I just finished "Dog On It", one of Mary's recommendations. The premise sounded sort of cheesy, but it was so well written from the point of view of the dog. Chet -- the dog -- will be thinking deep thoughts about the case and suddenly be sidetracked by a cheerio on the floor or the scent of a cat. Very clever. If you like books about cheese making, try "Blessed are the Chessemakers" by Sarah-Kate Lynch. It's fiction with a touch of magic which I'm finding I like in a story. Our book group recently read "Water for Elephants". It was one I would never have picked up on my own and I loved it. The group also picked "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" which I did not read. Little boys being killed in concentration camps is not my cup of tea. I'm also reading "Night Night Little Pookie" three or four times a day to the year old grandson. He likes it as much as I do!

Loved "The Castle" although I think the company that released it for the US, felt they needed to dub over bits of it so that Americans could understand it. Also from "down under", an off-beat love story: Eagle vs Shark and quite possibly the best comedy about Austrailan lawn bowling: Crackerjack (from 2002) And from France: "Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis" a comedy about a postal worker who gets transferred to "the sticks" in Northern France.

Inspired by the obit seen in RP a couple months ago, I requested Appaloosa by Robert Parker from the library. So far it is a very quick read, which is a good thing due to some of the content. I really hate it when the bad guys are 'winning' and am really thin-skinned at times with respect to certain kinds of violence (and I am sure this is nothing compared with Larry McMurtry's novels!). It's funny, sometimes I can read any novel, no problem and other times I have a hard time reminding myself 'it's just a story!' So far, the dialogue is snappy and seems appropriate for the time period, the action is fast-paced, and it doesn't get bogged down in too much description (mind, how much description does the old west need? Mention a tumbleweed and you're there!)

Just finished our latest book club read, The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt. My brain hurts and some of it was uncomfortable to read. It was written before the run-up to the 2016 election and all that has happened since so I wonder if he would hold now to some of the things he wrote. Tonight is our author meeting and he will get asked that for sure. I am no longer a fast reader, but I'm also reading things that require more of my deep attention and going back repeatedly to really understand. I want to read Tim Urban's What's Our Problem but doubt I'll get to it anytime soon. Gosh it's been decades(?) since I read The Shell Seekers and can't remember anything beyond being totally engrossed in the story.