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake  by Anna Quindlen


16. Best classic(s) read in 2012?
North and South  by Elizabeth Gaskell
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall  by Anne Bronte

17. Best translated work you read in 2012?
The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki

18. Any titles abandoned in 2012 you might read in 2013?
NW  by Zadie Smith on audio - I may try it in print

19. Any challenges completed in 2012?
2012 was a challenge-free year.

20. Any read-alongs completed in 2012?
No, I failed miserably with my own year-long group read of Clarissa by Samuel Richardson.


Survey adapted from The Perpetual Page-Turner. Let me know if you decide to play along.

My Life in Books - 2012 Edition

It's time to play again. We had a lot of fun with My Life as a Book in 2011, and yesterday Carrie posted her answers to the 2012 version. Of course, I can't resist. You know the drill - use only titles of books you have read this year to complete the following statements. Won't you join the fun?

Describe myself: 
THE CHAPERONE

How do I feel: 
(like) MISS GARNET'S ANGEL

Describe where I currently live: 
WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD

If I could go anywhere, where I would go (to):
TABLOID CITY

My favorite form of transportation: 
LE ROAD TRIP

My best friend(s) is/are: 
CLARISSA (ha!)

My friends and I are:
DIVING BELLES

What’s the weather like: 
WINTER KING

Favorite Time of Day: 
THE FORGOTTEN WALTZ

What is life to you: 
LOTS OF CANDLES, PLENTY OF CAKE

You fear: 
THE UNINVITED GUESTS

What is the best advice you have to give: 
YOU DESERVE NOTHING

Thought for the day:
RULES OF CIVILITY

How I would like to die: 
THE ODDS

My soul’s present condition:
TRESPASS

Where in the World Are You Reading: Local Bookstore

Where in the World Are You Reading, a new monthly meme hosted by Trish, Kelly, and Lisa, kicks off this month with a local bookstore theme. For me, local is a relative term. The nearest Barnes & Noble is 30 minutes away, but I can also drive 30 minutes in the opposite direction to the Colgate Bookstore in Hamilton, NY (run by Colgate University). Barnes & Noble is much more convenient, but I love my trips to Hamilton - especially on a summer Saturday when we combine a visit to the Farmers Market with bookstore browsing and lunch!

The Colgate Bookstore is in the heart of the village.

I've always loved this pointing finger directing customers to the store.

The interior is open and airy.

Meeting rooms and college gear are upstairs, textbooks are downstairs.

I could spend hours wandering around the first floor.

Comfortable chairs are scattered throughout the store.

From author events to book clubs, there is always something happening at the Colgate Bookstore. There is a Jane Austen book club, a book-to-film discussion series, a women's book club (with mostly literary fiction selections), and more. I'm still kicking myself over missing an evening with Lauren Groff last month.

The deadline for bookstore posts was actually July 26th. I somehow thought it was the end of the month. Sorry, Trish... my August "library" post will be on time.

Links to more local bookstore posts can be found here, click over to Trish's round-up post.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by:
Alyce from At Home With Books

Find details and more photos here.

Six by Six: A Midyear Summary

It was originally Jo's idea (I think), but other bloggers have tweaked the categories to fit their reading habits. I'll do the same and call it my midyear summary.


Six new-to-me authors:
1. E.L. Doctorow
2. Sadie Jones
3. Rose Tremain
4. Samuel Richardson
5. Jennifer Egan
6. Amor Towles

Six tried-and true authors:
1. E.M. Forster
2. Anna Quindlen
3. Stewart O'Nan
4. Anne Enright
5. Ian McEwan
6. Pete Hamill

Six books I loved:
1. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
2. You Know When the Men are Gone by Siobhan Fallon
3. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen
4. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
5. The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki
6. The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright

Six trips to Europe:
1. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster
2. The Comfort of Strangers by Ian McEwan
3. Miss Garnet's Angel by Salley Vickers
4. Trespass by Rose Tremain
5. You Deserve Nothing by Alexander Maksik
6. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Six blogging events I enjoyed:
1. Clarissa group read (ongoing)
2. Venice in February
3. Audiobook Week
4. Pin It and Do It challenge
5. TBR Double Dare (even though I failed)
6. The Classics Club

Six bookish things I'm looking forward to:
1. finishing Clarissa
2. Paris in July (we're here!)
3. listening to The End of the Affair read by Colin Firth
4. Carl's RIP challenge
5. Pin It and Do It,  Round 2
6. Holiday reading

Audiobook Week: Mid-Week Meme

Audiobook Week, hosted by Jen at Devourer of Books, continues with a quick and easy mid-week meme. All titles mention are linked to audible.com.

Current/most recent audiobook:
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, narrated by Juliet Stevenson

Impressions:
Although I've read several of Gaskell's short stories, this is my first novel and I'm struck by the similarities to Jane Austen. Stevenson's narration, with a wide range of accents, is excellent.

Current/most recent favorite audiobook:
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield, narrated by Catherine Taber

Favorite narrator you’ve discovered recently:
Juliet Stevenson. Her narration of Trespass by Rose Tremain and was nothing short of amazing. When faced with a choice of eight editions of North and South at audible.com, my decision was made based her reading.


One title from your TBL (to be listened) stack, or your audio wishlist:
Don't laugh at me - there are nearly 150 titles on my audio wish list, so I'll break this down.
Most recently added: 
The Invisible Ones by Stef Penny, narrated by Dan Stevens (thanks, Jen)
Top of the list: 
The End of the Affair by Graham Green, narrated by Colin Firth (!)
A Grown Up Kid of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson, read by the author

Your audio dream team (what book or author would you LOVE to see paired with a certain narrator, can already exist or not):
It may already exist in The End of the Affair.

Visit Devourer of Books for links to other posts on this topic.

My Life as a Book - 2011 Edition

Remember the fun we with My Life as a Book Meme in 2009? Well, today Melissa posted her answers to Pop Culture Nerd's new set of fill-ins for 2011. Of course, I couldn't resist. You know the drill - use only titles of books you have read this year to complete the following statements. Won't you join the fun?


One time at band/summer camp, I was: DISTURBING THE PEACE (Richard Yates)

Weekends at my house are: A MOVEABLE FEAST (Ernest Hemingway)

My neighbors are: EXCELLENT WOMEN (Barbara Pym)

My boss is: WAITING FOR COLUMBUS (Thomas Trofimuk)

My ex was: A TRAGIC HONESTY (Blake Bailey)

My superhero identity is: LADY SUSAN (Jane Austen)

You wouldn't like me when I'm angry because (I take):  NOTES ON A SCANDAL (Zoe Heller)

I'd win a gold medal in: SHADOW TAG (Louise Erdrich)

I'd pay good money for: THE BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN (Wallace Stegner)

If I were president, I would (write): THE REPORT (Jessica Francis Kane)

When I don't have good books (I),  WISH YOU WERE HERE (Stewart O'Nan)

Loud talkers at the movies should be: THE DEAD (James Joyce)


*Photo credit

Midweek Audiobook Meme

Here’s something quick and easy for the middle of the week, just a short meme.

Current/most recent audiobook: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Impressions: Intense! War books are never my first choice, but I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying this book club selection.

Current favorite audiobook: The Help by Kathryn Stockett  - fabulous story and excellent multiple-narrator production combine for a phenomenal audio experience

One narrator who always makes you choose audio over print: David Sedaris - I will never read one of his books again!

Genre you most often choose to listen to: I listen to everything - fiction, nonfiction, classics, mystery, humor. Listening helps me get through some nonfiction or classics that may be challenging in print.

If given the choice, you will always choose audio when: a humorous book is read by the author... think David Sedaris or Nora Ephron.

If given the choice, you will always choose print when: a book has many visual aspects. For example, I'm not sure how The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time would work on audio. When listening to non-fiction or memoir, I will often check a book out of the library if there are pictures or charts (The House at Sugar Beach, My Life in France, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks).

Audiobook Week is hosted by Jen at Devourer of Books. See how other audio lovers answered the questions here.

TSS: One Book, Two Book, Three Book, Four... and Five

Happy Mother's Day! Our day is packed with activities, and since there's no time for a normal Sunday Salon post, I'll borrow the meme Simon shared on Friday.

1. The book(s) I'm currently reading:

I've been on a Richard Yates kick lately and this biography by Blake Bailey is fantastic. I started Little Boy Lost yesterday, too.

2. The last book I finished:

The Report by Jessica Francis Kane - my review is here.


3. The next book I want to read:
This is the hard one... will it be one from my London pile,

 or a classic,

 or perhaps one from the shelf?

4. The last book(s) I bought:

The library in Sanibel has an on-going book sale room.  I purchased these two for three dollars.

5. The last book I was given:
See number two above... it came from a fellow book blogger (thanks again, Lynne!).

Let me know if you decide to play along with One Book, Two Book. Simon is collecting links, too.

What's On Your Desk Wednesday

I've been tagged....

Two weeks ago, Lisa from Books Lists Life tagged me in the What's On Your Desk Wednesday meme. Here are the rules:

What's on your desk Wednesday? is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read.com. Check her blog out each Wednesday for the post titled What's on your desk Wednesday?

You can do one of two things or both!

Grab a camera and take a photo of your desk! Or anywhere you stack your books/TBR pile. And no tidying!

Add this photo to your blog.

Tag at least 5 people!

Come back here and leave a link back to your photo in comments.

OR

List at least 5 BOOKISH things on your desk (I'm thinking your TBR pile or books you haven't shelved...)

List at least 5 NON BOOK things. (I'm thinking some of some of the more unusual items on your desk/table?)

Tag at least 5 people to do the same.

Come back here and leave your link, so we can come and visit your blog. Or add your answers in the comments if you don't have a blog.

Since I blog from the chair in my favorite corner, that's what is shown in the photo. I love this spot! There are windows on each side that let in plenty of sunshine, I can see what's going on both inside and outside, and the chair is very comfy, too!

The bookish items include:

1. my current read on the table

2. a couple of library books on the windowsill

3. The Virago Book of Ghost Stories, also on the windowsill (can you can see the lovely bookmark sent by Book Psmith peeking out of the top?)

4. moleskin notebook under current read

5. the latest New Yorker magazine

Non-book items:

1. my coffee mug...it's almost empty!

2. the "Queen" pillow... a Christmas gift from my husband

3. pens

4. reading glassed tucked into a cute Vera Bradley case (I've reached that age!)

5. small post-it note flags

I'm not going to tag people, but would love to see where my favorite blogs originate. Please let me know if you decide to play along!

10 Books to Read Before You Die...

This meme, hosted by bookalicio.us, has been making the rounds this week. I've adapted it and made my own personal bucket list. These are the books I simply must read:

1. Emma by Jane Austen (my last major Austen novel, and I'm 'saving' it)

2. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

3. Clarissa by Samuel Richardson

4. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

5. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

6. Possession by A.S. Byatt

7. Bleak House by Charles Dickens

8. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

9. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

10. A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell

As you can see, most of these are big, fat books and it seems they keep getting put off for that reason alone. Perhaps a personal challenge is in order? I'm already thinking about next year...some adjustments in challenge joining, book buying, and reading selections may be ahead. Stay tuned.

The ABC's of Me

Here I am last month at one of the galleries in Santa Fe. It was going use it for a Wordless Wednesday photo, but thought this meme from Molly's blog would be a good post-BBAW introduction.

Available or Married? Married

Best Friend? Sounds corny, but my husband

Cake or Pie? Cake, preferably chocolate!

Drink of Choice? Coffee in the morning; water in the afternoon; wine or tea in the evening

Essential item for everyday use? my laptop

Favorite color? sage green - in a room, it's soothing and relaxing; on me, it makes my hazel eyes look green

Google? Of course...doesn't everyone?

Hometown? moved around a lot when I was younger, but graduated from high school in Canastota, NY

Indulgences? pedicures, books, chocolate

January or February? February - it's shorter, closer to spring, and there's usually a vacation involved!

Kids? Three daughters - 19 and 16 year old twins

Life is incomplete without..... my family

Marriage date? November 30, 1985

Number of siblings? I'm the oldest of six kids. I have 3 sisters (including twins) and 2 brothers.

Oranges or Apples? Apples ...and apple pie, apple crisp, apple bread, apple cider, apple juice

Phobias and Fears? snakes and bats

Quote of the day? Live long, laugh often, love much

Reason to smile? a beautiful sunset over the lake

Season? Fall...the colors, crisp temperatures, sweaters

Tag 3 people? I won't tag anyone, but if you're interested, consider yourself tagged! (Please let me know if you play along)

Unknown fact about me? I left a career in clinical pharmacy fifteen years ago to be home with my daughters...and have never regretted a minute.

Vegetable you hate? Lima beans

Worst habit? impatience, perfectionism...I'm sure my family could list a few more!

X-rays you've had? too many

Your favorite food? fresh bread, or maybe chocolate

Zodiac sign? Cancer