Hi bookworms. How’s your week been? We’ve had another quiet wintry week here. It was nice to get a bit more snow for cross-country skiing. My husband has been taking our dog Willow on a couple excursions into the mountains to ski. She loves it, but after two hours she’s ready to crash on the way home.
Meanwhile I’ve been doing my PT knee exercises and watching the birds go crazy at the outside bird feeder. The birds seem very active at the feeder when it’s this cold outside. The blue jays, the Northern flickers, and the Eurasian collared doves are big visitors … as well as the smaller sparrows, the house finches, and the black-capped chickadees. They are a marvel to watch flit back and forth from the trees to the feeder and the bushes and all around.
In book news this week, I see that Swedish author Fredrik Backman won the Goodreads Fiction Choice Award for his novel My Friends … beating out Charlotte McConaghy’s novel Wild Dark Shore by some 60,000 votes and also Virginia Evans’s novel The Correspondent, which came in third place. Backman’s fans are legion and perhaps the Choice Awards are a bit of a popularity contest more than solely about quality, right?
On The Washington Post’s Best Book list and The New York Times list, only one book made it onto both and that was Charlotte Wood’s novel Stone Yard Devotional, which I gave 3.5 stars back in June and had some misgivings about. Still to each their own. I hope to make my own favorite book list at the very end of the year. And I enjoy seeing your lists as well. Will you be making one?
And now I’ll leave you with a review of what I finished lately.
A Country Year: Living the Questions by Sue Hubbell / Random House / 240 pages / 1986
3.7 stars. Back in the late 1980s, I was living the dream in a Colorado ski town working at the local indie bookstore and enjoying outdoor recreation nonstop. My bookstore shift started at 2 p.m. and I usually got out of there around 10:30 p.m., which I liked since I could use the free mornings to run up mountains and back with my German shepherd dog Sophie.
During this time I became familiar with the small but well-equipped Natural History or Nature section at the bookstore and started to read Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall, Farley Mowat, Loren Eiseley, Barry Lopez, and Rick Bass among others.
And that’s when I ran into Sue Hubbell’s book. By then Sue was living in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri as a commercial beekeeper. Her thirty-year marriage had broken up and she had been living mostly alone for 12 years in a cabin on the wild 90-acre farm they had bought. She was in her 50s and running a large honey-producing operation. At certain times of the year, she would drive on trips all over the country selling the honey she had gathered from her bees.
She seemed to fear nothing — not the copperheads, the recluse spiders or the icky termites she examines — but liked writing about them and reveled especially in her long days among her twenty bee hives, each one containing some 60,000 bees. At one point she mentions clearing 33,000 pounds of honey from her honey house. She was also very resourceful in making most of the repairs on her farm … often taking time to fix one thing or another whether it be to the cabin, or on the roof or with the farm equipment or to her old truck. She was handy. And she wasn’t exactly a hermit but seemed popular in the nearby town and with locals and other farmers and neighbors. She mentions her son’s visits to the farm a few times.
This book, which I reread last week, details her work and life there. Sue was a keenly observant naturalist and in it she tells in small scientific detail about the various critters, plants, and insects she encounters along the way … everything from bats, spiders, snakes, skunks, opossums, birds, and of course her beloved bees. (She knew a lot about insects.)
It’s not exactly a breezy memoir but is divided up by the seasons and is mainly nature notes about what she encounters on the farm. Still I appreciated her wisdom and perspective about things large and small. Sadly Sue passed away in 2018 at age 83. She wrote numerous articles in her day and a couple books, and I think she was a hero of sorts.
That’s all for now. This book was on my nonfiction list that I posted in November.
What about you — have you liked any particular nature reads? Cheers. Happy holiday season.
I enjoyed A Country Year. Hubbell lived a life in the country that I’ve always thought I might like, but probably would not. Sometimes it’s better to just read about a life.
Our book club is planning to read My Friends in 2026. I wonder if it will be a book I’ll like.
Hi Deb, I think Ozark Mountains seem amazing and I’d like to visit that area sometime. I have never been. But I have a friend who lives there and I wonder now if they have read Hubbell’s book. I’m sending them a note.
And I’d be curious to see what you think of My Friends. I have not read it and I actually don’t know that much about it. I should check the synopsis. I have only read one of Backman’s books and I wasn’t a big fan but I’m in the minority.
Have a good week.
Lovely snowy picture, Susan. But….glad it’s you and not me. I love seeing the pictures. Do not love living in cold areas or going to cold areas. Sigh. Never have. Anyway, hope you have a good week with your knee therapy and make progress. Take care!
Hi Kay, it takes a lot of time to adapt to cold climates and I totally understand how you’d like warm places, but now I no longer like living in sweltering places. I like cold places (part of the year) which is something I never thought. But the world is heating up so it’s less time in cold temps. I’ll keep on with the knee therapy, thanks! Have a great week.
Pretty winter scene with the barn in the background!
I’ve never crosscountry skied, but did do a bit of downhill back in the days before me knees began to bother me from running so much.
We see a lot of bird activity at our feeders as soon as it stops raining. I’ll bet your larger birds go through a lot of seed. Our blue jays have left for the winter, so we’re only seeing the small birds like chickadees, finches, nuthatches, etc.
Hmmm, I’m a little surprised that Backman won the Goodread’s award for fiction. I would have bet money on The Correspondent. I’ve started compiling my list, but won’t post it until the first week in January. I may read a 5-star book in the last days of 2025!
I looked through my blog to see what sort of books I’ve tagged with “nature” and a few popped up that might be of interest to you. The Rural Life by Verlyn Klinkenborg is one that Nan recommended to me. I liked it, but didn’t love it. Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams is another that was good, but not great. Maybe I need to add more to my TBR list for next year’s Nonfiction November.
Hi Lesley, thanks, we’re getting some nice winter scenes around here. And cross-country skiing is a blast and nice amid nature … but unfortunately I’ll miss it this year. I used to downhill too but that was long ago.
I like seeing the small birds too. On the cold days we get numerous birds at the feeders. Fun to watch the action.
I think The Correspondent came in third place in the GR Choice Awards fiction category …. I think it was like the sleeper hit of the year. I’m glad it got a lot of word of mouth recognition. I have not read the Backman book so don’t know much about it.
And I’m glad for the nature books suggestions you mention. I’m okay if the books are 3 stars, this one was 3 stars but I still got something from it. I have not read either author — so I’ll check them out. thanks. Have a great week.
That Sue Hubbell book sounds fascinating. One for my nonfiction list for next year. 😀
Hi Lark, yeah it’s enjoyable. It’s not a real exciting read but if you like knowing about critters or insects and her life among them then it’s pretty good. I hope you like it. Cheers. Have a great week.
The snowy scene is so pretty! We still haven’t had any on the CT coast, but I’m sure I’ll get my fill of snow when we go to see my parents before heading south.
I think all the lists are so interesting! Goodreads seems to be more about popularity that quality, but I do want to try My Friends. The only Backman I’ve read is Anxious People and I loved it, but it took three tries. I put more stock in the NYTimes, WP, etc. I started Stone Yard Devotional yesterday and am intrigued… but I haven’t gotten to the mice yet!
Looking back over the last few years, various Sy Montgomery titles and Amy Tan’s Backyard Bird Chronicles are the only nature books I can come up with.
Hi JoAnn, it seems we’re getting good snow this season … maybe your folks are too. Hope it’s beautiful on the coast there.
Maybe I should try the Backman novel. I’ve only read one of his and didn’t care much for it. But I should try again. There are some good parts to Stone Yard Devotional — and some nice passages but overall it hits some bumps too. See what you think. The mice are phenomenal ha, ha.
Thx for the nature book suggestions — I have a copy of the Amy Tan bird book that I still need to get to. Enjoy your week!
Pretty picture! A Country Year sounds fascinating. I would love to live in a farm, but awakening at those godforsaken small hours would be bummer! I think Atmosphere was the only book from GR list that I read, more from the 100 lists in various publications, and still more to read yet. Sonia and Sunny was the only one I read in the NYT top 10; I mean, still reading. Anyway, good luck with PT and have a great reading week!
Hi Carmen, thanks about the picture. And I’m reading another farm book now too. Two in row — I’ll be exhausted by the end. These farm women are like the hardest workers around. I need to get back to fiction sometime.
I thought Atmosphere was fairly decent which surprised me a bit. Now what’s the scoop on the Sonia & Sunny book? Has it grabbed you? Is it any good? How far are you in it? I think it’s going to take me a long time to read — sometime next year. It might even take a month. I wish you luck with it. Have a great week.
Sonia and Sunny is veeery good, 4*/5 if it doesn’t go downhill before the end. I’m 83% in and I’ve been reading for 16 days straight, the last week with marathon sessions of up to 4-5 hours a few days. It’s epic, immersive, and irreverent, though sometimes I find passages that go above my head—not abundant throughout, but there’s that. It’s a story about immigrants, class and caste divide, love, loss, art, travel, and a bit of the supernatural. Read it, it won’t take you a month, not if it’s taken me 16 days because I’m sure you read faster than I do. Read it while you’re convalescing so it won’t be too much of a hassle.
Wow Great Carmen. Great to know! Sounds like you’re pretty into Sonia & Sunny. I’m impressed how you’ve dived into and are making good progress and going off on marathon reads. That bodes well. I’m going to make room for it but I don’t know exactly when. I’m on hold for it, but have a library pile of others. Keep it going!
I agree with you about Backman winning the Goodreads award for fiction. I like his work, don’t get me wrong, but was My Friends the BEST fiction of 2025? I don’t think so. I do think, though, that Goodreads readers (especially those that take the time to vote) tend to go with the trendy.
Yeah Helen, I agree with you. And some of the books seem to be in sort of wrong categories for the Choice Awards. Like I would say Wild Dark Shore is sort of a thriller type. And that Broken Country is not really historical fiction, but more family drama. I guess Atmosphere did well winning historical fiction by a landslide. Still I too have doubts about My Friends being the best fiction of the year — though I haven’t read it yet. Have a great week.
I have to say that My Friends sounds like something I’d love to read, much better than Wild Dark Shore, which I mentioned in an earlier post this year. Totally depressing, and couldn’t finish.
Good point Claudia. I haven’t read My Friends and don’t know much about it. I have read Backman before and sort of doubt it’s novel of the year. But I think Wild Dark Shore is a thriller type of book and should have been in that category instead of fiction …. the book is overall pretty Crazy with its twists and turns. I can see where it wouldn’t be liked. Perhaps I should read the Backman book.
Thanks for your thoughts. Enjoy your week.
Fredrick Backman is one of my top 2 favorite authors. The other is T.J. Newman.
I have My Friends but haven’t read it yet. I will in the next few weeks.
I LOVE the photo! I grew up in Ohio and miss the snow. I went to Canada in March and did see some but it wasn’t the same.
Hi Vicki, good to know about your affinity for Backman. I hope you like My Friends and it sounds like I need to read it too.
I didn’t realize you visited Canada in March, nice. Or that you’re from Ohio, cool. I have gotten to be a snow person over the years. I like it. And the more the better! But I don’t like ice! Snow days are so fun. Have a great week.
That is a lovely snow photo but I am also glad I am not there. I can hardly handle the cooler weather here, which is nothing much, as you can imagine. It is mainly because our heating system doesn’t really work well and my husband and I bicker over a lot.
I am absolutely sure that the Goodreads awards are more a popularity contest. But, I finally read A Man Called Ove after avoiding it for years, and I loved it. I have bought several other books by him just based on how good that one was… for me.
I have put A Country Year on my wish list to get soon. This year I plan to read The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan and The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl.
Hi Tracy, the cooler weather now in California can be chilly when it’s been hot in the summer. When winter there hits, you need heat. So I hope you can get your heater repaired & working better! It’s essential.
I think it’s fine to like Backman, so many readers do. And I’m glad you liked Ove. I have read his Beartown novel and it had some pluses and minuses for me. I’m a bit curious to read My Friends now.
Thanks for the nature book suggestions. I have a copy of the Amy Tan bird book and I have read one of Renkl’s earlier books. These seem like good ones to start.
Wishing you a great week.
Lovely pohotos as always. It’s nice to see some of your surroundings. Willow must be having the time of her life going off in the snow. That’s a lot of exercise.
I’ve not read the Backman book yet and was also surprised The Correspondent didn’t win a category. So many good books to choose from. I loved The Wild Dark Shore.
Bird feeders can offer some of the greateest entertainment. I loved seeing the seasonal visitors when we had a feeder at our last place. Hard to believe we have been here now for almost 6 months.
I like the review on the Hubbell book.
Hi Tina, yes Willow is totally exhausted after skiing but I think she loves the snow. Robert – I think goes too far with her.
The GR Choice Award results are sort of fun to look through with the various categories. I sort of thought Wild Dark Shore was a bit more of a thriller type of read than the regular category. And it seems fantasy (in the other categories) is sure popular these days but don’t think it’s my cup of tea.
It’s amazing you have been at your new home for 6 months! I think it’s a new lease on life in way … and I’m so glad you are happy in that area. A great change for you.
The Hubbell book wasn’t as good a read as I had remembered from the 1980s but it was still 3 stars worth … and I’m glad I revisited it with all the critters she sees and life in the Ozarks. I’d love to visit there someday. But much to read left this month. Have a great week. & happy reading.
My Friends was definitely not my top read of the year. Ooh cross country must be fun.. I haven’t tried it before, your dog must love it.
Hi Hena, good to know about the Backman book. I might hold off and perhaps read his novel. lol. Cross-country skiing is a lot of fun … and you’re out in nature. Our dogs do love it. Try it if you get a chance! Happy holiday season.
I’m reading Wild Dark Shore this week for a challenge prompt but I also want to read My Friends, I loved everything from both authors that I’ve read.
I don’t think I will do a favourites list I don’t feel like I read widely enough to make the judgement this year.
I hope your knee is continuing to heal well.
Wishing you a happy reading week
Thanks Shelleyrae, the knee progress is slow but steady. Good to know about your reads of McConaghy and Backman. I hope you like Wild Dark Shore. It’s a bit wild and dark, ha. You read a lot I think — so it seems pretty widely to me. Wishing you a great week too.
I’m glad the PT is going well – I got worried when you mentioned cross-country skiing!
I rarely read anything nature-focused but did go hear Bill McKibben speak last month. He is a college classmate who even lived in my dorm but I had never had a conversation with him before. He spoke with simplicity and humor to an enthusiastic if mostly gray-haired audience. I got his first book, The End of Nature, from the library although have not read it yet.
I hadn’t noticed the Goodreads choices but I did enjoy #2 and #3.
I am looking forward to a week off at the end of the year and to the Olympics in February.
Hi Constance, thanks. My PT is ongoing and I can only wish for skiing but no it’s not in the cards till next winter.
Interesting that McKibben was in your dorm! I haven’t read him over the years but admire his work on the behalf of the environment. Reading The End of Nature seems so daunting. I was always a bit too scared to.
It’s good you’ll be getting a week off (nice!) and definitely the Olympics seem a plus in February. I love watching the skiing & skating. Cheers!
Ozark foothills is where my mom’s house was in Northeast Arkansas!
That snow looks so pretty. It’s been in the 80s here in L.A. and We. Are. Sick. Of. It. lol
Hi Jinjer. Your Mom had a good location. I’d like to visit the Ozarks. The area seems so pretty.
Hard to imagine 80 degrees right now in the winter. You need to cool off. Enjoy your week.
Living in Missouri, I had the lucky opportunity to meet her and even take some writing classes. She was amazing in person, too!
Hi Joy, I’m quite amazed you met Sue Hubbell?! Wow wow. She must have been something else. I’d like to know how you met her. So cool.