What are you reading right now?

‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson – the book that probably started off the environmental movement. Last week I bought an old copy for $1 from an OpShop because I’ve never read it, although it is referred to frequently. When I go it home and looked at the first pages, I found it was a first edition, posted from California to a like-minded friend in Alice Springs when it was first published in 1964. On Ebay, over $800. I bought it to read, and don’t intend to cash in on it!

I read so much, and so many books at a time (mostly non-fiction), that I don’t usually post here. I’m currently unpacking books from the farm, and ploughing through my Agatha Christies to sort out the duplicates. Miss Marple is my current ‘light read’ in bed.

That sounds good Alva! Let us know.
I just started, "those who save us"
WWII book. Not sure yet if it's any good, but there really seems to be a lot of WWII books in the stores now. Probably because of all the Israel stuff.

Just picked up Ladysitting, my year with Nana at the end of her Century by Lorene Cary.
Right up our alley!

I am a history lover so for me "The Longest Winter" about the a WWII company that helped hold up the German advance at the Battle of the Bulge and were taken prisoner. Good read.

Headaches are awful Riverdale, I don't suffer very often but my mom and her sister both had frequent headaches. The were both prescribed Fiorinal with codeine, my dear aunt unfortunately became quite addicted and she used to call mom asking for some tablets to tide her over. I kept a bottle of those tucked in mom's drawer because I thought they would most certainly do the job (IYKWIM).

Dinner For Two. I had to put it down a few days ago as I was having a week of daily migraines. I receive treatment and medication for this ailment but last week was the worse. I finally went to an emergency room. Right now I am headache free and I hope I can have better days. I practically used up most of my specific medications and insurance only pays for a set amount monthly and sometimes the pharmacy doesn't even have what I need in stock. I spent all yesterday in bed and I find that a miserable life.

Janet Evanovich's Dirty Thirty. Needed some light reading and a change from my normal mysteries

Having watched and fallen in love with Ripley on Netflix I am now rereading all of Patricia Highsmith's mysteries. And having such fun with them. I can't recommend Ripley highly enough on TV. It is 8 or 9 episodes, shot in black and white (which I thought before I saw it a gimmick, but which was exquisite) and full of actors, including Italian actors with the BEST small parts. And it is a twist a second.

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood, a light English murder mystery.

That's sounds good, I'm going to look that up.

I'm reading Mitch Albom , the little liar.

It's good. All his work is so moving. So I'll let ya know how much crying I end up doing.

I'm reading a non-escapist book at the moment: "The Great Displacement" (due to climate change) by Jake Bittle. At 87 I likely won't be around long enough to experience or be displaced by a catastrophic weather event (maybe not counting heavy wildfire smoke, which we've had), but our adult kids might. Our grandkids almost certainly will.

The book mentions the "heat dome" that hovered over the Pacific Northwest in 2021 for about a week. Temps to 102 deg.--that was totally unprecedented for this area. Winter snowfall this year has been 50-75% of normal so far. These are NOT good changes.

Just bought Mitch Alboms new book, the little liar.

And the House of Lincoln.
Nancy horan

I love historical fiction,

Not reading it now but " a man called ove" is such a good feel good book, with a good sence of humor .One of my favorite. Was made into a Tom Hanks movie "a man called Otto" it was a good movie but as always the book was so much better

OMG Kinsey Millhone via Sue Grafton. She, this lovely P.I. in her 30s, cutting her hair with a manicuring scissors, has got me through my second dose of cancer, single handedly.
When I was distressed I opened up another and went into that world of the 80s when everyone smoked, and Airwick was a thing, when there was pimento cheese in a jam jar, and when there were no cell phones and DNA was only a glimmer of hope.
I am on Law is for Lawless, and I am thoroughly enjoying the work of this woman who WAS taken suddenly and unexpectedly by cancer, a blood cancer if I remember, before she could finish the alphabet.
Thanks to her--and to authors everywhere, who deliver us from real life to another magical world where we can escape. May she long live on helping others tho she is so long gone from us.

Margaret, I remember that was exactly how my younger sister's hair was washed!

Waist height, better for Mother's back (in theory).

The reality was one-handed hair washing as sister yelled & twisted about & was pinned down on the draining board with Mother's other hand so she didn't wriggle off & fall. I think I stood on a chair to help pin her legs down.

No-one had invented those little hat-face guards the little children wear in the bath yet.

I’ve been reduced to reading ‘Country Women’s Association Household Hints’, published 1973, but with many older tips. Interesting historically, so much has changed. Good outdated tips for children:
“Hang little girls’ dresses on the line inside out, so the hem fades equally ready for letting down”.
“Wash small children’s hair by lying them down on the draining board with their head over the sink”. If only!

But absolutely nothing on aged care. Zip! Zilch! Clearly, there wasn’t much of it going on!

Just picked up The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett from my new library. I say 'new' as I just joined while on a mini-break - I intend to make visiting this region a more regular thing. (Loved the film with Maggie Smith).

Got a bunch of real books as have not investigated library e-versions yet - but will be.

Thx cw. I'm like Alva. I have such a back up...

Kindle doesn't work in Australian libraries either. They use another system, that I haven't got around to working out yet. Right now I'm re-reading Jane Austen's 'Mansfield Park', and thinking about the issues for actors (particularly amateurs) in simulating love scenes without reality getting in the way. I can see the point now a bit more clearly than when I read it a few decades ago.

Or as Cwillie says, go the library route. I haven't downloaded our ebook access but it's enormous. I just have such a backup of stuff to read I will be lucky to live so long, you know?
l

Canadian libraries use Kobo Golden. Kindle is owned by American Amazon and they are the ones blocking access.

Just saw that My Kindle Unlimited subscription only applies to Amazon.ca. Might be worth getting another subscription to Amazon.com if only for the Sue Grafton series. It can always be cancelled.

On my kindleunlimited I can get Sue Grafton Free A is for Alibi through E is for Evidence.
The it is about 9.99 per book for F is for Fugitive through H is for Homicide. Starting with I it is free again on Amazon Kindle Unlimited, so this must vary out there? Or change around.
I can order so easily just about anything from our library and it is delivered ASAP to the library branch I choose, so just walked the three "for sale " book, again, home free. I am SUCH a cheapskate about some things and a spendthrift about others. Go figure. Because I love books. I do have an author currently about my favorite (Michael Finkel) and just ordered ALL his books for my son in law (Start with The Art Thief) today. So not like I don't support my favorite authors, hee hee.

Thx Pam and cw. I read from the Kindle app on my laptop and order all my ebooks from Amazon. I have Kindle Unlimited from Amazon which I find very worthwhile. Hope Canadian libraries get with it soon.

However. I must say I have more than enough books to read. I get notices from Joffe books about their free ebooks. I have chosen only mysteries so far and get more of the ones I like than I can read before the next batch comes out.

I've checked the Sue Grafton series and they cost - about $12 a piece for the first ones in the series anyway.

Unless something has changed very recently Kindle does not work in Canadian libraries. No doubt the Kindle freebies Alva has found are not available here either.

Golden many libraries have a system where you can download/borrow thier books on your Kindle. My DD does with all the time. If you can;t figure it out take your Kindle in person and some one will gladly help you. I am reading the Frozen River. So good!

Alva - Sue Grafton series is not free for me on Kindle. How do you do it?

Kinsey Millhone, Sue Grafton's great P.I. who lives in Santa Teresa (read Santa Barbara, Grafton's home town) and operates her Detective agency in the 80s. Start with A is for Alibi. A kinder gentler time, but wow is it smoke filled. They all smoke even in the hospital.

These books are getting me through as an escape reread in these times. I am up to F is for Fugitive but Kindle tricked me by making them free until now. Just walked to the library for F, G and H. Then they start to be free on Kindle again. Go figure.

Just finished Janet Neel's "A Fatal Blow". It 's Book ! of her Wilson and McLeish Mysteries. I like mysteries set in the UK. The beginning was very slow reading for me and I nearly gave up on it but am so glad I didn't. I enjoyed it more as I got into the book and look forward to reading the rest of the series. I find the characters interesting and this form of Brit Lit is great escapism for me.

Golden,

Have not, but it sounds fun.