Life in General...
We went to dinner with our daughter and son-in-law on Wednesday - Japanese teppanyaki dining - I love that! It was fun to catch up with them. Even though we live in the same area, their jobs and all of our schedules keep us from getting together as often as we would like. Still, we have plans to get together again next week. We've got some birthdays this month and that helps give us a nudge to plan to meet up.
It's time for football and so we're watching both the Texas Longhorns and the Dallas Cowboys. Plus high school teams have begun their seasons. I like football, but don't watch it as much as I used to. I wander through when it's on and watch a bit, but I rarely watch a full game. Our daughter has joined her husband in full football mode though. She's always reciting statistics and predicting what will happen at this game or that.
Along with football, fall (what fall we get...which isn't much) means ragweed. I hate ragweed. Almost as much as I hate cedar trees. Allergic to both. From late August until late February, my eyes are usually watering, itching, and red. And I do take allergy medicine. Ah well. It's my life. At least I get the other half of the year without the itches.
Life in Book Clubs...
I know I've mentioned many times that I'm involved with a mystery book group. I also attend another couple of book groups (sporadically) that read more mainstream books. When we were in New Mexico this summer, I visited the little bookstore in Ruidoso called Books Etcetera. I did a piece on them last year here. On this visit I had no particular books in mind to purchase, so I took a chance on their 'Blind Date With A Book' shelf. This involves books that have been wrapped in paper, clues as to the book title on the front, customer reads clues, picks book, purchases it, and then unwraps to see their 'Blind Date'. Here a picture of my book wrapped with clues:
Here's the book 'unwrapped':
It was Anne Tyler's A Spool Of Blue Thread. It also happens to be the October selection for one of my book groups. Serendipity or what? I've read a couple of Tyler's books, but it's been a long time. We'll see how I fare with this one.
The selection for the mystery group for October is The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I've read that one before and discussed with another group several years ago. I'm not going to be able to moderate October's meeting, but plan to listen to The Thirteenth Tale on audio soon. I have a very capable 'sub' for October (thanks Gayle). The other group that I attend now and then is discussing The Readers Of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald. Have you read any of these books? Thoughts?
Life in Book Shopping...
I attended the semi-annual Friends Book Sale at the local library that is closest to my house on Saturday morning. If you arrive at 8AM and give them a $10 donation, you get to shop early. The money goes to a good cause and you get 'first pick' on the books available. Here's a shot of part of the books I picked up:
The 4 top books on the right stack are ones that I read in my youth. I've been picking up hardcover editions of many of the Gothic suspense books I read long ago and I was delighted to find these two by Victoria Holt. I remember that Alas Babylon was the first book I read that had a 'end of world' feel. There is a nuclear disaster in it and it relates the story of a group of people and what happens to them. Joy In The Morning was written by Betty Smith, who also wrote A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. I read the Joy book so many, many years ago and look forward to revisiting that one soon. The others were all books that I've meant to read, so a 'good deal' was fun. I kept suggesting books to customers around me as we perused the tables and finally I had about 4 women following me around as I said 'pick this one'. Ha!
Life in Upcoming Reading...
My own reading has been a little slow this week. Book hangover from Louise Penny's newest. I've started an advance copy of Peter Swanson's new book (I loved his The Kind Worth Killing). It won't be out until spring, but I couldn't wait. More on that one on Wednesday.
That's about it for this week. Next week is Banned Books Week and I'll have a post on Sunday about that. This update won't show up until Friday of next week. In the meantime, happy reading!!
You have had a busy week. I love the idea of the 'Blind Date with a Book.' That would be fun. Looks like you did well on the book sale too.
ReplyDeleteThoughts in Progress
and MC Book Tours
I did indeed!
DeleteHow fun to get a book you want to read for the Blind Date! Great idea for donations to get early access to the Friends sale.
ReplyDeleteWell, it helps them out and you get a first look at the books. It works for me. LOL
DeleteI used to watch A LOT of sports - football, college basketball, and baseball -before I had kids. My hubby used to tell me I would have made some sports fan a great wife! I've hung on to college basketball, but am so much more casual with football and baseball now. I kind of miss it...
ReplyDeleteLove the blind date with a book! I would have been tempted by that package, too. What luck it was an upcoming book club selection! I loved The Thirteenth Tale. Read it in print, but have heard the audio is amazing!
Planning on listening to the audio next after my current listen. I'm excited.
DeleteI love the idea of the blind date with a book! So fun and exciting to find out the title that way. Ooh, did you say Peter Swanson has a new book out?! I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the heads up, Kay!
ReplyDeletePeter Swanson's new book won't be out until January, I think. But, I'm so excited about it, I had to share. Come back on Wednesday to hear more. :-)
DeleteWhat a great idea to hide the cover and only give hints to the content! Loved The Thirteenth Tale, almost as much for the style as for the content. :) I loved both Joy in the Morning and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but it has been decades since I've read them. Think I will put them on a list to reread.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of bookstores and libraries have done this blind date thing around Valentine's Day. The bookstore owner told me they had been very successful with it.
DeleteOh, I used to love Victoria Holt! Haven't thought of her in years :) I really liked A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, but I've never read anything else by Smith. A SPOOL OF BLUE THREAD is on my TBR list -- I love multi-generational family sagas with lots of juicy secrets!
ReplyDeleteVictoria Holt was probably my very first 'adult' suspense author. I read her BRIDE OF PENDORRIC in middle school or junior high as it was then. Loved it. Scared me. Loved that. Never looked back. LOL
DeleteI've heard of "Blind Date with Books" events-- what fun! I guess if you choose a book you've already read you could swap with someone.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping my Library Friends stores have a sale soon-- I like the thrill of the hunt to look at every single cover to see what I'd like to pick up :)
Victoria Holt was a go-to author of mine in my young adult years and I recently bought an old hardcover of The Shadow of the Lynx and then didn't get around to reading it again. Kirkland Revels was a fave of mine back then. Joy in the Morning and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn were also favorite reads of mine way back when. My first "buddy-read" was reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn with my Mom.
I want to pick up A Spool of Blue Thread (it's in my library) and I was in the minority of readers who didn't love Readers of Broken Wheel- not my type of book, unfortunately.
I wish I had an in-person book club around here. The one I attended a few times two years ago dispersed, and my library and B & N don't have one (except both have for the little kiddies).
Oh well, enjoy all those wonderful titles, Kay!
KIRKLAND REVELS was one of my favorites too. Now Rita, you could start a book group you know. At your library perhaps. Just saying...your library ought to have one.
DeleteAs soon as I read your comment on Katherine's blog about book snobbery I knew I wanted to connect. Couldn't agree more about being passionate regarding what we read.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of a blind date with a book. Hope you enjoy A Spool of Blue Thread, it's still sitting on my Kindle unread as of this moment.
Have a wonderful week!
So glad to you decided to come over, Tina. Yes, I get a little overwrought about those things. I guess I just saw too much of it working at the library. I was prone to lecture my coworkers too. LOL
DeleteI really liked the Anne Tyler book. And I think Les didn't, which is pretty much par for the course for the two of us!! I think I tried reading Joy in the Morning a few years ago, and I didn't like it, whereas I thought I loved it as a kid. I heard a great story on the radio about banned books. http://myinforms.com/en/a/41353673-in-banned-books-scavenger-hunt-the-prize-is-literary-smut/
ReplyDeleteI think I remember you two talking about it. It's been a really long time since I read any of Anne Tyler's books. We'll see how it goes. And a really long time since I read JOY IN THE MORNING. Again, we'll see. I have found that sometimes I'm just nostalgic for what I thought I experienced reading a book or maybe I'm just different these days. Some books seem to hold up well for me and some don't. That story about the banned books is great - I saw some pictures on Litsy of people holding up those 'covered' books. I feel compelled to have something about Banned Books Week and so my post will go up on Sunday. Some is a replay of what I said last year and some is new.
DeleteI love Blind Dates with Books! I am usually pretty terrible at being able to figure it out before I unwrap them, but it is definitely fun to do so. That is so cool you selected a book you need to read anyway!
ReplyDeleteAh, fall allergies. I think they might be worse than spring ones. I have both, so I swear I take allergy medication all year long. But I am not a sneezy, itchy mess, so I will continue to do so. May your ragweed season be short!
Have a great week!
Thanks, Michelle! Here's hoping that the ragweed weeds itself out soon. LOL
DeleteI love these blind dates with books. I haven't seen any in any of the bookstores I've been to but fingers crossed for some day! I'm glad the book you got worked out with your book club schedule! That's great!
ReplyDeleteIt was definitely a nice coincidence. Plus the cost was lower than what it would have been if I had just bought that hardcover. A win all around.
DeleteThe blind date with a book looks so fun! What an awesome idea! My allergies are killing me too and I'm finally biting the bullet and seeing an allergist. I'm terrified but I'm tired of my eyes being swollen shut so I want to see what my options are. We are big football fans here though mostly college ball (War Eagle!) and this hasn't been the best season for us. Look forward to seeing what you think of The Blue Thread!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the allergist, Katherine. Our area is referred to as the 'allergy capitol'. Lots of things that are irritating to nose, throat, eyes, ears, etc.
DeleteYes! I want a blind date with a book too. What fun. Up here in the fall it's rabbit brush and it's the only thing I'm allergic too. sneezing, red watery eyes, and a headache. I feel for you---mine only lasts a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteYes, the headache too. I've never heard of rabbit brush, but it sounds similar to some of the weeds here.
DeleteOur library around Valentine's Day does the blind date with a book and it is always so much fun. Quite a few times I either knew the book or picked one I've already read. I am not a big football fan, but the rest of the family is so I read while they watch. Ugh, Banned Book Week is here already?!! Hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteYes, next week is Banned Books Week. Again. Wouldn't it be nice if there were not any 'banned' books? Hope your goes well too!
DeleteTotally with you on the allergies - this time of year always kills me (with sinuses in the mix, too)! Such perfection with that Blind Date book. That's one I've been wanting to read for a while now.
ReplyDeleteYes, the sinuses and the headaches. I try to ignore it a bunch, but sometimes am not successful.
DeleteI used to watch more baseball (especially the Rangers when we lived in TX) and football, but now I may only watch a little football when the Huskers are on tv. We watched some, but not all of the game this past Saturday when they played the Ducks. Maybe we'll watch more when we're retired...
ReplyDeleteNan is correct. I didn't care much for A Spool of Blue Thread, but then I don't really care for Anne Tyler. Hope you enjoy it, though!
Did you see that Louise Penny's husband passed away yesterday? So sad. :(
Yes, I did see that Louise's Michael passed away. So sad. She did an abbreviated book tour this year because she didn't want to be away from him for too long. She was so loving and graceful as she wrote about him and the changes in their life together.
DeleteI remember reading Menfreya in the Morning.I loved those books. My copy of The 13th Tale is "in route". That "blind date with a book" sounds fun. Like I don't have enough books. lol
ReplyDeleteYay! Hope you get it soon. That 'blind date' thing was fun. Trying to think if there's some way we could include it in the book group. You think about it and I will too. We'll talk later in the year.
DeleteI miss going to library sales. I used to go to a great one when I lived in Dallas but I love Austin much more :) Funny enough, I don't get allergies as bad here in Austin as opposed to when I lived in Dallas. That's like unheard of! haha... Hope you allergy season isn't too bad for you! Love the Blind Date with a book and what great serendipity! I did not like the Katrina Bivald book but would love to hear what your book group thinks about it. Hopefully it will lend itself to a lot of discussion.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...you're not the only one who didn't like the Bivald book. But I've also heard great praise. We'll see how it goes.
DeleteMy husband is the allergy sufferer in our family. I'm sorry you have so much trouble this time of year.
ReplyDeleteMy book club just read Thirteen Tale. It really surprised me.
I liked it very much the first time around. Hope the audio is good.
DeleteThankfully allergies don't bother me quite as much as they did when I lived in College Station, but my husband has been suffering the past few weeks as well. Tis the season. Though I'd LOVE if we could get down to the 80s and stay there. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED The Thirteenth Tale when I read it years ago--bet it would be fun to discuss with a book club. And love the idea of the blind date book. :)
Boo to Longhorns. Gig em! (couldn't help myself)
Yes, we're on the verge of a bit cooler weather, but we always think that at this time of year. OK, you're allowed to love maroon more than burnt orange. LOL
DeleteYou got some good books for your $10 at the library sale!
ReplyDelete