flight paths discussion

the summers past
brilliant colours
make light last
until the leaves are
all but gone
snug in sweaters now
we read ourselves warm

at last I am finished Colin Woodward American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America considering my knowledge of American history is feeble, made up of mostly cliche, there was a lot of cross checking to do, yet this is American history like no other. Fascinating and helpful in making sense of our fractured neighbours.

And I am finally tackling Juice by Tim Winton. Really, it's just the size of the thing that's so intimidating. Once I got orientated, it's still the Tim Winton that I know and love.

Next up: Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian.

I seem to be all set for the next week.

Now what are the others up to? Petra I got my order in for the first volume of that last trilogy you loved so much. Sadly, inter-library loans are suspended until the postal strike is resolved.
Ice Bear, (awkward grin) I hated the latest Shwab so much I DNF and hustled back to the library right away.

Do you think its time we did another attempt to add more people?
I have been in touch with Ellen as she prefers to be called now. She promised to check in but she seems overwhelmingly busy.

The leaves are only just turning brown, whilst the leaves of the book require some artificial light at both ends of the day.

yes its very evident now the equinox is past. May there be some red and gold among the brown :-)

I've stumbled on a trilogy that I'm really enjoying, written by Canadian author Corinne Jeffery.
It's the "Understanding Ursela" trilogy, which begins with the book Arriving: 1909-1919.

The story centers on the Werner family after they arrive in the Canadian Prairies from Russia and how they settled. The years go by and the family goes through trials & tribulations, highs & lows and generally Life. It's a good read (if you like family sagas_.

I'm currently reading the second of the trilogy, Thriving: 1920-1939 and finding it as good as the first book.

Magdelanye, the book on American History sounds interesting. They are a fractured bunch. Understanding them would be interesting.

Now that the mail is runnning, have you heard about the library copy of Just One Damned Thing After Another?

I'm currently listening to the third book of the series, A Second Chance. The books are still entertaining and enjoyable.

I guess it's good to hear that Ellen is busy and happy, but I sure do miss her posts. Thanks for the update, Magdelanye.

It would be nice to have some new blood here and get the discussions moving again. Our discussions are the lively and engaging when they happen. :)

yes!
wonderful to hear from you Petra. It seems you are on a reading roll. What's the scoop on One Damned Thing? It sounds pretty wild. I missed this one.
I did finally get in to Vanessa & her sister.
Enough to have ordered the physical book which is ready for pickup today.
I am hoping to move to the laptop before I have to leave so I will add what Im reading at that point.

Magdelanye, I thought you'd put a hold on Just One Damned Thing After Another that was stopped because of the mail strike? Perhaps I'm remembering wrong.

If you like wacky, humorous stories with good characters. "Wacky" in the sense of time travel which leads one into bizarre situations. For example, in Just One Damned Thing After Another, the historians travel back to the time of the dinosaurs, so antics and adventures happen there.
The series has been entertaining and enjoyable so far (I'm reading Book #3 right now).

could be Petra though somehow I think it was another trilogy that you read in the summer that I have put a hold on. I so try to keep track: well thats why I rely on GR.
The day went by so fast. I managed to publish one review and then the power went off. Not for long but It was a sign to pack it in for the day and go make dinner.
So I will do my update tomorrow.
I did make it to the library and the sun came out. What a difference the sunlight makes!

before I plunge in to my update, I might as well state it here though I did make a comment on your review of Vanessa and Her Sister. It's a good review, and in fact I ending up enjoying it as my bedtime story all last week. AND I hated when Virginia was yelling NESSA and I did fall asleep and had a hard time keeping track SO I got the book and it's way better. It's quite the underside of Bloomsbury.

So what I have been reading
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
He's a bit arrogant but right on point I'm afraid.

Theory of Water: Nishnaabe Maps to the Times Ahead by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. Another book of hard facts that really need to be faced. I grabbed both of these books from the new arrivals shelf at the library and they are rather complementary. To soften the whole experience I listened to her music. which has really grown on me.

I was a little nervous starting another doorstopper, Katabasis by R.F. Kuang not because of its size particularly, but because I've loved her other stuff and kept hearing that this was not as good. Well I'm glad I overrode that opinion. Right from the first page I adored it. It's a fantasy satire of academia and so I get some people will not care for it, but it so reminded me of my uni days. Note to Ice: may or may not appeal

Somewhere in there I read Field Notes from a Catastrophe byElizabeth Kolbert It's quite dated and not as good as The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History which is more recent and pertinent I think.

I whipped through The Last Days of Café Leila by Donia Bijan The beginning was slow unfolding and then bam. I think you might like this one Petra.

Now for what I am currently reading:
Finally reading two books long on my tbr mountain
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Has anyone read it? I find it interesting but I can hardly imagine this as a letter to a young son.

As for fiction, I've been dipping into Walk the Blue Fields: [book:Walk the Blue Fields by Claire Keegan I'm afraid it can't measure up to the fantastic others.

and one more (I'm only halfway through)
This was not the book of my choice by this author but its what they had available. Life: A User's Manual by Georges Perec. may be one of the strangest books I've read. I am surprised that I'm having so much fun with it.

oof