Unraveling

August 16, 2017 By Carole

One would think, what with all of the hospital time over the last week plus, that I would have gotten a lot of knitting done. And one would be right. However, one must also realize that said knitting is for a certain upcoming grandbaby and therefore cannot be shared.

One would also think that, what with all of the hospital time over the last week plus, that I would have gotten a lot of reading done. And one would be right again. While I couldn’t read at all at the beginning of last week (I literally read for 30 minutes and then had no idea what I had been reading) as things settled down I was able to concentrate and I finished two books: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore and Anything Is Possible.

One would think . . . okay, enough of that, it’s dumb . . .You might expect an updated Bingo card at this point but neither of those books can help me out with that. My one last square is “Originally Published in the 19th Century” and for that I am (still slogging) my way through Anna Karenina. Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying it immensely but dude. This book is loooooooong. I originally thought I could just listen to it driving back and forth to work but that isn’t going to cut it so now I am alternately reading it on my Kindle and listening in my car. I will not let this one 900 some-odd page book derail my plans for a coverall.

So there.

What are you reading and knitting right now?

Unraveling

July 26, 2017 By Carole

Joining with Kat and friends today, I am sharing my reading and knitting. Sort of.

I am reading Confederates in the Attic. It’s for the bingo square “recommended by a family member” and I’m sure it’s no surprise that Dale has been encouraging me to read this for a long time. I’m almost done and it’s good and I’ve mostly been enjoying it but I do find parts of it a bit tedious. I hope to be finished by the end of the day.

I am knitting something super secret and can’t tell you more than this: it’s going well and I’m about half done.

What are you knitting and reading right now? Visit Kat’s blog to see what our little circle of knitters and readers are doing this week.

A Month(ish) of Reading: June-Early July 2017

July 11, 2017 By Carole

There was one other thing that happened this weekend that I left out of yesterday’s post. I got my first Bingo of the summer!

And with that I will update you on the books I have finished since I last shared a post about reading.

Burntown by Jennifer McMahon
4 stars, Bingo square: Thriller
Part mystery, part thriller, part fantasy, this is McMahon’s finest work yet, in my opinion. The story is compelling, the writing is good, and there’s a circus. Highly recommended.

The Nix by Nathan Hill
5 stars, Bingo square: With an unreliable narrator
I adored this book! It’s long and full of a lot of ideas and characters and story lines but Nathan Hill ties them all together in a perfectly satisfying way. In some ways it reminded me of both A Little Life and The Goldfinch but it’s not as gut wrenching as either of those and there is a lot more humor in this one. Highly recommended!

An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor
4 stars, Bingo square: About art/artist(s)
The premise of the book is that altars and opportunities to worship are everywhere and found in every day moments. I think that’s a wonderful premise, particularly as someone who has drifted pretty far from organized religion. Some of it was a little preachy to me but still, the premise is terrific, the writing is great, and the author is extremely likable and wise.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
3 stars, Bingo square: Number in the title
Set in a bookstore of old, mysterious books, this story is fun and intriguing. The characters are quirky and diverse, it’s a bit of a mash up of Harry Potter, The Historian, and the Jasper Fforde Thursday Next series. Plus, there’s a knitting museum! Recommended for an easy summer read.

Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver
5 stars, Bingo square: Wanted to read for more than a year
These poems are gorgeous, focusing on the beauty of nature and the importance of gratitude. They are very accessible and easily read but can be studied and read over and over again for even deeper meaning. Highly recommended.

The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
4 stars, Bingo square: Banned in a country outside the US
Dark and twisty is done so well by Shirley Jackson. These tales will make you uncomfortable at best and creeped out and downright scared at the most. Definitely recommended!

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
5 stars, Bingo square: Person on the cover
There is so much wisdom packed into this little book. It’s a story of love, devotion, loss, the frailty of the body and the triumph of the spirit. Poignant and deeply moving, it’s a must read.

The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
4 stars, Bingo square: About a person with a disability
I tend to love anything Chris Bohjalian writes and this one is no exception. It’s a haunting tale and suspenseful right up to the very end. I couldn’t put it down and the ending was a complete surprise but still very satisfying. Highly recommended.

The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve
4 stars, Bingo square: Set in a different season
I enjoyed this book very much, it was accessible and a quick read. I do feel it’s lacking some of Shreve’s typical depth, I could have used a little more detail to help me connect better with some of the characters. It almost felt choppy at times but the plot and setting descriptions kept me engaged and wanting to finish.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
5 stars, Bingo square: Set in a country you’ve never visited
Amazing, difficult, beautiful, horrific, important, historic, and a must read. I have too many feelings about this to say more, just know that it’s highly highly recommended.

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
3 stars, Bingo square: ANY BOOK
I enjoyed this book and read it from start to finish in one day. The story is great and it’s very well written. I was slightly annoyed by the way Patchett would drop really significant events into the plot as an aside rather than giving some plot developments their proper due and that’s what kept me from giving it 4 stars. I mean, seriously, is it so hard to just tell a story from start to finish on a straightforward timeline? Maybe that approach isn’t artsy enough for literary writers but it would be refreshing to read a book like that now and again.

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
5 stars, Bingo square: That you want to read in spite of the cover
A short but meaningful book about a young black woman and her friends growing up in Brooklyn in the 1970s, I couldn’t help but compare our childhoods while reading it. We grew up in the same years, listened to the same music, and thought about boys but the similarities end there. This book packs a punch and captures the time period exceptionally well. Highly recommended.

We Were On A Break by Lindsey Kelk
3 stars, Bingo square: Set in a different country
A bit drawn out and contrived but still a light and entertaining summer read. Think Bridget Jones crossed with Love Actually, it contains great British words and humor. Not fine literature but recommended for something easy and fun.

Woot! That’s a lot of books since June 7th. I did read a whole bunch on vacation (5 total, to be specific) and some of those were audio and a couple were quite short. I feel mostly confident in saying I’m on track for my cover all.

How’s your summer reading going?

Unraveled

June 21, 2017 By Carole

I’m joining in with Kat today to share what I’ve been knitting and reading.

As I’m sure you can see by my Bingo card, my reading has been more productive than my knitting. 9 books total since Memorial Day weekend. I know that sounds like a lot but a couple were audiobooks and one was a book of poetry. I’ve (mostly) got the rest of my squares planned out and I feel like I’m (fingers crossed) on track for a cover-all.

I’m knitting socks. I haven’t made a ton of progress since I last showed them to you but I expect that to change by the end of the week because road trip.

I’m also knitting this beautiful Islington Shawl. I started it ages ago but got sidetracked by Peace Cowls and baby sweater knitting. Now that I’m really working on it I’m remembering just how much I love knitting lace.

That’s it for me. To see what everyone else is knitting and reading head on over to Kat’s.

Book Club

June 13, 2017 By Carole

Last night was our monthly Book Club meeting and it was, as usual, a wonderful time. We’ve been meeting since last November and I look forward to our gathering every single month. I think the secret to our success is that we really enjoy each other’s company and also that there is no pressure to read a specific book. That’s right – at our book club you just talk about whatever book you most recently read. Or, if you haven’t recently finished something, it’s perfectly acceptable to talk about any book you’ve read at any time. While it would be fun to all discuss the same book – and maybe we will do that at some point – it’s actually awesome to hear about what everyone has been reading and it’s a fabulous way to add titles to my to-read list.

The other secret to our success? Shared snacks and drinks. We meet at Sean’s house and everyone brings something to share. Sean usually makes something exceptional, like last night’s homemade cherry chocolate chip ice cream, I tend to go savory and last night it was glazed kielbasa and pineapple bites, and it’s just always delicious. The first time we met I rushed around after work to get dinner on the table for Dale and I but then when we got together and neither of us were hungry I realized – I don’t have to make dinner on book club night! That’s another bonus, for sure.

Studies show that people who socialize are happier and more satisfied with life. I certainly concur with those studies when it comes to book club!