pontalba

Thanks, Gaia. The weather was bad, for us. But in comparison to further North, we are fortunate! No snow, no below zero temps. I count that as a good thing. I think I might have Wastelands on my kindle. I have something like that, can't remember exactly about the author/s...I'll check it out. Nice titles, muggle. Glomming on Elmore I see.

We have some of them on the shelf, or they are free to download to kindle. So, that's a good thing. And, we just happen to have the Vladimir Nabokov translation of Mikhail Lermontov's - A Hero of Our Time .

I don't know why I haven't made any reading progress this month. I've read one, started three...finished none of that three. The Secret History is, indeed, one of the three. Only read 40 pages or so, and like it, I'm just not........I don't know. I feel rather lethargic right now. Must be the freezing weather we've had the last several days. One more night of temps in the teens (F). Man, oh man, is this still the South??

I've read The English Patient and Divisadero, so far, and enjoyed both. I have Anil's Ghost on the shelf, looking forward to your review.

Kay, don't worry about the history angle. I couldn't make up my mind about rating it a 3 or 4 stars, finally came down on the side, of 3.5. However, I can't totally blame my unfamiliarity with Estonian history. That was a part, I believe. I "got" who was persecuting whom. First the Nazis, then the Communists, then their own people it seems. I think I just wanted more. And I can't even articulate what that "more" would have consisted of. I know that if I see anymore of her books, I'll be interested in reading them. As an aside, everytime I type "frankie" including this time, the bloody auto-check-something "fixes" it with a capital F. then I backspace to put the small f in......and have a wiggly red line underneath it. GGGGRRRRRRRR! Bah Humbug! Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.

I've read at least one book by Kernick, and liked it. All good reviews, Athena. I have the set of Harry Potter books, but have only read the last. Not fair to judge by that, I know. Someday, I'll read the whole series.

No reason not to do both. with chocolate filling too! or........ served with coffee and chicory, of course.

Not to mention the gorgeous beignets......

I'm looking forward to it too, Julie. The way she ends Doc was just too cut and dried for me. I saw Mrs. Poe, but haven't investigated it too much. I'm trying to reform....... Besides, I really liked the sound of the one that Russell is brewing.

I felt as though I, as a reader, was being manipulated. Whether that is right or wrong, that was the feeling. I didn't like it. I suppose that is what it all boils down to. On another topic.........did you see the link I put for the Poe book in an above post? Sounds like good stuff!

Got it, thanks, Sari.

Great! Thanks, Sari.

Yours, and mine, both! And, thanks, hope yours is great too, KM.

Deal! You're getting off easy, I only want, and can manage toast in the morning.

Where are the widgets? How are they to be used?

Honestly, I think the whole thing is stupid. That people get so passionately upset over a series of books is unnecessary, IMO. It reflects the same state of mind that hangs on every word a "Movie Star" says, or the soap operas on TV. Some people really fasten onto that stuff, it's their life. Sad, really. I think what really gets my nanny is the callousness of her reply. Oh well. A tempest in a teapot.

I thought it might be of interest to Mary Doria Russell fans...she of Doc fame. That's Doc Holliday to y'all. She has a new book just going to the publisher, Epitaph, a sequel to Doc. I'm very happy about this, as the only bit of a gripe I had with the wonderful Doc, was that the ending was a bit abrupt. So, that is being remedied. Also, if you read the link, you could scroll down for some information of her next book. It's only in the thinking stages now, but she has the first line, and it's a corker..... The book is Poe, as in Edgar Allen. http://www.marydoriarussell.net/2014/01/05/how-can-the-rolling-stones-play-jumpin-jack-flash-again/

Goes on the "not bought"/wishlist.......sounds good! Excellent review.

That was my reaction. She has made a choice to deal with the public, and that comes with a few responsibilities. Common courtesy being one of them. I agree, but as I mentioned, there is Common Courtesy. She is not writing for free, by a long shot. Her remuneration is pretty darned good for what, 15 books or so? Not to mention the Television mini series coming up. She invests herself in all kinds of "events" to do with the Scottish community, really extending herself. But I think it's pretty certain, she doesn't do them all for free. And, in any case, there is the publicity factor, even if not monetary remuneration. Yeah, rather flip on a serious question, I thought. I've become so irritated with all the announcements, and backtracking that I don't even care about reading the rest of the series. I suppose I will. Eventually. When I can get the book for a dollar at the Library Sale. I suppose she is fed up at people "moaning" at her, (my heart bleeds) if asking why the continual backtracking on announcements can be called such. However she is a person that has chosen to be in the public eye, and as I posted above, puts herself out to go to many, many events to advertise her books/series, so a cold hearted, and downright rude and abrupt answer such as she made there is just not done. Not by anyone that cares about people. It's just Common Courtesy that's required, IMO. BTW, the publishers are not the only ones to blame for the delays, she announced herself as short a time ago as November that she was doing some rewrites to improve......improve the novel?? I believe it was a little late for that! Only my opinion.

Great idea, Julie! I have the same question, I have 2 or 3 coming that were pre=ordered last year. Must they be counted?

A while back I posted a link to Diana Gabaldon's blog. The one that again postponed the publishing date for the latest book of hers, Number 8, Written In My Own Heart's Blood. I decided to check the blog again to see if there had been any changes. Well, ladies and gents, there has been a change. The new publish date is.....drumroll....June 10th. /sigh/ Delayed again, if I'm not mistaken, the last time it was sometime in March. Anyhow, I was skimming through the posts by her readers after the announcement, and one Judith on November 23rd of last year, at 1:45 a.m., posted. Please scroll down to see that post, and please, please then take note of DG's cold blooded response. I was shocked. http://www.dianagabaldon.com/2013/11/well-alrighty-then-we-have-a-new-pub-date/#comment-20956 DG's response of which I speak is just below Judith's, posted at 1:55 p.m. November 23rd, 2013.

Yup, we can and we will! Good thing the larger portion of ours were Library Sales, Estate Sales and Amazon Market Place purchases!! Even so...... Added in Edit: And, that total is not counting our kindle purchases.

A couple of years ago I read his book, Therapy. Really liked it! Here is the link. http://www.amazon.com/Therapy-Sebastian-Fitzek/dp/0312382006/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388968343&sr=1-3&keywords=sebastian+Fitzek I wondered if it was the same?

He is an interesting author. I've also started his book called, Veritas. In addition to The Secret History.

I don't, well, I haven't done reading challenges before. However. On my 2014 thread I spoke of and listed a group of Classics that I want to get through this year. They are from a Columbia University course called Readings in Contemporary Civilization. It's a course my husband took years ago. Since they are the basis for so much, and I've not read them, I want to. That and Stephen King's Dark Tower series. lol Our only other plan is not to buy any more books this year. To cement this idea into fact, I counted up, on Library Thing, our 'books bought this year', and it was a total of 815. So, Charles has started a list of Books Not Bought. That may or may not turn into our Wish List for 2015. Awhile back, Gaia asked me how many in our TBR stack(s), I finally came up with a guesstimate of about 2400-2500, if I remember correctly, so no need to go without.