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Monica wrote: "I'll bite because I'm trying to keep my mind off of the election. So much more complex question than it sounds.

Book that suprised me the most in the best possible way was Borne by..."

I also enjoyed the "The Namesake". I've read a number of her works and they are all delightful reads.

Do you come from a family of readers or are you an anomaly? How does either fitting in or not fitting in, in terms of the importance of books and reading in your life, impact your relationship with family and/or friends?

The holiday season often brings home either a sense of shared reading vibes or the realization that one of these does not belong so to speak. My family of origin are readers, but I w/could never discuss any specific book I read with them at this point in my life. (they wouldn't have heard of it, and I wouldn't have much to say about their reading choices, so I apply the Thumper principle.) The family I created with my spouse is reading-friendly, but I'm far and away The Reader. My daughter's new boyfriend hasn't ever read anything he wasn't assigned by an instructor. So - net - I'm comfortable reading around them, e.g., I don't hide my reading or the stacks of books, or the volume of trips to the library on a weekly basis, but I can't discuss anything reading related with those I love most.

What's your experience with this?

I definitely attribute my love of reading to my parents, who were both big readers and also encouraged frequent use of the library. On my birthday every year as a child, my dad would drive me from our suburb (no bookstores) to the city and I was given an amount with which to buy whatever books I wanted. They never policed my reading and my mother once advocated for me at the library when a librarian felt I was checking out a book too mature for my age. Having said that, though, our reading as adults didn’t overlap much so there wasn’t much book discussion. My dad read mostly nonfiction (history and biographies) and my mom loved mysteries.

My husband likes to read but does so in spurts and doesn’t understand my need to constantly acquire new books when I already have so many to read. He mostly lets me be me, but sometimes I will get an exasperated “More books?!� Our taste overlaps a bit - specific authors and Southern noir - and we will occasionally push a book on the other and discuss briefly. I have a group of friends who discuss books on a GroupMe - all sorts of books come up there and I enjoy seeing what people like or don’t like even if some of our tastes don’t overlap.

I didn't come from a family of readers. But my parents never stopped me from making my weekly trip to the library and coming home with 6 books. I remember them getting only slightly annoyed that I had my nose in a book all the time but only because I wasn't drying the dishes or cleaning my room! It wasn't until they themselves hit their 70's that they began to read on a regular basis. I only later learned that my mom was a reader in the early 50's but then, with 5 kids and a job, put the books away for a long time. Now that my Mom has passed, my Dad (who is now 90) can be considered an avid reader - mainly non-fiction and mainly military-related or celebrity biographies. He shares my nook account with me (he and electronics are only on speaking terms when it works) and he came upon a novel about the second Mrs. Aster and the Titanic. He thought it sounded good so he read the whole thing and really liked it!

My main topics of conversation are with my friends in a book club. We live close to an area that supports literature with quite a few bookstores and author lectures. That's our "fun" time.

I love reading your reading origin stories everyone! Thank you for this question, Carol, and thank you everyone for sharing.

My dad used to make us read for 1 hour each day. Whether it was schoolwork, a dictionary, or comics. He didn't care as long as we read, and he built a custom shelf that spanned our entire living room wall to wall, floor to ceiling. He filled it with all sorts of books and let us read whatever we wanted. I grew up on mythology books, encyclopedia Brittanica, and children's illustrated classics. My brothers all read a lot of fantasy in high school and passed on their books to me, but I also devoured a lot of YA horror from the library, like Christopher Pike. As an adult, I only talk certain books with one brother, and I'm always eager to get my family to read, but I'm definitely The Reader in my little family as well. My book family is you all. I come here to read and share bookish conversation and often joke to my children that one day, when they care, or I'm long gone and they miss me, that they can come here and read my reviews and learn a little about me and my books.

Do you buy books as gifts for others? Discuss lol

I rarely buy a book for anyone else, unless they've given me a list and a book is on it. I'll get them giftcards to book stores, maybe.

You?

I actually give books as a gifts quite often. It's definitely a chalenge though and I had quite a few misses, but I also had many sweet successes.
There are some people who are really easy - I know my mom loves haiku, so any haiku-related book she doesn't have will probably be a win. I bought her a collection of Kerouac's haikus last year and she loved it, so I bought her the original version this year, because she said she would be interested in that.
Sometimes it's more impulsive and intuitive. I read What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses? earlier this year and the book immediately reminded me of my aunt who is a horse person and is trying to practice her English... The book is also really pretty, so I got it for her for Christmas, I'm pretty sure she'll like it.

Jassmine wrote: "I actually give books as a gifts quite often. It's definitely a chalenge though and I had quite a few misses, but I also had many sweet successes.
There are some people who are really easy - I know..."

Your examples of sweet successes are inspiring and wonderful - since my biggest challenge is, I don't know what they own or have read, so I assume my likelihood of success will be low. But, in truth, I know a lot about the preferences of several folks close to me, and they are not any more narrow than your haiku example. I can fix the "me" assumption problem. Thanks for the positive challenge!

I do buy books for my Dad. Although I also have a brother who buys for him and we "double" buy at least once a year. (We live a time zone away and need to stay in touch more.) I also buy for my 5 grandkids. Although that gets harder as they get older (8-10-11-13-16). Anymore I have to rely on their moms to tell me what to get. I have had too many misses and the kids are afraid of hurting my feelings if they tell me they don't like them. I've tried explaining that they are helping me when they tell me - but it's tough to break that sweet cycle.

Oh! You’ve both reminded me that I buy many books annually as gifts for Angel tree kids and for school summer reading fundraisers. Our daughter and I buy books before clothes and toys for the kids we select from our church’s angel tree . This year’s haul was 6 board books for a 2.5 year old girl and her brother cleaned up with captain underpants, magic tree house and more. Such fun.

I don’t buy books as gifts often, but occasionally I’ll read something I just absolutely love & will try to think of 1-2 people I think would appreciate it too & but copies for them. If nothing else, i figure it supports the author.

More often, I trade books at the Free Little Libraries and will grab something I think a friend or my parents or kids will like. Less of a “gift� more of “thought you might like this� with no pressure attached.

Of course I gift my 5-year-olds books, but I generally know what they’ll like :)

Carol - what a wonderful tradition! I need to find something similar in our area.

Lindsey wrote: "I don’t buy books as gifts often, but occasionally I’ll read something I just absolutely love & will try to think of 1-2 people I think would appreciate it too & but copies for them. If nothing els..."

I miss the days when our kids were young enough that I single-handledly controlled er influenced the books they liked hahaha

Lindsey wrote: "Carol - what a wonderful tradition! I need to find something similar in our area."

Lindsey, it's one of the highlights of my holiday season every year, and, if you're a parent (which isn't better than not, of course), it also taught our kids about our financial priorities. Our angel tree kid gifts are purchased and delivered by December 7 or so, e.g., the cost of what we select comes off the top of the family Christmas budget. Some years we spent more on the kids that aren't in our family. Our kids and friends are second priority and get what we can afford based on the balance remaining. So the year we moved from picking one child to two, our eldest immediately understood the implication and was onboard. His sibling, not so much until she was older. : )

We pick ours at our church, which serves kids in an affiliated migrant worker community, several affordable housing communities and 2 programs for fathers addressing substance abuse disorders. But in our area, angel trees are available from Salvation Army (6600 kids are registered as needing gifts this year (!), our 2 biggest malls, and 3 nonprofits serving incarcerated parents or parents in rehab programs. I hope you are able to find one locally that fits your heart and circumstances.

A fun benefit of gifting books to non-white kids who aren't ours is that we scour the shelves for representation. Seeing the overwhelming whiteness of many board books and chapter book series is gobsmacking. This year, for the first time we even found wrapping paper that showed kids of various skin tones playing in the snow. (Thank you, Target!)

I used to gift books to my daughters of course, esp. when they were kids or young adults, but in the meantime they like money better lol or I find something else. Also gave books to my dad when he was still alive, as this was his only hobby, reading. Otherwise it isn´t easy to know the taste of friends or what they own, but I remember a friend told me about a children´s book which she loved as a child and wanted to read in original Swedish, I think it was from Astrid Lindgren. I googled a lot till I found the copy she wanted on a Scandinavian book page and surprised her with it - she was very happy. :)

Wasn't sure where to post my question so thought I'd try here.

Was trying to find the discussion for Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and couldn't find it under non-fiction reads.

Was wondering if it's locked up Current Reads. The link says it has 6 topics but when I open it there are only 2 topics. Wondering if the older topics e.g. November are in there somewhere?

Was able to find the discussion doing a different search but thought it might be just a quick fix.

Thanks Carol and Anita for your assistance. I know and appreciate the big jobs you've taken on.

Mj wrote: "Wasn't sure where to post my question so thought I'd try here.

Was trying to find the discussion for Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and couldn't fi..."

Here it is Mj, /topic/show/...
It was in our Read Around the World Previous Reads thread.

This is the previous group discussion from when we read it in 2016, under previous fiction reads: /topic/show/...

I hope you all are doing well and are looking forward to something or somethings in 2023. I like these two new year's greetings originating elsewhere:

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.�
- by Oprah Winfrey

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.�

- by Benjamin Franklin

How is everyone doing? If you're someone who struggles with the holiday season, are you doing better now that it's over? If you thrive during the holidays, is the January come-down/sense of a good thing being "over" challenging your spirit? If you make resolutions, will you share them with us and spread the inspiration?

I plan to become a better woman not man, but otherwise no resolutions that I don´t make the whole year over. ;)

I like the holiday season, but am glad to return to some routine, as I got quiet lazy during these days. I had time to read more though. :)

This Holiday Season was much better than I anticipated. Loved ones have moved far and wide. Smaller family gatherings. I am amazed that I am now the old generation in the family and think back in wonder to how my parents were able to keep the family together.
The post-holiday season is bittersweet. I have more time to read and late afternoon naps. But at the same time, the short daylight hours make me quite sad. I need to look for more uplifting reads this time of year. (lightbulb over head) That is what I need to do!
Happy New Year all!

I don't know how a new year can make me feel like I have a fresh start, a clean slate. I'm just so glad 2022 is over, it was a bad year for me.

I don't have any resolutions except to make the best of things this year.

Wise words from Benjamin Franklin. Something that people should take on board in this hate filled world that is social media. I love the idea of going to war with my vices and being at peace with my neighbours. It puts the focus back on fixing your own shortcomings before criticising other people.

I won't be out of the festive season until tomorrow after I pack up all the decorations. Here in Spain they celebrate the Three Wise Men bringing their gifts to baby Jesus. Children traditionally received their gifts from the Wise Men rather than Santa Claus so the night of the 5th of January is an evening when there are parades with the Three Wise Men, and this morning children woke up to look for their presents. It is quite exhausting having the festive season drag on for 2 weeks.

Wishing you all a prosperous 2023. From a reading perspective, may it be filled with ample hours of quiet in which you may enjoy the many tomes that you plan to read this year, and here's hoping that amongst those works is a wonderful gem that makes the effort worthwhile.

Sophie wrote: "I am amazed that I am now the old generation in the family and think back in wonder to how my parents were able to keep the family together..."

It is very humbling to suddenly become aware of all the effort that our parents were making while we were enjoying our childhoods. If we are lucky we notice it while they are still about so that we can let them know how grateful we are.

Ozsaur wrote: "I don't know how a new year can make me feel like I have a fresh start, a clean slate. I'm just so glad 2022 is over, it was a bad year for me.

I don't have any resolutions except to make the best..."

I'm sorry that you have endured such a bad year. I hope 2023 treats you better.

Thank you so much, Liesl. I hope 2023 is a good year for you too!

What's your favorite place or habitat to read in?

I saw this photo in my Twitter feed this morning and realized it's got it all for me - plenty of natural light, the cozy sofa and pillows, the plants and the gorgeous wall of built in bookshelves.



it's completely photoshopped, and I don't know what Tinkerbell's doing there, but I don't care.

You?

I miss a cat, a cuppa and some cake Carol :)

Crazytourists_books wrote: "I miss a cat, a cuppa and some cake Carol :)"

Yes, yes, I agree (so long as I can swap the cat for a dog - I also read better when a furry one I love is snoring adjacent to me).

Carol wrote: "What's your favorite place or habitat to read in?

I saw this photo in my Twitter feed this morning and realized it's got it all for me - plenty of natural light, the cozy sofa and pillows, the pla..."

Goodness! That is alot of green.... and I actually like green in general. I love the natural light and the sofa looks like the right combination of size and comfort. If only it was another colour, or perhaps just not so much green.

I had to go back and have a second look because I hadn't even noticed Tinkerbell. I think I was too fixated on the disturbing, upright, bronze hand on the table.

My most-productive reading habitat is always on a comfortable lounge-chair by the ocean. I'm relaxed, the air is fresh, the sound of the ocean in the background is delightful... and if there is a lovely cocktail to accompany all this more the better. I also quite enjoy reading in coffee shops. I think it must be the disconnection from home where you know that you have chores waiting for your attention.

Liesl wrote: "Carol wrote: "What's your favorite place or habitat to read in?

I saw this photo in my Twitter feed this morning and realized it's got it all for me - plenty of natural light, the cozy sofa and pi..."

That bronze hand is unnerving, now that you mention it : )

I agree about coffee shops. If I can manage my distraction, I get so much more read at my neighborhood Caribou than I would at home given the opportunity because there are no chores immediately surrounding me and creating guilt. Also the lighting's pretty good in the daytime.

Related rant: What is it with AirBNB's and other non-hotel housing where there's no light adjacent to the beds? We're heading to the beach this weekend and the first thing I noticed was that all 3 bedrooms have no bedside lighting. I have to take my own.

Yes, good light is essential, and I love my sofa too. Also reading in bed, but it´s not as comfortable.

Have your preferences for reading hardback, paperback, e-books or audio books changed in the last couple of years? If you read more of one type and less of another than you used to do, which category has increased, which has increased and why?

My core preference remains physical books, and I often forget the content I have access to in other media, so don't select them when I'm poking around in the mood to start something new impulsively. I was pushing myself to read more ebooks when I was reading and reviewing more arcs. But, it was always an effort - like taking my medicine.

I've begin to embrace audiobooks, though, since May 2022, and have figured out that they work for me for nonfiction when I'm in a period where I'm regularly in my car for at least 30 minutes at a time and don't need to have gps volume on. It's a tradeoff with NPR and music, which I also love, so may not last forever; but I'm enjoying successfully consuming nonfiction without reading it at bedtime, my primary reading time.

you?

Carol wrote: "Have your preferences for reading hardback, paperback, e-books or audio books changed in the last couple of years? If you read more of one type and less of another than you used to do, which catego..."

I'm a dinosaur. My preference is still a physical book. My choice between hardback and paperback will be driven by how desperate I am to read the book.... can I wait 6 months???

I have started reading books in a kindle out of practicality. My access to physical books in English is not that great so to save on delivery costs, and also storage of the books later, I have started to read this way. Apart from the storage benefit, and the reduced delivery costs, I don't find it very practical from a reading perspective. It is so much easier to go back and look at an earlier chapter by flipping through a physical book. It is much less practical with the kindle. Makes the bookclub discussion a little more difficult as well.

I generally buy new authors, or non-fiction works on kindle and save the physical copies for my favourite authors to add to my collection.

I prefer paperbacks - easy to carry in my small bag so I can read if I get to work early, or waiting to pick my kids up from school.
Since having kids, I’ve fully embraced audiobooks though. I listen while driving, cooking, cleaning. I’m able to “read� during times when I otherwise wouldn’t be able to :) it’s also much more cost-effective since I use Libby and Hoopla for free audiobooks through my local library.

TIL that Dickens advocated for genocide of all Indians, anywhere, and I am sad vying with disgusted and horrified, which will win out over sad. Also, am I the last one to learn this?



I can't highlight and paste or I would, for ease of those who seek to avoid Twitter.

For some reason, I tend to think that, in this year of our Lord, 2023, we've fully identified and aired all of the warts of famous authors and other artists who died prior to 1900, so if I'm destined to learn and be disgusted it will be in connection with a living creator. But I'm wrong again.

When I read a greek book or the greek translation of a book, I write my thoughts in greek. I was wondering if it would interest any of you to add an english review as well (at the books that are available in english)

Crazytourists_books wrote: "When I read a greek book or the greek translation of a book, I write my thoughts in greek. I was wondering if it would interest any of you to add an english review as well (at the books that are av..."

Absolutely! Otherwise, I drop them into Google translate which is at best 70% faithful.

This reminded me of last year's challenge to find books by older women writers:

Carol wrote: "TIL that Dickens advocated for genocide of all Indians, anywhere, and I am sad vying with disgusted and horrified, which will win out over sad. Also, am I the last one to learn this?

..."

This is so sad. Yes, some of Dicken's minority characters were caricatures (although so were many of his white characters) but I always got the impression that he was willing to learn and generally a very sympathetic man. Such an odd thing for him to have an opinion on.

Jess wrote: "Carol wrote: "TIL that Dickens advocated for genocide of all Indians, anywhere, and I am sad vying with disgusted and horrified, which will win out over sad. Also, am I the last one to learn this?
..."

IKR? Makes me want to shower again just thinking about this anew.

Jess wrote: "Carol wrote: "TIL that Dickens advocated for genocide of all Indians, anywhere, and I am sad vying with disgusted and horrified, which will win out over sad. Also, am I the last one to learn this?
..."

He definitely swerved on some things, for example when 'Oliver Twist' was slated for anti-Semitism he apologised and worked on ensuring any future Jewish characters were sympathetic. But this kind of contradiction wasn't uncommon, and probably not that uncommon now, so some supposedly progressive authors in the nineteenth century might also be pro eugenics. And there have been members of left-wing groups in the UK, such as the Labour Party, who are virulently anti racist when it comes to some people of colour but not so when it comes to Jewish people.

Alwynne wrote: "Jess wrote: "Carol wrote: "TIL that Dickens advocated for genocide of all Indians, anywhere, and I am sad vying with disgusted and horrified, which will win out over sad. Also, am I the last one to..."

Indeed. Given the context - that this letter immediately follows the Indian Uprising of 1857 (or Mutiny, depending on who's doing the naming) - maybe it's also an indicator that patriotism, a sense of one's country being wronged and countrypersons harmed - may give rise to hatred and rationales that otherwise would be recognized by the expressers and holders as reprehensible and offensive.

After I typed the para above, I found this article, excerpted:

To lend some context, these letters were written by Dickens immediately after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, following which The Times and other British newspapers began to spread anti-India propaganda, depicting sensationalized “eyewitness accounts� of British women and girls being raped by Indian rebels. These greatly exaggerated accounts of crimes by Indian rebels triggered mass anti-Indian hysteria amongst the British public and the soldiers posted in India. Though the painting of Indians as "dark-skinned rapists" was commonplace even before the mutiny, the depiction of natives as savages that needed to be “civilized� and suppressed, along with the rumors surrounding the mutiny perpetuated this racial stereotype even further - making British troops that much more bloodthirsty...



I'm not letting Dickens off in the slightest, but the cautionary tale for me is to watch out for the power of story, and what we tell ourselves about political events.

Carol wrote: "Have your preferences for reading hardback, paperback, e-books or audio books changed in the last couple of years? If you read more of one type and less of another than you used to do, which catego..."

I love my Kindle and prefer ebooks between my daily readings and the book reviews I do. I have recently discovered audiobooks through the library, which is great to listen to in my car since all the radio plays is commercials.

I still enjoy an occasional paperback and am due for another trip to the secondhand bookstore near my workplace, but digital is my first preference.

does anyone have any plans for this weekend that they're excited about?

our son is coming home tomorrow for the foreseeable future and I couldn't be happier. Here's to candles lit for better times ahead.

Carol, I'm so happy for you and your son! Have a great homecoming!

Ozsaur wrote: "Carol, I'm so happy for you and your son! Have a great homecoming!"

Thank you, Ozsaur. I am hopeful.

That sounds wonderful Carol. Enjoy your time together.

This weekend, I'm just trying to stay warm.

Hope you have a great weekend Carol, like Liesl I think mine will be focused on blankets and hot water bottles, although may venture out for walks if I'm feeling brave.

Liesl and Alwynne - yikes. Any improvement in the temps you're enduring? It's 44 (F) today but at least blue skies, so pleasant to look out on. I'm a coldy-cat to my core, so you have my deepest sympathies.