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Share with us what you read in October 2015 !

Please provide:

~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

Here are my October reads. I read some short stories because I didn't want to carry the The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism on my train travels. I'm enjoying the book and will probably be reading it all next month, too.

Italian Ways: On and Off the Rails from Milan to Palermo--Tim Parks
Nonfiction
Rate: 2/5
Disappointing outing from a favorite author. The author went into tedious detail about train travel in Italy. He sounded like an unfunny cranky guy.

Martha Graham: A Dancer's Life--Russell Freedman
nonfiction
4/5
Easy to read short book on Graham. The book contained some lovely photos.
That which cannot be spoken can be sung.
That which cannot be sung can be danced.

Old Times--Harold Pinter
fiction - Play
2/5
I read this play because it was part of my play series at the Roundabout in NYC. I am not a Pinter fan and I had hoped that reading the play would help. Nope. Disappointed when I read it and very disappointed in the Roundabout production.

Judas
Frank O'Connor
Fiction ~ Short story
2/5
Deals with the Oedipal conflict between a youthful unworldly man and his desire for romantic companionship with a pretty young girl and motherly comfort.

The Jewels--Guy de Maupassant
Fiction Short story
3/5
A man of modest means has a beautiful wife who loves going to the theater and wearing beautiful fake jewelry.

The Furnished Room--O. Henry
Fiction -short story
rate- 4/5
Bleak story with typical O'Henry twist.

The Skylight RoomO. Henry
Fiction - short story
rate 2/5
Relationship story with O'Henry twist.

After Twenty YearsO. Henry
fiction - short story
Rate- 4/5
Deals with friendship and the law. With O'Henry twist.

Alias, I really like that quote from Martha.
I've been meaning to read some O. Henry. Your high ratings is encouraging.

My reads for October area:

The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny 3/5
I really enjoy this series. This installment was a bit of a change. The characters are changing and it was written fairly melodramatically. I will continue to read more as the books are published and highly recommend the series. Not every book can be a favorite. This one was still good.

The Coat in the Woods by Kat MacVeagh 3/5
I picked this up at a Book Sale and was pleasantly surprised. It was a nice, relaxing read of middle-aged siblings coming to terms with the past (their mother's death).

Arrival and Departure by Arthur Koestler 3/5
This was an interesting story of choices, moral commitments and the conflict of individual need vs community/world need.

Fire in the Blood by Irène Némirovsky 4/5
Secrets and loyalties in a small French town. The people in this book are flawed and real. I enjoy Irene's writing.

The Girls of August by Anne Rivers Siddons 1/5
Oh gracious! What nonsense. There's really no story here.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay 2/5
I was disappointed in this book. I'm glad I read it only because I learned of the Vel d'Hiv roundup, another horror of WWII. However, Sarah's story is drowned out by Julia's modern "my marriage is unhappy" story.

Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko 4/5
I enjoyed this one. The writing is wonderful, the story is gritty and human (not our best traits), mythical and, woven throughout, Mother Earth. It's a hard book to describe. In general, it's a book of colonization, anger, exploitation, distress and hopelessness, all wrapped up in a warning to turn ourselves around. It's an epic story, well told and worth reading but it has some disturbing scenes which make it hard to recommend to everyone.

Petra wrote: "Alias, I really like that quote from Martha.
I've been meaning to read some O. Henry. Your high ratings is encouraging.

."

That was from the epigraph to the book. It's attributed to a French folk saying. I really liked it, too. It's simple but I think profound and true.

The book the O'Henry short stories are from is
Surprises~~O. Henry

The copy I have is so old the cover is denigrating. The price of the paperback is listed at 50 cents. You can't even buy a pack of gum for that these days!

In the past we did short stories for December group reads. Maybe we can try that again this year. It fits well with the busy season as they don't take up too much time and are fun to discuss.

Petra wrote:
Fire in the Blood by Irène Némirovsky 4/5
Secrets and loyalties in a small French town. The people in this book are flawed and real. I enjoy Irene's writing. ..."

I loved the writing in her Suite Française
I will be reading more of her books.

Petra wrote: Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay 2/5
I was disappointed in this book. I'm glad I read it only because I learned of the Vel d'Hiv roundup, another horror of WWII. However, Sarah's story is drowned out by Julia's modern "my marriage is unhappy" story. ..."

I thought I was the only one who felt this way about Sarah's Key. The WWII story was very good. However, I thought the current modern story was just ridiculous.

Yeah, I felt manipulated by the author of Sarah's Key. She took a normal "romancy" story and sold it as historical fiction, which it barely was.

Suite Francaise could have been a great epical novel had Irene been able to finish it. It was lovely. The writing in Fire In The Blood was the same.

Short stories in December would be interesting. Did you all pick an author or did everyone read what they could find or wanted to?

If I recall correctly, I selected the stories and picked ones we could find online. We had some very good discussions.

The thread is still up. I see it was October.

On the short story front, i vaguely recall we wanted to read some stories appropriate for the Hallowe'en season, then moved on. I'm a fan of O. Henry, appreciating his variety.

After reading Irène Némirovsky's Suite, i read a couple more, David Golder and The Ball. They were somewhat similar as far as characterization but i liked reading both. However, they were combined in one volume, like this--David Golder, The Ball, Snow in Autumn, The Courilof Affair--and i decided to read no more. My conclusion is that Nemirovsky was adept at portraying flawed humans. I might have cringed at what they did but i kept reading.

I'm hoping to finish one more book before night fall, so will post my October list tomorrow.

deb

This month I read
Honeydew This was a collection of short stories that was selected as a Booker Prize contender (forget if long or short list). I liked it about 3 stars worth. The stories were uneven, which is what I usually think about short story collections.
Did You Ever Have a Family Another Booker selection. It was about two women who lost everything and how they had betrayed the people they thought they loved. Another "meh" ending, though. 3 stars
Allegiance A mystery by Kermit Roosevelt III, my husband ordered it and I thought it was mine, so I read it. Very interesting about Phila. culture and the removal of the Japanese during WWII. The mystery part, not as good. 3 stars for lots of boring parts
The Last of the President's Men Fascinating for me. I am obsessed with the weird and troubled Richard Nixon, who did so much good and so much bad. Another close up look, but I think more nearly as he was than some of these memoirs. Alex Butterfield, who revealed the taping system, was the source for Bob Woodward. 4 *

I am always impressed by what others are reading, so thanks for sharing. I am struggling to control my mania to acquire every single good book in the world. Can't justify buying ten books a month if I only read four. Wish me luck reading more in November.
Michele

Thanks for sharing, Michele. Nice eclectic mix.

If you are into books on Nixon you might want to check out
Nixonland: America's Second Civil War and the Divisive Legacy of Richard Nixon 1965-72---Rick Perlstein


The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan--Rick Perlstein

I own the first one but have not read it yet. I heard really good things about it and that is why I purchased it.

Michele, i do wish you luck in reading more in November. I was wondering about that Bob Woodward book, so thank you for comments. I didn't realize Kermit Roosevelt III existed and is a pretty decent author. Again, thanks.

My October-read books follow. Most were begun in September or even August.

The Art of Museum Exhibitions: How Story and Imagination Create Aesthetic Experiences by Leslie Bedford. I am a fan of museums of all sorts and the collection of the author's essays was a pleasure to read. I learned much about the theory and varied views about the goals of exhibits. The affirming understanding i walked away with was that there are several sides to exhibits but what i walked in with, what i already knew prior to seeing the exhibit is one aspect designers want to address. Maybe this is why so many seem to draw me in.

Judith Of Blue Lake Ranch by Jackson Gregory was owned by my ranching great-grandfather. It was fun knowing he read it too. In all, it was one of the better "cowboy books" i've read. For the first time (written in 1920, btw) the female main character saved herself from a bad guy. Totally, no man finishing the action. One description of a fist fight was long but good and there was little gun play. What can i say? i've become a sucker for these oldies.

The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood by James Gleick was full of historic material about the development of science, communication and math, leading to where we are today, specifically in light of computers. Those parts were great & i learned more than expected. However, it was a thick book and parts dragged but that was probably due to my own lack of knowledge of math. Unfortunately i felt the ending was flat. There were good questions in there, including what the heck is "information"?

The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789 by Joseph J. Ellis. I'm going to call this an audio book, even though it was read to me by me husband during my convalescent period post-surgery. The reader added voices when characters were quoted, which was amusing. The text had some good information, particularly for those who thought the US knew from the beginning that there would be one over-seeing federal government, in addition to state governments. However, i felt rather disappointed in the presentation, left out of much of the differences between non-quartet participants.

A Misplaced Massacre: Struggling Over the Memory of Sand Creek by Ari Kelman. Early last fall we visited Sand Creek National Historic Site. When i saw this book at my library i picked it up, unaware of the controversy engendered by the mere addition of this site to the Nat'l Park Service. Set in a desolate eastern part of Colorado, on November 29, 1864, over 600 US cavalrymen beset a village where Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal band members were told they were under US protection. As the soldiers approached, one chief waved the US Flag, as well as the white flag of truce. Over the next 8 hours around 200 tribal members were slaughtered. Displays at the site shared letters by one of the soldiers who refused to participate, detailing the terror of the mostly women & children.

The book covers the controversy of even creating a park site, as well as the continuing dispute as to whether it was a massacre or a battle (the state has it listed under Civil War battles). Then there is the question of which was to be trusted, oral traditional history or what has been written in official accounts.

While it was informative, i felt the book was too detailed, sharing bits of meetings which barely played into the unfolding issues. However, as i edged toward the end i felt it probably depicted the tedious process any such undertaking makes prior to coming into the public's eyes.

The Old Way of Seeing: How Architecture Lost Its Magic by Jonathan Hale. This thought provoking work was slow reading because i was learning much and needed time to consider his ideas. His first main concept is that from 1830 onward architecture slid downhill. He covers concepts of space, darkness, regulating lines and on. If you like to read about architecture and have a sense something is amiss, this could be the book for you.

Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my October reads. I read some short stories because I didn't want to carry the The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism o..."
I think you had better reasons for your Oct books than I did. Train travel in Italy is a mixed bag. We found ourselves in two seats that had been sold twice once & the conductor absented himself immediately and left us to fight it out with a young Italian couple who said it was their anniversary. We stood our ground but didn't enjoy it

Here are my October reads:

Op Oloop by Juan Filloy. Brain-pain reading. The most regimented man in the wold, Finnish statistician Optimus "Op" Oloop, is having a bit of a breakdown. This novel chronicles the day-of, starting with a minor episode in a steam-bath, followed by a more serious one when meeting his fiance, then a long gluttonous recovery period at a dinner party, and finally a genuine over-the-rails freakout at a brothel. Comparisons to Ulysses are justified, though this is nowhere near as ambitious. Four stars.

The Uncanny by Sigmund Freud. Brain-pain reading, presumably paired with Op Oloop. I was hoping there would be some good in-depth analysis of what makes horror novels popular (or the equivalent back then, gothic novels and E. T. A. Hoffman) -- like the analyses written back in the 80s and 90s, before the gender-identity theorists co-opted the study of horror. But that wasn't in the cards; this is Freud, after all, so everything is a substitute for the fear of castration. Come to think of it, maybe he'd like what is being done in books like Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monsters. I give it an extra star because the insights that aren't penis-related are usually pretty good, so two stars.

Don Quixote by Cervantes. The big one. I recall reading this as a teenager, but I think it was only Book 1; this is definitely the first time I read Book 2. The first part is a bitter satire of the chivalric romances; it is long and tedious, often repetitive, and it feels like Cervantes is using his two main characters as punching bags. This all feels like a setup for the second part, though, where things get all meta. Most of the people Don Quixote encounters have read the first part, and some have even read the counterfeit sequel produced by a different author. They encounter a character *in* the counterfeit sequel, and learn of a second Don Quixote who is a pale imitation of the original, and is confined to a madhouse. It ends up being a quite satisfying novel for the modern reader. To get an idea of what you're in for if you read this, it took me three weeks to read Book 1, and four days to read Book 2. The first part is a slow, over-written slog, but the second more than makes up for it. Four stars.

Netsuke by Rikki Ducornet. A psychiatrist sleeps with his patients, and (naturally) hides the fact from his wife. The marriage unravels, as expected, but the rest of his life starts to crumble as well when he falls for a transvestite. I guess this must be a month of nevrous breakdown reading. At any rate, Ducornet can really write, so what should be a lukewarn tale of adultery ends up being an exploration of the mind (?) of a man who just can't keep it in his pants. Four stars.

November is starting to look up. I have some good stuff on deck to read, and none of this thousand-page nonsense.

Mkfs wrote: "I give it an extra star because the insights that aren't penis-related are usually pretty good, so two stars....."

Best. Rating. Ever. I literally just spit hot tea across my keyboard. Thanks for the laugh!

Alias Reader wrote: "Thanks for sharing, Michele. Nice eclectic mix.

If you are into books on Nixon you might want to check out
[book:Nixonland: America's Second Civil War and the Divisive Legacy of Richard Nixon 1965..."

I have it too. Haven't read it. I believe I started it shortly after it was published and left it for some reason. Thanks for the titles.

Mkfs wrote: "Here are my October reads:

Op Oloop by Juan Filloy. Brain-pain reading. The most regimented man in the wold, Finnish statistician Optimus "Op" Oloop, is having a bit of a breakdown...."

So what is the connection with Netsuke in the last book? Just asking because I never heard of netsuke till I read The Hare With Amber Eyes. The connection with this subject matter doesn't seem obvious to me.

Alias Reader wrote: "Petra wrote: Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay 2/5
I was disappointed in this book. I'm glad I read it only because I learned of the Vel d'Hiv roundup, another horror of WWII. However, Sarah's story..."

I was also disappointed in Sarah's Key. I actually thought the film was an improvement.

My reads for October:

NONFICTION:

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson: My first and only 5-star read so far this year. Bryan Stevenson was a recent graduate of Harvard Law when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. This book is both a memoir of his legal work with one of his first clients, a man named Walter McMillian who received the death penalty for a murder he insisted he didn’t commit, and a discussion of what's wrong with our justice system in the U.S. Very well written, and a book that everyone should read. 5 stars


FICTION:

The Submission by Amy Waldman: Several years after 9/11, a jury gathers to select a memorial for the site. AFter making their decision, the jurors open the envelope containing the anonymous architect/winner's name—and discover he is an American Muslim. Their choice provokes outrage and bigotry and grief and hatred and tolerance -- and discussions into what it means to each of us to be an American. I enjoyed this book, even though it made me angry throughout much of it. And it kept me guessing literally until the last page. 4 stars.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy: The classic post-apocalyptic novel about a man and his son, walking through a wasteland of America. It's bleak and sparse and depressing and utterly engrossing. 4 stars.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid: At a café table in Lahore, a bearded Pakistani man chats with an uneasy American stranger, telling him the story of his life up to that point. Changez, the Pakistani, was living the dream of every immigrant: acceptance to Princeton, a prestigious job offer, a great apartment in NYC. And then-- September 11, 2001. And his entire world changed. This book is so well written in a fascinating narrative style -- the entire novel is just Changez talking to the American stranger, who is never quoted but whose impressions and reactions are still described in a way that makes him seem like an important character anyway. 4 stars.

A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon: It's probably not fair to judge this against Haddon's debut, the phenomenally successful The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. But it's hard not to. And sadly, this effort comes up a wee bit short. It's the story of George Hall, who at 61 is facing retirement, has a wife who is having an affair with a former colleague, and a daughter who is planning marriage to a guy George doesn't like. Oh--and George is slowly losing his mind in the middle of it all. The writing is good, but the story dragged me down in parts. I gave it 3 stars because it made me laugh out loud in spots, despite the heavy subject matter.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman: High school senior Quentin Coldwater assumes that magic isn't real, until he is unexpectedly admitted to a very secretive and exclusive college of magic in upstate New York. He learns how to be a magician, graduates, and embarks on an adventure with his friends. Read like a bad mash-up of the "Harry Potter" series and The Chronicles of Narnia with a dash of "Men in Black" tossed in. I will not be reading the rest of the trilogy. 2 stars

UNRATED CLASSIC:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Completely by accident, I read this concurrently with The Submission. It's the tale of a creature who, once innocent and longing for companionship and acceptance, becomes a bitter and disillusioned monster after being treated as such because of his appearance. This message dovetailed nicely with the plight of the architect in "The Submission" who was judged as "un-American" by others solely because of his name and religion.

Carolyn (in SC) C234D wrote: "I was also disappointed in Sarah's Key. I actually thought the film was an improvement. ..."

Carolyn, I would watch the film. I think it would make a decent movie. Thanks for the recommendation.

Amy wrote: "My reads for October:

NONFICTION:

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson: My first and only 5-star read so far this year. Bryan Stevenson was a recent gr..."

You reminded me of a book I loved, and will def. add A Spot of Bother to my TBR list, even though it wasn't as good. Half as good will be good enough!!!

Carolyn (in SC) C234D wrote: "I was also disappointed in Sarah's Key. I actually thought the film was an improvement. ..."

I didn't read the book but found the movie a good one. Still, as Petra mentioned, the modern "lousy marriage" part pretty much bored me.

Amy, thank you for the good review of Bryan Stevenson's book. I'm adding it to my TBR. Important topic.

I remember reading about Amy Waldman's The Submission when it came out. It sounds thought provoking. Thanks for the reminder.

Mkfs wrote: "This all feels like a setup for the second part, though, where things get all meta....."

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's classic is long--i took a months-long break after the first part, which i do not recommend doing. Your quote above is the main reason why. I missed some of what you wrote about the second book because i'd forgotten too much of the first. Indeed, what i mostly recalled from the first was the repetition.

The second half almost sounded as though it had been written today, given the fans, the fake and the question of sanity. I ended up liking it very much and can see why it is still read today.

Like Amy, i relished the concluding sentence of your comments on the Sigmund Freud book. Thanks for the laugh.

OCTOBER 2015





1. Orphan Number Eight by Kim van Alkemade 381pp. (2015)- 4/5
REVIEW: In 1919, due to troubled family circumstances, four-year-old Rachel Rabinowitz is placed in a New York City Jewish orphanage where she becomes subject to unorthodox experiments conducted by the ambitious Dr. Mildred Solomon, who labels her “Orphan #8.� The X-ray exposure Rachel endures at Solomon’s hands results in her permanent baldness and, years later, internal tumors. Rachel remains in the orphanage until young adulthood (discovering her lesbianism along the way), eventually becoming a hospice nurse in the city’s “Old Hebrews Home.� In 1954, Rachel realizes her newest patient is Dr. Solomon, the same woman whose torturous research permanently damaged her life. During one tumultuous night shift, Rachel must decide if her decades-long hatred for the woman will cause her to end Solomon’s life prematurely—meaning Rachel would be the one in control for once—or if forgiveness will prevail.

2. Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason 384pp. (2015)-4.5/5
REVIEW: Faced with an uncertain future, sometimes all you have left is the courage to dream. Brianna and Colleen O'Leary know their Irish immigrant father expects them to marry well. Recently he's put even more pressure on them, insinuating that the very future of their Long Island Horse Farm, Irish Meadows, rests in their ability to land prosperous husbands. Both quiet Brianna and vivacious Colleen have very different visions for their futures. Along the way, both change due to volunteering, keep damaged horse alive, a priest, and stand up and begin your life.

3. After You by Jojo Moyes (2015) - 5/5
REVIEW: Back in London, when Louisa Clark is living in her own flat, working at mundane airport pub watching others other go on their adventures. After You is the sequel to Me Before You. After 18 months later, picks up the narrative when Lou has had to flee her home town just to get away from others pointing their fingers at her. With Will’s bequest she’s bought a flat in east London, but she’s still not obeying his last piece of advice: to “just live well�. Her bubbly feistiness is gone and she’s stuck in a dead-end job at the City Airport’s naff Irish-themed pub, where she watches the planes come and go, knowing her own life has ground to a halt. At night, she sits out on her roof, drinking white wine, gazing out across the city and getting maudlin. Chapter one's ending see's Louisa falling off the roof onto the downstairs neighbors awning. Two men, Sam, the gorgeous paramedic and Lily, the delinquent 16-year-old who accidentally caused her to fall in the first place. It's about Louisa’s journey, beginning with loss, and later the fear of starting over. (FYI -- loved the "British audio voice.")

4. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black 336 YA (2015) -4.5
REVIEW: My first read by author Holly Black. YA. A fairy tale world with heroine, Hazel, and a hero, Ben (who surprises us that he is gay and likes Severin.) Strong characters, strange, creepy world, romance, friendships, relationships.

5. Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad by Eric Foner 320 (2015)-5/5
REVIEW: This book is amazing! I was amazed at what they went through. Where I grew up, we had many homes that had secret places for those who needed help to get to Canada. I even volunteered when I was 16 yrs. in our late 17th century homes in the center of our town. Well done.

6. I Was Here by Gayle Forman 270 YA (2015)-5/5
REVIEW: Honestly, I could not put this book down. Cody and Mag are best friends, until Cody discovers that Meg swallowed a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room. Devastated Cody, travels to Meg's college town to pickup what Meg left behind. Cody learns that Meg never told her many things - like an online suicide. Cody meets Ben, the guitar guy, and discover an encrypted computer file that Cody can't open.

7. Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella289 YA(2015)4/5
REVIEW: Audrey, 14 yrs. old, deals with anxiety disorder struggles to progress. She meets Linus, her brothers teammate , and has a new positive perspective. Audrey can discuss her fears with Linus, who is able to help her recover.

8. Balm: A Novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez 269 (2015)-5/5
REVIEW: This is set at the end of the Civil War, mass death, more than 600,000 people died. Balm goes to Chicago and meets with Sadie (young widow, lost husband in war). Madge, "a fierce "root woman" healer, from Tennessee. Hemp, an ex-slave, fled to Kentucky to find his wife, Annie, who was sold away before the war, and her daughter, he wronged. Hemp wants to do what is right, even as a slave, he waited for the preacher to properly marry him. Excellent read.

9. The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy 294 (2015) 3.5/5
REVIEW: Sarah Brown, the vibrant, talented daughter of abolitionist John Brown, is dynamically changed when she stumbles onto her father’s work on the Underground Railroad shortly after being told the shocking news that she won’t ever bear children. Realizing that her artistic talents may be able to help save the lives of slaves fleeing north, she becomes one of the movement’s leading mapmakers, hiding maps within her paintings while bigotry and hatred steer the country toward a bloody civil war.

10. Selfish by Albert Goldbarth 165 (2015)-5/5
REVIEW: Excellent! Goldbarth's poetry is amazingly unique!

Midnight
The ones who see the stars.
The ones who see the emptiness.

Like I care
I wrote this for me.
And as a tribute to the shells we bear
and break from; and a tribute to
the ocean that she carried in her body.

Her One Good Dress
wedding and funeral

11. The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig-304pp. (2015)-3/5
REVIEW: Rachel Woodley, governess in Paris, leaves her job hearing that her mother is ill. But Rachel is surprised when returning home, only too late -- her mother has died and has been buried. Now Rachel is also homeless. Cleaning out the house (for others) she finds a image in a gossip magazine under the pillow, she recognizes that the image is of her father, living well in a wealthy world. Rachel was told that her dad died when she was 4 yrs. old.Her dad is living a glamorous life with a new wife and daughter. He's the Earl of Standish. Simon Montfort, a former tutee of David’s, who had overheard what happened. As he shows her out, he explains he has connections (offers to introduce her to the Standish’s social set as a Vera Merton), offers Rachel a cup of tea and the idea of getting Rachel introduced to the social circle. Also help her meet her father. Simon is a good foil of Rachel. (We see him better by the end of the novel.)

12. The Last Midwife by Sandra Dallas(2015)3/5
REVIEW: Set in 1880, Colorado mining town. Gravy, midwife, discovers a baby she had birthed before. Residents in town believe that Gracey is responsible for the child's death. I found it a very slow read.

13. The Race for Paris by Meg Waite Clayton-(2015) -4/5
REVIEW: Set in Normandy, June 29, 1944 -- The Race for Paris follows two American female war correspondents on their quest to make history by covering the Allied liberation of Paris. Jane, a young, single journalist for the Nashville Banner, is assigned to cover a field hospital. She meets Olivia, "Liv," an Associated Press photographer. Both confront negative issues because the military isn't interested with women in combat journalism. Jane is busy working on her work, while Liv must move physically forward onto Paris. But her officer refuses Liv, and she goes AWOL -- to make a name for herself, and Jane joins her.

14. The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art by Joyce Carol Oates 1102395- (2004) 4/5
REVIEW: For such a small book, I am truly amazed with everything I read. This gives me excellent insight, inspiration and genres -- prose, poetry, personal and critical essays, as well as plays. Oates discusses the subjects most important to the narrative craft, touching on topics such as inspiration, memory, self-criticism, and "the unique power of the unconscious." On a more personal note, she speaks of childhood inspirations, offers advice to young writers, and discusses the wildly varying states of mind of a writer at work. Excellent!

15. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya -(1999)-4/5
REVIEW: This book is unique in it's storytelling. A very, young boy sees life-- some wonderful and other times, very strange. The book combines innocence and experience, the darkness and wonder of life, sonf in somewhat--"magic realism" where things are strange and difficult to understand. I recommend it.

I also read Balm: A Noveland liked it very much. My Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review is at /review/show...

Michele wrote: Train travel in Italy is a mixed bag. "

I would love to visit italy one day. Lucky you ! As you can see in my post this month I read a book my Tim Parks on train travel in Italy. I didn't care for it much. However, since you have been there maybe the book would speak more to you.

madrano wrote: Misplaced Massacre: Struggling Over the Memory of Sand Creek by Ari Kelman. Early last fall we visited Sand Creek National Historic Site..."

That's neat the you found a book for one of the sites you visited. Sorry it didn't meet your expectations.

Madrano wrote: The book covers the controversy of even creating a park site, as well as the continuing dispute as to whether it was a massacre or a battle (the state has it listed under Civil War battles).

Interesting. Though I think I would rather a park then some housing complex or stores if it is an historical site.

Amy wrote: "My reads for October:

NONFICTION:

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson: My first and only 5-star read so far this year. Bryan Stevenson was a recent gr..."
NONFICTION:

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson: My first and only 5-star read so far this year. Bryan Stevenson was a recent graduate of Harvard Law when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. This book is both a memoir of his legal work with one of his first clients, a man named Walter McMillian who received the death penalty for a murder he insisted he didn’t commit, and a discussion of what's wrong with our justice system in the U.S. Very well written, and a book that everyone should read. 5 stars

-------
This sounds interesting. I like to read about the law. I have to check this one out. Thanks !

Amy wrote: "My reads for October:

A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon: It's probably not fair to judge this against Haddon's debut, the phenomenally successful The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. But it's hard not to. And sadly, this effort comes up a wee bit short. It's the story of George Hall, who at 61 is facing retirement, has a wife who is having an affair with a former colleague, and a daughter who is planning marriage to a guy George doesn't like. Oh--and George is slowly losing his mind in the middle of it all. The writing is good, but the story dragged me down in parts. I gave it 3 stars because it made me laugh out loud in spots, despite the heavy subject matter..."

Sorry to hear this one didn't measure up. I really enjoy The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

For those who enjoyed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, I recommend Marcelo in the Real World. I was reminded of CIofDitN-T throught Marcelo and enjoyed them both.

Carol wrote: " OCTOBER 2015

. After You by Jojo Moyes (2015).(FYI -- loved the "British audio voice.")."

Very nice reading month, Carol !

I'll keep the audio book of After You in mind the next time I need to download a book for the gym. Thanks !

Thanks Alias! I've been working on my writing.

FYI : I saw on the NewsHour/PBS -- John Irving discussing his new book: Avenue of Mysteries. . .

Petra wrote: "For those who enjoyed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, I recommend Marcelo in the Real World. I was reminded of CIofDitN-T throught Marcelo and enjoyed ..."

I really liked Marcelo in the Real Worldmyself.

I'm currently reading a book about an autistic baseball pitcher called The Legend of Mickey Tussler. I'm liking it very much, but I have to warn people who aren't into baseball that there's a great deal of baseball in it. The writing and characterization are really excellent though. There's also a sequel that deals more broadly with discrimination that I've already read.

Carol wrote: "Thanks Alias! I've been working on my writing.

FYI : I saw on the NewsHour/PBS -- John Irving discussing his new book: Avenue of Mysteries. . ."

I saw the prmo for that but missed it. I'll have to check it out.
Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving

am i doing this correctly?

Slade House
/review/show...
After You
/review/show...
Unlikeable
/review
Among Ten Thousand Things
/review/show...
The Nature of the Beast
/review/show...
This is Your Life Harriet Chance
/review/show...
In a Dark, Dark Wood
/review/show...
Being Mortal
/review/show...
/show/1422797171?book_show_action=false
The Heart Goes Last
/review/show...
Luckiest Girl Alive
/review/show...
The Whites
/review/show...
Thirteen Ways of Looking
/review/show...
Just Mercy
/review/show...
Strangers Drowning
/review/show...
Truth or Die
/review/show...
Pretty Baby
/review/show...

Wandering, if you wanted to link to reviews you created for books, then yes. That's plenty of reading for one month. Managing to write reviews as well is impressive. Usually all i can manage is to record quotes & info i want to save.

thewanderingjew wrote: "am i doing this correctly?

Slade House
/review/show...
After You
/review/show...
Unl..."

Heavens you are on a reading roll !!! Congratulations.

Glad to see you enjoyed After You. If I ever finish The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism I am going to read some nice easy reads.

Madrano wrote: "Wandering, if you wanted to link to reviews you created for books, then yes. That's plenty of reading for one month. Managing to write reviews as well is impressive. Usually all i can manage is to ..."

I listen to a lot of books and I take notes when I read which makes it easier.

Alias Reader wrote: "If I ever finish The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism I am going to read some nice easy reads."

Ha! Boy, do I know the feeling.

If you want an easy and inspiring read, check out - it was the best book I read in October.

In october I finished The Believers, which is about a dysfunctional family where the father has a stroke and is in a coma. The wife should win a prize for the bitchiest character ever! I gave it 4 stars.

Julie wrote: "In october I finished The Believers, which is about a dysfunctional family where the father has a stroke and is in a coma. The wife should win a prize for the bitchiest character eve..."

Reviews compare this author to Zadie Smith. She is an author that I enjoy. I like British authors. I'll have to check out Zoe Heller. Thanks !

Interesting mix of books read last month. Congrats everyone. I have been busy with my animals etc so haven't posted in a while but intend to get back here soon.

Thanks, Lesley. Looking forward to your return. :)

What Alias wrote, Lesley. I hope all is well with you & yours.

Alias Reader wrote: "Reviews compare this author to Zadie Smith. She is an author that I enjoy. I like British authors. I'll have to check out Zoe Heller. Thanks ! ..."

I haven't read any Zadie Smith yet, so I can't tell you if I agree. :-)

Operation Cinderella
/review/show...

Saving Grace
/review/show...

Fated
/review/show...

I am hoping November and December will be much more productive reading wise for me.

My October reads
The Supreme Macaroni CompanybyAdriana Trigiani
Rating 3.5/5

Murder 101byFaye Kellerman
rating 4/5

Thank you, Wendy & Meredith, for sharing your reviews. I wasn't familiar with these titles, although i recognized some of the authors. Enjoy your November reading.

deb

Thanks for sharing your reads with us Meredith and Wendy !

Here's to a very productive Nov and Dec reading for us all.