And Begin! SomeGuyInVirginia

I just finished cataloging the books I bought in December. I'm reading Bryant & May and the Bleeding Heart by the always entertaining Christopher Fowler for Early Reviewers. That's right, I rate that high.

Welcome back! I think I requested that one but got something else. Let me know how it is!

January

1) Bryant & May and the Bleeding Heart, by Christopher Fowler (January 4)
2) A Good and Happy Child, by Justin Evans (January 15)
3) Syndrome E, by Franck Thilliez (January 24)
4) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, by Henry Farrell (January 31)

February

5) The West End Horror, by Nicholas Meyer (February 1)
6) Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn (February 11)
7) The Ruins, by Scott Smith (February 27)
8) Nyctophobia, by Christopher Fowler (February 28)

March

9) The Cyclops Goblet, by John Blackburn (March 1)
10) Our Lady of Pain, by John Blackburn (March 7)
11) Losing Mum and Pup, by Christopher Buckley (March 8)
12) The Third Gate, by Lincoln Child (March 10)
13) Sinners and Shrouds, by Jonathan Latimer (March 30)

April

14) Just After Sunset, by Stephen King (April 5)
15) The Young Man from Lima, by John Blackburn (April 7)
16) The Deadly Percheron, by John Franklin Bardin (April 11)
17) Impact, by Douglas Preston (April 14)
18) The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries, by Marilyn Johnson (April 14)
19) Velocity, by Dean Koontz (April 21)
20) Death in Holy Orders, by P. D. James (April 27)

May

21) Role Models, by John Waters (May 2)
22) The Dinner, by Herman Koch (May 5)
23) Hare Sitting Up, by Michael Innes (May 9)
24) A Handful of Dust, by Evelyn Waugh (May 11)
25) The Murder Room, by P. D. James (May 16)
26) Deep Storm, by Lincoln Child (May 26)
27) Lucky at Cards, by Lawrence Block (May 28)

June

28) Muscle Boy, by Bud Clifton (June 4)
29) The Face, by Dean Koontz (June 6)
30) Suspect, by Michael Robotham (June 21)
31) Finders Keepers, by Stephen King (June 25)

July

32) Ex-Libris, by Ross King (July 4)
33) Danse Macabre, by Stephen King (July 11)
34) The Cement Garden, by Ian McEwan (July 11)
35) Lost, by Michael Robotham (July 19)
36) Thank You, Jeeves, by P.G. Wodehouse (July 23)
37) Dead of Night: A Zombie Novel, by Jonathan Maberry (July 25)

August

38) Phantoms, by Dean Koontz (August 1)
39) Rant, by Chuck Palahniuk (August 7)
40) The Body in the Library, by Agatha Christie (August 9)
41) Relentless, by Dean Koontz (August 14)
42) Devil Daddy, by John Blackburn (August 16)
43) Jpod, by Douglas Coupland (August 20)
44) Old School, by Tobias Wolff (August 28)
45) The Undertaker's Dozen, by David Forrest (August 28)

September

46) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams (September 5)
47) His Name Was Death, by Fredric Brown (September 5)
48) What the Night Knows, by Dean Koontz (September 18)
49) Deliver me From Eva, by Paul Bailey (September 19)
50) The Devil's Staircase, by Helen FitzGerald (September 20)
51) Chocky, by John Wyndham (September 24)
52) The Nanny, by Evelyn Piper (September 26)
53) Invasion of the Body Snatchers, by Jack Finney (September 27)
54) Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams (September 30)

October

55) Jimmy the Kid, by Donald Westlake (Otober 2)
56) The Accomplice, by Matthew Head (October 4)
57) The Siege of Trencher's Farm, by Gordon Williams (October 9)
58) Armchair in Hell, by Henry Kane (October 13)
59) Lost in the Meritocracy by Walter Kirn (October 17)
60) Jeeves Takes Charge, by P. G. Wodehouse (October 18)
61) The Case Against Satan, by Ray Russell (October 21)
62) The Pilgrim Hawk, by Glenway Wescott ( October 24)

November

63) The Mask of Red Death, by Harold Schechter (November 7)
64) Carsick, by John Waters (November 22)
65) Diamonds are Forever, by Ian Fleming (November 24)
66) The Busy Body, by Donald Westlake (November 29)

December

67) Blue Blood Will Out, by Tim Heald (December 2)
68) One-Upmanship: Being Some Account of the Activities and Teachings of the Lifemanship Correspondence College of One-Upness and Games Lifemastery, by Stephen Potter (December 6)
69) Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames: The d'Antin Manuscript, by Luis d'Antin Van Rooten (December 6)
70) A Serpent's Tooth: a Walt Longmeyer Mystery, by Craig Johnson (December 7)
71) She Who Was No More, by Thomas Boileau and Pierre Narcejac (December 13)
72 Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris (December 13)
73) After You with the Pistol, by Kyril Bonfiglioli (December 15)
74) Five Little Pigs, by Agatha Christie (December 27)
75) The Ice Harvest, by Scott Phillips (December 29)

A Good and Happy Child, by Justin Evans (January 15)

Hallo, Larry! Nice to star you early in the year. You and I are even - two books. I'm listening to Doctor Sleep in the car - totally creepy is Rose the Hat. *shiver*

Hallo too to P-Bitty. If she's anything like my kitties, she finds the one square foot in the entire abode that has a book and a human in close proximity and plops down, obscuring the book.

Enjoy the snowy weekend with TWD.

Syndrome E, by Franck Thilliez (January 24)

Hi Larry. Glad that your kitty gave you enough time to finish another book. :)

I binge-watched season 5 of the Walking Dead yesterday. Didn't read a line. I also watched an episode of Hoarders and got so skeeved out that I started to purge books I knew I would never read. It was easier than I thought, got through 1.5 cases before I got bored; maybe 40 books. I should be able to squeeze out 40 more. The paperbacks I'll pack up and ship to Operation Paperback, the hardbacks I'll donate to the lie-berry.

Some kind of bug, I'd like to take a month off in the mountains.

I haven't gotten interested I the Walking Dead, but daughter's best friend is obsessed with it. Strange, I like vampires and things that go bump in the night. Perhaps one of these days husband and I will watch it and get hooked - that's what happens with us. Way after the fact we hear about something, find it on Amazon Prime, and watch it every night til we're done.

I purged books about a month or so ago and it felt good. Good for you, even if it was fear-induced.

Bug? Hope you're not too sick.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, by Henry Farrell (January 31)

The West End Horror, by Nicholas Meyer (February 1)

Hey Karen. I'm with you guys about trying an episode or two then getting hooked. There really are some good shows on tee bee. I have a special place in myheart for reanimated corpses who feed on the living, though. "When hell is full the dead will walk the earth." Not just pretty words.

The bug was some 3 day wonder, made the rounds at work. I feel fine now.

I was out of town this wekend, of course I bought new books. I used to have a rule thati only bought books I would like to read someday. Now the rule is I only buy books that are so good I'd stop readingwhat I am to start reading those. That's progress, right?

Hi Larry. We just finished Boardwalk Empire last night - if you haven't watched it, you might like it. Set in the Prohibition era of the 1920s Boardwalk Empire is the story of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, the treasurer of Atlantic County, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Due to his relationships with mobsters as well as political contacts, the Federal Government start to take an interest in him. His lavish lifestyle seems at odds with his position, and as well as his connections, there is prolific bootlegging in the area. Nucky is based on real-life Nucky Johnson of Atlantic City. Many of the 20s and early 30s gangsters of real life make appearances too. We found it fascinating.

Of course you bought new books. You've tightened your rule a lot. You're much stronger than I am. I don't think I could do that.

Happy weekend to you and Parker!

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn (February 11)

'Dja like it? I did. Found it a roller coaster of he's bad, she's bad..... daughter said that's how the movie was too.

I did like it. It was a re-listen for me, but I forgot how it ended so it was like listening to it for the first time. Have you read her other two? She's one of the authors whose page I scan for news of a new book.

I've read Sharp Objects but not Dark Places. I liked Sharp Objects, as I recall, but couldn't tell you anything about it at this point.

We're now watching The Closers with Kyra Sedgwick. It's set in LA, my home town, and we're both really enjoying it. And, it's free on Amazon Prime, all seven seasons, a definite bonus.

7) The Ruins, by Scott Smith (February 27)

Another repeat, this time as an audiobook, which I enjoyed more than when I read it. Bummer story, a high-brow Cannibal Holocaust meets Little Shop of Horrors.

Nyctophobia, by Christopher Fowler

With her new husband and adopted daughter, an English woman moves into a house in the south of Spain that is divided into light and dark halves. Horrible things happen. Sort of a mess, but with much of Fowler's startling imagery.

Hi Larry, happy Sunday to you and Parker. I just checked my handy-dandy weather app and see that you're getting weather - we're in the midst of some freezing rain right now but had snow earlier this week.

The Cyclops Goblet, by John Blackburn (March 1)

A darkly humorous caper book, as improbable as any Bond movie.

Have you read any of the Bond books? I've read most of them and remember them fondly. I re-read Casino Royale about 3 years ago and really loved it.

I did read one, Goldfinger maybe? All I remember about it was that the villain was good at cards and being really shocked that Bond fainted.

I cannot believe the Feds are working today, which means I work today. It's a damn skating rink out there. Stupid Feds.

Bad Feds! Bad Feds!

Me too...

Our Lady of Pain, by John Blackburn (March 7)

Another of Blackburn's ancient buried treasures protected by a guardian that threatens the world, but Lady has a dark and menacing tone missing in his other books. Blackburn is one of those authors who was popular when he wrote (he was published by Penguin) but has fallen into obscurity. He deserves a second look.

Happy Sunday to you and Parker, even though it's one hour shorter. I forgot it was Daylight Savings time this morning, so when I woke up and my cell phone said 8:12 I thought, wow! I really slept in. Ha.

Hey Karen! At least it's a beautiful day out. I'm too lazy to go out, though. Parker's being really bitey; I'm cramping his style and he wants me out. Suffah!

Losing Mum and Pup, by Christopher Buckley (March 8)

A sad duty, a memoir, and a letting go.

I'm totally into scoring cheap reads on the Kindle. .99 cent noir reprints from the 50s make my heart go pitter-pat.

The Third Gate, by Lincoln Child

Pure pulp goodness. The excavation techniques would have won them lasting infamy and landed them in jail.

I almost bought Losing Mum and Pup - forget why I didn't. It sounds good.

Your statement about "excavation techniques" makes me smile because we watched the first episode of Dig and an archaeology student scratched her initials into a catacomb in Jerusalem..... now really, would an archaeology student do that? Me thinks not. A glaring error I thought.

Anyway, enjoy your pulp goodness, and Parker Mr. Bitey. I hope your weather is better than ours today - we're mid-50s with rain, rain, rain.

Sinners and Shrouds, by Jonathan Latimer

A perfect example of pulp writing, it reads like a wonderful movie, complete with wonderful movie dialogue. Latimer has been a personal favorite since I read The Search for My Great-Uncle's Head.

Six other LTers have copy of this book, and that's criminally negligent. I bought mine on Kindle for a couple of bucks.

My Kindle is MIA. It's in the house somewhere, but since I can't call it like I can when I misplace my cell phone, it's hiding.

Are you off work today? If so, yay 3 day weekend, if not, boo flunk and speed things up to Saturday.

Yay for the weekend! I was off yesterday and am in Williamsburg with the fam. Any time I make to read I wind up napping in.

Yay indeed. Enjoy the time with your fam. Naps are good too.

Just After Sunset, by Stephen King (April 5)

This was an audio version of the book I read in 2010. King's very good at writing short stories and novellas. I also like his books, but he has a problem with endings on longer works.

The Young Man from Lima, by John Blackburn (April 7)

The nth Blackburn book I've read lately. Not his best, but Marcus Levin, Tania and Gen. Kirk save the world from a deadly, manufactured plague.

The Deadly Percheron, by John Franklin Bardin (April 11)

Wow, a weird book. Disturbing, it starts as a light fantasy and ends as gothic horror. Contains the earliest use of 'fart' that I've found so far. A very quick read.

Such an ancient word to have such "late" usage:

Origin of FART

Middle English ferten, farten; akin to Old High German ferzan to break wind, Old Norse freta, Greek perdesthai, Sanskrit pardate he breaks wind
First Known Use: 13th century

From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Inquiring Minds Need to Know!

Impact, by Douglas Preston (April 14)

The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries, by Marilyn Johnson (April 14)

Saw that last one at library the other day and almost picked it up. How was it?

>41 SomeGuyInVirginia: What a great title. Tempting!

>42 drneutron: >43 charl08:

Hi guys! I can recommend it, it's an agreeable and quick read. Not at all morbid.

Just dropping in to say hi.....

Velocity, by Dean Koontz (April 21)

Hi Larry! Is Velocity a good'un?

Well, it's typical Koontz. I liked it, but I'm not a fan of his. No, I don't think I'd say it was good, but better than OK.

Not a ringing endorsement by any means. So I'll pass.

Back to the salt mines for me - vacation over, jet lag in peak mode. Blech.

Death in Holy Orders, by P. D. James (April 27)

Role Models, by John Waters (May 2)

The Dinner, by Herman Koch (May 5)

I read The Dinner when it first came out..... yeesh. What an emotional roller-coaster.

Lord Macaulay who?

Lord, Macauley, are you in the Smoking Gun again??!! Bwahahahaha. Heh. Ahem. okfine.

Hare Sitting Up, by Michael Innes (May 9)

Followed Blackburn's A Scent of New Mown Hay by a year, and must have been influenced by it. Comic elements, especially Appleby's wife snooping through the boy's school. Second Innes I've read, both ended in over-the-top melodrama.

A Handful of Dust, by Evelyn Waugh (May 11)

The Murder Room, by P. D. James (May 16)

Hi Larry! I hope you're having a good Sunday with Parker.

Heya Karen! I've been with my dad here in W'burg. Beautiful weather, dad's doing good. Things are OK.

Deep Storm, by Lincoln Child (May 26)

Gah! This was an audiobook. A little over halfway through I knew I was in trouble. Ritualistically formulaic with interminable descriptions and navel-gazing. Also, read by Scott Brick, who should be horsewhipped. He has one accent voice and it sounds like bad Mexican. Plus, PLUS, just look at his picture and tell me you don't want to punch him in the beezer.

Definitely punchable. Yeesh.

Did you actually finish Deep Storm?

Are you a once-I-start-a-book-I-finish-it kind of guy, or do you abandon books with glee?

Yes, and the last hour I was shouting at the radio 'Jesus, will you just get this over with!' I never thought of it before, but if I'm reading a book I'll jet it in a nanosecond. Deep Storm and the Koontz were audiobooks, both with more than 11 disks, and after I'd put in so many hours I didn't want to choose another book. The Koontz wasn't bad, just not my taste really. Deep Storm was bad, but it didn't fall apart for me until around disk 8 or 9; beyond the point of no return.

I'm in the 75/year race! Gotta keep those numbers high!

Lucky at Cards, by Lawrence Block (May 28)

An audiobook clocking in at just over 5 hours. My first Block, I liked it.

Last night I dreamed I moved into a townhouse in my old Capitol Hill neighborhood that had a hooge room for all my books. Nice dream.

Lovely dream.

If I told you my dream, I'd either go to a psych ward or be arrested..... :)

Don't think about it, dear, you'll get lines.

Muscle Boy, by Bud Clifton (June 4)

Bud Clifton (pseudo for David Derek Stacton) wrote a number of expose’ shockers in the late fifties on the typical themes- juvenile delinquency, motorcycles, bad girls, as well as noir gaspers. Stacton, the more respectable branch of the psyche, wrote Judges of the Secret Court, recently reprinted by NYRB.

Muscle Boy concerns itself with the seedy gay porn side of the muscle and fitness craze in the 1950s- In just 7 days (and 7 nights) I can make you a man. It’s an interesting take on the situation and probably accurately depicts the scene and its major players. Strong gothic elements, though, and the description of a brutal S&M club had that sliver of the telling detail that always makes me think the writer is working from personal experience rather than guesswork.

Ends with a muscular, near naked psychotic killer hunting the teen hero in an abandoned bathhouse. I’m working on a theory that one of the requirements of a gothic thriller is that it must end with badly for the players by a body of water. See Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and Progeny of the Adder, plus Creepers by David Morrell which isn’t gothic but is certainly bad.

Good work on the numbers, Larry..... I'm way behind so at least one of us is doing well.

Happy Saturday to you and Parker D.

The Face, by Dean Koontz (June 6)

Thanks Karen. I can't believe I'm ahead of you, first time ever.

A beautiful summer's day today.

Suspect, by Michael Robotham (June 21)

Sounds like a really good book, Larry!

Happy Monday to you, even if it involves work. Mine certainly does. :(

It was pretty good. It's the second Robotham I've listened to, and both have had pretty cool reversals. I liked Watching You better.

I'm on the way to the doc's to see if I have flu or pneumonia. Gah. Feel like hammered poo.

Not good. I don't want it to be either. Report back that it's just a bad cold.....

Walp, no flu and waiting on the x-rays for pneumonia, but I really think it's just bronchitis. I feel better today.

I should finish Finders Keepers soon. Not my fav King, but he's got a collection of short stories out later this year.

No pneumonia! Just a bad cold. And it's my birthday!

Happy Birthday!!!!! 3 days before mine. But I'm sorry you're sick.

I liked Finders Keepers but didn't love it. Now it sounds like a trilogy. Clack!

Finders Keepers, by Stephen King (June 25)

Leesburg Lie-berry annual book sale started today, although now it's called the Loudon something.

Books bought: 114
Fatalities: 0 (Way to go team!)
Injuries: Whatever! Walk it off.

One Hundred and Fourteen Books?!?

Extra bookshelves, other books gotten rid of to make way, cleaning out kitchen shelves for books?

Fantastic.

What are some of the cherce ones?

Extra book shelves, along with a couple of purges a few weeks ago. Somebody was moving out and left their book shelves in the hallway with a 'free' sign on them, so at least I didn't have to buy any.

I haven't entered many of them yet, or even looked at them after I unpacked them, but I did find a bunch of Phillip MacDonald mysteries, and other by Craig Rice. Not much non-fiction this year, but I did snag a tell all by the soviet scientist in charge of their bio-weapons program, and a few books on medieval and early renaissance history. I found a copy of Ex-Libris by Ross King, which I've wanted to read ever since I picked a copy up in Borders back in 1997 but never got around to it; I'm about half-way through that. I also bought a short stack of Punch magazines from 1917-1923. Interesting.

With the new book case I am now fully compliant with the 'all books in or on the shelves rule' and I've put a strict moratorium on book buying for the rest of the year. For what that's worth. Still, feels good for now. I'm always at war with clutter.

You lucky dog, free bookshelves.

I've been adding books (boxes from garage) too.

Happy 3-day weekend!!!

Wish Parker a Happy Fourth of July for me.

I hope you're fully recovered from your bad cold and doing Lots of Reading.

Hi Karen. Thankee kindly. Yep, fully recovered and have been getting lots of reading done. The weather here has been like south Florida- sunny followed by afternoon thunderboomers, some really dramatic.

I finished Ex-Libris, lots of facts agreeably told but with an unlikely plot. Ends with death by a body of water, something I usually associate with gothic gaspers.

Ex-Libris, by Ross King (July 4)

I'm glad you're feeling better and getting lots of reading done. I love thunderboomers as long as we don't lose power..... We've had about 3.5 inches of rain since last Monday, so things have started growing again. Husband just came in from mowing part of the yard. I just put out cleaned hummingbird feeders and am going to take a reading break. We're going to watch the Women's World Cup tonight - US vs Japan. I'm actually looking forward to it.

I have Ex-Libris on my shelves, in the library -on shelf L48. Another book I want to read, even with your meh description.

I've started Lost, the second book in Michael Robotham's series. You started me on him, and I thank you for it! Good stuff.

I'm glad I found Robotham, too. Lots of fun. I wouldn't give Ex-Libris a meh, it's just that it's sort of a really high-class Bond book, or more like an erudite Preston-Childe thriller. I willingly suspended disbelief, although I kept thinking 'that wouldn't happen, that wouldn't happen.' The bit about the flight from Prague to escape the Protestant army seemed completely real to me, though. Give it a shot, it really is an agreeable book, and it's jam packed with facts about the era and the Thirty Years War. The ending is over-the-top and might be a send-up of sorts.

Danse Macabre, by Stephen King (July 11)

The Cement Garden, by Ian McEwan (July 11)

Hi Larry - insomnia has struck. The Cement Garden sounds intriguing.

I am on page 123 of Ex-Libris by the way, and am really enjoying it so far. I like his balance between 1660s English and modern English so that the book is readable yet not anachronistic.

Right, that's a good point. I really did enjoy it, and I've been meaning to read it since the late 90s.

Eschew The Cement Garden, I didn't like it and it's not at all a nice book.

Yes sir! Eschewing.

Hope you and Parker are doing well.

Lost, by Michael Robotham (July 19)

Thank You, Jeeves, by P.G. Wodehouse (July 23)

I love Jeeves and Bertie! Good stuff.

Have you read or listed to Bill Bryson? I'm specifically thinking of In a Sunburned Country (which I'm listening to now), or A Short History of Nearly Everything. Read both, listening to him read his own stuff is wonderful.

Dead of Night: A Zombie Novel, by Jonathan Maberry, July 25

Right, there's something perfect about Wodehouse. I think I have A Short History, I'll give it a look.

39) Phantoms, by Dean Koontz (August 1)

Rant, by Chuck Palahniuk (August 8)

The Body in the Library, by Agatha Christie (August 9)

Stephanie Cole's narration absolutely made the book for me.

I have adored Agatha Christie since I was a twinkie in high school - have read all of them multiple times (except Tuppence and Tommy - haven't even read all of THEM once). Good stuff.

And, as a rule I'm not much of a short story fan, but I love ALL of ACs short stories (unless they're the aforementioned T&T).

Relentless, by Dean Koontz (August 14)

Devil Daddy, by John Blackburn (August 16)

The ending could only have been written by an Englishman.

Hi Karen. I've always been a fan of Christie, too. She's great for shocks. This was an audiobook and hearing it read by a pro actress gave it oomph. I read And Then There Were None in college and it creeped me out as much as Nineteen Eighty-Four did.

Jpod, by Douglas Coupland (August 20)

Hallo Larry! (I've been busy with my clearly low class, over-medicated, mutant employees at work) so haven't posted for a while.

I have quite a few Koontz books that are NOT Odd Thomas on my shelves, but haven't had the urge read to pick one up. (just found Seize the Night on my shelves..... might tackle it next. What'cha think?)

Happy Saturday to you and Parker.

Heya Karen, Parker says 'whazzup'. Ack-shully, it's more batting my head at 4 am with "What's that sound?! What's that sound?! Wakeup wakeup wakeup! Do you hear that???!!!! It's ADVENTURE!!! WAKE UP!!!" Cats is excitable and all.

Seize the night sounds pretty good. I think I read one of that trilogy and liked it, monsters taking over a small coastal town? No idea what it was named. Maybe Fear Nothing?

>99 SomeGuyInVirginia: I didn't know Stephanie Cole narrated Christie! I love her performances on radio, so will look out for these.

Hey charl08. She was absolutely perfect; I quickly realized that I'd read the book years ago but her work was so good I listened anyway. I almost didn't pick it up because I hated her in Waiting for God. She must be a remarkable actor, I'll look for more of her work.

Old School, by Tobias Wolff (August 28)

Competently written episodic discourses. Unfocused. Was an audiobook for me.

The Undertaker's Dozen, by David Forrest (August 28)

Parker, dear, don't keep SGiV up all night. Do what I say, not what MY darling Inara Starbuck does, which is to play with the mouse toy around 3 in the morning then climb up on the bed, plop down, and purr. Humans like to sleep at night. Strange, but true.

Hi Larry! Happy Labor Day weekend. I hope you and Parker have fun.

Wheee, reading all day is fun, I'd almost forgotten. Tomorrow I'm off to serious chicanery, today I was good. Have a great weekend , Karen!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams (September 5)

His Name Was Death, by Fredric Brown (September 5)

Is Parker keeping you from reading? :)

Heya kid! I've been out of town for a few days. P-Bitty dropped his aloofness enough to purr me to sleep last night. No reading for days!

LT user Rachel4all posted a message to my wall saying she had esophageal cancer and wants a God fearing and trusting person to establish a charity in the US with all the money she has and won't be able to spend. Being a naturally curious and wildly compassionate person, and always interested in establishing charities and furthering good works, I responded in kind rather than emailing her as she wanted. Poor thing! But at least there's a place for her in Heaven what with all the monetary dispersal and all.

Since yesterday, my visitor location map shows 2 hits in Benin, 1 each in China and Pakistan, and (surprisingly) 1 in Rancho Palos Verdes.

What the Night Knows, by Dean Koontz (September 18)

Deliver me From Eva, by Paul Bailey (September 19)

Looks like you're catching up on the reading nicely.

Hi to P-Bitty.

Yeah, taking it very easy. P-Bitey doesn't know what to make of me being here so much, and I'm working from home next week during the Pope's visit, too.

The Devil's Staircase, by Helen FitzGerald (September 20)

Nice juxtaposition - Pope's visit and Devil's Staircase.

Just sayin'.

Chocky, by John Wyndham (September 24)

Agreeable tone doesn't rise above sci-fi's preachifying.

Hi Larry! Happy weekend to you and Parker D. Cat.

He wouldn't say it, but he's so excited that I'm here he's beside himself. Having a sitter in for a week was a great idea. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Almost over the cold. Also good because if I had to go th rough another background check for Sudafed I'd go ape. I'm already on the TSA 'Hassle before flying' list because everytime they exray me I make rude gestures. Yes I am 13 years old. I haven't got through a checkpoint yet without being searched. And, frankly, sometimes the agent made my day. Is it weird to slip them your telephone number?

You make me laugh. Parker knows where his bread is buttered, I'm sure.

I always thought I was on the TSA "Hassle before flying" list until the last two times I've flown. In 2003 I was searched in front of hundreds of people, my pockets turned out, wanded, everything in my carry on pulled out for public consumption..... how many people get searched when they're on a bereavement ticket for their grandmother's funeral? Only me.....

It is weird until they call you. :)

The Nanny, by Evelyn Piper (September 26)

Practically perfect in every way. Florid grand guignol.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, by Jack Finney (September 27)

Hey Karen. I just don't get the TSA, and I'm always embarrassed for the people I see them searching. Next time you fly, pack a bunch of weird stuff in your bag.

Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams (September 30)

Fortunately this was an audiobook and the narrator, Martin Freeman, made it for me.

Good idea about weird stuff.

So much rain! We've gotten 4.5 inches yesterday and today (so far).

Jimmy the Kid, by Donald Westlake (Otober2)

The Accomplice, by Matthew Head (October 4)

Astonishing and horrific. May be the best gasper I have ever read.

The Siege of Trencher's Farm, by Gordon Williams (October9)

Wowzer!

Hi Larry! Hi praise for The Accomplice, I'll check it out.

Allergy related migraines, not in happy place.

Wow, it's a different world when a migraine slide off into the eather.

Yes! The Accomplice is amazing. I bought it because I heard it was good, and I see that I've got a few others by Matthew Head. Can't wait to start. I'm also reading Armchair in Hell and it's great, wicked fun. Available on Kindle through Prologue Books for $3.03.

I'm so sorry you had a migraine, Larry. I used to get cluster migraines, which I liken to having a hot ice pick stuck through my eye, so can certain understand terrible head pain.

Glad it's gone.

Armchair in Hell, by Henry Kane (October 13)

Lost in the Meritocracy by Walter Kirn (October 17)

Hi Larry! Happy Sunday to you and Parker D. Cat. You're really getting in some good reading.

Heya kid! I have picked up the pace, but I think it's also been really good for stress management. I hardly ever feel like killing everybody any more. I'm hoping to make the 75 goal this year. Notorious P-Bitty says 'sup'.

The Case Against Satan, by Ray Russell (October 21)

Hey back! 'sup to The Cat. My kitties are curled up on blankets on the couch. Vacation day, reading, relaxing. And you're right - reading is good for stress management AND for me at least, depression. I love hiding in books when things are..... well. But today is gorgeous, warm, and the hammock is calling.

Hope your Friday is going well and will end soon for The Weekend.

Aak! I'm TRAPPED in the office! And it's SO SLOW! It's like late spring here, really gorgeous. Amazon delivered Jericho Falls to my office...must not peek...medical apocalypse thriller calling...aaand I'm totally going to check it out. Late lunch.

Jericho Falls sounds good! Onto the list it goes...

The Pilgrim Hawk, by Glenway Wescott ( October 24)

You're a hoot. Jerico Falls calls and you report having finished The Pilgrim Hawk. That's our Guy!

There's method to my weirdness: JF has more than 300 pages, and PH has 103. I gotta make those numbers!

The Mask of Red Death, by Harold Schechter (November 7)

Hi Larry! Hope this finds you well and happy. Hi to P.d.Cat.

Heya Karen. Parker's on Xanax! At least when he visits the vet I have to give him a small dose. I took him there a few weeks ago to get his nails trimmed and he flipped out on the vet. I don't blame him, I hate to go to the doc's too. I wouldn't do it every day because if you get addicted to Xanax that is a life-changing event, but once every couple of months is doable. When I got the Rx filled, the pharmacist asked how old Parker was and I said just over a year. Then I told them to be sure to put down that Parker is a cat and not a baby because I really don't want the ATF busting down my front door at 4:00am.

Well, with the Paris attacks I've gone back to putting a flashlight and water bottle in my briefcase in case I get stuck on the sub'emway (or just want to clobber someone with a mag flashlight.)

Hi Larry. Poor Parker. Husband has to hold Kitty William down when I clip his nails, and we're usually only good for about 2 paws worth before he shimmies and slides and growls and makes it impossible to finish. He's sitting right here by me, purring and looking cute, and I notice that his rear nails are more than ready for a go-'round.

The Paris attacks are awful. And it makes sense to carry survival supplies with you. When I lived in LA they kept saying to keep water, food, comfortable clothes and shoes, flashlight, etc., in your car, because in the event of the Big Eight-Oh earthquake, you most likely would have to try to walk home. Did it for years and years. Fortunately no Big Eight-Oh, and hope no subway/WDC attack. Take care of yourself.

After all, the Dutch Antilles are calling. Where are you going to stash Parker?

Parker, aka P-Bitty, aka Persnickides, is getting a cat sitter in twice a day. She really likes Park so she stays to play with him as well as feed him. Spoiled brat!

I've just realized something startling. All the books in my 'your library' category are discreet entries. I never thought about it but just assumed that the books in the other categories were making a lot of dupes. There are 1,712 ebooks mixed in, but that's still pushing 3,000 volumes. That I'm going to have to move. Ho-lee crap!

Carsick, by John Waters (November 21)

So both of you will have fun. P-Bitty with sitter and you in Dutch Antilles.

Happy Sunday!

Yeah. Parker still got he short end of that stick.

Diamonds are Forever, by Ian Fleming (November 24)

I love the James Bond series! So much better than the movies. Good stuff.

Happy Thanksgiving, Larry.

Doh! I like the movies better!

I'm more a fan of the books... :)

Two to one, Larry, you lose!

The Busy Body, by Donald Westlake (November 29)

Blue Blood Will Out, by Tim Heald (December 2)

Hi Larry! Glad to see on TPBM thread that you had a good T-day with your dad and brother. And I hope the lusciously spoiled P-Bitty had a happy T-day too. We did too. As did our kitties.

Getting in lots of books there. You'll definitely beat me this year. Stupidly, I've chosen a door stop of a read, Wolf Hall, but it's so good!

TTFN

Parker really likes being at my parent's place so he was happy. Dad's doing really well, and I credit his friends down there keeping him plugged into life, and the exercise regimen he's taken up. Yoga (pronounced 'yoghurt', yes it drives me crazy), weights, walking the stairs.

I don't know if I'm going to make 75 or not. Audio books seem to be taking forever, there never seems to be enough time to read during the work week. Here's hoping.

You've got 27 days left, you can do it! I have 10 to go. I may squeeze in some short, short books.....

And my commute of 40 minutes each way lets my audiobook listning rack up.

Yes! I've got a couple of books worth reading that are less than 100 pages long.

One-Upmanship: Being Some Account of the Activities and Teachings of the Lifemanship Correspondence College of One-Upness and Games Lifemastery, by Stephen Potter (December 6)

Very funny and at 116 pgs short enough to help me make my 75 goal for the year. Up next, Darkness Visible at 80 pgs or The Twisted Thing at around 120 pgs. Also something Molesworthy.

Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames: The d'Antin Manuscript, by Luis d'Antin Van Rooten (December 6)

I loved this book so much it hurt.

A Serpent's Tooth: a Walt Longmeyer Mystery, by Craig Johnson (December 7)

Racking 'em up for sure.

She Who Was No More, by Thomas Boileau and Pierre Narcejac (December 13)

Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris (December 13)

I love David Sedaris! Holidays on Ice was really good.

After You with the Pistol, by Kyril Bonfiglioli (December 15)

I agree about David Sedaris. There's something crystalline and intensely focused about his humor and observations. This is the 3rd time I've read this and it still makes me laugh.

I like listening to SantaLand Diaries when it's replayed on NPR. I totally crack up when he does the Billy Holliday version of Away in the Manger.....

Have you read Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls yet?

Yeah! It was funny but my favorites are all pre-When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Next time he tours I'm going to go see him.

He's from Raleigh NC and occasionally does readings here, but I've never had the time to go see him. Now that I'm going to be RETIRING (well, at least quitting work and vegging for a while), perhaps I will.

How are the warm sands, strong drinks, moderate temperatures, and R&R?

Hey Karen, it's amazing. I just got back in and am about to dress for dinner then a show Someone's grandpa invited me to his room, I'm sunburned and feel like I've taken a valium the size of my fist. Having a wonderful time, wish you and yours were here.

GRANDPA??!! Old thing, he's going to break a hip.

Yay valium.

I think I've had a busier time than you, but it's been a lot of fun so far.

It'd be fun to head North - well as far as the Nation's Blah at least.

Husband was sick so daughter and I went to see the new Star Wars today. Came home, couldn't say anything because didn't want to spoil it for husband, and he kept asking questions!! We did avoid spoilers, though.

Five Little Pigs, by Agatha Christie (December 27)

Oh my gawd! No spoilers! I can't wait to see it, it opened the day before i left. Is it as good as they say? So far everyone says yes. I'd go tonight but I'm pooped. I'm totally jealous. I've just ordered a pizza, am going to make a dent either in a book or season 6 on the walking dead and go to bed early. I've still got another week off!! Huzzah! I'll make 75 yet!! One more to go.

Totally jealous.

No spoilers. Yes, it's as good as they say. The only other thing I'll say is that it felt right and made Episodes 1,2, and 3 seem like bad nightmares.

Go 75! Go pizza! Yay time off!!!

The Ice Harvest, by Scott Phillips (December 29)

Yes yes yes! Happy dance, happy dance, dance to the muuuusic!

Happy New Year Larry! You've had an excellent reading year. And congrats on number 75!!!!!

Onward to 2016.