Wait just a second. I‘m halfway through this book - a book that received the Pen/Faulkner Award for Fiction - and I just realized this is not an autobiography. It‘s fiction. Just like they said. Now I don‘t know how I feel about the book or about myself. 🤷🏻‍♀️

You know how some books just shock & delight you? I picked this book up because it‘s written by a Vermonter who teaches at Dartmouth. I knew nothing else about him. These are very short essays that alternate between stories of his life & stories of famous authors. I was googling while reading to discover more about some of the authors. I‘ve moved on to another book now but I keep going back to this one to read it again. I need more of his books.

Thank you so much, Reggie, for this sweet gift. I don‘t know how you do it but you always pick a book for me that sounds fantastic. You‘ve always been so kind to me. 💕💕💕

I really enjoyed this one. I won‘t forget Colette anytime soon. #offtheshelf

This book is a memoir of sorts, written by a Dartmouth professor. It‘s interspersed with thoughts on other authors. I‘m really enjoying it.

It‘s been established already that this father was a tyrant and one that the mother and children had left behind. I love this imagery of how they dealt with him.

I enjoyed the #10BeforetheEnd challenge so much that I pulled ten more books off my shelves that I plan to read before the end of February. I seem to respond well to this type of visual reminder/challenge.

Thank you @ChaoticMissAdventures for helping to keep me focused on my goal of reading books I already own and moving them out of my house.

The best thing I can say about this book is that it‘s been on my shelf for 7 years and now it‘s leaving the house.

A woman who has grown up with wealth has an affair, retreats to her family home to stay with her mother who she finds annoying &unloving. She drinks a lot, expresses her self-loathing constantly, finds wealth to be a burden, and generally is exceedingly unpleasant. I like Stegner‘s writing but I did not like this book. #offtheshelf

I really didn‘t think I‘d make it but I finally bullied my way through the somewhat disappointing Stegner novel to finish my 10th book of the challenge. Thanks for the push to get these off my piles/shelves and to focus on books I own rather than picking up the shiny pennies at the library. (If you know, you know.) #offtheshelf. #10BeforetheEnd

This is a low pick for me. Which makes me kind of sad. Not sure what I was hoping for. He says he had a different book in mind to write, already formulating in his mind, but he knew he had to write about this experience before getting to the next book. And that‘s what it felt like. #offtheshelf. #10BeforetheEnd

It is the time of the ‘Big Freeze‘ in England in the 60‘s. We follow 2 couples who live across a field from each other. Both young women are pregnant & are struggling with loneliness & isolation. The husbands, one an inexperienced farmer & the other a young doctor are also struggling but no one is sharing their discontent. I struggled for a bit remembering who was who (🤷🏻‍♀️) but, halfway through, the book took off & I couldn‘t stop reading it.

“Winter is for women” - Sylvia Plath. From the forward of this book.

Not sure specifically what she was referring to, but in my case it‘s especially true because I don‘t feel guilty about sitting inside and reading for hours.

The photo is looking at the house behind me.

As I‘ve mentioned, I have appreciated Carter for years. I especially loved Vanity Fair when he was editor from 1992-2017. So I am partial to enjoying this book. If you didn‘t get to experience the brilliance of the writers & articles in VF you probably won‘t like this. Everyone he talks about is familiar to me, it feels a bit gossipy, and really ramps up halfway through. The money spent! The parties orchestrated! And Trump and his short fingers!

I think only those who read Vanity Fair during the time that Carter was in charge will appreciate this book. I read those issues cover to cover. In this paragraph he starts by talking about Marie Brenner and the amazing reporting she did but he also mentions some of the other brilliant writers on staff. I miss those times.

Everett tells the story of a black rancher/horse trainer and his uncle in Wyoming. A gay man is murdered in the town and the main characters become involved in unexpected ways. Everett‘s story is so detailed about ranch life, training horses, and brutal weather that I had to research if Everett had worked on a ranch and, yes, he did. This is a quick read and engrossing as all of his books are and it ended too quickly. #10BeforetheEnd #offtheshelf

A quote from this book written in 2005.

This is the kind of writing that annoys me. I literally stopped reading and for 10 minutes I sputtered to myself as I tried to imagine what the heck she was describing. ‘The tide of his eyes tossing and fretful.‘ 🤷🏻‍♀️

Maybe I‘m just in a bad mood.

Much to like about this novel about three sisters dealing with the grief over the death of a fourth sister. Good character development and I appreciated all of the many issues brought up in the story. (Surprisingly this was the second book in a row that I‘ve read with boxing being a plot point.) Unfortunately I have a book hangover from my previous read so this book was a low pick for me.

#10BeforeTheEnd #offtheshelf

Anthony Marra recommended this book and because I love Marra‘s work I decided to give it a try. I agree completely with the Kirkus review. There are a few sections that lag, but this story is keeping me from being able to read my next book because I can‘t move on for some reason. 🤷🏻‍♀️ The story involves a missing teenager, the boxing culture, and a quest for love and identity. Characters are richly drawn and your sympathy lies with all of them.

I live about 10 minutes away from the studio center and whenever I have coffee in the café just around the corner from the studio center I always look around and wonder which author or painter is sitting next to me.

‘Filled only by what pleases.‘ I like that idea. This statement is from a woman who has left her husband because she no longer has feelings for him and despite all societal norms is living in the mountains in a small cabin.

Late as usual.. 5 of the 7 grandkids, all of whom I was able to hang with. I had one-on-one time at a thanksgiving dinner with two of them at school which is always a blast. Took Charley (top left) to a children‘s museum and Winnie (at 6 weeks) kept smiling unexpectedly and uncontrollably as I held her - a delightful surprise. #5JoysFriday

Enright is a mystery to me. I always want to enjoy her books but they always end up being a muddle in my mind. This story revolves around a single mother and her daughter and the legacy left behind by the mother‘s father, a famous poet who has callously left all of them behind. Some of the writing was wonderful and yet I always feel removed from the emotion Enright is trying to elicit from me. It‘s a low pick. #offtheshelf #10BeforetheEnd

This book was a relief after just finishing a long and tedious novel. A murder victim is found in the restaurant that is run by the main character and her siblings. One of the brothers is blamed. I enjoyed the characters and the pacing and brown bread is so often remarked upon that I really wish I could have some.#10beforetheend #offtheshelf

I‘ve waited a few days before writing this review. This is definitely an apparently unpopular opinion. I‘m irrationally angry at myself for refusing to DNF this. I don‘t mind long books. I definitely like good writing. But when I think back on what I just finished reading I‘m curious why it needed to be so long and why I ended up not caring one way or the other what happened with the majority of the characters.

I did it! I went to the 20 Vermont independent bookstores selected for this year‘s challenge. It was delightful to explore towns I‘d never been to before and to see the variety and tastes of each store. Brandon was the town that surprised and delighted me the most. The river runs through the town and artwork abounds. The proprietor of Book Nook in Ludlow, a tiny nook filled with books, was my soul‘s book twin. 💕💕

Her debut of short stories. They run the gamut of emotional highs and lows with some creepy stories thrown in. All spectacular, as only Keegan can do. #10BeforetheEnd #offtheshelf

I really like the Gilmore Girls. I had a long drive so I decided to listen to this one. She‘s clearly a powerhouse and proud of all she‘s accomplished. I wish I had liked this more.

Not a book related post:

If you‘ve been on Litsy as long as I have, you‘ll probably remember my grandson Captain Adorable. He turned 12 yesterday and asked me to take him out to lunch as my present to him. I gave him $40 worth of one dollar bills and you would‘ve thought I gave him $1 million. As he was counting out the dollar bills he kept saying, “it‘s too much!”

Grandkids are the best.

I was so excited to see that Stephen Colbert selected this book for viewers to read. I think it‘s this author‘s best book.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQsEE9ckbQA/?igsh=ZHU4bWRlYm0xMDQ0

Maybe you recognize Smith‘s music from Good Will Hunting. I was a fan of Elliot‘s from the start and saw him several times in person. Certainly not music to dance to but music that meant a lot to me. I couldn‘t listen to his music for almost 20 years following his death because it made me so sad that he was gone. But he‘s back on my playlist.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8bxmk09lCzk&list=RDn5g-91mwiNs&index=6&pp=8AUBoAcB

#TuesdayTunes

There are only a few stories of his acting career here. This is a book of his early years growing up in Ireland, his time struggling with alcohol, and his horrible self-esteem. It is very well written and evokes a sensory experience of an Ireland of old. #10BeforetheEnd #offtheshelf

A three day trip that included visiting Bennington Bookstore in Vermont, Odyssey Bookstore in South Hadley, Massachusetts and the Book Mill in Montague, Massachusetts. All were great stores and the Book Mill was a huge old mill on a river filled with books in all the books and crannies. I purchased many books, all new to me except The Five Wounds which I wanted to have a copy of because I liked it so much. A great trip.

I just read the author's answers to the Oldster questionnaire and chuckled a number of times - thought I'd share. Also, I really appreciate this Substack column a lot. If you don't know of it, you might be interested in checking it out.

https://oldster.substack.com/p/this-is-57-bestselling-author-catherine

Color me happy. In between each of Keegan‘s brilliant stories I take a turn with Gabriel Byrne‘s brilliant life story. Nothing better than reading the writing of two Irish authors.

This is the author‘s debut published in 1995. It‘s published as a novel but feels like it has to be a memoir. A section on the character‘s father, one on the mother, one on the experience of ballet dancers, and one on falling for a married Russian immigrant. As I was reading it I thought the writing was too simple, but by the end I realized how impactful the descriptions were and how close I felt to the characters. #10BeforetheEnd #offtheshelf

Chris Whitaker said glowing things about this novel at the National Book Festival so I purchased it immediately. This story spans decades & centers around characters I grew to care for. The damage that war creates, the need to hide your sexual identity, the repercussions of being an orphan, a woman who talks with spirits, & an affair that ties two families together are all part of the story. Forgiveness is the ultimate message. I really liked it.

Okay, I‘m going to try to finish these books that have been hanging around in my stacks of books by the end of the year. No pressure, just a goal.

#10BeforetheEnd @ChaoticMissAdventures

And again Jennifer surprises me with book mail. You are so generous. It‘s been quite a week and I was faltering a bit and you‘ve raised my spirits with this unexpected surprise. Thank you!!

This author can do no wrong. He brings together characters I won‘t soon forget - Nicholas, a young man whose father is instructed by God to paint and off he goes, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. His father, a tortured soul who paints and tries to hear God again. Isabel, a young woman who grieves for her brother and finds an unworthy man to be with. This book is lyrical, partially magical, very Irish, and thoroughly engrossing.

Oh my! If you‘ve read this book, you‘re going to want to see the film that‘s coming out soon. I got chills watching it.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPvhC5diNye/?igsh=Y3c4ajF2djFqamt2

Toews is a must read author for me. However, I would suggest this not be the first book you read of hers. This is a memoir, filled with snippets of events which involve the silence of her father and her sister- before and after their deaths - stories of her mother who I swear has to be the basis for the grandmother in Fight Night, & stories of other family members. Why she writes is a never ending subject matter. There is humor amidst the many 🔽

I need no convincing to read a book by Niall Williams, but reviews by Edna O‘Brien, Paulo Coelho, and Marianne Faithfull on his debut novel would definitely have convinced me.

One thing I love about Alison‘s books are the drawings. For example, City Hall is perfectly captured here. I can‘t tell you how many times I‘ve walked up and down those stairs during my many years of working there and when Bernie was Mayor the lights in the building were always lit up. This book covers many topics - goat rearing, politics, polyamory (which made me chuckle), Alison‘s constant questioning and concerns. It was a delight.

Second book in a row I could not put down. A baby magpie falls from a tree and Marnie rescues it, much to the annoyance of her husband. Tama becomes a household pet and a viral sensation. Tama is ostracized by her magpie family but adored by Marnie and barely tolerated by hubby. This is a surprisingly tense story and, as the author always manages to do, it was a reading-race-to-the-end for me. A very complete & enjoyable read. TW:DV. #offtheshelf

I cannot tell you how many times I‘ve watched this video of Prince knocking it out of the park and bringing a song to life. He takes a sleepy version of a sweet song and enlivens it. He starts at 3:30.

https://youtu.be/dWRCooFKk3c

#tuesdaytunes @TieDyeDude

Thanks to @JillR for her recommendation of this book. Found it on Book Outlet and it‘s the next book I‘ll be reading. #bookmail

I went to a tiny bookstore in the bottom part of the state and they had so many books, new and very old, that I‘ve read and loved. It felt like my own personal library. After talking with the bookseller, she suggested I might like this one and considering we seem to have the same taste I purchased it. I loved it. Magical realism is not generally my jam, but this involved a mute boy and his loving mother and grandmother who have suffered losses. 🔽

I‘m catsitting in my old neighborhood. The house is on a street backed up against a large swath of woods. Lake Champlain is just around the corner. Several porches on different levels of the house with comfy couches, one of which I‘m on right now napping and reading, napping and reading. It‘s a glorious day.

Is this book a mystery? Is it a character study in morality and culpability? Is it a warning about AI? Yes to all of it. I‘m glad that Oprah pushed the book so that people could start thinking more about the dangers of where we go with AI. Unfortunately, though, it was a low pick for me.

I only know about this author because of Litsy. He‘s coming to Burlington so I‘ll be going. What book should I read of his?