Posted: 2019/06/07 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Book Reviews, BookLust II, E-Books, Fiction | Tags: 2019, Anthony Trollope, book lust ii, book review, e-book, Fiction, may, religion, series |
Trollope, Anthony. Barchester Towers. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2005.
Reason read: to continue the series started in April in honor of Trollope’s birth month.
I will be 100% honest. I couldn’t get into Barchester Towers despite the fact it’s supposed to be Trollope’s most popular novel and many organizations have it on their “Top 1000 books to read.” Yes, it is satirical and it has it humorous parts. I just couldn’t get into any of the characters. I suspect my lack of enthusiasm centers around the fact the novel is focused on religion and the war between the high and low churches. The bishop has died and a new one needs to be appointed. There’s a lot of infighting about how that will be resolved.
The best element of Barchester Towers is the return of Septimus Harding. His daughter, Eleanor, is now a widow and eligible to remarry. The second best character was Mr. Stanhope, a member of the clergy. He has been in Italy for twelve years “recovering” from a sore throat and catching butterflies.
Quote I liked, “They had never, therefore, poured into each others ears their hopes and loves…” (p 252).
Author fact: According to Pearl, Trollope was a postman by day and an author in his spare time. He wrote whenever he could.
Book trivia: My copy contained both The Warden and Barchester Towers.
Nancy said: Pearl’s favorite Trollope is the entire Barchester series.
BookLust Twist: from More Book Lust in the chapter called “Barsetshire and Beyond” (p 15).
Posted: 2019/06/04 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: Amsterdam, Anthony Trollope, Asa Larsson, autobiographical, books, Clifford Simak, coming of age, Connie Willis, Fiction, Isaac Asimov, Katherine Mansfield, lists, Michael Carroll, middle east, mystery, native american, Nicholas Freeling, NonFiction, ocean, Patrick O'Brian, religion, Robert Kaplan, science fiction, series, Sherman Alexie, short stories, Sylvia Plath, Tabitha King |
This has become a morbid joke but I’m not going to the island so there is no chance of me jumping off anything this month. There is time for books, though. Here’s the list:
Fiction:
- Book of Reuben by Tabitha King – in honor of June being the month when a lot of people (my sister included) like to get married.
- Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath – in honor of Suicide Prevention Day being in June in some states.
- Sun Storm by Asa Larsson – in honor of Larsson’s birth month being in June.
Nonfiction:
- Soldiers of God by Robert Kaplan – in honor of Kaplan’s birth month being in June.
- From a Persian Tea House by Michael Carroll – in recognition of Khomeini’s death in the month of June.
Series continuations:
- Because of the Cats by Nicholas Freeling – to continue the series started in May.
- Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov – to continue the never-ending series started in January.
- Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope – to continue the series started in April.
- Blue at the Mizzen by Patrick O’Brian – to continue the series started in May.
Short stories for National Short Story Month:
- “Shadow Show” by Clifford Simak
- “The Answers” by Clifford Simak
- “The Life and Times of Estelle…” by Sherman Alexie
- “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie
- “Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield
- “At the Rialto” by Connie Willis
Posted: 2019/06/03 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, E-Books, Fiction, Graphic Novel, NonFiction | Tags: Anthony Trollope, bears, boats, bookis, childrens book, E Nesbit, Earlene Fowler, Ellis Peters, Fiction, Fridtjof Nansen, graphic novel, historical, lists, magical realism, marriage, mystery, NonFiction, north pole, ocean, Patrick O'Brian, Rafi Zabor, Raymond Briggs, religion, series, Sloan Wilson |
I can’t even begin to describe May. My first time to the Southwest. My first time traveling with family. Many different firsts. But, enough of that. Here are the books:
Fiction:
- The Man in Gray Flannel by Sloan Wilson
- Mariner’s Compass by Earlene Fowler
- Bear Comes Home by Rafi Zabor
- Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian
- Five Children and It by E. Nesbit
Nonfiction:
- Ethel and Ernest by Raymond Briggs
- Farthest North by Dr. Fridtjof Nansen
Series Continuation:
- Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
- Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
Posted: 2019/04/30 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, Anthony Trollope, audio books, Barbara Kingsolver, Craig Childs, Denise Uwimana, e-books, Early Review, family, Fiction, Henry Fielding, humor, Isaac Asimov, italy, Laurie King, librarything, Miss Read, mystery, Natalia Ginzburg, Nevada Barr, NonFiction, Paul Collins, relationships, Rwanda, science fiction, series, Sherlock Holmes, southwest, Sydney Taylor, teacher, Thorne Smith, women, writer |
“…April is over. Will you tell me how long before I can be there?”
-The Painted Desert, 10,000 Maniacs
I will have that song playing in my head from now until June. Not only am I planning to be there, the trip cannot happen soon enough. But for the purposes of this post: April is over and here are the books accomplished:
Fiction:
- The Warden by Anthony Trollope.
- The City and the House by Natalia Ginzburg (EB & print).
- Summer at Fairacre by Miss Read (EB).
- Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding.
- All Souls by Javier Marias (EB & print).
- All-of-a-Kind-Family by Sydney Taylor (AB and print).
Nonfiction:
- Sixpence House by Paul Collins (EB & print).
- Secret Knowledge of Water by Craig Childs.
Series continuation:
- Hunting Season by Nevada Barr (EB and print).
- The Game by Laurie R. King (AB/AB/print).
- Topper Takes a Trip by Thorne Smith (EB & print)
- Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov (EB)
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- Red Earth: a Rwandan Story of Healing and Forgiveness by Denise Uwimana
For fun:
- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver – Yes! I finally finished it!
Posted: 2019/04/17 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Book Reviews, BookLust II, Fiction | Tags: 2019, Anthony Trollope, april, book lust ii, book review, Fiction, series |
Trollope, Anthony. The Warden. New York: Book League of America, 1956.
Reason read: Anthony Trollope’s birth month is April. Read in his honor.
Reverend Septimus Harding, at fifty years old, became Precentor of the Cathedral as well as the Warden of Hiram’s Hospital. Because of his dual employment he makes a significantly higher wage than others. This
inequality of salary is a modern conflict and no one is more bothered by this than John Bold. But Mr. bold has a conflict of interest. While he is against Mr. Harding’s significant salary and starts a petition to challenge it, he is also attracted and betrothed to Harding’s twenty four year old daughter, Eleanor. When he realizes the heartache he has caused the Harding family he tries to retract his complaint..but of course it is too late. The wheels of justice have been set in motion. The lesson for John Bold is you made your bed, now you have to lie in it.
The lesson for the Warden is one of morality. Eventually, the suit is abandoned but Harding is still wracked with guilt. He resigns despite everyone’s urging to reconsider.
Line that still holds true today, “What on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book, and a cup of coffee?”
Author fact: Trollope designed his Barsetshire series to be read as modern novels.
Book trivia: the entire Barsetshire series was made into a popular television show.
Nancy said: Pearl’s “favorite Trollope novels are the whole Barsetshire sereis
BookLust Twist: from More Book Lust in the chapter called “Barsetshire and Beyond” (p 15).
Posted: 2019/04/02 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio books, E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: Anthony Trollope, Arizona, audio books, books, childrens book, Craig Childs, Denise Uwiemana, Early Review, england, epistolary, Fiction, Isaac Asimov, Javier Marias, Laurie King, librarything, lists, memoir, murder, mystery, Natalia Ginsberg, nature, Nevada Barr, NonFiction, Oxford, Paul Collins, Peter Tremayne, religion, Rwanda, science, science fiction, series, Sherlock Holmes, Sydney Taylor, Thorne Smith, Wales, women |
I have a ridiculous number of books planned for this month. I have no idea what I was thinking.
Fiction:
- The Warden by Anthony Trollope – in honor of Trollope’s birth month being in April.
- City and the House by Natalie Ginsberg – in honor of April being Letter Writing month.
- All Souls by Javier Marias – in honor of Oxford Jazz Festival traditionally being in April.
- All-of-a-Kind-Family by Sydney Taylor – in honor of April being Sibling month and in honor of Library Week.
Nonfiction:
- The Secret Knowledge of Water by Craig Childs – in honor of John Muir’s birth month (and the fact we are visiting Arizona soon).
- Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books by Paul Collins – in honor of Library Week.
Series continuations:
- Hunting Season by Nevada Barr to finish the series read out of order.
- The Game by Laurie R. King – to finish the series started in honor of Female Mystery month.
- Topper Takes a Trip by Thorne Smith – to finish the series started in honor of Smith’s birth month.
- The Council of the Cursed by Peter Tremayne – to continue the series started in honor of Tremayne’s birth month.
- Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov – to continue the series started in honor of Asimov’s birth month.
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- From Red Earth: a Rwandan Story of Healing and Forgiveness by Denise Uwiemana.
