Vatican cameos. 🤣 I haven‘t read The Hound of the Baskervilles since I was in the sixth grade. I‘ve been revisiting the complete collection of stories recently. When I watched the first episode of the second series of Sherlock - A Scandal in Belgravia - I knew Sherlock‘s warning of “Vatican cameos!” had to be a reference to the stories somewhere. Tickled that I found it tonight. 💕📚

Hilary Mantel posted this over in FB land. Looks like March 2020 is the publication date of the final installment in her Wolf Hall trilogy. 😊

Poor Hank. Sniffing books is bringing him no joy in this storm. #hankthebulldog

Tornado took out the power and several large trees on our property. (We‘re safe but under tornado watch until 2 am 🙃) I ❤️ you Mighty Bright book light💡

I thought this book a fun little romp. Some have given it a hard time for being predictable but I didn‘t think that kept it from being enjoyable at all. If you like the occasional soapy page turner, maybe check this one out.

Sure, Hank, as long as you‘re comfy, little buddy! I‘m trying to start s new book tonight. 🤣 Happy Friday, y‘all! #Hankthebulldog #snorefest

So I finished this bonkers book tonight. 😳 It‘s a pick for me, though it may not be for everyone. It‘s a “just the facts” sort of history book that may bore some as a textbook would. But I would argue it‘s an excellent and pretty well annotated resource if you are looking for information that isn‘t additionally sensationalized (the folks at the time did enough of that themselves). Just don‘t expect sexy ladies in bathtubs 😉

Tonight I read by candlelight on our deck. What a resplendently luminous patchwork the clouds have created for the moon to shine through tonight! I also noticed the first lightening bugs is the season cavorting in the yard. Welcome back, wee bringers of joy! I am so happy to see you again. 🖤#springtimeintheozarks #grateful #maketimeforjoy

Dogtective Inspector Hankule Poorot does not believe that I have not eaten the last pork chop. His sniffer tells him otherwise and he is disgusted that I did not share. #HankTheBulldog

📚: tagged
🎥: Robin Hood (Disney cartoon version)
🎶 : Fox on the Run by Sweet

#ManicMonday

Many moons ago a dear friend brought this set of Sherlock Holmes books to me from his trip to the UK. He always got a kick out of my nerdy bookishness and just knew I‘d love this little set - the books are only 6 inches by 3 1/2 inches. I‘m just now getting around to reading them all. I finished the tagged book today. On to the next! 😊

Finished up the re-read of this delightful little book. I hadn‘t read it since I was 8 or 9 when it came out. 💕

This radio drama was an Audible freebie for April. I thought it was a wonderful Victorian horror/mystery/ghost story and beautifully acted. It is, however, for a mature audience with language, violence, and sexual themes. It spends a good bit of time in London‘s seedy underground so trigger warning for brutality against women. Not for the squeamish but excellent story if you like darker material.

This is Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. He was the worst. While reading this book and the one before it, I kept thinking of that quote from All‘s Well that Ends Well: “Me think‘st thou art a general offence and every man should beat thee.” The fact that he kept getting family members and associates executed while living to tell more tales is maddening.

Excellent book, however! It‘s particularly great to see Anne of Cleves given a voice.

Serious book haul from the @springfieldgreenecountylibrary Friends of the Library sale tonight! Hank the Book Sniffer approves - he loves that old book smell. #davidmccullough #doriskearnsgoodwin #thomascahill #hemingway #johnlecarré #wallylamb #jonmeacham #witches #borgias #greeks #romans #hankthebulldog ?❤️???

“. . . how could I say no [to Pegg and Frost]? I feel confident on several levels. I‘m working with creators and I know these people don‘t like bollocks. . . . [Simon and Nick] are tremendous nerds and I don‘t have to explain things to do them about magic, they just get it. we have a common language, which we don‘t have in a lot of TV companies.”

If Mr Aaronovitch is excited, so am I. I love them all.

Link in comments

Delightfully odd little graphic novel. Sherlock Holmes meets Lovecraft. I‘m told this is a short story from Gaiman‘s Fragile Things, which I‘ve not gotten to yet on my TBR list. (Trying to save some of Mr Gaiman‘s work later. . .)

I finished this book up outside this morning. Of course I had to do battle with the pollen first. (So. Much. Pollen. )

This is a good book. It‘s meant for nerds who like the minutiae of history and may not be for everyone. As the name states, it only covers the turbulent year of 1776. It is peppered with recollections of average soldiers/citizens taken from letters and journals, as well as those of the more well known. Good stuff!

“Do your limbs and nether regions lack life? . . . even the oldest war horse can be a proud stallion once more!” 🤣😂

I was finally able to finish this one up at dinner tonight. I‘d intended to have it read before I saw Ms Miller speak two weeks ago but . . . Anyway. . . Fantastic book. If you like mythology you‘ll probably like this book. If you like the idea of mythology but get bogged down trying to read the translations, you may like this as well. I thought it was a really great retelling from a new perspective.

I finished this book tonight. I have been a Springsteen fan as long as I can remember, but I have a whole new appreciation for him now. He seems very well read by his references and jokes made. I feel like he was refreshingly candid (particularly about his mental health struggles) while simultaneously being respectful and discreet to those in his past. This is not a tell all by any means. If you love his work, you‘ll probably love this book.

Mr Gaiman sent out a link of himself reading this classic children‘s book in response to funds raised for refugee relief. 😍 It‘s delightful.

Here‘s the link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gM2e5dBz9L4

It‘s been about impossible to put this book down since I started it. Anyone who has had a tumultuous relationship with a parent to find out later that mental illness was a contributing factor will find kinship with Mr Springsteen. The first couple of sentences of this paragraph resonate greatly with me.

And the award for worst uncle EVER goes to Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk! (Godalmighty. . . )

I just finished reading/listening to this book. (Swapped back and forth as part of my new “get off my arse” program.) I‘m on a quest to get through these in a year and they are good enough that I just may make it. This one in particular was real page turner and Vanessa Kirby‘s performance was spectacular.

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be interesting social commentary as well as an interesting story. I always appreciate getting to see a perspective so different from my own. And Pippa Bennett-Warner‘s performance is superb. This was also my first go at the Libby app through my local library. I will certainly be using it again. ❤️📚

Trying out the Libby app and listening to Swing Time while I do weekly kitchen chores. (This is my first go at proper bagels.) Our tiny rural county library is part of a consortium in Missouri on Libby and I wanted to try it out in an effort to support my local library. About halfway through the book and I really like it. 📚

Today was a rainy day so I finished this book. While this is a definite pick for me, I wouldn‘t necessarily recommend reading this cover to cover as I did. If you have an interest in the subject I‘d recommend using it as a reference for whatever bit you are interested in or returning to the book in smaller lessons. There is A LOT of info here and it could be overwhelming but it is great to snag when you want to look something up.

Ms Miller is an absolutely delightful speaker! If you get the chance to hear her, I‘d recommend going. She spoke this evening at the Library Center in Springfield, MO.

Oh. My. Goddesses. New Peter Grant Rivers of London installment coming in November! Apparently it‘s available for pre order. Mr. Aaronovitch posted about it in FB land so sharing for my fellow fans here!

Happy Saturday, Littens! May your weekend be as relaxing and contented as Hank the Book Sniffer‘s seems to be. 😊💕📚🐶 #hankthebulldog

1 - For fashion and music there are many, but practically? I‘m good here, thanks!
2 - Hardback books. 📚
3 - Older. I turned 46 in March.
4 - Nope. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii at Tripler Army Hospital. Live in Hee Haw Hell, Missouri today 😂. I do live less than 30 miles from where my dad was born, however.

#FriyayIntro

I got this list from Philippa Gregory‘s website a while back. It‘s the list of her Plantagenet/Tudor novels in chronological/historical order rather than publication order. Sharing for a new Litten who ran into the series recently. Welcome, @Lauraandherbooks 📚💕

I haven‘t read this since high school. I revisited it with this Folio edition and I wouldn‘t say I necessarily enjoy the book. But given that it was written using some of Hemingway‘s experiences in WWI I think it‘s a useful read and it is well written.

However, I had to chuckle as I remembered the old joke about how Hemingway would answer the question “Why‘d the chicken cross the road?” That he wound answer “To die. Alone. In the rain.” 😂

This one was somewhere between So-So and Pick for me. I loved No Man‘s Land and this was not as entertaining, however I found the perspective of immigrants and their American children extremely valuable. It‘s always good to see experiences from other eyes.

If any of y‘all are on FB, there‘s a new “Neil Gaiman Fans” group . . . and Neil Gaiman is one of the admins. 😳

If you‘ve read the book, you‘ll get the pic reference. And yes, I took this. Because I live here.

I knew very little about Margaret Tudor and almost nothing of James IV prior to reading this book. I really want to learn more about James IV - he seemed like a particularly interesting man from his brief part in this narrative. Once again the author note and bibliography at the end are great and give me resources to satisfy my curiosity.

I really enjoyed this installment of Philippa Gregory‘s series. I‘ve always found Margaret Pole to be one of the more interesting characters in the whole Plantagenet/Tudor saga. I can‘t imagine living the life of anxiety she must have endured knowing her family‘s safety was at the mercy of whatever political whim was currently prevalent. The author‘s note at the end was particularly interesting and food for thought.

So, Hank the Book Sniffer and I disagree on this one. While I thought the illustrations were lovely, the story was a whole lotta words for a whole lotta nothin‘. Talk about overly verbose! For a man who Faulkner supposedly said was the nicest old lady he ever met, he sure can‘t write women worth a damn.

Hank, on the other hand, found the bouquet of this 70 year old book entirely irresistible and gives it a
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ rating. #hankthebulldog

I don‘t know how many of you are in the SW Missouri area, but I wanted to share this event in case anyone is interested and in the area. Madeline Miller is speaking in Springfield, MO on April 11.

Here is the link: https://thelibrary.org/oneread/

The first outdoor read of the year finished up this book. I thought this was a well written, well annotated book. I admire Eisenhower both more (his attempts to thaw the Cold War) and less (him allowing the CIA to jack with other countries) now, if that makes any sense. Lots of what occurred in his administration seeded many of the problems we still have today. Good read for history nerds or those wanting to know more about how we got here.

Whomever told me that bulldogs are lazy didn‘t know Hank. The Hankness. It just can‘t be stopped. 🤣 This was tonight. He‘d been to the groomer this morning. 😳 Someone was feeling Spring Fever. #hankthebulldog

Reading time must be postponed for bulldog bath #2 today.

Oooofffff. “It is the rise to power of the demagogue who lives on untruth.” Truman is describing McCarthy here, but it sure sounds relevant to today.

Nifty interview today with the author of the tagged book on Science Friday. Sounds fantastic if you‘re into that subject.

Here‘s the link: https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/the-leg-bones-connected-to-the-ankle-bone...

Good book. Hank the book sniffer and I finished it tonight. (He, too, approves of its sniffiness. Do not be confused by his grumpus face.) #hankthebulldog

I learned a lot about Tesla and will certainly be following up on some points annotated within the book. I absolutely recommend for anyone wanting to read a well-rounded, scholarly biography of the scientist.

Can‘t wait. Second trailer for Good Omens dropped today.

https://youtu.be/ERM-OjqVpv0

I started the 1949 Heritage Press illustrated version of The Turn of the Screw that I got last week. The illustrations are 😍

Just finished this wonderful little gem on a cold, dreary day. Some people have a tendency to romanticize the “Wild West” but I feel like this book touches on the brutality of the time without sensationalizing it for shock value. I had just finished Ron Chernow‘s book Grant when I picked this up. I think I appreciated it even more having just learned so much about Reconstruction. It was a short read, but a good one!

Wow. I can‘t believe I never read this book. Or saw the Olivier/Fontaine movie. I got this gorgeous illustrated copy cold during the Folio Society sale this year and I‘m so glad I did. I couldn‘t put it down! So I hit up the audiobook during my chores this weekend - the late, great Anna Massey was wonderful in her interpretation - and went back and forth. I recommend both wholeheartedly!

I‘ve known who Grant was since I was a kid, but I knew very little about his life or of his strong connection to my home state of Missouri. Very well annotated book with many references I intend to check out in the future. Worth a read if you are a history nerd and into that sort of thing. 🤓 Once again, I learned a lot.

Furniture rehab and audiobook. Also bulldog helper, Hank. #hankthebulldog