Gone to Ghana

Fort Meyers Beach in January.  That virus in China seemed very distant.

2020 has not been a year for travel.  Just call me Captain Obvious with that hook.  

We visited my in-laws in Florida over MLK weekend and in Missouri as we came out of quarantine in May.  I flew to Ohio at the end of February for my mom's 70th birthday.  The kids and I also drove to Ohio in June and saw my family again in Hilton Head for a week in July.  And that's it.  I'm not complaining as we have been very fortunate to see our loved ones and have had gorgeous weather (and family visitors) this summer and autumn in Chicagoland, making it pleasant enough to be "stuck at home."   

Though I've done my fair share of complaining and eye-rolling about 2020, I have also looked for silver linings these past months.  Here's one ... through literature, art, and technology, I have visited Ghana--a place previously quite unfamiliar to me--twice this year.

Let me explain. 

At the end of last summer, I purchased a Goodman Theatre series subscription.  My daughter and I went to Theresa Rebeck's Bernhardt/Hamlet in the fall, which proved to be a delightful downtown outing for us even if some of play went over her head.  My plan was to take a kid or a friend to each of the plays in the series and then to take all three kids to The Outsiders musical in July.  Obviously, Covid-19 has been devastating these plans and, more significantly, to live theater everywhere.  One silver lining was that, in April, Goodman subscribers were able to stream a recorded performance of their next play:  Jocelyn Bioh's School Girls; Or The African Mean Girls Play.  Sure, it would have been more enjoyable to take the train to the theater and discuss the play with a friend afterward over dinner.  However, streaming the performance was more powerful than anticipated.  I locked myself in my room and traveled to Ghana from the comfort of my bed and was blown away by the performances and by the power of the story about friendship, beauty, and girl/womanhood.  I highly recommend if you have a chance to see it on stage or on your computer screen.

My next trip to Ghana came through listening to the audiobook of Peace Adzo Medie's His Only Wife.  This novel features Afi, a young woman from Ghana, who agrees to marry Eli, a man who is already in a relationship with another woman with whom he has a child.  His family disapproves of this woman and the pressure is on Afi to distract and win Eli.  This novel is absorbing.  The contrast between life in the city of Accra where Afi moves after her wedding--cell phones, expensive cars, huge malls, and high end fashion--with life in her home village--trading economy, burdensome daily chores--is striking.  It was interesting/inspiring to watch Afi navigate these different worlds, family structures, and ideals of marriage and womanhood.

The icing on the cake for this second trip to Ghana was that I was one of 75 readers selected to participate in a Reese's Book Club/Hello Sunshine virtual book club meeting on His Only Wife.  The meeting took place this afternoon over Zoom and was so wonderful!  Curtis Sittenfeld, one of my favorite authors, interviewed Peace Adzo Medie at the beginning of the meeting and then the rest of the participants were able to ask Medie questions as well.  I felt so fortunate to be there, to hear insights on reading and writing from two amazing authors and to learn from the insightful questions of other readers.  I know Zoom existed pre-pandemic, but it's definitely a silver lining that since March, most of us have figured out how to use Zoom and become increasingly adept at using it to connect.  I know the quality of the Zoom events I have "attended" has improved a great deal between March and now.  I wanted to share the pic I took of the Zoom that shows me on the same screen, Brady Bunch style, with two famous authors, but I didn't want to flex (kidding, that was the whole point of the pic) and also didn't want to have to blur out all the first and last names of all the participants.

I am by no means an expert on Ghana now (not even close), but I know more now than I did before and appreciate, more than ever, all the ways in which we are able to experience the lives and stories of women (real and fictional) around the world.  

*Final note*  Not that anyone cares, but I feel the need to point out that two authors mentioned in this post (novelist Curtis Sittenfeld and playwright Theresa Rebeck) have roots in Cincinnati.  Me too!

 

 

 

 

Cozy-ish

Early on in the Covid-19 at-home hunkering, I listened to Cozy: The Art of Arranging Yourself in the World by Isabel Gillies.  I borrowed the book from Hoopla Digital, thanks to my public library's subscription, and even though the single Hoopla reviewer on record didn't love this title (see photo above), I figured I'd give it a try since it sounded comforting in these strange times and because years ago I read and loved Gillies' memoir Happens Every Day.

This book is less a how-to guide to coziness (ideas of what's cozy do vary by individual) and more a series of Gillies' thoughts and reflections regarding categories, examples, and dimensions of coziness.  I think the idea is that readers will enjoy her thoughts on coziness and then start thinking about what they find cozy and finding ways to arrange their surroundings and attitudes for more coziness.

Once I finished listening to Cozy, I made my own list of general conditions for and specific memories of coziness from my own life.  Here are some of the things I find or have found cozy:

* The feeling of opening up one's library bag and having the time to carefully inspect the treasures inside, especially if they were gathered hastily or haphazardly when at the library.

* That moment when you've changed out a lampshade (I used to have a Target lampshade-buying problem) and then click the lamp on for the first time with its new/different shade.

* Warm lighting in general.  Side note:  Gillies talks about the importance of pointing out coziness to your kids so they can create/find it for themselves.  Thanks to me, my kids are very tuned in to cozy lighting.  We are all passionately against cool light.  

* The feeling of eating at Cracker Barrel (think corn muffin with butter) in the right conditions.  The right conditions = husband not present or husband initiating trip.  Eating at CB with a reluctant husband is the opposite of cozy.

* This combination:  blanket, good book, fountain Diet Coke.

* Gallery walls

* Looking at my cardinal Christmas tree in December.

* Certain movies and shows watched at home:  BBC Pride and Prejudice,  Wonderworks Anne of Green Gables, Bridget Jones's Diary, The Office, Gilmore Girls.

* Being at an airport gate with a snack, a good book, and no anxiety about flight delays or cancellations.

* Sitting in a movie theater with girlfriends, preferably with popcorn and DC.  Note:  I went on a last minute outing to see Emma on Monday, March 9th, which was wholly delightful and now seems like it happened in a different lifetime.

* Coming inside after a chilly walk and feeling energized, virtuous, and rosy-cheeked.

* Going through a drive-thru and then finding a parking spot (I try to find one near a tree) and eating alone in my car.  It sounds sad, but it's not, and it is a cozy habit that my sister also enjoys.

* I play on a tennis team and after our matches, the home team provides lunch for the visiting team.  You sit with your own team during lunch, and I love that cozy time of chatting and eating with my teammates (women of all ages at various stages of life).  Even cozier if I won that day.

* The smell of a basketball gym.

* My kids and I stay after school two days a week to pray the Rosary with a small group.  These afternoons in our beautiful Church with these friends are very special and cozy to me.

* Sitting on my parents' giant sectional couch with other members of my family.

* Eating pot roast nachos at Pint's, a sports bar in town.

* Meeting my "breakfast club" friends at Egg Harbor.  Buttering toast and adding their delicious jam.

* Settling into a little crafting corner I have and making cards out of washi tape.

* Visiting the book sale corner of my library.

* Browsing at my favorite gift shop, The Uptown Shop.

* Sitting at my kitchen table with a snack and a stack of magazines.

* Bookshelves ... my own but also those of others, especially glanced through a window (in a non-creep way) when taking a walk in the evening.

* Birthday cards displayed on a mantel.

* The feeling of laughing and lingering at a restaurant or bar with good friends.

* Singing along with my kids or friends in a moving vehicle or at a concert or at church.

Gillies makes the point that cozy is not just an at-home phenomenon.  It's things (often little) but also a state of mind.

Some of the words that help convey cozy to me -- safe, satisfied, content, familiar, hopeful.

I acknowledge that it is a luxury to be at home writing about coziness at this moment when many are sick and when others like medical professionals and grocery store employees are exposed and vulnerable.  I'm staying home as asked and looking for ways to make that experience more cozy than confining.  I wouldn't say my current state of mind is cozy (too much uncertainty and strangeness for that) but there are cozy moments, and I am thankful for them.  Making this list helps me look forward to a brighter future when we can once again feel cozy in the world and in one another's company.   

I would love to know what you find cozy.

I did take a few photos from the past week or so that captured moments of cozy.

 This photo is not taken from a great angle, but it shows a cozy scene of book, 

dog, pajamas, a lamp shade with warm light, and a gallery wall.

 This photo was taken on Sunday when my family rented the new Emma.  We have fire, family, snow outside, birthday cards on mantel, and son in his Comfy.  The scene was a bit less idyllic than it may seem as not everyone loved the movie as much as I did and we had to pause frequently to clarify plot points.

These Hunter boot socks are cozy as all get out.

What day did it snow?  I'm losing track, but snow-covered trees and roofs are cozy to me.

Last night's sunset warmed my heart. Cozy.  Hopeful. 

Stay well, everyone.  Take care of yourself and one another.

Five Faves -- July 2019

Surfacing to share my five favorite reading experiences from the past month ...

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo was everything I wanted and needed it to be.  It included the most moments of heart-bursting joy I've experienced in a book in recent history.  You're invited into the lives of a family over decades.  They are flawed and funny and loving and sometimes selfish and sometitmes lost and it was just wonderful to be there with them for the highs and lows.  Bonus for me was the Chicago/Oak Park setting.  Favorite characters?  Jonah and Wendy.

Fleishman Is In Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Aker is perfect for book clubs.  Anyone who only reads the first quarter or so of the book will be saying how the guy seems okay if only he would stop with all that swiping.  Then, those who read on will be thinking that actually, he's a pretty good dad.  But that mom?!  You'll want to judge that mom.  Keep reading.  Then, you're ready for a really good discussion about marriage, gender, power, societal norms, and more.  Very interesting narrative frame for this novel with Fleishman's college friend connecting the stories.

Call It What You Want by Bridget Kemmerer is a solid and satisfying YA novel.  I've loved all Kemmerer's non-fantasy YA novels (I may indeed love her fantasy ones as well, but I haven't tried them as that's typically not my bag).  It's been almost twenty years since I was a high school teacher so I can't accurately judge how realistic it is for kids on the fringe or the outs (for various reasons) to find each other and connect.  I love the idea of readers seeing more expansive possibilities for friendship on the pages of the books they read -- that's my kind of fantasy, I suppose.

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center is a breezy read that still has heft.  I enjoyed Cassie's journey and liked learning about life as a firefighter, the station scene, etc.  This novel is a forgiveness story and we can always use more of those (well, most of us can).  I think I've read all of Center's novels and they are all reliable reads.

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong is beautifully written.  I listened to the audio version, narrated by the author, and I'm glad I did as his lyrical, poetic style lends itself to being read aloud.  Content wise, this book is not easy to read:  the inheritance of war, abuse, opioid addiction, the loneliness and challenge of the immigrant experience.  There's also love and friendship and some beautiful moments of generosity ... a young man finding his way and his words (and with his words).  Not easy to read but worth reading.

Honorable mentions ....
Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey -- There was a time (long, long ago) when I had time to watch rom coms, some of them over and over again.  This book brought me back to that time and I just inhaled it.  Fans of Meg Ryan movies ... treat yourselves!

Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle -- I found this thriller via Hoopla Digital and listened for free because my library subscribes.  Couldn't wait to find out how the two women's stories overlapped and didn't find it predictable nor overly twisty (getting weary of books with twist after twist after twist).

If you follow me on Instagram (I'm @booksandcarbs), some of these blurbs will sound familiar.  If you don't follow me on Instagram, please find me! 

Five Faves -- June 2019

Happy Summer!

Here are my favorite books from the first month of summer break...

You Me Everything by Catherine Isaac
What seals this one is its setting -- a gorgeous family resort in the French countryside.  I liked these characters and rooted for them as they reconciled past with present.

Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand 
This one is Hilderbrand's first historical novel and it was great visiting Nantucket in the past (since I've "been there" so many other times more recently) and during such a historic moment (Vietnam, moon launch, Chappaquiddick, Woodstock on the horizon).  I just loved Kate's family and want to check in on them again in future summers.  Teared up at the beginning and the end.

For Everyone by Jason Reynolds 
Jason Reynolds is a YA author with whom I was unfamiliar, but this book was featured at Joseph Beth Bookstore when I was visiting Cincinnati and so I picked it up.  Short but powerful ... truly a title for everyone who needs inspiration and motivation to keep going, keep dreaming, keep creating, keep doing.  Just loved it.

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
I've read so many books that reference Bridget Jones's Diary on the cover blurbs that have been so very, very disappointing.  Finally, a book that is worthy of the comparison!  Humor and heart.  Strong friendships.  A heroine you can really care about and root for.  The Flatshare also tackles some serious topics in addition to its very endearing love story.  Thoroughly satisfying.

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
Two families whose lives intersect over several decades -- love, challenges, changes, and, especially, forgiveness. 

Honorable Mentions...
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren -- super fun and funny summer read!
Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane -- slow but lovely story about nurturing friendships
Into the Woods by Tana French -- my first Dublin Murder Squad book, won't be my last
The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay -- fresh start story featuring books and friendships

2018 Reading Highlights -- Fiction

Better late than never.  I'm writing two posts.  Here's the first:  2018 Reading Highlights -- Fiction.   My descriptions are going to be BRIEF and still this post will be too long. 

I chose this photo of the Elmhurst Public Library at sunset because EPL is truly the beating heart of my reading life.  Not only do they have a wonderful selection of books, often arranged in tempting displays, but their e-resources are unbelievable.  Thanks to My Media Mail/The Libby App and Hoopla Digital, I read and listen to many wonderful books for free.  Because Hoopla is the easiest digital resource to use (if your library subscribes, which I hope it does), I will make mention when a title is available via Hoopla.

2018 Highlights -- New Books from Old Favorites

If you can't easily secure the title I mentioned, you're safe choosing a backlist pick.

All I Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin:  Giffin's best book in years.  It's a whole new world out there with social media, even for "good" kids.

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith:  I am obsessed with the Cormoran Strike series.  I waited almost two years for this one.  Start at the beginning with Cuckoo's Calling though.  Even my husband is hooked, though he won't gush about it like I do.

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty:  Some people found this one to be a snoozer, but I liked the characters and their back stories.  Stick with it.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones:  A tough novel to read, but so well-written and worth it.  If it's unavailable, try Silver Sparrow.

How Hard Can It Be by Allison Pearson:  I waited over a decade for this follow up to I Don't Know How She Does It.  You need to read that one first, but then you won't have to wait ten years for this worthy sequel.

Anatomy of a Miracle by Jonathan Miles:  Cameron was paralyzed and walks again.  Miracle?  Medical breakthrough?  You'll want to meet Cameron, his sister, and his neighbors. 

How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny:  I listened to seven Chief Inspector Gamache books in 2018,  I recommend listening because the narration is exquisite.  My heart about burst at the end of How the Light Gets In, but you can't start there.  You have to start at the beginning with Still Life.  Sorry.

2018 Highlights -- Solid, Satisfying Novels

These books just hit the spot for me. I'm not going to say much more.

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center:  Center's best yet.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi:  Includes witty text exchanges.

I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi:  Premise is the worst, but stick with the story and you'll be glad.  Available via Hoopla.

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood:  Great for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.  Available via Hoopla.

One Day in December by Josie Silver:  Read it and imagine the blockbuster rom-com it will be one day (see what I did there?).

This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell:  This one was a WOW for me.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh:  Dark, dark, dark, but it worked for me.  You might hate it though.

2018 Highlights -- New Favorite Authors

I will track down all future titles.

Jane Harper:  Great mysteries with cool Australian settings.  I enjoyed The Dry and Force of Nature.

Cherise Wolas:  The Family Tabor asks big questions:  How does one negotiate life without faith?  What happens if you try to bury, deny, discount the past?  Her previous novel also made me think.  I'll come back for more.

2018 Highlights -- New Favorite YA Authors

I am picky about my YA.  I don't like YA novels where teen characters are mouthpieces for adult author social/political commentary or when situations are exceptionally brutal, bleak, or sexual.  I like books that feature interesting teen friendships and relationships with witty, realistic-seeming dialogue.

Emma Mills:  I started with First and Then, a romance involving football and a play on my beloved P&P.  Stay tuned for reports of the 2019 Emma Mills bender I went on.

Brigid Kemmerer:  I started with More than We Can Tell and have since read another from the Letters to the Lost Series.  Looks like there are some other series, but they sound sort of Sci-Fi-ish so I'm not likely to be going there.  Letters to the Lost though ... I'm all in.

2018 Highlights -- Short Stories
I always think I don't like short stories until I remember that I do.

You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld:  Just right.  Smart, witty, ringing true.

Fight No More by Lydia Millet:  These interconnected short stories were a fantastic surprise.  Sad and happy and hopeful.  Available via Hoopla.

2018 Highlights -- For Anne (with an "e") Fans

In case your spot for Anne of Green Gables is as soft as mine is.

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy:  Lovely and heartbreaking to imagine Marilla's life before Anne.  Available via Hoopla.

House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg:  This book is NOT fiction, but all those who love L.M. Montgomery's fiction should read it.  I said more here.

2018 Highlights -- Fun/Creepy Reads for Boy Moms

Consider yourself warned.  Who's good enough for your precious boy?

The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances

The Other Woman by Sadie Jones 

2018 Highlights -- Romance

Combination of some steam and a good story.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang:  BOTM pick.  Available via Hoopla.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal:  Reese Witherspoon said so.  Via Hoopla. 

If you're not exhausted, check out Part 2:  2018 Reading Highlights -- Nonfiction.

Revisiting The Blue Castle

Here's my copy of The Blue Castle from the late 1980s.

I was scrolling through #bookstagram the other day and spotted a copy of L.M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle.  Scanning the comments, I glimpsed someone saying that it was their favorite L.M. Montgomery novel.  Hmmm, really?!  I knew I had read the book but had no memories or impressions of it.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  After I finished off the Anne of Green Gables series in around seventh grade (maybe that's late to read them ... I don't know, but that's when I discovered them), I made it a point to buy and read any other L.M. Montgomery book that crossed my path.  So, I likely read The Blue Castle somewhere between 1987 and 1989.  I can be forgiven for not recalling a book read thirty years ago except that I do remember many other books read during that period.

The L.M. Montgomery titles available via Hoopla have the gorgeous artwork from the new Source Books editions.

Last year, I revisited L.M. Montgomery's Emily of New Moon series as audiobooks checked out via Hoopla Digital.  I did a quick search and discovered that The Blue Castle was also available on Hoopla.  I downloaded and pressed play, and this weekend's listening experience was wonderful!

The Blue Castle is just fantastic.  L.M. Montgomery tells the story of Valancy Stirling, a plain young woman of twenty-nine who has lived a small, dull, stifling life with a proud but fairly miserable family.  She's unmarried and mostly ignored.  She's existing but not living.  Having experienced some heart trouble, she gathers up just enough gumption to see a doctor outside of her family's circle.  The news she receives convinces her that if her life won't be long, she ought to at least live it.  What ensues is an energizing, satisfying story of bravery, friendship, and love.  When Valancy finally realizes she doesn't give a hoot what her family thinks and begins speaking her mind, I was laughing aloud and cheering her on. 

Just some of my L.M. Montgomery books from the late 1980s.

At 44, I loved every second of The Blue Castle, but I guess at 12 or 13, I wasn't that impressed.  Perhaps a middle schooler can't fully appreciate the courage required to explode one's whole world and sever family ties.  I'm now excited to see what other L.M. Montgomery titles I can reread.  Nine years ago while nursing my daughter, I reread all the Anne of Green Gables books on my iphone.  I revisted the Emily of New Moon books last year.  I think I'll head back to Pat of Silver Bush next.

This book is very readable and includes perfect illustrations by Julie Morstad.

I find I am appreciating all of L.M. Montgomery's books even more after having read Liz Rosenberg's House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery this past autumn.  This well-researched account shows how un-dreamlike Montgomery's life was.  One appreciates the spirit, life, and struggle of Anne and Emily knowing how tough Montgomery's own climb was -- that constant interplay between darkness and light.  Heartbreaking, actually, to know that someone who saw and brought so much beauty in and to the world suffered so keenly.  If you are an Anne Fan, please check out House of Dreams. 

Have you revisited any childhood books as an adult?  Despite the "so many books, so little time" reality of life, my experience with The Blue Castle makes me think I should do more rereading, especially with favorite authors. 

Audible Monthly Credit(s) Report: March 2019

I didn't want to keep you waiting.  Wink wink.  Here's how I spent my two Audible credits for March.

The first book I chose was Andrew Ridker's The Altruist.  I can predict what negative reviews will say:  characters not super likeable and often annoying, nothing much happens, ending too tidy.  I really liked it though.  It's a family story about people of all ages trying and, through most of the book, failing to get their sh*t together.  But I was interested in the characters and their sh*t and rooting for them to find their way and find each other.  Lots of "just right" details throughout and some humor too.  It's also sort of a campus novel, which I like, and was set predominantly in St. Louis, a city with which I'm somewhat familiar.  The ending was bravely hopeful, and I found it all pretty satisfying.

Lucy Foley's The Hunting Party was also a satisfying listen.  It was a bit predictable (unless my powers of observation and inference are just extra keen, which I doubt), but I enjoyed the ride.  College friends take their annual New Year's trip, this time to a remote string of luxury cabins in the Scottish Highlands.  Great set-up and setting.  This book shifts perspectives and I liked how the story unfolded in layers.  There were multiple narrators, all strong, which added interest.  Solid listen.

Audible Monthly Credit(s) Report: January and February 2019

Once again, I'm failing to report in a timely fashion.  To catch up any new readers:  I've been a 2-credit per month Audible subscriber since 2003.  The ritual of spending these credits is a monthly highlight that I have been reporting upon for the past few years.

I spent my first January credit on John Carreyrou's Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup.  I've already written about this book.  It's only March, and I am confident that Bad Blood will be in my top five books of 2019.  This true story is endlessly fascinating to me, and I am so excited to watch the HBO documentary about Elizabeth Holmes.  Before you watch it, I recommend reading Bad Blood.

Not sure why I delayed, but I spent my second January credit in early February on John Kenney's Talk to Me.  The story this novel depicts is one that is going to become increasingly familiar:  the story of how one's life implodes after one does something regrettable/despicable that is caught on film.  Internet-fueled public shamings are part of life now, and I think this novel tackles the topic well, though its ending is perhaps a bit too sunny.  I think I preferred the non-fiction take on this topic in Jon Ronson's So You've Been Publicly Shamed, but still, I'm very glad to have listened to Talk to Me.

Not sure how I bought three books with two credits in February.  Perhaps I had returned something along the way or purchased one of the three books (seems unlikely, but my feeble memory can't reconstruct the events of a few weeks ago).

I chose Jane Harper's The Lost Man because I so enjoyed The Dry and Force of Nature, the first two novels in her Detective Aaron Falk series.  This stand-alone mystery is about past sins and family dynamics and prominently features the punishing heat of the Australian Outback.  I'm basically on board for whatever Jane Harper writes from this point forward and will mostly likely always opt to listen to her books as I love the Aussie narration.

Jessica Hindman's Sounds Like Titanic was an attempt to be thrilled (once again) by a truth is stranger than fiction story, having been so blown away by Bad Blood and by Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark.  While Sounds Like Titanic is a mighty strange tale, I didn't find it as powerful as the others I just mentioned.  Hindman pretends (on purpose) to play the violin as she tours with a strange and strangely compelling composer for several years.  Hindman tries to place this experience in the context of feminism, the female body, her West Virginia upbringing, and her outsider status at Columbia.  The second person point of view makes her conclusions feel a bit too sweeping so that didn't work for me.  Hers is definitely a unique and uniquely American story though.  I'd actually enjoy learning more about the composer.

I put Gregory Blake Smith's The Maze at Windermere on my TBR list after reading a glowing review by Ron Charles.  I loved this novel and its glimpses of Newport at different moments in history.  It took a bit to settle in to all the storylines, but I was intrigued by all of them and liked how they were tied together by questions of power, possession/property, love, class, and marriage/potential for marriage.  I've been to Newport twice, which improved the reading experience.  I wanted the novel to go on longer as I felt invested in all of the storylines and would have been happy to see them endlessly play out.

Any other Audible subscribers out there?  Any credit-worthy listens of late?

Bye, Bye, Bye Book-Weeding System

After five years of waiting and dreaming, we were able to install the bookshelves of my dreams and turn our living room into a library.  Three years later, lovely though they are, these shelves (not pictured in their entirety in the photo above) are at capacity.

But how to weed one's garden of books?  Booklovers understand that most of us can't just Kondo our books.  If we'd already read all the books on our shelves maybe, just maybe, we could start eliminating the ones that fell short of that "spark joy" mark for us.  Part of the beauty of having bookshelves, however, is the ability to store books one hasn't yet read.  It's not easy to weed out books that have the potential to spark joy even if we can't remember how or why we acquired some of them in the first place.

This is my laundry room, NOT my kitchen.  Kitchen slightly less C.H.A.O.T.I.C.

Inspired by a book, I came up with a new tool for weeding the book garden.  Earlier this winter, I read The C.H.A.O.S. Cure by Marla Cilley (also known as The Fly Lady).  Cilley has helped thousands with her books and newsletters on cleaning, organizing, and de-cluttering.  The C.H.A.O.S. Cure is a collection of tips that perhaps attempts to cover too much ground, but it did leave me with two extremely valuable takeaways.

First, Cilley's title diagnoses the exact problem that I am battling every single day:  Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome.  I'm not a hoarder living in filth, but I am also not someone who can welcome unexpected visitors into my home without a certain degree of shame and panic. 

Second, Cilley's book gave me a helpful strategy:  Take 5 minutes.  Junk drawer getting too full?  Set a timer for 5 minutes and discard as much as you can.  Bookshelves getting overloaded?  Set a timer for 5 minutes and add to your giveaway pile.  Repeat throughout the house.

I added a twist to my five minutes of weeding my bookshelf garden...

My Bye, Bye, Bye Book-Weeding System

1.  Set timer for 5 minutes.

2.  Stand in front of bookshelves and identify books that were just okay.  Books you are not likely to ever read again.  Books that no one is likely to want to borrow from you or to need for an academic purpose.  Put them in a giveaway pile.  If it's "just okay," it doesn't deserve valuable bookshelf real estate unless it was a gift from someone who sees your shelves regularly or was written or autographed by a friend or family member.

3.  Stand in front of your bookshelves and get out your phone.  Open your Goodreads app.  Now, identify books you have on your shelves that you haven't read yet.  Focus on the ones that you can't even remember why you bought in the first place.  Look up these titles on Goodreads.  What I found is that a bunch of my unread books had average ratings in the low 3 star range (and some even had 2 star ratings).  Life is too short to waste time on a book with an average rating of 2.65 or 3.13 stars (again, unless it was written by a friend or family member).  I weeded out two dozen books easily and without guilt or hesitation with Goodreads as my guide.  A few books that had low average ratings but a higher rating or positive review from a Goodreads friend received stays of execution.

4.  The five-minute timer went off a long time ago.  If you're worn out, call it a day.  You did your time and then some.  If you're exhilarated, feel free to keep weeding.

5.  Donate or sell the books you've weeded out.  (Mine are still sitting in a Macy's bag as I am not sure where I'd like to donate them or if I want to face the humiliation of receiving $6.40 in store credit for them at Half Price Books ... if I'm lucky).

6.  Repeat as often as you can.

How do you weed your book garden?  

2018 Year of Books

Complete list of books read in 2018.  For commentary, check out 2018 Reading Highlights -- Fiction and 2018 Reading Highlights -- Nonfiction.

2018 FICTION
Heather Abel
The Optimistic Decade (audiobook)

Aimee Agresti
Campaign Widows (paperback)

Becky Albertalli
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (audiobook via Libby)


Gretchen Anthony
Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners (library book)

Jane Austen
Emma: An Audible Original Drama (audiobook)
Persuasion (audiobook)

David Baldacci
The Christmas Train (audiobook via Hoopla)

Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Little White Lies (audiobook via Hoopla)

Emily Belden
Hot Mess (audiobook via Hoopla)

Dianne Blacklock
Wife for Hire (ebook)

Amy Bloom
White Houses (audiobook via Libby)


Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
The War I Finally Won (audiobook via Libby)

Emma Burstall
Tremarnock Summer (ebook)

Jake Burt
Greetings from Witness Protection! (audiobook via Libby)

Patti Callahan
Becoming Mrs. Lewis (audiobook via Hoopla)



Katherine Center
How to Walk Away (hardcover)

Mary H.K. Choi
Emergency Contact (audiobook via Hoopla)

Jenny Colgan
Christmas at the Little Beach Street Bakery (audiobook via Hoopla)
Christmas on the Island (audiobook via Hoopla)
The Endless Beach (paperback)

Liv Constantine
The Last Mrs. Parrish (audiobook via Hoopla)

Paula Daly
Open Your Eyes (audiobook via Hoopla)
The Mistake I Made (audiobook via Hoopla)

Patrick deWitt
French Exit (audiobook via Libby)


Kathleen A. Flynn
The Jane Austen Project (audiobook via Hoopla)

Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol (audiobook via Hoopla)

Abby Fabiaschi
I Liked My Life (audiobook via Hoopla)

A.J. Finn
The Woman in the Window (hardcover)

Michelle Frances
The Girlfriend (audiobook)

Heather Vogel Frederick
The Mother-Daughter Book Club (paperback)

Robert Galbraith
Lethal White (Cormoran Strike #4) (audiobook)

Emily Giffin
All We Ever Wanted (audiobook)

Karina Yan Glaser
The Vanderbeekers of 131st Street (hardcover)

Kate Greathead
Laura & Emma (audiobook)

Hank Green
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (audiobook) 

Andrew Sean Greer
Less (audiobook)


Jasmine Guillory
The Proposal (library book)
The Wedding Date (library book)

Jane Harper
The Dry (Aaron Falk #1) (audiobook via Libby)
Force of Nature (Aaron Falk #2) (audiobook via Libby)

Sarah Haywood
The Cactus (audiobook via Hoopla)   

Kristan Higgins
Good Luck with That (library book)
Now That You Mention It (ebook)

Elin Hilderbrand
The Perfect Couple (audiobook)

Winter in Paradise (library book)

Helen Hoang
The Kiss Quotient (hardcover)

Ruth Hogan
The Keeper of Lost Things (audiobook via Libby)

K.A. Holt
House Arrest (ebook)

Balli Kaur Jaswal
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows (audiobook via Hoopla)

Lisa Jewell
After the Party (audiobook via Hoopla)
The Girls in the Garden (audiobook via Hoopla)
Then She Was Gone (audiobook via Hoopla)
The Third Wife (audiobook via Hoopla)

Sandie Jones
The Other Woman (audiobook via Libby) 

Tayari Jones
An American Marriage (hardcover)


Kazuki Kaneshiro
Go: A Coming of Age Novel (ebook)


Brigid Kemmerer
More Than We Can Tell (library book)

Eliza Kennedy
Do This For Me (library book)

Kathleen Anne Kenney
Girl on the Leeside (audiobook)

Marian Keyes
The Break (paperback) 

Sophie Kinsella
Surprise Me (audiobook via Libby)

Wedding Night (audiobook via Libby)

T.E. Kinsey
A Quiet Life in the Country (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #1) (audiobook)

Jessica Knoll
The Favorite Sister (audiobook via Libby)

Terri Libenson
Invisible Emmie (ebook)

Stephen McCauley
My Ex-Life (audiobook)


Sarah McCoy
Marilla of Green Gables (audiobook via Hoopla)

Emer McLysaght
Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling (paperback)

Dervla McTiernan
The Ruin (Cormac Reilly #2) (audiobook)

Christine Mangan
Tangerine (audiobook via Hoopla)

Jill Mansell
This Could Change Everything (ebook)

Carol Mason
After You Left (audiobook)

Jillian Medoff
This Could Hurt (audiobook via Hoopla)

Randy Susan Meyers
The Widow of Wall Street (audiobook via Hoopla)

Jonathan Miles
Anatomy of a Miracle (audiobook)


Lydia Millet
Fight No More: Stories (audiobook via Hoopla)

Elsie Milligan
Tennis Champion (hardcover)

Emma Mills
First & Then (library book)

Goldy Moldavsky
No Good Deed (audiobook via Hoopla)

L.M. Montgomery
Emily of New Moon (Emily #1) (audiobook via Hoopla)
Emily Climbs (Emily #2) (audiobook via Hoopla)
Emily's Quest (Emily #3) (audiobook via Hoopla)

Liane Moriarty
Nine Perfect Strangers (audiobook)

Ottessa Moshfegh
My Year of Rest and Relaxation (audiobook)
 
Jojo Moyes 
Still Me (hardcover)

Sayaka Murata
Convenience Store Woman (audiobook via Hoopla)

Julie Murphy
Puddin'  (library book)

Celeste Ng
Little Fires Everywhere (audiobook via Libby)

Maggie O'Farrell
This Must Be the Place (ebook)

Lara S. Ormiston
Unequal Affections: A Pride and Prejudice Retelling (ebook)

Delia Owens
Where the Crawdads Sings (audiobook)

Allison Pearson
How Hard Can It Be? (hardcover)

Louise Penny
A Trick of the Light (Chief Inspector Gamace #7) (audiobook via Libby)
The Beautiful Mystery (Chief Inspector Gamache #8) (audiobook via Libby)
How the Lights Gets In (Chief Inspector Gamache #9) (audiobook via Libby)
The Long Way Home (Chief Inspector Gamache #10) (audiobook via Libby)
The Nature of the Beast (Chief Inspector Gamache #11) (audiobook via Libby)
The Great Reckoning (Chief Inspector Gamache #12) (audiobook via Libby)
Glass Houses (Chief Inspector Gamache #13) (audiobook via Libby)

Jo Piazza
Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win (audiobook)

Sylvia Plath
The Bell Jar (audiobook via Libby)

Amy Poeppel
Limelight (library book)

Caroline Preston
The War Bride's Scrapbook (library book)

Miss Read
Thrush Green (Thrush Green #1) (ebook)
Winter in Thrush Green (Thrush Green #2) (ebook)

Penny Reid
Neanderthanl Seeks Human (ebook)

Sally Rooney
Conversations with Friends (audiobook via Libby)

Margery Sharp
Cluny Brown (ebook)

Samantha Silva
Mr. Dickens and His Carol (audiobook via Hoopla)

Josie Silver
One Day in December (audiobook)

Graeme Simsion
Two Steps Forward (audiobook)

Curtis Sittenfeld
You Think It, I'll Say It (hardcover)

D.E. Stevenson
The Musgraves (audiobook)
The Young Clementina (audiobook)

Angela Thirkell
Growing Up (paperback)


Anne Tyler
Clock Dance (audiobook via Libby)

Rachel Vail
Well, That Was Awkward (audiobook via Libby)

Lara Vapnyar
Still Here (ebook)

Rosie Walsh
Ghosted (hardcover) 

Jennifer Wang
The Prince and the Dressmaker (library book)

Ruth Ware
The Death of Mrs. Westaway (audiobook via Libby)

Lauren Weisenberger
The Singles Game (audiobook via Libby)
When Life Gives You Lululemons (audiobook via Libby)

Julia Whelan
My Oxford Year (ebook)

Cherise Wolas
The Family Tabor (audiobook)

Meg Wolitzer
The Female Persuasion (audiobook)

Harold Bell Wright
The Shepherd of the Hills (ebook) 

Samantha Young
Fight or Flight (audiobook)

2018 MEMOIRS, ESSAYS, and OTHER NON-FICTION
Alan Arkin
Out of My Mind (audiobook)

Clare Balding
My Animals and Other Family (audiobook)
Walking Home: My Family and Other Rambles (audiobook)

Anne Bogel
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life (hardcover)

Lisa Brennan-Jobs
Small Fry (audiobook)

Jessica Bruder
Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century (audiobook)

Bill Bryson
A Walk in the Woods (audiobook)

Gail Caldwell
New Life, No Instructions (ebook)

Leslie Cohen
This Love Story Will Self-Destruct (library book)

Kelly Corrigan
Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say (hardcover)

Kristi Coulter
Nothing Good Can Come from This (library book)

Sloane Crosley
Look Alive Out There (library book)

Anthony Doerr
Four Seasons in Rome: On twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World (audibook via Hoopla)

Elizabeth Esther
Girl at the End of the World: My Escape from Fundamentalism in Search of Faith with a Future (ebook)

Tom Farley, Jr.
The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts (audiobook)

Beth Ann Fennelly
Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs (library book)


Timothy Ferriss
Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World (ebook)

Jenna Fischer
The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide (audiobook)

Cait Flanders
The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store (audiobook via Hoopla)

Jennifer Fulwiler
One Beautiful Dream: The Rollicking Tale of Family Chaos, Personal Passions, and Saying Yes to Them Both (hardcover)

Steven Gaines
One of These Things First (audiobook) 

Brittany Gibbons
The Clothes Make the Girl (Look Fat?): Adventures and Agonies in Fashion (library book)


Lauren Graham
In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It (library book)

Carl Hiaasen
Assume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You'll Never Hear (library book) 

Amy Hollingsworth
The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers: Spiritual insights from the World's Most Beloved Neighbor (audiobook via Hoopla)

Rachel Hollis
Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be (audiobook via Hoopla)

Hannah Howard
Feast: True Love in and out of the Kitchen (ebook)

Mary Karr
The Art of Memoir (ebook)

Ellie Kemper
My Squirrel Days (library book)

Bob Newhart
Hi Bob! (audiobook)

Sarah Millican
How to be Champion (ebook)

Haruki Murakami
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (audiobook)

Liz Rosenberg
House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery (hardcover)

Helen Russell
The Year of Living Dangerously: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country (audiobook)

Richard Russo
The Destiny Thief:  Essays on Writing, Writers and Life (hardcover) 

Terry Ryan
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less (ebook)

Faith Sallie
Approval Junkie: My Heartfelt (and Occasionally Inappropriate) Quest to Please Just About Everyone, and Ultimately Myself (audiobook via Libby)

Fumio Sasaki
Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism (audiobook via Hoopla)

Eve O. Schaub
Year of No Clutter (ebook)

Ted Scheinman
Camp Austen: My Life as an Accidental Jane Austen Superfan (library book)

David Sedaris
Calypso (audiobook)

David Spade
Almost Interesting (audiobook via Hoopla)
A Polaroid Guy in a Snapchat World (audiobook)

Paul V. Stutzman
Hiking Through: Finding Peace and Freedom on the Appalachian Trail (audiobook via Hoopla)

Gary Vaynerchuk
#AskGaryVee: One Entrepreneur's Take on Leadership, Social Media, and Self-Awareness (ebook)

Stephanie Wittels Wachs
Everything is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love and Loss (audiobook via Hoopla)

Ali Wentworth
Go Ask Ali: Half-Baked Advice (library book)

Tara Westover
Educated (audiobook)


Shelley Wilson
How I Changed My Life in a Year (audiobook via Hoopla)

Dana K. White
Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff (library book)

Harris Wittels
Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty (audiobook via Hoopla)
 

An (*) indicates a reread.  All ebooks are purchased on sale via the Kindle Store or checked out from the e-offerings of the Elmhurst Public Library.  All audiobooks are from Audible.com or the Elmhurst Public Library's e-offerings (Hoopla and Libby Apps).

#bookstagram & #bookstagramjoy

So, I'm on Instagram, four times over actually; each of my accounts allows me to follow and connect with people who share various interests of mine.  As @booksandcarbs, I follow readers and booklovers in the #bookstagram community.  If you're on Instagram and curious, click on #bookstagram and see the many kinds of posts this hashtag inspires.

Some aspects of #bookstagram are annoying to me:
* Some users post pretty pictures of books but offer no commentary about the books.  Are you recommending it?  Do you just like the cover?  Did it just match your couch, socks, patio furniture, etc.?

* Some users post pretty pictures of books that they aren't actually reading (or even planning to read) and do this multiple times per day (Hmmm, you have several kids and a job and you've posted photos of seven different books today and five different books yesterday.  Are there more hours in your day than in mine?)  No one has asked me to be a #bookstagram detective, but I'd explore the position if asked.

* Users who have received review copies of books post photos of them.  I know that's what's expected when one accepts a review copy, but I get annoyed when I scroll through my feed and see the same book pictured over and over, often with very little text to tell me if it's a book I'd enjoy or not.

* Users who are all about numbers of followers and don't focus on creating interesting content.

There are some other aspects of #bookstagram that annoy me, but I already feel petty and nitpicky about what I've said so far.  The bottom line is that I am looking to connect with lovers of books more than with photographers and promoters of books.  

Some aspects of #bookstagram are glorious to me:
* Some users post beautiful photos of books that I've never heard of and include commentary.  Then, I have the pleasure of learning more about that book/author and tracking down a copy if I'm especially intrigued! 

* Many users talk about the books!  I love honest feedback about what they're reading paired with cool photos of the books.

* I have found a few "kindred spirits" on #bookstagram, people whose reading tastes are similar to mine and from whom I learn about books beyond the current bestseller list (not that I am against contemporary lit or bestsellers -- I read plenty of both!!).
 
I've had a few "happy ending" reading experiences, thanks to #bookstagram -- times when I've discovered a book and then gone on to read and enjoy it!  I'm going to try to write up some of these experiences on this blog under a new feature called #bookstagramjoy (or a cooler hashtag that hasn't come to me yet).  Stay tuned.

Audible Monthly Credit Report Catch-Up

Long Post Alert.

It's been six months.  How have you managed without knowing how I spent my Audible.com monthly credits?

March Picks

Jonathan Miles's Anatomy of a Miracle was fantastic.  I've enjoyed all of his books but this one was my favorite by miles (pun intended).  Faith, family, friendship, love, war, reality tv, neighborhoods.  It's all there and his eye for detail is noteworthy.  I really liked Tanya, the sister character.

Laura and Emma by Kate Greathead was just okay.  Some nice, interesting moments but it didn't add up to much, and I found Laura such a frustrating character.  This book does not live up to any of the Gilmore Girls comparisons posited by some reviewers/bloggers/bookstagrammers.  

April Picks

My Animals and Other Family by Clare Balding -- Not one person who knows me would use the phrase "animal lover" to describe me and yet I loved this book and continue to love Clare Balding's writing.  She's honest, compassionate, funny, and positive.  She does a great job with this memoir framed around different animals in her life.  I shed a few tears.

Meg Wolitzer's The Female Persuasion -- I'm a Meg Wolitzer fan and she gives you plenty to think about here in terms of women in the world, friendship, mentorship, power, etc.  It wasn't heavy-handed or aggressively political.  I enjoyed following the lives of Greer, Faith, Cory, and Z and cared about them.  That being said, this novel is one where the parts are greater than their sum.  Glad I listened to it, but not my favorite title of hers.  

May Pick

I think Stephen McCauley's My Ex-Life was my only (or maybe my first) pick in May.  Looking back at my Goodreads, I see that I didn't write anything about it which either means I hated it but didn't want to be mean, was feeling lazy, the book included a hot button issue of mine and I didn't want to grapple with liking/disliking a book that includes this issue, or it was just fine.  My Ex-Life was fine.  It filled the time.  I didn't not enjoy it.  Twas fine.
 

May Pick #2 (but chosen in June)

Using an Audible credit to purchase Elin Hilderbrand's latest is a summer ritual for me.  The Perfect Couple, her first murder mystery, was not a big departure from her usually delightful Nantucket novels.  I was worried it would be a disappointment, but it was another glorious trip to Nantucket (for everyone except the novel's Maid of Honor).

June Credits?  July?  No clue.

Okay, I'd really love to discuss Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win but I can't say I really loved it.  I did like the inside look into a campaign and the toll it takes on candidates and their families.  I thought the ending was a cop-out, and it kind of pissed me off.

A friend recommended A Polaroid Guy in a Snapchat World by David Spade.  I just cracked up.  Spade is a really funny guy, self-deprecating and seemingly honest.  I tracked down the audio version of his previous memoir after reading this one.  Need a laugh or company for a boring drive or household project?  Spade's Your (Polaroid) Guy.

July Credits?  August?  No clue.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh was a real change of pace.  Sublimely funny in a few moments.  Details and observations that feel real and familiar.  But dark, dark, dark and at the end, either devastating or kind of hopeful.  I'd love to discuss it with someone.  I listened to it late summer, but having just experienced another anniversary of 9/11, this book strikes me as even more poignant.

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin would be perfect for book clubs.  So much to discuss.  A real bubble burster in terms of what we may not know about the "good kids" we know, especially in this new(ish) age of social media.  What are we teaching our kids, especially by example?  Giffin's best book in years.  (Side note: the narrator for the male character in the book had a voice that sounded too old for the character, in my opinion.)

The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan is a title I listened to very recently.  I liked the Galway setting and will check out the next installment once it's available.  This new detective series has potential.

August Credits (I think).

I really liked the The Family Tabor by Cherise Wolas, though maybe not as much as I liked Wolas's The Resurrection of Joan Ashby.   Poses good questions about negotiating life without faith and the dangers of trying to bury, discount, or otherwise deny one's past.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a book I resisted.  I don't like the title, am tiring of Southern novels with secrets, and am sometimes less tempted by books with too much buzz and multiple #bookstagram posts.  Nevertheless, I went for it and I'm glad.  Kya and her beloved marsh were easy to root for and the novel gives you a real sense of time and place as you read. 

Okay then, all caught up on Audible credits until I spend my September ones.  Apologies for the massive post.

LFL Flashback!

I made a brief trip home over the weekend to visit my family, including a brand new nephew.  On Sunday morning, my sister and I walked two kiddos over to the elementary school that I attended for kindergarten and first grade (our parochial school didn't start until second grade back then).  I was excited to see this Little Free Library outside one of the school's entrances.  (Sidenote:  I've never paused to wonder if the Fairfield City Schools' mascot is still the Indian.  I guess it is.)  I really like how explicit the verbiage is on the side of this LFL:  Take a book or magazine, read it here, take it home, keep it or return it.  I find it much more inviting than the take a book, leave a book phrase I've seen on other LFLs.  Plus, there are homes where kids don't own many (or any) of their own books, and I like the idea that a child could find a book here and have the pleasure of keeping it at home forever if he or she loved it. 

This LFL is, not surprisingly, full of children's books, including plenty of books for beginning-to-be independent readers.  I would have loved to open it up and choose a book back when I was a first grader falling in love with reading.  I was a bus rider though so I'm not sure how much browsing time I would have had, though maybe this LFL can be visited during recess...

I was totally tickled to spy a copy of Sideways Stories from Wayside School because I have clear memories of my beloved first grade teacher Mrs. Huss reading this book aloud.  Here's hoping there are still copies inside the school!

Finally, as I do each time I spot a LFL, I paused to determine which book I would choose were I in need of a read.  I think I'd go with Corrie ten Boom's The Hiding Place, a true story of the Holocaust that moved me as a ninth grader.  Second choice with be The Secret Garden as a readalong with my daughter.

I hope the students of FSES are enjoying their LFL!  It makes me happy to think of it there.

Audible Monthly Credit(s) Report -- February 2018

I am killing it with my Audible book selections in 2018.  January was excellent, and I chose two winners in February as well.  If only I had some ideas for March...

If you haven't heard about Tara Westover's Educated, you will.  If you enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy or The Glass Castle, you will enjoy Educated.  Westover was kept out of public school by her parents but was not really homeschooled either.  Her story of growing up with a (likely bipolar) doomsday prepper, strictly religious father, a midwife mother with other healing gifts, and many siblings is almost unbelievable.  Imagine never seeing a doctor.  Imagine getting yelled at for rolling up your sleeves (immodest) on a hot Idaho day.  Imagine not having a birth certificate.  Abuse, shifting rules, shifting moods, shifting alliances ... her childhood is not easy.  Her family is not conventional (understatement).  And yet, they are her family, and she loves them, which makes her journey to educate herself all the more challenging and amazing.  The first time Westover ever sits in a classroom, she's a student at Brigham Young University.  Westover's writing is honest, thoughtful, and reflective.  She's not trying to sensationalize her childhood so much as she is trying to make sense of it.  Excellent.  I want to discuss it with someone.

The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances has been on my radar for a while.  It was published last year in the UK and I somehow saw a description of it.  I've been waiting patiently for it to make its way to the USA.  This is the perfect thriller for boy moms!  A mom becomes increasingly wary of her precious son's girlfriend.  It would be a fun pick for a book club that enjoys a lighter read, though the things that happen in this book and the discussion it invites are not necessarily light.

Any ideas for my March credits?

I promise the next post will not be audiobook-related.  I was just playing catch up.

Audible Oddity -- Steam Index?!

I was searching Audible last month for titles worthy of my monthly credits and paused to consider the Julia Glass title above, which is now on my Wish List.  I've read several Julia Glass novels and thought this one sounded promising.  I was taken a bit aback though to see the "steam-o-meter" below the book's details.  I'm certainly not opposed to some steam in a novel as long as it seems organic to the story.  I am not interested in a bunch of sex scenes loosely tied together with generic characters and a weak narrative frame.  If I were looking for a "steamy read" and I would say I am seldom, if ever, specifically seeking that quality in a book (though, again, I'm not opposed if steam is part of the story), Julia Glass would not be the first author that came to mind (or even the fiftieth).  I'm curious about the introduction of the "steam-o-meter" (my term, not Audible's) in general.  The playful language suggests that the meter is supposed to be a selling tool not a warning label.  I just find it odd.

So, this morning, I decided to look up some titles that I enjoyed and that I know to be steamy (though, I did not know that going in since I did not have the steam-o-meter to consult) to check and see whether a) these books were given a steam-o-meter rating and b) what that rating was.

I read Sally Thorne's The Hating Game last summer as a library ebook.  It's a very fun, love-hate office romance story with good characters.  I would agree with the "hot damn" rating.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan is a book I recommend all the time.  It's just a perfect escape.  Great premise, lovable characters, easy to read.  Again, I agree with the "sizzling" rating.

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal is a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and available now on Hoopla (a digital service offered by many libraries).  Despite the title (which I initially found off-putting), I downloaded the title for a weekend road trip.  This book is definitely steamy, but it's in the service of a larger narrative about culture, gender, and religion.  I thought it was great.  If I had to give it a steam-o-meter rating, I'd put it somewhere between "sizzling" and "hot damn."  I find it intriguing, however, that this book did not have a steam-o-meter rating.  Perhaps the title tells you what you need to know already? 

Here's what I know:
1)  Some titles available on Audible.com have been given a steam-o-meter (my term) rating.
2)  For two books that I read that are steam-o-meter rated, I found the ratings to be accurate.

Here's what I don't know but would like to know:
1)  Who's idea was the steam-o-meter? 
2)  Who decides which books are given a steam-o-meter rating?
3)  Who's assigning the steam-o-meter rating?  (Admittedly, I did not dig around on website to see if these come from Audible editors, crowd-sourcing, etc.)
4)  Has Audible received any positive or negative feedback from authors whose books have received steam-o-meter ratings?
5)  Have any steam-o-meter books seen a spike or decline in sales?

As for me, I'm entertained/intrigued by the steam-o-meter feature but think I'd prefer to continue seeking out stories that sound good to me.  If they happen to have a steam factor, so be it, but I think I'd rather be surprised by that element of the story.