Familyhistorian's Reads for 2023 - Part 3

Brodick Castle garden

Oh hey, welcome to Meg’s thread. I am a bookaholic. Not that that’s a shameful thing but it might be catching as my fellow 75ers and enablers can attest to. There will be talk about books, reading, Wordling and travel in 2023. Come along and see where my reading and travel take me. Should be an interesting ride.

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I write about genealogy and history on my blog. Follow my blog posts as I embark on another year of exploring and writing about my ROOTs (the family kind). You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Challenges
Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2023 – WWI (1914-1918) - The Somme Legacy by M J Lee - DONE
April-June 2023 – 20th Century: Between the Wars (1919-1938)
July-September 2023 – 20th Century: World War 2 (1939-1945)
October-December 2023 – Modern History: 1946 – the Present Day

Monthly

January: Our Feathered Friends - The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys - DONE
February: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My! - Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie - DONE
March: Notorious Women - Wild Romance: The True Story of a Victorian Scandal by Chloë Schama - DONE
April: April Fool
May: The Big City – Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
June: The Fabulous Fifties
July: Revolutions
August: Migration and Immigration
September: School Days
October: Traditions
November: Indigenous Peoples
December: Reader’s Choice

2023 Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prizewinners and Nominees
February: Hobbies & Pastimes. Gardening, Genealogy, Travel etc. - Trespassers in Time: Genealogists and Microhistorians by Anne Patterson Rodda - DONE
March: Empires - Condemned: The Transported Men, Women and Children Who Built Britain's Empire by Graham Seal - DONE
April: The Sea/Ocean
May: Literary Biography
June: Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples/First Nations
July: Explorations and Expeditions
August: The World of the Land, Trees and Plants
September: Family Ties
October: Crimes, Mysteries, Puzzles, Enigmas
November: Matters of Faith and Philosophy
December: As You Like It

List of books for challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2023 – WWI (1914-1918)
April-June 2023 – 20th Century: Between the Wars (1919-1938)
July-September 2023 – 20th Century: World War 2 (1939-1945) - An Unlikely Spy by Rebecca Starford
October-December 2023 – Modern History: 1946 – the Present Day - Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Monthly

January: Our Feathered Friends - The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys
February: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
March: Notorious Women - Wild Romance by Chloe Schama
April: April Fool
May: The Big City – Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow - Sweet Thames by Matthew Kneale and/or The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
June: The Fabulous Fifties
July: Revolutions
August: Migration and Immigration
September: School Days
October: Traditions
November: Indigenous Peoples
December: Reader’s Choice

2023 Nonfiction challenge

January - prizewinners and nominees - Having it so Good: Britain in the Fifties by Peter Hennessy - 2007 winner of the Orwell prize for political writing
February: Hobbies & Pastimes. Gardening, Genealogy, Travel etc.
March: Empires
April: The Sea/Ocean
May: Literary Biography
June: Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples/First Nations
July: Explorations and Expeditions
August: The World of the Land, Trees and Plants
September: Family Ties
October: Crimes, Mysteries, Puzzles, Enigmas
November: Matters of Faith and Philosophy
December: As You Like It

Shared Reads

Peter Ackroyd's History of England series, a shared read of the series with Paul. I still need to acquire some of the books.

A History of England: Foundation - own
Tudors: The History of England from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I - own
Civil War: Volume III: The History of England this was also published as Rebellion: The History of England from James I to the Glorious Revolution - I own both titles
Revolution: The History of England from the Battle of the Boyne to the Battle of Waterloo - need to get *
Dominion: The History of England from the Battle of Waterloo to Victoria's Diamond Jubilee - own
Innovation: The History of England Volume VI - need to get *

Group Reads

11/22/63 by Stephen King in May with Kim?
East of Eden by John Steinbeck in July with Mark, MDoris, Linda P, Lynda, Paul, Anita

Little Free Library

Books culled in 2023

January - 16

February - 0

March - 6



LT Your Library number starting 2023 - 2944

Books read in February 2023

1. The Well of Ice by Andrea Carter
2. You Are What Your Grandparents Ate by Judith Finlayson
3. Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet
4. Tombstoning by Doug Johnstone
5. The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks
6. Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris
7. Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
8. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
9. Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
10. The History of England: Foundation by Peter Ackroyd
11. Boiling a Frog by Christopher Brookmyre
12. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
13. Lady Violet Finds a Bridegroom by Grace Burrowes
14. Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia
15. Trespassers in Time: Genealogists and Microhistorians by Anne Patterson Rodda

Acquisitions in February 2023

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh
Bait by Karen Robards
Affair by Amanda Quick
Maureen by Rachel Joyce
Revolution: The History of England From the Battle of the Boyne to the Battle of Waterloo by Peter Ackroyd
Dominion: The History of England from the Battle of Waterloo to Victoria's Diamond Jubilee by Peter Ackroyd
The Wyndham Legacy by Catherine Coulter
Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose by T.A. Willberg
It Won't Always Be Like This by Malaka Gharib
Georgia O'Keefee by Maria Herroros
To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey
The Midnight Hour by Elly Griffiths
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

Welcome!!!

Happy new one!! And may your list be long >11 Familyhistorian:!!!! : )

Happy new thread Meg!

>1 Familyhistorian: What a great prospect!

>13 Berly: Thanks Kim. And yes, my list is long! My excuse is Thingaversary month and 15 years on LT.

>14 quondame: Thanks Susan. Isn't that gorgeous? I loved the gardens at that castle.

Happy new thread Meg! >1 Familyhistorian: Great picture. I can hardly wait for spring.

>15 Familyhistorian: No excuses necessary. ; )

Happy new one, Meg. What a wonderful topper. It's freezing cold here.

>1 Familyhistorian: Brodick Castle is beautiful, Meg and can be seen from Royal Troon golf course (not that I make a habit of playing those courses).

Happy new thread, dear lady.

Happy new thread, Meg!

Hi Meg, catching up with your reading lists here. And count me in as admiring that topper, too.

>1 Familyhistorian: Beautiful lavender.

Happy new thread :)

Happy new thread!

>17 mdoris: I know what you mean about spring, Mary. It looked like it was on its way and then all that white stuff dumped on it.

>18 Berly: It's the only month I have an excuse, Kim. I might as well use it. I usually take in the same amount of books every month to be honest.

>19 Ameise1: It's freezing here too, Barbara. I thought that picture would remind me that spring is coming.

>20 PaulCranswick: I wasn't on the lookout for any golf courses so didn't notice one near Brodick Castle. A golf course probably wouldn't have been a highlight of our tour which was all about castles and gardens.

>21 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita!

>22 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy, did you find any BBs in the lists?

>23 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita, a reminder of spring!

>24 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

A close run one
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Hi Meg my dear, Happy New Thread dear friend. I love your thread topper as i always do, hope all is well with you and you are having a good week so far. Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>30 johnsimpson: Hi John, good to have you visit. The week is good except for the weather. It was looking like spring last week now everything is covered in snow. Unusual weather for us.

Hi Meg, I caught up with you on your previous thread and as usual enjoyed the pictures of your community. I see you got some snow. We have it in the forecast for Friday, but they are now saying it may be mixed with rain. Either way, it will be a good day to stay home with a book!

My book group will be discussing Maggie O'Farrell's The Marriage Portrait in mid-March. I usually love her books so I'm looking forward to this one.

>32 Donna828: The Marriage Portrait is another good one, Donna. I'm sure your book group will enjoy it.

We did get snow, probably the latest snow in the season since they've been keeping records. It's still hanging around. Have a great time with the books for your snow/rain event.

Surprisingly easy
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>27 Familyhistorian: To be honest, I didn't get snagged by any book titles, so no BB's. Not that I'm lacking in reading material...

Sweet Thursday, Meg. Happy New Thread. Looks like we will have a nice group for East of Eden. Did you say, that this will be your first time reading it?

37. The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make her Disappear



Back in the day when troublesome people could be warehoused in mental institutions, a large portion of the inmates were women. Women their husbands no longer wanted at home. Women who had no rights of their own as they gave them up when they married, their legal identities subsumed as part of the marriage bond with their husband retaining all the legal rights.

One of those women was Elizabeth Packard, whose husband took her to the Illinois State Hospital for the Insane. She back an inmate because she was outspoken and not a meek helpmeet to her husband. The Woman They Could Not Silence was the story of her incarceration (which seemed to go on forever) and subsequent campaigning for the rights of both women and mental patients. It was an interesting account beginning on the eve of the US Civil War, an era distant from our own in both time and attitude.

>35 SandyAMcPherson: Ah, too bad, Sandy. I'm sure I'll get you with one sooner or later. I know what you mean about not lacking in reading material which makes me wonder why I bring home so many books from the library.

>36 msf59: Whew, good thing I realized I didn't have that shared read of East of Eden in my opening posts before you visited, Mark. I fixed that last night. It will be my first read of East of Eden. I've only read one Steinbeck before back in high school. I think it was The Pearl. It didn't induce me to read any others back then.

38. Strangers in Death by J.D. Robb



The title was a clue to the kind of murders Dallas and the team ended up investigating in Strangers in Death. She ended up investigating the murder of a well off man, a company owner, found dead in his own home in an apparent bondage sex game gone horribly wrong. Was it a case of an entitled man playing while the wife was away or something else? The wife had a solid alibi but something about her rubbed Dallas the wrong way. Was it because she reminded her of Roarke’s ex who come around trying to break up their marriage or was her gut equating the two women because of a deeper reason? It wasn’t until she bent her mind to another sex related murder that Baxter was stumped by that the answer came clear.

This year I'm hoping to do something to whittle down my book stacks. Of course, continuing to buy books while gleefully hitting the hold button on the library's website isn't really helping. Not only do I have book stacks, I also have stacks of magazines. Mostly genealogy magazines because, who knows they might hold a vital clue that will help me in my ancestor search. The problem is that most of those are unread as well.

So last night, I was determined to crack the covers of an issue of Internet Genealogy to leaf through it and send it on its way. Only it was the June/July 2019 issue which had an article on genealogy blogs. My blog, A Genealogist's Path to History merited a write up! Have to keep that. So much leafing through and sending this magazine on its way. It also reminds me that I need to write my blog post for this week.

>37 Familyhistorian: I enjoyed this one. As horrifying as the subject is, Elizabeth Packard's story is full of hope.

>41 Familyhistorian: Well good intentions can be distracting too! Yay for the write up of your blog!

>37 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, That book has stayed with me, not easily forgotten. i thought it was very good.

>42 quondame: I was wondering how Elizabeth would manage to get out of the asylum, so many women seem to have been left in there for good. It was amazing how she got her voice heard and paved the way for the recognition of women's rights.

I almost forgot about that write up on my blog until I opened the magazine up and there it was.

>43 mdoris: It was scary the things that people got locked away for. As was mentioned in the book, when sent to jail at least you knew how long it was for, in an insane asylum there was no end in sight. There was an uncle or great uncle in my ex's family who was placed in an asylum for the rest of his life due to epilepsy.

Happy new one, Meg! Your topper is full of beauty.

From your previous thread, I loved the photo os the snow fort - it looked like a snow ruin of an old castle to me, which madame smile.

>40 Familyhistorian: I have just started a reread of this series, and I am hoping to make progress in how far I have read this time around.

A tough one
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abide, thank, salty, stoat, squat

>46 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, isn't that a nice view. It makes me think of spring which might come back again soon as our snow is melting steadily.

I started a reread of the in death series last year and so far I've made it to Strangers in Death, the 26th book in the series. It's a different experience to read them fairly close to each other.

39. The Villa by Rachel Hawkins



Struggling to find words to complete the latest book in her cozy mystery series, Emily knew her real life wasn’t helping. Sickness kept haunting her. Her husband sued her for divorce claiming a chunk of her royalties. Why try? When her BFF suggested they retreat to an Italian villa to reconnect and pursue their muses what did she have to lose? A lot more than she really knew, actually.

The villa had been the site of a murder. A kind of celebrity murder involving musicians and artists all staying together pursuing their muses and each other. Would the atmosphere bring Emily and her fellow writer friend closer together or wreck their friendship forever and what really happened in the murder not so long ago? Read The Villa and you’ll find out.

Some words are more difficult to come up with than others
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Hi Meg, Ugh, snow here today. I have an Indridason book on the go to help escape.

>51 mdoris: Hi Mary, just rain here today. Better than the hail yesterday. I hope the Indridason is working for you.

It was my Thingaversary on February 10. I previously posted the 5 books I picked up at a second hand bookshop.

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh
Bait by Karen Robards
Affair by Amanda Quick

But as it is my 15th year on LT, I'm due 16 books, or so the tradition says. I acquired the rest in February but haven't recorded them yet.

So that was five books. Did I get eleven more. I'm not sure. I'll list them here then include them on my acquisitions list for February. Let's see if my calculations were correct.

Maureen by Rachel Joyce
Revolution: The History of England From the Battle of the Boyne to the Battle of Waterloo by Peter Ackroyd
Dominion: The History of England from the Battle of Waterloo to Victoria's Diamond Jubilee by Peter Ackroyd
The Wyndham Legacy by Catherine Coulter
Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose by T.A. Willberg
It Won't Always Be Like This by Malaka Gharib
Georgia O'Keefee by Maria Herroros
To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey
The Midnight Hour by Elly Griffiths
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

So 5 in the post up above and 11 in this post = 16. I did it! Now if only that could be the end of my book buying for the year.

Difficult, difficult word
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>55 Familyhistorian: I kind of got lucky. After my first guess, I knew my T was in the right place. In an effort to guess as many new letters as possible, I came up with the word "topic." I knew the word was either "tonic" or "toxic". I picked the wrong one first, but I did get it in 4. I came really close to choosing "toxic" first. I should have gone with my hunch.

>56 thornton37814: I'm often second guessing myself with Wordle, Lori, and can remember more than once telling myself that it couldn't possibly be that word but it was! Good for you for getting it in 4.

Sitting on this for a while worked
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Another fast one
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It was good to see these crocuses after the weather we've had here the last while.

>60 Familyhistorian: Wonderful promises of things to come.

40. The Fell by Sarah Moss



During Covid some places were very stringent when it came to isolation, the consequences of disobeying the directives more grim. This was the world depicted in The Fell, one in which staying under the radar to avoid punishment could have result in a dire outcome for Kate. Unable to stand staying inside any longer, the fells tempted her to sneak off to walk. Of course, as tense as she was, the inevitable happened, she fell injuring herself.

It was a short book with interesting insights into the consequences when draconian measures are used in a one size fits all solution to a situation.

>61 mdoris: It was nice to see them, Mary. They didn't take long to pop up after the snow disappeared off the top of them. Spring had already started before the snow dump as you can tell by this photo of my neighbours front garden I took on Feb 28.

>60 Familyhistorian: Those are so pretty! I love the textures and all the greens in the photo as well.

Another fast one
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>64 quondame: Thanks Susan. I love seeing the spring flowers. I live in a place where there are many shades of green.

Hi Meg, I'm afraid I haven't being doing a very good job of keeping up with everyone. I am taking it slow and steady concentrating more on my actual reading, tomorrow I go for some more tests but I will take my Kindle with me as I am sure there will be lots of waiting to be done!

Tests Meg? Sure hope you're okay. More clouds here today. i have recently discovered Savanna and Mat a father/daughter duo. They are amazing and listened to the Joni Mitchell Both Sides Now (about clouds). It was so good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZHsy3Zl_k

Solved this one quickly as well
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>67 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, it's good to see you here. Fingers crossed that the tests have good results and you don't have to resort to your Kindle for too long.

>68 mdoris: No tests for me, Mary. (knock on wood) We have sun and I'll be going out to appreciate it soon. Thanks for the link. They harmonized beautifully.

So, just where does time go? I started going through my email to track down all the events I needed to put on my calendar. Better to make note of them right away, I know but where's the challenge in that? Anyway, it took much longer than anticipated and I thought I'd get much more done today. It makes me wonder how I got so much done before retirement.

>62 Familyhistorian: I enjoyed that one when I read it, but I could certainly see that some might have abandoned it early on. It took awhile to catch onto the writer's style to make it easier to read. Once you caught it, you were fine and could flow with it.

Happy Friday, Meg. Good review of The Woman They Could Not Silence. I have that on my audio WL. Hooray for snagging a couple of Steinbeck titles. Have a good weekend.

>73 thornton37814: It was a difficult style to keep up with, Lori. I agree, it did put me off at first but it was a short book and I'd read another book by her before, Ghost Wall. The memory of that story stayed with me in spite of the style which made it easier to persevere with The Fell.

>74 msf59: Thanks re the review, Mark. Have a wonderful weekend!

41. Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson



Set between the wars, Shrines of Gaiety brought to life this era when glitter and fast times hid the corrupt machinery keeping it all going. Nellie Coker with her nightclubs overseen by her children was part of the scene that flouted the law to fuel the gaiety. But there was something more evil afoot, with a surfeit of bodies of young girls being pulled from the Thames and something off in the Bow Street Police Station too. It was up to DCI John Frobisher to rout out the corruption there and keep the clubs under control, an uphill job until Gwendolen, a librarian from York, gave him a way into the clubs. But all was not as it seemed.

Last evening there was an Evening at the Museum put on by PoCo Heritage and the Troupe de Poetry called Poetry on the Water. The poets in the troupe read there water related poems, created an interactive poem with the audience and pulled tickets for door prizes. The only thing I won was a fun evening being entertained. Why the watery poetry? The theme of the current museum exhibit is The Coquitlam River: a Fishy Story.



The salmon in the museum window are part of the current exhibit and were painted by children at a local school.

Took me a while but I got there
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Took way longer than it should have
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ZOOM is a boon to communication in many ways. In the genealogical community, it means that we can attend talks given miles away. That also means in different time zones as was the case this morning. The first talk at BIFHSGO (the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa - at least that's what I think it stands for) started at 6:00 am my time. Maybe getting up in time for that this morning will make the time change easier to handle tomorrow morning?

The talks were good, one on DNA and one on Ireland - from which I was able to find out another fact that might get my ancestors back to a place in Ireland. That was a bonus.

>81 Familyhistorian: Did it help? Because I’ve been getting up early every day for a week, and that didn’t help me today. I’m hoping I can get used to it soon.

Hi, Meg. Hope all is well with you!

>81 Familyhistorian: No, it didn't really help. It still feels like I'm an hour behind and I didn't have to set the alarm to get up for anything today. I'll see what happens on Monday when I need to do that.

Good to have you visit, Mary. I'm doing well. Hope you are too!

An easy one due to time change?
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42. While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams



In the thriller, While Justice Sleeps, the protagonist was Avery Keene, a law clerk for the Supreme Court. She worked for Justine Howard Wynn, a tough man and a legendary judge. When he slipped into a coma, she found out that he had named her his guardian. A strange decision and one that would lead her into an investigation in which she had no clear idea who was on her side and what the real objective was. It didn’t help that corruption reached high into the echelons of power or that she need to keep her background under wraps.

Another quick one
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Got up late. Got stuck in a book - one of Deborah Crombie's Kincaid and James series. Where did the day go?

More of a struggle today maybe because of the word
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>86 Familyhistorian: I got it in 4 because I tried blaze before I put the correct letter in.

>87 Familyhistorian: I love Deborah Crombie's books, and I'm looking forward to the new installment that FINALLY came out.

43. All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie



I read a lot of series but don’t keep good track. Somehow the Crombie series featuring James and Kincaid had fallen off my radar until Julia brought them back to mind. I picked up the second in the series All Shall Be Well and dove right in.

In this episode of the series, Jasmine, the woman in the main floor flat of Duncan Kincaid’s building was slowly dying of cancer until one day he found she had died in the night. But something didn’t seem right. It appeared that she had given herself an overdose to hasten the end but his suspicions were aroused. He was given a few days to look into it so the clock was ticking as he and Gemma investigated.

>89 thornton37814: I couldn't put the Crombie book down once I started it, Lori. So good! I'm looking forward to a lot more good reads as I work my way through the series. Did the newest instalment take a long time to come out?

44. Wise Gals: The Spies who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage by Nathalia Holt



In a book that followed the history of the founding and evolution of the CIA, Wise Gals: The Spies who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage, the author looked at how women were treated by the agency. Their treatment of the female workforce was very discriminatory, keeping women down in mostly clerical ranks but a few women broke through. Those women were the focus of the narrative and they did some amazing things. Unfortunately, recognition was not forthcoming without a fight and compensation? Well let’s just say thinking at the time was that men had to support a family.

They’re getting more difficult
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>91 Familyhistorian: I think the one before came out in 2018 before the pandemic (maybe 2019). This one kept getting a publication date, but then it would get pushed out.

>92 Familyhistorian: I still need to review that one. I finished it last Friday or Saturday. I'll probably have about three books to review all at once because I haven't had time to do that one and am close to completion on a couple others.

>94 thornton37814: I think the pandemic messed with a few author's deadlines.

I know that feeling of pending reviews. I started out with five to do and still have two left and another couple of reads that are getting close to completion.

Took a few tries but not much thought
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abide, eider, rider, cider

45. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman



I was lucky enough to get through the library holds list in a short amount of time when it came to The Bullet That Missed, the latest Thursday murder club mystery. Once again the author delivered a fun mystery featuring the folks in the old folks community. This time they were taking on a cold case involving the death of a TV reporter. No murderer had ever been brought to book or body ever found but she’d disappeared all right. Besides they had to look into it, how else was Joyce going to meet the famous TV reporter who had worked with the missing woman?

As usual, there were a lot of other balls in the air involving the regular cast with a few add-ons. It was delightful to visit with the Thursday murder crew once again.

Another quick one
Wordle 636 3/6

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The last few days, I've been looking for a book. I know, like I don't have any books here. That's the thing. It's disappeared amongst all the rest. The thing is that it might have some clues to my Irish ancestry and I feel like I've made some progress with that in the last while. I just hope I can take the search further and find the missing book.

46. The King of Confidence: A Tale of Utopian Dreamers, Frontier Schemers, True Believers, False Prophets and the Murder of an American Monarch by Miles Harvey



Many religious organizations have strange and interesting histories. Some are lucky enough for some of the details to be barely remembered as they happened so long ago. Not so with the Mormons. Much of their history was captured in newsprint. The killing of their leader, Joseph Smith, in Illinois hastened their departure from the state. Brigham Young and his followers headed west. But another man, James Strang, had followers of his own. He stayed among the believers in Nauvoo for a while before his flock followed him to Beaver Island in Michigan.

The King of Confidence: A Tale of Utopian Dreamers, Frontier Schemers, True Believers, False Prophets and the Murder of an American Monarch was the story of Strang’s rise in power until he became a self-styled king and member of the state legislature although he never took over as head of the Mormon church which was his aim. It’s true what they say, “truth is stranger than fiction” and in the middle years of the 1800’s in America many larger than life characters roamed the land including King J. Strang.

A respectable showing
Wordle 637 4/6

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47. The Customer is Always Wrong by Mimi Pond



It always surprises me when GNs are hefty tomes. That was the case with The Customer is Always Wrong but rightly so. It was a weighty story about a young woman waitress with dreams of living in New York and selling her art. It was a coming of age story about dreams and drugs and the family found among quirky friends.

It's a beautiful sunny day out there, looking like spring. I'm off to the library in a few and I hope that the Skytrain is running. A couple of days ago the three stations that are in walking distance were shut down from 2:30 on. When I checked Translink's website it stated that it was because of a medical emergency, no further details. I wonder what happened.

48. Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson & Jay Cooper



I love murder mysteries set in English villages, probably a result of all the Miss Marple mysteries I read in my youth. Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village looked like it was tailor made for me. Unfortunately, no. The illustrations and write ups on various topics were interesting but humour strikes readers differently and this didn’t tickle my funny bone.

Happy Spring, Meg. You will surely enjoy your walks even more these coming days with new life erupting around you.

>60 Familyhistorian: I love those plucky crocuses...harbingers of spring which starts tomorrow. I am ready for some warmer weather. We have daffodils still in bloom after a few nights of supposedly hard freezes. They are hardy souls. ;-)

>87 Familyhistorian: "Got up late. Got stuck in a book."
I think many of us here can relate to that statement. Time well spent I say...

I'm sorry you were disappointed in your last book. The title is priceless even if the humor failed you. Oh well, thanks for your thoughts and saving someone else a disappointing read.

>105 Donna828: Hi Donna, lucky that your daffodils are still blooming. I guess spring flowers have to be hardy with what weather throws at them. It looks like our daffodils will be making an appearance soon.

Thanks re my last book. It's probably just my sense of humour that's lacking another reader might really enjoy it. Now to see if I can find another book to get stuck in. I hope you find one too.

After the first to tries I took a break and read a book. Then the word came to me
Wordle 638 3/6

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>104 Familyhistorian: I think I enjoyed it a bit more than you did. It wasn't great, but it did make me laugh on occasion.

>108 thornton37814: Maybe our expectations were too high, Lori. To me it seemed more like it was based on horror tropes than English mystery ones. I'm not really in to horror.

Got on the right track for this one pretty quick
Wordle 639 3/6

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>85 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I read While Justice Sleeps in 2021. It was readable but as a legal thriller, I found it too unremittingly galloping on a tear-away course with no respite. I thought the plot premise was very good though. Did you give it a star rating?

>111 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy, it did have constant action, didn't it. I didn't give it a star rating because I don't usually give star ratings. Too much work I suppose and just getting to my reviews takes up enough of my time.

On Sunday my genealogy society held an event they called "Begin with Books" at our genealogical library. There were talks about family history related subjects and used books on sale. I was good. I took 6 books to add to the ones to be sold and only picked up 4.

The new to me books are:
The Murder at Hazelmoor (I hadn't heard of that one before but now that I put the title into LT it comes up as The Sittaford Mystery so maybe not a new to me book
The Book Shop by Penelope Fitzgerald
Listening to the Voices of our Ancestors by Megan Reilly Koepsell
The Saxon Shore by Jack Whyte which is book 4 in "A Dream of Eagles". I haven't read the other books but I've saw Jack at the first few SIWC events that I attended and he is much beloved by the crew there.

Besides listening to talks and book buying which are two of my preferred activities I got to talk to a few of the other genealogists that I connect with which is the best thing about attending in-person events. Zoom has cut a lot of that out of our lives.

Happy Spring, Meg. What did you think of Shrines of Gaiety? I have been a bit underwhelmed by her last couple of books, although I am a big fan of her earlier work. I just got The Customer is Always Wrong from the library. It is a hefty one. The King of Confidence sounds like a good one too.

5. The bookamazing Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates The Water Dancer is a powerful novel about slavery and the Underground Railroad. It's a story about a young man who has a special power that allows him to transport people to freedom. The Water Dancer is a haunting and beautiful novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

>113 Familyhistorian: The Book Shop is such a terrific read...and Violet Gamart is such a tremendously well-delineated character I felt I could find her contact details to give her a piece of my mind. I hope it entertains you as much as it did me. I also recommend the film if only for Patricia Clarkson's Violet! In truth I felt they did a terrific job of making the story into a good film.

>114 msf59: Hi Mark, The King of Confidence was very good and gave an interesting view of society in the 1840s and '50s. So much more coming and going than you'd think and the shysters!

I thought Shrines of Gaiety was really good but then I'm always interested the goings on in London's underworld and the historical context was really well done.

>118 richardderus: Ohh, I had to Google the Book Shop film, Richard. Looks interesting and tells much more than the blurb on the back of the book. I'm looking forward to this read. The film might be harder to access as it's not on Netflix in Canada.

Another three! I better not get too cocky as they’ll probably make the next one a zinger or a word they spell different in the US
Wordle 640 3/6

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I'm way behind in my reviews but the thing with reading multiple books at once is that I tend to finish them all at the same time. The reads have been going down easy lately but I don't seem to be getting much else done.

I had to look up the spelling for this one
Wordle 641 4/6

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abide, freed, model, duvet

49. Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb



I’m getting further along in my reread of the in death books. I’m over halfway done of the reread part as I previously read up to the 50th book in the series. Salvation in Death was the 29th full length book. As you’d guess from the title, there was religion involved. The first killing was of a priest poisoned by sacramental wine in full view of the congregation at a funeral mass. Not your average everyday murder, but then the murderee was not your average everyday priest. Dallas had a challenge figuring that out as she did with understanding whether another murder, this time of an evangelical preacher, was related to the first crime.

It was another page turner that kept me engaged. I especially like the investigation into the evangelical preacher’s death. I think the author had fun with that one and it showed.

I had to walk away before it came to me
Wordle 642 3/6

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I love your photo at the top, Meg. Happy newish thread. You've been doing some great reading.

>126 BLBera: Hi Beth, I can hardly wait until it's time for lavender to bloom again. Hope spring has sprung out your way.

50. The Somme Legacy by M J Lee



A recent read fit into the genealogy subgenre of mysteries. The Somme Legacy involved a genealogical mystery which, if solved, could lead to a present day inheritance. The clock was ticking before the estate would be forfeit to the crown. A great way to add tension. The genealogical mystery involved a purported marriage between a man lost in the battle of the Somme and a woman not of his class. Just who was telling the truth as to whether they married, the woman who assert that she was a bride and her child the legitimate offspring of the man or his family who denied the wedding had ever taken place. Strangely, records at Gretna Green for that time period didn’t seem to be available. It was a puzzling case for genealogist Jayne Sinclair who had been brought into it at the eleventh hour.

Another three
Wordle 643 3/6

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A couple of days ago, it was so warm that I had to take my jacket off. We got to 17C that day. A taste of things to come because the weather turned cold and wet after that.

51. Strange Loyalties by William McIlvanney



The third book in the Laidlaw trilogy was a bit of a departure in the saga of the contrary detective. Told in the first person, Strange Loyalties invited the reader into Jack Laidlaw’s inner thoughts. They weren’t pretty as he took leave from his job (and at some points, his senses) to look into his brother’s death. The answers were disturbing and hit close to the bone in a tale that reached far back into his brother’s life. It was an investigation that caused Laidlaw to question his own life and choices in a story that was both a mystery and a voyage of inner discovery.

Hi Meg! I’m belatedly dropping by to return your visit to my thread. Some intriguing books there (but I’m somewhat shielded since they’re outside my usual reading zone).

>128 Familyhistorian: Woah, that was a smashing good review to land me with a BB, Meg!

>132 humouress: Hi Nina, good to have you visit. Good for you for dodging any BBs but sometimes it's good to stray from a usual reading zone. I've found that picking up some of the intriguing titles on the threads that are not my go to reads.

>133 SandyAMcPherson: Good to see my review caught your interest, Sandy. Enjoy the read.

Stopping by to say hi, Meg! A beautiful warm day a couple of days ago, and not a bad day today either. Like you, I am enjoying the sun and crocuses and daffodils. I did finally start a new thread here in the 75's , so pop by and say hi if you get a chance!

>128 Familyhistorian: Sounds interesting. The first in the series The Irish Inheritance is going on my TBR list. Thanks!

Hi, Meg. I’m glad you liked Shrines of Gaiety. That one’s in my future.

That Laidlaw series also sounds good. I’m a sucker for a good mystery. I’m impressed again with your re/read of the “in Death” mysteries. Her new one, Encore in Death is another treat. I’fd love to do re-reads like you have, but I’m daunted by my tbr. There needs to be a Library Outside of Time that permits dauntless reading.

>136 vancouverdeb: Good to see that you set up a thread, Deb. I hastened over there as soon as I read your post.

>137 Storeetllr: I really enjoy the dual time periods in genealogical mysteries because they happen so naturally. I have no problem putting myself in the shoes of the investigator since I've followed a few of my own family history mysteries in my time. I hope you enjoy the series, Mary.

>138 jnwelch: Hi Joe, I'm not so disciplined about getting to my TBR (maybe I think I'll live forever) and the in death books are such fast reads that I enjoy getting the series straight in my head by following them in order again. I remember what you said about Origins In Death being the one where the Icoves appeared and took special note this time through.

The Laidlaw books were originally a trilogy until the widow of William McIlvanney asked Ian Rankin to write a follow up based on the notes her husband had left. I'm an Ian Rankin fan, especially after being able to see the Edinburgh Book Festival online for the past few years, so I had to pick up his take on Laidlaw, The Dark Remains. After that I decided that I needed to read the original Laidlaw books as well.

A close run thing this time
Wordle 644 6/6

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52. Strip Jack by Ian Rankin



In Strip Jack, a local politician was caught in a raid on a brothel, something that struck Rebus as either strange timing or a set up. But there was something else wrong about the politician’s life. Where was his wife? Why wasn’t she reacting to the sensational story that put her husband in the wrong? So began Rebus’s off the cuff investigation into the politician’s wife which finally became a real investigation that proved his instincts right.

Hard to figure out the right letter order today
Wordle 645 4/6

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abide, mince, thine, untie

53. The Duke's Disaster by Grace Burrowes



Needing something fast to read to make me feel like I was getting somewhere between all the heavier subjects, I pulled The Duke’s Disaster from my stacks. In this story, the romance came after marriage. It was a marriage tainted by the fact that the bride was not virginal (double standard anyone?). This was complicated by the fact that various factions had a stake in the marriage floundering but, true to the romantic trope, the couple won through.

A tough one
Wordle 646 5/6

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abide, wrath, foamy, opals, guano

Hi there Meg, swinging through to see what you've been spending your time on these hesdy Spring days.

>147 richardderus: Hi Richard, you came by on what is very much a spring day. I'm about to go for a walk in the sunshine and take advantage of the warmer weather. The last few days were cold for this time of year. Well, cold for here. It's warmed up just in time for all the kids to be back in school as March break is over as of today.

>146 Familyhistorian: That was a tough one! I didn't know the meaning of guano once I finally got it at 5/6. I've not figured out / tried to post my wordle to my thread, but I play it faithfully each day. My own usual first two words are crane and pious , but if crane yields enough correct letters, I'll try a different 2n word .

>143 Familyhistorian:, Dave, my husband is currently reading a few books in the Inspector Rebus series. I enjoy the books too. I think he just put Dogs in the Wild on hold at the library . I just purchased him the new . Harland Coben, I Will Find You. Dave is strictly a fan of thrillers and mysteries, which is fine. I got a bargain on I Will Find You , it was 30 % off and I have Plum Plus points and had earned a $5.00 credit towards that purchase.

As for spring , a sunny day is a good day around these parts!

>149 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, it's easy to post the Wordle results to your thread after you hit the share button on the Wordle site. I use the same starter word but had to change that when my word was the actual Wordle for the day once.

I've been able to pick up a few Inspector Rebus books in one of my local Little Free Libraries. The rest I get from the library. I'm not as far along in the series as Dave.

I'm loving the warmer weather. Hope it stays around for a while.

54. Tudors: The History of England from Henry Viii to Elizabeth I by Peter Ackroyd



I like to read about the history of England to get more information about what my ancestors lived through. Tudors: The History of England from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I was a bit early for me to place my family in the action although there was a bit when the north rose up which might have involved some family connection. This comprehensive history concentrated more on the doings of those in power and had less social history than the first volume in the series. But that’s probably because so much went on with the Tudors that you needed a score card to figure out whether to be Catholic or Protestant at any given time.

They seem to be getting harder
Wordle 647 5/6

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abide, chout, huggy, hussy, hurry

>150 Familyhistorian: I managed for figure out to post Wordle results last night, thank Meg. I use the same starter word every day, and usually the same second word, unless something better springs to mind once I have tried my first word.

Dave is one of those crazy guys that read series out of order!!! Gasp! So I'm not sure if he ahead of you with the Rebus series. Personally I almost always read a series in order, but it takes all kinds to make a world. Sighs.

I'm enjoying the nice weather too. I think it supposed to rain over the weekend, but who knows. Clouds blow in and out fairly quickly, so there is hope.

Not a word I use much if at all
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>153 vancouverdeb: It's not hard to post Wordle results once you figure it out. I only use the one starter word and go from there. I know a lot of people use two.

I didn't used to be a stickler for reading series in order until I got on LT. Now I prefer to read from the start to the end in order. It allows you to see the progression of the characters through the series.

I think there is one more good day then more rain. Make the most of it while you can!

55. Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson



Frances and Zeke were two teenagers drawn to each other. They had no one else to hang around with. Both had fathers who had left their mothers. She was an aspiring writer. He was an aspiring artist. It seemed like a good idea to create a strange poster and hang copies of it around their small town but then things got out of hand.

Now is Not the Time to Panic was the story of two lonely people trying to make a mark who didn’t know what to do when their creation took on a life of its own and things got out of hand. It was a rite of passage with the power to affect their futures and a story to make the reader think.

An easy one
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56. Don't Look Back by Amanda Quick



The customs and greed of the upper and aspiring classes were on display in Don’t Look Back a tale of deception and mesmerism practiced in historic London. It was up to Mrs. Lavinia Lake and her overbearing partner, Tobias March, to find a missing bracelet and the murderer of the wife of Dr. Howard Hudson, a family friend of Lavinia’s parents. Was Dr. Hudson as above board as Lavinia thought and where had the famed bracelet ended up? It was a fun romantic mystery.

Gorgeous day but as you say make the most of it! Have a good day Meg!

>159 mdoris: I hope you were able to get out and enjoy it, Mary. Looks like it will get better after the weekend again.

It has been a busy couple of days or should I say evenings. On Tuesday it was the AGM for my strata which was held on Zoom. Yesterday evening I met the women in my WIM (women in midlife - we're beyond that now) group for our anniversary dinner, our 21st. It was at a local Indian restaurant. I had one of my favourite dishes, Chana Masala with naan.

57. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez



I saw Part of Your World on someone’s thread and knew I would enjoy the read. I was right. In this romance an unlikely couple meet. She’s a doctor, part of a doctoring family who are wealthy and established. He’s the mayor of a town so small that there’s no compensation for the role. He does carpentry and runs a B & B on the side. They meet by chance. He tows her car out of a ditch. There’s chemistry but so many things against them being a couple. The story of how they try to reconcile their differences was heartwarming.

You are reading to beat the band, Meg! I enjoyed a nice walk with my dog, Poppy today. We headed into Steveston and walked 2 - 2.5 miles and enjoyed the sunshine. Yesterday we walked on the dyke across from the airport and watched the float planes and jets take off. It was such a beautiful day, I'm having a hard time believing it is going to rain tomorrow. I guess we will see. I try to vary my walks with Poppy, as I have read that dogs get bored with the same old, same old.

Hi Meg, you have been reading up a storm! I am looking forward to jumping into my April reading and keeping my fingers crossed that our lovely warm weather returns soon.

58. Wild Romance: The True Story of a Victorian Scandal by Chloë Schama



Theresa Longworth had a strange upbringing and a lot of freedom for a woman in the 1850s. But sometimes that isn’t a good thing as it left her free to start a relationship with a young soldier, William Charles Yelverton. Much of their courtship took place through correspondence until at last they were together in Edinburgh and went through a form of marriage. (Scotland acknowledged various forms of irregular marriage). There was a physical relationship but Theresa was uncertain of the legality of their marriage and insisted on another ceremony in front of a priest but in order for a priest to marry them they would both need to be Catholic. Their relationship broke down and Yelverton took up with another woman who he married, legally. Wild Romance: The True Story of a Victorian Scandal was the tale of Theresa and William’s relationship and the trials that took place in Ireland, Scotland and England in which she tried to prove that they were married. Her efforts showed how convoluted the British marriage laws were at the time – they were different in each jurisdiction.

>163 vancouverdeb: I didn't see your post until today, Deb. I guess it isn't hard to believe in the rain now! It's cold too. At least it was in the walks I was able to fit in between meetings and other tasks today. Not time to put away the winter coat yet. It's not only Poppy who gets fed up with the same old walks, I need to vary them myself.

59. Condemned: The Transported Men, Women and Children Who Built Britain's Empire by Graham Seal



I picked up Condemned: The Transported Men, Women and Children Who Built Britain’s Empire after finding out that my 3x great grandfather and his son were sentenced to transportation in the mid 1800s. According to the book, it was a practice that had been going on for centuries by that point and, including the Home Children shipped out of Britain once transportation of convicts was halted, lasted for about another century more. There were a dizzying amount of places that people were transported from and to and the treatment ranged from brutal to almost benign at times. This interesting account gave me more clues for research so all is good.

>164 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, the good weather is supposed to return after the weekend. We're just lucky to be retired so that we can appreciate it whenever it shows up! Good luck with your April reading. I'm still catching up with my March reads

I'm behind in my reviews again and I'm working on my blog post to come out tomorrow. Everything seems to be happening at the same time at the end of the month!

A blink and it was done
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>167 Familyhistorian: Good topic for a genealogist to delve deeper into. Did the author derive any information about the patterns of where people were transported from and to (if there were any)? Like Irish orphans mostly ending up in thus-and-such place while Scottish unwed others went largely to this other spot? I've always wondered how the destinations were assigned....

Happy weekend-ahead's reads!

More of a challenge today
Wordle 651 4/6

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>171 richardderus: There was a bit of that, Richard. Like prisoners from a certain uprising would be taken to a particular place but the people transported didn't just come from the British Isles but all over the empire which is part of the reason why there are pockets of different ethnic groups in places you wouldn't necessarily expect them. A lot of times it was just what colony was accepting them and where people were needed at the time.

The author is Australian. I had to look him up because his info on the 1838 rebellions in Canada wrong. He knew that the rebels had ended up in Australia but wrote that the rebellions happened in Ontario and Quebec. At the time they were Upper and Lower Canada. I can see how easy it was to get that wrong but calling them two French provinces was really off the mark! I sent him an email.

60. Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe



Until I had the book in my hands, I didn’t realize that Empire of Pain was written by the author of Say Nothing. His style is very readable and tends to pull the reader through the narrative which is good because there was a lot to there. It started with Arthur Sackler in the early days, with his genius for advertising that made Valium a well-known and sold brand. It was when the family branched into peddling opioids to treat chronic pain that sales really took off.

The portrayal of the Sacklers as elite philanthropists denying their part in the addiction crisis brought to mind powerful medieval families or, in more modern times, far reaching Mafia families. It was a compelling read about the mechanisms behind the overdose crisis which has overcome too many.

>174 Familyhistorian: Excellent review Meg.

>175 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. You read that one, didn't you? I knew that Oxycontin was a problem and a gateway drug. I had no idea of the family behind it until I read the book.

A respectable score
Wordle 652 4/6

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abide, flout, troop, stock

61. Color Capital of the World: Growing Up with the Legacy of a Crayon Company by John Whitworth Kropf



As a family historian, I look for stories to share about my own family. I also enjoy reading about the history of other families especially when I learn something interesting. So it was with Color Capital of the World: Growing up with the Legacy of a Crayon Company. The narrative was part memoir, part family history and also told the history of a business that had its heart in a small town. As with many American small towns, the downtown faded and businesses left. But in recent years work was being done to bring back the vibrancy of the town of Sandusky as it reimagined itself. It was a positive note to end this short but enjoyable read and I now know more about the evolution of crayons as a creative medium.

Happy Sunday, Meg!

>151 Familyhistorian: This looks good. I've only read one Ackroyd (The Fall of Troy) but keep meaning to read more by him. There's sure a lot to choose from - he is one prolific writer! I think I've got Foundation on my bookshelves somewhere; I'll have to check.

>179 Storeetllr: I hadn't heard of Ackroyd's The Fall of Troy before you mentioned the title, Mary. He has so many books out. I have quite a few on my shelves - most unread. When Paul posted that he was doing a reread of his History of England books I thought it would be good incentive to at least get those read. The only other book I've read by Peter Ackroyd was London Under which had the advantage of being slim!

Have a wonderful week!

>173 Familyhistorian: "...calling them two French provinces was really off the mark! I sent him an email."
I dislike poorly researched histories and this is simply arrant nonsense.
Good for you. Do you expect an answer?

I think more authors should be taken to task. And as Richard has often said, the editors aren't doing their job these days with letting these incorrect or downright wrong assertions slide by.

Wow , yet more books read, Meg! Like you, and Poppy , I like to walk in different places too. Today as I was heading on out on my dog walk, I stopped to chat with my next door neighbour and she was returning home for her dog walk. She said to me , " We are dog slaves ". There is truth to that. No chance of staying inside , no matter the weather when you have a dog to walk - and live in a townhouse with very little backyard.

>181 SandyAMcPherson: I don't expect a reply, Sandy. I wanted to let him know there was a whole other history he was missing. I think someone should have caught that mistake but realized that the people in Australia probably knew about as much history about Canada as I do about Australia.

>182 vancouverdeb: I remember those days of dog walks rain or shine, Deb. I know what you are talking about. I used to have to get up early to walk the dog - 4:30 am so I could walk the dog, have a shower and be at work by 6:45 am. There were some pretty miserable mornings in there but I saw some interesting sights - wildlife mostly, raccoons, coyotes. Dog walking is a good way to meet the neighbours - at least it is when you do it at a descent hour.

A few quick steps to the answer
Wordle 653 4/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

abide, flash, float, flora

Needed help to come up with this one
Wordle 654 4/6

🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟨🟩⬜
🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

abide, grain, rapid, ratio

Four -thirty am is indeed very early, Meg! I get out at later hours and as you said , it’s a good way to meet neighbours and people in general. I find most dog owners to be quite friendly. Nice work with Wordle . I managed in 3 today, as on my thread . I’ve also seen raccoons, coyotes and was even lucky enough to see an owl on a sign post , after dark . The owl was just sitting on the post , swivelling his head and looking around. That was pretty exciting!🦉

>187 vancouverdeb: I had a hard time with today's Wordle, Deb. Good for you for getting it in 3. Cool to see an owl sitting on a sign post. I've seen owls around here too even through my living room window. I overlook a creek surrounded by trees. Owls are fairly benign. I've seen bears back there too. The timing always seems to be okay though. It wouldn't be good if the bears showed up when there were kids in the schoolyard which is on the other side of the creek.

Thanks for reminding me about Empire of Pain, Meg. I'll see if my local library has a copy of it.

>189 kidzdoc: Hi Darryl, nice to have you drop in for a visit! Empire of Pain was a real eye opener. Your library probably has it if mine did.