What I'm Into: The August Edition

Preschool

Considering that Eleanor is in school for 9 hours a week, it's amazing how much we talk/think about it. She tells me about her day, I plan what errands Juliet and I will run without her, I have to make sure her red school shirt is clean on Wednesdays, we have to send teddy bears for teddy bear picnic day, etc. Also, she keeps saying "Missed me, missed me, now you gotta kiss me." Amazing how some things never change. I remember that phrase so vividly from my school days.

Jam

I made homemade jam for the first time 3 weeks ago, and promptly made another batch 2 weeks ago. It is amazing how much better it is than storebought jam; even the expensive/natural kinds of storebought jam! I will NOT share with you how many slices of toast and jam I have eaten in the last few weeks...

Vacation 

We are escaping next week to cooler climes -- hitting Show Low and Flagstaff, and reveling in the mountainous/forested part of Arizona. And just in time; highs here next week are supposed to be hovering around 100 every day, but highs in Northern Arizona are only in the upper 70s. Bliss. (Also: it's crazy to look back at pics from our last trip to Show Low, 15 months ago. E was so little! And J was just a teeny tiny 20 week peanut in my belly.)

Nerdiness

I can't tell you how happy my Reading Habits survey results made me. 75 people participated, and I had such fun compiling pie charts of the results. I'm also planning a bookish Venn diagram post for next week - stay tuned! Oh, and speaking of next week: the next #bookwormproblems link-up is next Friday, the 5th.

Podcasts/ Music

I've been really loving both of Kat Lee's podcasts - Inspired to Action (inspiration for motherhood) and How They Blog (about improving your blog). Plus I added The Bowery Boys into my regular rotation. So fun. And, although I definitely have mixed Amazon feelings in the wake of Hachette, etc, we still have an Amazon Prime membership. I just discovered the Amazon Prime Music app, and the girls and I have been having some pretty great dance parties in the kitchen. Go Fish and Michael Buble have been especially popular. I've also been kind of obsessed with 2Cellos. Noel says their music sounds like a Zales commercial, ha.

Books

I blazed through the Legend trilogy and To Dwell in Darkness, and enjoyed The Silkworm and The High Divide. Next up are The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla and The Son of Neptune for some lighter vacation reading, plus a big stack of ARCs to work on for review.


I also renewed my Audible account, and started with downloads of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny and Kerry Patterson.

TV

Noel and I haven't really branched out too much on the tv front. We finished season 2 of Longmire (so sad to hear A&E cancelled it!), we're working our way through Justified, and we're re-watching Modern Family. We tried The Following, but lost interest by episode 3. I'm excited for new shows this fall, though -- interested to see where Once Upon a Time is headed!

What are YOU into?

Planning to link up with Leigh Kramer's What I'm Into series!

Reading Habits: The Survey Results

You guys, I had WAY too much fun making pie charts with survey results yesterday afternoon! I'm still culling through the answers that pertained specifically to Quirky Bookworm (ie, what you'd like to see more of around here) and I'm having fun with the lists of what books you've loved/hated this year.

But I couldn't wait to share the results of your reading habits!

Apparently most of you (like me) use whatever scrap of paper is handy to mark your page. I'm impressed that some of you remember your page numbers. I used to be able to do that. And then I had kids.

My friend Sherri is the one who suggested that I ask if people read till the end of the chapter. It looks like most people do (if possible). I purposely don't, however, because then my eyes inevitably skip to the half page at the beginning of the next chapter, and I have a harder time putting the book down. So I generally stop somewhere random.

I'm amazed how many people answered that they read more than 150 books a year. Impressive! Looks like the majority of people end up between 25 and 75. I'm excited that I should easily meet my goal of 104 (2 a week) this year.

I was entertained to see that except for the $25 - $75 range, almost all the other ranges of annual spending were completely equal! I'm honestly not sure about my total, but I know if we're talking trade credit, I'd be over $300. (Bookmans is where I do the majority of my book shopping.) I'm guessing maybe $70 in "real money"?

And last, but not least, looks like most people like to be comfy at home while they're reading. Aren't you people who read in the bathtub scared that you'll drop your book??

Did any of the survey results surprise you?

Adventure and Illusion: An Interview With Rosie Thomas

I was lucky enough to get to interview Rosie Thomas for Shelf Awareness a few months ago. She has done some totally crazy stuff in real life, and she writes some awesome books, so I thought you'd enjoy the interview.

Rosie Thomas is the author of 20 romantic novels, including The Kashmir Shawl. Her books are set in locations across Europe, Asia and as far as Antarctica, reflecting many of Thomas's real-life adventures (which include competing in the Peking-to-Paris classic car rally and hiking in the Himalayas). Her most recent book, The Illusionists, tells the story of Devil Wix, an extraordinary illusionist who is determined (with the help of a talented dwarf, an enterprising young woman and a secretive old friend) to be a success in the Victorian theater world.

The Illusionists, unlike many of your other novels, is set in London, and the Victorian era theater world is striking. What made you choose an unusual subculture, rather than an exotic locale, for this book?

It chose me, in fact. It all began with a tiny bit of reading I did about stage magic to flesh out one of the characters in The Kashmir Shawl. I remember sitting in the London Library one day (itself a rather magically Victorian place) making notes about the inventions and devices of Robert-Houdin, the French illusionist who is thought of as the father of modern stage magicians (Houdini took his name from him). Suddenly I got that shiver up the spine that says idea. I knew at once that there was a complete novel waiting to be set in a music hall theater with a demonic anti-hero hero at the heart of it. There was absolutely no question from that moment: my next book was going to explore the art of illusion, and the best time to pick seemed to be the point when electricity and electromagnetism, among other new sciences, were ready to be harnessed to dramatic effect. Which meant the 1870s--which seemed as exotic as any of the other settings I have created.

Were you inspired by any real historical performers in creating the characters for The Illusionists? 

Very much so. I read volumes of material about the real-life acrobats and tenors, performing dwarves and creators of fantastic automata who performed in the music halls of the day. Most usefully of all I discovered the Maskelynes, three generations of real-life magicians and inventors who operated from their own theater of illusions, the Egyptian Hall in London's Strand. The grandson of the dynasty, Jasper Maskelyne, famously became the leader of Churchill's company of war magicians, whose task was to deploy camouflage and other concealment techniques (drawing directly on conjuring skills) during World War II.

The Palmyra theater in my book is based partly on the Egyptian Hall (now gone) and partly on the wonderful old Wilton's Music Hall in London's East End, which is still in use.

Your characters are involved in a complicated romantic situation. Eliza, the only major female character, has tricky waters to navigate, with many of her colleagues in love with, even obsessed with, her. Were you attempting to showcase different types of love? Or just enjoying making Eliza's life difficult?

I was just having fun and telling a story and letting my imagination run free, really. Nothing more structured than that--to begin with, anyway. I wanted to make the world of the Palmyra seem both exotic and claustrophobic, and so to have all the threads of passion tangled within it seemed natural. I also wanted to make Eliza stand out as a vivid and fascinating creature with whom any man would fall in love... and so to be a female who could not only match up to Devil Wix but also make her own way in a world where most women were still wholly dependent on matrimony.

In real life you've navigated tricky waters, too. Is it possible to narrow down your favorite adventure so far?

Oh, definitely! I went on an expedition to South Georgia a couple of years back. Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Antarctic explorer, has always been one of my heroes, and when I was offered the opportunity to retrace the route he and two companions took across the island to bring help to their stranded companions, I grabbed it with two hands. In 1916 the island was unmapped and uninhabited except for a couple of whaling stations. Shackleton stormed nonstop across high mountains, glaciers, crevasses, and made it to the whaling station in 36 hours, even though he and the others were starving and exhausted after 18 days in an open boat. As a result, he brought his entire crew of 29 men safely home.

We had maps, GPS, tents, skis, sledges, down clothing and all the food we could eat. It took us five days, and it still wasn't any picnic! Interested readers might enjoy reading more on southbyeight--start from the bottom up!

What's on the horizon? More adventures? More historical fiction?

More adventures, I hope! Although I'm getting on a bit now, so it isn't going to be K2. And I am halfway through the sequel to The Illusionists, which takes us (I think) up to 1944. After that, who knows?

I really liked The Illusionists, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel! Check out my full review of The Illusionists here. I also am impressed by all the adventures Rosie has been on! I can't imagine trekking across the Antarctic.

What's the craziest adventure YOU have ever taken?

Just so you know, I was compensated for this interview by Shelf Awareness. And pssst, did you take my survey yet?

Reading Habits (A Bookwormy Survey)

Almost two years ago I asked if you were bookmarkers (you should go back and read all the comments on that post: priceless!). At the time, survey results showed that most of you were bookmarkers. Phew!

But now, just in time for my third blog-i-versary next week, I'd love it if you'd answer a few more survey questions for me about your book and blog-reading habits. Because it's been a while since I asked, and because we all know I love a good pie chart!

It's only 10 questions... and they're easy. So it should just take a minute or two of your time. I'll leave the survey open all week, and then next week I'll do a round-up post of the results.





Thanks so much! I'm so nerdily excited to see how you all answer. Oh, and I forgot to ask: if you're a blogger, how long have you been blogging?

What I've Been Listening To: Audiobooks and Podcasts

Eleanor started pre-k last week. While I'm excited to have a little more time to get stuff done, and to spend individual time with Juliet, I think I might be most excited about the Scholastic Book Order!

I told Noel that it's a childhood dream come true: getting to order WHATEVER I WANT TO out of the book catalog. Sometimes being the grown-up is awesome.

And another bonus of all the preschool to-ing and fro-ing (and the fact that Juliet can't complain about what I'm listening to): I've gotten a lot of audiobook time in. I finally finished Let's Pretend This Never Happened and I also listened to The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline.

Cryptic Crinoline is book five in a series about Enola Holmes (younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft), and it was really fun. Plus, since it's a YA mystery, it wasn't violent or scary or anything - so you should totally recommend the series to your grandma or niece or someone. Next up in the audiobook rotation: Rainbow Rowell's Landline.

In addition to books, I've gotten through a bunch of podcasts too. I've been loving Freakonomics Radio, The History Chicks, How They Blog, and Spilled Milk.

What have YOU been listening to?

Book Review: The Dog Killer of Utica by Frank Lentricchia

This book was odd, but gripping. I'm not quite sure how to explain the way it's written. Stream-of-consciousness? Dubious narrator? Surreal? All of the above? The whole book is told from the point of view of Eliot Conte, and sometimes it's not quite clear what's happening in his head, and what's happening in real life. Have you read The Oxford Murders? Or any Ernesto Mallo books? Strangely enough, for a book set in Utica, it reminded me strongly of several Argentinian mysteries I've read.

As The Dog Killer of Utica opens, Eliot Conte-- son of a Mafia kingmaker, former private investigator, teacher of English literature--is trying to stay sober and finish his Melville dissertation. But then Bobby Rintrona, one of his best friends, is shot and Bobby's dog is killed. Within hours, one of Eliot's students, a Bosnian Muslim man named Mirko Ivanovic, is accused by Homeland Security of associating with a radical imam. The next day, police chief Antonio Robinson's dog is also shot and killed, and Antonio's wife is injured during the attack. Clearly something sinister is afoot in Utica. Eliot will need all his wits to solve the crimes and help Mirko without estranging his own girlfriend, detective Catherine Cruz.

Somewhat past his glory days, Eliot reflects the situation of his New York hometown: Utica's wealthy mobster history and high crime rate play into the story, as Eliot battles the terrible weather and corrupt political and legal forces in his investigation. Profane, intelligent and mentally unstable, Eliot is fascinatingly complicated. His cryptic conversations and muddled thoughts keep the reader guessing as the mystery unfolds in a stream of consciousness.

Lentricchia brings Utica to life on the page, reminiscing about its heyday and showcasing its current economically downtrodden situation. Lentricchia has managed to blend Melville, Verdi, the Mafia, Homeland Security, small-town life and murder into a fast-paced novel that will appeal to both fans of noir and surrealist literature. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Should I recommend this to my grandma? Nope. Lots of violence + lots of swearing + I bet it would confuse her. Unless she's into that sort of thing.

Have you ever been to Utica?

I originally wrote most of this review for Shelf Awareness. And it contains some affiliate links, thanks for supporting Quirky Bookworm.

Bookish Gifts (aka My Friends and Family Know Me Far Too Well)

A couple of months ago my mom bought me Everything I Know I Learned From a Little Golden Book. Coincidentally, I opened the book to the page 'Treat yourself', as I was eating a donut on National Donut Day. Sooo, I obeyed the advice. I mean, obviously, if it comes from a Golden Book it's good advice, right?

 

Way back at my birthday my friend Meghan gave me a Litographs gift certificate, but I waited to lose some baby weight before ordering this Persuasion shirt. It has the full text of the novel on it, in tiny print!

And I love this library card pouch that my friend Dayna gave me last year. So far I mostly use it when we go on road trips. It's the perfect size to hold all the phone chargers and earbuds, and it's so cute it makes me happy when I see it in my purse. Plus, sometimes Juliet plays with it. Bonus!

Have you gotten any fun bookish gifts lately?

Short & Tweet: What I'm Reading

I've read quite a bit lately (thanks in large part to the nasty summer cold that kept us home all week). I also bought my first e-book! And then bought another one the next day... I think a dangerous threshold has been crossed.

Here are my tweet-style reviews of the books (and e-books) I've read so far in August. They divide themselves oh-so-tidily: half mystery and half young adult.

Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. Precious Ramotswe contemplates a diet, & fixes the problems of her clients & friends with her usual skill. #botswana (4 stars)

The Stone Wife by Peter Lovesey. I usually love Superintendent Diamond, but this book was... odd. And frankly absurd. Love the Bath setting though! #imissengland (3 stars)

Dead Water by Ann Cleeves. Still haven't quite forgiven Cleeves for BLUE LIGHTNING, but excited that Jimmy Perez is back. Renewed my obsession with Shetland. (4 stars)

Legend by Marie Lu. Kicking myself for not reading this sooner. SO GOOD. Immediately tried to find next books at library, but wait list was ridiculous. #YA (5 stars)

The Maze Runner by James Dashner. "Butterflies swam in his gut." Which is both a horrible sentence AND sums up my feeling about this book. Sad I picked it for the YABMC. (1 star)

Prodigy by Marie Lu. Continues the story of June & Day in post-apocalyptic "Republic of America". A strong middle entry, glad my 1st e-book purchase was good. (4 stars)

What have YOU been reading?

Planning to link-up with Modern Mrs Darcy. This post contains some of my affiliate links, thanks for supporting Quirky Bookworm!