There was snow on the ground when my time came. I'd expected pain but, Reader! How could this be! I bellowed, I know I did.

"It's like shitting a pumpkin, it is," I cried.

"Shut up, if you can, girl," said Dinah, the midwife, "for you're hurting my ears and you'll be fine in the end. I'm feared your baby'll be deef with the noise you're making."

"I'll never be fine in my end again," I panted, which made her laugh herself, but then the pains started back up and so did my shrieks.

When it was all over, I cried for my mother, to think what the poor thing suffered for all of us. And then I did what I'd seen my mother do for my whole childhood, and that was to open my shift for the baby and let it nurse.

I found this new book on the shelves at the Library. The cover drew my eye, and I opened to the first page and read the above. Don't have any idea why, but I was hooked. It's 259 pages, and I read it in 2 days. Set in Victorian times, it tells the story of Susan Rose, who follows in her mother's footsteps as a wet nurse.

Hard to believe, but in Victorian times in England, it was the normal thing for women of a certain station in life to hire a wet nurse; doing it yourself was seen as a low class thing. Sprinkled throughout the story are different stories of why the women required a wet nurse.

I've just finished it, and I think I'll give it 4 stars; lovely, unexpected, humorous in places, an enjoyable book.

Donna in Southern Maryland

I have been reading a lot in recent years about the damage done to kids by over-boosting their self-esteem by praising them about every little thing. Food for thought about emotional stunting, Michael.....Here are some articles:

Self Esteem - Can Kids Have Too Much?
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/...

Too Much of a Good Thing
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/articl...

Has Generation Y Overdosed on Self-Esteem?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0302/p01s0...

I finished up Visions Of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich early this morning.

Picking A Time To Embrace by Karen Kingsbury next.

I remember when I went away to college in the early 70's and my parents took me there and helped me move in, but that was that. We were not allowed cars on campus, so unless somebody from your town was going home, you stayed on campus. I might have gotten to call once a week, but mostly you waited for the mail delivery. When my daughter went to college, there were cell phones and cars, but we tried to discourage her from coming home every weekend, because the college experience can be so rewarding. She has made such good friends.

Is there any reason other than over-involved parenting that you think is at work here, R? Have we somehow stunted (emotionally) a generation of young people?
Not all kids or famlies are this way of course. However,I do think the cell phone has become the biggest umbilical cord in the world. My hubby and a friend were saying the other day that they got dropped off with their stuff at college and except for a once a week phone call that was it! Now even mine call at the drop of a hat and training them to mostly be proactive for themselves is a work in progress!

Is there any reason other than over-involved parenting that you think is at work here, R? Have we somehow stunted (emotionally) a generation of young people?

R. wrote: "As the Mother of 3 in college right now and most recently had a senior in high school I can say that getting this generation to actually stay and graduate from the schools that seems "right" for them is the hard part. This generation has had an entire life scheduled by parents from day one. Also,Mommy and Daddy are their "best friends" so jr. and Sissy find it hard going to actually organize themselves and they miss their best friends just way too much. This is a problem not just here in the Haddonfield,NJ area but all over the lower 48!"

Just started Nine Coaches Waiting on audio (narration by Davina Porter). This is my first by Mary Stewart.

Also, reading
The Machine A Hot Team, a Legendary Season, and a Heart-stopping World Series-The Story of the 1975 Cincinnati Reds (I can't believe Sparky Anderson was only 41 in 1975, he seemed ancient to me back then).

I'm reading Last Night in Twisted River slow start but now I'm into it.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "R. wrote: "As the Mother of 3 in college right now and most recently had a senior in high school I can say that getting this generation to actually stay and graduate from the schools that seems "ri..."

All of this seems to be happening to the group born between 1985 and 1991(up till now).

My daughter was also from a small high school and wanted to go to a small college. She made and has kept up with more friends than she had in high school. All but my daughter is married, but they still try to get together every year or 2. This college was about 100 miles from home, close enuf, yet far enuf. It was a wonderful experience for her.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Judy, is this the book? "The Island"

It might be. I think I actually have The Island somewhere.

R. wrote: "As the Mother of 3 in college right now and most recently had a senior in high school I can say that getting this generation to actually stay and graduate from the schools that seems "right" for them is the hard part. This generation has had an entire life scheduled by parents from day one. Also,Mommy and Daddy are their "best friends" so jr. and Sissy find it hard going to actually organize themselves and they miss their best friends just way too much. This is a problem not just here in the Haddonfield,NJ area but all over the lower 48! ."

Good points!

Thank goodness I never had to deal with this. I think everyone in Laura's HS graduating class graduated from their original colleges, and very few went to the closest college. Of course, she only had 48 in her graduating class!

What cracks me up is that these kids today want to go to the same college (nearby, too) as their friends and then they end up with all new friends-- from all over.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Last night I finished Acceptance: A Legendary Guidance Counselor Helps Seven Kids Find the Right Colleges-And Find Themselves by David Marcus. It was very quick reading because to me..."

As the Mother of 3 in college right now and most recently had a senior in high school I can say that getting this generation to actually stay and graduate from the schools that seems "right" for them is the hard part. This generation has had an entire life scheduled by parents from day one. Also,Mommy and Daddy are their "best friends" so jr. and Sissy find it hard going to actually organize themselves and they miss their best friends just way too much. This is a problem not just here in the Haddonfield,NJ area but all over the lower 48!
As of October one of my daughter's freshman friends from high school was planning to not return to his Virginia college and was planning on commuting to St. Jospeph's U. in Phila....just over the bridge from here.

Have decided to pick Visions Of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich to read next.

I finished Buffalo Valley by Debbie Macomber last night. A satisfying end to a delightful series.

I haven't decided yet what I will read next.

I'm reading Interview With the Vampire

Meredith wrote:
"This was the first book in the knitting series. This is the second Macomber book I have read. With so many books out there, I think I will pass on this author's books going forward ."

Sounds like a plan. I can see how she would get real old, real fast.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Meredith, the only books of Macomber's I read are the knitting shop ones and her last was not as good as the first books in this series"

Joanne,

This was the first book in the knitting series. This is the second Macomber book I have read. With so many books out there, I think I will pass on this author's books going forward

Meredith

Judy, is this the book? "The Island"

http://www.amazon.com/Island-Victoria-Hi...

Meredith, the only books of Macomber's I read are the knitting shop ones and her last was not as good as the first books in this series

Ear;ier this wek, I finished The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. It was okay but not great. I am currently reading 2 novellas by Jane Smiley Ordinary Love and Good Wess. So far I amenjoying them

Meredith

Joann and Sherry, you both know so much more about it than me, but I definitely learned a lot reading it.
Someone on another board mentioned to me about another book set in Greece that also dealt with leper colonies, but she couln't remember the name of the book. Do any of you know what it might be?

I was interested earlier this month in a man who served with Father Damien. When I participated in a historical society cemetery tour as the wife of a local businessman, I learned that Brother Dutton, who had been originally a Yankee soldier from Vermont, ended up in Molokai. We have a local school named after him.

Judy wrote: "I finished Moloka'i by Alan Brennert last week, and really enjoyed it. I'm sure I learned about the..."

Hi, Judy! Good to see you here.

I read Moloka'i last year and also found it fascinating. I went to Catholic elementary school and learning about Father/Saint Damien and his work among the lepers. This is probably what attracted me to the book. What a sad and lonely lives these people had.

I haven't posted in a long time, but after recieving an email from JoAnn, I decided to stop by.
I finished Moloka'i by Alan Brennert last week, and really enjoyed it. I'm sure I learned about the leper colonies eons ago when I was in school, but don't really remember much about this. It was fascinating to read about it. My husband has been to Hawaii a couple of times (unfortunately before we met) and I need to ask him if he was to Moloka'i and what he knows about it. I also just finished Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews. Yesterday I started East of the Sun by Julia Gregson, about young British women in the 1920's going to India to find husbands.

Last night I finished Acceptance: A Legendary Guidance Counselor Helps Seven Kids Find the Right Colleges-And Find Themselves by David Marcus. It was very quick reading because to me, this is a fascinating subject. I may have mentioned that in a previous life I think I was a high school college counselor! The main character in this book had had a long career in the business of getting kids into colleges, but he did even more....he tried to get them to find themselves and find the right college for them. He conducted a full semester essay-writing class where the students polished and re-wrote their essays. Very interesting.

This was in a public school in Oyster Bay, NY. My experience with HS guidance counselors is that most of their time and effort goes into the kids with problems (or troublemakers), with little time left over for actual "guidance" ---let alone doing what this guy did.

Sherry (sethurner) wrote: "I finally finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog and went to my local discussion last night. There was a good turnout, and most people had finished the book -- not all. I was amazed we had as good..."

Thanks for posting your group's reaction to this. How many people were there?

I am reading Road Of The Dead and City of Bones

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Marcy wrote: " I just downloaded the audio for Wolf Hall - 24 hrs. long! Now I guess I need to plan some road trips. ..."

That book has gotten great reviews.

When you download it to your iPod,..."

I use an I-Trip Auto converter which plugs into the cig. lighter. Works fine as long as the area isn't dense with fm stations in the 81.0-89.0 range. I think there are other more expensive options if there is too much interference. My little Prius in Ca.is set to play Ipods with just a cable.

I started "Her Fearful Symmetry" by Audrey Neffenneger who also wrote The Time Traveler's Wife. So far, it is quite interesting.

I finally finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog and went to my local discussion last night. There was a good turnout, and most people had finished the book -- not all. I was amazed we had as good a discussion as we did and still not reveal the ending. The group was split half and half. I like the parallels between the concierge Renee and the girl Paloma, and liked the way they developed and changed by the end. Some people were put off by the philosophical chapters, little essays really, or were annoyed by the cynical child.

Marcy wrote: " I just downloaded the audio for Wolf Hall - 24 hrs. long! Now I guess I need to plan some road trips. ..."

That book has gotten great reviews.

When you download it to your iPod, do you then play it thru the speakers in the car via some kind of converter?

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote:
Can you listen to a bit of the book before downloading it?
Audible.com does let you listen to a small sample - enough to know if the reader is going to annoy or not. I just downloaded the audio for Wolf Hall - 24 hrs. long! Now I guess I need to plan some road trips.

I have Nine Dragons in my soon-to-read pile and am looking forward to it.

Marcy wrote: "One of my present audio books is The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I probably would never have chosen this, but my DH and I share an audible.com account..."

Thanks for this input...I am always looking for new audio titles since I never listen to the radio in my car.

Can you listen to a bit of the book before downloading it?

I have Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight waiting for me at the library and should be getting the audio of Connelly's new book Nine Dragons in a couple of weeks.

linreadsalot wrote: "Finished up Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle this morning. I would categorize it in the cozy mystery genre. I rated it a 3 out of 5 stars. It was okay for what it was."

And sometimes this is all we need a book to be! I felt the same way about "Brilliant" by Marne Kellogg, although I felt it was of some value because I learned quite a bit from it.

Just finished up The Girl Who Played With Fire. Great book! I wasn't sure what to expect after loving the first one, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but the second one is just as good.

One of my present audio books is The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I probably would never have chosen this, but my DH and I share an audible.com account and it was his turn to pick. I'm enjoying it immensely, not for any religious themes or symbolism, but for the story and language. I must remember to keep an open mind in the future

I finished Dracula today. I enjoyed it quite alot although it was very wordy. I have been reading the first book in the Vampire Diaries series but i am thinking of giving up because it is boring me.

Finished up Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle this morning. I would categorize it in the cozy mystery genre. I rated it a 3 out of 5 stars. It was okay for what it was.

Next up for me will be Buffalo Valley by Debbie Macomber. This book will finish up the Dakota series by her that I have been reading this year.

I finished Living Dead in Dallas and now i am reading The Awakening and The Struggle

linreadsalot wrote: "I'm reading Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle. The first book for this author. The main character restores old books. Murder has occured in her world.
A fun little cozy mystery."

I love to read about book restoration. Thanks for this title.

Sounds good, Lin! Let us know if it continues to keep your interest.

deborah

I'm reading Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle. The first book for this author. The main character restores old books. Murder has occured in her world.
A fun little cozy mystery.

It's great to read the various thoughts on THOL, thank you both. I haven't picked it up since last i wrote but talked to the original foister. She helped me see that i needn't try to figure out who wrote the book...i thought that was an important part of the story. Now i can relax. LOL!

deborah

I loved, The History of Love. I enjoyed the way it was written and the plot. I gave it a top rating.
I read it with my F2F book club. And everyone there liked it a lot, too.

madrano wrote: "My SIL has foisted upon me the following:
The History of Love

I'm enjoying it but not loving it the way she does. I've told her i'm not a big fan of..."

Deborah,

I read this a couple of years ago. It was recommended by a friend, whho loved it. I felt the way you did. It kept mme engaged but I would not recommend it

Meredith

My SIL has foisted upon me the following:
The History of Love

I'm enjoying it but not loving it the way she does. I've told her i'm not a big fan of contemporary novels but this one is keeping me engaged. Tonight her DIL visits & this is the one who foisted the book upon my SIL. LOL! Should be fun discussing.

deborah

A couple of days ago I read a cute light novel, Brilliant, by Marne Davis Kellogg and "starring" Kick Keswick. I wrote this about it:

Just plain fun to read!

I loved this book....lots about jewelry, food, antiques, shenanigans, Provence, London....what more could one want?

Looking forward to reading the next one with Kick Keswick in it! That one is set in Provence.

Michael wrote: "As Freud said, there are no accidents, Bunny! The fates have spoken.....

LOL, Michael!

As Freud said, there are no accidents, Bunny! The fates have spoken.....

Bunny wrote: "Speaking of Masons, I'd almost finished The Magic Mountain when we went to Montana last weekend and, guess what? I left it there!!! ..."