Painting by Albert Joseph Moore (1841 - 1893)
Waiting for the worst to hit us, but as of this moment, Sandy has declined to do so. While I still have power thought I'd catch you up on my latest reading material. In preparation, I went to the library (as any other bibliophile would do when faced with an emergency) last week and brought home a daunting slew of books.
Reading by flashlight (candlelight in a pinch) is about the best way to sit through a storm, I'm thinking. Oh, and a bag of chips by your side doesn't hurt, though you have to watch that greasy fingers don't stain the pages.
David Small
Here are the books I lugged home over a two day period. Am I nuts? Yeah, probably. But that's been said before.
DIE A STRANGER by Steve Hamilton. This is the very latest Alex McKnight novel and the one I'm currently reading.
LULLABY - A Robert J. Parker Spenser book by Ace Atkins - If it were anyone else except Ace Atkins I probably would not consider reading this.
THE MEMORY OF BLOOD (A Peculiar Crimes Unit book) by Christopher Fowler - if you don't read this series - what the heck are you waiting for?
ISLAND OF BONES by Imogen Robertson (Hooray! I've been waiting forever for this book to show up at my library.) A must read series set in 18th century England.
PRELUDE TO TERROR by Helen MacInnes
THE BEDLAM DETECTIVE by Stephen Gallagher - Don't know about this one, it's new to me.
THE GARDEN INTRIGUE by Lauren Willig - I'm very fond of Willig's series of 'Scarlet Pimpernel' pastiches.
TRAIL OF THE SPELLMANS by Lisa Lutz - A humorous series about a family of detectives who mostly spend time spying on each other.
DORCHESTER TERRACE by Anne Perry (A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt book.) These last two books by Anne Perry are from long running series that I've been reading for years.
A SUNLESS SEA by Anne Perry (A William Monk book.)
David Small
Just recently finished THE MOONSTONE by Wilkie Collins and my review will be up and running after the storm. I want to have time to do the book justice. It's going to be a goody.
I'm also currently trying to squeeze in THE ART OF FIELDING by Chad Harbach (a book my brother loved) and SPEAK OUT BEFORE YOU DIE by our fellow blogger Jacqueline T. Lynch. Not to mention a couple of Patrick O'Brians I'd forgotten I still had lying around unread. PLUS two major non-fiction books I have been meaning to get to (presents from last Christmas - how ashamed am I?).
But since I don't like to think of reading as a race to the finish line, I'll just continue to take my time. I won't make 100 books read this year, shame on me, but as I said: it's not a race. (I'm being defensive, I know.)
Confession: I need to spend more time reading and less time on Pinterest. But there's just something about Pinterest that soothes the cares of the world and indulges my visual senses. I am especially fond of my boards (in another life I must have been a curator) devoted to art: paintings, sketches, drawings and illustration - current and vintage. Honestly it's almost like an out of body experience. Ha!
Hal Mayforth (source)
Thinking of you every time I see that big swirly thing on TV pointed at New Jersey. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteYvette, NJ is right in the path of Sandy and I hope its impact isn't going to be as expected and you and everyone around you is safe. I just saw a NASA picture of the storm from the International Space Station, on CNN, and it looks big and scary. Incidentally, a colleague of mine wanted to know why storms in the US are named after women...Katrina, Irene, and now Sandy, which could go either way.
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't get too badly affected by Sandy. We watch from the other side of the world and worry for you all.
ReplyDeleteHello Yvette:
ReplyDeleteWe are thinking of you, hoping that you will stay safe and trusting that the worst of the storm will soon be over.
In the meantime we think that you are extraordinarily well prepared in terms of distracting reading to keep your mind fully occupied. Surely these titles can weather any storm?!!
Hi My Friend,
ReplyDeletePraying for you and Rocky to be safe and warm during this storm! Enjoy your reading and hopefully NOT by flashlight!
I always enjoy reading your blog and
look forward to all the new books I can select to read. Again stay safe! judy
Hang in there, Yvette. You sound to be all ready and prepared. How far are you from the shoreline?I'll have to do a Google maps investigation. I'm thinking only good thoughts for all of New Jersey(I have many friends in that state) and the rest of the Eastern Seaboard.
ReplyDeletePraying that you'll be safe, Yvette! Reading is always a good way to stay distracted.
ReplyDeleteYvette--please be safe! Prayers are with you and your family and all of those who will be affected by the storm. Take it from someone who still has Katrina-damage in her home, the after-effects of a massive storm will continue for a long time.
ReplyDeletePrashant: Storms are named in alphabetical order according to a set list of names that are issued by the National Weather Service. For many years, this naming convention used female names exclusively, but since the late 1970s male and female names alternate in the listing. For example, this year in Louisiana, where I live, we had a major storm named Isaac. When a storm causes catastrophic damage, the name is never used again. So there will never be another Katrina and, I'm sure, never another Sandy.
From Philadelphia, where we had no problems at all, not even loss of power , where we live, I'm hoping that Tuesday morning finds you and Rocky safe and dry. We're all eagerly awaiting your next blog, telling us all is okay.
ReplyDeleteVery best wishes Yvette - look forward to hearing that the worst is over soon.
ReplyDeleteDeb, thanks for the explanation and reminding me about Hurricane Isaac. I'd completely forgotten about the storm not too long back and especially since I was aware that some of my blog friends lived in the states along the Gulf Coast. The Indian met department has taken the cue from its US counterpart and started naming India's cyclones (hurricanes). We had a nasty one along the east coast of South India just two days ago. The difference is that while less than 10 people lost their lives due to Sandy, there were nearly 200 casualties due to Cyclone Nilima, which speaks of the pathetic disaster management plan we have in place.
ReplyDeleteWe hyperlocally, in the NJ suburbs of Philadelphia, lost electricity for about 90 minutes yesterday, but otherwise it's just been a wet, windy mess...the cats were peeved about not being allowed outdoors. Admiral Wilson Boulevard, which floods if someone dumps their half-finished soda out a car window, flooded.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Prashant, most of the US casualties seem to be results of freak accidents (such as the woman in New York electrocuted in a rain puddle with a live, loose electric wire in contact), but do spare a thought for the dozens of folks who were terminally messed over in the Caribbean before we up north had to treat with it...
Yvette, have been thinking about you all day and hoping that you are well and able to check in here soon to put our concerns to rest.
ReplyDeletemjoy
Oh I do so hope you are fine and will soon be back to normal. This storm was a monster. Fondly quirkfarms
ReplyDeleteI'm back, Jacqueline. The power went out Monday evening and stayed out until early this morning.
ReplyDeleteParts of town are still without electricity and people are having trouble getting enough gas to travel. My daughter and her family are still unable to return to their home.
But we're all safe and sound. :)
The storm was pretty wild, Prashant. Scary as heck. The roar of the wind especially. Wow. I can't remember anything like it in my long life.
ReplyDeleteBut here we are safe and sound. The electrical power came back on this morning at 6, but I'm just one of the few lucky ones.
Power is still out all over the area.
Storms used to be named just after women, it's true. But now they alternate between men and women's names. Don't know why but I can guess. :)
Hi Carole, we got hit real good but not as badly as some other areas. Luckily for us, my town sits high in the hills of NJ and I think that has a lot to do with us not getting as much flooding as other areas.
ReplyDeleteBut parts of the entire county and state are still without power.
Mine came back on early this morning.
Jane and Lance: I was reading by flashlight, so I kept myself a bit distracted, it's true. But the sound of the storm outside kept intruding.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I've ever experienced anything like it. Not where I live, at any rate.
But we're back. Safe and sound. For now. :)
We're fine, Judy. It was an experience I'd not care to repeat though. :)
ReplyDeleteOne other lucky thing is that it wasn't really cold out. Can you imagine if the temps had been really low?? Probably we would have had six feet of snow. HA! Like last year. October is turning into a real 'happening' month.
John, people who live on or near the shoreline were hit much worse than we were. I'm up in the hills of NJ and that offers some protection, I think.
ReplyDeleteBut that didn't stop our power from going out. It was awful.
But that's over and done with for now. :)
We weathered the storm nicely, Bev. :)
ReplyDeleteI actually did read by flashlight.
Deb: Thanks for the hurricane info. I learned a thing or two myself. :)
ReplyDeleteWe're all safe and sound though my daughter and her family still have no power and are unable to return to their home.
Hey, we're alive and kicking and that's the best news. :)
Joan you were fortunate, indeed. It was a scary night and day let me tell you. But we're here, we're fine - at least on my side of town. What a relief. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sergio, we're back and grateful to be so. :)
ReplyDeleteTodd, yes we were lucky. My electrical power went out Monday evening and just came back on early this morning. So I do consider myself lucky. My Rocky boy (chihuahua) had enough sense not to want to go outside at all so we hunkered down.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and her family are still without power and cannot return to their home yet. Gas is becoming scarce as stations can't use their pumps. It's a mess, indeed. My heart goes out to anyone affected by this storm.
Hi mjoy! Yeah, I'm fine and dandy now that the power's been restored. There are those much worse off than me, so I'm feeling blessed by good fortune.
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with you, m'dear. :)
It was indeed a monster storm, Monsieur Unknown. :) But we 'weathered' it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are doing okay and that your power is back on.
ReplyDeleteMuch of Manhattan was without electricity, heat, even cell phone service.
ReplyDeleteI just got my electricity -- and phones -- back on at 6 p.m. today, Friday, and the hot water, but am waiting for the heat to kick in. It's freezing.
For the areas in Manhattan, there were so many problems. A neighbor's child got hurt and had to travel about 60 blocks to a hospital, as two major ones -- NYU and Bellevue had to evacuate; their generators and fuel pumps were flooded.
Another neighbor went to see an elderly client in her building, which was without electricity, and she fell on the stairs she couldn't see, and got quite a bump and now a shiner. It would have taken four hours for an ambulance to appear. Can anyone imagine the situation for heart attack sufferers?
I did what Yvette did. I hunkered down with flashlights, with lots of "D" batteries, and a load of books. Read two mysteries.
Two friends came to take me to one of their homes, which had electricity and hot water -- and a computer -- but I was staying where I was. I was getting tired of it, and as I started to change my mind about moving, the power came back on!
Thanks Ryan, I'm glad too. :)
ReplyDeleteKathy I'm so glad you're okay and have power and heat. New York was really hit hard, I know. As Fred says, Mother Nature was in a nasty mood.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe that Bellevue had to evacuate - wow. You'd think hospitals would have contingencies for this sort of thing. But I guess not. Who knew that a storm this bad could hit NYC and the surrounding area? Nothing like this has ever hit New Jersey, that's for sure.
Glad we're all safe and sound.
A friend in Waterside Plaza, on the East River, still has no power or water.
ReplyDeleteFriends in Hoboken, N.J., still are without power, water, and last I knew, no transportation out of the city. However, there were to be buses into NYC this Monday.
Lots of people are suffering; the 111 Breezy Point families who lost their homes, the Staten Island families, lots of people doing without basic necessities.
How did I miss that you are reviewing The Moonstone? I can't wait (she says, jumping up and down) and I know it'll be as stellar as The Woman in White.
I know, Kathy. It's awful what's happening. I feel so bad for those who are without power but worse - also without a place to stay. And I know I was really lucky to get my power back on after only two days. (and let me tell you, those two days were bad enough).
ReplyDeleteI hope your friends are all right.
Yeah, THE MOONSTONE review coming up in a few days.