“ Wynn’s assuming that Avery would figure out his clues, and Jared’s figuring things out from when Wynn acted as his father way back in the olden days, was unrealistic”.
That captures my feelings too. It was so hard to have buy-in that Judge Wynn could expect Avery to solve all the varies clues, logins etc. I had to keep convincing myself that she would have had more info to follow if she had not been robbed of it at his house.
While I certainly wouldn’t have followed Wynn’s clues, they were at least based on things he knew about both Avery and Jared. (i.e. Avery played chess and Jared knew his stars.) I was never very good at puzzle games, but my husband and kids played a lot of them. (Myst etc.)
We can start thinking about our December selection whenever you’re ready!
I am going to throw something out. I have never read Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. I have seen different movies countless times, but I have never actually read the book. It isn’t long and it might be nice to read something easy but an all time classic at this time of year.
That’s a nice idea. It’s only 100 pages and we’ve never read any Dickens. It’s actually short enough that we could consider pairing it with another Christmas classic. (Or Hannukah? Any suggestions?)
Suggestion for a duet: O. Henry - The Gift of the Magi
I like @silverlady’s idea. I’ve never read Dicken’s Christmas Carol either.
I am going to throw out some titles just for voting purposes, but - me - I’m going with @silverlady’s suggestion. Nice and easy (plus a classic) with the added benefit of online access.
So, we’ve previously considered:
Anxious People (The waitlist has all but disappeared at my library.)
and from last time
Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann
Still I chose A Christmas Carol + whatever. If things go in a different direction, then I’ll revote but for now I’m good.
You could pair A Christmas Carol with Skipping Christmas a short holiday tale.
@kiddie, I just looked up Skipping Christmas — sounds like fun!
I’d like a holiday themed December selection—nice suggestion. A duo of shooter books would be fine with me.
I’m good with Reading A Christmas Carol plus something paired up with it.
Best I can recall, there are no remotely equivalent books with a Chanukah theme. It’s not a major holiday and not permeated into American culture. Even for books with a Jewish theme, like stories by Sholom Aleichem for example, they likely wouldn’t be easy to find in library systems.
I’ve read Christmas Carol and Gift of the Magi; probably would skip this round if selected. We enjoy seeing the Christmas spirit but it isn’t incorporated in our home or lives.
But if such books are meaningful and fun for posters here, please go for it! I already had Weight of Ink as a cultural, religious, and historical touchstone so would not at all feel slighted.
Spinning Silver but we’ve done that. And while I poked around on the internet I came across this “8 Nights of Jewish Books: A Suggested Hanukkah Reading (and Gifting) List.” It has The Immortalists on it. We discussed that one already also (but it surprised me to see it there.)
I know @Mary13 leans toward a “no man left behind” policy. So with that in mind:
I looked online and found this one (and my library even has a copy.) The Art of Blessing the Day: Poems with a Jewish Theme
Although not specifically about Hanukkah, this collection of poetry begs the mind to stop, savor, and observe. Reflections on family, Jewish tradition, and memories, this book will ask to be read again and again.
But even better … how about one of NPR’s yearly Hanukkah Lights: https://www.npr.org/series/hanukkah-lights/
I like short stories so I’ll probably check into this regardless of whether the group does. (Have you ever listened to these?)
For what it’s worth I’d like a Hanukkah/Christmas duo.
My two favorite books of the last decade were from this group – A Gentleman in Moscow and The Weight of Ink. I’d love to have more like those.
I too had been thinking that it might be time for a classic, but I was thinking more along the lines of Anna Karenina (I’ve never read it) or Madame Bovary.
I’ve never read Anna Karenina but we usually keep it simpler than that one for the Nov/Dec choice. People are busy … offspring coming home etc.
I thought of suggesting a Gustave Flaubert novella A Simple Heart paired with Zorrie which is longlisted for the National Book Award. Together they are less than 250 pages. Thought I’d wait on the suggestion once I saw @silverlady’s idea. But I’ll probably throw it out sometime or another. 
I’ll attempt whatever is decided.
Me too.
Me, too
I looked at some of those Chanukah reading lists and other than books for children, they weren’t about Chanukah. So there isn’t really a way to do a Christmas/Chanukah duo. A Christmas/Jewish Theme duo doesn’t really fit the idea of a holiday theme. The NPR recordings look interesting (I’m not very good at listening to books since my mind wanders) but I gather they are not written down.
A Christmas Carol is referenced by so much of our culture (one Doctor Who episode in particular comes to mind A Christmas Carol (Doctor Who) - Wikipedia). I might not re-read the book but would be happy to follow the discussion.
I think the problem is that Chanukah isn’t actually a very important holiday. My favorite books that touch on the Jewish experience have all been kid’s books or YA. (Lynne Reid Banks - One more River and Broken Bridge, Jane Yolen’s Devil’s Arithmetic)
If we want a fun classic, I’m rereading Jane Eyre right now. I don’t remember when I read it, junior high possibly? I’m enjoying it very much so far.
@mathmom, when you’re done: Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre August CC Book Club Selection