Welcome to Bookish Nostalgia for April 2018. I've kept records of books I read for over 25 years and I enjoy looking back through my reading journals to see what I was reading 5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago. Let's see what I remember about what I was reading in those years:
April 1998 - Blind Descent by Nevada Barr - This is the 6th book in Nevada Barr's mystery series featuring Park Ranger Anna Pigeon. It's probably my favorite in the series. I think in part that was because I had visited the national park where it's set - Carlsbad Caverns. If you've never read this series, the 1st book is Track of the Cat. Anna is a ranger with US National Park System and in this book, she's sent below ground - way below ground and to small, tight spaces. The narrative is very, very vivid and I can remember barely breathing. It's a good one.
April 2003 - Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah - As I've mentioned many times, I don't read very much non-fiction and so I'm not sure what made me pick Falling Leaves to read. The author, Adeline Yen Mah, tells the story of her young years when she was unwanted by her family. Her mother had died and her father married again. A sort of Cinderella tale and, in fact, this author also has a young adult version of it, Chinese Cinderella. It was a very poignant story.
April 2008 - The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares - I was working at the Austin Public Library in 2008 and several of my young colleagues were getting their MLS degrees. There were a couple who were adamant about making sure I read the newest young adult fiction - which was fine. I loved them stopping by my desk and telling me that they had another book for me to try. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood is the 2nd book in this author's Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I did enjoy the first book and liked this one as well. I can't recall whether I read the 3 books that come after this one. I should do that. Ha!
April 2013 - A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy - I think I picked up this book very soon after it was published after the author's passing. I always loved Maeve Binchy's books and was very sad to know that there wouldn't be any more of them. The first one I read was Circle of Friends, after I watched the movie which starred Minnie Driver. And I also remember reading The Glass Lake on a vacation to Bend, Oregon. It's amazing how some books are so vivid in your memories, partly because of where you read them.
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And so we end this month's Bookish Nostalgia. Have you read any of these books or authors? Hope you'll join me again next month to see what May books I remember from my journals.
Blind Descent is one of my all-time favorite Anna Pigeon mysteries, too. I do NOT do anything underground (I must have severe issues in one of my past lives), and Barr's writing was so vivid that it was torture for me to read this book, but oh...was it good! LOL
ReplyDeleteI agree that this one is indeed tough to read when claustrophobia rears it's ugly head. However, the story was quite good.
DeleteBlind Descent is also my favorite Anna Pigeon book. It surprised me that I liked it so much. I thought it would be somewhat technical and boring. Not so. I was inching along with them to get out of the cave. The book is still vivid in my mind. My sister and I have discussed the book. She felt the same way. Very good read! I have to get back to the series. I have Deep South here in my TBR pile.
ReplyDeleteI think I read Deep South. I can't recall where I left off in the series, though I've read a later book. Such a good series!
DeleteI read the first three Nevada Barr books and then came to halt. I must get Firestorm out and start reading the series again as they really are excellent.
ReplyDeleteFirestorm is another of my favorite Nevada Barr books. Enjoy it, Cath!
DeleteI haven't read a Nevada Barr in a while, but I always enjoy visiting a National Park. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, me too!
DeleteI had not read any of the Nevada Barr series until June 2017 when I read Track of the Cat. I do want to try more in the series, and I have some on my shelf. I think I have one of ones about a forest fire and Deep South, maybe others.
ReplyDeleteThink the forest fire one is likely Firestorm, another favorite. Very scary.
DeleteI remember reading, and loving, Falling Leaves around the same time!
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, you're the first one who has mentioned any of the books but the Nevada Barr one. Ha! Probably not books others have read. I just remember that Falling Leaves was very sad, but a good book.
DeleteI remember reading the Nevada Barr books the minute they came out. I haven't read one in a few years ... I should see how many I'm behind.
ReplyDeleteI did that as well. Did that with a lot of series, but somehow, without meaning to, I moved on to newer series. Sigh.
DeleteI was just telling Tom this morning that I bought the new Maisie Dobbs for the Kindle because I wanted to remember reading it in Texas!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea!
DeleteI loved Maeve Binchy's books too - it was like getting to know a whole heap of people you'd like to meet! My daughter was a fan of the travelling pants books but I didn't read them myself. As always a great look back over your reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cleo! Glad to find another fan of Maeve Binchy - back in the day, right?
DeleteThis takes me back in time and I’m awash in nostalgia. Funny how books do that to us.
ReplyDeleteThey do indeed bring back a sense of place and time.
DeleteFalling Leaves looks so familiar, but I don't think I've read it. Maybe just shelved it a dozen or so times at B&N. :) I've never read anything by Binchy, but I have a few on my shelves. I think I tried one, but couldn't get interested. I still have hope that one will catch my attention.
ReplyDeleteBinchy might work for you and it might not. Her books were just what I needed at one point, but I'm not sure they would be quite as satisfying right now. It's interesting how our tastes change over the years.
DeleteI remember Blind Descent! You're right about the holding your breath part. I eventually stopped reading the series but the first bunch were so good. I read A Week in Winter last year and absolutely adored it. It was exactly what I wanted right then!
ReplyDeleteGosh, that is so true. There are some books that become favorites or truly memorable and sometimes it's not so much the story but our surroundings. I haven't picked up a Maeve Binchy book in a while but have really enjoyed several of them. Just easy, heart-warming stories.
ReplyDeleteI love Maeve Binchey, especially her earlier books. It's so sad that she'll never write another book. RIP, Maeve!
ReplyDelete