flight paths discussion

March may come on miserable
with frigid winds and unexpected snow crushing the tender
impertinence of flowers peeking
into the world. Just wait.
If you are patient enough you will
notice the season turning
to brighter, longer days and
the return of warmth and spring.

certainly a miserable day here with heavy snow. I am just recovering from a flash flu and just happy I can read again. However, I am reading Paul Lynch's Prophet Song which is a slow burner but burn it does. With less than 25 pages left to go, I had to stop for crying. Where else could I turn but to flight paths?

Magdelanye, I haven't heard of Prophet Song. It certainly has high ratings here on GR. Maybe I should look into it? It sounds like quite an emotional ride. Are you finished the book now? How did you find those last 25 pages?
Whose Names Are Unknown
I've been on the Island for 10 days, without internet access. It's nice to unplug, but it's hard not to drop by here, too.

While away, I finished New Tricks and 84, Charing Cross Road. Both were light and fun reads and perfect for this time away from home.

I'm now reading Whose Names Are Unknown. It's well written. I'm too early into the book to say more than that.

I just read the poem. Magdelanye, you are so right....we need just a little bit more patience and the warmth will return. It sure has been chilly this past week.

How nice to see you here again Petra! Hope you are happy with your break and glad to be home.

Prophet Song won the Booker last year. I wrote a review yesterday but lost it to the cat. I will try again. The last 25 pages were just devastating. I hesitate to recommend such a bleak book but if you're up for it I won't discourage you. It's very well written and I'm not sorry I read it.

You might enjoy more two other books I recently finished: The Postcard by Anne Berest, also a pretty harsh read but with a lot of warmth and a better resolution.

I chose The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes in audio for while I was recovering from the surgeries. It pulled me right in and eventually I got the book to fill in the blanks that seem inevitable when listening.
To me, it was fast-paced and compelling and I love the way she presents the different perspectives. Plus, happy endings.

Did you miss the snow? It's still lingering here in patches.

I must look up whose Names are Unknown.
it sounds in a similar vein.

Here's to warmth!

so I looked it up...the reviews are all outstanding. Better than the Steinbeck even. Let me know how you find it.

I did miss the snow.....but we had icy hail in Victoria. It's been awfully chilly this week.

The forward in Whose Names Are Unknown is interesting. It mentions Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and how it stopped this book from being published (too similiar in context). Saddest thing: this author shared her notes on the dustbowl with Steinbeck. It's unknown whether he read or used her notes to write his book.

He must have. I couldn't bear the Grapes of Wrath. I think it might have been the last book I read out of some weird form of obligation because of its rep. That is actually a book I wish I never read.

I had more luck with Moby Dick, which I was surprised to love.

Have you read the reviews or do you avoid them before forming

your own opinion?

I haven't read the reviews on this one. I don't usually read them, but sometimes do. I'm inconsistent that way. LOL...

This one was a daily offer of Bookbub a while back. The library had a copy, so I didn't get the ebook.

I started Moby Dick and was really enjoying it when Life got busy. I plan on going back to it one day and starting over. It was surprisingly good.

I finally finished An Important Family. It should have been an interesting story of pioneering in the pioneering days of New Zealand being a British colony, with a bit of a mystery added. Instead, it was a meh, blah, ho-hum story.

meh, blah, and ho-hum gave me LOL. Won't follow that!

Maybe nows the time to followup on the Moby?

I forgot about Moby again!!!
I have now started Tigana. It's a whopper of a book, too.

that's been on my tbr for decades! I'll be interested to see how it unfolds fot you.

Today at last I am starting to feel like a human being again. I forgot all about Canada Reads last week and I'm sorry because Heather O was one of the defenders. In fact, her book, by Catherine Leroux won. It just so happens I decided to read an earlier work by her that was available while waiting for The Future. It's not easy reading, and I'm beginning to think that this will be one of those books that take the reader beyond understanding.

Which is quite the opposite of the other book I've just started from my tbr: History of the World in 7 Cheap Things by Raj Patel and Jason W Moore. I'm still deep in the introduction and they really are all fired up in getting readers to broaden our perspectives and gain an understanding that will open up into a new way of perceiving the world.

Hi--

I'm so sorry you were sick Magdelanye! and glad you're better.

I have been crazy busy and not even reading much--or at least reading very slowly. It feels like the older I get, the more slowly I read. I hate that.

Currently, I'm reading a book I won through GR: Can't We Be Friends: A Novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe and I'm grateful that I'm not sorry I won it, which I often am. (I keep telling myself I won't enter any more giveaways--I hate the obligation not only to finish but to also write a review).

Also reading The Bee Sting. I'm liking his writing a lot--I own both An Evening of Long Goodbyes and Skippy Dies but haven't read them (I own so many books that I haven't read!). I think I'll read them next since I'm enjoying this so much. The only obstacle for me is how very long his books are.

After several years of not being able to read mysteries, I'm back in full force. My escape (other than watching old--I mean from the 30s and 40s not the 70s or 80s!--movies. Bette David, Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and so on). I'm currently reading The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle which is very popular; the reviews said it was unusually interesting & clever. Also working my way through Lorac. E C R.--a "golden age" (1930s/40s) mystery writer.

Hi Petra--I also love Moby Dick :)

Hey Ellie, Great to hear from you and glad that you sound happy and well occupied.
I am also rather dismayed at my diminishing reading capacity. The cataract surgery doesn't seem to have improved that. I am only just recovering from the month of mandatory antibiotics.

I had the Bee Sting in my hand but I could not rouse myself to read it. I'm glad your enjoying it and perhaps another time I might.

Just starting The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson, some docufiction a good companion for the books I started yesterday.

Ellie! I'm so glad you dropped by. We've been wondering what you've been up to. It's good to hear that all is well.
I'm reading more slowly, too, these days. It's maddening.

I enjoyed Skippy Dies. I haven't read any other of his books. Thanks for reminding me of this author.

Magdelanye, the characters in Tigana have difficult names to remember and there are a lot of characters. I'm slowly sorting them out. That will make it much easier to follow what's going on.
It's a very different world that Guy Gavriel Kay writes about . The objects, places, geography are so different that it's a bit disorientating at first. He writes well, which keeps one reading long enough to figure things out. The characters are interesting so far.

Surprised myself by zipping through Crying in K Mart and The Seed Keeper, both surprisingly terrific. Petra I believe you would love the Seed Keeper and the combination of fierce and gentle. Ellie I can see why you loved K-Mart.
It's so interesting how our tastes (receptivity) shifts. That's great you're finding new zest for old favorites.

It's a beautiful day and I am going into town for crucial errands. Soon it will be warm enough to read on the grass!

I'm so glad you loved K-Mart!

Evertime I look for Crying in K Mart it's checked out of the library.

Thanks for the title, Magdelanye. The Seed Keeper sounds enticing.

It will be nice to be able to read outside in the sunshine again. Perhaps this weekend, if we're lucky.

Reading in the sun on a blanket on the grass! 0 heaven! not to be taken for granted. And finally I felt strong enough to go to Vancouver for a weekend visit with my son. So I am waking up this morning in his guest room to the sound of seagulls.

Remember Petra just before covid we were planning to meet up with Mary, who did not want to meet at the Sylvia for high tea. It occurs to me that the two of could meet up ourselves, if you would like. Let me know!

Ellie tell us what's keeping you so busy?

Keep checking for Kmart Petra. I found my copy on a dedicated shelf and grabbed it

I usually choose smaller, lighter books for traveling but this time I could not leave the book I had just started behind so I have Isabella Hammad Enter Ghost in hardcover with me. It's gripping and very different from any of the other books I've read by or about Palestinians. It certainly lines up more with my experience.
I read that she is part of a large group of women protesting the women's book prize organizers lack of concern re Gaza ...actually I need to get my facts straight. Do you know what I'm referring to?

I also brought with me Patrick Leigh Fermor which I am deep into.

Now hope the sun shines on me while I am here.

Highly recommending Deacon King Kong.

Magdelanye, how long are you in town for? I wish I knew you were coming. I am with a friend who is in hospital this weekend so, sadly, have no time to get together.
I am heartened that you have made the trip. That means another one will happen (hopefully, sooner). Let me know asap when you have plans to come back here. I'd love to meet up one day.
I did not know that your son lives in the city. Somehow, I had the idea that he was overseas.

When I travel, I take my ereader. That gives me a lot of books of many genres to have on hand.

I'm still reading Tigana. So far, I'm waiting for it to pick up. There are so many strange items and names that it's hard to put myself into the world.

I finished an audio version of Santa's Little Yelpers on my jog the other day. It's a light story; just perfect for being outside trotting along the roadside.

There's not much happening around here. Magdelanye, enjoy your visit. I hope we get together next time.

So nice Petra to realize that it's actually won't be that difficult. I never expected that you would be able to come on such short notice. Not owning a car, usually traveling by bus and ferry, i need to plan scrupulously. LOL )

I am not sure just when I will be back here. Possibly next month, I'll let you know when I do.

My son got back from France in October and currently lives in the west end of Van. We do trigger each other badly and this visit is not going well. It's not easy for anyone these days especially if they are not well established. He does not approve of my plans or appreciate my approach to life. I tend to shut down in the face of so much criticism. It's a bit boring.

Hope your friend in hospital is out soon.
It's good of you to visit.
Lots of people won't.

I googled Isabella Hammad and there is nothing current about the women's prize.

I still can't bring myself to use an eReader. These rather brief messages are quite enough screen time, along with email and Facebook which I keep up for my far flung friends.
Even Canada Reads which I want to watch I keep procrastinating.

I think I was finally dropped by the CanCon group. I was following some of their discussions but I don't really mind.

Even if one is skeptical regarding astrological influences, last weekend was a doozer. Full moon in Virgo, lunar eclipse entering mercury retrograde.

Is this why a review I put a lot of time and energy into disappeared....4th time this year. Nothing working properly, even the camera on my phone.

And I am not enjoying a book I anticipated enjoying, as I did her first book, Such a Fun Age. But Come and Get It is mostly cringeworthy and boring.

More interesting is Naomi Klein's Doppelganger, even aa I am nervously waiting for her to categories me.

As for Patrick Leigh Fermor, only a chapter left of the 2nd volume. Reading as slowly as possible, hoping the last volume in the trilogy will arrive soon.

So what are others up to?
Let the Spring work its magic!