This is one of those historical novels I‘m glad exists because it brought a historical figure to my notice. And I finished it because it‘s for book club. But there were no sentences than sang to me, and the characters didn‘t quite come to life as of their time. Not many anachronisms I could be sure of (notable exception- a counter in a kitchen, which would have had a table and perhaps other furniture, but nothing built in.) 👇🏻

Not a recipe from the tagged book, but I went to the farmers market today, and it‘s supposed to get cold again this week, so I made soup. Now I don‘t have to think about dinner.

I started this because the author was born at the same time and place as one of my great great grandfathers, but their lives have moved in different directions and there‘s still a are still literally hundreds of pages of self-congratulatory florid prose to go. I‘m bailing so I can remove it from my profile!

An in-depth look at the making of the movie version of The Color Purple, rather than the author memoir I was expecting. I enjoyed this look into Walker‘s psyche. I confess I never saw the movie (we were young and poor in the late 80s and didn‘t go out much) but 👇🏻

While I‘m preparing for April, here‘s my #ReadYourKobo list for April.

April #bookspin, homeless books edition. These are all books that don‘t have homes on my shelves, with the exception of one that‘s for my in-person book club. @TheAromaofBooks

Such melodrama! With hints of #Clarissa, except the heroine is less good. The villain is a caricature and the hero is not particularly appealing. But it did keep me reading and there were moments of humor, so I‘ll give it a weak pick. #readyourKobo @CBee

More a memoir than an instruction manual, but a heartening and inspiring book for our times. #BeBrave Thanks for coming along for the ride @kspenmoll @Deblovestoread @Bookwormjillk

I‘d say 99% of this book is silly foolishness, poking fun at the “bright young things” and the establishment equally, but that last 1%, the final chapter, is pretty grim Chastity‘s fate was unsurprising but still sad, and Adam ends up just as poor and aimlessly as he began. But for 99% of the book it was just the laugh I needed.

How‘s everyone doing with this? I‘m six chapters in, and I think the title might have been more accurate if it were Learning to Be Brave. I‘m enjoying reading about Bishop Budde‘s journey, but I was hoping for more practical advice, I guess. Thoughts? #BeBrave @kspenmoll @Deblovestoread @Bookwormjillk

This morning we welcome Wynn Ashley, our third grandchild and our son‘s second daughter. She‘s my reason for hope and a way to find beauty in this world. Which is much needed right now!

Twenty pages in and already laughing out loud.

Random House started out by acquiring The Modern Library, so it seems appropriate to picture this memoir alongside my ML collection. I enjoyed Cerf‘s meandering reminiscences and the advantage of knowing which of his authors is still read and which not doesn‘t detract a bit. His humor isn‘t mean, even when “telling tales” on famous people, and it was a dose of lightheartedness I very much needed. And #letterA for #LitsyAtoZ & #doublrspin.

For everything you criticize, I challenge you to offer at least one suggestion for making it better.”
#BeBrave @kspenmoll @Deblovestoread @Bookwormjillk

My husband took me to a book sale about an hour from here for my birthday. The tagged book was a present from my sister, and the rest are the #bookhaul from the sale. And my daughter gave me a bookshop.com gift card, so I am a happy camper today!

I‘ve read the intro and first two chapters already, so I am not going to be able to stretch this out over the 40 days of Lent. 🙂 Thurman is an author/theologian I have read, but Buddy is adding to my list with other quotes and references, so I still think it a good Lenten choice. The above quote succinctly expresses my frustration with the “Christian” Right and its co-opting of Jesus. Any thoughts yet? @kspenmoll @Deblovestoread @Bookwormjillk

My Lenten discipline this year involves reading this book. Would anyone like to join me in a very unstructured buddy read? Let me know and I‘ll tag you in my posts. #BeBrave

It‘s here! My #kobo came today, and I started East Lynn for my #readyourKobo I can‘t believe how light it is! @CBee
Getting definite #Clarissa vibes from this one, and I‘m only 3% in.

I needed more humor and less thriller, so reading my #doublespin before my #bookspin this month. Also #letterA for #LitsyAtoZ. @TheAromaofBooks @Texreader

Amélie is expressing my opinion of the ending. An early novel, this shows the promise of what Cash will become. But it‘s not there yet. It does a great job of evoking its place, and I want to love some of the characters. But they‘re not totally believable. Still a good escapist read. It‘ll be interesting to hear my non southern book club members‘ opinions. #LetterL #LitsyAtoZ @Texreader

Loved the Kyrie this morning! Although I can‘t say the same for Ockeghem‘s hat. 😂 @AnnCecilie @kspenmoll

My February stats. Proud Shoes was the highest ranked, but the tagged book is so important right now.

My #readyourebooks list is ready, now that I‘ve downloaded and converted my ebooks. @CBee

I took the final steps today to totally disconnect from Amazon. #kobo on the way. #HitThemWhereItHurts #resist

There‘s a lot to unpack in this slim novel, and I will be puzzling on it for a while. Sparkling bits of humor and quirky characters set against personal tragedy and absurd yet unsettling politics make this a dense read. Beautiful writing and the ability to portray a very different time and place make this worth the effort.

Calling all #Kobo users! I‘m switching away from Amazon (and all the oligarchs) so I‘m ditching my Kindle Paperwhite and looking for a Kobo. Which one do you like best, and why? My preference is for lightweight and small enough to fit in a purse, but I‘m flexible. Convince me that your version is the best one. 😀

Just going to leave that there. 😂

The writing was very stilted feeling, who‘s is perhaps more on the translator than the author, but I lost interest 17% in.

Here‘s my #bookspin for March, trying to fill in some #litsyatoz prompts at the same time. 😀 @TheAromaofBooks @Texreader

WTF did I just read? This seemed like it should have been a poem instead of a 434 page novel, as it was all symbolism and no plot or character development. Unless you read Spanish, French, and German (with a little Latin) reading it on a device with translation capability is helpful. And a knowledge of Peter Loree‘s filmography, post-WWII politics, and Mexican geography would also be helpful. Glad I pushed through and finished, but 👇🏻

Pauli Murray - lawyer, civil rights activist, Episcopal priest, poet, friend of Eleanor Roosevelt - grew up in Durham NC. This is the story of her grandparents and great grandparents, their different backgrounds and races, and particularly their time between the war and Jim Crow when people thought it was going to be a more direct route to equality. Highly recommend. It‘s engagingly written and immersed me in her world.

Beautiful writing, without any sensationalism or exaggeration, telling what it was like to live through 1943 & 44 in Italy, first far enough from the fighting to be considered a safe place to evacuate children, then literally the front lines. Fleeing at a moments notice, on foot, with 4 infants, 23 children under 10, and various adults. Dealing with partisans, fascists and Germans, all armed, all wanting to take whatever food, clothes etc.

We have no room on our bookshelves, but also no self-control. 😂 We spent this rainy day in two secondhand book stores and came away with these treasures. #bookhaul

The Geoffrey chapters annoy me, but then the Hugh chapters have a sentence like this. 😂

Rome in May of 1943. Would that I can be that sanguine!

Like with most short story collections, I liked some more than others. So many were heartbreaking. But also full of love of family. Sony‘s Gone might have been my favorite, but The Bones of Louella Brown was also a favorite. #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

My edition seems to want to shed its pages - and it‘s only February. How are you managing a reread @AnnCecilie ?

While I was at a work retreat my husband found this in a 2nd hand book shop and bought it for me. And the CD is still there! If you are (or know) an #oboist, you know how exciting this is. He gets me. ❤️

I can deal with unlikable characters, but in this book they got more unlikable as each chapter unfolded and I found nothing to redeem them. Every character is in a weird spot where they think they are superior while simultaneously feeling like everyone else feels superior to them. The final act of the “first love” was so selfish. I don‘t understand those who call the book romantic. Some decent writing, but not enough to save it for me.

Started my #bookspin today! @TheAromaofBooks

My February list for #readyourkindle. Maybe I‘ll do better than one completion this month. 😀 @CBee

I loved this novel of family, identity, and the power of cake. 😂 Seriously, it‘s a well written story that draws you in and with one exception, makes you love all the characters. I‘m looking forward to my book club‘s discussion. #litsyAtoZ #letterB

Informative. Disturbing. Sometimes funny. How do you describe this book? It sucks you in with a premise of a ridiculous “infomercial” for American Beef exports, and unwraps layers of things we don‘t like to think about. I don‘t eat factory-farmed meat but if I did before this book would have made me stop. Not preachy, but gets the message through loud and clear.

My February #bookspin is ready! @TheAromaofBooks

Definitely a #blameitonlitsy purchase, but one that‘s useful/appropriate for our times. Maybe Montaigne is the way to help us find our way back to each other. #litsyatoz #letterM

A fascinating look at Tudor history from another angle, through a different lens. Written in an accessible narrative style backed up by solid research this volume follows the rise and fall and rise again (and fall again, and rise again . . .) of the Dudley family who rose first with Henry VII and then served four more monarchs (five if you count Queen Jane, the 9 days Queen.) Pictured is Robert Dudley, favorite of Elizabeth I.

This has become our morning routine. This morning (Steve Reich) was the first time I didn‘t want to listen to multiple recordings of the say‘s selection. Oh well, tomorrow is Shubert. @AnnCecilie

Iris Origo writes this for herself, not for publication, in the years 1939-40, living in Italy and married to an Italian, but of British and American parentage she has a unique perspective on the war brewing in Europe. So well written that after finishing it, before writing this, I went online and ordered two more (tagged in comments.) I could do worse than take her as a model for how to get through the next regime. #LitsyAtoZ #letterC @Texreader

I know the print is small, but I wanted to give you the whole quote. Written in 1939 about Mussolini. But . . . Plus ça change, plus c‘est la même chose.

The diary of a woman whose mother was British, father was American, and husband was Italian. She lived in Italy and is writing during 1939-1940. In a fascist regime. I think there may be much to learn from this slim volume.