#Georgette Smith

[venusmilk]

Georgette Smith

Source

[guy60660]

Georgette Smith | NY Times

[rayless-reblogs]

20 Book Challenge

I saw this challenge on a post by @theresebelivett. The idea is you pick 20 of your books to take with you to a desert island, but you can only pick one book per author and series. Here are two further guidelines I set myself: They have to be books I actually own, as if I really am gathering them up under my arms and heading to the island; and I'm defining "book" as a single volume -- so if I just so happen to have 100 novellas squashed between two covers, it still counts as one book.

We'll go alphabetically by author.

Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre. An old standby, a classic, I can jump into it at any point.

Daphne du Maurier: Rebecca. Have only read it once, but loved it and I suspect I'll get more from it each time.

Clare B Dunkle: The Hollow Kingdom. If I can only take one book from this excellent and unusual goblin series that captivated me in the mid-2000s, it'd better be the first one.

William Goldman: The Princess Bride. This book had an outsize influence on my own writing. I can quote a lot of it, but I wouldn't want to be without it.

Shannon Hale: Book of a Thousand Days. I love the warmth and humility of its heroine Dashti. Plus, Shannon Hale very kindly wrote a personal response to a fan letter I sent her years and years ago, so her work always has a special place in my heart.

Georgette Heyer: Cotillion. I don't actually own my favorite Georgette novel, but the funny, awkward, and ultimately romantic Cotillion is definitely not a pitiful second-stringer.

Eva Ibbotson: A Countess Below Stairs. Countess was my introduction to Eva's adult romances, and she is the past master of warm, hardworking heroines who should really be annoying because they're way too good to be true, but somehow you just end up falling in love with them.

Norton Juster: The Phantom Tollbooth. I first read this when I was like eight, and even for an adult, its quirky humor and zingy wordplay hold up, no problem.

Gaston Leroux: The Phantom of the Opera. Can't leave without Erik, nope, the French potboiler has got to come. Perhaps I will spend my time on the island writing the inevitable crossover fanfic, The Phantom of the Tollbooth.

CS Lewis: Till We Have Faces. Faces is my current answer for what my favorite book is, so I'm taking that, though it feels criminal to leave The Silver Chair behind.

LM Montgomery: The Blue Castle. As much as I love Anne and Emily, it came down to Blue Castle and A Tangled Web, and I'm a sucker for Valancy's romantic journey.

E Nesbit: Five Children and It. Probably the most classic Edwardian children's fantasy, though still a hard choice to make. Nesbit is another author who had a huge influence on me as a writer.

Robert C O'Brien: Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. A childhood book I'm really sentimental about. I should re-read it.

Meredith Ann Pierce: The Darkangel. The first in the archaic lunar vampire trilogy. This will always be frustrating, only having the first in the series, but if I can only read the first, maybe I'll forget about how angry the third novel left me.

Sherwood Smith: Crown Duel. At one time, this swords-and-manners fantasy duet was one of my absolute favorite fandoms, and clever me has both books in one volume, so I don't have to choose.

Anne Elisabeth Stengl: Starflower. My favorite of the Tales of Goldstone Wood series. We'll have to test whether I can actually get sick of Eanrin.

JRR Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings. I've never actually read it through as an adult and, look at that, I have a three-in-one volume. Cheating!

Vivian Vande Velde: Spellbound. I've read much of VVV's YA fantasy and liked a lot of it, but none more so than The Conjurer Princess and its fast-paced tale of revenge. The Spellbound edition includes the prequel and a bonus short story, so I'm good to go.

PG Wodehouse: The World of Mr Mulliner. There are some hilarious novels I'm leaving behind here, including all the Bertie Wooster stuff. But there are some absurdly fun Mulliner stories and this edition is like three hundred pages. That'll keep me happy for a long while on my island.

Jack Zipes (editor): Spells of Enchantment. This is an enormous compilation of western fairy tales. I've owned it since 2004 or so, and I've still never finished it. Now, on my island, I'll no longer have the excuse.

Tagging anyone else who feels like doing this!

[eva248]

Lecturas de noviembre. Segunda semana

Ultima salida para Brooklyn / Hubert Selby Jr. Editorial Anagrama Compactos, 2005 Éste es un libro consagrado esencialmente a la violencia que desgarra a una sociedad sin amor. A lo largo de seis historias, cuya unidad de intención y escenario hacen aplicable el término de novela, Hubert Selby investiga implacablemente las causas de dicha violencia, las «razones» de quienes la imponen y la…

[shortnasties]

2935. Gambling Frogs

This is "Gambling Frogs." Just laying around, thinking.

When I was younger, my brother had a painting of gambling frogs. It was a knockoff of the more famous gambling dogs painting. But I didn't know about the dog version. Not until years later. When someone brought it up at a boozy party. You mean the frog painting? I said. No, no, they said, dogs. The dog painting. It was dogs. I thought they were drunker than I previously thought. Dogs! Gambling! Didn't make sense. Frogs, on the other hand... Now frogs made sense. Something about it felt right. Closer to the bone of life. Yes, I think fondly of my brother's painting of frogs gambling, and I can't think of anything truer.

[hellyeahscarleteen]

"Why are so many romance novel leads sexist a%*holes — and am I weird for not finding that sexy?"

Jane asks: "Also, why are there so many huge guy/tiny girl couples and barely any the other way around? I really liked how Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan books portrayed non-toxic masculinity (involved fathers! no petite-fetish crap! men giving oral!), but finding something similarly respectful (I guess that’s the right word) is like finding a needle in a haystack."

s.e. smith answers: "Nothing more frustrating than getting into the groove of a good book only to get smacked in the head by misogyny, stereotypes, and general weirdness—and no, Jane, you’re not weird for not being into sexist assholes, and for knowing what you DO like! BUT, I have some great news for you: Romance is an amazingly diverse and fun genre, and it sounds like you’ve just scratched the surface.

And I’ll let you in on a little secret: You can find sexist trash in all literary genres. There’s fancy literary fiction that is absolute garbage, with horrible gross sexist characters being terrible human beings, for example. The fact that only romance gets called out⁠ for and associated with this should set off your bullshit detector. Interesting that a genre associated with women writers and readers gets put down all the time, isn’t it?..

From the sound of your letter, you’re probably not going to be super into alpha hero and other romance centering around power imbalances, for example, unless that romance is upending those tropes (and they will tell you in cover copy and reviews). But if you’re looking for romance where people are on more equal footing, or playing with gender⁠ dynamics, something like partners in crime or different worlds could be fun.

I’m personally a huge fan of period⁠ romances, especially those set in the Regency Era. Beverly Jenkins is a very famous author in that genre, with a focus on Black characters in contemporary and historical fiction, and if you want more Black characters, check out Alyssa Cole. Georgette Heyer is a classic. I just finished Confounding Oaths, by Alexis Hall, which is a super fun and very gay⁠ fantasy set in (sort of) the Regency era. Zen Cho, a Malaysian fantasy and romance author, is also delightful. Wanting to go Victorian? India Holton’s books are spicy, charming, and fun. Something more fantasy and very queer⁠? TJ Klune isn’t exactly a romance author, but writes very cozy, sweet, gay love stories."

Want more leads? Read the rest of s.e. smith's tips on how to find romance that doesn't revolve around boring overused tropes steeped in misogyny and sexist main characters below!

[angelofviscera]

1, 6, 11, 15, 18 & 22 the taxonomy of the dealio rickard siken / 2 & 5 oldfield park station holly warburton / 3 kyoto phoebe bridgers / 4 shrapnel hana eid / 7 emily i'm sorry boygenius / 8 winter palette georgette smith / 9 an origin model of the hand of god auguste rodin / 10 north star thomas lupari / 12 drive my car ryusuke hamaguchi / 13 house of hummingbird kim bora / 14 shadowboxing julien baker / 16 rooms by the sea edward hopper / 17 happy to be here julien baker / 19, 20, 29 & 30 untitled pieces by dadu shin / 21 sprained ankle julien baker / 24 ketchum id boygenius / 23, 25 & 27 collpase of falsehood (part 1) olena koliesnik / 26 cool about it boygenius / 28 poem without love tarfia faizullah

[janiemcpants]

2024 Reading Roundup, Part 2

The rest of the books behind the cut!

Four stars, continued: The House on Abigail Lane by Kealan Patrick Burke (2020) The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (2024) The Dark Between the Trees by Fiona Barnett (2022) An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman (2024) Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum (2022) Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton (2016) Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights edited by Patrick Weekes (2020) [reread] Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell (2024) Murder Under the Mistletoe by Erica Ruth Neubauer (2023) The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann (2023)

Three stars: Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin (2007) She Came Back by Patricia Wentworth (1945) In the Balance by Patricia Wentworth (1941) The Chinese Shawl by Patricia Wentworth (1943) Miss Silver Deals with Death by Patricia Wentworth (1943) The Clock Strikes Twelve by Patricia Wentworth (1944) The Key by Patricia Wentworth (1944) Dark Threat by Patricia Wentworth (1946) Latter End by Patricia Wentworth (1947) Wicked Uncle by Patricia Wentworth (1947) The Case of William Smith by Patricia Wentworth (1948) Miss Silver Comes to Stay by Patricia Wentworth (1949) Through the Wall by Patricia Wentworth (1950) The Ivory Dagger by Patricia Wentworth (1950) The Watersplash by Patricia Wentworth (1951) Vanishing Point by Patricia Wentworth (1953) The Benevent Treasure by Patricia Wentworth (1951) The Alington Inheritance by Patricia Wentworth (1958) The Girl in the Cellar by Patricia Wentworth (1961) Blood from a Stone by Dolores Gordon-Smith (2013) After the Exhibition by Dolores Gordon-Smith (2014) The Chessman by Dolores Gordon-Smith (2015) Heirs of the Body by Carola Dunn (2013) Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer (1932) Why Shoot a Butler? by Georgette Heyer (1933) The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer (1934) Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer (1935) Behold, Here’s Poison by Georgette Heyer (1936) They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer (1937) The Ghost Slayers: Thrilling Tales of Occult Detection edited by Mike Ashley (2022) Her Princess at Midnight by Erica Ridley (2023) The Mistress of Bhatia House by Sujata Massey (2023) Guardian of the Horizon by Elizabeth Peters (2004) [reread] The Camelot Caper by Elizabeth Peters (1969) [reread] A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters (2010) Silhouette in Scarlet by Elizabeth Peters (1983) [reread] A Brazen Curiosity by Lynn Messina (2018) A Scandalous Deception by Lynn Messina (2018) A Nefarious Engagement by Lynn Messina (2019) A Treacherous Performance by Lynn Messina (2019) A Sinister Establishment by Lynn Messina (2020) Where the Dead Wait by Ally Wilkes (2023) Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng (2023) Midwestern Strange: Hunting Monsters, Martians, and the Weird in Flyover Country by B.J. Hollars (2019) Death on the Sapphire by R.J. Koreto (2016) The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian (2016) Promethean Horrors: Classic Tales of Mad Science edited by Xavier Aldana Reyes (2019) The Palace Tiger by Barbara Cleverly (2004) A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan (2021) Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos (2022) Pursued by the Rake by Mary Lancaster (2020) Abandoned to the Prodigal by Mary Lancaster (2020) Married to the Rogue by Mary Lancaster (2020) Unmasked by Her Lover by Mary Lancaster (2021) The Autumn Bride by Anne Gracie (2012) Beast in View by Margaret Millar (1955) A Gentleman in Search of a Wife by Grace Burrowes (2024) The Conjure-Man Dies by Rudolph Fisher (1932) The Titian Committee by Iain Pears (1991) Still Life by Louise Penny (2005) The Keep by F. Paul Wilson (1981) The Dancing Plague: The Strange, True Story of an Extraordinary Illness by John Waller (2008) The Night Wire: And Other Tales of Weird Media edited by Aaron Worth (2022) Grim Root by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam (2024) The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (2020) Ten Lords for the Holidays by Jennifer Ashley et al. (2023) The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham (1929) The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (2024) The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley (2024)

Two stars: Star Flight by Phyllis A. Whitney (1993) Murder on Mistletoe Lane by Clara McKenna (2023) A Ghastly Spectacle by Lynn Messina (2021) The Devil’s Playground by Craig Russell (2023) The Cocktail Waitress by James M. Cain (2012) The Scoundrel's Daughter by Anne Gracie (2021) The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson (2024) The Falcon at the Portal by Elizabeth Peters (1999) [reread] The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers (2023) Eternity Ring by Patricia Wentworth (1948) Mr. Brading’s Collection by Patricia Wentworth (1950) Anna, Where Are You? by Patricia Wentworth (1951) Ladies’ Bane by Patricia Wentworth (1952) Out of the Past by Patricia Wentworth (1953) Poison in the Pen by Patricia Wentworth (1955) The Fingerprint by Patricia Wentworth (1956) The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny (2007) Lady Gone Wicked by Elizabeth Bright (2018) A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime by Casey Sherman (2024) The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan (2023) Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay (2024) Slimed!: An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden Age by Mathew Klickstein (2013)

One star: A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant (2011) A Boldly Daring Scheme by Lynn Messina (2020) Dangerous in Diamonds by Madeline Hunter (2011) A Promise of Spring by Mary Balogh (1990) Dark Angel by Mary Balogh (1994) Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas (2010) Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera (2024) The Spring Bride by Anne Gracie (2015) The Summer Bride by Anne Gracie (2016) The Catherine Wheel by Patricia Wentworth (1949) The Silent Pool by Patricia Wentworth (1956) The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers (1930)

[taekooktimeline]

September 4, 2023 -

Tae attends the “Love in Paradise” exhibition by LGBTQIA+ artist Keith Haring, at the Frieze Seoul 2023 Paradise Art Festa. Tae is a big fan of art as it is, but I do want to note that this isn’t the first time Tae has supported queer artists. I’ve attached a comprehensive thread of other instances he’s hyped and supported, with some notable instances being Alessandro Michelle, Gucci’s creative director, Ryan McGinley and Ante Badzim, photographers, Troye Sivan and Sam Smith, musicians. See the thread below for more information.

Information on the artist Keith Haring -

Tae posted artwork on his IG stories from the exhibit ☺️

Tae at the exhibit, looking so handsome!

CT Viola on TW for some of the information above -

https://x.com/gcf0fvante/status/1698723103562698879?s=46&t=StSwHjW0_Domk_lHUFMaCg

Thread of some times Tae has supported and hyped queer content and artists - https://x.com/rainbootae/status/1009621121824534528?s=46&t=StSwHjW0_Domk_lHUFMaCg

For cuteness - his shirt at the event is JABOT BLOUSE WITH BOW IN SILK GEORGETTE BLOND from Celine, part of the woman’s line.

CT to Minty - https://x.com/peachesminty9/status/1699112948080468280?s=46&t=StSwHjW0_Domk_lHUFMaCg

I found it interesting this event happened on the same day that Tae briefly went live to share the sunset + posted a clip on his IG stories with the queer coded song “oh no oh yes” playing. I personally think his Weverse article that was released that same day (in which Layover was noted to be inspired by the tomato girl summer trend that was inspired by movies like CMBYN), his IG story upload and this art exhibition event all link but as always, decide as you like.

Oh no oh yes recap - https://www.tumblr.com/taekooktimeline/727548912855121920/september-4-2023

Weverse interview recap - https://www.tumblr.com/taekooktimeline/727548430620213248/september-4-2023-posted

[isadomna]

An absorbing historical biography of the couple wed amid the chaos of the Napoleonic wars and their adventures from Europe to Asia to South Africa.

The manner of their meeting was unprecedented. In 1812, during the lawless mayhem that followed the capture of Badajoz, Spain, by Wellington, a fourteen-year-old Spanish girl sought the protection of Captain Harry Smith. They fell in love and married shortly after. From then on, their lives and careers were inextricably linked and Juana not only followed her able, brave, and ambitious husband but built her own formidable reputation.

This biography of the couple describes their lives together starting with the remaining battles of the Peninsular War. Harry Smith was already a favorite of Wellington, who insisted most unusually on giving away Juana in marriage. His card was marked and his career prospered. He distinguished himself in numerous campaigns and theaters. Most particularly he was credited with the victory at Aliwali in India. It is, however, the couple’s achievements and legacy in South Africa for which they have become most noted, after the exceptional circumstances of their first meeting. Travelers to the country are reminded of this by the towns named after them—Ladysmith and Harrismith. They would even become the inspiration for a 1940 romance novel by Georgette Heyer. This carefully researched biography, with illustrations included, tells their real story in fascinating historical detail.

[newcountryradio]

New Country 28e jaargang  #T1282 (S841) (C79) van 26 mei 2025  (wk 21) uitzending op Smelne fm & Crossroads Country Radio

Album van de week: Morgan Wallen – I’m The Problem

Classic album: Johnny Cash – Ring Of Fire (best of ) 1963

Maandfavoriet : Cody Johnson – The Fall  

Maandartiest : Sara Evans       

Sara Evans – Perfect

Billy Currington – Good Directions 2007

Jason Aldean – Fly Over States   2012

Chandler Walters - Worth The Trouble

Dylan Marlowe - Picture Perfect.   

Casey Donahew - Never Not Love You

Herrick - Underneath That Old Cowboy Hat        

Donna Fargo – You Can Count on Me

Morgan Wallen - I’m the Problem #1  .  (album)

Morgan Wallen - I’m A Little Crazy _.  *Album vd week 

Jeff Yates Featuring Georgette Jones - Golden_Ring.

Eric Church - Some of It      *Entertainer 2020

Rita MacNeil - Flying On Your Own

The Jerry Douglas Band – Hot Country 84.5  (what if 2017)

Tim McGraw – It’s Your Love   

Cody Johnson – The Fall - favoriet

Dylan Marlowe & Conner Smith - Country in the Clouds   (sofi )

Johnny Cash – Ring On Fire (the best of johnny cash 1964)  (classic album)

Johnny Cash – The Battle  (classic album)

Jake Vaadeland – One More Dollar To Go

James House - Stronger Than The Dark

Hal Ketchum – Hearts Are Gonna Roll

Hal Ketchum – Small Town Saturday Night

Hal Ketchum – Past The Point Of Rescue

Morgan Wallen - Kiss Her In Front Of You .      album

Turnpike Troubadours - . Heaven Passing Through

Carrie Underwood – Jesus Take The wheel

Alan Jackson – I’d Love You All Over Again 1e @ ones

Patsy Cline – I Fall To Pieces  .

Clint Black – A Better Man

Jerry Reed - East Bound And Down *Truck song: 

Sara Evans – Backseat Of A Greyhound Bus 

John Foster - Tell That Angel, I Love Her.*juweeltje

Kristina Murray - The After Midnight Special.

Peter Rowan - - Mississippi California

Blake Shelton - Heaven Sweet Home (feat. Craig Morgan) vw

Morgan Wallen - Just In Case (album)

Willie Nelson –   Stardust ( Stardust) 1978)

The Country Trail Band - Without You (I Haven't Got a Prayer)

Sunken Lands - Burning desire

Elisabeth Hope - Today I started Loving you Again       dutch

Kenny Rogers – Lucille   *Single/ Song     #1977

Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius- "I Don't Want to Have to Marry You* duo

Crystal Gayle - You Never Miss A Real Good Thing Female

The Statler Brothers - Flowers on the Wall    group

Ronnie Misap - It Was Almost Like A Song   *male / Entertainer

[ghostoftonantzin]

Books I read this year, 2024

Once again I'm doing a write-up of the books I read last year, a couple weeks into 2025 because I keep getting sidetracked. I read fewer books (34) than 2023 and listened to many fewer audiobooks (5), probably because I was driving less.

Overall it was a pretty good year for books, though I did have a bit of a lull in the summer. I intend to be more intentional with the books I read in 2025 and try and cut through my very long TBR list.

List of books with my short opinions on them below the cut:

False Colours, by Georgette Heyer (1/2) - could not put this one down. Loved the love interest and her no-nonsense attitude.

Rouge, by Mona Awad (1/7) - pretty good, very adaptable for film with some memorable imagery. Prose was fine.

Stiff*, by Mary Roach (1/9) - interesting, enjoyable, last line made me giggle and was especially wonderful the way the narrator read it.

Cotillion, by Georgette Heyer (1/18) - this was the Heyer I've seen most commonly recommended, but with the caveat that I should read other Heyer novels first to better enjoy the subversion. And I did enjoy it! Very cute, maybe my favorite Heyer I've read so far.

Wasteland*, by W. Scott Poole (1/26) - very thought-provoking read(/listen) regarding the history of horror as a genre and the effect of World War I on the psyche of Europeans and their understanding of death.

The Weather in the Streets, by Rosamond Lehmann (1/31) - Sequel to Invitation to the Waltz, which I read in 2023. Last line kicked me in the teeth, in a good way.

Season of the Witch*, by Peter Bebergal (2/19) - fine. I mostly associate this with driving around in miserable gray winter weather.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency*, by Alexander McCall Smith (2/29) - again, mostly associated with driving around looking at apartments in the dregs of winter. The narrator is fantastic, but not enough to buoy me out of the aforementioned dregs of winter glum.

The Sadeian Woman and the Ideology of Pornography, by Angela Carter (2/29) - really interesting, and I'm not smart enough to really articulate my thoughts on it in a manner worthy of the text.

Mawdew Czgowchz, by James McCourt (3/6) - some of the densest prose I have ever encountered, but not in a bad way. Wild, operatic plot, which is fitting, as it concerns an opera singer and her obsessive fanbase. I assume opera fans are not this obsessive and influential in real life, but wouldn't it be fun if they were?

Wyrd Sisters, by Terry Pratchett (3/9) - I like Pratchett's work, haven't read a ton of it, enjoyed this thoroughly. Read it using the hoopla app on my phone.

Witches Abroad, by Terry Pratchett (3/16) - basically the same opinion as above.

Fat Boys: A Slim Volume, by Sander L. Gilman (3/26) - read for its section on castrati, but the most memorable parts concerned the public perception of fat baseball players at the peak of the sport's role in American culture.

Transformations, by Anne Sexton (4/15) - I'm afraid I cannot really remember reading this one.

After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie, by Jean Rhys (4/26) - my second Rhys novel, after reading Good Morning, Midnight in 2023. Unfortunately I rushed finishing this one because I needed to return it to the library, which probably affected my opinion, but I did feel it wasn't as good as the former.

By the North Door, by Meg Elizabeth Atkins (5/12) - I picked this one up, along with Cousin Suzanne and another novel, at a library used book sale because I'd never heard of it and it looked like it was from the 70s/80s. The most memorable thing was that I couldn't figure out if it was set in the United States or England, and I still can't remember which it turned out to be.

Cousin Suzanne, by Myrna Bluth (6/16) - one review described this positively as "a satire without teeth", which seems to miss the point of satire. I read most of this one either sitting on a pier of laying in a hammock, which is the proper place to consume it.

Five Days Gone*, by Laura Cumming (6/18) - I got the feeling that there were italic sections and section breaks in the print version of this book that were not properly represented in the audiobook, making it difficult to discern changes implied changes in perspective. However, I found this book's focus on interpreting and describing visual primary sources fascinating, as well as its ability to slowly reveal new facets of what seems to be a cut-and-dry incident to the reader.

84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff (6/29) - did not realize this was nonfiction when I bought it (at a different used book sale), which made it sweeter and sadder.

Possession, by A.S. Byatt (8/4) - I understand why this was such a massive success at its time; it successfully convinces the reader of the high-stakes of literary academia and weaves together mystery and romance, capturing the page-turning qualities of both. Funny enough, I found it less "literary" in terms of structure and plot than some other books I read this year. I recommended this to my mother, and it may have been her favorite read of the year.

The Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff (8/21) - enjoyable children's chapter book. Though I probably enjoyed it more than I would have as a child, having learned more about Roman history since then.

The Harness Room, by L.P. Hartley (8/24) - interesting example of early gay British fiction. I expected it to end tragically, but not that tragically.

Not Quite Dead Enough, by Rex Stout (8/27) - the second Nero Wolfe book I've read. A good mystery, not as memorable as the one I read before.

Ex-Wife, by Ursula Parrott (9/3) - it was fascinating to read this and see how far we've come, and how far we haven't come, with regards to feminism and marriage and divorce. And for all of it's sparkling, fast-paced prose, this book is shot through with melancholy and heartbreak. One of my favorite books of the year. (Also another one I recommended to my mom.)

To Bed with Grand Music, by Marghanita Lanski (9/13) - to be honest, I was compelled to read this one because the title was so fantastic (and because the story sounded compelling, of course). I have not seen Uncut Gems, but I feel like this is the Uncut Gems of mid-century British women writers, in terms of producing anticipatory anxiety of catastrophic downfall throughout the story. That being said, I didn't enjoy it as much as anticipated. Maybe on reread I can relax and appreciate it more.

Big Swiss, by Jen Beagin (9/20) - I didn't realize the narrator was in her forties until partway through, a fact that I found made the narrative more enjoyable. It was good. I enjoyed the details about living in upstate New York.

The Cook, by Harry Kressing (9/21) - very strange, parable-like novel. I enjoyed it, but don't have much to say about it.

The Blue Star, by Robert Ferro (9/28) - saw this in a used bookstore, had never heard of the author, bought it because it looked not-too-recent and gay. I loved its descriptions of gay desire and the way it navigated the pressures of family and societal expectations.

Kairos, by Jenny Erpenbeck (10/19) - this one knocked me on my ass. Do you ever read something and just sit back and watch the author set up their shot and sink it perfectly, the arc of a projectile perfectly hitting its mark? That's what reading this book feels like. It's so ambitious and yet straddles the weight of Germany in the 20th century and classical mythology with ease. So many little turns of phrase that took my breath away. I don't know if this was my favorite book I read this year, but I can say with certainty that it was the best.

Saint Sebastian's Abyss, by Mark Haber (10/27) - fun use of language and centered around two incredibly pretentious academics, two things I (almost) always enjoy in a book.

The Enchanted April, by Elizabeth von Armin (11/15) - heartwarming, lightweight, but well-written. Has that enjoyable ending of everything falling into place without having it feel unearned.

Perfume: the Story of a Murderer, by Patrick Suskind (11/21) - I swear some blogger whose taste I generally trust liked this book, though hell if I'm going to go back and find the post now. I thought it was fine, but honestly struggled to get through it in parts.

Journey into the Mind's Eye, by Lesley Blanch (12/1) - I've been meaning to read this one for years, and finally picked it up at the annual NYRB sale. I'm so glad I read it, though the extensive digressions into Russian history did drag at points, because I'm still turning it over in my mind. It creates an interesting compare/contrast with Kairos in regards to the start/end of the Soviet Union, reality/fiction, both books concerning an affair between an older man and a younger woman... Blanch also does a really good job of describing the feeling of being fascinated by another culture that is not your own.

The Servant, by Robin Maugham (12/7) - not to agree with the introduction, but this did feel almost more like the draft of a book than a book, though I admire how concise it is. The scene where the two main characters are arguing while standing up and sitting down between toasts at a formal dinner made me laugh, though.

The Employees, by Olga Ravn (12/18) - I read it, I enjoyed it alright, I did not have the strong lingering thoughts afterward that it was probably meant to provoke in me.

Divorcing, by Susan Taubes (12/21) - this did drag at the end, but the script-style rendition of the protagonist's imagined divorce trial in the afterlife was a riot and the high point of the book.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union, by Michael Chabon (12/25) - the protagonist of this novel has the same last name as the protagonist of Divorcing, which was an interesting coincidence. The hardboiled style of narration was a bit difficult to get through at first, but it grew on me.

My Death, by Lisa Tuttle (12/26) - read almost entirely in the car. I wish it had included a bit more literary analysis nerdery. I do need to check out more of Tuttle's work.

The Snow Ball, Brigid Brophy (12/31) - sliding in right under the wire. I thought the ending was a little too obviously symbolic and foreshadowed. Delicious, lush prose.

[alexlacquemanne]

Décembre MMXXIV

Films

Le Sourire de Mona Lisa (Mona Lisa Smile) (2003) de Mike Newell avec Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ginnifer Goodwin, Dominic West, Juliet Stevenson, Marcia Gay Harden et John Slattery

Le Corbeau (1943) de Henri-Georges Clouzot avec Pierre Fresnay, Ginette Leclerc, Pierre Larquey, Micheline Francey, Héléna Manson, Noël Roquevert, Liliane Maigné et Pierre Bertin

Conversation secrète (The Conversation) (1974) de Francis Ford Coppola avec Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Frederic Forrest, Cindy Williams, Michael Higgins et Elizabeth MacRae

La Cuisine des anges (We're No Angels) (1955) de Michael Curtiz avec Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Joan Bennett, Basil Rathbone, Leo G. Carroll et Gloria Talbott

Le Fils du Français (1999) de Gérard Lauzier avec Josiane Balasko, Fanny Ardant, Thierry Frémont, David-Alexandre Parquier, Florian Robin, Luca Barbareschi, George Aguilar et Fanny Valette

Ne m'envoyez pas de fleurs (Send Me No Flowers) (1964) de Norman Jewison avec Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Paul Lynde, Hal March, Edward Andrews et Patricia Barry

Boulevard du rhum (1971) de Robert Enrico avec Lino Ventura, Brigitte Bardot, Bill Travers, Clive Revill, Jess Hahn, Antonio Casas, Andréas Voutsinas, Guy Marchand et Jack Betts

Le Seigneur des Anneaux : La Guerre des Rohirrim (The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim) (2024) de Kenji Kamiyama avec Gérard Darier, Marion Gress, Augustin Bonhomme, Barbara Tissier, Vanina Pradier, Daniel Njo Lobé et Cyril Descours

La Main au collet (To Catch a Thief) (1955) d'Alfred Hitchcock avec Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams, Charles Vanel, Brigitte Auber, Jean Martinelli et Georgette Anys

Maman, j'ai raté l'avion ! (Home Alone) (1990) de Chris Columbus avec Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara, Roberts Blossom, Gerry Bamman et Terrie Snell

Fais pas ci, fais pas ça : On va marcher sur la Lune (2024) de Alexandre Castagnetti avec Valérie Bonneton, Guillaume De Tonquédec, Isabelle Gélinas, Bruno Salomone, Yaniss Lespert, Tiphaine Haas, Canelle Carré-Cassaigne, Timothée Kempen-Hamel, François Vincentelli et Alice Dufour

La Cité disparue (Legend of the Lost) (1957) de Henry Hathaway avec John Wayne, Sophia Loren, Rossano Brazzi, Kurt Kasznar, Sonia Moser et Angela Portaluri

Le Calendrier secret de Noël (Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy) (2019) de Sean McNamara avec Maggie Lawson, Paul Greene, Rukiya Bernard, Holly Robinson Peete, Barbara Niven, Jill Wagner, Ashley Williams, Patty McCormack et Colin Lawrence

Serenity (2005) de Joss Whedon avec Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Ron Glass et Chiwetel Ejiofor

Les Aventures d'Arsène Lupin (1957) de Jacques Becker avec Robert Lamoureux, Otto E. Hasse, Liselotte Pulver, Paul Muller, Daniel Ceccaldi, Huguette Hue, Georges Chamarat, Renaud Mary et Henri Rollan

Love Actually (2003) de Richard Curtis avec Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, Martine McCutcheon, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Andrew Lincoln, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rowan Atkinson, Kris Marshall et Martin Freeman

Danger planétaire (The Blob) (1958) de Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr. et Russell S. Doughten Jr. avec Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Earl Rowe, Olin Howland, Elbert Smith, Hugh Graham, Anthony Franke et George Karas

La vie est belle (It's a Wonderful Life) (1946) de Frank Capra avec James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Frank Faylen, Ward Bond et Gloria Grahame

La Dame de Noël (1958) de Marcel Bluwal avec Jean Marc Bory, Nicole Courcel, Roger Coggio, Maurice Chevit et Guy Decomble

Père Noël et Fils (1983) d'André Flédérick avec Jean-Claude Brialy, Dominique Davray, Annie Girardot, Sébastien Privat, Jean-Marie Proslier, Popeck, Yvonne Clech, Hélène Duc, Marthe Villalonga, Hubert Deschamps et Johnny Hallyday

Ulysse (Ulisse) (1954) de Mario Camerini avec Kirk Douglas, Silvana Mangano, Anthony Quinn, Rossana Podestà, Jacques Dumesnil, Sylvie, Daniel Ivernel, Franco Interlenghi, Elena Zareschi et Evi Maltagliati

Maman, j'ai encore raté l'avion ! (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York) (1992) de Chris Columbus avec Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara, Brenda Fricker, Eddie Bracken, Tim Curry et Rob Schneider

Le Pôle express (The Polar Express) (2004) de Robert Zemeckis avec Maxime Baudouin, Camille Donda, Jean-Philippe Puymartin, Lola Krellenstein, Céline Monsarrat et Laurent Lévy

Anastasia (1956) d'Anatole Litvak avec Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner, Akim Tamiroff, Sacha Pitoeff, Helen Hayes, Martita Hunt, Ivan Desny et Felix Aylmer

Dix Petits Nègres (Ten Little Indians) (1974) de Peter Collinson avec Oliver Reed, Elke Sommer, Richard Attenborough, Stephane Audran, Gert Froebe, Herbert Lom, Maria Rohm, Adolfo Celi, Alberto de Mendoza et Charles Aznavour

La Classe américaine : Le Grand Détournement (1993) de Michel Hazanavicius et Dominique Mézerette avec Christine Delaroche, Evelyne Grandjean, Marc Cassot, Patrick Guillemin, Raymond Loyer, Joël Martineau, Jean-Claude Montalban et Roger Rudel

Séries

Columbo Saison 10, 11, 12

Criminologie appliquée - À chacun son heure - Un seul suffira

Les Enquêtes Ceméléon

Une Affaire de famille - Attention à la peinture

Firefly

Serenity - L'Attaque du train - Pilleurs d'épave - Le Duel - Sains et Saufs - La Femme du commandant - De la boue et des hommes - La Panne - Intrusion - Histoires anciennes - Déchet précieux - Le Message - Mission secours - Objet volant identifié

Psych Saison 5, 6, 7

Mort de frousse - Dual Spires - Premiers de la classe - Espèce menacée - Grosse Bêtise - Yin, Suite et Fin - Immunité problématique - Carrément mordus ! - Very Bad nuit - Super héros - Tous au stade - Shawn au-dessus d'un nid de coucou - Complètement babas - Mon père cet escroc - Enfin seuls ! - Indiana Shawn et le Trésor perdu - À mourir de peur - Les Prétendants - À chœur et à cris - Un crime peut en cacher un autre - Juste Cause - Santa Barbara, ton univers impitoyable - Santa Barbara 2, l'arme fatale 5 - Un site de rencontre mortel - Le Projet BigFoot

Friends Saison 5, 6, 7

Celui qui prenait de bonnes résolutions - Celui qui riait différemment - Celui qui avait un sac - Celui qui découvre tout - Celui qui prenait des coups - Celui qui enviait ses amis - Celui qui ne savait pas se repérer - Celui qui se sacrifiait - Celui qui ne savait pas flirter - Celui qui sauvait des vies - Celui qui jouait à la balle - Celui qui devait casser la baraque - Celui qui était à Las Vegas : première partie - Celui qui était à Las Vegas ; deuxième partie - Ceux qui revenaient de Las Vegas - Celui qui console Rachel - Celui qui était de mauvaise foi - Celui qui perdait sa belle assurance - Celui qui avait une belle bagnole - Ceux qui passaient leur dernière nuit - Celui qui avait une jolie colocataire - Celui qui avait les dents blanches - Celui qui s'était drogué - Celui qui souhaitait la bonne année - Celui qui avait le derrière entre deux chaises - Celui qui inventait des histoires - Celui qui sortait avec la sœur - Celui qui ne pouvait pas pleurer - Ce qui aurait pu se passer : première partie - Ce qui aurait pu se passer : deuxième partie - Celui qui avait l'Unagi - Celui qui sortait avec une ��tudiante - Celui qui avait des problèmes de frigo - Celui qui avait une audition - Celui qui rencontrait le père - Celui qui se la jouait grave - Celui qui achetait la bague - Celui qui faisait sa demande : première partie - Celui qui faisait sa demande : deuxième partie - Celui qui croyait faire jeune - Celui qui réglait le mariage - Celui qui s'était mal assis

Affaires sensibles

Le Corbeau : La légende noire d’Henri-Georges Clouzot - La Bête qui mange le monde : Gévaudan, 1764 - Les enfants otages de Loyada : la France sous pression - Dissolution de 1997 : les coulisses d'un fiasco - Mirapolis, la chute d’un géant - "Sept morts sur ordonnance" : quand la littérature et le cinéma s’emparent d’un fait divers - La présidentielle américaine de 2016 et l’improbable victoire de Donald Trump - Présidentielle 2012 : Hollande l’inattendu - L'aérotrain, l’ex-train du futur - La famille Sackler, les opioïdes et la mort - Charlie Chaplin banni des États-Unis - Un bateau pour le Vietnam : quand la France découvrait les boat-peoples

Astrid et Raphaëlle Saison 2

L'Étourneau - Irezumi - Le Paradoxe de Fermi - Point d'orgue - Circé - Golem - Le Livre - En garde à vue

Cat's Eyes Saison 1

Durrieux - Heinz

Alexandra Ehle Saison 5

Un message pour l'éternité - La femme bleue

Commissaire Dupin

La croix d'Emma

Zorro Saison 1

Episode 1 - Episode 2

Meurtres au paradis

Qui veut tuer le Père Noël

Doctor Who

Joy to the World

Spectacles

Eric Clapton : Live at Montreux (1986) avec Nathan East, Phil Collins et Greg Phillinganes

Michael Bublé : at the BBC (2016)

Kool & the Gang : Live from House of Blues (2001)

Etienne Daho Show (2023)

Stephan Eicher : Eldorado Trio Live (2008)

Claude Nougaro : Embarquement immédiat (2001) au Théâtre des Champs Elysées

Michael Bublé: Home for the Holidays (2012) avec Michael Bublé, Kevin Clash, Carly Rae Jepsen, Blake Shelton et Rod Stewart

Christmas in Rockefeller Center (2011) avec Tony Bennett, Big Time Rush, Michael Bublé, Javier Colon, Neil Diamond, Megan Hilty Megan Hilty, Carole King, Katharine McPhee et The Radio City Rockettes

Cartoons in concert (2022) par le DR Symphony Orchestra

Le professeur Rollin se re-rebiffe (2017)

Raiders of the Symphony (2023) par le DR Symphony Orchestra

Livres

Deux tueurs (suivi de) Mickey Mickey de Michel Pirus, Véronique Dorey et Mezzo

Une enquête du commissaire Dupin : Enquête troublante à Concarneau de Jean-Luc Bannalec

Batman : Amère victoire de Jeph Loeb et Tim Sale

J'ai peur des mouches de Frédéric Dard

Le Spirit : Intégrale, tome 1 de Will Eisner

La vengeance de Zorro de Johnston McCulley

Le Spirit : Intégrale, tome 2 de Will Eisner

Strange N°146

Strange N°171

Captain America, tome 13 : Le Faucon et la Vipère de Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber et Sal Buscema

[mabith]

Obligatory favorite new-to-me reads of 2024 list. There are a fair few, but I read 214 books, so you know.

Fiction: White Teeth – Zadie Smith The Moonstone – Wilkie Collins Fight Night – Miriam Toews The House of Mirth – Edith Wharton Mortal Follies – Alexis Hall Bitter Orange Tree – Jokha Alharthi Cotillion – Georgette Heyer Kintu – Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi Doctor Zhivago – Boris Pasternak We Solve Murders – Richard Osman A Dead Djinn in Cairo – P. Djeli Clark Parable of the Sower – Octavia Butler Lolly Willowes – Sylvia Townsend Warner

Non-Fiction: Beauty is a Verb: The New Poetry of Disability – Jennifer Bartlett, Sheila Black, Michael Northen The Buried Book: the Loss and Rediscovery of the Great Epic of Gilgamesh – David Damrosch Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949-1990 – Katja Hoyer Pure Wit: The Revolutionary Life of Margaret Cavendish – Francesca Peacock The Library: A Fragile History – Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen You'll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other Than Love – Marcia Zug Killers of the King: The Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I – Charles Spencer The Rise and Fall of Alexandria – Justin Pollard, Howard Reid Zapped: From Infrared to X-rays, the Curious History of Invisible Light – Bob Berman Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space – Adam Higginbotham The Last Honest Man: The CIA, the FBI, the Mafia, and the Kennedys―and One Senator's Fight to Save Democracy – James Risen Four Lost Cities – Annalee Newitz The Banished Immortal: A Life of Li Bai – Ha Jin In the Great Green Room: The Brilliant and Bold Life of Margaret Wise Brown – Amy Gary A Midwife's Tale – Laurel Thatcher Urlich A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey – Jonathan Meiburg

[composetalesbookblog]

I Read Forty Books in 2024

I Read Forty Books in 2024

April Lady by Georgette HeyerThe No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver     The Language of Trees: A Rewilding of Literature and Landscape  The Perils of Morning Coffee by Alexander McCall Smith Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith The Autograph Man by Zadie Smith More About Paddington by Michael Bond The Owl Who Liked…