I finally finished The Heart's Invisible Furies. It was just ok...I was highly disappointed it wasn't better, as I'd seen some raves about it and had to wait forever for it from the library. The story is good enough, as is the writing, but the underlying current of educating the reader about the issues presented in the book just kind of rankles me. I guess if you don't know very much about the things he's lecturing you about, it can be educational, but very off-putting to me. The contrived situations allowing for a point to be made, the over the top coincidences "two Cyrils"??? just fell flat for me. I'm being vague so as to not write any spoilers. It had the same effect on me as some Jody Picoult books, always trying to write a story to fit her lesson plan. I started Anxious People and so far am intrigued. I think I'll like it overall. It is filled with writing that makes me really think, in a philosophical way. Little sentences that make me think, "Whoa! That really is profound." It's very different, the way he's telling the story, but I think it will work for me. I've liked most of his other books (except for Beartown, where i just couldn't get beyond the small town sports crazy aspect, so I put it down almost immediately). So, I expect to like this one, too. (cross posted to POV forum)

Reality proves theory. The new blue dough whisk is prettier than useful, and the handle forces one to hold it in the way it wants, so is less comfortable. I made a stiff dough in my Anchor Hocking 2 quart covered measuring jug, as so often in the past, to test it. This is one of my usual daily breads, with the close texture (more flour), rather than the higher hydration version. The new whisk was actually better at stirring the herbs and salt into the flour. The daintiness seemed to get it in the edges better. Add the water, though, and it had a hard time getting through it all, then got stuck as the dough got sticky. I finished pulling it together by hand. It'll do fine for softer bread, but I wanted to really test it. As to sturdiness, it does feel hardy. It's the conformation of the wire that's the issue, not the construction. It does look pretty in my bread utensils box.

MyerMike - I have an Iphone. I can edit, I do see the 3 little dots but I use Safari, not the app. IIRC, someone on here said Safari worked better than the app? The prob. I have (and wonder if you or other apple users have had as well) is that when I type, after the 1st sentence or so, the words start showing up on a delay, like Im typing away but no words showing up on my post but then a few seconds later, ALL the words start showing up quickly, all at once, that I just typed. Really annoying!! Earlier today I tried to respond to a post on here & I got the ”OOPS! This page cannot be found” error msg for about an hour. I think the site went down?

Just finished The Winter Soldier. I liked it very much, 4 stars. Thanks to those who mentioned it in the January thread. You guys have the best recommendations. I was hoping for a different ending, but it was a just ending. It's the first Daniel Mason book I've read and love his writing. Straightforward but evocative. I have North Woods on hold. Turns out Mason is my daughter's age and is from Palo Alto.