The Library

[Jonathan]

The Library Our library  is open 24/7; the welcome mat is always out. Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.

Well! What's this all about? I've just come home with EDUCATED, I'm eager to learn. Even the sales clerk was enthusiastic. Her reading clerk is discussing it. And just in tme. I've just finished Hiking With Nietzsche. A great read, Barb.

It's always good to hear from you, Ginny.

[bellamarie]

Ginny, so far the remodel has only been my hubby, brother in law and myself.  Between the three of us we have managed to do quite a bit of the work.  Now it comes to picking out the counters and back splash.  I'm so frustrated with all the choices out there, granite, quartz, Corian, laminate and Formica. I over think, and over research everything, so I think I am driving my hubby crazy, going back and forth to five and six different stores to decide. We will hire someone to come in and install them once I've made my final choice.

I did read some of Educated at my online library site, and it looks very interesting.  I have placed the book on hold, and will probably not get it for awhile, since there are 20 ahead of me.  Sounds like a pretty popular read.  Just from you posts, it does sound like it would make for a good discussion.

My other book club will begin discussing Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy in a few days.  I really enjoyed this book.  Nothing what I could have guessed it to be. 

[hats]

Bellamarie, I need to make time for The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. There is no way to write how I feel about it yet. Tomereader, I finished Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. This is Historical Fiction that is worthy of ten million recommendations and *****. Several times I became very emotional about what happened to the children, the horrible behavior of those in authority and couldn't help but long for a world where all children would never need to experience tragedy. Barb, your Silk Road discussion takes my breath. Sorry I couldn't take part or have time to read the whole discussion.

[bellamarie]

hats,  I read Before We Were Yours back in the summer, and it truly made me so sad, for days after I finished the book I could not stop those emotions.  Knowing this actually happened to children, was unthinkable.  That book will forever be a reminder of sadness, still makes my heart hurt just typing this.

[BarbStAubrey]

In one of the weekly emails I get about books re-published in special bindings was this gem...

"50 years ago, in 1969, Richard M. Nixon became president in January, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin walked on the moon in July, and in August some 400,000 rock fans descended on a dairy farm near New York State’s Catskill Mountains for an open-air music festival that would lend its name to a generation: Woodstock.

Less publicly but no less significantly, in October the first message was sent over the ARPANET data network from a computer science lab at UCLA—thus giving rise to the medium through which you’re reading this message.

A number of enduring books were published in the United States that year as well, ranging from above-ground sensations like Portnoy’s Complaint to the paperback original The Left Hand of Darkness."


Which made me curious as to what else was published in 1969 - Slaughterhouse Five was included, along with, The Godfather and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The French Lieutenant's Woman, Rich Man Poor Man, Papillon, oh and Sounder, Master and Commander. I did not realize Agatha Christi was still being published but her Halloween Party was published in 1969 along with The Poseidon Adventure, de Maurier's The House on the Strand. OH my and get this Albert Speers Inside the Third Reich was published in 1969, that is 24 years after the end of WWII. Lots more but those titles stood out as now classics, many had been made into a movie.

Do you remember what was happening in your life in 1969?

[Tomereader1]

Raising two children and working.  Good thing WE didn't have internet then, I'd never have gotten any housework done in my spare hour.

[Jonathan]

I've just finished reading eduated. A totally absorbing read. I found myself wondering what it must have taken to write the book. Where does the family go from here? Would you like to read more?

[hats]

I did keep a blue, gold locked diary in the Sixties. If it were in my hands, I could write about those past days. Unfortunately, I don't have it or I should write fortunately it is lost! Being young, I put my heart on the page without any inhibitions. Anyway, I really can't remember that year. I must have been job hunting. My friend and I wanted to work in Center City as Clerk Typists after graduating high school.

I do remember reading I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I felt sad and shocked by what the author had gone through in her life. I fell in love with Maya Angelou's brother and Grandmother. Also could see the Arkansas store so clearly in my mind. I might have read the memoir after visiting my sister in North Carolina. Where she lived reminded me of Arkansas. The place was small and rural. Every person knew the other person or were relatives. The location was very different from the big city.

[hats]

So  busy thinking of yesteryear, I forgot to write about Educated. For a few Sundays, it has appeared in my Sunday newspaper on the Book Review List. I would love to read it. There are eleven copies at my library. All are checked out. I might find a few pennies under the bed or in the car to buy this one.  It has my interest.

[bellamarie]

Hmmmm... 1969, I suppose since I was seventeen years old, a Junior in High School, I would imagine I was just enjoying life as a teen.

[Jonathan]

Who could forget Woodstock? I still enjoy watching a video I have. But in 1969, Sundays at noon, we were also in the habit of listening to the Mormam Tabernacle Choir singing in 'the shadow of the everlasting hills' in Salt Lake City. I was reminded of this after reading about the Choir singing 'O My Father', in Tara Westover's book. I've always found it very moving. But what a strange thing she makes of it in Educated. The words are by an early Morman poet, Eliza R. Snow. To say any more might be a spoiler.

Buy a copy, Hats. It's a keeper. Everybody's reading it. Poor Tara. Her education comes at a high cost.

[bellamarie]

Jonathan,  I was at my library yesterday to see if they had Educated, there are thirty people ahead of me on the waiting list.  The librarian, (do we even refer to those who sit behind a desk and look up information on a computer a "librarian" anymore?)...... anyway, he said he would add me to the large print copy, because most people do not consider it, so I may get it earlier.  He said, this book is all the rave, at the present time.  All the hype, I hope when I finally read it, it does not disappoint.

Woodstock, oh dear, I would never have been allowed to go near that event.  I too love the Mormon Tabernacle choir, especially at Christmas time.

[BarbStAubrey]

Cleaning up my computer and found this - 20 years ago this year...

[bellamarie]

Barb,  What a great find!!!  A wonderful group of ladies and gents, some gone, but not forgotten.

I have begun reading the book, Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia  Owens.  This book captured my interest in just the first few paragraphs, and has me on the edge of my seat, reading and turning pages so quickly, just to find out more of what happens.  It does remind me just a bit of Before We Were Yours, in the fact it deals with the poverty in the marshes of North Carolina, and being an orphan.  Seven year old Kya, grips at my heartstrings, and I find myself thinking of her, even when I am not reading the book. 

[Frybabe]

The title has been pulling at me for a while, Bellamarie, though I haven't looked into it yet.

Barb, I finally, finally found a non-fiction ghost book I can live with. I really didn't think the Mary Celeste book was right for the list, although it is interesting. What I did find is Pennsylvania Ghosts, which to my mind is much shorter than it should be for PA. So far, I've read only one from the Gettysburg area (I know there are plenty more) having to do with the nearby Cashtown Inn. There are two reports of ghosts in Bethlehem, where I lived for eight years, which I never heard about. The Bethlehem Hotel hosts at least three ghosts from different incidents and rooms. The closest sightings to me, so far, belong to Bube's Brewery in Mount Joy, a well known brewery and restaurant complex that hosts several interesting special dinner attractions over the year, sometimes encouraging their guests to come in period costume. I've never been there, and I never heard of ghosts there either.

[bellamarie]

Frybabe,  Oh dear, speaking of ghosts.....  my hubby and I booked a bed and breakfast at an 1800's Victorian home in Leesburg, Va. a few years back.  We checked in and were taken to our room, which was in the upper part of the house.  As we ducked our heads to enter the doorway, I felt as if we were in the attic.  Everything in the room was very old, but well kept.  As I went to sit on the chenille bedspread, I suddenly felt as if there were spirits in the room.  Immediately I jumped up, and told my hubby I wanted to leave the room.  I know for certain I felt like there was a woman and a man spirit present.  When we went to the manager's desk and told him we did not want to stay because we felt their were spirits present, he told us that it is common for spirits to be present in this bed and breakfast, which was once a funeral home.  Egads!!!  He very politely refunded us our money, and found a nearby Days Inn for us to check into.  My daughter in law also lived in a very historical home in our city, and they also felt the presence of paranormals.  The police came out to check noises in their upstairs, while waiting for the police to arrive, my son, daughter in law, their friend and our then 3 yr. old granddaughter waited outside in their car.  They saw the upstairs lights turn on, and when the police arrived, they saw them turn off, while no one was in the house.  The police went inside to check things out, came out, and reassured them that there was no one in the house. They  told them they get many calls for this in the area.  They consider it paranormal activity.  I talked to our Science teacher the next day, and he told me he had done his college thesis on paranormal activity.  He said in all his research, he never once learned, that the presence of spirits were ever harmful, and if you ask them to leave they will.  Good to know they don't intend harm.

[BarbStAubrey]

Been seeing the Crawdad book Bellamarie but just not into right now reading about an orphan - my take from the review it was one of these back to nature orphan's that is blamed mostly because of how she lives and looks. So many of these new books have someone being a victim of their circumstances and it drives me nuts.

Sounds like frybabe you found a book about the ghosts in your area as I found the one about ghosts in and around Central Texas, from Austin to San Antonio and in the Hill Country which is the area west of Austin - interesting until I read they only show themselves haphazardly - I was going to visit some of the places and decided it would not happen while I was there so why when there are other places I'd rather visit. I heard how on a road going through western Virginia there is a mile or two where at night folks have seen groups of soldiers and they slow down and the soldiers come up to your vehicle and say, I fought in the Civil War and they continue to cross the road into the woods that are on either side of the road.

Frybabe I've got my next two books chosen but I may not get started - I've got too many books going just now and I need to finish ups some of this reading - I had no idea that the sea people that invaded Egypt were real - I always thought it was a fantasy thing - turns out for a variety of reasons all the cultures of the known world collapsed so the all nations and tribal states almost disappeared around the year of 1177 BC and so I'm reading 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed (Turning Points in Ancient History) then I'm reading, God Save Texas: A Journey into the Soul of the Lone Star State and I've also got going The Puppet Masters: How the Corrupt Use Legal Structures to Hide Stolen Assets and What to Do About It and so here it is near the end of the month and still have not started these last two form the Read and Go challenge - they should go quickly, Chekhov's Cherry Orchard and the fun book about a 4 women who meet each week, The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club.

Now that we have had over a week of nice weather I really need to get out of my winter habits - that front garden needs work and I have not been out there and I'm still staying up too late so that of course I'm not getting up early - I notice though my diet has already changed - not into salads yet but, I have no desire of hot chocolate at night or deserts or cheese on crackers and a glass of wine in the late afternoon - my brain and body just stopped all that - even bought some cottage cheese last week that I like putting on top of sliced peaches and lettuce. Seems to be a Spring thing I automatically turn to because, I sure do not eat that combo during the summer.  Now if my body would get me out of this chair and into the front garden I'd have it made. Never satisfied, oh dear...

Whoops a new post - Bellamarie looks like you had an encounter maybe with some of those Civil War soldiers...

[bellamarie]

Barb, yes, I have been enjoying the change of seasons as well. Our Spring has finally sprung, so to speak.  We have had two days that have hit near 60 degrees, so outside into my garden I have gone.  I needed to prune my Rose of Sharon, and start the clean up of the debris winter brought to my yard.  We put out all our patio furniture, and hubby and I sat on the swing for an hour this morning, taking in the warmth of the sun, just chatting.  My diet has already made it's change to lots of salads, and so much lighter foods.  I think I put on some winter weight, so now I am vowing to get it off before I have to wear shorts.  Ughhh....

I haven't gotten far enough into Crawdad, to know what your statements mean, but yes, it is a little difficult seeing a six year old child be completely abandoned by her mother, siblings, and neglected by her drunken father.  I did not read the reviews, so this caught me off guard.  But, I will continue with it because it has grabbed my emotions. 

Soldiers in the roads.....wow now that would surely frighten me.  I am glad my experience was more like a couple not wanting to share their bedroom.  lolol

[nlhome]

Reading Tribe by Sebastian Junger right now, on the recommendation of the director of our mental health agency. Also have Trevor Noah's Born a Crime, which moves easily. I would rather listen to that one, but our library doesn't have the audiobook.

Talking about 1969, 50 years ago. My husband (just married a few months before) was finally on the ship he was assigned to, a landing craft, tank, in SE Asia. Much of 1969 was spent in Vietnamese waters. Meanwhile, I was a junior in college. I can remember watching the moon landing on a small black-and-white TV in the front room of an apartment I shared with 5 others, a converted store, so the front room had this huge window on a main street. Actually, Main Street, as I recall. Communication back then was so different from now. I have a whole box of letters we sent during that year. I had no idea where he was or what he was doing. He did call, via ham radio, twice. When my son was in the Army in Afghanistan, he sent some letters, we talked by phone, and I received a weekly update sent to the families from his commanding officer. A lot has changed.

[ginny]

It’s good to see that some have heard of  or have some  interest in  Educated.    It will be interesting to see what you think of it, should you read it.  It’s not an easy read.   I think it’s quite profound.  I agree Jonathan it must’ve taken  a lot for her to write that and now that it’s been about a week since I finished it (because I  can’t stop thinking about it of course),  I’ve looked up all the characters and  their real names. One thing that really bothers me about it is you cannot read it and not be judgemental.

It’s impossible and that itself is worrisome.  For example this essential oil foolishness. Who is the woman,  a witch doctor,  a faith  healer,  chakra and the clicking fingers? What is she? She’s selling these things under butterfly essential oils.  You can find it anywhere.  So what’s unusual about that?  She’s a Mormon. I don’t know a lot about Mormons but surely that’s unusual.  Maybe not.




I’ve also read a couple of psychological evaluations of the thing —nobody seems to know what Dad really has—many different diagnoses. One of the psychiatrists I think it was raised the  question of why it is that no one has called protective services on the character Shawn’s  current children’s welfare.   

It seems that this family took things to extremes. While I do know people like this and I had said without the violence I wonder now I really wonder if somewhere under all of this insanity there wasn’t violence somewhere back down the road.    I don’t know.   I’ve never read anything like it.   

On the other hand nobody’s perfect.  Who can say they are? Who can say they haven’t made mistakes? So the problem is, to me, what it brings out in each person as far as being judgemental.  I sense in her a need for justice, for acknowledgement, for justification. And I think she has definitely got that at least from the wider community, but I think she wants it from them.  But what can you say about those in the actual family itself?     

I do agree with Karen it is extraordinarily written.    Searing.   And very profound about the state of Man. 

[Tomereader1]

I think I have to get this book!

[bellamarie]

I just finished the book, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.  I began reading it on Wednesday, and could not put it down.  When you are still up reading at 4:30 in the morning, you know you have got to finish the book and not let another day go by.  I loved this book!!!!  It's going to stay with me for awhile.  Highly recommend it.

Ginny, I have Educated on hold at my library.  Yes, maybe when you finish your Latin classes, we could discuss it.  Sounds like we have plenty of interested members wanting to read it.

[BarbStAubrey]

I did it again - wiped out an entire post - please if anyone can remember how to capture a post that disappears - I need to write it down - the trick was shared and I forgot. I think mashing the control key but do not remember the other key to mash at the same time.

OK shorthand - I remember in a nutshell saying how I was surprised by what you were sharing Ginny and Jonathan about the storyline of Educated - Not what I imagined from reading the reviews - but if y'all chose the book for our read, then I'm in.

Then I was telling nlhome that I put Tribe on my list - the excerpt from Amazon had me thinking and I want to read the book plus, an earlier recommendation you made turned out to be a great read, Raw Material Working Wool in the West. 

Can y'all believe how winter does not want to let go and there will be a cold front push through with snow for lots of areas - we are going back down into the 50s - unbelievable.

[jane]

Barb..I think the other key is Z

[BarbStAubrey]

Oh great Jane - thank you thank you - something happens and my pinky must hit the wrong key when I used my right hand and that is my dominant hand - I need to write this down now - thanks again.

[hats]

Ginny, The red you are wearing in the photo is very striking. I have begun to really love red. I hope to wear more of it this fall.Tried to find people I could recognize in the photo. Since I do not know every one, it is difficult. It is a beautiful photo. I love book club group photos.

Well, I have gotten caught in a small storm. I hate to use the word book rut. After reading Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, nothing suited me. Like bellamarie, their lives are caught in my head. The thought of orphans is unforgettable.

Finally, I have three good  books to read. One is, I think, a Young Adult. It is by Edwidge Danticat. The title is Untwine. In the plot, there is a horrible family accident. The siblings are twins. The bits and pieces about twins is very interesting. The only time I knew twins in my life was during my kindergarten years. These girl twins would walk me back and forth to the class. As I have looked at the photo, I wondered if any of those women and men might have been born twins. It seems the two twins in the novel could dream the same dream.

Sometimes we have the same dreams. We were tourists in each other's head. They were extreme adventures...We would  see ourselves swimming with a pod of rare pink dolphins, in an endless river, deep in the Brazilian rain forest.

That is so amazing. The life of twins seems like one of those wonderful life miracles. I imagine the parents of twins enjoy watching these children grow up. They must experience many laughs.

I received the other book  in the mail yesterday. It is a more complicated read. Ginny, it tests the spirit of judgment. I won't talk about this one until I finish Untwine. Thank goodness, I am feeling back on track whether really on track or not.

I would like to say hi to Jane. Haven't seen or read your words in a while.
 



 

[PatH]

Hats, you do know another pair of twins--JoanK and me.  We're not identical, and don't have that sort of mystical relationship, but we are very close--I think closer than most sisters.

[PatH]

Goodness, Ginny, what a way to start a marriage--most of the time not knowing where your husband was, or even if he was alive.

[jane]

Hi, to everyone posting and especially to Hats!  Good to see you posting.   I've been kind of missing, dealing with my husband's health problems.  We're home again in Iowa now, so I should be popping up more. 


jane

[bellamarie]

hats,  Yes, that book does linger.  Don't read Where The Crawdads Sing for awhile, since it deals with the North Carolina marshes, and a six year old child being abandoned, growing up on her own. It's a great story, and it amazes me how this child survives, but it will grip at your heartstrings as well.

Speaking of twins, gosh my Italian grandmother gave birth to two sets of twins.  My Aunt Madeline & Josie were not identical, but they were so close all their lives, and could make us nieces laugh til our stomachs ached.  Their brothers, Uncle Mikey & Tony are identical, I still can not tell them apart to this very day.  When I was teaching in an elementary school many years back, one year we had four sets of twins in the same class.  Twins have always intrigued me.  On my hubby's side of the family there are also a few sets of twins, and his grandmother was a twin.  I keep telling my grandchildren to beware, it's got to come around again.  PatH., I bet having Joan for a twin/sister you felt you had a forever friend growing up and still now.  I have five sisters, and I know the bond of sisterhood, but nothing could compare to sharing the same womb for nine months. 

Jane, it is so good to see you back.  I hope your hubby's health is improving.

Barb,  I need to share this little tidbit with you.  I was just posting in here, clicked to another window, and then my computer completely went off line.  I thought..... oh drat, I just lost all my post.  I clicked on my Google "History" and it showed "seniorlearn preview", I clicked that, hoping by chance my post would still be here and it was!!!!  Once I clicked "post" I got a message,  "Your session has timed out try resubmitting."  I copied my post to make sure I still had it, then clicked back into this site, and pasted it. So next time you lose a post give it a try.

[Frybabe]

Moving on to wines in my book challenge list. I found a book, Pennsylvania Wine, A History, but it was an EPub file which my Kindle can't handle. Fortunately, I can read it directly from my OverDrive app and will not have to go to the bother of finding a free eBook Reader that I like. I tried both Calabre and FBR, but didn't care for them much. There is a new, to me, EReader called IceCream which I almost downloaded before I figured out I could read directly from Overdrive.

Anyway, back to the book. I had no idea that making wine was so prevalent in Pennsylvania (mostly Eastern PA) early on. The authors state that by 1850, PA was third in production behind CA, and Ohio. Another thing I learned is that the Catawba grape originated in South Carolina, not New York as I imagined. Next up, when I get back to it, is a section on the Prohibition.

Otherwise, I am continuing my Silk Road reading and reading a few short stories as well.

[ginny]

Pat? Goodness, Ginny, what a way to start a marriage--most of the time not knowing where your husband was, or even if he was alive.

Yes, that does sound odd, but I know nothing about it, where did you see it?

[ginny]

Hats, thank you. I still have that jacket and have always liked it.  Even though apparently it makes me look like a waiter and I'm not kidding, I underwent  that very experience  on that same weekend.  hahaha.

I had not actually thought about discussing Educated. I don't see  how anybody could discuss it. I do have an idea in mind for June, however and if it seemed that the idea of a "Mini Book Discussion" seems one that might work for the summer, we could add Educated the next time around , or whenever.

My idea, as I mentioned a while back,  is to do a Mini Discussion  in which we don't read it in sections together but rather first in a whole like is often done in face to face book discussions and then meet on a day such as June 15, to  talk about the various points that struck us individually and see what others thought of them or what struck them and what they wanted to talk about.  The "Mini" part would be it would last only as long as anybody had anything to say, whether one day or one month or whatever. "Summertime and the living is easy,"  sort of thing.

 I actually had in mind The Remains of the Day, which I reread recently and was struck by something new that we did not talk about the first time around (I led it years ago here). We've done the hard work but what of what seems to be screaming at me now that I'm a little older? Isihiguro recently won the Nobel Prize for his writings, and The Remains of the Day has won many awards, including the Booker prize. It is  a short, easy read but really packs a punch. Here's one reader's review:

" I first read 'The Remains of the Day' shortly after it came out. Since then, I have re-read it four times and recommended it to a dozen people (buying copies for half of them, so intent was I to share this joy). Each time, whether from re-reading it or discussing it with a friend, I learn something new about the book."

I'm kind of in that situation, too, I keep discovering things about the book. I would like to propose it for June 15, our first try at a "Mini Discussion,"  because I think I missed the point the first time around and want to see if anybody else sees it?  Or if they do not, what they DO think.

When we first talked about this idea, it seemed several people wanted to try it out, so if they still would like to, I would like to schedule IT for June 15 and see what happens?

[PatH]

I see I was misreading the chronology on your post, and somehow assuming that the two of you were already an item in this description,when actually telling the two separate but simultaneous stories:

Talking about 1969, 50 years ago. My husband (just married a few months before) was finally on the ship he was assigned to, a landing craft, tank, in SE Asia. Much of 1969 was spent in Vietnamese waters. Meanwhile, I was a junior in college. I can remember watching the moon landing on a small black-and-white TV in the front room of an apartment I shared with 5 others, a converted store, so the front room had this huge window on a main street. Actually, Main Street, as I recall. Communication back then was so different from now. I have a whole box of letters we sent during that year. I had no idea where he was or what he was doing. He did call, via ham radio, twice. When my son was in the Army in Afghanistan, he sent some letters, we talked by phone, and I received a weekly update sent to the families from his commanding officer. A lot has changed.

It really doesn't make sense that way, but maybe I don't make much sense either.  I'm still recovering from surgery.

[bellamarie]

Ginny,  I like the idea of a mini discussion.  That is actually how my other two online book clubs work.  We read the entire book, then on a specified date, the moderator presents some questions to start us off.  We can discuss what ever comes to our mind about the book.  So we have an entire list of books all set to read for the year, since we read one per month, and discuss the one for the month, probably for about a week or so. Obviously, we don't get to pick it apart, and get into researching, etc., like we have done with many books here, but it is still enjoyable.  I would be in for the June one, since I have never read, The Remains of the Day.  My library app shows it's available in audio online now, so I may listen to it and refresh myself in June.

[nlhome]

Pat, that was my post, reminiscing about the events of 1969. (The moon walk started it, I think.)

It was this day in 1968 that LBJ said he would not run again for President, or so one of my news feeds tells me. 1968 was a rough year, losing Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, the tumultuous Democrat Convention in Chicago, Nixon's election...

Nan

[bellamarie]

PatH.,  I wish you a speedy recovery from your surgery.  Take care.

Here in Ohio, on the last day of March, we woke up to the ground covered in a blanket of snow.  This too shall pass.  Ya'll have a blessed Sunday.

[Mkaren557]

I hope some of you saw Sunday morning this morning. The author of The Gentleman from Moscow Amor Towles was interviewed.  But they had magnificent pictures of the Metro Hotel in Moscow.  Tomorrow morning I will be moving to an assisted living apartment in Sarasota.  It will be wonderful to have more independence and more power over my own life.  I have spent the last week buying new furniture and "stuff" for my apartment.  I love the idea of reading The Remains of the Day, which I have never read and themini book club. 

[bellamarie]

Karen, thank you so much for the heads up on the interview with Amor Towles.  Here is the link in case others did not catch it. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-gentleman-in-moscow-amor-towles-metropol-hotel/

I can't wait for the tv series to premiere, I think in Sept.

https://www.bookbub.com/blog/gentleman-in-moscow-tv-show

Karen it sounds like you are excited to begin you new life in your assisted living apartment, buying new furniture is always fun!!!  Good luck!

[BarbStAubrey]

My goodness so much going on... Spring must have sprung for everyone - Pat is over the hump and feeling well enough to post - Ginny is planning a new concept for us, a mini reading club - cheers - frybabe is reading about and surprised to lean about wine in Pa. - Bellemarie has twins in her family coming out of the kazoos - Karen is buying furniture and planning a move - nlhome reminds us of the moon walk and the tumultuous year, 1968 and the death of the nations iconic persons also, the year my father died - hats is reading about twins and shares a new author to me, Edwidge Danticat. Looks like he has several good books - And today I spent the afternoon in a knitting class to learn Fair Isle knitting and all I heard from every age group in the class of 8 - Collage girl to young moms , moms with teens to new grandmothers and they were all raving about the book Education. Sounds like for sure, like tomereader I need to get the book. Much of the conversation in the class went to if they listened, and how was that experience versus reading.

On my way back home the sun was shining brightly after two days again of raw grey and so I stopped and saw another heritage Tree - whew - huge, could not start to put my arms around it - wanted the 'ghost' within the tree to speak to me and tell me all the various people that walked under its branches - did the  Apache, Comanche, Wichita, or Coahuiltecan camp in its shade. Did an early Austin settler sit in its shade taking a rest from the heat, did any of the horse soldiers from nearby Camp Mabry ride by. Today the area is yellow from the blossoms and pollen Golden Rain trees growing thick in the area and all in bloom.  What surprised me, there is no plaque stating it is a heritage tree - I'm thinking sad as it is the choice of no plaque maybe for its protection from some weirdo who needs to be famous by destroying anything the public acknowledges as special. The area is a bit more secluded then the location of the other heritage trees that are in Austin.