Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Twelve

-Lofoten Islands, Norway. Reading the "Ingrid Barroy Series" set in this magnificent location.



-Pileated Woodpecker.

“We need the tonic of wildness... At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”

~ Henry David Thoreau

"The play of shine and shade on the trees as the supple boughs wag,
The delight alone or in the rush of the streets, or along the fields and hillsides,
The feeling of health . . . . the full-noon trill . . . . the song of me rising from bed
and meeting the sun..."

-Leaves of Grass- Whitman

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:



June:

57- When the World Didn't End: A Memoir by Guinevere Turner 4 stars
58- Einstein by Jim Ottaviani 4 stars GN
59- A Separate Peace by John Knowles 4.2 stars
60- The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst 4.7 stars
61- Boone: A Biography by Robert Morgan 4.6 (audio)
62- The Fixer and Other Stories by Joe Sacco 4 stars GN
63- American Pastoral by Philip Roth 4.6 stars
64- The Angel of Rome: And Other Stories by Jess Walter 4.4 stars
65- Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami 3.8 stars (audio)

July:

66- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow & Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 4.2 stars
67- Strangers in Paradise (Book 1)- Terry Moore 4 stars GN
68- Prisoners of the Castle by Ben Macintyre 3.8 stars (audio)
69- Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje 4.3 stars
70- East of Eden by John Steinbeck 4.6 stars
71- All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby 4.2 stars (audio)
72- Harmony by Carolyn Parkhurst 3.3 stars
74-The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni 4 stars (audio)
75- I Meant it Once- Stories by Kate Doyle 3.3 stars ER
76- Last On His Feet: Jack Johnson by Adrian Matejka & Youssef Daoudi 5 stars GN

August:

77- Old God's Time by Barry Sebastian 4.6 (audio)
78- Chain-gang All-stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah 4.2 stars
79- 100 Poems That Matter by The Academy of American Poets 3.7 stars P
80- The Colony by Audrey Magee 5 stars w/Stasia
81- A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan 4.3 stars (audio)
82- Dinosaurs: A Novel by Lydia Millet 4 stars
83- The Last Ranger by Peter Heller 4 stars (audio)
84- The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 4.6 stars
85- The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson 3.2 stars
86- Trespasses: A Novel by Louise Kennedy 4.2 stars

September:

87- Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel 4.3 stars
88- All Hands on Deck by Will Sofrin 3.8 stars (audio)
89- Juliette by Camille Jourdy 4 stars GN
90- The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng 4.7 stars
91- No Ivy League by Hazel Newlevant 3.5 stars GN
92- Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 4.5 stars
93- Nowhere Girl: A Memoir by Cheryl Diamond 3.8 stars (audio)
94- Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, 1) by Rebecca Yarros 3.8 stars
95- Eyes of the Rigel by Roy Jacobsen 3.7 stars E
96- The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir by Wayétu Moore 3.5 stars (audio)
97- Night and Dana by Anya Davidson 4 stars GN

Poetry: P
GN: Graphic Novel

^ I was able to do some shared reading, this past year, with a few of my book buddies and I really enjoyed it. I would like this to continue through 2023. Primarily, I would like to read books off shelf, but I am still catching up with a few titles that I missed in the past year. I also would like to do a few rereads. I will list some titles and if you are interested, we will set a firm date.

The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst w/ Jeff, Benita June
East of Eden w/Linda P, Lynda, Meg, Paul, Anita, Susan- July
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng w/Donna, Caroline, Rhonda September
The Singapore Grip w/Benita September
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray w/Stasia, Benita, Anita, Ellen?? October
Gap Creek w/ Judy, Benita November
The House of Doors w/Ellen, Stasia December

Something Like We Did IV

Space is the place.
—Sun Ra

Wind in the leaves
of the live oak next door

and the June bugs
click-click

hard bodies
hitting the screen.

Couldn’t tell how much
time had passed.

Light from traffic
on the ceiling.

Late that sound
in the sky soft.

Thinking out loud
then inside my head:

they were still there—
the way they walked

that bright flicker
in their chests.

Sometimes I have believed

I don’t belong
here— I mean

it’s not just
the American insanities

but everywhere: the sense
of having been left

on Earth
with no explanation—

a mouse dropped in a maze

-by Tim Seibles

Hello?? Great Horned Owl chicks.

Happy new one, Mark. Wonderful toppers!!

Thanks, Shelley. I like that Norway pic.

"The third novel in a historical trilogy that began with the International Booker shortlisted The Unseen...

The journey had taken on its own momentum, it had become an autonomous, independent entity, she was searching for love, and was still happily unaware that truth is the first casualty of peace. The long war is over, and Ingrid Barroy leaves the island that bears her name to search for the father of her child."

^Okay the plan was to finish Fourth Wing and jump into The Singapore Grip but I then decided to slip in a slimmer novel in between a pair of chunksters. The Eyes of Rigel won out. I loved The Unseen & White Shadow and wanted to complete the trilogy. It also fits in with this month's AlphaKit: V & E. If this Norway series isn't on your radar- they should be.



^And once again, if anyone would like to join us on The Singapore Grip feel free. I will start it next week and Benita has already jumped in. It is also the last of a trilogy, which began with Troubles.

New 🧵 orisons, Mark. Enjoy the Sunday ahead.

Happy new one, Mark!

>10 richardderus: >11 katiekrug: Thanks RD & Katie!

Happy number 12, Mark.

>9 msf59: Mark, have you read the first two in the Farrell trilogy? I actually own an e-book of The Seige of Krishnapur but haven't gotten to it yet.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy new thread and happy Sunday to you.

From your last thread, great pic of some of the camping group. Too many Paul’s – three of ‘em – for the Booker.

>1 msf59: I always love seeing Pileated Woodpeckers.

>2 msf59: Very sweet pics of the boy.

Happy new thread, Mark!

>4 msf59: You can add me for Skippy Dies in October.

>2 msf59: So stinking’ cute! This is such a wonderful age!

Hi Mark. I'm definitely in for reading House of Doors in December. I'll get my copy in about three weeks. It looks like we'll have a few others joining us. Yay!

I've not yet read White Shadow although I have it on my shelf. I should read it soon to keep the thread going. I loved the first in the trilogy!

I didn't realize Troubles was first in a trilogy. I loved it when I read it a few years ago and I kept thinking about it while in Ireland. Tom, our trusty hiking guide during our last week there, was a wonderful source of historical and cultural knowledge. I want to read more while his stories are still fresh.

>2 msf59: Happy new thread, Mark! I love the Jackson pics. What a cutie!

Hi Mark, as usual I have fallen behind with the threads. You have some great reading planned for the rest of the year. I loved Skippy Dies when I read it a number of years ago and The Singapore Grip was my first of Farrell's trilogy and it certainly encouraged me to continue. I am currently enthralled by I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, she is an amazing writer.

Happy new thread, Mark!

>13 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

>14 ffortsa: Hi, Judy. Good to see you. Yes, I have been the first 2 books in the Empire Trilogy. Loved them both. If you would like to join us on the 3rd? Just sayin'...

>15 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Hooray for the camping group, pileated woodpeckers & Jackson time!!

>16 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I am so glad you are joining us on Skippy Dies.

>17 Storeetllr: It certainly is, Mary. Swoons...

>18 EBT1002: Happy Sunday, Ellen. I am glad you will be joining us for The House of Doors. Looking forward to it. I hope you continue the Empire Trilogy. Such an ambitious project.

>19 atozgrl: Thanks, Irene.

>20 DeltaQueen50: Happy Sunday, Judy. I am so glad to hear that you loved both The Singapore Grip & Skippy Dies. Very encouraging. I loved I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, although it has been many years.

>21 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

I have had Skippy Dies on my shelves for a few years. Perhaps I'll join the October group read!

Happy new thread Mark!

It's so fun to see joyous Jackson pictures!

Sunday went well, I hope?

Happy new thread!

Lofoten Islands look absolutely enchanting!

Happy New Thread, Mark! More fabulous pictures of Jack! Will he be heading out for Halloween this year? I was back at the bookstore again today, and bought a Halloween book for Melissa and Miles. I check with my son and DIL that they don't already have them. In my city (and probably yours ) we have two large shopping malls where each store has treats for the kids. and also in Steveston, there are a number of small stores and restaurants that hand out treats to the kids. so that is usually a safe bet , and that's Melissa and Miles go for Halloween.

I got out to walk the Poppy before the rain hit, so that is always a good day!

Happy New Thread, Mark! Magnificent thread topping photo, and great photos of Jack! (What a cutie!)

I was looking at the list of things you read in July, and am happy to see that you gave 4.2 stars to the audio of All the Sinners Bleed. I just downloaded that one from the library. (And now I'm going to listen to some of it, if I can just get my Bluetooth headphones to connect to my phone . . . )

>24 EBT1002: I tentatively added you to the shared list for Skippy Dies, Ellen. I hope you can join us.

>25 quondame: >27 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Susan & Anita!

>26 richardderus: My Sunday went swimmingly, RD, other than having to watch my Bears completely embarrass themselves. Hey, I got a nice chunk of reading in.

>28 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. I have no idea what Jack will be for Halloween but I am sure his parents will be taking him out. He is completely mobile now. Not sure where they will take him. I hope you got your walk in.

>29 tymfos: Thanks, Terri. Good to see you. Glad you like the pics. As you can see, I still like sharing them. I hope you enjoy All the Sinners Bleed. Beware it is pretty violent. Your first by Cosby?

^This was at Bree's horse show yesterday. Her beautiful horse is Vayda. She is getting Jack used to being around the mighty beast. So far he likes it. We left before she took him on the saddle but she said he liked it and kept saying "Good Girl". 😁❤️

‘Morning, Mark!

>31 msf59: Very sweet pic of Bree and Jackson. Glad he’s getting used to horses. He looks comfortable and happy up there.

We have a picture somewhere of Jenna, about 2 years or so, hugging on Aunt Ann’s horse Solar’s front leg. He was 16 or 17 hands, and Jenna was fearless. Fortunately, Solar didn’t spook.

>31 msf59: How wonderful for Jack to have the horsey life to grow up around!

Good week ahead, Birddude.

I had a good reading day yesterday with Singapore Grip. I hope to get more reading done on it today as well. I am 200 pages into the book. Don't worry - that is not as far in as it sounds. My copy is an old mass market paperback. The kind that is pocket size. The print is extra small and the pages are yellow. It is not fun to read, so I am trying to get through it as fast as possible.

The story is much more interesting to me than Siege of Krishnapur was. I have just finished the set up to the coming story and have been introduced to most of the major characters. (at least I think they are the major characters.) The last line of the chapter I finished last night - 25, is "...in two or three hours from now would come the first faint drone of Japanese bombers approaching from the north-east. But for the moment all was quiet."

I did a bit of research over the weekend on this trilogy. Troubles was published first, followed by Siege of Krishnapur and Singapore Grip was Farrell's last book that was published before his death. It was published in 1978. He won the Booker Prize for the earlier novel Siege of Krishnapur in 1973. Farrell used the 1973 Booker Prize acceptance speech as an opportunity to criticize the Booker Group for its business involvement in the agricultural sector in the Third World.

Singapore Grip is the third book in what was planned to be a quartet (much like Paul Scott's examination of India in the Raj Quartet.) Unfortunately, Farrell died before he had finished the fourth book which was titled Hill Station. There wasn't enough of the book written to publish it solely under Farrell's name so it is officially edited by a John Spurling with Farrell listed as the author. It was published posthumously in 1981.

Farrell died in 1979. He was Irish and had decided to return to live in Ireland. He was living on Sheep's Head peninsula in County Cork. He had only been there a few months, when he drowned, in Bantry Bay when he fell from the rocks while he was fishing. He was 44.

Farrell was a scathing critic of British colonial policies. I can say that attitude is very evident in the first 200 pages of this novel. So far, I find it less tongue-in-cheek than Siege of Krishnapur. It is much more straight forward in its approach to the events that are happening in the novel. The novel starts in 1941. The British establishment is so rigidly focused on holding on to power in the Malay Peninsula and Burma that they ignore world events. Even the fact that Britain has been at war with Germany since September 1939.

I have been introduced to some interesting characters are not what they seem to be. The major characters see three of these people as bumbling eccentrics, when they are the ones in Singapore with the clearest idea of what is coming. I am now fully invested in this novel and can't wait to see how Farrell develops the story. Which of the truly incompetent bunglers will continue to be incompetent bunglers, and which will mature in the coming years of the story? And which of the competent people will emerge as the heroes?

In the last year I have been reading a series of cozy mysteries by the Singaporean author Ovidia Yu. There are 6 books in this series set in Singapore starting in 1938. The sixth book in the series was published in 2022. They are historical murder mysteries and being cozies they are not heavy hitting historical mysteries. They are targeting a different audience than is J. G. Farrell. I learned about this series from Suzanne and I find them enjoyable reading. However, the picture of Singapore in 1942, as depicted by Ovidia Yu is much different from the Singapore of Farrell's book. In the Yu books, Singapore is much more provincial and a quiet backwater of the Empire. Farrell paints a picture of a teeming crowded rowdy harbor town, with multiple ships going in and out of the harbor and a multicultural Red Light District that is very active. The British of Farrell's book are rowdy and crass - even the women. The British of Yu's books are staid and steady, quiet middle class people trying to get along in a quiet backwater part of the Empire.

The heroine of Yu's book is a half caste Chinese/Japanese woman whose Chinese grandmother is the head of one of the Tong's in Singapore. Yu us ethnically Chinese and probably brings to her books her cultural baggage. Farrell is Irish and undoubtedly is bringing his cultural, historical, and social baggage with him to this novel as well. Farrell's hero is a well education rich British man in his early 30's who has very different political views than does his business partner, an older British gentleman who believes that the "natives" are lazy, indolent, uneducated, and need "direction" in their everyday lives.

Given Singapore's geographical position in the Straits of Malacca there is no doubt about the city being a crossroads of cultures and a prime place for the clash that results from that location so I understand why Farrell would pick this as the location for his novel. Singapore, in the 1940's was a city teeming with refugees from China, and was home to a huge Indian population due to the importing of cheap labor by the British right after the founding of the city. Of course, there were also native Malays and the city had multiple languages. All of this makes it a great place to be the home of a novel. I realize that both pictures of Singapore presented by both authors may be correct for that time and place, but I am finding the differences in the two pictures of Singapore fascinating and keep going back and forth between the two scenarios as I am reading.

>2 msf59: He is just too cute!

>9 msf59: The Troubles trilogy is well worth the read. I hope you enjoy the last book as you finish it up, Mark.

>31 msf59: A budding equestrian on your hands, it looks like. I hope he continues to enjoy the horse's company!

Happy new thread!

>32 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Glad you like the pics. As you can see Bree is quite the horse-lover so she is hoping that Jack becomes one too. Sean is not a horse-lover. LOL.

>33 richardderus: Hey, RD. All good here sir. Just kicking back with Juno and the books at the moment.

>34 benitastrnad: >35 benitastrnad: This is why I like doing a shared read with you, Benita. You dive in deep. LOL. Thanks for all the great info. I plan on starting The Singapore Grip tomorrow. It is just under 600 pages, with small print but not as small as yours. It will take awhile. I knew Farrell was deceased but I didn't know that he died so young and accidentally.

The Ovidia Yu mystery series sounds interesting. Cool that you are reading about the same place & time but from a different perspective.

>36 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. Yah, for Jackson. We will have to see if Jack becomes a horse-lover. His father is not. LOL. Looking forward to starting The Singapore Grip tomorrow.

Happy new thread, Mark! Love the happy Jackson photos, and hope he continues to like horses.

‘Morning, Mark! Still dark out, so no bird report.

>37 msf59: I’m not a horse lover either, from the standpoint of riding, mucking out stalls, feeding, watering, paying for vet/farrier/food bills, and etc. I am a horse lover from the standpoint of loving them in our pastures work free and getting paid lease fees to have them here.

>39 bell7: Thanks, Mary. You know I love sharing my Jack pics.

>40 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Still dark here too. I am somewhere in between when it comes to horses. I do not mind riding them from time to time and I certainly like looking at them but the rest...

Memory of a Bird

What is left is a beak,
a wing,
a sense of feathers,

the rest lost
in a pointless blur of tiny
rectangles.

The bird has flown,
leaving behind
an absence.

This is the very
essence
of flight--a bird

so swift
that only memory
can capture it

The Birds

are heading south, pulled
by a compass in the genes.
They are not fooled
by this odd November summer,
though we stand in our doorways
wearing cotton dresses.
We are watching them

as they swoop and gather—
the shadow of wings
falls over the heart.
When they rustle among
the empty branches, the trees
must think their lost leaves
have come back.

The birds are heading south,
instinct is the oldest story.
They fly over their doubles,
the mute weathervanes,
teaching all of us
with their tailfeathers
the true north.

-Linda Pastan

^ I am currently reading Patan's collection Almost an Elegy and enjoying it very much.

>31 msf59: Glad he is making friends with the wider family Mark.

Hoping for another lovely fall day out your way, Birddude.

>43 Caroline_McElwee: He is getting there, Caroline. 😁

>44 richardderus: Hey, RD. Rain is moving out, so I will take Juno for a walk. Otherwise, a chill day so far with the books.

-Harry Bliss

>Hi Mark - I love your thread topper! I've been to Norway but didn't get that far north - it's definitely a trip I'd love to take in the future. I finished Eyes of the Rigel a few weeks ago and really loved the trilogy. I read somewhere that there's a fourth book but I don't know if it's been translated.

>46 msf59: Hahaha. Cute!

>46 msf59: I love that.

>46 msf59: Yes we will. Enjoy the beautiful weather coming up.

Have a terrific Tuesday, Mark!

>47 vivians: Hi, Vivian. Great to see you. I hope to visit Norway one of these days, especially the far north. I finished Eyes of the Rigel today. I liked it but did not love it. A good trilogy, though. Yes, there is a fourth of there too.

>48 Storeetllr: >49 EBT1002: Glad you like the Bliss cartoon.

>50 richardderus: Hey, RD. Rain here the next 2 days but a gorgeous weekend on the horizon. Yah!

"Singapore, 1939: life on the eve of World War II just isn't what it used to be for Walter Blackett, head of British Singapore's oldest and most powerful firm. No matter how forcefully the police break one strike, the natives go on strike somewhere else...A love story and a war story, a tragicomic tale of a city under siege and a dying way of life."

I am glad to be finally getting to The Singapore Grip, the last book in the Empire Trilogy. I am also glad to be doing a shared read with Benita on this one. She is way ahead of me at this point. If you are on the fence about this trilogy or just haven't got to it, try Troubles, the first book and you will be hooked.

"The city of Singapore was not built up gradually, the way most cities are, by a natural deposit of commerce on the banks of some river or at a traditional confluence of trade routes. It was simply invented one morning in the nineteenth century by a man looking at a map..."

And I am off. 40 pages in...540 pages left to go. Thankfully his writing is excellent. Sadly, we lost this incredibly talented author in 1979, at the tender age of 44.

I'm adding the Empire Trilogy to my Retirement Reading list. That list has several trilogies and other short series (e.g., Ali Smith's Seasonal quartet) and there are a few authors whose oeuvre I want to tackle (e.g., Colm Toibin).

>38 msf59:
The Ovidia Yu mystery series is the Crown Colony series. So far all of the books in the series have some kind of tree in the title. It is a cozy series so the focus is totally different from the Farrell trilogy.

I just got to page 310 today. That is not half way in my copy. I have to make sure to read at least an hour a day just on this book or I won't have it finished by the end of the month. Skippy Dies is also a big book, so I am having to keep myself on track with the Singapore Grip.

Overall, I am enjoying this novel much more than Siege of Krishnapur. I think that might be due to the fact that this novel is the third in a series in which all of the novels are about how Britain obtained and maintained its wealth. It is very clear in this novel where Farrell's politics and sympathies lie. Even the language that is used in the book gives the reader a depth of feeling about Farrell's point-of-view. All the servants are Chinese and they are all called "boy." The refugees from China are despised, and Walter, the major character only cares about how he can use the surplus of labor to drive down wages giving his company a better profit margin. He constantly schemes about how much money he can swindle his own government out of, or how to cheat better on his taxes. All this in the face of a war that he knows the British will win because the Japs simply aren't as good of fighters as the British Army. It is unthinkable to him that the Japs even know how to fly planes, so the RAF will keep Singapore safe. When the "Prince of Wales" and the "Repulse" are sunk by Japanese airplanes he can't imagine how an airplane would be able to sink either of those ships.

In some ways this novel is very current. The issue at the heart of this novel is how Britain got its wealth and how it stacked the system to keep others from getting a piece of that wealth. It is about Colonialism and what is discussed in this novel is very much the same kind of arguments going on today about how Racism has kept minorities in the US from getting their slice of the economic pie. Even though my copy of the book carries a 1986 copyright date this novel is very relevant and current.

Yes I have gotten my walks in every day, thanks Mark. We've had rain each of those days, but I managed to escape most of the rain by walking - as luck would have it - when it was not raining - or not much . What sort of part time job are you starting ?

>54 EBT1002: You have some great retirement reading ahead of you, Ellen. Of course, you have all your other interests too. I predict you will not be bored.

>55 benitastrnad: For once you are ahead of me, Benita but I completely agree with your thoughts on Walter and colonialism- keeping the peasants down and profits up is their life mission. I am not sure I will be able to read more than 60 pages a day, so it will also take me a while too but the fine writing keeps the pages turning.

>56 vancouverdeb: You take good care of Poppy and she takes good care of you, Deb. We have also been dealing with a fair amount of rain but after today, it looks like clear skies through the weekend.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

>53 msf59: I’ve just added Troubles to my wish list.

Errands, reading, puttering for me today.

>58 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I hope you can get to Troubles one of these days. A perfect kick off point. Enjoy your reading and puttering.

>57 msf59:
I took the time to read for 1 hour this morning and I am now on page 370 of my copy of Singapore Grip. The picture keeps getting grimmer and grimmer while getting to be funnier and funnier. This morning I was laughing out loud at one of the scenes.

Yes. Indeed, this novel is fine writing. I think it is better writing than in Siege of Krishnapur. Of course, it may be that my internal knowledge of the events of 1941 and 1942 is much greater and therefore my understanding of what is going on in the wider world is better, which, allows me to understand the jokes in the novel. I also think that this novel is a much more engaging than Krishnapur on many levels. The main character is much more of a caricature of the British businessman than was the lead character in Krishnapur.

However, I can say, unequivocally that the marriageable age men in both stories are weirdo's and crackpots who are easily lead about by the lure of sex. Who would want to marry them?

>54 EBT1002: I have been kind of doing the same thing, Ellen. Last year I tackled all of Jane Austen and this year, I read all of Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. I am switching it up a bit for next year. Planning the following years reads is part of the fun of retirement, lol.

>60 msf59: Lol

Happy Wednesday, Mark!

>61 benitastrnad: Hey, Benita. You are moving right along with Singapore Grip. I am glad you are still finding it so engaging. I read a nice chunk today. Currently at the 130 page mark. Old man Webb has passed on and Matthew Webb has recently arrived, (I like his character in the early going). Joan has her sights set.

I liked Siege of Krishnapur more than you did. It worked for me.

>62 alcottacre: Happy Wednesday, Stasia. It was a good afternoon with the books. I would like to do a reread of Austen too.

-Tom Gauld??

>64 msf59: He wins my heart again!

>65 richardderus: He rarely fails, right, RD?

>31 msf59: Hi Mark! Jack's a brave boy, up on the big horse. I'm glad he likes it so far.

Singapore Grip sounds fascinating!

>64 msf59: That's a good one!

>61 benitastrnad:
I think that Farrell was getting better as a writer with each book he published. It seems to me that in Singapore Grip he has decided what message he wants the novel to blast out to the universe and he has decided on a clear incident in history to use as the vehicle.

I am finding the Colonial history in this novel fascinating. As the novel goes on, you will see more and more details of the finances of the rubber industry. It seems clear to me that Farrell is using this as a microcosm of the financial dealings (that really should say financial corruption) that was common throughout the British Empire. His message is that a government that is that corrupt should not be allowed to stand.

I am also intrigued by all of the Jim Crow type rules and regulations that keep popping up in the book. These make it easy to understand why the Colonies wanted their independence.

There is a scene at about page 350 in my copy that takes place in a Chinese Death House in which a Chinese man who worked for years as an independent rubber producer on his own land tells Matthew exactly how Blackett and Webb cheated him out of a fair price for his product.

By-the-way, did you get the pun in the name of the company? I confess - I didn't notice it until today.

>68 benitastrnad: Sweet Thursday, Benita. Thanks for sharing your many thoughts on SG. Yesterday, was my favorite stretch of the novel. Hoping for more of the same today. His research skills and wide knowledge is truly awe-inspiring. No, I have not caught the pun in the firm name...yet.

Thursday orisons, Birddude!

>70 richardderus: Good morning, RD. Sweet Thursday! It is going to a gorgeous day in Chicagoland. Hope to get some reading in outdoors.

94-Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, 1) by Rebecca Yarros 3.8 stars

Fourth Wing is the first in a fantasy series and has been a surprise hit of the summer. This one deals with a War College for Dragon Riders and focuses on twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail, who rises through the ranks, despite the many deadly challenges that these students must overcome. The romance is a bit mushy for my taste but otherwise I found it a fun and enjoyable ride and I will probably continue the series. 3.5 stars

95- Eyes of the Rigel by Roy Jacobsen 3.7 stars

I really enjoyed the first 2 books in this historical series, set on a remote island in Norway. This novel also features Ingrid Barroy but this story, set just after WWII, is about her quest to find the father of her baby, which she also totes along, covering hundreds of miles. I preferred the series when it focused on the everyday life on these islands, so this was my least favorite of the series but I still recommend giving this one a try.

I reached page 430 this morning in my copy of the book. It is in part 4, chapter 29. I have just reached the part about the fall of Kuala Lumpur. It is pitiful that the main characters in this novel had absolutely no comprehension about what was going on back home at this time. They kept expecting to get reinforcements from the RAF and supplies. Even after the sinking of the "Prince of Wales" and the "Repulse" they had no clue that air cover was NOT coming from Britain. I keep wondering why they weren't reading newspapers from the US which would have given them a picture of the state of things in the "old country?" At this point in time, the US was not involved in the war so US newspapers and radio would have given them an idea that things were desperate in Great Britain and that there was no way they could supply reinforcements of troops or material. Walter is so blind and pompous. The only characters who has any sense is Matthew, the Major, and the French Diplomat Francois,

So much for my emotional reactions to the novel. I did want to mention that in my research over the weekend I discovered that Major Archer is the only character Farrell ever created to reappear in his novels. Archer is in both "Troubles" and in "Singapore Grip."

The other thought that has occurred to me while reading this novel, is that we seldom see these great sweeping historical epics in modern literature. We have epic fantasy (think Game of Thrones). There is epic biography, such as the one McCoullough wrote about Adams. There is epic history such as the trilogy about the Civil Rights movement that Stasia just read. The only epic work of historical fiction that I can think of being written currently is Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander series - and this one gets tagged as historical romance and therefore lost lots of readers. This is a real shame as this kind of novel offers an author so much freedom in style and in approach to the subject. By that I mean that Farrell, choice to present his historical work in a satirical and cynical format. Who does that today in a 700 page novel? Very few. I think it is because readers don't want to devout the time and thought it takes to read this kind of epic. I know that I have had to set aside 1 hour a day and am trying to read 30 pages at least, and that is taking some effort on my part. (I keep thinking that finding that time should be easier because I AM retired, but somehow it isn't.) I am sure that I will be thinking about this novel for a long time into the future, but it is taking much effort on my part.

>64 msf59: I love that.

‘Afternoon, Mark! Sweet Thursday to you.

>64 msf59: Looks like Gauld, amusing.

Got a memoir that might interest you. it won't be published until November but it sounds like one you will be interested in. It got a starred review in Publisher's Weekly. Here is the Publisher's Weekly review of it.

What the Taliban Told Me by Ian Fritz. Simon & Schuster, $29.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-6680-1069-3

Fritz holds nothing back in this raw and engrossing debut memoir about his experiences in Afghanistan as a cryptologic linguist for the U.S. Air Force. Raised by his single mother in Lake City, Fla., Fritz had to work long hours in a Chinese restaurant to help ensure that his family’s utility bills were paid. Exhaustion resulted in subpar grades, despite his academic promise and love of literature, and Fritz was rejected from every college he applied to. In 2007, he followed up on an Army recruiter’s high school presentation about becoming a cryptic linguist, and was accepted to the Air Force’s language school in Monterey, Calif., where he learned Dari, the official language of Afghanistan. In 2011, Fritz arrived in Afghanistan, and soon began listening to suspected Taliban fighters’ communications while flying above them in massive military aircraft, tasked with determining in real time who was a threat and who was an innocent civilian. Over time, Fritz grew horrified by the deaths his work facilitated and increasingly dubious about the war’s goals, having become attuned to the humanity of “enemy” forces by spending so long listening to their mundane exchanges. His mental turmoil led to thoughts of suicide and a decision to leave the military. After Fritz graduated from Columbia University, he went to medical school and became a physician. The grim subject matter is often leavened by welcome humor, and Fritz’s slow-moving evolution from soldier to healer is profoundly moving. This is a standout wartime memoir.

>64 msf59: Hmmm, tough choice.

>72 msf59: I have Fourth Wing here to read one of these days. I will have to look for the Roy Jacobsen books.

>64 msf59: This is true. 😂🤣

I hope all is well with you. Do you have some October camping planned?

>30 msf59: Yes, All the Sinners Bleed is my first Cosby. I had been warned about the content prior to starting. Pretty heavy stuff, but a real "page turner" (sans pages for the audio) so far.

>64 msf59: LOL!

>73 benitastrnad: >76 benitastrnad: I love your thoughts on Singapore Grip, Benita. "The only characters who has any sense is Matthew, the Major, and the French Diplomat Francois." I am with you completely. I just finished chapter 26, so a little behind you. I haven't got to the Kuala Lumpur part. I also agree with you on your observation that no one is writing these types of historical epics, especially with a satirical edge. A shame.

I got a real kick of "The Great World" visit and the woman being shot out of the cannon. What a hoot!

Thanks for your recommendation of What the Taliban Told Me. Sounds really interesting.

>75 karenmarie: Sweet Thursday, Karen. It has been a good day. Hooray for Gauld!

>77 alcottacre: I think you will have a good time with Fourth Wing, Stasia. The second book in the series, Iron Flame comes out in November.

>78 The_Hibernator: Sweet Thursday, Rachel. I have an Iowa camping trip coming up. It will be the last one of the year. Our ninth.

>79 tymfos: I am glad you are enjoying All the Sinners Bleed, Terri. I am sure it is very good on audio. I hope this inspires you to read his earlier work. He is a talent.

>81 msf59: The retired book reviewer from our county newspaper (which no longer runs book reviews) writes reviews for our library website, and I generally buy books she reviews for the collection. Cosby seems to be one of her favorites.

>72 msf59: Hey Mark. If no one else has claimed it, I'll take your Fourth Wing copy. It seems like a fun read.

And thanks for the The Killer suggestion, its a great read so far.

>82 tymfos: That sounds like quite an endorsement, Terri. 😁👍

>83 mahsdad: Hey, Jeff. Fourth Wing is yours. I will try to get it out next week. Glad you are enjoying The Killer. Joe is also loving it. He is reading the Complete Edition. I have Volume 2 waiting for me at the library.

"They don’t worry about Trump torching the country if he’s re-elected, because they believe that they will frolic in the ashes. They believe that whatever benefits Trump will eventually benefit them. Trump has deceived his people into believing in trickle-down tyranny."

-Opinion piece. New York Times

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you.

>81 msf59: My mother’s family is from Cedar Rapids, and I still have an uncle/wife and cousins in the area. Where are you going to be in Iowa?

>85 msf59: Sigh.

>85 msf59: There is no way to make a cultist unbelieve. Atheists have been trying for a long time. Belief is immune to logic, evidence, lack of evidence, or anything else that interferes with the addiction to Being Right.

>85 msf59: Unfortunately, all too true. Sigh.

>85 msf59: We’ll put, and too damn true, I’m afraid.

>87 richardderus: Agree.

>81 msf59: I may wait until it gets closer to the time of the follow up book's release before I read Fourth Wing so I do not completely forget the happenings in it before I start the second one! Thanks for letting me know, Mark.

>85 msf59: So true and so very sad.

Have a wonderful weekend, Mark!

>80 msf59:
Last night I remembered that Ken Follett is writing sweeping historical fiction. But his work isn't always the biting kind of social commentary that the Farrell novels have proved to be. It is quite a talent that can tell a story with humor and outright sarcasm and yet make it social commentary without falling into screed territory.

I had hopes that I would finish Singapore Grip this weekend, but I have a heavy schedule for the weekend and don't think that will happen. I have about 250 pages to read.

>86 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. I will be camping near Iowa City. First time at this campground.

>87 richardderus: " Belief is immune to logic..." I think that sums it up right there, RD.

>88 atozgrl: >89 Storeetllr: It just never stops, right?

>90 alcottacre: Happy Friday, Stasia. Good plan on Fourth Wing. I might do the second book on audio.

>91 benitastrnad: I really enjoyed the first 2 Pillars of the Earth books, Benita but they are in a different class than the Empire Trilogy, IMHO.

I am closing in on the halfway point in Singapore Grip. Currently on chapter 33. Japan has attacked. Matthew is coming out of his fever delirium, the Human Condition has arrived and Walter wants to put on a parade. I hope to read a nice chunk over the weekend.

Stopping by to say hi, Mark , and enjoy Singapore Grip.

>93 msf59:
I spent a bit more time reading this afternoon than I thought I would and I am now about 200 pages from the end. It is looking grim on the front lines of Singapore - bombs, fire, and Walter still trying to find a husband for Joan.

>94 vancouverdeb: Happy Saturday, Deb. Yep, I am enjoying The Singapore Grip very much. Thanks.

>95 benitastrnad: I am so glad you are motoring along with SG, Benita. You normally don't get through such a big book so quickly, right?

"It’s Holy Week in the small town of Las Penas, New Mexico, and thirty-three-year-old unemployed Amadeo Padilla has been given the part of Jesus in the Good Friday procession. He is preparing feverishly for this role when his fifteen-year-old daughter Angel shows up pregnant on his doorstep and disrupts his plans for personal redemption..."

I picked up Five Wounds on Audible quite a while back. I know Jeff is a fan but I don't recall a lot of other LT activity on this one. I just started it. Reminds me a bit of Luis Alberto Urrea.

^Some recent acquisitions. All look promising. Joe recommended the Yeats, a poet I have never really explored. A couple of GNs I plan on enjoying. I will start This Other Eden soon. The Dayhiker's Guide I just received from ER. It looks perfect.

Good afternoon, Mark! Happy Saturday.

>92 msf59: Iowa City is where my mother met my father – they were both in the music department at the U of Iowa @ Iowa City.

>98 msf59: Yay for acquisitions, especially with the Postal Truck stamp of approval.

I've just seen finches and Cardinals today, and somebody knocked my hummingbird feeder down. I'll put out one more, to give them some energy for their migration. I also need to put more suet out.

Happy Saturday, Mark! I know, a rare Joe sighting. I’ll try to behave. Nice haul up in >98 msf59:. I’m very curious about the Paul Harding. Could he win the Booker twice? (Didn’t Tinkers win?)

My next is the Emily Wilson translation of The Iliad, which I imagine will take awhile. I’m almost done with the terrific GN The complete The Killer which you got me started on. Not everybody’s flavor, but it’ll be hard to beat as my favorite GN of the year, even more so than Ducks.

What beautiful weather we’re having! Poor NYC! That friend you met from there, Phil, is taking it all in with a sense of humor, sending a photo of a man floating on an inner tube in the flooded street.

We both had our Spanish lesson this morning and now Becca and Indy are visiting. Hope you have a great rest of the weekend.

>85 msf59:. "Trickle Down Tyranny", that's a great phrase---very apt.

>99 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I am happy with my acquisitions. I don't think I have been to Iowa City. Cool to hear that your parents met there. My feeders have been fairly active.

>100 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. Great to see you over here, my friend. I am looking forward to the latest Harding. I think Tinkers won the Pulitzer, not the Booker. Good luck with The Iliad and I am so glad that you loved The Killer so much.

Bummer about NYC and that blast of rain. Yep, I am enjoying my weekend. Heading to a brewery later on.

>101 banjo123: I love that line too, Rhonda. Happy Saturday.

>95 benitastrnad: Read a nice chunk today, Benita. I am into Part 4 and starting chapter 43. Penang has fallen, Francois has new clothes, the wedding is off, Matthew runs into Vera. Definitely keeping my interest.

Saw the pic over on Katie’s thread. Wow, dude, you scored!

>104 drneutron: Hi, Jim. The bourbon tasting went very well. I highly recommend the Oak & Eden and it is under $40.

Hello October! I am happy to report that September was another terrific reading month for me, both in both quantity and quality. I read 11 books. 3 of those were GNs and 3 hovered around the 4.5 star mark. The Gift of Rain and Tom Lake were my favorites. I could also include The Singapore Grip but I won't finish that for a few more days. I read 4 off shelf, with one being an audio backlog. I hope to do better there but there are so many new books I still want to read.

October Picks:

This Other Eden by Paul Harding AlphaKit: H
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray (shared read)
How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair AlphaKit: H
Our Strangers: Stories by Lydia Davis

>106 msf59: Your October picks sound very good indeed, Birddude.

Enjoy the lovely fall weather.

>107 richardderus: Hey, RD. Yep, looking forward to my October reads. Do you plan ahead in your reading or do you go off the cuff?

^At the zoo with Grandma yesterday. There was a carousel there and that seemed to be his favorite.

>108 msf59: I go by outlines...within a set parameter, I mood-read what gives me the welcoming eye at thet moment.

>109 msf59: Happy faces!

Happy Sunday, Mark! Hasn't this weather been awesome!! The coming week has sunshine and warm temps every day. Perfect for a hike, catching those birdies migrating south or just reading on the deck.
I very much enjoyed The Other Eden. One of my picks for the Booker. If I Survive You is another top pick for me.

>110 richardderus: It is interesting how many mood readers there are here. I normally have a few books in mind for the month and usually stick to it. Of course, getting books read off the shelf in always a priority for me, so these selections could be mood orientated.

>111 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda. Good to see you. Yep, I completely agree with you about our current weather. Even when it is sunny and 80-plus, it doesn't feel like August heat and the nights remain cool.

I hope to get out to do some hiking and birding this week. Looking forward to This Other Eden.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday to you.

>106 msf59: Congrats on a great reading month.

>109 msf59: Sweet pic of Sue and Jackson. Both look happy to be there with each other.

>110 richardderus: and >112 msf59: I’m a mood reader and have also learned that challenges don’t work for me. Seems too much like homework. I even have trouble reading all the books for my RL book club. I just abandoned Shy by Max Porter, which will be discussed next Sunday. I’ll go to the meeting, however, because every once in a while the discussion prompts me to want to actually re-start a book I thought I’d abandoned. Plus I like the women in the group.

Right now I’m reading 5 books, switching when the mood strikes me. *smile*

>106 msf59:/>109 msf59: My! How he’s grown! And getting cuter by the day. How fun that you and Sue got to take him to the zoo. Brookfield? My grands love carousels too.

>113 karenmarie: I’m with you on that about challenges = assigned reading = homework.

TBH, challenges of any kind stress me out. These days, I just wanna have fun.

I have about 70 pages to read in Singapore Grip.

You are correct about my being slow to get reading done. However, being retired has helped. I now do most of my reading in the morning while drinking my coffee. I also try to read for 1 hour while I eat my lunch. It has been easier to fall into these patterns now that I am in Tuscaloosa and not in Munden doing all that other work that needed to be done. Her active times were definitely different than mine and that upset my routine.

I hope to start Skippy Dies tonight. I want to get these two books (it and Singapore Grip) off my plate ASAP as I have other reading to do for other reading groups.

>113 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. September treated me just fine. I like that Sue & Jack pic. I knew you were one of those "mood" readers and you are certainly not alone.

>114 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. Only the women went to the zoo on Saturday with Jack and yes it was Brookfield Zoo. It was very crowded so I am glad I didn't go. Hey, nothing wrong with comfort reading.

>115 benitastrnad: You have done a great job getting through The Singapore Grip, Benita. I will have 2 more days of reading left. You will also get a big head start on Skippy Dies too, since I am reading This Other Eden first.

>109 msf59: He knows he's indulging the grand-ones!

>112 msf59: >113 karenmarie: I can do challenge reading but from time to time just go into mood read mode. And I do sometimes drop a book I picked up for a challenge if I just can't right now.

>116 msf59:
I finished!!!! Singapore Grip was a book well worth reading.

The pun in Blackett and Webb - Black(ett) as in the color Black, or Black deeds, or Black as sin. Webb, as in spider webb, webb of lies, webb of deceit.

'Morning, Mark!

Too early for the bird report. I've got some errands today and some reading to do, of course.

>117 quondame: Hi, Susan. Jack had a good time with the ladies. Glad to hear you are a mix of mood/challenge in your reading life.

>118 benitastrnad: Hooray! Don't post your final thoughts until I finish. I should be done tomorrow. Thanks for the Blackett and Webb pun. I would have never got it. Very clever, though.

>119 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Up early, eh? Good luck with those errands.

>120 msf59:
It came to me while I was reading one of the fire fighting scenes. Blackett was at home worrying about his rubber and why couldn't he just deal with Japs as he had been dealing with the other races? The scene switched to Matt who was fighting the fire and comparing it to spider webs, while he was thinking about economics and the failures of the European powers.

I loved the fire fighting scenes. He sure can write a battle scene - even when it is a battle between men and fire. Those reminded me of some of the scenes in Connie Willis's book To Say Nothing of the Dog.

Mark, when are we starting Skippy Dies? Just asking for planning purposes.

Have a lovely evening!

>121 benitastrnad: Good thoughts on the firefighting scenes, Benita. The fierce attacks on Singapore are intense. I did find it amusing that Monty fled on the ship with the singing group and tried to get Matthew to join him. I have less than 50 pages left. It is a bit of an exhausting read but so much of it is top-notch.

>122 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. I think Benita has started Skippy Dies. I plan on starting it this weekend, if you want to join me then. I want to bookhorn a shorter novel before I start that one.

-Scott Stantis