I've been cleaning all the books and bookshelves and couldn't

[malaise]

help but notice how many books I have bought over the years based on recommendations from DUers.

I'll be rereading Molly Ivins Who Let the Dogs In? starting tonight.
DUers have recommended lots of great books - thanks all

[calguy]

1. A lot of kind souls, warm hearts, and great minds

reside in the messages found every single day here on DU.

[malaise]

3. I love DU and DUers

[LakeArenal]

2. Malaise, you inspire good vibes.

This year had been particularly a year for any good vibes we can find.

[malaise]

4. Indeed needed and continue to need all the good vibes we can find

The year is sure ending better that it began. And the dog hater is the biggest loser.

[LakeArenal]

8. I realized I could finally exhale.

[Laffy Kat]

5. We are a literate bunch, aren't we?

[malaise]

6. For real

[dameatball]

7. Glad to hear it. I've been slacking on my DU fiction board participation...:) just hit a wall for a

bit with all the other crap going on.

[malaise]

16. I think I'll order this one written by a DUer

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214718797

[Warpy]

9. I'm reading Hillary Mantel's latest

It's a trilogy of well researched historical fiction detailing the life of Thomas Cromwell, the son of a blacksmith who rose through the ranks to become Henry VIII's right hand man, instrumental in getting him married to Anne Boleyn and instrumental in getting her whacked when she got too uppity. The third book is the best of the lot, descending into farce in some parts, and I haven't even gotten to the disastrous marriage to Anne of Cleves.

I usually prefer the real thing to fiction, but Mantel is a master storyteller and her research is solid.

The recommendation for this series came from knitters who swear a lot. I'm passing it along.

[malaise]

10. Sounds interesting

Obama's new book should get here any day now -that's next in line

[dianaredwing]

12. Absolutely

I read all three HUGE books straight through. Fascinating. I haven't knitted in a while, but I still swear a lot and I swear this was a great read.

[NoRoadUntravelled]

11. I still miss Molly Ivins. nt

[trocar]

13. So do I. Smart, funny lady nt

[Star-Thrower]

14. My take

Thanks. Readers rule! I've always been a reader. From the Little Golden Books to The Bobbsey Twins to C.W. Anderson and the Blaze stories. As I got older I read classics, Flaubert, Stendhal, The Decameron” by Giovanni Boccaccio. Read it! Great read. Then the vintage hardcover Andersen's Fairy Tales Color Illustrated Arthur Szyk. Murder books, detctive books, SiFy. Who can reist? I watch the thumbers, busy on texting, busy checking who called, who texted, bull sh*t. Read a book!

[malaise]

15. We are a family of readers

I still have someof my maternal grandfather's books and both mom and dad had lots of books and gave us lots of books. Every Christmas, dad's best friend would bring us presents which were always books. Dad's siblings also gave us lots of books.
I have my own collection of non-fiction and fiction and I have given away hundreds over books over the years. I still love books.

[Codeine]

17. Don't remind me how badly I need to vacuum

the bookshelves. It’s so bad — every book I take down is an adventure in dust exploration.

[malaise]

18. Every year I put it off as long as I can and then I snap and start cleaning

I hate the damned dust. Ten shelves done - two shelves to go - will finish them this evening. Once I see how lovely the first shelf looks after a cleaning I keep going.
After this is the big job - the kitchen and then it's over for 2020..
Staying home has its advantages - I am way ahead of schedule this year although there will be no Christmas dinner guests. The Christmas cleaning habit has stuck.

[Upthevibe]

19. malaise....

I'm catching up on some reading myself.

I'm in the middle of John Dean's book, Authoritarian Nightmare: Trump and His Followers. I have these in line in order of when purchased: How to Be an Antiracist, and then A Promised Land.