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Amiable

Amiable

Joined May 2016

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." --C.S. Lewis / A reader and tea lover in Connecticut
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Tom Lake: A Novel by Ann Patchett
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Demon Copperhead: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
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Amiable
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Pickpick

Book 3 ✔️ for #DiseaseoftheMonthBookClub (prompt: Read a book about the brain)

This is a memoir of Rosen‘s friendship with Michael Laudor, who, despite being diagnosed with schizophrenia, breezed through Yale as an undergrad and law student and was heralded as an example of how people can triumph over the stigma of mental illness—until he killed his girlfriend. It‘s also an examination of how society has failed those with mental illnesses.

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Amiable
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I decided to mix it up and use a different template for my NONFICTION reads in #2024ReadingBrackets because why not? 🤷🏻‍♀️ February‘s pick was this detailed biography of baseball legend Ted Williams. And I don‘t have to pick between it and January‘s book by Jamie Raskin, which was also great. Winning! 🏆

CatLass007 I read Ted Williams autobiography, My Turn At Bat, years ago. I probably still have the copy of the book packed away in a box. Now you‘ve got me wanting to read The Kid. 2d
Amiable @CatLass007 It‘s really good, and shows how very complicated Ted was as a human being. 2d
CatLass007 I think My Turn At Bat also shows how complicated he was, although it‘s been so long since I read it that I only remember how he felt when BoSox fans booed him and after that he refused to tip his hat no matter how loudly he they cheered. 1d
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Amiable
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I made my #2024ReadingBrackets for February and then forgot to post them. Sheesh. 🙄 For FICTION, my pick was “The Marriage Portrait.” O‘Farrell does a masterful job of creating tension throughout a book whose end we already know from the very beginning. That‘s a talent, for sure. But in the matchup I had to lean towards “Wellness” to move on.

youneverarrived I thought that was such a great element of The Marriage Portrait. Wellness is high on my tbr 👍 2d
Amiable @youneverarrived Wellness“ is weird and witty and snarky -- I loved it! 2d
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Amiable
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Yesterday a friend called and said, “wanna do breakfast and bookstores tomorrow?” Um, YEAH. 😍 So we drove up to Providence, had brunch in a hipster-y restaurant near Brown University, and browsed through two used bookstores (one of which had a furry, fairly friendly bouncer at the front door. 🐈) Based on my stacks I‘m apparently in a nonfiction state of mind right now. 🤷🏻‍♀️

TrishB Sounds like a fab day. 1w
marleed A perfect day! 1w
Tamra That isn‘t really a question. 😜 1w
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Amiable @Tamra This is what I‘m saying! I mean, duh. 😀 1w
TheBookHippie What a perfect day. 1w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1w
ncsufoxes My kind of day. My son goes to URI, I‘ll have to make a stop in Providence when going down to Kingston. 1w
Amiable @ncsufoxes There‘s a nice Barnes & Noble in Warwick, too. 1w
Leftcoastzen Great day ! Love the kitty! 1w
batsy Your friend knows what's up 🥰 Perfect day. 1w
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Amiable
Guilty Not Guilty | Felix Francis
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I regret nothing.

dabbe 😂😂😂 1w
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Amiable
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I adore good narrative nonfiction, so picking only 3 is very difficult! So I‘m going to cheat. 😀

1. Tagged
2. “And the Band Played On”
3. “My Own Country: A Doctor‘s Story”
4. “The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl”
5. “Eleni”

@dabbe #ThreeListThursday

TheBookHippie Oh #2 for sure!!! 2w
AmyG #2 is a great book! Forgot about that one. 2w
dabbe Whew! You gave me some great ones to look into! Thanks for sharing! 💚💙💚 2w
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kspenmoll Agree with you @TheBookHippie @AmyG about #2 2w
monalyisha Definitely almost chose five, too. Should‘ve waited until tomorrow & tagged it #FLF. 😂 2w
Amiable @monalyisha I could have kept going! 😀 2w
monalyisha @Amiable Oh, I know. I‘m still tempted to just make another one. 🙈 2w
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Amiable
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Completed my “Chunkster” read for #ChunksterChallenge2024. This biography of Red Sox great Ted Williams is well-written and very readable. A lot about baseball, yes —but also much about Ted‘s childhood, his troubled personal life —and all the gory details you can handle about his head being frozen for posterity. 😳 Definitely recommend, @GinaKButler !

#Nonfiction2024

GinaKButler It‘s on my list!!! Thank you! 2w
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 2w
UwannaPublishme 😳🥶😵‍💫 2w
Amiable @UwannaPublishme Right? It‘s weird and cringey—you almost can‘t believe it‘s true, but it is! Ted‘s head is in a deep-freeze container somewhere in Arizona. 😬 2w
UwannaPublishme Very creepy! I had no idea! 😬 2w
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Amiable
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Pickpick

Book 2 ✔️ for #DiseaseoftheMonthBookClub
(Prompt: Read a book about a virus)

Fascinating look at the scientific research that was being conducted on coronaviruses after the SARS and MERS outbreaks, which enabled scientists to quickly pivot to create a vaccine when COVID-19 spilled over into the human population. A bit technical so I‘m glad I had at least a semester of college-level biology.

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Amiable
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There‘s a word for everything! Even a word for things that aren‘t words.

#weirdwordwednesday
#weirdwords
@CBee

Deblovestoread Something I didn‘t know I needed to know! Love it 💜 3w
monalyisha Thanks for this super fun fact! 2w
Amiable @monalyisha This would be an awesome Scrabble word, too. If I played Scrabble. 😃 1w
monalyisha @Amiable Omg, 7 letters too (which would get you a 50 point bonus)! Salivating at the prospect… (edited) 1w
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Amiable
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I love everything about this: the word “vellichor” itself, the definition of it, the concept of a dictionary of obscure sorrows and the reason for its existence— EVERYTHING. 😍

#weirdwords
#weirdwordwednesday

@CBee

Crazeedi I love books like this, I have 2 or 3 that are so intriguing! 1mo
IndoorDame 🤩🤩🤩 1mo
CBee I‘m going to have to look this book up! Sounds fabulous 😍 1mo
BookmarkTavern The book is amazing! 💖 (edited) 1mo
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Amiable
A Drink Before the War | Dennis Lehane
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Thanks for the tags, @dabbe and @Cuilin !

1. Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro
2. Armand Gamache
3. My OG detective girl Trixie Belden! I wanted to BE Trixie when I was a kid. 😍

#TLT

Cuilin I also love how a lot of us have added in child detectives, me too!! 1mo
Amiable @Cuilin I loved Trixie so much I tried to get my family to start calling me Trixie when I was about 11. It didn‘t work. 😄 1mo
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Amiable @Cuilin Also? The first couple of books in Louise Penny‘s Three Pines series are ok. Keep going. It‘s when she starts to create a narrative arc that runs through the series as a whole (independent of the individual mystery in each book) that it really takes off. IMO, anyway. 1mo
Cuilin @Amiable ok, thanks for that info. I‘ll push through. 1mo
dabbe I started with Penny's 3rd book, A FATAL GRACE (for the holidays). I just ordered 1 and 2, and my sister is going to give me the others. I love him and the world Penny has created. I've never heard of #1 (on the TBR), and OMG Trixie Belden! 🤩 Thanks for playing! ❤️💜🩷 1mo
Bookwormjillk 🌲🌲🌲 1mo
kspenmoll Gamache! 4w
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Amiable
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Saw this word and couldn‘t resist for #weirdwordwednesday #weirdwords ! 😀

@CBee

IndoorDame 😆😆😆😆 1mo
CBee 😂😂😂😂 nice 1mo
dabbe Now that's a word I can stand behind! 😃 1mo
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Amiable @dabbe LMAO! 😆 1mo
dabbe @Amiable 🤩😂😍 1mo
Soubhiville Love it! 1mo
Tamra 😂who knew? 1mo
Daisey 😂🤣 1mo
LoverOfLearning Lmao! 1mo
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Amiable
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Written by Coates as an essay/letter to his son, this is a powerful narrative about what it‘s like to inhabit a black body in America and how to find your own way to live with it. Like the protagonist in the prompt book, Coates was also profoundly affected by the death of a college friend at the hands of the police. And like Angie Thomas‘ novel, this book has also been banned by schools and libraries in the south.
#Nonfiction2024

keithmalek Perhaps you skipped the passage where he was happy on 9/11 that first responders died? No book should be banned, but if they are going to be banned, this wouldn't be a bad place to start. Same with "White Fragility," "How to Be an Anti-racist," and other RACIST garbage that promotes a false sense of victimhood. 1mo
Amiable @keithmalek My husband has been a career firefighter for 25 years—and no, I‘m not offended by Coates‘ honesty. What does offend me are white men who think they get to decide how and what black Americans feel and think and say about THEIR lived experiences. And also people who say “books shouldn‘t be banned —except this one.” Don‘t like MY thoughts? The unfollow button is right up there ⬆️, Bubba. 1mo
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keithmalek I didn't say that it should be banned. But I get it. You're "woke." Congratulations on being so virtuous. 1mo
Amiable @keithmalek Don‘t let the door hit you in your racist ass on the way out, Strom Thurmond. 👋🏼 1mo
Amiable @TheBookHippie Get a load of this guy. ☝🏼 1mo
keithmalek Don't just tag TheBookHippie. Tag everyone so that everyone knows how woke you are. 1mo
TheBookHippie @Amiable blocked him a long time ago. Not worth my energy. 1mo
Amiable @keithmalek Telling me I‘m woke is the nicest compliment I‘ve gotten all week. Thanks! It‘s also amusing to see how triggered guys like you get. 😊 1mo
keithmalek You know as much about me as you do about politics, which is to say, nothing. 1mo
keithmalek I'll let you have the last word though. It's pretty clear that you need it. 1mo
Amiable @keithmalek 👋🏼👋🏼 1mo
Chrissyreadit I thought this was a powerful book too. In HS i had a teacher who had us read information for the purpose of understanding other viewpoints- and it has stuck with me as one of the best classes i have ever had. I am exhausted from people discounting lived experiences that make them uncomfortable. Especially in a world that is on a precipice. Honestly i‘m shocked that we do not hear more anger from Native Americans and POC . 1mo
TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit Same thoughts. 1mo
kspenmoll We are able in my district in CT to have multi cultural etc. books for our students to read Hate U Give is a bookclub choice for our 9 th graders, & Coates book is on display in our classroom lending library. It is beyond vital to expose our students to other lives, visions, ideas. We have students that have lost family members to racial violence. Yay you & your husband! (edited) 4w
kspenmoll @Chrissyreadit so well stated! Thank you! 4w
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Amiable
Untitled | Untitled
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It‘s about time. SOMEBODY needed to catch that guy. 😬😖 😄

dabbe 😂😂😂 1mo
Aimeesue OMG, I pulled a bunch of ancient, yellowed, foxed mass market PBs out of my LFL today. Not sure who thinks anyone is still reading Sidney Sheldon‘s pulp, but they need to stop! 😂 1mo
CSeydel Around here, these days, they just clean out the boxes - drive around, take everything and leave them all empty. I think they sell them at the flea market? but who knows. Annoying 1mo
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AmyG Hahahahaha! 1mo
KadaGul My friend and I regularly fill LFLs and move books around. It blows our mind what people think LFL is. Like we found trash 🚮, books in poor shape(If someone doesn't have courage to pitch their books in dumpster that doesn't mean they live the world to help them do it ) heavy books 📚 (if there is no weight limit doesn't mean you can dump 19th Century encyclopedia) C'Mon People 😔😖😫😵‍💫🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ 1mo
Gissy Wow! Many things happening in those LFL😳 1mo
LeahBergen 😂😂 1mo
Amiable @Aimeesue Totally agree! 😄 1mo
Amiable @CSeydel That‘s so obnoxious and rude! I know the libraries are “free,” but that‘s basically stealing. 1mo
Amiable @KadaGul Right? It sucks when people think of the LFLs as trash receptacles. 😖 1mo
Aimeesue @CSeydel @Aimiable LFL raiders are everywhere. Some of them use barcode scanners to determine if a book‘s worth reselling or not. Stewards really have to develop strategies to deter them, like spacing out when you add recent titles and not adding whole series at one time. Not much you can do about the religious tracts and racist political pamphlets, but that last one was solved when that neighbor moved. 😂 1mo
KadaGul @Aimeesue My friend's LFL is being used as Pop-Up Used bookstore. I told her & sent her ARCs, bc majority of bookstore won't take it. It's just a shame what's stewards have to do. My friend & I have a box of books 📚 in our car 🚘.I have few LFLs that I visit regular few by the libraries, office, City Hall, grocery 🏬. I have seen few LFLs that found traction bc LFLs was being replenished. It's not just stewards job to replenish but communities. 1mo
Aimeesue @KadaGul Community involvement is key! Someone in my neighborhood puts a lot of ARCs in mine as well - definitely appreciated! People seem to have a very hard time disposing of books, no matter how outdated or dilapidated they are. I‘m perfectly comfortable tossing them for those folks! 1mo
KadaGul @Aimeesue I do the same w/ tossing people trash 🚮 out. I see LFL and I start organizing it. Books 📚 give us so much love ❤️ and joy 🥹, they should be respected🫡. #Booklover #LFL 1mo
Amiable @KadaGul @Aimeesue You guys are awesome! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 What areas do you live in/patrol for LFL? 1mo
KadaGul @Amiable i lived in Pittsburgh for 3 years so around North Hills, Cranberry, Evan City. My friend's nephew LFL is in North Hills. Then we went to Columbus, OH and went around. Then I live and moved back recently Barrington, IL. So NW Suburbs of Chicago. 1mo
Amiable @KadaGul Nice! My husband grew up in Arlington Heights —is that kind of near you? 1mo
KadaGul @Amiable Yes , Arlington Heights is near us. Do you visit Chicagoland? 1mo
Aimeesue @Amiable I‘m right outside of DC, in Alexandria VA. We‘re a block away from an elementary school, so I focus on kids‘ books 1mo
Amiable @KadaGul My in-laws live in Chicago now—we visit every few years. 1mo
Amiable @Aimeesue My youngest son went to College Park —I love the DC area! He lives in Baltimore now, though. 1mo
Aimeesue @Amiable We love going to Baltimore! I even made the whole family visit the Poe residence/apartment there! 1mo
Amiable @Aimeesue We love Baltimore, too! So many people cringe and say, “But … ‘The Wire‘…” when we tell them our son lives there. It‘s so much more than that TV show from 20 years ago. 🙄 1mo
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Amiable
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My last NONFICTION read of January was also my favorite for #2024ReadingBrackets. Jamie Raskin writes beautifully about his sorrow over the death of his son by suicide and Trump‘s attempted coup against our country —both of which happened within the same week. He tells the story of how these two disparate events collided and merged in his personal and professional life. Highly recommend.

Deblovestoread I trust your nonfiction recommendations, stacked 📚 1mo
Amiable @deblovestoread Aw, that‘s sweet of you! FYI, this one almost made the cut this month —it was very close! It was in my #AuldLangSpine list from @MallenNC : (edited) 1mo
Deblovestoread Thank you! 1mo
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Amiable
Wellness | Nathan Hill
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My #2024ReadingBrackets FICTION pick for January was the tagged book. I loved the witty snarkiness of the story about two people who meet as college students in the 1990s and how their lives progress into the present while dealing with the challenges of parenting, marital boredom, mindfulness apps, Facebook algorithms, and relatives brainwashed by fake news. It reminded me of a John Irving novel as the tangled plot strands merged into one.

Karisimo Wellness was my top read in January too! 1mo
Amiable @Karisimo It was so good! Loved it. 1mo
Chelsea.Poole It was my favorite too! 1mo
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Amiable
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Wonderful narrative by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) as he recounts the week between 12/31/20 (when he lost his son to suicide) and 1/6/21 (when Trump incited his supporters to attempt an insurrection to stop Biden‘s election win from being certified). As Raskin details his subsequent role as impeachment manager, he (like Orwell) discusses the role of truth and facts within societies and how they can be manipulated by a demagogue.
#Nonfiction2024

JenReadsAlot I'm listening to this now and it's heartbreaking. 2mo
Amiable @JenReadsAlot You can feel Raskin‘s pain - it‘s visceral. 2mo
Riveted_Reader_Melissa This is one I‘ve been meaning to read, and I know it will be heartbreaking so I keep putting it off 2mo
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Amiable
Middlesex: A Novel | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Thanks for the tag, @Cuilin ! This is #MotivationalMonday Not Spotted Until Tuesday. 😬😀
1. Work, yoga, reading, TV. My typical winter-blah-month activities here in New England.
2. Re-reading the tagged book, plus “Breathless” by David Quammen
3. Inquisitive and skeptical

@Cupcake12

Cupcake12 I like your answers to no.3, have a great week x 2mo
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For this week‘s entry, I present a word that was apparently invented for an episode of “The Simpsons” and is now an actual entry in Merriam-Webster. I‘d say that‘s a perfectly cromulent way of adding to the English language.

#weirdwords
#weirdwordwednesday

IndoorDame Love it! 2mo
CBee Hilarious! Love it 👏🏻👏🏻 2mo
dabbe 🤩😍😀 2mo
Daisey Such a fun fact! 2mo
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Amiable
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My anxiety and my blood pressure are ticking higher now that we are into 2024 and another presidential election.

JenReadsAlot Same! 2mo
Bookwormjillk Same! 2mo
CatLass007 If I close my eyes, hold my nose, and cover my ears, will all the nonsense not happen? If a tree falls in the forest… 2mo
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cariashley Same 🤯 2mo
AmyG To think that democracy is at stake is unbelievable. Yet here we are. At a defining point, the fight of our lifetime. 2mo
ravenlee I just finished Liz Cheney‘s book, and…same. Not sure I‘m ready for this one. 2mo
Deblovestoread The anxiety is overwhelming! I can‘t believe we are here again. 2mo
JenniferEgnor I‘m terrified of what‘s coming. 💔 2mo
UwannaPublishme Same! 😬 2mo
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Amiable
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It‘s 21 degrees outside with a gusty wind that makes it feel even colder. 🥶 Where else would I be but right here with my stack of books currently in progress, a hot mug of tea and a skeptical cat?

TheBookHippie The snow globe was going for 8 hrs just stopped again but it‘s 15 F ❄️🥶 happy for blankets and books! 2mo
RaeLovesToRead Aww, love the sceptical cat! 2mo
ChaoticMissAdventures I feel for you! After 9 days my city is finally above freezing, I hope you can stay warm and keep your power on. 2mo
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Amiable @TheBookHippie This is what I love about winter —the ability to burrow on the couch with a pile of books and blankets! 2mo
Amiable @RaeLovesToRead She definitely gives me some interesting looks, that‘s for sure. 😄 2mo
Amiable @ChaoticMissAdventures Thanks! We have a wood stove, a few cords of wood and a generator—we‘re always prepared to rough it at times during a New England winter. 😬 2mo
Tamra Perfection! 2mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2mo
Leftcoastzen 😻👏 2mo
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Amiable
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Where are my fellow journalist peeps? I‘m reading a bio of Ted Williams and came across this paragraph, which made me laugh out loud. My husband wanted to know what was so funny, so I read it to him. He still didn‘t get it. I told him, trust me — if you are a journalist, it‘s funny!! 😄

rubyslippersreads I‘m not a journalist, but I get it. I think there‘s another joke in there about the dog being on a lead (lede). 😄 2mo
Amiable @rubyslippersreads Ha ha, that works, too! 😄 2mo
thebacklistbook *snicker* I may just have to read this for myself. Not a journalist either, still got the joke. 2mo
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Amiable
The House of Eve | Sadeqa Johnson
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Book 4 off my #AuldLangSpine list from @MallenNC . A historical fiction set in 1948 with dual storylines for Ruby and Eleanor, whose lives become intertwined by pregnancy. I sympathized with both characters and the book was well written, but I thought it was fairly predictable and the ending felt rushed. Still, a decent read.

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Amiable
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First book ✔️ for #DiseaseofTheMonthBookClub
(prompt: Surgical procedures)

This is the story of Harold Gillies, a pioneering physician who worked to rebuild the faces of soldiers who were injured during World War I —and in the process created the foundation for modern-day plastic surgery.

Cuilin Was that the Doctor in Sidcup, South London? I remember reading something about him and how they designed a mask based on Rupert Brooke. 2mo
Amiable @Cuilin Yes! That‘s the guy! He founded the surgery center at Sidcup, apparently. 2mo
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Amiable
The Wednesdays | Julie Bourbeau
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“Fashionably late” to the party—thanks for the tag, @GinaKButler !

1. I have an affinity for the Revolutionary War-era and early America.
2. First read of 2024 was a biography of P.T. Barnum
3. I‘ve read most of the biggies: War and Peace, Les Mis, A Suitable Boy. But I think “Clarissa,” which I read last year with the esteemed #Clarissa group, beats them all at circa 1,800 pages.

#wondrouswednesday

GinaKButler I think I‘m going to tackle Clarissa next year. 🫣 2mo
Amiable @GinaKButler I wouldn't read it again, but I'm glad I did it! I liked it better than “Les Mis,“ if that matters. 😃 2mo
Amiable @GinaKButler @Texreader just posted a link that says “Clarissa” is the longest book in the English language! As a fellow committed chunkster, you know you‘ve got to do it now. 😀 2mo
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Texreader @Amiable The question I have…is it worth it? Is it a high pick? I‘ve never even heard of it. But I do love my chunksters… 2mo
GinaKButler @Amiable I don‘t know if that‘s a glowing review. Les Mis was definitely not a favorite…😂 2mo
Amiable @GinaKButler Ha ha, I know! That‘s why I threw “Les Mis” into the mix. 😄 Also, have you read this one? I adored it: (edited) 2mo
Amiable @Texreader Is it a “high” pick? I‘d say no. Was it worth it, though? Yes, IMO. For a number of reasons —not the least of which are the bragging rights when you finally finish. 😀 Reading it with the #Clarissa group added a wonderful dimension to the experience— I‘d suggest a buddy read if you do decide to tackle it. 2mo
Texreader @Amiable Very helpful. I‘ll check it out and see if I might be able to stick with it. You‘re the best. Thanks!! 2mo
Amiable @Texreader Check with @Lcsmcat —she created a schedule for us last year that was very manageable. It was basically 50 pages per week, if I recall. We started it in January and completed it in October with group chats every Saturday. I thought that was very helpful in keeping the momentum going. 2mo
Lcsmcat @Texreader If you want the schedule we used last year (and don‘t want to scroll through a years worth of #clarissa tags) send me your email address to mischalynx at msn dot com and I‘ll send it to you. I‘m not sure if it was better the way we did it , in small chunks with breaks, or if powering through would be better. But take friends - it can get dark in there. 😂 2mo
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Amiable
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Thought this would be an appropriate one right about now. It is in my neck of the woods, at least. 😬

#weirdwords
#weirdwordwednesday

dabbe Stay safe and warm! 💜🩶💜 2mo
Daisey I love these Merriam Webster word of the day images, and I had to share this one with friends the other day as well! 2mo
Amiable @Daisey I‘ve lived in snowy climates my whole life and never heard of this word! I love it. 2mo
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Amiable
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1. I learned how to drive a car on a manual. My dad took us to a local street, parked on a hill, and then said, “ok, now drive.” 😖 Anyone who has ever driven stick knows that once you have mastered the art of not rolling backwards on an incline, you‘re golden. 😀
2. Had to tag this book. Although it was a van, not a car. That still counts, right?

#Two4Tuesday

HettyG My dad dropped the keys to his old truck with a standard transmission to me at my job bagging groceries and told me to get myself home! 😂 2mo
Crazeedi That's how I taught my girls to drive a standard! Lol 2mo
Amiable @HettyG Needs must, am I right? 😄 I learned on a car that had the stick on the steering column — or as it was known back then, a “three on the tree.” 🤷🏻‍♀️ (edited) 2mo
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Amiable @Crazeedi I taught my boys how to drive first and THEN showed them how to work a stick. My father just went straight for the manual — guess he figured it would save time. 😄 2mo
TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 2mo
BethM @Amiable my dad too- straight for the stick. Lots and lots of tears and yelling 😂 now stick is my preference lol 2mo
Amiable @BethM OMG, that first time was a bitch, wasn‘t it? It‘s been 40 years and I still remember it like it was yesterday. 😄 2mo
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Amiable
Fly Away Home: A Novel | Marge Piercy
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Panpan

This book was terrible. Read for “1984” in the #192025 challenge, I assumed it might be dated. And it was —in all the worst ways. Most of the men are patronizing, sexist jerks. The female protagonist lets her husband treat her like crap and makes excuses for him for most of the book. Stilted, awkward dialogue—it‘s like the author never heard people talk before. I hate-read most of it. This is like Hall of Fame horrible. Good riddance. 😖

LeahBergen Yikes! 2mo
Suet624 That‘s a bummer. In the past I really liked Piercy‘s writing. 2mo
ChaoticMissAdventures I have found this a lot in books written in the 80s and 90s. I don't remember noticing it at the time but when I pick up books from then rarely did they age well. Oftentimes books written 100 years earlier feel more progressive than books written in the late 1980s. 2mo
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Amiable @ChaoticMissAdventures You are so right! 2mo
Amiable @Suet624 I‘d be curious to hear your thoughts if you read this now. 2mo
Amiable @LeahBergen I found myself thinking “I‘d rather read ‘Clarissa.‘” YES. It‘s THAT bad. (edited) 2mo
LeahBergen Noooo! 😂 2mo
Suet624 I think I‘ll pass on this one. 😀 2mo
Tamra Oh my - you took a hit for us! 2mo
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Amiable
Barnum: An American Life | Robert Wilson
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I debated about using this book for this prompt in #Nonfiction2024, but I‘m finding this challenge more difficult this year. 😬 This biography of showman P.T. Barnum, known (some may say infamous?) for his exhibits that included dwarves (i.e. General Tom Thumb, Lavinia Warren, Commodore Nutt), was interesting to me as a Connecticut native. It delves into the history of Bridgeport and the various civic activities to which Barnum contributed.

BkClubCare Whoa - classics!! Also, Lavinia was from Middleboro MA where I lived for a spell and the library there has nice paintings of the couple. (edited) 2mo
Amiable @BkClubCare Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton) was from Bridgeport, which I never knew! I grew up not far from there. 2mo
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Amiable
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Since I‘ve already read the Trevor Noah memoir, I used this #AuldLangSpine recommendation from @MallenNC to fit the “Born a Crime” prompt for #Nonfiction2024. It‘s the story of an upper middle-class soccer mom who steals and commits identity theft to support her drug addiction, which lands her in jail. Hardin is brutally honest about her crimes and her struggles, and how she found redemption and forgiveness —and a career as a ghostwriter.

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Spotted this in a book (but forgot to mark down which book, of course). But I remembered the word! Because it‘s a glorious one.
#weirdwords
#weirdwordwednesday

Blueberry Love it 😆 2mo
IndoorDame So fun to say!!!! 2mo
Amiable @Blueberry @indoordame It makes me wonder if that's why people say “blah-blah-blah“ when referring to meaningless chatter! Wonder what came first, the blatherskite or the blah-blah-blah? 😃
2mo
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IndoorDame @Amiable oh, it would be so cool if that‘s where blah, blah, blah came from! Seems pretty likely. 2mo
dabbe 🖤💜🖤 2mo
CBee I use “blathering on” a lot. Love this word!! 2mo
Daisey Such a fun word!! 2mo
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Amiable
Coronation Year: A Novel | Jennifer Robson
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Second book (and first fiction pick) off my #AuldLangSpine list from @MallenNC . It was perfect timing because I JUST finished watching “The Crown.” The book was a nice, gentle read about nice, gentle people — with a slightly thriller-ish subplot about sabotage that kind of took away from the rest of the story, in my opinion. I just wanted a sweet story where good things happened to the characters.

monalyisha That‘s my preferred vibe, too. 😉 My husband just suggested a new tv show to watch and mentioned that it was about “terrible people.” I was like, “I‘ll give it ONE episode. Then, you‘re probably on your own.” 😆 2mo
Amiable @monalyisha I'm usually in the “I want a realistic story about realistic events and people“ camp, which often includes terrible people and things. But I needed a break from that right now because the news has got enough of that going on, thanks very much. 2mo
monalyisha @Amiable Ah, yes. Your nonfiction preference should have clued me into that, right? Totally wasn‘t thinking clearly. Have had more coffee now. 😉 2mo
MallenNC I‘m glad you enjoyed it. I agree about that subplot— it wasn‘t needed. It was almost like an editor told her to add something to make it more dramatic. 2mo
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Amiable
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Using a memoir by Cody Keenan, President Obama‘s chief speechwriter, to check off this prompt in #Nonfiction2024: “Speak”

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Amiable
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I picked this first off my #AuldLangSpine list from @MallenNC because I spent 2023 watching all 155 episodes of “The West Wing,” and I thought it would be a nice segue to read a memoir by President Obama‘s speechwriter. And it was. But it was also a story of hope, redemption, the power of forgiveness and how we can make the world a better place if we try. That‘s a message that‘s been lost in the past 8 years. Oh, how I miss this president. 😕

CocoReads Next to Martin Sheen, Obama has been my favorite president. I miss him too. #WestWingLove 2mo
Amiable @CocoReads I would totally vote for Jed Bartlett! 🇺🇸 2mo
Leftcoastzen Word . I guess I should watch the West Wing 2mo
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Julsmarshall I miss him too, and President Bartlett! 2mo
MallenNC I really liked this memoir (obviously). I‘m a professional writer so if I were a West Wing character I might have Cody‘s job. 2mo
Amiable @MallenNC Me too! In fact, my last job was at a university, where I sometimes wrote speeches for the president. It wasn‘t my favorite part of the job, though. I‘d prefer Kristen‘s job —I love doing research. (edited) 2mo
MallenNC @Amiable That‘s too funny — I work in PR for a college. I have written speeches and remarks for our president. It‘s not easy! 2mo
Amiable @MallenNC The biggest obstacle in my previous job was the fact that I was not allowed to ever consult with the president before writing her speeches or remarks. I was just given a topic and a timeframe. It can be difficult to write in another person‘s voice when you have never actually spoken with them. 🙄 There were a whole lot of issues with that job —which is why it‘s my PREVIOUS job. 😄 2mo
MallenNC @Amiable Oh yeah that‘s essential. It‘s hard enough to write a speech or message but to try to do it without the other person‘s voice would be impossible. In Grace it really showed how much of a collaboration the process was. 2mo
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Amiable
Wellness | Nathan Hill
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2024 is off to a great start! Loved this. It kind of reminded me of a John Irving book —nonlinear story arcs that appear to be random and going nowhere, but which come together seamlessly in an unexpectedly beautiful way. And just like an Irving book —it‘s definitely not for everyone.

At 624 pages, this checks off “Almost a Chunkster” for #chunksterchallenge2024.

BarkingMadRead #thebros is a super chunkster for sure 🤣 I‘m starting 2024 off with a bang! 3mo
Chelsea.Poole I agree! I loved this too. 2mo
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Amiable
Barnum: An American Life | Robert Wilson
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Well, that challenge is completed! Now it‘s time to just enjoy reading for the rest of the year. The heck with chasing an arbitrary book total. 🎉

Aimeesue That‘s the way to do it! 😂 3mo
LeafingThroughLife Love this approach! 😁 3mo
MallenNC Great job! 🤣 3mo
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ChaoticMissAdventures 🎉🎉 love it! 3mo
CoffeeK8 Love this idea! 3mo
Amiable @Aimeesue @LeafingThroughLife @MallenNC @ChaoticMissAdventures @coffeek8 I used to aim for 100+ every year. But I found myself reaching past the chunkier books to grab short ones just to make sure I hit a self-imposed total. I don‘t want to spend my life only reading 250-page books! There are too many awesome chunksters out there waiting to be picked up. 🙂 (edited) 3mo
Ruthiella Awesome! 😆 3mo
MallenNC @Amiable It‘s a great way to avoid that issue of reading just to check off another book. I‘ve definitely done that! 3mo
MyNamesParadise A few years back I stopped doing the Goodreads challenge. I just found myself rushing through books to get to a certain amount and I realized I wasn‘t enjoying it as much so I stopped. I still keep a record of what I read but I just go at my own pace now. 3mo
Amiable @MyNamesParadise Exactly! That‘s how I feel, too. Although for the past few years I‘ve just set the “challenge” at 1 book. I know I can do that much. 😀 3mo
GinaKButler You crack me up! 😂 Congrats on hitting your goal! 3mo
Aimeesue @MyNamesParadise Same! I only really notice my total # of books at the end of the year, and then I read children‘s‘ books from the end-of-year Best Of lists if I want to round off my total # ( I always do. I like those numbers that end in zero or five 😂) 3mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @Amiable Yes! I still set my goal to 100 but I read much more than average, so I am still able to get in a few 700+ books each year, I think these “challenges“ should be helpful, not prohibitory, which is why I also love storygraphy where you can set a page count goal instead of number of books. 3mo
TheLudicReader I kinda love this…plus you get to start the year feeling accomplished. 3mo
Amiable @TheLudicReader Yes! It‘s great to start the year with a win! 😀 3mo
CoffeeAndABook Ahahaaa 😂that‘s hilarious and awesome 👏🏼 3mo
Gissy 😂 3mo
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Amiable
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I‘m fascinated by the history of medicine and health, particularly the relationships between science, culture and politics. As such, I‘ve collected a large stack of nonfiction books that directly relate to these topics. My husband refers to them as my “Disease of the Month Book Club.” So I‘ve created a challenge mostly to get these books off my shelves! If you‘d like to join the #DiseaseoftheMonthBookClub, welcome! Storygraph link in comments ⬇️

GinaKButler I can‘t wait to hear what you think of these! 3mo
Amiable @GinaKButler I set the Storygraph challenge dates for two full years so I don‘t get overwhelmed with death and destruction! 😀 3mo
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AnnR Interesting collection of books. I think 10 years ago, this challenge would have been right up my alley. I'll look forward to your posts. (edited) 3mo
Clare-Dragonfly @shanaqui This might interest you! 3mo
ChaoticMissAdventures What a fantastic challenge! Diseases are so interesting. I really though this one was so well done, and interesting 3mo
Amiable @ChaoticMissAdventures That one is already stacked in my queue! Plus this one by the same author: 3mo
marleed That‘s a great reading challenge! 3mo
Amiable @AnnR Feel free to suggest any others that would fit the challenges! I‘m always looking for more. To my husband‘s chagrin. 😬🙂 3mo
JenniferEgnor I‘m very interested in this stack. Could you maybe put up a close up photo of spine view or cove? 3mo
Amiable @JenniferEgnor If you click on the link to Storygraph in the first comment, it takes you to the challenge. I posted all of the books into the relevant prompts so you can see what they are. Let me know if you can‘t get into it and I‘ll list all of the books here! (edited) 3mo
shanaqui @Clare-Dragonfly Ooh, thank you, it does! Thank you!

Adding a rec to folks' piles, this is my favourite non-fiction about disease. Tuberculosis is my very favourite. (I'm studying for an MSc in Infectious Diseases, partly because I did my dissertation on tuberculosis when I did my biology degree, which was mostly because of this book.)
3mo
Amiable @shanaqui Oh, that looks good! Thanks! I‘m particularly interested in the “Spanish flu” pandemic of 1918. My great-grandmother (who died when I was 14) lived through it. I always remembered the stories she told about it and I‘ve been fascinated ever since. 3mo
Roary47 How fun! I‘d be willing to join. 🤩 3mo
Amiable @Roary47 Yay! A fellow epidemiology nerd. 😍 3mo
Chrissyreadit @Amiable wow!!! i love this!! one of my major interests also- i am joining - but if i only do some i will be happy! i am going to look at your read lists also- and what books do you recommend around Spanish Flu? 2mo
Amiable @Chrissyreadit YAY! I love that there are other weirdos out there like me who love this stuff! 🙂 So my all-time favorite book about the 1918 flu pandemic is this one: 2mo
Amiable The Barry book is kind of the classic on the topic, I think. There‘s also this one of the Barry book is too dense for your liking: 2mo
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Amiable
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Raising a mug of tea (ok, yes, it‘ll be more than one—I‘m planning on a long, lazy day on the couch) to @MallenNC as I embark on the first read from your #AuldLangSpine list. Cheers!

monalyisha Love this post! Enjoy! 3mo
MallenNC I hope you like this one as much as I did. I am about to start reading too. I have today and tomorrow before I have to go back to work so I‘m planning to focus on relaxing and reading. 3mo
lynneamch Oh my. This will probably break my heart, but it sounds too good to miss. 3mo
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Amiable
Untitled | Unknown
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And that‘s a wrap on 2023! I‘m particularly tickled by the productive reading month that was October, especially since that was the month we finally finished the #Clarissa challenge! It‘s a buddy read that will live in infamy. 😀

Gissy Great!!! 📚📚📚🎉🎉🎉🥳👏👏👏👏 3mo
TieDyeDude 💪🎉 3mo
Ruthiella Great job! 👏👏👏 3mo
Cuilin 🎉🥳🎉 3mo
AnneCecilie Happy new year 🎆 3mo
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Amiable
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On to the NONFICTION winner of #ReadingBrackets2023! This quarter belonged entirely to Hampton Sides—he battled himself the whole way. December‘s pick about the Marines at the Chosin Reservoir was excellent. It moved on against “Ghost Soldiers” to face “Hellhound on His Trail.” For me, it was an easy pick: “Hellhound,” a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, sweeps the board and emerges as victor. In fact, it‘s my favorite book of the entire year!

SilversReviews How did you make this please? 3mo
Amiable @SilversReviews I‘ve been using a template that was provided earlier in the year by @chasjjlee ! 3mo
ChaoticMissAdventures I love the split between fiction and nonfiction. They really are so completely different and need their own brackets. 3mo
Amiable @ChaoticMissAdventures Agreed! I can‘t compare a fiction to a nonfiction because it‘s a totally different reading experience and I‘m looking for different things from each genre. 3mo
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Amiable
The Museum of Failures | Thrity Umrigar
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And we have a #ReadingBrackets2023 FICTION winner! My December pick by Thrity Umrigar was very good, and moved into the quarterfinals where it met a fierce competition with “Dear Edward.” In the end “Edward” moved into the finals because it grabbed me from the start while “Museum” took a while to get revved up. But in a head-to-head with “The Covenant of Water,” the winner was clear. Congratulations to Abraham Verghese!

CSeydel I really enjoyed Covenant of Water - it was so good! (edited) 3mo
BkClubCare I just picked up a copy of Dear Edward. I am intimidated by The Covenant of Water. Do you think it would be good by audio? 3mo
Amiable @BkClubCare I'm not the person to answer that question -- I rarely ever listen to audiobooks! Are you intimidated by the size of it? It's a really engrossing read -- the narrative just flows right along. 3mo
BkClubCare @Amiable - yes, and, drawn out epic sagas sound so wearying to me right now, but I usually love long audiobooks. 3mo
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Finally settled on my “official” book for #ChunksterChallenge2024 — a biography of baseball legend Ted Williams, written by newspaper legend Ben Bradlee, Jr. At 864 pages, it‘s a bit shorter than my usual annual chunkster picks. But this year I‘m taking my cues from @GinaKButler and @Kelly326 and aiming to read several large chunks throughout the year. Viva la chunkster! 🙂

Bookwormjillk Good pick! 3mo
GinaKButler Ohhh…let me know how this one is!! I live baseball and so does @Kelly326 3mo
Amiable @GinaKButler I‘m hopeful that it will be good because it‘s written by Ben Bradlee! 3mo
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Amiable
Otter Creek Used Books | Middlebury, VT (Bookstore)
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Visiting Middlebury, VT, with my husband. Stopped into this adorable used bookstore that is located inside a former mill where they used to cut and shape marble.

IndoorDame Looks like a fun place to get lost in for an afternoon! 3mo
Ruthiella Love it! Did you find anything you liked? 🤔 3mo
UwannaPublishme 😍🙌🏻 3mo
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Amiable
Barnum: An American Life | Robert Wilson
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Reading a biography of P.T. Barnum and this word is used frequently. I always associated it strictly with Charles Dickens and Ebeneezer Scrooge (“bah, humbug!”) but apparently it was a whole thing on its own. Barnum was known for his “humbuggery,” another word I love saying. 😄

#weirdwords
#weirdwordwednesday

rubyslippersreads The Wizard of Oz is also described as a humbug. 3mo
Amiable @rubyslippersreads That's right! I'd forgotten about that reference 3mo
TheBookHippie Oh I love humbuggery !! What a wonderful word! 3mo
CBee I love this word!! 3mo
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Amiable
Chunky | Yehudi Mercado
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BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! It's the return of the #Chunksterchallenge! So many Littens took down a variety of chunksters in 2023 -- let's do it again in 2024! The goal of this challenge is to tackle the giant books that intimidate us or that we put off reading because we are focused on that year-end book total instead. It's time to get them off the TBR!

Remember: “The journey through a thousand pages begins on page 1.“ 😃
#ChunksterChallenge2024

Balibee146 I'm up for this in 2024....👍 3mo
Ruthiella I‘m in! Brothers Karamazov, here we come! 😃 3mo
Larkken Haha, maybe I can pick back up some slumbering chunksters and give this another go🫣 3mo
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Amiable @Larkken You can do it! 3mo
AmyG I still need to finish last years chunkster! 🤣 3mo
Amiable @AmyG One page at a time until the end! 😃 Which one were/are you reading? (edited) 3mo
dabbe I like big books and I cannot lie ... 🤩 3mo
Deblovestoread 2024 is the year of reading from my shelves including the chunksters. 3mo
TheBookHippie I‘ve got so many 😅😂 3mo
GinaKButler So excited! This is our lineup: Q1: Peter The Great; Q2: David Copperfield; Q3: The Source; Q4: Vanity Fair 🎉 3mo
quietlycuriouskate Count me in! I have many to choose from, but first I need to finish this excellent one (about 200 pages to go). 3mo
WorldsOkayestStepMom I managed to read 5 books that were 500+ pages this year! I'm proud of myself! 3mo
Amiable @WorldsOkayestStepMom Yay! Fabulous job! It feels so good when you finish a chunkster, doesn't it? 3mo
Amiable @GinaKButler Ooh, depending on how things are going by Q4, I might hop on board with “Vanity Fair.“ I've been wanting to revisit that one for decades, ever since I read and didn't enjoy/understand in high school! 3mo
Cuilin Yay!! Still deciding but to start definitely reading 3mo
GinaKButler @Amiable we would love to have you join!! ❤️ 3mo
Meshell1313 Yes! I loved it this year! Count me in again! 3mo
Mollyanna I‘m in again. I‘ll start with 3mo
Morr_Books I'm in too! I'm starting with the chunkster 3mo
fredthemoose I‘d love to join! I‘m working on getting through a biography of each US President and a lot of those are really chunky. 3mo
JenReadsAlot @fredthemoose oh I'm glad you saw this I forgot to tag you!! 3mo
mom2bugnbee Okay, I'm really going to do this this year! I never did finish The Count of Monte Cristo, so I want to go back to the beginning & read it this year! 3mo
PuddleJumper I'm up for this! I've got a few thick books I've been avoiding 3mo
Amiable @JenReadsAlot Oh, I was thinking about this one, too! 3mo
Amiable @fredthemoose I am also doing a presidential bio challenge! Well, I‘ve been slowly and casually doing it for years as the mood hits me, that is. I may do FDR or LBJ this time. (edited) 3mo
Amiable @mom2bugnbee You can do it ! 👍🏼👍🏼 3mo
Amiable @PuddleJumper @Morr_Books Excellent! Welcome aboard! (edited) 3mo
fredthemoose @Amiable oh, great! If you think about it, please let me know if any you liked! 3mo
Amiable @fredthemoose Are you reading the bios in order? I‘ve been hopping around as the mood strikes. Which is really not the best way to get the full picture of the history of the presidency, I fully admit. 😬 3mo
fredthemoose @Amiable I mostly bounce around, although I did the first 8 or so in order a couple of years ago and filled in what I was missing from Truman through the first Bush this year. Now I need to fill in between around the Civil War and WWII. 😬 3mo
Amiable @fredthemoose I just downloaded this one for FDR if you haven‘t done him yet: 3mo
Lcsmcat I haven‘t decided yet (I know - better hurry!) but I‘m in. 3mo
Amiable @Lcsmcat No rush —you have a whole year to read it! 😀 3mo
Lcsmcat @Amiable Well I know it won‘t be anything by Samuel Richardson. 😂 3mo
Amiable @Lcsmcat Is there such a thing as PCPTSD— “Post-Clarissa Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder”? 😄 3mo
Lcsmcat @Amiable I don‘t know, but if there is, we have it. 😂 3mo
Bookwormjillk @fredthemoose the new James A Garfield bio was pretty good. 3mo
Bookwormjillk Count me in for 2024! Last year I made a list and read from that, but I think this year I‘ll track my chunksters and see how they fall out naturally. 3mo
Amiable @Bookwormjillk Ooh, I read a bio of Garfield a while back —but this one looks really good. I was impressed by him and thought it was a shame that he didn‘t live long enough to complete his term. I think he would have done good things. 3mo
Amiable @Bookwormjillk That‘s what I‘m going to do, too. After I finish my “official” chunkster, I‘ll be seeing what piques my fancy. 3mo
Bookwormjillk @Amiable me too. At one point I determined that if I could go back in time and change history I would have let him live. 3mo
Smarkies I am planning to do the Wolf Hall trilogy this year. Wish me luck! 3mo
Amiable @Smarkies Oh, it‘s so good! Enjoy! 3mo
rubyslippersreads @Smarkies What a great choice! I‘ve only read the first book, but would love to tackle the trilogy one day. 3mo
Andrew65 I need to target the Chunksters this year so am joining this! I‘ll be starting off with the last book in the Kingsbridge Series by Ken Follett. This is a super Chunkster at 1024 pages. 2mo
Amiable @Andrew65 Fabulous! Welcome to the chunkster crew! 2mo
Andrew65 @Amiable Thanks 😍 2mo
Bluebird I‘ll join this year! I‘ve got several chunksters on my radar for 2024. Currently reading 2mo
Amiable @Bluebird Hooray! More chunkster love! 😍 2mo
Airykah13 I don‘t know how many chunksters I will get in this year, but I‘m in for the challenge 2mo
Amiable @Airykah13 Excellent! Any amount of chunksters is a worthy goal. Just tackling a giant book is an accomplishment by itself. 🙂 2mo
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Untitled | Anonymous
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1. I introduced my work colleagues to Jolabokaflod a few years ago. Now a group of us celebrate with book and chocolate swaps. I also give books to my husband and sons. I prefer to pick out my own rather than receive books, though.
2. Book totes! Who doesn‘t love book totes/bags?

#two4tuesday
@TheSpineView

TheSpineView Thanks for playing 🎁🎄📚 3mo
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Amiable
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Every year I watch this movie and I think about seeing it in the theater in 1983 with my friends Marty and Kathy. And I remember how Marty said, “That was the worst movie I‘ve ever seen. I‘m so glad I never have to see it ever again.” And I laugh and laugh. 😄

Merry Christmas and be sure to drink your Ovaltine!

AlaMich 😂😂 3mo
MaureenMc My 12 year-old watched this movie for the first time this year. She loved it! 😁 3mo
mom2bugnbee My husband is watching it right now - it's his absolute favorite. I used to not like it, but I must admit that it's grown on me in 28 years. ☺ 3mo
CarolynM My favourite Christmas movie. I watched it again this year. I saw it in the cinema with my parents when I was a teenager. It was a bonus extra after another movie (Splash! I think) We laughed until we cried, and were most surprised by how many people left the cinema before the end. There‘s no accounting for taste, I guess🤣 3mo
Amiable @CarolynM Right? That‘s why it makes me laugh —to think that Marty is reminded every single year that he was so wrong about a movie that is now a beloved holiday classic! 😀 3mo
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Amiable
The River We Remember: A Novel | William Kent Krueger
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Thank you so much for the wonderful #jolabokaflodswap package, @Cuilin ! Tony‘s Chocolonely is a favorite because of their mission and I‘m really looking forward to reading this book. Merry Christmas to you and yours! 🎄🙂

Gissy So pretty those decorations 😍💚❤️💚 3mo
Amiable @Gissy Thank you! The Santa sleigh is a set from Playmobil that we got our sons when they were kids. And the Christmas tree was a souvenir from a trip to Germany. 3mo
Cuilin Yes. We love Tony‘s mission. Enjoy!! 3mo
jlhammar Great read - enjoy! 3mo
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Amiable
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I'm so intrigued by my #AuldLangSpine list from @MallenNC. I've only read #1 and 5 so far, so there's a world of possibilities to explore! I've put holds on several of them at my library, and I'm pretty sure I already own #11. I want to commit to at least one fiction and one NF. I think I'll start with #13 (because I'm nearly done with the last season of “The Crown”) and #18 (because I spent my summer watching all 154 episodes of “The West Wing“).

JenReadsAlot I loved House of Eve! 3mo
Amiable @JenReadsAlot That‘s one I just put a hold on! It looks really good. 3mo
IndoorDame I‘ve been curious about Broken Horses. I‘m glad to see it show up on this list! 3mo
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MallenNC I‘m so glad you‘ve found some good possibilities on my list. I love doing this list swap but I always worry a little! Grace and Coronation Year are good ones to go with to start! (edited) 3mo
MallenNC @JenReadsAlot House of Eve was so good! I recommend it a lot. 3mo
MallenNC @IndoorDame If you like audiobooks, Broken Horses is excellent in that format. There‘s music between each chapter. 3mo
IndoorDame @MallenNC I do like audiobooks! And for several years running now an audio music memoir or biography has made it into my top of the year list so I‘m on the lookout for one of those for 2024! 3mo
Amiable @IndoorDame @MallenNC I‘m not a huge fan of audiobooks, but if you like music memoirs/bios I would highly recommend Malcolm Gladwell‘s audiobook about Paul Simon called “Miracle and Wonder.” 3mo
IndoorDame @Amiable oooh, stacked. Thank you! 3mo
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Amiable
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I don‘t think this is actually a legitimate contraction. But what do I know? I‘m from the North. I‘m gonna have to go to @dabbe (English teacher) and @CBee (Southerner) for a ruling. Bueller? Bueller? 🤷🏻‍♀️😀

#weirdwordwednesday
#weirdwords

Soubhiville Living in North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, I can tell you I have never heard this. But it‘s fun to say! 3mo
Ruthiella I‘d accept it! 😂 3mo
ravenlee I live in northwest Louisiana and I have heard this! 3mo
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dabbe Love it! It's extremely fun to say and use! 🤩 3mo
Amiable @Soubhiville @Ruthiella @ravenlee @dabbe It would seem to save time, which I can appreciate! 😄 3mo
ravenlee I think it‘s usually more like “y‘all‘d‘a” though. 3mo
Hooked_on_books I lived in the South for a number of years and agree @ravenlee is on it with that pronunciation! 3mo
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