Happy Valentine's Day!

This dorky picture is perfect for my Valentine's Day because my husband is out of town and I am spending the evening with my sister.  After we eat the big pot of fondue we are making, we will need outfits like these.

Review: The Tuesday Club Murders

The Tuesday Club Murders is a collection of 13 short stories by Agatha Christie and was the second published volume in her Miss Marples series. Christie organized the stories around the idea of Miss Marples and a group of her friends taking turns telling about a mystery in which they were personally involved and making the others try to solve it.

Each snappy little story is jammed with clues, but still satisfactorily resolved by Miss Marples after the others kick it around for a while. Jane is at her best – draped in lace shawls, knitting away, and drawing insight from homey village events.

The stories and their set ups are varied enough to keep the reader's attention, right up to the final piece, in which Miss Marples solves a contemporaneous village mystery with the help of Sir Henry Clithering, an ex-commissioner of Scotland Yard and one of the original members of the Tuesday Club.

Like any collection of short mystery stories, The Tuesday Club Murders lacks the heft of a full-length novel. But unlike a novel, these stories can be gobbled down like the stack of yummy Agatha Christy cookies that they are.


OTHER REVIEWS

If you would like your review of this book listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it.

NOTES

The Tuesday Club Murders was my first book for the 2013 Vintage Mystery Challenge, hosted by Bev on My Reader's Block.  The challenge has a "Scattegories" theme this year and this book counts as my "Calendar of Crime" choice.

Teaser Tuesdays: A Prefect's Uncle

Describing the hero Farnie's first day at a new boarding school:

Finally, on retiring to bed and being pressed by the rest of his dormitory for a story, he embarked upon the history of a certain Pollock and an individual referred to throughout as the Porroh Man, the former of whom caused the latter to be decapitated, and was ever afterwards haunted by his head, which appeared to him all day and every day (not excepting Sundays and Bank Holidays) in an upside-down position and wearing a horrible grin. In the end Pollock very sensibly committed suicide (with ghastly details), and the dormitory thanked Farnie in a subdued and chastened manner, and tried, with small success, to go to sleep.

-- A Prefect's Uncle by P. G. Wodehouse.

A Prefect's Uncle is Wodehouse's second published book. Like his first, The Pothunters, it is set in an English boarding school for boys. Except in the long passages describing cricket matches, it is a charming and funny book that hints at the hilarious style Wodehouse later perfected.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Mailbox Monday

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here).

Audra at Unabridged Chick is hosting in February.  Stop by her terrific blog for reviews, giveaways, interviews, and more.

I got one book last week, from the intrepid book publicist Mary Bisbee-Beek. Check back here in a couple of weeks when I host a giveaway for this new novel.



Warming Up by Mary Hutchings Reed, coming in April from She Writes Press. I am excited to read a novel by a fellow "lady lawyer" -- and one set in Chicago, a city I love, is even better!

PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION:

Approaching forty, unemployed but well-off, talented but unknown, functional but depressed, former musical actress Cecilia Morrison reluctantly seeks therapy. Although she once won leading roles, Cecilia now can't bring herself to audition for parts. In the end it’s not therapy, but a runaway teenager who changes her life when he cons her out of sixty bucks.

Whether at the apex of one’s success or just starting out, Warming Up speaks to anyone who’s ever wondered, “What’s it all about?” or who finds themselves doing something they never thought they’d do.

Warming Up was a short list finalist for the 2011 William Wisdom-William Faulkner Prize for the Novel.  Ten percent of the author’s proceeds are donated to The Night Ministry, which provides temporary housing, transitional living, and parenting services to Chicago’s homeless youth.

Birthday Celebration: Pie & Books

I celebrate my birthday. I prefer to stretch the celebration out for as many days as possible, take time off work, maybe go on a trip.

But at a bare minimum I celebrate on the day itself by doing anything I want to. Today, that means pie for breakfast. Not just any pie, but Random Order pie. Yum!

I am lucky enough to live within walking distance of Random Order, my favorite Portland coffee house and pie shop.  They make the best pie crust of any commercial establishment.  They make several variations of apple pie -- the salted caramel is my favorite -- and other fruit pies, but the cream pies are out of this world.  Love them!

And the greatest thing about eating pie at Random Order is that the also have a liquor license.  Pie is just that much better with an Irish coffee.

Then it's back to my couch to finish off the A.J. Liebling book I'm reading and make a dent in Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, which struck me as the perfect book to read on my birthday.

WEEKEND COOKING

Hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Review: She's Come Undone

I put off reading Wally Lamb’s hefty novel She’s Come Undone, because I knew it is about a young girl who became fat, and I could not imagine reading 500-plus pages about being fat. But I should have known that Lamb could spin a great tale and just put myself in his capable hands.

So much happens in Dolores Price’s young life that her weight gain (and loss) is just a small part of this crowded story. Without giving anything away, Dolores survives family loss, endures trauma, makes mistakes, repeats mistakes, and finally builds a life that works for her.

The glory of Lamb’s story is that he makes it absolutely believable, no matter how awful or statistically improbable. From Dolores as a little kid riding her bike through her neighborhood; through her depressingly difficult teen years, her recovery, and her rash first marriage; to her ultimate contentment with the life she creates, Dolores is an authentic and endearing heroine.

OTHER REVIEWS

If you would like your review of this book listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it.

NOTES

She's Come Undone counts as the first chunkster I read for the 2013 Chunkster Challenge, and counts for one of my books for the three TBR challenges I am doing this year.

Book Beginnings: A Prefect's Uncle

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, please tweet a link to your post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I also recently signed up for Google+ and have a button over there in the right-hand column to join my circles or whatever it is. I don't really understand yet how that one works.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.



MY BOOK BEGINNING

Marriott walked into the senior day-room, and, finding no one there, hurled his portmanteau down on the table with a bang.

-- A Prefect's Uncle by P. G. Wodehouse.

The picture above is not my copy -- it is the first edition cover.  Since this novel is Wodehouse's second published book, first edition copies are rare and pricey.

My edition is from the Collector's series published by The Overlook Press, so also has a cool cover, but not a $5,000 cover.

Review: Interpreter of Maladies

Jhumpa Lahiri won the Pulitzer Prize for her first collection of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies.  The stores are not interconnected, but all feature Indian protagonists, either in Bengal, as immigrants in New England, or as second-generation Americans.

Each of the nine stories is a polished gem.  The main characters all feel like very real people, whether Lahiri writes about old ladies, new brides, middle-aged men, or children. The plots are all satisfyingly solid, without any gimmicky "gotcha" endings that can make short stories irksome.

OTHER REVIEWS

If you would like your review of this book listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it.

NOTES

This is one of the books that I read for the three TBR challenges I am doing this year, and for my ongoing project to read all of the Pulitzer fiction winners.

Review: The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The Unbearable Lightness of Being is sad and beautiful. Set in the aftermath of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, the short novel focuses on two couples, womanizing Tomas and his tormented wife Tereza, and Tomas' long-term mistress Sabine and her new lover Franz.

There isn't a lot of plot to the story; it is a novel of ideas and philosophy, but on a human, personal level, as Milan Kundera considers whether life is difficult because it is heavy with responsibility and consequences, or impossible because it is meaninglessly light. The characters induce sympathy, even when they act less than admirably, either trying to live with political and intimate situations beyond their control or to assert control when they can.

OTHER REVIEWS

Vapour Trails

If you would like your review of this book listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it.

NOTES

I finally got around to reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being because my 2013 TBR challenges involve reading all the books on one of my TBR shelves, which I chose at random.  I put off reading the book because I didn't care for the movie.  The book was far superior.

It also counts as one of my books for the 2013 European Reading Challenge.  

Teaser Tuesdays: Walking Distance

We've chosen these trails as our favorites and to represent the great diversity of long distance walking. These trails are found on six continents, represent fourteen countries, and range from cultural landscapes like Cinque Terre and El Camino De Santiago to wilderness walks like the John Muir Trail and the Kungsleden, and a vast spectrum in between.

-- Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People by Robert and Martha Manning.

This books has me planning hiking vacations enough to fill up several decades.  It is wonderful. And would make a great gift.

Walking Distance is oversized and full of gorgeous pictures of hiking trails all over the world. The husband/wife authors describe the hikes and the amenities (or lack of) along the routes. It is the perfect combination of practical guide and inspiration.


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Mailbox Monday

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here).

Audra at Unabridged Chick is hosting in February.  Stop by her terrific blog for reviews, giveaways, interviews, and more. 

I got one book last week, just in time for Lincoln's birthday:



Lincoln and Oregon Country: Politics in the Civil War Era by Richard W. Etulain, published by OSU Press. Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was asked to be the governor of the new Oregon territory? Just think how history would have been changed!

Etulain is a prolific author of lively, well-penned history books on a variety of subjects.  In this new book, he sets out to show how "men and women of the Oregon Country were personally and emotionally involved in the controversial ideas and events that inflamed the United States during the fractious era" of the Civil War.

Lincoln and Oregon Country would be a great gift for any Lincoln buff.  The book is already gathering praise:

Once again, historian Richard Etulain has provided a scholarly, lively, and definitive look at Lincoln and the Pacific Northwest. Lincoln himself thought the ‘Far Corner’ of Oregon simply too far to become his own home, but his close ties to many friends who did migrate there remained important in both elections and war. Etulain re-creates the pioneer spirit and political fractiousness of Oregon with a keen eye for both the sweep of history and the small anecdotes that make the best history books irresistible.

— Harold Holzer, Lincoln scholar and Chairman of the Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation.

2012 European Reading Challenge: Wrap-Up & Winners

The European Reading Challenge
January 1, 2012 to January 31, 2013

FINISHED

THIS IS THE WRAP-UP POST FOR 2012

TO FIND THE 2012 REVIEWS, GO TO THIS PAGE
TO FIND THE 2012 WRAP UP POSTS, GO TO THIS PAGE

THE 2013 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE IS LIVE NOW -- GO TO THIS PAGE TO SIGN UP OR READ MORE

2012 was the first year for this challenge.  Big thanks to all the participants who joined me for the Grand Tour!

WINNERS

Mary Galliver at Whiskers and Tales was the big winner of the Jet Setter Grand Prize.  Mary posted reviews for 35 books!  Mary won a $25 gift card to Powell's Books (can be used in store or on line).

Lizzy Siddal at Lizzy's Reading Challenges won a $10 Powell's gift card for reviewing the most books in the Culture Vulture category, meaning books that won literary prizes in their countries.

Honorary Mention (but no prizes) go to several participants who read 10 or more books:

• Lara Emilie at Powers of Words (21)
• Srivalli at Valli's Book Den (20)
• Maphead's Book Blog (14)
• Shonna at Canadian Bookworm (13)
• Carolyn at Riedel Fascination (11)
• Fanda at Fanda's Book Shelf (10)

Congratulations to all 23+ readers who completed the challenge! Twenty-three people posted wrap-up posts.  For those who finished the challenge but didn't post a wrap-up, feel free to do so now and link it on this page.

JOIN THE 2013 CHALLENGE! SIGN UP HERE.

The gist: The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it's supposed to be a tour.

2013 Challenge: The Chunkster Reading Challenge

COMPLETED!

Wendy at Caribousmom and Vasilly at 1330V have again teamed up to host the Chunkster Challenge, one of my favorites, even if I am not so good at completing it.

2013 is the fourth year that I am participating in this challenge, which involves reading books with a minimum of 450 pages.  I am signed up for the "Plump Primer" level to read six chunksters before the end of the year.

BOOKS READ

Not only did I finally manage to complete this challenge, I read one extra book.  And I cam very close to getting an eighth, but my edition of What's Bred in the Bone by Robertson Davies (reviewed here) only had 448 pages in it!

Only two of the books I read for the challenge were from the list of possibilities I made at the beginning of the challenge. So much for planning!

Personal History by Katharine Graham (reviewed here) (688 pages)
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (not reviewed) (624 pages)

The Affair by Lee Child (nor reviewed) (608 pages)
Just Enough Liebling by A. J. Liebling (reviewed here) (560 pages)
Independent People by Halldór Laxness (reviewed here) (512 pages)
Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis (not reviewed) (480 pages)
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb (reviewed here) (465 pages)

BOOK POSSIBILITIES

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (960)

More Matter: Essays and Criticism by John Updike (928)

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (862)

Redemption by Leon Uris (848)

The Charm School by Nelson DeMille (816)

Ancient Evening by Norman Mailer (800)

The Life of Noel Coward by Cole Lesley (608)

Just Enough Liebling by A. J. Liebling (560)

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb (465)

UPDATED: December 26, 2013

Book Beginnings: Walking Distance

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, please tweet a link to your post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I also recently signed up for Google+ and have a button over there in the right-hand column to join my circles or whatever it is. I don't really understand yet how that one works.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.



MY BOOK BEGINNING

About ten years ago we decided to walk the aptly named Long Trail in our home state of Vermont.

-- Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People by Robert and Martha Manning.

I love this book! It is prompting a lot of armchair traveler fantasies. 

Walking Distance is oversized and full of gorgeous pictures of hiking trails all over the world. The husband/wife authors describe the hikes and the amenities (or lack of) along the routes. It is the perfect combination of practical guide and inspiration.

Review: Cutting for Stone

Despite its enormous popularity, including with the ladies in my book club, I thought that Abraham Verghese's hefty novel, Cutting for Stone was only so-so.  It is an interesting story about two brothers and their families – natural and adopted – but it went on too long for me and the medical details weighed it down.

The story really gets going with the traumatic birth of twin brothers, Shiva and Marion, at Missing Hospital in Ethiopia. The sons of an Indian nun and a British surgeon, both boys grow up to become doctors. Their story has roots in India, takes them to New York and Boston, embroils them in the political upheavals in Ethiopia, and tears the brothers apart over a woman before uniting them for good.

The multiple storylines are absorbing. But when they all spectacularly converge, the climax is startlingly hard to believe and throws off the pacing of the rest of the book.

Cutting for Stone is worthwhile, but would have benefited from a stronger hand on the editing reigns.

OTHER REVIEWS

Man of la Book

If you would like your review of Cutting for Stone listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it. 

Review: What a Piece of Work I Am

Only rarely do I stray from my book lists when choosing what to read. When I do, it is with mixed results. Maybe my book club will pick something that I never heard of, but end up enjoying immensely (The Imperfectionists by Tim Rachman). Or I hear about a book and buy it on impulse (Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott) and love it. Or a cover catches my eye at a library book sale, and I read something I wish I hadn't.

That was a case with What a Piece of Work I Am by Eric Kraft.

Many readers might find this story-within-a-story novel to be charmingly quirky and refreshingly sassy. Unfortunately for me, what was supposed be quirky came across as cheeky and what might seem sassy to others felt too cute by half to me.

The novel looks back at the life of Ariane Lodkochnikov as she tells her story to her childhood family friend, Peter Leroy, over a series of evening visits. In dialogue irritatingly stilted for reasons apparent later, they discussed her life in seaside Babbington, from clam shack waitress, to small-town floozy, through several reinventions of herself, to her ultimate role as an international phenomenon.

The back cover describes the novel as a "fascinating meditation on human urge to tell and hear stories" and that storytelling theme is writ large throughout the narrative. However, because the book begins with a "prologue" by Leroy explaining that Ariane is his imaginary childhood friend, the whole thing feels like watching a parlor trick when you already know how it's done.

OTHER REVIEWS

If you would like your review of this book listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it.  But since there are no reviews on amazon, it seems unlikely that other bloggers have reviews to share.

NOTES

I bought this because the cover caught my eye. I read it because I set up my 2013 TBR challenges to read though one of my TBR shelves at random.  There is a lesson in this.

Teaser Tuesdays: On the Rocks

Had that been what happened to Mr. Brown, an involuntary slip? But there had been no arm to catch him, only the red-shirted arm that flung itself out before he went off the cliff.

-- On the Rocks: A Willa Cather and Edith Lewis Mystery by Sue Hallgarth.  This historic, literary mystery is the first of what could be a terrific new series.  The setting -- on the Canadian island of Grand Maras in 1929 -- is captivating and the story engaging.  On the Rocks is a real treat!


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Mailbox Monday

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here).

Lori at Lori's Reading Corner is hosting in January.  Please visit her fun blog for giveaways, reviews, and lots more.

I got one book last week:




Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan. I love the faux-'70s cover!

Normally, I never buy a brand new book because it takes me years to get around to reading any book I buy -- I like to let them shelf age for a while, like wine -- so I might as well wait and find a used copy. 

But Ian McEwan is such a favorite of mine, and his new book fits into a favorite niche of mine (Cold War, British espionage) that I couldn't resist. So I have a brand new hardback just waiting to be cracked open.  I should get to it by 2016.

2012 Challenge: Chunkster Challenge Wrap Up

Wendy at Caribousmom and Vasilly at 1330V teamed up to host the 2012 Chunkster Reading Challenge.

FINISHED

2012 was the third year I participated in this challenge.  In 2010, I bit off more than I could chew, signing up for six books and only finishing four.  So I scaled back in 2011 to the "Chubby Chunkster" four-book level. 

Despite my less than stellar performance in years past, I signed up for the Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? option to read SIX chunksters from the following categories: two books 450 - 550 pages; two books 551 - 750 pages; and two books longer than 750 pages.

I am so pleased that I actually completed this challenge! It really got me inspired to read a couple of doorstops that have been sitting on my TBR shelves for too long. I even finished an extra book.

My books:


World Without End by Ken Follett (1,024 pages); reviewed here; 


The Gate House by Nelson DeMille (800 pages), reviewed here;

Witness by Whittaker Chambers (802 pages), reviewed here;

Personal History by Katharine Graham (642 pages), reviewed here;


The Book and the Brotherhood by Iris Murdoch (624 pages), reviewed here;

Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey (511 pages), reviewed here; 

Glittering Images by Susan Howatch (462 pages), reviewed here.

I am going to sign up for the 2013 Chunkster Challenge, but probably back at the 4-book level. 

Book Beginnings: On the Rocks

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, please tweet a link to your post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings.  You can find me @GilionDumas. I have tried to follow everyone who participates, but if I missed you, please send me a direct tweet as a gentle reminder.  I also recently signed up for Google+ and have a circle of book bloggers. Please let us know if we can find you there as well.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.



MY BOOK BEGINNING

Edith Lewis got out her easel and watercolors and set them up near the edge of the bluff in front of their cottage on Whale Cove.

-- On the Rocks: A Willa Cather and Edith Lewis Mystery by Sue Hallgarth.  Set in 1929 on Grand Maras, a Canadian island, this historic, literary mystery is the first of what looks like a terrific new series.

Review: Personal History

 

Katharine Graham deservedly won the Pulitzer Prize for her autobiography, Personal History. Graham lived a fascinating life, from her childhood of wealth and privilege, through her tumultuous marriage to Phil Graham that ended in his suicide, to her increasingly powerful role at the helm of the Washington Post Company.

Graham's father bought the Washington Post in 1933. Her husband ran it during their marriage. When she took over after his death, she had no real work experience, no concept of the magnitude of her new job, and little support from the male-dominated publishing industry.

Learning as she went, and making many mistakes along the way, Graham grew the Washington Post Company into a media powerhouse. Under her watch, the company went public, became famous -- or infamous -- for its coverage of the Watergate scandal, and broke the unions' stranglehold of the newspaper industry after a five-month strike.

Throughout these busy years, Graham also maintained a dizzying social and community life. She traveled extensively, held positions on several professional and academic boards, and hobnobbed with politicians and other prominent figures, including among her friends the likes of Truman Capote, Henry Kissinger, and Warren Buffett.

Her first-hand account is crisply written, unflinching, and honest, but always dignified.  She discusses her family relationships and friendships, but without any intimate details.  The focus most definitely is on her public and professional life, which makes it all the more interesting.        

OTHER REVIEWS

If you would like your review of Personal History listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it.

NOTES

I've been meaning to read Personal History for years and finally got around to it to complete the 2012 Chunkster Challenge.

Review: The Prestige

Why did I assume I would dislike The Prestige? There were several reasons:

• It is about magicians, a class of entertainers I tolerate only slightly better than mimes or clowns.
• It is set during a period of time I am bored with, no matter how enduringly popular in novels – the Civil War through World War I.
• I had already seen the movie, and I dislike reading a book when I already know what the story, especially a story with big secrets like this one.
• I really do not like speculative fiction in any of its broad forms – fantasy, paranormal, or science-fiction.

But I read it anyway because it won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and I am working my way diligently through that list. I am so glad I did!

Christopher Priest's novel is the story of two rival magicians at the turn of the 20th Century, vying to outdo each other in an illusion featuring a disappearing man. Both have secrets that follow them to the grave – and beyond – that are only revealed when their grandchildren meet up decades later.

Because Priest is such a first class storyteller, he created a drama that is entirely believable – no matter how scientifically farfetched – and mesmerizing, even for readers who know the secrets from the movie. I was completely entranced.

Even though The Prestige runs contrary to many of my book prejudices, it could end up as my favorite book of 2013 – pretty big words, considering it is only January.

OTHER REVIEWS

If you would like your review of this book listed here, please leave a comment with a link and I will add it.

NOTES

The Prestige counts as my second Black winner for the 2012 Battle of the Prizes, British Version, which runs through January 31, 2013.   I have now finished that challenge.  Whew!

Teaser Tuesdays: Interpreter of Maladies

As a result of spending all her time in college with Raj, she continued, she did not make many close friends. There was no one to confide in about him at the end of a difficult day, or to share a passing thought or a worry.

-- from the title story in Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri.  This won the Pulitzer Prize and has been on my TBR shelf for a while. 

Short story collections are never my first choice, so I am finally getting around to this one because it fell within my random choice method of selecting books for my 2013 TBR challenges.


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

Mailbox Monday & Giveaway Winner

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here).

Lori at Lori's Reading Corner is hosting in January.  Please visit her fun blog for giveaways, reviews, and lots more.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS: Three lucky readers each get one copy of On the Rocks: A Willa Cather and Edith Lewis Mystery by Sue Hallgarth, a historic, literary mystery set in 1929 on the Canadian island of Grand Manan.  On the Rocks is the first of what looks like a terrific new series.

Congratulations to the winners:

• Debbie at ExUrbanis
• Elizabeth at Silver's Reviews
• Rhonda at RhondaReads

And thanks to the wonderful book publicist Mary Bisbee-Beek for my copy and the giveaway copies.  Mary will be in touch with the winners to arrange delivery.

MY BOOKS LAST WEEK:

I was inspired by the 2013 Vintage Mystery Challenge to pick up a short stack of pre-1960 mysteries when I was out by Booktique in Lake Oswego.  A couple of others caught my eye as well.



The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game by Patricia Highsmith. Only the first was published before 1960.



Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier. Does this count as a mystery? I love the Penguin cover!



Old Mrs. Camelot by Emery Bonett. I've never heard of this book or author.



Too Much of Water by Bruce Hamilton. Same with this one.



Tempest-Tost by Robertson Davies. Not a mystery, but I have been meaning to read more of his books.



Washington by Meg Greenfield. I finally finished Personal History by Greenfield's former publisher and friend, Katharine Graham.



The Players Come Again (a Kate Fansler mystery) by Amanda Cross. I've read one of this series and liked it.



The CEO of the Sofa by P. J. O'Rourke. He always makes me laugh.

2013 Challenge: The Vintage Mystery Challenge

NOT COMPLETED!

Even though I cut way back on challenges in 2013, I can't resist the Vintage Mystery Challenge that Bev hosts on My Reader's Block. The idea is to read mysteries first published prior to 1960.

This year, Bev has a "Scattegories" theme requiring participants to read eight books, each from a different category.  Click on the button or link above for all the details or to sign up.

MY BOOKS

I only got through five of my eight and only reviewed two of those.  Only one was on my original list of possibilities.

• The Tuesday Club Murders by Agatha Christie (A Calendar of Crime), reviewed here;
• Beast in View by Margaret Millar (Amateur Night), reviewed here;  
• Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier (Jolly Old England), not reviewed;
• Death in a White Tie by Ngaio Marsh (Leave it to the Professionals), not reviewed;
• Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers (The Old Bailey), not reviewed.

POSSIBILITIES

These are on my TBR shelves now, so tempt me the most. Notes on which category they apply to are in parenthesis.

• The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (World Traveler)
  
• Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier (Jolly Old England)
• Old Mrs. Camelot by Emery Bonett (Staging the Crime)
  
• Too Much of Water by Bruce Hamilton (Murder on the High Seas)
• Ashenden: or The British Agent by Somerset Maugham (Leave it to the Professionals)
  
• Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver (The Old Bailey or Book to Movie)
• An Oxford Tragedy by J. C. Masterman (Murder is Academic)
• The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (Country House Criminals)

UPDATED on December 26, 2013.

Book Beginnings: Interpreter of Maladies

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, please tweet a link to your post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I also recently signed up for Google+ and have a button over there in the right-hand column to join my circles or whatever it is. I don't really understand yet how that one works.

MR. LINKY: Please leave a link to your post below. If you don't have a blog, but want to participate, please leave a comment with your Book Beginning.



MY BOOK BEGINNING

The notice informed then that it was a temporary matter: for five days their electricity would be cut off for one hour, beginning at eight P.M.

-- from "A Temporary Matter," the first story in Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahir.

This is one of the books I am reading for my 2013 TBR challenges. It won the Pulitzer Prize for 1999, but I haven't gotten around to it before this.