fantasia wrote: Prior to that we read The Tale of Despereaux, which IS right up my alley. I like that one.

Fun timing: I'm in the middle of listening to an audio book of Despereaux! Such a good tale.

Pippi Longstocking books are so much fun. Enjoy!

I am currently reading a biography of St. Augustine. I have reads bits and pieces about this fascinating man (354 - 430 AD) over the years, which have compelled me to find out more. 

Some of the books I have gone through over this quarantine time are:

Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story by Caren Stelson (2016)

God's Hostage: A true story of persecution, imprisonment, and perseverance by Andrew Brunson (2019)

A re-read of The Pianist: the extraordinary story of the one man's survival in Warsaw, 1939 - 45 by Wladyslaw Szpilman (the movie is excellent, too, albeit very tough to watch at times)

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield. Such a delightful, sweet, old-fashioned kind of tale.

Wunder wrote: I think I enjoyed L.M. Montgomery's Emily of New Moon series.

I know what you mean about LMM's Emily books, @wunderkind_lucy. I went through them decades ago, but only re-read them recently, and found myself more involved in them than the first round.

Mel wrote: I've been reading William Stevenson's Spymistress: The True Story of the Greatest Female Secret Agent of World War II but didn't quite finish it before it had to go back to the library, and they didn't have Leo Mark's biography Between Silk and Cyanide which I wanted to read again in context of his work with Vera Atkins, so I picked up Stevenson's A Man Called Intrepid who also features in Spymistress.

Oooh, another book by Stevenson, yes! We were fascinated by A Man Called Intrepid, and would like to read this Spymistress by him, as well. Vera Atkins' name comes up in various WW II bios, so to discover more about her would be most interesting.

I am still determined to order the Ashtown Burials series in the next few weeks. But, wait, wait, wait, I just realized I am over-late for Silent Bells. Is there no way I can get a subscription or full copy now? Wilson's site states "Subscriptions Closed". Help!  

Posted by: @johobbit

But, wait, wait, wait, I just realized I am over-late for Silent Bells. Is there no way I can get a subscription or full copy now?

Unfortunately not. I'm kind of kicking myself that I didn't order extra copies, for precisely this reason. He's still hoping someday to be able to publish his book, but it's all wrapped up in red tape at the moment. I guess you'll just have to come visit me so you can read my copy @johobbit.  
I do have some good news though. If you read through book three, it does have an ending that doesn't hugely leave you hanging, so you can at least read those three and still enjoy them.  
@ValiantArcher and @SnowAngel, did you get your copies? I got an email that said you should have it by now and if you don't, to be sure to contact them to let them know. (You probably got the same email.)

In other news, I started Pippi Longstocking this morning. My daughter is already hooked. She was cackling through the first chapter sooo.... Well done to Astrid Lindgren for being my kids' favorite author.  

Ahhh, okay, boohoo. Well, I must be patient. At least the third book isn't a huge hanger, for sure. Good, I really look forward to reading these. And @fantasia, we may have to plan a visit to see you to read the fourth. Thing is, if I see you, I will want to visit, not read at that time, lol.

That's great (and not surprising) about the kids loving Lindgren's books. 😀 Which of The Six Bullerby Children is their favourite? Or did they like 'em all?

A tad more on Understood Betsy: I especially appreciate the stark contrast between Aunt Frances' way of treating Betsy (Frances quite irked me )... and the Putneys. I could so live with the latter.  

(Argh, I tried the couple of 'tricks' to make the font the regular size, but neither worked. )

I loved the Pippi books as a child. We never owned these, just pounced on them with glee at the library. 

Her character is yet another that 20th century adaptations have spoiled. She is supposed to be a little girl and a movie cast a teenager!

Posted by: @johobbit

And @fantasia, we may have to plan a visit to see you to read the fourth. Thing is, if I see you, I will want to visit, not read at that time, lol.

I know you get up at some insanely early hour of the morning, and I tend to roll out of bed around 7:30am. So that should give you lots of time to read while (impatiently) waiting for me. LOL

Posted by: @coracle

Her character is yet another that 20th century adaptations have spoiled. She is supposed to be a little girl and a movie cast a teenager!

I vaguely remember seeing the movies in grade school, which was .... 30 years ago? At the time it didn't bother me, but I also hadn't read the books. 

Posted by: @fantasia

@ValiantArcher and @SnowAngel, did you get your copies? I got an email that said you should have it by now and if you don't, to be sure to contact them to let them know. (You probably got the same email.)

Nope, sadly still waiting. I emailed about the missing chapter on Tuesday.

I did get my review copy of A Dream Within A Dream by Mike Nappa and Melissa Kosci, it's the third book in Coffey & Hill series and I have been waiting ages for it. I don't think it's going to measure up to the previous books in the series, for starters the cover doesn't coordinate with books 1 and 2 and it's messing up my beauiful shelf.

Yesterday I finished The Grand Escape by Neal Bascomb, it was pretty good. Next up Sabotage.

SnowAngel

Posted by: @snowangel

for starts the cover doesn't coordinate with books 1 and 2 and it's messing up my beautiful shelf

Yep!  I've always said that I don't care about the condition of the book--it's the content I want.  But I find that's not quite true.  There's something about a matched set that tickles my fancy.  For instance, there's something wrong with a set of hardbacks, with one paperback in the middle.  Or vice versa.  And then there's that gorgeous first edition, signed-by-author three-volume novel that I try not to gloat over  

@fantasia, I've received my copy of the first chapter of The Silent Bells, but haven't started it yet. Funny thing is that my sister, just across town, still hasn't received her copy. Like @snowangel, she's put in a request to have it sent again.

@johobbit, I did see N.D. Wilson mention something about copies eventually being up for sale by third parties. No idea what that will look like, but maybe that would work. Otherwise, maybe we can organize something where you travel to people who have copies or people who have copies come visit and bring them.  

I'm planning on putting my chapters of Silent Bells in a binder, to help keep them together and all in one piece. It's exciting and a smidge unreal to have them showing up in the mailbox. It's one thing to wait for the release of a new book, but different to have it a chapter at a time! (Despite the fact that there are numerous fiction sites where you can follow stories that update from time to time. ) This is rather more like the stories of people waiting impatiently for the next chapter of the latest Dickens novel.

@johobbit, @valiantarcher, @snowangel, @fantasia another idea would be to arrange an online book reading--those of us who have copies could take turns reading outloud? 

Posted by: @mel

I'm planning on putting my chapters of Silent Bells in a binder, to help keep them together and all in one piece.

Pictures please!

Posted by: @mel

@johobbit, @valiantarcher, @snowangel, @fantasia another idea would be to arrange an online book reading--those of us who have copies could take turns reading outloud? 

That is brilliant. I would totally be down for that. @johobbit, read faster!

Posted by: @valiantarcher

@johobbit, I did see N.D. Wilson mention something about copies eventually being up for sale by third parties. No idea what that will look like, but maybe that would work. 

I'm guessing that would be people who bought extra copies to sell since he said that was okay to do. I haven't got a chapter yet, but I wish I would have spent the extra money and gotten two subscriptions.

I'm still reading A Dream Within A Dream, once I got passed the cover not matching I started enjoying the story.  

SnowAngel

Finished up 'Sarah, Plain and Tall' this morning with my kiddos, and also 'Where the Sidewalk Ends.' I enjoyed both for very different reasons.  

Tomorrow is our first day of homeschool and we're starting off with 'Red Sails of Capri' which I've never read before. 

I also made a discovery on accident... .there are a lot of little children's books read outloud on YouTube! And so we've been filling in our MENSA reading list like crazy because I can just pull up a video and let the kids listen to someone else read it.  

@fantasia 

     I’ve read a few poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends before but never the whole thing.  I’m glad you liked Sarah, Plain and Tall.   It was always a book that I felt that I should like.  I think we were required to read it in middle school and I didn’t care for it then, but I wonder if I would find it more appealing now.  What did you like about it?

     For the past couple of months I’ve been slowly working my way through a collection of short stories by Ray Bradbury.  I like his writing style, and most of them have very intriguing concepts.  Many of them are science -fiction centered.  Any other science fiction fans here on NarniaWeb?

Posted by: @wanderer

@fantasia 

     For the past couple of months I’ve been slowly working my way through a collection of short stories by Ray Bradbury.  I like his writing style, and most of them have very intriguing concepts.  Many of them are science -fiction centered.  Any other science fiction fans here on NarniaWeb?

Ray Bradbury might be my favourite author after C. S. Lewis. Farenheit 451 is one of my favourite books and I absolutely love his short stories, despite not being the biggest fan of short stories in general. I haven't read any of his stuff for a few years, but I picked up Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales recently and I'll be reading through it soon.

Posted by: @wanderer

What did you like about [Sarah, Plain and Tall]?

It was very simple, very sweet. For adults it's pretty obvious that Sarah is not going to leave, but for kids, it's not so obvious. So I was able to have some discussions with my own kids about it. My daughter was convinced Sarah was going home. 😉 

Posted by: @wanderer

Any other science fiction fans here on NarniaWeb?

Not so much, but there are a few I enjoy. But my favorite Bradbury (and my selection is VERY limited) is Something Wicked This Way Comes, which isn't Sci-Fi. lol

Posted by: @reepicheep775

Farenheit 451 is one of my favourite books

On one hand, I really want to read this. On the other, I think it would hit too close to home and I'd find it depressing. 😛