New Year's Eve

Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'It will be happier.'
                - - -Alfred Lord Tennyson

RIP Sue Grafton

This from Sue's family posted at Facebook 12/29/2017:

"Hello Dear Readers. 

This is Sue's daughter, Jamie. 

I am sorry to tell you all that Sue passed away last night after a two year battle with cancer. She was surrounded by family, including her devoted and adoring husband Steve. 

Although we knew this was coming, it was unexpected and fast. 

She had been fine up until just a few days ago, and then things moved quickly. 

Sue always said that she would continue writing as long as she had the juice. 

Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows, and in that same vein, she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name. 

Because of all of those things, and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue, as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y."

Indianapolis Bouchercon, 2008

Ms. Grafton's obituary can be found here: 
 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/obituaries/sue-grafton-dies-best-selling-mystery-author.html?_r=0

Christmas Eve

Wishing you all good wishes this holiday season.

I'm missing my mom, my dad and our Harley this year, but holding them, along with so many others, in  my heart.

Let's all spend a few quiet moments over the next few days thinking of our loved ones no longer with us

And never stop hoping for a time of peace

Winter Solstice

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.


― Susan Cooper

Charles Vess

Books Read During 2017

My 2017 booklist -




If a book is on this list, it means I read it and I read it because I liked it.








I am not one to finish a book I don't care for, or am even feeling lukewarm about. I know there are people out there who feel like they can't put a book down once they've invested some time in it, and that's fine. That's just not me.










That said, for those of you who sometimes ask me to recommend a book, or feel as though we share tastes in authors, I'm posting my entire list which you may consider recommendations. I hope, if you give any of these a try, you'll let me know what you think.



We all know that not all books are written for the same audience, but maybe you'll discover something here that will appeal to you.








They're listed in the order read; the most recent read being at the top of the list.











WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS by Sue Watson


OBAMA AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT by Pete Souza


THE MADELEINE PROJECT by Clara Beaudoux


WINTER SOLSTICE by Rosamunde Pilcher


BEFORE AND AGAIN by Barbara Delinsky (ARC)


PRETTY GIRLS DANCING by Kylie Brant (ARC)


THE KNOWLEDGE by Martha Grimes (ARC)


THE BONES OF PARIS by Laurie R. King


TOUCHSTONE by Laurie R. King


SOCIAL CREATURE by Tara Isabella Burton (ARC)



WOMEN IN SUNLIGHT by Frances Mayes (ARC)




PARIS BY THE BOOK by Liam Callanan (ARC)




DEFENDING JACOB by William Landay


THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell (ARC)

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER by Margot Hunt (ARC)


GEORGIA by Dawn Tripp


PARIS ADRIFT by E. J. Swift (ARC)





ON A COLD DARK SEA by Elizabeth Blackwell (ARC)


THE ADDRESS by Fiona Davis


ROOFTOPS OF PARIS by Fabrice Moireau and Carl Norac


LE PARISIENNES by Anne Sebba


I AM WATCHING YOU by Teresa Driscoll (ARC)





HER BEST FRIEND by Sarah Wray (ARC)


KILLMAN CREEK by Rachel Caine (ARC)


CITY OF ENDLESS NIGHT by Preston & Child (ARC)


THE PORCUPINE'S DILEMMA by Elizabeth Mapstone


THE GIRL WITH STARS IN HER HAIR by Alexes Razevich (ARC)







LAURA AND EMMA by Kate Greathead (ARC)


HIDDEN SCARS by Mark de Castrique


THE IMMORTALISTS by Chloe Benjamin (ARC)


SASSAFRAS, CYPRESS & INDIGO by Ntozake Shange







ON BRASSARD'S FARM by Daniel Hecht (ARC)


THE SECRET, BOOK & SCONE SOCIETY by Ellery Adams (ARC)


ROBICHEAUX by James Lee Burke (ARC)


WOMEN WITHIN by Anne Leigh Parrish





FRIENDS & OTHER LIARS by Kaela Coble (ARC)


THE PARIS SECRET by Karen Swan


THEN SHE FOUND ME by Elinor Lipman


THE INN AT LAKE DEVINE by Elinor Lipman


WHAT HAPPENED by Hillary Clinton


SHE REGRETS NOTHING by Andrea Dunlop (ARC)







THE ORPHAN OF FLORENCE by Jeanne Kalogridis (ARC)


EXQUISITE by Sarah Stovell (ARC)


SECRETS IN DEATH by J.D. Robb


THE DESIGNER by Maurius Gabriel (ARC)







MORNINGSTAR: GROWING UP WITH BOOKS by Ann Hood


MY LATEST GRIEVANCE by Elinor Lipman


THE GIRL IN THE PICTURE by Kerry Barrett (ARC)


ISABEL'S BED by Elinor Lipman


THE FAMILY MAN by Elinor Lipman







SECRETS OF CAVENDON by Barbara Taylor Bradford (ARC)


FURTHERMORE by Tahereh Mafi


MY SECRET GUIDE TO PARIS by Lisa Schroeder







THE WIFE BETWEEN US by G. Hendricks & S. Pekkanen (ARC)


THE SORCERER'S STONE by J. K. Rowling


GRADLE BIRD by J. C. Sasser


A SECRET HISTORY OF WITCHES by Louisa Morgan (ARC)


THE SORBONNE AFFAIR by Mark Pryor (ARC)


THE STOLEN MARRIAGE by Diane Chamberlain (ARC)


SECRET SHORES by Ella Carey (ARC)







TO BE WHERE YOU ARE by Jan Karon (ARC)


WHEN THE MUSIC'S OVER by Peter Robinson


MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz


MURDER IN THE MANUSCRIPT ROOM by Con Lehane (ARC)









OLD SCORES by Will Thomas (ARC)


DON'T LET GO by Harlan Coben (ARC)


PRACTICAL MAGIC by Alice Hoffman


THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (ARC)







THE STORY OF THE LOST CHILD by Elena Ferrante


THOSE WHO LEAVE AND THOSE WHO STAY by Elena Ferrante


THE BOOKSHOP AT WATER'S END by Patti Callahan Henry

STORY OF A NEW NAME by Elena Ferrante






MY BRILLIANT FRIEND by Elena Ferrante


A THOUSAND ACRES by Jane Smiley


THE WARDROBE MISTRESS by Natalie Meg Evans


A PIECE OF THE WORLD by Christine Baker Kline





YOU'LL NEVER KNOW, DEAR by Hallie Ephron


THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT by Karen White


THE MAP THAT LEADS TO YOU by J.P. Monninger


A PARIS YEAR by Janice MacLeod


PARIS LETTERS by Janice MacLeod


STILLHOUSE LAKE by Rachel Caine


SOURDOUGH by Robin Sloan (ARC)


THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE by Melanie Benjamin (ARC)





HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP by Veronica Henry


THE DARK LAKE by Sarah Bailey (ARC)


CARNEGIE'S MAID by Marie Benedict (ARC)








THE SILVER FOX by Deborah Smith



DUST TRACKS ON THE ROAD by Zora Neale Hurston


MR. PENUMBRA 1969 by Robin Sloan


MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan


GLASS HOUSES by Louise Penny (ARC)


MONSTERS IN APPALACHIA by Sheryl Monks


THE LIGHT WE LOST by Jill Santopolo







EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker (ARC)


STYX AND STONE by James Ziskin


DEADFALL by Linda Fairstein (ARC)


LULLABY ROAD by James Anderson (ARC)


HOME FOR THE SUMMER by Holly Chamberlin (ARC)







JAYBIRD'S SONG: A NOVEL by Kathy Wilson Florence (ARC)


SAME BEACH, NEXT YEAR by Dorothea Benton Frank


THE RESURRECTION OF JOAN ASHBY by Cherise Wolas (ARC)


THE BEACH AT PAINTER'S COVE by Shelley Noble (ARC)


ONE HUNDRED NAMES by Cecelia Ahern







HERE'S TO US by Elin Hilderbrand


TAKE OUT by Margaret Maron (ARC)


NOTHING STAYS BURIED by P. J. Tracy (ARC)


THE NECKLACE by Claire McMillan (ARC)


THE IRRESISTIBLE BLUEBERRY BAKESHOP AND CAFE by Mary Simses (ARC)


A PARIS ALL YOUR OWN edited by Eleanor Brown (ARC)







THE IDENTICALS by Elin Hilderbrand (ARC)


DUPLICITY by Ingrid Thoft


BRUTALITY by Ingrid Thoft


IDENTITY by Ingrid Thoft


LOYALTY by Ingrid Thoft


A MURDER AT ROSAMUND'S GATE by Sunsanna Calkins








DANCE FOR THE DEAD by Thomas Perry


VANISHING ACT by Thomas Perry


SUMMER AGAIN by Julia Gabriel (ARC)


HOUSE. TREE. PERSON. by Catriona McPherson (ARC)






THE PHOTOGRAPH by Penelope Lively


PIECES OF HAPPINESS by Anne Ostby (ARC)


BEACH HOUSE FOR RENT by Mary Alice Monroe (ARC)


THE END OF TEMPERANCE DARE by Wendy Webb (ARC)


P.S. FROM PARIS by Marc Levy (ARC)


THE SUMMER HOUSE by Hannah McKinnon (ARC)


THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV by Elizabeth Berg (ARC)







MURDER ON THE QUAI by Cara Black


THE WIDOW'S HOUSE by Carol Goodman


THE RED HUNTER by Lisa Unger (ARC)


SUNBAKED by Junie Coffey (ARC)


THE PRINCESS SAVES HERSELF IN THIS ONE by Amanda Lovelace


CAMINO BEACH by Amanda Callendrier (ARC)


THE SATURDAY EVENING GIRLS CLUB by Jane Healey (ARC)










COME SUNDOWN by Nora Roberts (ARC)


THE GATES OF EVANGELINE by Hester Young


GRIEF COTTAGE by Gail Godwin (ARC)


BLACK RABBIT HALL by Eve Chase


THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid (ARC)







THE PROMISE GIRLS by Marie Bostwick (ARC)


THE WILDLING SISTERS by Eve Chase (ARC)


SECRETS IN SUMMER by Nancy Thayer (ARC)


SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF SIMPLE by Kristy Woodson Harvey (ARC)


LILLIAN BOXFISH TAKES A WALK by Kathleen Rooney


THE LITTLE FRENCH BISTRO by Nina George (ARC)







LILY'S HOUSE by Cassandra Parkin (ARC)


MIDNIGHT AT THE BRIGHT IDEAS BOOKSTORE by Matthew Sullivan (ARC)


ECHOES IN DEATH by J. D. Robb


THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE by Ella Carey


THE HIDEAWAY by Lauren K. Denton (ARC)


THE GOLDEN HOUR by T. Greenwood







ONLY THE HUNTED RUN by Neely Tucker


THE BOOK OF SUMMER by Michelle Gable (ARC)


GARDEN OF LAMENTATIONS by Deborah Crombie (ARC)


FLIGHT PATTERNS by Karen White


EXPOSURES by Glenda Burgess


ON BEAUTY by Zadie Smith







HOLLOW MAN by Mark Pryor


THE ROAD TO ENCHANTMENT by Kaya McLaren (ARC)


BOOKS FOR LIVING by Will Schwalbe


DEAD LETTERS by Caite Dolan-Leach (ARC)









For a long time, I promised myself I was going to keep a log of books as I was reading. But then, I would immediately forget. I finally got it right when I decided to keep a list on my blog during 2010 and found it to be a fun thing. Especially for a compulsive list-maker like myself. And I've been doing it religiously ever since.



You can see my 2010 list here -

http://meanderingsandmuses.blogspot.com/2010/12/books-read-during-2010.html



And, you can see my 2011 list here -

http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/2011/12/books-read-during-2011.html






And here's my 2012 list -

http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/2013/01/books-read-in-2012.html



And, my 2013 list -

http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/2013/12/books-read-duing-2013.html







And, my 2014 list -

http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/2014/12/books-read-in-2014.html



And, my 2015 list -

http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/2015/12/books-read-in-2015_14.html



And, my 2016 list -

http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/2016/12/books-read-during-2016.html

The Gift by Raymond Carver

Snow began falling late last night. Wet flakes
dropping past windows, snow covering
the skylights. We watched for a time, surprised
and happy. glad to be here, and nowhere else.
I loaded up the wood stove. Adjusted the flue.
We went to bed, where I closed my eyes at once.
But for some reason, before falling asleep,
I recalled the scene at the airport
in Buenos Aires the evening we left.
How still and deserted the place seemed!
Dead quiet except the sound of our engines
as we backed away from the gate and
taxied slowly down the runway in a light snow.
The windows in the terminal building dark.
No one in evidence, not even a ground crew. “It’s as if
the whole place is mourning,” you said.

I opened my eyes. Your breathing said
you were fast asleep. I covered you with an arm
and went on from Argentina to recall a place
I lives in once in Palo Alto. No snow in Palo Alto.
But I had a room and two windows looking onto the Bayshore Freeway.
They refrigerator stood next to the bed.
When I became dehydrated in the middle of the night,
all I had to do to slake that thirst was reach out
and open the door. The light inside showed the way
to a bottle of cold water. A hot plate
sat in the bathroom close to the sink.
When I shaved, the pan of water bubbled
on the coil next to the jar of coffee granules.

I sat on the bed one morning, dressed, clean-shaven,
drinking coffee, putting off what I’d decided to do. Finally
dialed Jim Houston’s number in Santa Cruz.
And asked for 75 dollars. He said he didn’t have it.
His wife had gone to Mexico for a week.
He simply didn’t have it. He was coming up short
this month. “It’s okay,” I said, “I understand.”
And I did. We talked a little
more, then hung up. He didn’t hate it.
I finished the coffee, more or less, just as the plane
lifted off the runway into the sunset.
I turned in the seat for one last look
at the lights of Buenos Aires. Then closed my eyes
for the long trip back.

This morning there’s snow everywhere. We remark on it.
You tell me you didn’t sleep well. I say
I didn’t either. You had a terrible night. “Me too.”
We’re extraordinarily calm and tender with each other
as if sensing the other’s rickety state of mind.
As if we knew what the other was feeling. We don’t,
of course. We never do. No matter.
It’s the tenderness I care about. That’s the gift
this morning that moves and holds me.
Same as every morning.

---

 

Back to Paris - Yay!

And this trip, Donald is joining me.  

It's our Christmas gift to one another.

I'll get to visit places I was unable to visit last September, and I'll get to experience all of it with Donald - that which I've already seen and that which we'll be discovering for the first time together.

And we will both be armed with our cameras - yay!


Paris is a city that fills one's senses.  It's also heaven for a photographer.


After Paris, we're going to take a train to Amsterdam and spend a few days. 

Time for me to start my pre-vacation reading . . .





Airline tickets have been purchased.

We've booked a small (very small!) studio apartment on the Île Saint-Louis, and a hotel room in Amsterdam.

Now I get to spend the next several months dreaming, reading and planning, which is, to me, a huge part of the fun of travel.

More Annabelle Playing in the Snow Pics