Saturday, February 2, 2019

Stacking the Shelves #34


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature co-hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It is a chance to showcase all the goodies you've collected throughout the week, whether they're bought on-line or in-store, an ARC or a final copy, borrowed from a friend or the library, physical or digital, etc. Never has my addiction been more obvious than when I am now keeping track of every single book I acquire.

Amazon Purchase

What did you add to your stash this week?

Happy Reading!
Sarah

32 comments:

  1. Just *one* book? I'm shocked... Or impressed... It's unclear... [[grin]

    Only one here too:

    The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman

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    1. Aren't you SO PROUD of me??!! I actually icked up a second one today at the library, but at least it is on that is on my TBR, so I can't complain too much. Of course, I am interested in the one that you bought, so there goes another one added to the TBR!

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    2. I was inspired by Stephen's recent Blogpost.. [grin]

      No on-line book buying this month but I am planning a self indulgent day on the 14th - because I can... [lol]

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    3. I am planning one myself as well! While the majority of my tax return funds will go toward paying some medical bills and other debt, I am setting $200 aside ($100 for me and $100 for Eleanor) and we are BUYING BOOKS!

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    4. @Sarah That's the spirit. Mine are usually dumped into trips west, but this year I'm plotting my liberation from student loans...

      @Cyberkitten: Will be interested in seeing what that book is about. Remind you of "The Age of Absurdity" any?

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    5. I would LOVE to be free of my student loans! (approximately $140K, for two degrees! But I was still an out of state student when I got my Bachelor's from the University. The Master's was decidedly less expensive when I got in-state tuition.) Since there is no way I can actually ever pay off my loans, I put the money toward where it will make a difference, and then save a little to the side just for special treats.

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    6. I was lucky with my first degree (BA) in that I got government assistance because I came from a socially deprived background (go figure!) so I had my tuition paid for and got a small grant that I (mostly) managed to live on. Left after 3 years with around £2K in debt (about $2600). I was unemployed for a while afterwards but paid it off pretty quickly once I started work. My Masters Degree's I paid for myself as I was in full time employment by then - plus I won a years tuition on a Lottery scratch card which came in handy!

      Oh.... Tax refund????? Wassat?

      @ Stephen: The cover certainly reminds me of 'Age of Absurdity'. I think you'll like it. There's even a chapter called "What would Seneca do?" His other book even has someone with a hover mover on the cover - but that's probably an idea from the publicist.

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    7. @Cyberkitten: Every year we have to report how much we made from various sources, report how much we were taxed (to the people who...you know, taxed us), and apply any credits from having a house or paying student loans or whatever, and set all that against how much we were supposed to be taxed. Then, we either owe them more money or -- as is more common in households with kids, or in poorer households -- we get a refund. I've seen some people get literally THOUSANDS back, which I'm sure must be a scam because they sure as hell weren't working enough to be taxed that much. In poorer American society, tax refunds are literally the way people budget for buying new appliances or vehicles.

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    8. How odd..... The only people I know who have ever has a tax refund are those who have been overcharged for some reason. I guess self-employed might get one... if they've ended up paying too much on their self-assessment form. Personally I pay my taxes and that's it - in facts its automatic and I don't give it a second thought. The US system seems very inefficient if they're paying so much back to so many people [muses]. Of course they're making money off the back of it prior to refunding so....

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    9. The tax credits definitely help A TON. Eleanor's dad and I have to alternate claiming her every year, but the cost of raising a child is astronomical, so the refund helps a lot.

      There are MANY parts of our government that are inefficient, but the nice little refund helps ease the pain a bit.

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  2. I'm new here! Hoping to join in every Saturday!

    Wow, that looks quite an interesting read, I don't know nearly enough about Henry II !

    Here's my Saturday post. Happy Weekend!

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    1. Welcome! This post is always a lot of fun, but it is also very sobering if you are a person who acquires massive amounts of books weekly, and are suddenly slapped in the face with the amount all rolled together.

      I am currently writing a book about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and this book is for research purposes. Henry was a great king, but a lousy husband and father by our standards. Nothing that was unusual for the time period though, unfortunately. I'm just more personally offended because Eleanor is hands-down my favorite historical figure.

      Happy Reading, and glad you can join us!

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  3. Only one book in this week and it was a library book: A Terrible Country by Keith Gessen. By tomorrow I will have read 4.

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    1. I actually just picked up another from the library after I posted this - but at least it is from my TBR and not a new addition. Hope you enjoy it, happy reading!

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  4. Interesting divergence between the title and the cover -- the title is interesting, the cover less so. Henry would probably be the most dramatic of the Henries were it not for the serial marriages of number eight!

    This week I purchased "Them: Why We Hate Each Other and How to Heal", "Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq", and "The Big Ones", a history of human civilization and massive natural disasters.

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    1. I'm really glad you mentioned the cover not being interesting, because I had not taken a close look at it, thinking it was the same painting I have always seen of Henry II and his sons. But once I went back and really looked, I realized it is not the correct image from Matthew Paris! The cover actually contains the images of William the Bastard, William II, Henry I, and Stephen! I thought that could not be right, so I started doing research and everything I have found confirms so far that this is not the right image. Crazy.

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    2. Hah! Of course, when I think of Henry II and his sons I invariably think of Peter O'Toole. ("I don't LIKE my children!")

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    3. I have yet to see The Lion in Winter because I cannot bear to see Eleanor depicted inaccurately in any way. So many people have told me how exceptional the film is, and I will probably watch it when my own book is complete. But I think it would certainly be true that Henry II most certainly did not like his children - or his sons anyway - by the time all the malarkey started with them going to war against him, and each other, all the time.

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    4. Lion in Winter is sad. She's in "Becket" too, where Peter O'Toole is again Henry II -- but a younger, snarkier one. I'm pretty sure that's where the 'I don't LIKE my children!" line comes from, because Eleanor is chiding for Henry for brooding over his feud with Becket and urges him to see to his children, instead.

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    5. Yes, I read that he played Henry in both films! And I can't say I blame him for not liking his children all that much, they're pretty much copies of him, lol

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    6. True. I just spotted something that might interest you, although I don't think you're a PC gamer -- Eleanor of Aquitaine is being introduced as a civ leader in Civilization VI: Gathering Storm, but uniquely....she can be a leader for England OR France. I haven't got gathering storm yet (waiting for the summer sale), but that will be fun. Here's a preview if you're at all curious:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZBzWTmerDE

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    7. OMG!!!! I might become a gamer just for that! Interesting that you can choose either France or England, because she had zero power as Queen of France, and was so young when she and Louis got married - between 13 and 15, depending on which birth date you go by (I think she was 13 and born in 1124). I will let you know what I think when I get a chance to look, thank you!!

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    8. Come.... JOIN us...... One of us.... One of us.... [LOL]

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    9. LOL! Then I would NEVER GET MY TBR UNDER CONTROL!!!!

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  5. I hope you enjoy it! It’s not the prettiest book, but the title is intriguing.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. It's really not, from that resolution anyway. The paintings by Matthew Paris are actually really cool to look at, but I could not find a decent cover for this book! Henry II was maligned as being a descendant of Melusine, and thus from the devil, so it should surprise no one that he and his sons were constantly at odd with one another as the boys came of age and wanted their inheritances. Those Plantagenets really put the fun in dysfunctional.

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  6. I didn't realise how much I was buying last year until my stats made it clear to me-and it was pretty shocking! It's only when you study the stats that you see the big picture and it has helped me control my books better this year! I don't intend to deprive myself of books I want but it might help me stop the mad impulse buys!

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    1. YES! The impulse buys are the worst. Getting rid of Kindle Unlimited was actually the best thing I have done, because I would always find additional titles that were not KU, but related by subject matter, and constantly told myself $1.99 is totally okay to spend on a book I can't even hold. So ridiculous!

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  7. I love the cover! My son used to read a lot of books about pre-Victorian monarchy in high school, but I don't think he has recently. I'll have to ask him. 👍✨

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    1. I am all about those early kings and queens. Once Elizabeth dies, my interest wanes quickly (though to be honest, I am no fan of Elizabeth at all. It just feels odd to me to sever my reading ties before the dynasty comes to an end).

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