What are you reading?

I am currently reading the Lane Winslow series by Canadian author Iona Washow. The genres are murder mystery and historical fiction. It’s not gory. It’s fun to learn about another country’s history and the setting, the wilds of British Columbia, is quite beautiful and relaxing. The characters could be my best friends.

I've enjoyed following what folks enjoy reading here! Always good to find some new authors and their works.

Right now, I'm loving "1973: Rock at the Crossroads", by Andrew Grant Jackson. It offers a great view into this transformational year for rock music and its musicians.

A couple of authors I follow religiously, so I don't miss a new release, are Michael McGarrity, especially his Kevin Kearny stories set in New Mexico; William Kent Krueger, especially his Cork O'Connor series set in northern Minnesota; and Steve Hamilton's Alex McKnight series usually set in the UP of Michigan.

Two older books, which continue to hold spots at the very top of my all-time favorites list are "The Liquid Cross of Skid Row", by William Gleason and "The Madman's Tale" by John Katzenbach.

Strength, Courage, & Peace

Mary, I think you’ll appreciate this little anecdote.

So, I went into the world of digital books kicking and screaming. No one was going to pry an actual book out of my hands. Well, eventually I caved like a wet cardboard box and now I read most of my books on my iPad. Book storage being of principal concern. My library overfloweth with too many friends.

Like you, I insist on looking up unfamiliar words. With the digital medium it’s so easy to just touch the word on the screen and up pops the definition.
For my birthday recently, a friend gifted me an actual book! Gasp! A rare, decadent treat these days! I’m reading along and catch a word I wasn’t familiar with in this particular context. So I sit there like an idiot, pressing the PRINTED word on the page and wondering what’s wrong with my iPad that it’s not responding. 😂😂

@loribmt

Love it! See what happens to us in this digital world? We start to act like robots. I did go digital during the shut down and for sometime afterwards and loved that aspect of pressing the printed word and the bookmarks.

However, I have refused suggestions of any type of digital reading. Occasionally I will come across an Ebook in my library's catalogue, and if I really can't wait to get it in book form, I become part of the crumbled wet cardboard group. We often have blackouts here in Florida during hurricane season and for no good reasons at time. Even though we have a generator, it is not enough to power the tv along with the fridge, coffee pot and toaster oven and one lamp, so I loved the fact that I could read something solid by lantern light where I chose. I found reading on my Ipad kept me awake too long at night, although I do watch movies from time to time...even on my phone...depends on where I am.

I generally don't buy books anymore (except for cookbooks) unless it is a sale at the library. If I find a particularly good one to keep, then I do and the others get donated elsewhere.

Wherever and however we read, I wish more people made the time to do so. I always did even when raising a family and working. But it is a different world today. I have to say I find I have developed a better vocabulary over the years. Reading anything expands your knowledge in some way...doesn't matter what the content is.

I think we are a dying breed.

FL Mary

For all of you who like to read, try going to Dictionary.com and signing up to get the daily word. A friend and I are both on the list, and we compare notes every day about whether or not we "sorta" knew the word or found it entirely new. Since I've been (among other things) an editor most of my life, I'm not often totally stumped, but it's a nice learning experience. You can also dig deeper into parts of speech, usage, etc. on the site.

For all of you that like using e-readers, iPads, etc... - The Fussy Librarian is a good site for cheap and free book downloads - https://www.thefussylibrarian.com/

Just finished John Grisham's A Time To Kill, an old(er) novel I wanted to read years ago, but had to wait till retirement to find the time. When I find a book as good as this, no matter how old, I hate to give it up & am waiting for a family member or a friend who would appreciate a well-worn book to curl up with. I'm almost done with local writer Peg Herring's book Sister Saint, Sister Sinner. I often enjoy locally produced books.

For fiction, I love audiobooks so I can listen while doing things around the house. My all time favorite series is At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon. The Mary Russell Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King is very good, but i don't care for her other work.
For non-fiction i need the book in hand so i can read, re- read, think, make notes. Currently I'm reading The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel, and of course the Bible, New Living Translation.

I love Jan Karon's books! Have you read anything by Kerry Casey a Minnesota author?

No. But if she's anything like Jan Karon I'll check her out. Thanks for the heads up. 😃