Jeri J, Thank you for bringing to my attention, a correction in the October 2005 “AEN” supplementary “Rose” List. Should a correction be noted on ARS or my part, the correction will be addressed in a following post. The November post will reflect a correction, removing the name Bevoniensis from the list. As stated in the header, the primary purpose of the “Supplement Rose List” is to compliment the 2005 AEN, by address Corrections / Additions / Deletions a continuing process. Devoniensis is listed in the 2005 AEN, indicating eligibility for Dowager Queen (the reason it was originally included); therefore its removal from the list is in order. Happy Holidays. Ronald Schwerdt

I started reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman a long time ago. He also writes young adult lit (Coraline and this year's Newbery winner The Graveyard Book). However, I have not read anything else by him and this book is NOT young adult, it's very much adult. Explicit language and situations. It's surreal and complicated and bizarre. It's not light reading, I have to pay attention to keep it all straight. There is so much dream-like stuff going on. Reality and myth are all twisted together, with some really weird stuff. Reminds me of the stranger parts of Wicked in that way. I'm only half way through. I had to stop a couple times to read first my study guide for teacher test and then Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy so I could better help DS revise/edit his paper for lit class. All of which has only made reading this book even harder! The librarian at the kids' school was talking to me about Gaiman's YA books and said they are sort of strange too. Now I'm curious! I'll have to read those, too. Honestly, I'm about to stop and read something lighter, come back to it later.

Oh yes! If I have found particular enjoyment from a book I will often revisit it about five years + later when details might have grown fuzzy. This is particularly true if I found the book to be character driven, which really does make a book for me. I recently finished Amy Tan' Valley Of Amazement and was surprisingly very disappointed in the book.I don't know if my mood was not quite right for the book or what - I was anxious to complete it much like I would be a not-so-great movie which might have such a good ending that the movie is redeemed in my eyes. Amy Tan creates very enjoyable reads, so I'm tending to find the fault in myself rather than her story. Unless I hear many people talk about how wonderful it was to them and I decide to give it a second chance again someday, I won't re-read it. When bored, I will look over my bookshelves to see what looks good. About eight years ago I found the backbone to ruthlessly cull the many boxes of books I had stored away as well as the five ceiling to floor, four feet wide bookshelves of books just stuffed with them. I culled heartlessly. Twice because I wasn't quite heartless enough the first time because I still had too many. I quit when the only books remaining were the children's books ( some pre-dating WW1 which I've been collecting for decades) as well as those especially loved or those I was positive I would re-read, and still I easily have 100 books on my bookshelves. I put the rejects in cardboard boxes lining the sidewalk with a big sign saying, "Free books to a good home" and by nightfall the last were finally gone. The process was difficult but I felt terrific when the job was complete. I still had a bunch of wonderful books I knew I would re-read with true relish and it was fun to use the leftover books as well as framed family photos, art, "this and that" to decorate the shelves along with the books, it gave the rooms a wonderful updated and fresh look. Now I'm very careful not to keep books I know I won't read again. For one thing, my e- reader has provided me a great storage space and I forced myself to learn to enjoy reading from it - though it can't replicate holding, smelling, feeling a hardbound or even a paperback, for that matter. But it keeps me from stuffing my bookshelves with books I won't read again. The books on my cases are great reads, I know I love them. After Amy Tan's disappointment, I went to my shelf and pulled out "Memoirs Of A Geisha" to read for a second time. Reading a great book again often provides me greater insight to the characters and I'm able to pay more careful attention to the small, interesting details which are not so important to the storyline but which transform a good read to a terrific read for me.I also often will pick up on points I might have somehow missed the first time. To me it is rather like re- visiting a comfortable old friend. When I polish off "Geisha" I'm even giving thought to a re- reading...

I tried the Outlander series because the time travel aspect intrigued me, but the brutality and continual peril put me off that series. I think I only made it through the first two. Same here. I didn't even make it through the first book. It seemed like she just totally forgot about her husband in her real time. I felt like I was reading two different books/authors. Rob, have you read any Nick Hornby? Juliet Naked was great. I totally loved Juliet Naked. Especially good if you are of a "certain age". The only romances that I've read in the last few years are Rules of Civility, and One Day. I believe I may have cried while reading both.