A good watch!

Harry keeps a "watch list" of shows he thinks we might enjoy - and we mostly forget to watch them!! But Friday night we did - and were well-rewarded for our efforts!

Doctor Thorne is a novel by Anthony Trollope - of Pallisers fame - you will need to be pretty old to recognize that 1970's era Masterpiece Theater production!! 

And it was produced by Julian Fellowes of Downton Abbey fame - he introduces each of the 4 episodes.

It's a period romance - well-done, well-acted, and it even has a happy ending!

A little excessive reading!

My colonoscopy prepping day - and then a recovery day - allowed a lot of reading to get done.

This one came recommended from my sister Leslie's book group.  And excellent read - a story about a Jewish girl and a Dutch girl who find their fates intertwined in World War II - and the world of the circus.  

I continue to be amazed at the new things I learn about the war and the Holocaust.  This author came across two items in the archives at Vad Yashem - and felt she needed to somehow incorporate them into a story.

It's a great read - the story goes back and forth between the voices of the two girls - women actually. And the story structure is very dramatic and compelling.

 

My dear friend Arlene thought maybe I'd enjoy this, so she dropped it by - and I did indeed enjoy it.  It's a little more "fluff" than I usually choose, but the underlying story was compelling - it went back and forth between 1849 and 2009 - and the way the stories wove together at the end was very satisfying.

A good summer read or beach read or airplane read - or just sitting-in-your-chair-by-the-sunny-window read!!

Grisham to the rescue!

Apparently I thought I had reviewed this book for my blog - apparently I didn't since I found this in the "draft" section!!

Bought this book in the airport last June as Annika and I were heading back to SoCal.  Had to pay full price, but it was worth it to have a good book for a 5 hour flight!!

Not about lawyers - and after the hurricane disaster in Florida, I wonder how Camino Island fared?

It was compelling reading - typical Grisham fare, but I did not like the ending.  I like the bad guy to suffer - and this bad guy did not.

Now you have to read it to see who the bad guy is!

When life hands you lemons, sit down and read!

I am spending today prepping for a colonoscopy tomorrow - and spending the day on a liquid diet - one that includes lots of nasty stuff to drink - so it is a good day to spend reading!!

My good friend Arlene dropped this book by my house yesterday - her mom wants to start a little book group and Arlene thought I might like to participate - so I started reading.

It looked a little long, but once I got into it, it was a fast read.  I have never read David Baldacci - he's a lot like Grisham - maybe because this story is about the Supreme Court - and their are lawyers in it. 

It was a little convoluted and you had to keep track of details, but it was a pretty good mystery.  I did not solve it myself - I often read the last chapter first and I did on this one - but it was a good way to while away the day!

Would be excellent airplane fiction - probably explains why my familiarity with the name Baldacci comes from seeing it in airport book stores!!

I walk with  my friend Rene on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and she handed this book to be today.  So after I finished Baldacci, I went right to this one.  It is a Newberry Honor Book - and I can see why - well-written and thought provoking.

The story focuses on two London children who are sent to the country as World War II poses a greater threat to the city.  I have read many stories about these city children who were sent to the country around London - not all were treated so well - but apparently many found a good home and much to enrich their lives.

The chapter about Dunkirk was especially compelling - since I recently saw that movie.

I have often said that kids could be taught American and world history with a map, a timeline,  and some great core novels.

This is one such novel!!

Who knew?

Randomly found this in the library - did not know Maud Hart Lovelace had written novels before the Betsy Tacy book series.

Early candlelight refers to the time before electric lighting - twilight was the early time of night when you started needing to light candles.  And so they would refer to it thusly, saying "Come at early candlight" or something.

The things you learn.

The story is based some what on historical data and events - it's about the interactions at the beginning of Fort Snelling - which you can see from the Minneapolis Airport - and the Canadian fur trappers and relations with the Chippewa and Sioux Indians.

It was a delightful story to read - very lyrical in its descriptions. And the main character, Delia DuGay, was charming, if a little two-dimensional.

If you are a Maud Hart Lovelace fan, you really should read this.  It's the kind of book you can read a chapter each day with your lunch and it's works!