2021 READS

[rapa]

Just finished Alice Hoffman’s THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITE’S!

The publisher describes this as “A forbidden love story set on the tropical island of St. Thomas about the extraordinary woman who gave birth to painter Camille Pissarro, the Father of Impressionism.”

If you enjoy historical fiction treat yourself to this beautiful story!

It was published in 2015 and should be available in your library.

Hoffman’s THE DOVEKEEPERS is another of my favorite reads!

[rapa]

Last night started reading Ken Follett’s THE PILLARS of the EARTH.    973 pages of small print!  Read almost 100 pages last night and am loving the story!!!!!!  Am sure this will be another long night in his grasp! Have any of you also enjoyed this story?

[Baia]

I have this book in print and it has been on my shelf for years, intimidating me with its thickness.  I read the just-out prequel earlier this month and was motivated to put The Pillars of the Earth audiobook on reserve at the library.  Actually, I didn't READ the prequel.  I listened to that, too.  More and more I am listening to audiobooks and can get through almost one every day or two.  I think if I spent less time online with the screen I would be able to read ink on paper.  I have some real books in varying stages of being read.  Television is not appealing to me lately, so I just carry my tablet around with me in a cross-chest bag while I do chores, outside, cooking, whatever. I can sit on the porch in the sun and listen to my book and fall asleep at night with it on a timer.  It's like being read to sleep.  I find some voices more comforting than others that way.

Authors I am enjoying so far this year are Anne Perry (getting caught up with William Monk and Hester but also with the second generation of Pitts, namely Daniel, now all grown up and practicing law.).  I'm also enjoying Martin Walker's novels featuring Bruno, Chief of Police in the village of St. Denis in modern France.  There are lots of references to local history, food, and characters.  Martin Walker is an Englishman writing about France in English, but he is also a journalist of note, an editor emeritus at UPI with many years experience as a foreign correspondent.  I enjoy seeing that part of France through his eyes and hope to visit there someday when it safe to travel again.

[Carolyn Tewell]

6 Degrees last night in our area near Chagrin Falls, Ohio!

RAPA...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE PILLARS of the EARTH!  Listen on audiobook and now that you mention I will head down to basement and retrieve the discs and start over!!!

Jodi Picoult audiobooks have been part of my life for 2 months.  Leaving Time, The Book of Two Ways, and more.  Now, I did start The Storyteller and had to bail about 2/3 way through.  Holocaust was focus and it was very thorough and horrible.  Needed to learn it for sure but in book form during wakeful hours, not while trying to sleep. Probably the most authentic descriptions I have ever heard.

BAIA...Currently I am listening to Twenty by James Gripando.  The reader is one of my favorites: Jonathan Davis

Our new Library opened this week.  I walked in and ask the staff if I had made a wrong turn and ended up in Chicago?  Just huge with lots of rooms for large gatherings, small intimate meetings and a layout that beams contemporary.  Even an electric fireplace with comfy chairs.

Next time I post will share a few other regular books that I loved: Stay Sharp by Sanjay Gupta for those of us over a certain age.

[Carolyn Tewell]

DOG LOVERS and anyone who wonders how Police train and work with their amazing animals.  Just finished SUSPECT by Robert Crais. Publish in 2013.  Jim had it laying around and I was out of audiobooks, snowing and 12 degrees outside so getting to Library seemed yucky.  

So I have read his stuff before...Joe Pike and Elvis Cole action with guns firing and cars rolling over.  Anyway, decided to give it a try.  I am a dedicated cat lover but reading about Maggie the police dog and her handler was so moving.  How the dog actually bonds so greatly with the owner and spells it out regarding desire to make a happy pack! Audiobook reader was amazing in his voice of speaking to the dog like you would a 3 year old child with that happy sounding volume.

Read some non fiction ...KEEP SHARP by Sanjay Gupta...soooo good.  Just finished Think Again by Adam Grant (which was Meh!) Started a book by Jim Cramer since now I’m addicted to MAD MONEY.

Weather is supposed to improve next week...get back to Library for a visit. 

NO SHOTS FOR ME YET!  What about all rest of you?

[rapa]

Had first Pfizer last Monday.  No side effects! Second shot on March 22.

[rapa]

Last night started reading John Hart’s fresh off the press THE UNWILLING.

It’s small print but got to page 80 before 3:00a.m.  As Tami Hoag described this book “Richly complex, as intricately woven as a fine tapestry, soul-piercingly emotional, this is John Hart at his lyrical, atmospheric best. He builds a world and draws you in, and there you remain, a willing captive.”