Deedee’s Comments (group member since Aug 04, 2010)

Deedee’s comments from the Reading with Style group.

Valerie wrote: "Deedee wrote: "Several scattershot comments:

....As for being open - be careful. Ontario is very slowly opening, but I'm still going to go out of my way to avoid crowds. (Although we're still not supposed to go about in groups of more than 5.)..."

I hear you! We go to the grocery store every other day, and today, with my mask on, I went to the library to return my books (they have to get checked in before I can check out any new ones). That's it. Fortunately, my husband works from home (2012 to today), computers are amazing to enable that, so our day-to-day life has been minimally impacted. We need haircuts -- we'd like to go to the movies, or out to a restaurant -- but not now.

Several scattershot comments:

Magic Realism -- literary books that could be called fantasy but the authors/publishers believe that a literary book cannot be fantasy, so they call it magic realism. There isn't any difference between magic realism and fantasy. Maybe magic realism has fewer fantastical episodes than 'traditional' fantasy, but that's it. I've read that Margaret Atwood originally resisted the label of "science fiction" for her science fiction novels (like The Handmaid's Tale) but those novels still fit the definition of science fiction.

Everything here in Georgia is opened -- my family is extra-careful, and still severely limit where we go (like grocery stores) -- especially because my medically fragile son lives with my husband and me and he'd have a hard time fighting off disease --

Today the library opened. There are some limitations: plexiglass shields between librarians and patrons; a nurse that takes your temperature before you can enter the library; only 25 people at a time allowed in the building. And ... returned books are put into a 10 day quarantine before being checked in.

3. Hard copy library books that are in your possession on June 1 (I have a stack from the Library that they do NOT want back until they reopen. )
I had a stack in March when the local libraries closed -- I've finished reading most of them by now. If the local library opens May 18, as they say today that they will, I'll exchange that stack for another stack.
Normally I read 1 owned book for every 3 library books.

Task 20.8 My Cup of Tea (Owlette's Task)
Read a novel in which a character drinks or brews a cup of hot tea. Please include the sentence when claiming the book for points. See help thread for ideas.

p. 91: “Mori was pouring himself another cup of tea , slowly, all his concentration on the iron kettle. Once he had set it down again, he sat holding the cup, very still and breathing the steam.”


The Lost Future of Pepperharrow (The Watchmaker of Filigree Street #2) (2020) by Natasha Pulley (Hardcover, 512 pages)
Review: This is a sequel to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. It is the kind of sequel that assumes the reader knows the characters and the events from the first book very well. If a reader is interested in The Lost Future of Pepperharrow, definitely read The Watchmaker of Filigree Street first. There’s not too much I can say about this novel without spoiling the plot of both novels. What I can say is this: The novel is set primarily in 19th Century Japan and there are significant fantasy elements. Neither book #1 nor book #2 are what I would call “steampunk” even though a character in both of the novels is a maker of watches. The tone of the novel is mainly cynical, occasionally positive, and interlaced with events both strange and bizarre. Look at the cover:

The cover is related to events in the novel (which as we readers know is not always the case).

The ending resolves the plot of this particular novel -- no unresolved what-happened questions, -- while leaving open the possibility of a book#3 in the series.

Recommended for readers of fantasy who wish to read something original, bizarre and very different from the typical ‘quest’ fantasy novels; and, additionally, who can tolerate the frequently downbeat tone of the prose.

+20 Task
+10 Combo (#10.2 (more than 20 letters in the title), #10.4 (exactly 5 words in the title))
+10 Review
+05 Jumbo 500-699 Pages:

Task Total: 20 + 10 + 10 + 05 = 45

Grand Total: 340 + 45 = 385

Ed wrote: "Wow Deedee....that sounds like Georgia is going to see a big uptick in cases in a short while. Glad you are being more careful. ..."

Yep, we (husband son & I) think there will be a big uptick in cases by the end of the month. We are endeavoring to not be included in the uptick.

Well, here in Georgia our governor has declared that the crisis is over, and everything is open, even nail salons and tattoo parlors. My family that lives with me is still doing the 'stay home except for the grocery store' thing, wearing masks while out, staying 6 feet apart. Today at the grocery store, I looked into the window of the 'nail salon' next door to the grocery store, and it was packed with patrons.

We have a son doing a Ph. D. in Linguistics at a California University. They are still on total lock-down. He teaches (teacher assistant to a Linguistics professor) and he's learning how to teach remotely vs. in-person. All family members here in Georgia are back to work full-time, even my son-in-law the chef. (He says that his restaurant is turning away customers.)

The library here has announced that it will re-open May 18. They say on their website that inter-library loans and holds will be delayed but otherwise walk-ins should be good to go. Re-opening day has been delayed twice so far, so I'll see on Monday if they are open or not.

Task 10.10 Group Reads

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk (2017) by Kathleen Rooney (Goodreads Author) (Hardcover, 287 pages)

+10 Task
+10 Combo (#10.2 (>=20 letters in title), #10.4(exactly 5 word title))

Task Total: 10 + 10 = 20

Grand Total: 320 + 20 = 340

Task 10.6 Richard Adams
Read a book with over 100,000 ratings with an average rating over 3.75.


For 20.8 combo:

p. 20: “’Crown Princess, you look as though you wish to ask for something,’ said Selia. Ani turned to her gratefully and nodded. Selia lifted the pot. ‘More tea ?’ ‘Oh, yes, um, thank you.’ Selia filled her cup, and the key-mistress looked down at her own, mumbling, ‘Tea, yes.’”

The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern #1) (2003) by Shannon Hale (Goodreads Author) (Paperback, 383 pages)
Lexile 870L
Review:The novel is closely based on the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, ‘The Goose Girl’. I read the novel first, and the Wikipedia summary second. The Wikipedia summary is very close to the plot of the novel, so *spoilers* warning for both the Grimm Brothers’ tale and the Wikipedia summary.

The novel follows Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee of Kildenree (AKA Ani), a young woman who can literally communicate with animals. She has adventures which result in character growth from a sheltered, pampered young teen to a mature, knowledgeable young adult. Shannon Hale skillfully shows the plot unfolding and the characters growing and changing as a result of their experiences.

In interviews, Shannon Hale states that she “had no thoughts about what age she was writing for”. I suspect what happened is that an editor told her that for younger audiences you have to “tell” what is going on as well as “show” it. So, after 30 or so pages of showing character development and/or plot progression, Shannon Hale would include a sentence or two telling explicitly what she just finished showing.

I enjoyed this novel. The characters were likeable but not perfect, the villains had reasonable motivations, the fantasy element was cleverly included, and the ending was satisfyingly positive. Recommended for readers looking for fairy tales retold.

+10 Task
+10 Combo (#10.9(#1 of completed series), #20.8(drinking tea))
+10 Review

Task Total: 10 + 10 + 10 = 30

Grand Total: 290 + 30 = 320

Task 15.4 Blackjack

Olive, Again (Olive Kitteridge #2) (2019) by Elizabeth Strout (Hardcover, 289 pages)

+05 = Five of Hearts (setting (75%) in one of the US 50 states)
+07 = Seven of Hearts (author initials can be found in the word SEven)
+06 = Six of Clubs (author first, middle or last name exactly 6 letters long) STR OUT
Sum Total = 18

Task Points:
+15 Task
+05 Female author

Task Total: 15 + 05 = 20

Grand Total: 270 + 20 = 290

Task 20.8 My Cup of Tea (Owlette's Task)
Read a novel in which a character drinks or brews a cup of hot tea. Please include the sentence when claiming the book for points. See help thread for ideas.

p. 118: “They drank tea and ate dainty little sandwiches while she summarized what she had written about Rocovsky’s comments.”

A Hole in Texas (2004) by Herman Wouk (Hardcover, 278 pages)
Review: The premise of this novel: In 1993, the largest basic science project in world history, the Superconducting Super Collider (also known as ‘The Hole in Texas’), was cancelled by the US Congress. (This really happened.) Ten years later, the Chinese successfully completed a Superconducting Super Collider, and with it found a Higgs boson. (This did not happen – it is fiction.) The novel centers on a scientist involved in the 1993 US effort. He encounters a wide range of people associated with the Superconducting Super Collider – American scientists, Chinese scientists, former romantic partners, journalists, US Congressional Representatives, and Hollywood movie types.

Wouk does a poor job of explaining Higgs boson and why it is important to Physics. However, understanding Higgs boson is not necessary to follow the plot. Mass communications and media storms are what Wouk understands and is what he humorously focuses on in this novel. Even though the novel is set in 2003, all the references in the novel are to 1990s pop culture (actors, journalists, politics, scandals, ‘fax machines’, movies, songs, attitudes towards China, etc.). For me the 1990s references were a trip down memory lane, but younger readers would find footnotes to be helpful.

Recommended for a light and breezy reading experience.

+20 Task
+10 Review

Task Total: 20 + 10 = 30

Grand Total: 240 + 30 = 270

Task 20.5 Jeffrey Eugenides
Read any book - fiction or nonfiction - set at least 51% in Detroit (Michigan), St. Louis (Missouri), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Buffalo (New York), or Cleveland (Ohio).

Set in entirely in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania).

To Brew or Not to Brew (Brewing Trouble #1) (2015) by Joyce Tremel
Review: This cozy mystery is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It has all the elements for a successful cozy mystery: heroine, aged 30ish, currently romantically in dating mode; she has an off-beat profession, usually as a small business owner; she has family and/or close friends in positions related to the local police force; there is at least one pet (dog or cat); friends include a stereotypical gay male and/or a sassy black female friend; lingering descriptions of food are frequently included in the novel; the murder(s) happen off¬-screen; the murderer is arrested at the end. One reads a cozy mystery for its coziness and predictability, combined with flashes of humor and of romance.

This particular cozy mystery stars a 30ish romantically unattached heroine who is in the process of opening a specialty “craft beerpub”, with beer brewed on the premises that is sold in the seating area, combined with pub food. Early on, a person is murdered on the premises. Our heroine feels she must solve this murder in order to have a successful opening. Her father is a semi-retired homicide detective. Friends include a sassy black female. During the novel, she acquires a playful kitten and a romantic interest. The pub food descriptions – yum! And the murderer is punished at the end. All the elements are there for the classic cozy mystery. The flashes of humor were appreciated, and the romance was more believeable than is usually the case in cozies.

I especially appreciated that the heroine did sensible things, like not hiding evidence and like calling the police when untoward things happen.

Recommended for readers of cozy mysteries.

+20 Task
+10 Review

Task Total: 20 + 10 = 30

Grand Total: 210 + 30 = 240

Task 20.8 My Cup of Tea (Owlette's Task)
Read a novel in which a character drinks or brews a cup of hot tea. Please include the sentence when claiming the book for points. See help thread for ideas.

pp. 264-265: “This younger sister then said that she and her older sister had another cup of tea and a chat on a second occasion. This time, while tablets girl once again made the tea , the younger sister once more heard her speak of bad things that had to be held on to.”

Milkman (2018) by Anna Burns (Paperback, 352 pages)
WINNER Booker Prize (2018)

+20 Task

Task Total: 20

Grand Total: 190 + 20 = 210

Bea wrote: "I am really missing my libraries. I still have 3 books out on loan, so I am OK for now....but, I really miss going to the library."

I feel the same way. The library website says the books are due back in the library on May 5, so I'm hopeful the library will open then. However, the website also says that the library is closed "until further notice".

My local bookstore, Books-A-Million, is open! I was so surprised. They have a limit of 10 people at a time in the store. (It was just me and the store clerk today.) And .... the cafe is closed. I guess new books are an "essential service" LOL

Task 15.3 Blackjack

The Many-Coloured Land (Saga of the Pliocene Exile #1) (1981) by Julian May (female) (Hardcover, First Printing edition, 415 pages)
Hugo Award Nominee for Best Novel (1982)
Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novel (1981)
Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1982)

+01 = Ace of Spades (#1 of series)
+03 = Three of Spades (three word title)
+01 = Ace of Hearts (pub date has two 1s)
+04 = Four of Hearts (has 400-499 pgs)
+08 = Eight of Diamonds (orig pub date in the 80s (any century))
Sum Total = 17

Task Points:
+15 Task
+05 Female author
+05 Pub'd 1995 and earlier

Task Total: 15 + 05 + 05 = 25

Grand Total: 165 + 25 = 190

Task 15.2 Blackjack

+10 = Queen of Spades (book about royalty: queens/kings, prince/-esses, dukes/ duchesses)
+10 = Ten of Clubs (orig. pub date is in the 10s (xx10-xx19))
Sum Total = 20

Meghan: A Hollywood Princess (2018) by Andrew Morton (Hardcover, 253 pages) [Biography/921]

Task Points:
+15 Task
+05 Not fiction (Not a Novel)

Task Total: 15 + 05 = 20

Grand Total: 145 + 20 = 165

Task 10.4 High Five Day
Read a book with exactly 5 words in the title (subtitles may be counted or not as benefits the reader).

For #20.8 Combo:

p. 122 She sat on a cushioned bench, grudgingly sipping tea Bjorn had brewed to restore her strength and ‘put hair on your chest.’”


The Library of the Unwritten (Hell's Library #1) (2019) by A.J. Hackwith (female) (Goodreads Author) (Paperback, 375 pages)

+10 Task
+10 Combo (#10.2, #20.8)

Task Total: 10 + 10 = 20

Grand Total: 125 + 20 = 145

Libraries here are closed through May 4th. They may be closed longer depending on the situation.

Task 20.8 My Cup of Tea (Owlette's Task)
Read a novel in which a character drinks or brews a cup of hot tea. Please include the sentence when claiming the book for points. See help thread for ideas.

p. 267: “Yes, there was a lovely American boy who frequently came to this grave site this past fall. I made him come into the library for tea so he wouldn’t ride the bus back half frozen, and he told me his ideas about Shakespeare and an Italian poetess who lived in one of the old villas up in the hills.”

The Sonnet Lover (2007) by Carol Goodman (Goodreads Author) (Hardcover, First Edition, 350 pages)

+20 Task

Task Total: 20

Grand Total: 105 + 20 = 125

Task 10.1 Thirst for More
Read any book by an author by whom you have already read at least 5 titles before March 1, 2020.

Author: Elmer Kelton

Sandhills Boy: The Winding Trail of a Texas Writer (2007) by Elmer Kelton (Hardcover, 252 pages) [Biography/921]
Review: Elmer Kelton was an award-winning writer of Westerns. Among his awards have been seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Sandhills Boy is his memoir, published two years before his death in 2009. Elmer Kelton is my favorite Western writer. His philosophy on westerns, explained on p. 52-53 of the memoir, is that “the outlaws and gunfighters” were “no more than freaks in a sideshow.” The people who built the West – and the focus of the 40+ novels Kelton wrote – were the “merchants, teachers, and preachers, the homemakers, blacksmiths and carpenters”, as well as the cattle (and sheep!) ranchers. I’ve read several of his novels. The “outlaws and gunfighters”, when present, are on the periphery of the events. Someone who has read all 40+ novels says that only one of those novels (Joe Pepper) stars a gunman. I’ve read Joe Pepper: it’s told first-person, in a ‘telling tall tales around the campfire’ style.

Kelton splits this memoir into three pieces. First part covers his boyhood and teen years spent in his lifelong home in arid Western Texas. Most of this part consists of anecdotes about the cowboys who were friends of his father. I would have preferred more anecdotes about Elmer himself, and his family.

The Second part, and the most interesting part, covers 1944-1948. Elmer joined the Army at age 18 in the summer of 1944. He was shipped to France in early 1945, and was part of the last months of the war and the final defeat of the German war machine. New guys like Elmer stayed in Europe in 1946 while longtime soldiers were sent home. Elmer’s division wound up in Austria. That is where Elmer met and fell in love with Anni. It took a lot of paperwork, but finally Anni and her young son were admitted to America, and on July 3, 1947 Elmer and Anni were married. Elmer describes it as a strong, loving, happy marriage. He gives Anni the last 10 pages of the memoir to write whatever she wanted.

The third part are anecdotes from his years as an agricultural reporter for a Texas newspaper. He describes how he broke into publishing fiction. The Time It Never Rained is his most acclaimed novel, inspired by true events. I’ve read The Time It Never Rained, definitely a 5 * read.

This memoir is definitely aimed at friends and fans of Elmer Kelton. The interest in parts one and three is less for those who have never heard of Kelton. The second part reflecting on his World War II experience would be of interest to most readers.

+10 Task
+10 Review

Task Total: 10 + 10 = 20

Grand Total: 85 + 20 = 105