What Are You Reading 2021

Gerry
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:57 am

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by Gerry » Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:05 pm

Ellie, living on the prairies with wind chill temperatures still dipping close to 50 below and always the chance of a winter blizzard I was sorry to find my library does not have 'The Children's Blizzard' by Melania Benjamin. If it remains unavailable I will have to do an Amazon shop!

Meanwhile I have 'A Lucky Child A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy' by Thomas Buergenthal a former judge of the International Court of Justice. These memoirs are a reminder that we must never allow this to happen again. Hoping to find a funny lighthearted laugh out loud book for my next read.

What are you reading?

ellie
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 7:48 pm

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by ellie » Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:25 pm

I seemed to have written on the wrong year -- will try better next time!

Gerry
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:57 am

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by Gerry » Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:12 pm

I also enjoy historical fiction Ellie, having looked through reviews I look forward to reading your review, I suspect it will see me over to Amazon for 'The Children's Blizzard'

Looking for a lighthearted read I am hoping M. E. Evans memoir 'Naked In Italy' will be the 'page turning, hilarious, brilliantly funny, laugh out loud' as reviewers have found it to be.

What are you reading?

Gerry
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:57 am

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by Gerry » Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:45 pm

We finally are seeing an end to the wind chill readings of minus 45 to 50 below, the bitterly cold wind seemed to seep right through the walls. Getting water to my plants and plant saves in the garage (heated) and keeping the bird feeders filled was a challenge. Late afternoons often saw me with a cuddle blanket and a good book.

'A Lucky Child: A Memoir Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy' by Thomas Buergenthal a former judge of the International Court of Justice. An extraordinary historical read I found both moving and inspirational.

'The Darkest Night : Two Sisters, A Murder, and Loss of Innocence in a Small Town/b]' A heart wrenching and emotional read by the author Ron Franschell who lived next door to the victims thirty years earlier. A heartbreaking read not for the faint of heart, a reminder to keep your children safe.

'Naked in Italy' a memoir by M E Evans was not quite the light hearted read I had in mind, while it did have funny laugh out louds it was a touch too raunchy for me. Possibly because it seems I've lived a very sheltered life!

I am looking to read 'The Englishman's Daughter: A True Story of Love and Betrayal in World War 1' by Ben Macintyre.

What are you reading?

ellie
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 7:48 pm

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by ellie » Thu Feb 25, 2021 7:37 am

I just finished "Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah which is about the Dustball and the great depression and takes places in Texas/California. This is a must read as it is about hope, family and survival.

Now I am reading "The Queen's Gambit" by Walter Tevis. I guess this is a tv show or on netflix but I had not seen it. It is a bit different from what a usually read and is about a girl, Beth, who is a chess genius and has taken to the game quite rapidly at age of 8 as an orphan, but was adopted/fostered at a later age and goes on to win chess tournaments. There is also a drug addiction which is addressed along with other issues. A very different type of book but which I can't put down.

Gerry
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:57 am

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by Gerry » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:05 pm

Ellie, I stopped at my e library this morning, pleased to see they have added 'The Children's Blizzard' by Melanie Benjamin. Also placed holds on 'Four Winds' by Kristin Hannah. I haven't read 'The Queen's Gambit' while I do not watch one lot of TV, a recommend saw me on Netflix spending a cold blizzardy weekend binge watching the series. Yes it was that good!

I also put holds on this years Canada Reads winner, 'Jonny Appleseed' by Joshau Whitehead. Three to six months wait list on all holds.

I got a start on 'Butter Side Up' by Jane Enright this weekend.

What are you reading?

ellie
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 7:48 pm

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by ellie » Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:18 pm

I recently finished "The Gown" by Jennifer Robson -- this is a really good, page turner book on historical fiction and on the making of the wedding gown for Queen Elizabeth. As it happened right after the war, this also talks about the time and women who worked as embroiderers.

Also finished "Yellow Wife"by Sadeqa Johnson -- another must read for those who like historical fiction and strong women. This is about Shelby Delores Brown who is a slave and is of mixed race. The story takes place during the 1850s and how she survives the years and also protects her children. Another fast-read which you may enjoy as well as I did.

Now I am reading "The Rose Code" by Kate Quinn -- which is another historical fiction book about WWII, features women as code breakers during the war, again featuring only a few people to tell the story. Another page turner.

Gerry
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:57 am

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by Gerry » Thu Apr 22, 2021 11:02 pm

Some excellent reading choices Ellie. With spring just around the corner my reading time likely be limited as in my short growing season its outdoor time for me. Maybe some gazebo read hours will happen.

I puchased an awesome cookbook, the recipes as good as I thought they would be, the quality beyond my expectations and likely be passed down for generations! 'A Loaf at a Time/[One Bowl at a Time/b]' by CJ Katz TV chef and host of Wheatland Cafe on CTV Saskatchewan and award winning author. 'The recipes that brought us together while we remain apart during Covid 19 in Saskatchewan'

Recipe clips on facebook had me add 'The Apprentice My Life In The Kitchen' by Jacqus Pepin to my e library and a recommend had me also add 'Alice:Princess Alice of Greece' the mother of Prince Philip.

Found '999' by Heather Dune Macadam, the story of the young woman who were part of official transport to Auschwitz - told 75 years after the liberation a good read. It soon had me think I had already read it yet knew I had not, has many of the women I have read about in 'Rena's Promise'

What are you reading?

Shadows1
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Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:41 pm

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by Shadows1 » Fri Sep 03, 2021 10:29 am

The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook
Interesting reading with some history of where she obtained her recipes.
Famous for her " Pot Brownies" which are not brownies at all.
Not written in typical recipe form they take a little detective work to figure out if you are not used to really old recipe formats Well worth a look!.

Gerry
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:57 am

Re: What Are You Reading 2021

Post by Gerry » Thu Oct 21, 2021 7:47 pm

Not much in the way of spring and summer reading time, it was all I could do to plant and maintain a semblance of order in my home and garden. Having a high pain tolerance what I thought was arthritis flares and inflammation was a completely eroded right hip and disc issue leaving me with nothing to hold me up. A Sunday promise to family I called my clinic which saw me with an afternoon phone appointment followed with a call back for xrays and appointment the next morning, that xray had me on my surgeons urgent/cancellation the following day. I was totally not prepared to hear that.

That said not much in the way of reading happened over summer. I did enjoy some gazebo time with Canadian author Laura Bradbury's The Grape Series A great series that has me hoping for more of the same. I treated myself to her cookbook today Bisous and Brioche: Classic French Recipes Favorites From Life in France.

Thanks for the heads up on another cookbook Shadows. Not familiar with Alice B Toklas I went over to Amazon, found originally printed in 1954, that it included recipes with meals she shared with Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Wilder and Picasso, how could I resist! I was about to buy it when I noticed it was available with my Prime. How good is that!

Having had a very successful surgery and recovery time, it was as thought with back issues extra physio was needed. For someone who went a year and 3 months not going to any public buildings, groceries delivered doorstep, did everything right ... all testing from pre surgery on were negative, as was at my arrival at the Joint Unit for physio, two days isolation, Sunday shared table and bathroom, Monday woke to back in isolation and high risk for Covid. Wednesday positive as was Thursday. Just doesn't seem fair, I was hoping someone would pop in and say it was a false negative, she said I wish.

Thankfully my vaccines worked, I was really sick but well taken care of. They said along with the vaccines my positivity and determination gave me the edge. I can only say no one but no one should be allowed in a nursing or convalescent homes without their vaccines. I am high risk at the best of times, thankfully I got to come home. Have days I really tire which is so unlike me, with essentials done and on the no bend, lifting and stretching rules til December there will be reading!

What are you reading?

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