SnowAngel: I'd say it's definitely worthwhile--all of my family found it quite humorous. My brothers especially loved the parts where Stephen was talking about being the only boy and how miserable it was.
And my brothers have nothing to complain about-- when we read the book it was 7 to 2. Now it's 7 to 1. (Yep, I'm the "loner")

And what? You say the Huskers are bad?!? Hmph. (I'm not really a fan, but... I have many friends who are.)

aslanisthebest: I've actually already read The Spiderwick Chronicles. I'm reading Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles- a sort of spin-off series by the same authors. Unfortunately my library only has the first two books and the there are three other holds besides mine on the third book at another library. So I won't be finishing the series for another month at least. Hopefully I buy the books soon

Ohh, I see. I saw those at a bookstore the other day, and was wondering how they were. Please do share how they were when you're finished! I was a bit reluctant to read them, because I'm too attatched to the other Simon, Jared, and Mallory to switch to different characters in the same world, sort of.

Malkah:

My favourite of the Anne series? Ooh, that's a tough one. I'd have to say it's tied between Anne of Windy Poplars, and Anne of Green Gables! Anne's House of Dreams comes in close second, though.

Persuasion MIGHT be a good one to try as well. I say "might" because although I find it one of Austen's easier books to read, I know others who didn't connect with it at all. It certainly is a quieter story. Oh, and keep working at Austen--eventually your mind will adjust itself and you won't even notice the writing style anymore.

I saw Persuasion at the library, but refrained from picking it, assuming with no base that it would probably be a harder read book. I'll try reading it next, after I finish P&P!
Yes, I know what you mean. I sort of adjusted myself, while reading Northanger Abbey but it will take some time until I can read them with ease.

---
I finished Northanger Abbey today, and my thoughts on it are pretty general. It didn't blow me away, and isn't necessarily a favourite, but I still enjoyed reading it.

Does anyone know any good books on Native American culture, The Trail of Tears, and about life in the early 1800's? I've been looking to find books about that for something I'm writing, but I can't seem to find the right books containing what I really need to know. (The dates of when things happend, details about them, etc: a thorough look at the subject) Help to find books for these would be appreciated muchly!

Malkah: Oh good- someone else who has the Illustrated Treasury! (Not that I was worried by the lack of people who do, or the seeming lack, or something).

For the most part it was a delightful and insightful book, but I didn't exactly like the part that you mentioned in the spoiler, and somehow (I can't quite put my finger on it) I didn't like some of her other thoughts on the book Fanny's character and others in Mansfield Park. I had almost no problem with the rest of the book (a few comments aside that I felt kind of went with the Mansfield Park ones content wise), but there was just something that I didn't like. I wish they had of touched more on some of the other movie/mini-series adaptations, but I suppose it's alright that they didn't. It was a good read though, those things aside. I appreciated the bits on the times and culture and whatnot of Jane's day, it helped to clear up some things. I did really like the layout of the book, it was quite pretty!

Mel:

Re the Birth Order book: That must be the book! I'm not sure how many birth order books are out there, but if we're all read/seen the same one, who knows?

Scarlet Trefoil: I don't blame you. While I personally enjoyed the Birth Order book, I can see how it would take second place to a novel or more exciting book. Do let us know when you read it, if you do!

I read Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends a while ago...I forget most of it . I got to see the authors though at MassHOPE a few years ago.

aslanisthebest: if you really like the characters in the first series then you might not like this one. Jared is really a jerk and the authors themselves aren't that nice. I really enjoyed this series though (or what I've read of it *is still waiting for the third book*) and it's very interesting and "continues" the story very well.

I'm almost done with my Robin Hood book- I'll probably finish tomorrow. I really like it so far, the illustrations are great and the stories are written well. The most thorough account I've read.

Nice finds ww . I was unable to go to our library's last booksale...and we only have one or two a year .

Wait Scarlet, you're NOT Karen Kingsbury's cousin???

They don't call you wise for nothing, do they?

I have eight (maybe) of Mrs. E's books on my bookshelf. I was reading God's Guidance: A Slow and Certain Light but switched to P&P for a quick re-read. I think Let Me Be a Woman is actually my favorite of her books - it's fairly short, but touching. It's a compilation of letters to her daughter, Valerie, on marriage and womanhood, written on the occasion of Val's engagement. (How much sweeter can it get?) My mom and I have both enjoyed the variety of topics she covers with such insight (and humor) within the covers of LMBW.

Regarding birth order...the other problem, if you will, that I had with the book was I don't quite understand how it works with more than perhaps five children. Does someone with eleven kids have at least six "middle" kids? I know you have to factor in age gaps, gender, etc, but still...I was lost in trying to apply it most of the people I know. *sighs* I really, really need to go to the library! If I just persevere, maybe then it will make sense.

~Scarlet

I'll be sure to post about Death in Kashmir when I read it. I've added it to my soon-to-be-read pile, so hopefully that will be within the next few months

Thanks for the warning about Pamela parodies, Mel. Henry Fielding is a "classic" author, so I'm hoping his parody is more along the lines of Jane Austen parodying Ann Radcliffe's style with Northanger Abbey. But we'll see. A lot depends on the content of the original, and of course it *is* dealing with some heavy themes.

I know Fforde is supposed to be really good. I wanted to read the Thursday Next series first. Oh, for more time to read...

You've never read Lassie Come-Home? I'm shocked. And what's wrong with the hyphen? It's not a statement, it's her name.

Sorry to shock you . The hyphen's... okay, I guess. But verbs shouldn't be names! It sounds like an imperative statement directed at Lassie: "Lassie, come home." Lassie Come-Home just sounds weird to me. It's probably just me.

malkah, once again I'm amazed at how similar our views are. As I said, I haven't read Yancey's book on grace but from what I have read of his, I can totally see him making that theological misstep. I couldn't agree more with your thoughts on grace!

Regarding Anne's House of Dreams:

My favorites of the Anne books are probably Anne of Green Gables and Rilla of Ingleside. I think Anne of Ingleside is the weakest, though I do love them all!

Did he [Rob Inglis] do The Two Towers and Return of the King as well?

He did, and my library has all of them. Though I live in fear that someone will borrow the next one I need, or put the one I have on hold so I can't renew it...

Oh, and keep working at Austen--eventually your mind will adjust itself and you won't even notice the writing style anymore.

This is fantastic advice! You will adjust if you keep immersing yourself in it, it's very true . And you'll be glad you stuck it out!

AitB, I get what you are saying about Northanger Abbey. The characters aren't as well rounded as in Austen's other books. I think her goal changed after writing that book. Austen always has a level of satire and wit in her books, but in her later books it was the second goal after character and plot. I think in NA, it was her primary goal and that's why the characters suffer a little in richness and depth.

I was unable to go to our library's last booksale...and we only have one or two a year .

True... but you have a dump, and seem to get all kinds of treasures from there! How's BM been lately? Any good mooches?

Does someone with eleven kids have at least six "middle" kids?

I'm not positive, but I think it has to do with your functional role in the family. Let's say you have an older brother and two younger siblings. You are much more likely to display traits of an oldest child because you are the oldest female and the functional caregiver among the siblings to your younger sibs. The middle children are always the mystery kids, I think. Oldest and youngest traits are so much more clear-cut and easy to pin down.

Speaking of this book, it wasn't at the sale yesterday when I went back . But I did manage to find some more treasures! I noticed that the booksale workers were adding new books all the time, so there were some I hadn't seen before. I found:

• three mysteries by Elizabeth Peters (I think her detective is a Regency woman who is interested in Egyptology and the mysteries are centered around her adventures in archeology. I keep hearing how good they are so I'm giving them a try! The titles are great: Guardian of the Horizon, Laughter of Dead Kings, Tomb of the Golden Bird, etc.)
• A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron (this is the author who wrote the Jane Austen mysteries. Much as I dislike fanfic-type works, I do hear a lot of good things about these so I am slowly collecting them to try. This one isn't one of those, but looks so tantalizing, a Gothic-y mystery with a touted surprise ending. hope it delivers!)
• Harrowing the Dragon by Patricia McKillip (need I say more? It's an ex-library hardback in decent condition)
• The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer (this is a prime example of why you should always glance through the romance paperbacks, if you can stomach it. Though I don't like how the modern romance genre has claimed Heyer for its own; this and a few other newer Heyer paperbacks I have all have forewords written by popular romance authors. ugh!)

lys, randomly, you ought to be happy to hear that Silas Marner is the second book I ever catalogued on my LT account (the first is Daniel Deronda). April 10, 2007 was a historic day . I have one of my catalog displays (E) set to list the entry date. It's kind of cool to look at my early entries.

WW, the Amelia Peabody mysteries (the ones by Elizabeth Peters) are actually set in the Late Victorian and Edwardian periods, when all the big discoveries in Egypt were happening. My mother has read every book in the series, she absolutely loves them. And as she listens to them on audiobook, I have heard a fair bit of them too. They are actually very funny; but Peters knows her stuff and the Egyptology is extremely accurate. I suspect you will really enjoy them .

GB

Ah, thank you very much, GB. I had a feeling the Regency era was a bit early and might not tolerate a young lady tripping off to Egypt to have a look around

And there are audiobooks? "It comes in pints?" Oh great . Anyhow, thanks for the info! Someone on PBS (PaperBackSwap) recommended them to me. It would be funny if they became the next big thing among the denizens of the Books thread

Curious: who's read Hemingway? Faulkner?

I've read a novel and two short stories from each, and while neither are particular favorites, I infinitely prefer Faulkner. Hemingway feels so empty to me, and I'm not just talking about the spare, journalistic prose (which I can stand from certain authors, though not him particularly). And yes, phosphorescence and pee are on pretty much every page of The Old Man and the Sea, although I don't think there's a connection. For Faulkner I prefer the short stories so far; As I Lay Dying (despite the awesome title! ) didn't do much for me, and I seriously wanted to go after his "creative spelling choices" with a red pen. I own The Sound and the Fury, but after hearing my uncle talk it up as "ground-breaking" and "experimental" as compared to the more conventional and accessible Light in August, I think I'd rather read Light instead.

Hmmm ... my parents don't like Philip Yancey for some reason; I can exactly remember why. Perhaps they think he's too simplistic? Not just that he brings us back to the basics, but that he minimizes real problems or something like that. Anyway, my memory's really fuzzy on that. And my mom's tried reading Elizabeth Elliot and didn't see what all the fuss was about her either. Again, can't remember why.

I noticed that the booksale workers were adding new books all the time

Don't you just love those self-replenishing booksales? During the sale this week, there was a sign on the library door that read, "Check in every day for new books!" so of course I did. Unfortunately they're weren't that many new books, but I was able to add to my original stash a collection of Greek drama. I always feel left out when I see people walking around reading Antigone or Oedipus Rex for class, and now I get to join in!

Great finds, all in all! I have one of the Elizabeth Peters mysteries too, and a lady in my writer's group who writes YA mysteries just loves her. On Fielding: my impression is that his books are, though classics, fairly raunchy, but I still want to try them out for myself - which is why I bought that 25 cent copy of Tom Jones on Monday. And I'm glad to know that your first two books to catalog were Eliots, however random that announcement might be. You know, you really ought to read Daniel Deronda at some point. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, and The Mill on the Floss.

The weekend's almost here! I plan to get some quality reading done this afternoon, and perhaps some book reviewing as well.

Can you name some of them?

I just finished reading a good one called Happenstance Found a few days ago. It's about a boy who wakes up in an ancient buried city with no memory of who he is. He's found by this quirky group of adventurers who protect him from a monstrous creature that's chasing him for unknown reasons. It's the start of a series and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

ww, if you tell me you've never read Incredible Journey either, I will be shocked and disappointed. I'd always thought of Lassie Come-Home as an imperative statement too, but then when you commented on it, a wee little lightbulb came on... Lassie Come-Home is meant to be future tense, rather than present, I think.

The real question is: Is Elizabeth Peters that much better than Ellis Peters that the ratio of Elizabeth to Ellis is ten to one on library shelves? Because if she is, I need to go find twenty books to remedy my home library deficiency NOW... <-- skeptic

That does sound interesting, Booky. I'll hope it shows up on the shelf at the library soon... You wouldn't happen to have read any books by Kate Thompson, would you? I randomly picked up her book Last of the High Kings, which is the sequel to a book with Policeman in the title. It was pretty good.

FF, I didn't intend to imply that having the man bear bothered me. It was just unusual enough that I remembered it, and connected it with the lady I didn't remember.

Mel, you know and I know that no one is that much better than Ellis Peters. Why do you ask questions like this?

Because inquiring minds want to know, of course.

Besides, there must be some reason for the imbalance... I shall invent a reason. There are less Ellis Peters books on the shelf because... her fans buy up every single copy and hang on to them like gold?

I just finished reading Green by Ted Dekker tonight and all I can really say about it is wow. That book was absolutely amazing and Dekker did a great job in making it both a prequel to Black and a sequel to White

I've read both of those books, Mel. I liked the first book better. The second was just a bit too preachy for my taste. Also, it bothered me that