Conversations at The Compass

[Booknblues]

There are going to be times in which you cannot find a book or place to go from the direction given, so the question is do you have enough free passes for the year or would you like more?

Should we devise a mini challenge to earn free passes?

[Joanne]

I keep forgetting that I have the three! Thanks for the reminder. If my Glasgow book does not work out, I will probably use one of them.

[Holly R W]

It's interesting that you brought this up, Fran, as I've been thinking about it. I've already used 1 pass and am tempted to use another, but it's only the beginning of March and I'd like to continue with Compass all year long. I would like there to be more free passes!

(I'm currently in Seattle, Washington via San Francisco, Cal. and my spin says that I must travel South. I figure that my options are Oregon and California.)

[Joanne]

Holly, Mexico is South, if you want to get out of California.

[Olivermagnus]

Booknblues wrote: "There are going to be times in which you cannot find a book or place to go from the direction given, so the question is do you have enough free passes for the year or would you like more?

Should w..."

I like that idea. I just used my first but I can see using more, depending on what the compass does. It loves Ellen but it hates me. Also, I'm limiting my reads to crime or true crime books and sometimes that puts me in a bind.

I have a question.......can we revisit a location as long as we read a different book?

[Holly R W]

Joanne, I'd prefer to go to Mexico, but it looks like only a peninsula of Mexico is south of Washington. Will this count? Another question for Fran.

[Theresa]

So far I've not really felt any need to even consider using one of my 3 passes - but I would try to save them until later in the year anyway.

My travels just require me to read crime fiction wherever I land and that's been pretty easy so far, and mostly drawn from the TBR Towers.

But I know it's not so easy for others. I like your idea of a mini-challenge to acquire one or two more should someone feel the need. Maybe create a one time mini-challenge - - where if you are down to 1 pass or none, you can skip a spin and elect to read a book that meets the mini-challenge -- can include travel in any direction to get it or just be a pass earning challenge.

[Booknblues]

Holly R W wrote: "Joanne, I'd prefer to go to Mexico, but it looks like only a peninsula of Mexico is south of Washington. Will this count? Another question for Fran."

Hmm...possibly. I'm thinking about it.

Olivermagnus wrote: "I have a question.......can we revisit a location as long as we read a different book?l..."

Yes

[NancyJ]

Booknblues wrote: "There are going to be times in which you cannot find a book or place to go from the direction given, so the question is do you have enough free passes for the year or would you like more?

Should w..."

I always like your mini challenges! I used a free pass already, and I may use more in order to meet my goals. I only used one last year, but I’m reading fewer books this year, and I’m being more selective. So far I’m happy with my choices, and the one book a week pace.

[NancyJ]

Holly R W wrote: "Joanne, I'd prefer to go to Mexico, but it looks like only a peninsula of Mexico is south of Washington. Will this count? Another question for Fran."

Holly, some parts of Mexico (to about the middle) come up as SSE, which Fran has been approving. They are more south than Southeast. Where do you want to go?

There are a couple island groups in the South Pacific that work too. Easter Island and Pitcairn are South. French Polynesia is SSW - Playground is set there.

[Holly R W]

Nancy, I am interested in reading Oliver Sack's Oaxaca Journal. I've looked at the map, but it's clearly Southeast of Seattle. I've tried reading Playground and know that many people love it, but it wasn't for me.

I think that I'll probably find a book set in California, which shouldn't be hard to do.

[Sabrina]

For my next "leg" of my travels, I am leaving from Paje, Zanizibar, Tanzania and my spin is NE. I was thinking of reading George Orwell's Burmese Days. However, I wanted to make sure that would actually work since Burma is now Myanmar. The book is tagged both Bruma and Myanmar by over 5 people--80+ for Burma and 50+ for Myanmar.

[Sabrina]

I also have another question:

Instead of using Burmese Days as I noted above, I was thinking The Bandit Queens, which is set in a fictional rural village, in the state of Gujarat, India. So, can I use the the state as the destination?

[Booknblues]

Sabrina wrote: "I also have another question:

Instead of using Burmese Days as I noted above, I was thinking The Bandit Queens, which is set in a fictional rural village, in the state of Gujarat, India. So, can I..."

So Burmese Days is fine and you can use either Burma or Myanmar as I recognize both as being the same with Myanmar being the current name.

I am fine with you using the state of Gujarat, India for Bandit Queens. So you are good for whatever you decide to read.

I've read Bandit Queens so would be excited to see your take and I have had Burmese Days on my TBR for over a decade so would love either that you read..

[Sabrina]

Booknblues wrote: "Sabrina wrote: "I also have another question:

Instead of using Burmese Days as I noted above, I was thinking The Bandit Queens, which is set in a fictional rural village, in the state of Gujarat, ..."

Thanks, Booknblues. I am still deciding. It's the middle of the semester here, and, thus, my grading load is getting a bit heavier. So, I'm torn over what to choose. Knowing myself, I'll end up choosing something completely different!

[Robin P]

If anyone needs to go Southeast from New Zealand/Australia or North from Antarctica, Wild Dark Shore is set on a fictional island, which the author says is a stand-in for Macquarie Island, 100 miles from Tasmania.

[Olivermagnus]

Robin P wrote: "If anyone needs to go Southeast from New Zealand/Australia or North from Antarctica, Wild Dark Shore is set on a fictional island, which the author says is a stand-in for Macquarie..."

That's on my list. It just came out Tuesday, and my hold at the library is still 18 weeks away. If I needed it before that, I might use some of my Amazon points to buy it. She's a wonderful author so it would be money well spent.

[NancyJ]

I really liked Wild Dark Shore! It’s more of a thriller than her other books. I actually bought it last summer during the everything sale. It was on sale even though it was a preorder.

If you’re in North America, it could be either SW or SE or both, depending on where you start.

[Booknblues]

Today is International Women's Day and March is Women's History Month (which unfortunately Google has taken it off their calendars)
https://www.internationalwomensday.co...
https://www.womenshistory.org/womens-...

I would like to highlight it and the national and international importance of women throughout history, so this month if you read a book in your travels on compass that also has 5 tags for Strong Women you will earn an extra free pass. Please note it when you post your review here.
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

[Holly R W]

I have a book in mind for my next trip. Is there a short cut way to look through the tags to find out if it's tagged "Strong Women?" This is a well-known book with many pages of tags to go through.

[Booknblues]

Holly R W wrote: "I have a book in mind for my next trip. Is there a short cut way to look through the tags to find out if it's tagged "Strong Women?" This is a well-known book with many pages of tags to go through."

You can do a search per page of the tags by using Control+ F. That is what I usually do.

[Holly R W]

Thanks - I'll try it.

[NancyJ]

Holly R W wrote: "I have a book in mind for my next trip. Is there a short cut way to look through the tags to find out if it's tagged "Strong Women?" This is a well-known book with many pages of tags to go through."

What’s the book Holly?

On an iPad, it’s “find in page”

Tip- only search for one word, not both. My system won’t recognize a two word tag without a hyphen.

[Holly R W]

It's Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende.

I've just now tried going to that book page(s) and pressing ctrl plus f and nothing happened. Maybe I have to do capitol F?

I also tried going to the Strong Women book pages, pressed the keys and nothing happened. I must be doing something wrong. Please advise.

[Jen K]

Holly R W wrote: "It's Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende.

I've just now tried going to that book page(s) and pressing ctrl plus f and nothing happened. Maybe I have to do capitol F?

..."

@Holly, it has 13 tags for strong women. You should be good!

I was also looking at this series for my next stop but going to Argentina instead.

[Theresa]

When you press Control + F at the same time, a small box pops up at top of screen. Type in search word - I would use 'strong' here - press enter. If nothing is highlighted, go to next page and repeat.

If you want to test if you are doing it right, forst search a word you aee on first page.

[Jen K]

Also I use Fn with F3 on my laptop to search. But when hooked up with an additional keyboard, it is just F3 (above the letters and numbers).

[Theresa]

NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "I have a book in mind for my next trip. Is there a short cut way to look through the tags to find out if it's tagged "Strong Women?" This is a well-known book with many pages of t..."

On Android devices it is 'find in page' - which you locate in the list that drops when you click on the 3 dots at top right of screen.

[NancyJ]

Daughter’s of fortune is a great choice.

[Holly R W]

Thank you so much, everyone! I have a better idea now how to do it. And, I can read "Daughter of Fortune!"

[Robin P]

NancyJ wrote: "I really liked Wild Dark Shore! It’s more of a thriller than her other books. I actually bought it last summer during the everything sale. It was on sale even though it was a preor..."

Yes, I put it under thriller, there are a lot of tense moments.

[Book Concierge]

Holly R W wrote: "It's Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende.

..."

What browser are you using? What system (Windows vs mac)?

On my windows computer, I just slick on the three horizontal lines at the top right. From the drop-down menu I click on find in page... A little box then appears in lower left corner of screen. I type in the word I'm searching for and hit enter.

By the way The book you want has 13 tags for strong women

[Book Concierge]

Also ... referencing my windows desk top.... Once I've opened the "find in page" that little window stays there even if I go to a different page. Very handy!

[Robin P]

On the Mac, you can use Command F for find. It puts a box in the top right corner of the page. You can just search for part of a word of phrase if it's easier but you can also do multiple words as long as you put in dashes, like coming-of-age.

[Holly R W]

Book Concierge wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "It's Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende.

..."

What browser are you using? What system (Windows vs mac)?

On my windows computer, I just slick on th..."

Thanks, Tessa. I use Windows. I'm going to try your instructions.

[Amy]

Forgive me as I am confident this has already been asked....

So I just read a book that takes place in Australia, but the city was never named, and directionally, it probably wouldn't matter. Can i just go with Sydney?

[Amy]

I was going to ask for Japan setting suggestions, and then I realized I have read already so much of what you might recommend... I have read Before the Coffee, the Fox Wife (favorite book last year!), Pachinko, Tan Twan Eng, so many of the greatest hits. I thought better to ask you guys what you thought of some of the actual choices I have come up with...

Fifty Words for Rain
Travelling Cat Chronicles. (Fun?)
Convenience Store Woman (people seemed to like that one last year)

And two teen-ish ya-ish:

Tokyo Ever After
Little Shop in Tokyo

[Theresa]

@Amy - Tokyo Ever After is FUN! I adored it. It is YA - teen yet it really is quite delightful. It's essentially a Cinderella adaptation. I actually have the sequel lined up to read at some point. It's not a must but I so enjoyed the first I will read the sequel.

I love Travelling Cat Chronicles - and I'd consider it fun but it has a sad side. I gave my entire family a copy of it for Christmas one year so it's definitely not dark. Quirky and touching are my terms for it.

[NancyJ]

Amy wrote: "I was going to ask for Japan setting suggestions, and then I realized I have read already so much of what you might recommend... I have read Before the Coffee, the Fox Wife (favorite book last year..."

I have Days at the Morisaki Bookshop on deck. I liked Convenience Store Woman (clear life lesson) and Sweet Bean Paste (very moving).

I’m on a long wait list for Fox Wife. It sounds like a thriller, but would you call it fun by any chance?

[Booknblues]

Amy wrote: "I was going to ask for Japan setting suggestions, and then I realized I have read already so much of what you might recommend... I have read Before the Coffee, the Fox Wife (favorite book last year..."

The Traveling Cat Chronicles will make you cry, but it was a 5 star for me.

Have you read The Housekeeper and the Professor? It does have issues with aging.

[Amy]

BnB - YES to H and P and so many popular others!!!!

Fox Wife - just beautifully done. Sure you can call it a thriller if you want, but not a classic one. It was incredibly fun for me, but not what I am currently describing as fun. I just loved it.

Good to know about Tokyo Ever After!

[Robin P]

I don’t mean to criticize Amy, butThe Fox Wife has a Chinese setting , and Tan Twan Eng is from Malaysia. Those still might work if someone just needs to go that direction, but neither is Japanese. I know you said you already read them anyway.

[Amy]

Right - of course! I read them, as you've said. They have both Japan tags but really wouldn't have qualified anyway.

[Booknblues]

There has been much talk about eggs recently and as April seems to be the perfect time to bring them to the forefront we will offer a chance to earn a free ticket.

If on your travels in April, you read a book which has an animal which lays an egg on the cover, in the title or author's name you will earn a free ticket.

Be sure to note in your compass review.

[Theresa]

Booknblues wrote: "There has been much talk about eggs recently and as April seems to be the perfect time to bring them to the forefront we will offer a chance to earn a free ticket.

If on your travels in April, you..."

Well that is quite a clever mini! Besides our feathered friends like ducks and robins, there are reptiles (snakes) and fish that all lay eggs - sturgeon eggs get a very fancy name - caviar.

Oh! And insects lay eggs - spiders and more.

[Booknblues]

Theresa wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "There has been much talk about eggs recently and as April seems to be the perfect time to bring them to the forefront we will offer a chance to earn a free ticket.

If on your tr..."

The tricky thing about snakes, is not all of them lay eggs.

[NancyJ]

I liked Mozart's Starling last month.

Haha, I have a lot of books about the birds and the bees. I have ocean books too, but will need to enlarge all the covers to see if there are any fish among the big mammals (that don’t lay eggs).

Possibilities on my tbr
The Murmur of Bees
The Music of Bees
The Beekeeper of Aleppo
Miss Benson's Beetle
The Mountain in the Sea (octopus)

[Holly R W]

Here are books that I have read which may be possibilities for some of you. These all concern birds in some way and meet B&B's new mini-challenge.

Dinosaurs is based in Phoenix, Arizona.
My Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Bird Hotel is set in Guatemala, although the country is never named.
My Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Oracle of Stamboul is set in Istanbul, Turkey.
My Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A Time of Birds: Reflections on cycling across Europe is about the author's trip through various European countries.
My Review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

*Update:
This one is about all kinds of animals and would fit next month's tag for Fun.

My Family and Other Animals is set in Corfu, Greece.
My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[NancyJ]

Booknblues wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "There has been much talk about eggs recently and as April seems to be the perfect time to bring them to the forefront we will offer a chance to earn a free ticket..."

Would a book with eggs on the cover work?

[Joy D]

I can recommend:

A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey about the little-known striated caracara, a large, endangered bird of prey found in the Falkland Islands.


Birds Without Wings - set in Anatolia in the early 20th century, during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of modern Türkiye.