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Ruthiella

Ruthiella

Joined February 2018

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Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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#50KGIVEAWAY

Congratulations on reaching this milestone @CSeydel ! 🥳 And thank you for the giveaway opportunity.

As others have pointed out, there are many, many things to love about Litsy. For this prompt, I‘m gonna say DISCOVERY. I love encountering books and authors I might not otherwise. It‘s an adventure! 😊

CSeydel So true! 21h
kspenmoll Discovery! 💜 18h
41 likes2 comments
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Ruthiella
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Hello fellow amateur sleuths! Time to pick up a copy of the next book for this month‘s #EBBR group read. I‘ll check in with y‘all in a couple of weeks to see how you fared!

This buddy read is open to all. Let me know if you would like to be tagged. 😃

Read4life I‘m probably reading it tomorrow. I love that I kept my copies all of these years. 1d
DGRachel Can‘t wait to get started on this one. These have been such a delight! 1d
DebinHawaii Didn‘t look ahead to see my library doesn‘t offer the ebook copy of book 3. 🙁 It is free on Audible so I will try listening &/or put a hold on a print copy. 1d
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Ruthiella @Read4life I love that too!😊 1d
Ruthiella @DGRachel They are such a break from heavier “adult” reading! 👍 1d
Ruthiella @DebinHawaii I‘ve not tried them on audio yet. Glad you have options. 😃 1d
DebinHawaii @Ruthiella Me either so I want the print copy as back up in case they don‘t work well for me in audio! Options are always good! 1d
audraelizabeth I put my hold in should be 4 weeks. 1d
Ruthiella @audraelizabeth Maybe you will get it sooner! That‘s happened to me before. 🤞 1d
audraelizabeth @Ruthiella oh it definitely would if i had multiple holds. It came in a few days early last month. 23h
TheAromaofBooks I read a chapter a day as a lunchtime brain teaser 😂 (edited) 17h
Ruthiella @TheAromaofBooks Perfect! I have to really brake myself from reading them all in one go! 😅 13h
44 likes12 comments
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Ruthiella
Mill on the Floss | George Eliot
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I‘m going with library a ebook/audiobook combo this month unless, like with Cranford, I develop such a passion that I break down and buy a copy!

#HashtagBrigade

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Ruthiella
Master of Djinn | P Djeli Clark
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#WhereAreYouMonday

This Monday I find myself in an alternative historical, steampunk version of early 20th century Cairo, where magic and djinns are commonplace. A murder mystery with supernatural elements, this fantasy world that Clark has created is fantastic.

ChaoticMissAdventures This is on my shortlist TBR for April! 2d
Ruthiella @ChaoticMissAdventures I hope you like it! I read the two stories/novellas set in this series a couple of years ago now and was intrigued. 2d
45 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Ruthiella
Three Act Tragedy (Poirot) | Agatha Christie
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Pickpick

I‘m back on track with #OffMyShelf “Favorite Author” after a slew of library books paused my efforts.

This was very entertaining and one of her cleverer plots: three deaths, connected by method but the motive is obscure. The puzzle intrigues Poirot and brings him out of retirement. Mr. Satterthwaith, a reoccurring character from some non-Poirot short stories takes on the role of Hastings somewhat in aiding Poirot.

wanderinglynn Yay! You are rocking it. Plus, I love the Poirot stories. 🙌🏻 2d
Ruthiella @wanderinglynn Slowly but surely! 2d
50 likes2 comments
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Ruthiella
Three Act Tragedy (Poirot) | Agatha Christie
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#weekendreads

Busy weekend for me, but should finish the Christie title today. 🤞

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Ruthiella
Childhood's End | Arthur Charles Clarke
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A couple of questions for any who have finished this month‘s #ClassicLSFBC pick. If anyone would like to be added or removed from the tag list, let me know.

🚀 What do you think about the novel‘s imagined trajectory for humanity? Do you see it as a positive or negative development? Did any of you also read “Almost Human”, one of our earlier group reads? It posits a very different possibility.

swynn I found it oddly hopeful. There will come a time when there aren't any humans left. I love Star Trek and Perry Rhodan, but a future where humans thrive and expand into every corner of the universe is a pipe dream. Given the choice between (a) we wipe ourselves out and (b) we survive but as something else, I find (b) more interesting and appealing. I haven't read Almost Human but should fix that. 4d
kwmg40 I'm afraid I didn't manage to get to this one in March. I did read it a long time ago but have forgotten the details. I hope to get to a reread eventually. 4d
Ruthiella @swynn I found it a little creepy. But maybe because it‘s so outside my understanding and sense of individuality. I guess I want a few centuries of cooperative, less self destructive humankind before we move to a non-corporal collective. 4d
Ruthiella @kwmg40 No worries! I see it‘s also been adapted to television. Might check that out. 4d
kwmg40 @Ruthiella I hadn‘t known that. Thanks for the info! 3d
36 likes5 comments
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Ruthiella
Childhood's End | Arthur Charles Clarke
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A couple of questions for any who have finished this month‘s #ClassicLSFBC pick. If anyone would like to be added or removed from the tag list, let me know.

🚀 The characters are fairly flat, which isn‘t uncommon for some classic SciFi. Did particular character or behavior stand out to you? Maybe Karellen? He‘s the only one present in all three sections of the book.

swynn Karellen is the most interesting character, since for most of the book he represents the Overlords so it's through him that I was looking for hints about their motivation which is the central mystery. But I most strongly identified with the stowaway Rodricks, and his refusal of the ban on space travel. 4d
Ruthiella @swynn I definitely, by the end, felt Karrellen‘s sadness and empathized with him. Jan was interesting. I feel like there should‘ve been more humans like him, questioning their limits. 4d
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Ruthiella
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Thank you for the tag @Deblovestoread 😊

1. I don‘t have any good way of finding inner peace. It‘s always an uphill battle for me. So if you struggle too, you are not alone.

2. I don‘t know of any book personally that gives or helps maintain inner peace. But I do reread Agatha Christie novels for succor. I find them soothing. Probably because they are nostalgic and because there is always a clear resolution at the end.

#Two4Tuesday

Deblovestoread You're welcome! 1w
TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 👍📖📚 1w
53 likes2 comments
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Ruthiella
Marking Time | Elizabeth Jane Howard
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My #Roll100 picks for April are pretty sweet. I already read Jazz back in February, so only have two “musts”.

Marking Time will work for #SeriesLove2025, as it‘s the second in the Cazalet Chronicles.

I own a physical copy of Little Bee and will make it work for #OffMyShelf

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 1w
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Ruthiella
Three Act Tragedy (Poirot) | Agatha Christie
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#WhereAreYouMonday

I spontaneously decided to jaunt to Cornwall, England. This is a Christie title that I‘ve seen adapted, but never actually read. This will also help me get back on track with #OffMyShelf because I own a physical copy. 🤞

Lesliereadsalot St. Ives is one of my favorite places that I‘ve been to. And Cornwall itself is incomparable. Hope the book makes you feel like you‘re there! 1w
Ruthiella Well, the beautiful scenery from the adaptation is in my mind! I did google a bit and it is a beautiful coastline, for sure! 1w
59 likes2 comments
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Ruthiella
Mr. Loverman | Bernardine Evaristo
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My weekend plans for #weekendreads

1. Finish Mr. Loverman and Red Clocks for #Roll100 .

2. Get stuck in to Childhood‘s End for #ClassicLSFBC .

I‘m pausing on Das Achte Leben for now. Will pick up again in April. 🤞

TheBookHippie Can‘t wait to hear what you think of Red Clocks. 2w
Ruthiella @TheBookHippie So far it‘s a little too on the nose for my taste, but I appreciate its themes. However, I‘m not 100 pages in yet. (edited) 2w
TheBookHippie @Ruthiella I loathed it 😂👀🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ 2w
Ruthiella @TheBookHippie I‘m going to finish it - it‘s a quick read, but it‘s not for me. I feel like instead of a story, we have points the author wants to make with her characters as mouthpieces. (edited) 1w
TheBookHippie @Ruthiella 🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯 1w
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Ruthiella
Sourcery | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

A thumbs up because I do love Pratchett and the Discworld, but this has to be my least favorite thus far. I did laugh and appreciated the message about the abuse of power (all too close to reality alas) but the story was a bit of an unwieldy mess. Also, The Luggage 🧳❤️! IYKYK

#SeriesLove2025

TheSpineView Fantastic! 👍📖 2w
Andrew65 Excellent 🎉🎊🎉 2w
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Ruthiella
The Woman in White | William Wilkie Collins
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Two thumbs up 👍! This was my 3rd time reading this and it never disappoints-especially since I never remember the details! 😆 If you‘re going to read one Victorian Gothic novel, make it this one; epistolatory and perfectly paced. Thank you to @BarkingMadRead for leading the #HashtagBrigade ! 🙏

This counts toward my #AllergictoChunksters / #ChunksterChallenge2025 at 626 pages!

I listen to this mostly and the Blackstone audio production was 👌

Amiable I‘ve never read this one— will have to add to my list! 2w
Ruthiella @Amiable Awesome! I think you will like it. Also, if you do audio, it‘s particularly a great option for this one due to its structure of multiple narratives. 2w
julieclair Great review! I totally enjoyed this one, too. 3d
Ruthiella @julieclair It‘s definitely a winner! 🤩 3d
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Ruthiella
Sourcery | Terry Pratchett
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#WhereAreYouMonday

This Monday I find myself back in the bizarrely comforting Discworld, upheld on the backs of four elephants riding on the back of a spacefaring turtle 🐢 . Specifically at Ahnk-Moorpork and the Unseen University. Only 50 pages in but loving being back “home”.

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Ruthiella
Sourcery | Terry Pratchett
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😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹

“I meant,” said Ipslore, bitterly, “what is there in this world that makes living worthwhile?”

Death thought about it.

CATS, he said eventually, CATS ARE NICE.

😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻😹😻

Sace Agree! 3w
AmyG Yes! 3w
sarahbarnes ♥️♥️♥️ 3w
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Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Look at all those cuties!😍 3w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3w
Leftcoastzen Oh my goodness, so much cuteness & books ! 😻😻😻😻📚📚📚 3w
kspenmoll Cute kitties & books! 😻😻 3w
Gissy 😻♥️♥️♥️ 2w
Darklunarose Cats are brilliant 2w
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Ruthiella
Not at Home | Doris Langley Moore
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Be free my little friends!

Oh Jimjams. I had flashbacks to Mr. Jones in “Murder While You Work” 😱🐶💔

Quiet, middle aged Miss MacFarren takes in a lodger to make ends meet. Mrs. Banks comes with great references…but something‘s not right. Should have listened to your gut instinct Elinor MacFarren! This is a kind of domestic horror (the housekeeping kind-no blood or guts) with a little romance & film satire tossed in.

#FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

LeahBergen Oh, Jimjams! And those starving little birds! I could‘ve killed that woman!!! Wasn‘t she FOUL? 3w
LeahBergen And you are so right … the domestic/housekeeping “horror” was so anxiety-inducing that I thought I might need some meds! 🤣🤣 It was like my worst nightmare. 🤣🤣 3w
Ruthiella @LeahBergen She did not suffer enough! 😠 I‘m not sure the psychology was right. I‘ve known children responsible enough to care for pets! 😱 3w
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LeahBergen @Ruthiella Exactly! Me, too. 😠 3w
quietjenn I am still pretty early in the book, but yes! I keep wanting to yell "There is a housing shortage! You can be choosy! If you take an instant dislike, there is a reason!' 3w
Ruthiella @quietjenn You‘re gonna do a lot of shouting! 😂 3w
CarolynM I love your photo and opening line 🤣 What a horror Tonia was! But I loved Maxine😆 2w
Ruthiella @CarolynM Thanks! 😊 Maxine was delightful! 2w
69 likes8 comments
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Ruthiella
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Well fellow sleuths! How did you fare this time with the latest #EBBR? I missed “The Case of the Hungry Hitchhiker”. 🤭

I also cracked up in the first story when I read “He wore a face longer than the last day of school.” 😂

I have a real mystery to solve. Does anyone know what happened to @ bthegood? Her page and handle have disappeared. I hope it‘s just a Litsy glitch and she will make her way back. 🤞❤️

DGRachel I hope she‘s okay. 🥺 As for the book, I enjoyed most of it and solved all but two or three. The teeth collection still freaks me out. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3w
Ruthiella @DGRachel I hope so too. 🤞 I think the teeth collection is going to be a running gag in the series. I apologize in advance. 🦷🤢 😂 (edited) 3w
AnnCrystal I was also wondering about bthegood, hope she is alright. Maybe she just became busy with her classes and family 🙏💝. 3w
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Read4life I loved reading this one. Also, it‘s weird that her page is gone. Maybe she changed her username and forgot to post the update? 3w
Sace @Read4life I had the same thought. 3w
DebinHawaii Hope everything is okay with her! I did well with these overall. I didn‘t know exactly why for the Ambushed Cowboy in terms of ahead or behind but had the general idea. The Hungry Hitchhiker one was one I got right away living in a year-round warm climate! 😉 2w
Ruthiella @DebinHawaii I live in Southern California and I didn‘t get it! 😆 2w
DebinHawaii @Ruthiella Hah! I probably try to carry around more of it in my purse or bag than you do! 😋 2w
42 likes8 comments
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Ruthiella
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#WhereAreYouMonday

I‘m somewhere on the high seas between Rotterdam and NYC with Nancy and co. Weirdly, there‘s no explanation for the trip. How long were Nancy, Bess and George in Europe? Were they in The Netherlands 🇳🇱 only? Inquiring minds want to know! 😅

Librarybelle 😂 We need the details! 3w
Ruthiella @Librarybelle Right? Just a sentence explaining why they went and where! “The girls were returning from a summer tour of continental Europe, compliments of one of Mr. Drew‘s grateful clients “. 😂 3w
Librarybelle 😂 3w
63 likes3 comments
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Ruthiella
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Pickpick

#OffMyShelf. “Poetry”

This was a collection of some of Marquis‘ writings (including poems) from his newspaper columns between 1916 and 1922 featuring Archy, a cockroach who is the reincarnation of a free verse poet. Less frequent but nonetheless memorable are entries from the alley cat Mehitabel (toujours gai!).

Way more entertaining than I expected and also a fantastic time machine back to a time when newspapers were ubiquitous.

Bookwomble Glad you enjoyed it 😊 4w
swynn I love archy & mehitabel! So cool that they're still being discovered! 4w
Ruthiella @Bookwomble I do wish the Penguin edition I read had some of the original illustrations, but it was still charming without them. 😊 4w
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Ruthiella @swynn Yes! They are apparently, of all the characters and writing created by Marquis, the ones to have this kind of longevity in the wider culture. 4w
wanderinglynn Awesome! 🎉👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 It‘s so fantastic when you enjoy a book that you‘ve also gotten off your TBR shelf. 4w
Ruthiella @wanderinglynn Such a great feeling! 😃 4w
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Ruthiella
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#WhereAreYouMonday

While the characters will move from Georgia to other parts of Europe as part of their journeys through the 20th and 21st centuries, this epic novel is centered in and about a Georgian multigenerational family. The story‘s heart and soul is in Georgia.

BarbaraBB A place I‘d want to travel too! 1mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB I‘ve never been but my friend‘s daughter has been there twice! 1mo
BarbaraBB Wow that‘s cool. It‘s supposed to be so beautiful. I hope they won‘t be too friendly with Russia in the near future. 1mo
62 likes3 comments
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Ruthiella
Sourcery | Terry Pratchett
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This is my #Roll100 stack for March. All library books which is thwarting my efforts to read what I already own in 2025. 😬

However, the Pratchett works for #SeriesLove2025 and will be an easy read anyway. I think Mr. Lover man will also be achievable if Girl, Woman, Other was any indication. Let‘s see about the other two. 🤞

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 1mo
TreenaReads Mr.Loverman is such a great read! Enjoy! 1mo
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Ruthiella @TreenaReads I‘m sure it will be. I loved, loved, loved 1mo
AlaMich Mr. Loverman was amazing on audio! (edited) 1mo
BkClubCare Ooo Laaa Laa Mr Loverman! 💕 title + author = 🔥 1mo
BkClubCare @AlaMich - Ty, will go audio, then. Fabulous 1mo
AlaMich @BkClubCare I hope you enjoy it! ☺️ 1mo
Ruthiella @BkClubCare @AlaMich I will see if one of my libraries have it available on audio also. 👍 1mo
73 likes9 comments
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Ruthiella
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Reading this month‘s #EBBR book, I wondered:

1. Why anyone would trust Bugs Meany or make a bet with him! 😂

2. Why does he wear a “Jughead hat “? Were those real?

So I looked up the hat. From Wikipedia: A whoopee cap is a style of headwear popular among youths in the mid-20th cent. in the US…made from a felt fedora hat with the brim trimmed with a scalloped cut and turned up…often decorated with buttons, badges, or bottle caps.

Who knew? 🤔

Jess861 I had no idea the Jughead hat was real - I always thought it was a crown in the comics, lol. 1mo
Ruthiella @Jess861 It does look like a crown! 👑 1mo
Read4life I didn‘t know that‘s how they were made. Thanks for the fun facts!! 1mo
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Ruthiella @Read4life You are welcome! 🙏 1mo
AnnCrystal Thanks 🆒👑☺️👍🏼. 1mo
TheAromaofBooks That is so interesting! Isn't it funny how there is always some random thing in style?! 😂 1mo
LeahBergen Fascinating! 1mo
Ruthiella @LeahBergen @AnnCrystal @TheAromaofBooks Humankind‘s ever-changing ways of and ideas about how we adorn our bodies is endlessly interesting and often weird! 😆 (edited) 1mo
TieDyeDude Very cool! Thanks for the tidbit 😄 1mo
Ruthiella @TieDyeDude Maybe it‘ll come in handy someday! 😅 1mo
Sace Ooo. Thanks for the fashion trivia! 1mo
Ruthiella @Sace You‘re welcome ! ☺️ 1mo
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Ruthiella
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#weekendreads

📕Still reading the tagged for the poetry prompt for #OffMyShelf

📗Encyclopedia Brown is this month‘s #EBBR

📘Not at Home is for #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

📙Das Achte Leben I pulled down on a whim. It‘s gonna take me a few months to finish but it‘ll work for #ChunksterChallenge2025 and #AllergictoChunksters

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Ruthiella
The woman in white | Wilkie COLLINS
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Th it s is my pretty edition of this month‘s #HashtagBrigade book. Though I‘m probably going to do as much as possible on audio with a Hoopla download from my library.

Looking forward to it. It‘s a re-read for me but a real favorite. I love getting lost in a chunky Victorian novel.

AllDebooks I adore Wilkie Collins. Looking forward to reading this one too. 😀 1mo
AnnCrystal Pretty 🤩📚💝. 1mo
Ruthiella @AllDebooks He‘s a favorite author of mine too. 😀 1mo
Ruthiella @AnnCrystal It is a very attractive edition! 🤩 1mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 1mo
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Ruthiella
Not at Home | Doris Langley Moore
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Hello #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub reading friends! Our 2nd group read of 2025 kicks off in March. This‘ll be the 3rd title from Moore that we‘ve read together. IMO her books aren‘t particularly cosy - they definitely have a few sharp edges. Let‘s see how this one turns out. 🤔

Read at your own pace and be sure to tag the group when you post.

Any one is welcome to join us. Please let me know if you‘d like to be added or removed from the tag list.

willaful Sadly I can't find this at any of my libraries, so probably will have to miss out. :-( Even interlibrary loan can't get it. 1mo
Ruthiella @willaful Well that‘s disappointing! ☹️ 1mo
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CarolynM Looking forward to this one even more than usual😃 Doris Langley Moore is becoming a favourite with me. 1mo
bookandbedandtea This author is new to me. Looking forward to it. 😀 1mo
Tamra Thank you! 😁 1mo
Ruthiella @CarolynM I know. The two we‘ve read so far have been witty and with a bite. 👍 1mo
Ruthiella @bookandbedandtea I hope you enjoy it. 😃We‘ve previously read in the group from the same author All Done by Kindness and (edited) 1mo
Ruthiella @Tamra You are welcome! 🙏 1mo
LeahBergen Yay!! I‘m looking forward to this as I so enjoyed the previous two! 1mo
LeahBergen @willaful I see that there‘s a Kindle version on Amazon for $3.99 (if you read e-books) 1mo
quietjenn Thanks for the reminder. I hope we like this one as much as the other. I'm more than ok with a little bite in my reading right now. 😏 1mo
Ruthiella @LeahBergen I‘m super curious about it! 1mo
Ruthiella @quietjenn I‘m looking for to finding out what this one is about. 1mo
Kimzey Thanks! Looking forward to it. 1mo
Ruthiella @Kimzey Me too! 1mo
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Ruthiella
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Pickpick

#OffMyShelf “Published in last 2 years”

I generally don‘t care for short stories, but I love Atkinson - her writing style, her sense of humor and her pessimism about human nature. These stories are mainly interconnected and it was fun to find the links. They are also often slightly speculative and fantastical in nature.

wanderinglynn Yay! 🎉👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1mo
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Ruthiella
The Zero Stone | Andre Norton
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A couple of questions for any who have finished this month‘s #ClassicLSFBC pick.

If anyone would like to be added or removed from the tag list, let me know.

🐈‍⬛ Eet had more personality than the humans (“just so”) in the book. What did you think of Eet as a character and his relationship with Murdoc?

CatLass007 I have gone as far as buying a paperback copy of the book. This is the cover. But since I find it very difficult to focus on print books and reading print causes eye strain, I haven‘t even started it yet. I must say the cat on the cover is a winner. 1mo
Ruthiella @CatLass007 Yes, the cat on the cover is adorable. 😻 Does your library have access to Hoopla? That‘s how I listened to it. Also, Eet as described isn‘t as cute physically as a cat, but it definitely has a cat like personality…arrogance! 😹 (edited) 1mo
CatLass007 My library offers both LIBBY and HOOPLA. But just as every library has different content inside the building, every library offers different content through the apps. I‘ve never considered my cat to be arrogant. They‘re just my little love bugs. They do have some issues with one another, but arrogance isn‘t one of them, it‘s all about who‘s the top cat. A hierarchy is very cat like. 1mo
swynn I like Eet. Norton loves her cats and her cat-creatures, and I think that affection shines through. 1mo
Ruthiella @swynn I didn‘t know but I suspected the author was a cat lover based on Eet‘s portrayal. 😸 I liked also how Murdoc begrudgingly trusted Eet and recognized Eet‘s superior instincts. (edited) 1mo
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Ruthiella
The Zero Stone | Andre Norton
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A couple of questions for any who have finished this month‘s #ClassicLSFBC pick.

If anyone would like to be added or removed from the tag list, let me know.

🐈‍⬛ This was full-on adventure SciFi with little to no underlying meaning or hidden agenda. I could totally see it published in a pulp serial of the past. Did you enjoy the plot?

The_Literary_Jedi This story lost me and I was really thinking I‘d love it. For me, it wasn‘t engaging enough and that is from my own need to be fully immersed. Norton had some good description but the pacing felt off for me. I ended up DNFing the book after 25% 1mo
Ruthiella @The_Literary_Jedi I listened to part of it on audio which I think helped me tackle it. I agree about the pacing. It‘s actually only half the story. We don‘t get any resolution about where the stone comes from and how it can be used. Presumably this is all in the second book, which I might read just to find out. 1mo
kwmg40 Sorry, couldn't fit this one into my month's reading! 1mo
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Ruthiella @kwmg40 No worries! Life happens! 😉 1mo
swynn I did like it, and I'll read the next book, “Uncharted Stars“, in March. One thing that struck me this time is how much deception there is among the characters. Almost everyone is something other than what they seem, or has motivations other than their overt ones. It felt more paranoid than on previous readings, which I found interesting. 1mo
Ruthiella @swynn Interesting about the paranoia. I see what you mean. It‘s hard to know who to trust, if anyone. I‘ll probably also read the second book since it‘s readily available at my library. 1mo
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Pickpick

#OffMyShelf “Banned book”

In 2022 A Tennessee school district banned this Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic memoir about the Holocaust due to “inappropriate language” and an illustration of a nude woman.

Spiegelman‘s parents were both survivors of Auschwitz. This memoir is his father‘s story and also coming to terms with their relationship; a child of survivors. I‘m not a fan of graphic novels, I find them hard to parse. But this was powerful.

Leftcoastzen I love this book. 1mo
Ruthiella @Leftcoastzen I was surprised by it because I normally have trouble with graphic stories. I often have a struggle whether to look at the pictures or the text first. But not here. 1mo
Leftcoastzen It‘s a harsh masterpiece. 1mo
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Bookwomble There was one US school district that banned it because of drawings of male genitalia - on cartoon mice - depicted as concentration camp victims 🤦🏻‍♂️ 1mo
dabbe @Leftcoastzen 🎯🎯🎯 1mo
wanderinglynn Excellent progress! 🎉👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1mo
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Ruthiella
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#WhereAreYouMonday

I‘m still in 1920s New York City, but now in the world of dark corners, crumbs on the floor, spiders and rats and the perspective of a poet reincarnated as a cockroach. It‘s oddly adorable.

Leftcoastzen I‘ve wondered about this ! 😁I think he was a pretty big deal as a humor writer back in those days . 1mo
Ruthiella Yes! My aunt (who turns 90 this month) told me how she used to read this with her dad in the newspaper as a child, which is why I bought it. 😃 1mo
Bookwomble I read this last year and really enjoyed it 🪳🐈‍⬛ 1mo
Ruthiella @Bookwomble I remember! Your posts encouraged me to finally pick it up. I‘ve owned it for a few years now. 1mo
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Ruthiella
Jazz | Toni Morrison
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Pickpick

Bingo! #OffMyShelf “By a BIPOC author”

Possibly next to “Tar Baby”, the least trauma inducing novel from Morrison so far. Yes, bad things happen, but I also found this book to be a celebration. It‘s about a love triangle gone wrong and a murder, the historical wounds of those involved, but also about hope and love; a love note to New York City and the flowering of Black American culture in the mid 20th century.

wanderinglynn Yay! 🎉You are rocking it! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1mo
Ruthiella @wanderinglynn It‘s so satisfying see the board fill up! 😃 1mo
TreenaReads 🙌🏽 1mo
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Mehso-so

#OffMyShelf “By a celebrity”

I‘d heard this wasn‘t that good but curiosity got the best of me. He is arrogant, but not undeservedly. Kilmer is an incredible actor. But this memoir doesn‘t go very deep. He comes across as very smart but kind of a kook. I was surprised (why?) to find out what a devoted Christian Scientist he is.

Butterfinger I didn't know about Kilmer being a Christian Scientist. Does he discuss treatment? 1mo
Ruthiella @Butterfinger Only a tiny bit.He was raised in the faith and writes often how important it has been in his life. He talks a bit about Mary Baker Eddy and quotes her from time to time. He mentions his own talent for faith healing, but tells only of one instance where he uses it successfully. Finally, he notes that he did agree to chemotherapy for his cancer, but mostly to reassure his children that he was NOT relying 100% on faith. 1mo
AnishaInkspill I like the title and recognise it from Tombstone 1mo
Ruthiella @AnishaInkspill I‘ve not seen all his films but of those I have watched, Tombstone is his best performance. 1mo
wanderinglynn Yay! 🎉 Another book off your shelf 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1mo
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Ruthiella
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#EBBR

Hello reading friends! This is a gentle reminder to get your hands on a copy of the tagged second Encyclopedia Brown book for March.

This buddy read is open to all. If anyone wants to be tagged, please let me know! 😃

@LitsyEvents

Sace Got it! Looking forward to it! 1mo
bookandbedandtea I've got it! ❤️ 1mo
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DGRachel My library has it available via Libby. YAY!! 1mo
Ruthiella @DGRachel Yahoo! 😃 1mo
Read4life I‘ve got mine!! 🤓 1mo
Ruthiella @Read4life Fantastic! 1mo
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Ruthiella
Jazz | Toni Morrison
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#WhereAreYouMonday

Today I find myself in 1920s New York City. Optimism is in the air. The war to end all wars is over and Black Americans have more opportunity than ever in the North.

TheBookHippie One of my favorite Morrisons! 1mo
Ruthiella @TheBookHippie I‘m on a mission to read all her novels! 1mo
TheBookHippie @Ruthiella oh I can‘t wait to see what your favorites are!! I‘ve read them all. 1mo
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Ruthiella @TheBookHippie I don‘t know if any will top Beloved, the only one I‘ve read twice (so far). After this one I have four more to go. 1mo
Ruthiella @TheBookHippie Do you have a favorite? Or top three? 🤔 1mo
TheBookHippie @Ruthiella The Bluest Eye, Jazz & Song of Solomon. 1mo
Billypar I really liked this one, though Beloved is at the top of my list too. Paradise is my 2nd favorite. The Bluest Eye is on my shelf so will finally read it this year. 1mo
Ruthiella @Billypar Paradise will come after Jazz because I also own a copy. That‘s encouraging to hear it is a favorite of yours. I read The Bluest Eye in the ‘90s, so I really need to revisit it. 1mo
Reggie I love Beloved sooooo much. But there are a couple of passages about a mom and then another about a sofa from The Bluest Eye that come back to me over and over again. 1mo
Ruthiella @Reggie Beloved gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. I definitely need to re-read every thing up to then, however, because it‘s been 30 years since I first read them and I have very little memory of plot or scenes. 1mo
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The Zero Stone | Andre Norton
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#weekendreads

I‘m enjoying juggling only two books this Valentine‘s weekend.

“The Bell Jar” for #HashtagBrigade

“The Zero Stone” for #LitsySFBC

rachelsbrittain Love the Valentines take on #WeekendReads ! 2mo
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Ruthiella
Angelmaker | Nick Harkaway
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Mehso-so

#OffMyShelf “Over 400 pages”

I think I‘d‘ve enjoyed this more 10 years ago (when I bought it likely)!

This is a fantastical story of a man who lives in the shadow of his criminal father and genius grandparents and who is pulled against his will into a clockwork conspiracy and a villain who hopes to obtain god-like powers that threaten the fabric of the entire world.

Clever, intricate but honestly I could‘ve done without much of the detail.

bookandbedandtea I, too, have a habit of buying books that fit my interests but waiting so long to read them that they're no longer my cup of tea. 🤪 2mo
Ruthiella @bookandbedandtea The perils of the TBR pile! I am a little (but only just a little) better at this now that my library access is expanded and I am more aware of my bookish physical limitations . 😅 So much easier to DNF a library book. 2mo
wanderinglynn Yay! Another one off your shelf! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎉 2mo
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sarahbarnes The number of times I‘ve felt that way after reading a book off my self that I bought over a decade ago! 😆 1mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes I know I‘m in good company! 😆 1mo
Ruthiella @wanderinglynn I am hoping to clear the board! 🤞 1mo
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Hey #EBBR reading friends! I hope you all had fun solving cases with Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown. I freely admit, one stumped me (The Civil War Sword) and one I got only b/c I remembered the solution (The Happy Nephew). As an adult, I do think some of Encyclopedia‘s deductions would not hold up in court 😂

1. Did any particular case stand out to you over another?

2. Are you interested in continuing reading the next books with me on Litsy?

Read4life I really enjoyed revisiting these stories. I‘m in to continue reading them. 🤓 2mo
TheAromaofBooks I was relieved to find that I was somewhat better at solving these as an adult 😂 But there were definitely a couple of times that the solution didn't feel like it was 100% the only possibility. Still, these were super fun and I'm definitely planning to keep reading!! 2mo
bthegood I'm in for more, like others have said, I'm glad they don't stump me as much as an adult. I was was thrown by Encyclopedia saving his pulled tooth for his friend that collects teeth, don't remember what I thought of that when I originally read them🤪 (edited) 2mo
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DGRachel @bthegood the tooth collection freaked me out! I have a vague memory of trying to read one of these as a kid and bailing because I couldn‘t get any of the solutions so I was very pleased to figure some of them out this time! I‘m absolutely game for more of these. I really enjoyed the format and agree wholeheartedly that the solves might not hold up. 🤣🤣 2mo
bthegood @DGRachel glad I wasn't the only one😆 2mo
Sace Oh I would love to continue reading these books! 2mo
bookandbedandtea I'm reading this with my grandson- which is a delight!- but we're only halfway through so we haven't come to the teeth yet 😬 So far my favorite mystery has been the bank robber. 2mo
Ruthiella @Read4life Awesome! I‘m totally enjoying this walk down memory lane also. 2mo
Ruthiella @TheAromaofBooks I was seriously worried I would be as flummoxed as I was at 10! 😂 With age does come wisdom, thankfully! 2mo
Ruthiella @bthegood I wonder if the tooth collection doesn‘t have some basis in fact? 🤔 I collected pennies and matchbooks as a kid (all spent now). Kids do sometimes have weird ideas! 😂 (edited) 2mo
Ruthiella @Sace Great! I‘m totally having fun and they take no time at all to read. 2mo
Ruthiella @bookandbedandtea Oh, what a great way to read these. The Bank Robbery one was one where I particularly thought that were it not for the actual evidence of the cash under the mattress, the clues could have been explained away by a good lawyer! But in kids mysteries, the criminal always confesses when confronted it seems! 😂 2mo
bookandbedandtea @Ruthiella Oh I totally agree with you that a competent lawyer could have torn holes in that case, were it not for the money! I think I liked that he needed to investigate a bit rather than solve the case while eating dinner. And it's a good point that criminals seem to blab everything when confronted with a child detective! 😂 2mo
Sace @Ruthiella soon it will be the crazy busy school season and I will need books that don‘t require lots of time and bandwidth. These will be perfect for that. 2mo
bthegood @Ruthiella could have some basis in fact....🥴 2mo
DebinHawaii I definitely was better solving these as an adult, but I did vaguely remember a few of them or similar stories/problems to solve with the solutions. 😆 It was fun & they are quick & easy reads, so I‘m in for reading more! 2mo
Ruthiella @DebinHawaii Fantastic! Let‘s see how we fare with the next collection! 2mo
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Ruthiella
At Freddie's | Penelope Fitzgerald
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#OffMyShelf “Cover Buy”

A little stretch to make this fit the category. I bought it knowing nothing about it because of the EDITION rather than the cover. It matches my other books by Fitzgerald …

Fitzgerald‘s novels are short but challenging/perplexing. I enjoy the work but it takes a while to finish. This is about a run down theater school for children in London. It‘s sad in a shabby, melancholy way. The end was open, but rather chilling.

Janell ❤️ 2mo
wanderinglynn Yay! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎉 2mo
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Ruthiella
At Freddie's | Penelope Fitzgerald
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#WhereAteYouMonday

Today I‘m in 1960s London in the theater world and The Temple Stage School run by the larger than life Ms. Freddie Wentworth. The school feeds the local theaters‘ need for child actors while nominally educating and training them and remaining barely solvent. This is Penelope Fitzgerald, so there‘s a lot required of the reader to catch nuance.

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@bookandbedandtea I was willing to let Nancy slide visiting someone‘s home at 9:00 PM in The Haunted Bridge. And I recall in The Mystery of the Ivory Charm, she interrupted someone‘s dinner at a restaurant. BUT calling on the phone after 11:00 PM? 😱 No No No No! I think we found the one thing that Nancy is NOT perfect at! 😂

#NancyDrewBR

Librarybelle OMG! 😂 2mo
Suet624 Haha. Bad manners! 2mo
bookandbedandtea I know! I'm am little flabbergasted by these situations since Nancy's manners are usually impeccable. And, in fact, one of the indicators of villainy in these books is poor manners. What were these authors thinking with the late night visits and phone calls?? 🤔 2mo
Reggie Lolol 2mo
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Ruthiella
The Bell Jar | Sylvia Plath
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#Hashtagbrigade

This is the edition I will be reading. Looking forward to this re-read to see if it still holds up for me. I first read it when I was in my twenties, not much older than the protagonist.

BarkingMadRead Love it! 2mo
Librarybelle That‘s my edition too! 2mo
Ruthiella @BarkingMadRead @Librarybelle It‘s got some nice extras! 2mo
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Angelmaker | Nick Harkaway
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#weekendreads Currently reading these four books:

📕 Angelmaker and At Freddie‘s are two from my #Roll100 picks for February.

📗The Clue of the Tapping Heels is for #NancyDrewBR .

📘I Kissed Shara Wheeler is my #TBRTarot choice for the month.

AlaMich I loved Angelmaker! It was pretty bonkers, though. I keep meaning to pick up another of his books but haven‘t gotten around to it yet. (edited) 2mo
Ruthiella @AlaMich I‘m finding it slow going- so much description. But the plot is pretty bonkers, indeed! I will definitely read more from him in future. 2mo
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Pickpick

Thank you @BarkingMadRead for leading the #Hashtagbrigade in this group read. Unlike some of the group‘s co-readers, I very much enjoyed this gentle, disjointed and plotless look at rural life in late 19th century England, which was based on the author‘s own experience. For me, the slow pace of the book really suited the chapter a day approach. 😃

This is also my first completed book for
#ChunksterChallenge2025
#AllergictoChunksters 👍👍

Amiable Yay, chunksters! Especially ones that you enjoy. 🎉 2mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 2mo
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#SeriesLove2025 #WhereareyouMonday

I‘m pleased to be back on board and in the early 19th century with Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin as they sail to what was then known as New Holland (Australia) and the Spice Islands (Indonesia). This is book five in the 20 book Aubrey-Maturin series.

LeahBergen I need to get back to this series! 2mo
Ruthiella I pretty much only manage one book from it a year. 😅 2mo
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Pickpick

I sneakily read my February #Roll100 book already. 🤭 At just 152 pages, it‘s fits the “Shortest on TBR” #OffMyShelf prompt.

I prefer the Wayfarer books but Martha Wells is correct with her blurb here, “An optimistic vision of a lush, beautiful world.” Not a lot of plot or tension. Sibling Dex and Mosscap visit the settlements on Panga before they approach The City. Such a positive view of what humanity is capable of.

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
wanderinglynn Yay! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 🎉 2mo
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Ruthiella
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Pickpick

#OffMyShelf “Anthology/Essays”

I picked this up at a library sale a few years ago. I‘ve only read three novels by Oates, but am always curious about her work, due to her prodigious output. This was fine. A soft pick - short stories aren‘t really my thing. I need more. They were all suitably disturbing and unsettling. My favorites were “The Model” and “The Premonition”.

wanderinglynn Yay! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 2mo
DrSabrinaMoldenReads She‘s really an interesting person. 2mo
Ruthiella @DrSabrinaMoldenReads She certainly is! 2mo
DrSabrinaMoldenReads I recommend her memoir regarding her grief after her husband‘s death. There are surprises. After reading that, I was so surprised that it had seemed that she was already remarried when it was published. Was some her memoir fictionalized regarding her great love of him, I wondered. (edited) 2mo
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#WhereAreYouMonday

I‘ve started one of my February #Roll100 books early and find myself in 1930s Alexandria, Egypt among the various residents, religions, and expatriates all coexisting together. Durrell‘s writing is difficult to wade through at times, but I‘m doing better since can anticipate it.

rubyslippersreads I only know Lawrence from the PBS TV show about his family (although I can‘t help thinking of the actor portraying him as Prince Charles from The Crown. 😄) 2mo
Ruthiella @rubyslippersreads I have yet to read the books written by his younger brother, Gerald Durrell, about their family life on Corfu that inspired the TV show. They are much more charming, as I understand. Less dissolute behavior, I imagine ! 2mo
Bookwomble My Family and Other Animals is a wonderful book. I read it at school and was entranced by the island life a world away from rainy Lancashire! 2mo
Ruthiella @Bookwomble It‘s on my list! 2mo
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Pickpick

🎶Another one bites the dust 🎵 #OffMyShelf “About Books”

A soft pick. It was for me quite superficial. Kakutani didn‘t necessarily convince me to read anything I wasn‘t already interested in except maybe moving Delillo‘s Underworld up a bit higher on my list. She also makes a lot of anti-Trump commentary, which I don‘t disagree with, but it will date the book in the long run. It was overall entertaining but I‘d prefer fewer books & more depth.

wanderinglynn Yay! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 2mo
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The Martian Chronicles | Ray Bradbury
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Welcome to 2025 and our first book of the year.

A couple of questions for any who have finished this month‘s #ClassicLSFBC pick. If anyone would like to be added or removed from the tag list, let me know.

🚀In many of the stories, Bradbury addresses a real-world issue such as colonialism, racism, or censorship. How successful were these stories for you? Do you have any favorites?

Bookwomble Given that he was writing these stories in the late 40s & early 50s, as a Midwestern white man, I think he was well within the current of the Civil Rights movement. Of course, reading his expression of those ideas from a modern perspective can be cringy at times, but his liberation message is nonetheless clear. And he was getting these ideas across to a broad readership in an accessible form. I depart from him in some of his later statements, ⬇️ 2mo
Bookwomble ... but if we see further... shoulders of giants. 2mo
Ruthiella @Bookwomble think the anti-colonial themes particularly hold up. My favorite was probably “And The Moon Be Still As Bright”. 2mo
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The_Literary_Jedi “Usher 2” and censorship. Directly connected to Fahrenheit 451 and presently to social media addiction (the irony for some on that point! Students eat it up!) Bradbury clearly believes banning books leads to the downfall of lit & society which is appropriate for 2025; when we read it in class, we try to do it during Banned Books Week annually to broaden the discussion 2mo
Ruthiella @The_Literary_Jedi That story is definitely connected to Fahrenheit 451! I appreciated that little Easter Egg. I can see how parallels to social media can be extrapolated. Your students are lucky to have you. 2mo
AnishaInkspill for me all of them worked, just had something about them, and each one said something but did it with a light hand so you didn't even notice, or the way I read books I wouldn't have all I would have seen is the comedy. 2mo
kwmg40 @Ruthiella I too liked “And The Moon Be Still As Bright“ best. While Spender's methods were questionable, the struggle against those who pollute, exploit and destroy territories they enter, whether unwittingly or not, seem to be very relevant today. What would humans do to Mars or another planet if they were to occupy it, given they we've not had a great track record on Earth itself? 2mo
Ruthiella @AnishaInkspill That‘s great! You really mesh with Bradbury as a reader! 2mo
Ruthiella @kwmg40 My favorite SciFi novels or stories are those that make me think about humanity‘s current condition, for sure. Those are the ones that tend to stick with me. 2mo
swynn The messages mostly hold up well. “And the Moon Be Still As Bright“ seems to address our moment even more than it did the author's, and “There Will Come Soft Rains“ still packs a punch. One surprise for me was “The Fire Balloons,“ which I don't even remember from previous readings, but speaks to experiences I've had since my last reading. 2mo
Ruthiella @swynn The themes addressed in this collection are still timely, for sure. I think one or two might stick with me. I read Bradbury‘s “All Summer in a Day” as a child and never forgot it. 2mo
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