Joe's 2018 Book Cafe Door 1

Art by Fiona Staples

Happy New Year! Welcome to the 2018 cafe!

Happy reading 2018, Joe.

Hi Joe! I hope you have some good books lined up for the year - or are you a more spur-of-the-moment kind of guy?

>2 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara.

LT went on the fritz for me as soon as I started setting this up. So I'll post a bit more soon. Happy reading in 2018, my friend.

>3 karenmarie: Hi, Karen!

Jeez Louise, do I have good books lined up for the new year. I'll try to post a pic sometime today.

Yes, I'm very much a spur-of-the-moment reader. Hence my reading being all over the place in terms of genre. I tend to have some candidates on hand, and then pick by mood. How about you?

December 2017

170. Provenance by Anne Leckie
171. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
172. The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
173. Barbie Chang by Victoria Chang
174. The Twisted Sword by Winston Graham
175. How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
176. Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson
177. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
178. The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
179. One on the House by Mary Lasswell
180. Buddhaland Brooklyn by Richard C. Morais

January, 2018

1. Artemis by Andy Weir
2. Bella Poldark by Winston Graham
3. Loose Woman by Sandra

Currently reading Emily Wilson's The Odyssey, God Stalk and the second Sandman Omnibus

Graphic Novels 2018

1. Saga Volume 8 by Fiona Staples

Best of 2017 by category, and then my Top 5 overall.

Fiction

News of the World by Paulette Jiles
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Ann Bronte
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

*The Windup Bird Chronicle would be listed, but it was a re-read

Poetry

Olio by Tyehimba Jess
Don't Call Us Dead by Danez Smith
Stag's Leap by Sharon Olds
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon

Nonfiction

Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright
The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Whistling Vivaldi by Claude M. Steele
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
To Siri with Love by Judith Newman

*Hard not to put Hillbilly Elegy, I Contain Multitudes, The Warmth of Other Suns, and Destiny of the Republic on this. Great year for NF.

Young Adult

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Akata Witch and Akata Warrior by Nnedi Okorafor

Science Fiction

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemison (conclusion of a trilogy)
Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
Provenance by Anne Leckie
City by Clifford Simak
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

Mystery

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Lightning Men by Thomas Mullen (is this a "mystery"?)

Lots of good series, like Fiona Griffiths, Eve Dallas, Longmire, and so on, but these two were the standout books.

Graphic Novels

My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris
One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg
The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan (not really a GN, but amazing - featuring his sculptures)
Roughneck by Jeff Lemire (tough content)
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

*Hard not to include Baking With Kafka, Paper Girls (series), All's Faire in Middle School, Park Bench, Rolling Blackouts, and Sandman Omnibus

Top 5 Books of 2017

News of the World by Paulette Jiles (beautifully told story of the old West)
Olio by Tyehimba Jess (what an amazing piece of work)
Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright (pragmatic and convincing)
The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee (remarkable, well-written, thought-provoking - where are we headed, with the powers we're developing?)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (terrific and even-handed YA novel featuring of-the-moment racial issues)

Top Graphic: The Singing Bones - such a talented artist

Buddhaland Brooklyn is the story of a Japanese Buddhist priest, raised in a strict monastery there, who is asked to head up a new Buddhist temple under construction in Brooklyn. Reverend Seido Oda had a tragic experience when young, with his mentally ill father and family. Through entry into the rural priesthood at age 11, he gains his bearings, particularly in creating and teaching Buddhist art. When many years later his beloved superior asks him to go to America, he feels he can't refuse, but he also doesn't feel he's qualified.

His experience in Brooklyn with the informal, tradition-scoffing Americans who are sect members is funny and frustrating at the same time (they like to call him "Rev" or "Reverend O"). He wants to teach them in the strict way he was taught, and they want him to be more "personal" and accessible.

I'm not a chanting Buddhist, but Morais makes it sound appealing (the Lotus Sutra is the principal source). This sect can marry and have sex, and those issues come up for the reverend. Maintaining his equanimity is a challenge. He learns a lot, and finds his new, chaotic locale actually brings him to a far greater understanding than his placid life in rural Japan.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Volume 8 comes out tomorrow!

^Hugs & High-Fives to the Welch Clan! Love the Saga toppers!

Look forward to hanging with you, for another year of books, book chatter and the occasional beer.

Dropping a star, Joe. Happy New Year! I recognized the art in the topper right away.

>4 jnwelch: I always at least start all 11 RL book club books each year. I occasionally try a challenge. This January is already busy with the Nicholas Nickleby group read that I'm hosting and the Irish Authors Challenge for January, which is Edna O'Brien. Other than that, I read what appeals, when it appeals, and abandon books with glee if they're not working.

Happy reading in 2018, Joe!

>6 jnwelch: Great list! I have read and loved: A Man called Ove, The Gene, Born a Crime, The Hate U Give and Turtles All the Way Down.
Only the last one made it to my top 21 of 2017.

Thank GOODNESS none of your top GNs of 2017 are available from my county's library system!! I don't have to read them now. *confetti toss*

Now about that cafe sign. Let's make with the caffeine already!

Happy reading, and Happy New Year, Joe!

Love your art choice, and all the graphic novels in your thread.

>9 msf59: Hugs and High 5s from us to you and the Freeburg clan, Mark!

Isn't that fun with the Saga toppers? I thought about including some of her other art - she does the new Archie series, among other things.



Books, book chatter and beer sounds great to me!

>10 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. Her artistic style is very recognizable, isn't it. The new one comes out tomorrow.

>11 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I'm going to head to our basement bookshelves soon to track down Nicholas Nickleby for your Group Read. Looking forward to it! I'll probably start reading it in a week or so - I've got gift reads I can't resist right now.

I read what appeals, when it appeals, and abandon books with glee if they're not working. I love the idea of abandoning the not-working books with glee. I need to get better at that.

>12 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

I'm glad you like the book lists. A Man called Ove, The Gene, Born a Crime, The Hate U Give and Turtles All the Way Down are all great, aren't they. I'll have to get over and see your Top 21.

Born a Crime would've been my top audio book, but I don't listen to enough of those to justify a separate category for it.

>13 richardderus: Oh fiddle-dee-dee, Richard. Your county could have skads of skillions of those top GNs up the wazoozie and you still wouldn't read them. Yours must not've been a comics-strewn youth - or maybe it was, and that was enough already?

Caffeine, ok, here you go:

>14 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella!

I'm going to re-post my top graphic novels overall in a bit. I'm glad you like the art and all the GNs in the thread. I've become a big Fiona Staples fan.

Happy New Year Joe. I look forward to visiting here not only to see what you are reading, but in addition, to find the incredible images you post.

May 2018 be filled with books, and plenty of space to store them:

Happy new year, Joe! So glad I found your thread .. this group is already going crazy.

I loved One Hundred Nights of Hero so I'm pleased to see it made your 2017 list. I have Baking with Kafka and The Best We Could Do in my teetering wish list .. maybe I should do something about getting them into my TBR tower instead.

ETA to say that's the most gorgeous spiral staircase I've seen.. and in a .. library? *swoon*

The cafe is back! Yay!

Hiya Joe and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I'm of course dropping off my star and looking forward to another year of wonderful reads, blue book bullets, and general bookerly chaos.

xo

>19 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. Happy New Year! I'm glad you enjoy the images Have you seen that Shaun Tan book, The Singing Bones? His sculptures are wonderful.

May 2018 be filled with books, and plenty of space to store them. I love that! Amen.

And what a beautiful library and staircase that is.

>20 cameling: Happy New Year, Caro! I know - I have to get out and about on the 2018 LT campus soon. I know there's a lot going on. I'm glad you found this one.

One Hundred Nights of Hero came out of nowhere for me - I didn't know Isabel Greenberg before that, and The Encyclopedia of Early Earth by her was also great. What a talent.

You'll have lots of fun with Baking with Kafka; what a treasure Tom Gauld is. And The Best We Could Do is a moving memoir.

Agreed re Linda's staircase!

Happy New Year, Ellen!

I'm glad you're excited to have the cafe back: looking forward to another year of wonderful reads, blue book bullets, and general bookerly chaos. Great way to put it; let's have a fun and bookerly 2018!

Not all of the 2017 Tops List are here, so I'll add those later:

Favorite Graphic Novels

Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Amphigorey by Edward Gorey
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
Blankets by Craig Thompson

Bone (One Volume) by Jeff Smith
Boxers & Saints Boxed Set by Gene Luen Yang
Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry
Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast
The Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
The Collected Essex County by Jeff Lemire
The Complete Little Nemo in Slumberland (several volumes) by Winsor McCay
Daytripper by Gabriel Ba
Death: The High Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Omnibus by Philip K. Dick
Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
How to Understand Israel in 60 Days by Sarah Glidden

Local by Brian Wood
Logicomix by Apostolos
Lone Wolf and Cub (series) by Kazuo Koike
March Book One (and the two after) by John Lewis
The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris
The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon
The New York Four by Brian Wood
Paper Girls (a series) by Brian K. Vaughan
Richard Stark's Parker: The Score (and the other Darwyn Cooke Parkers) by Darwyn Cooke

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan
Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle
Roughneck by Jeff Lemire
Saga Vol. 1 (a series) by Brian K. Vaughan

The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 1 (all the Sandman books) by Neil Gaiman
Scott Pilgrim (the series) by Bryan Lee O'Malley
Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine
The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan
Strangers in Paradise Book 1 (the series) by Terry Moore
Stumptown Vol. 1 (and the other volumes) by Greg Rucka

Summer Blonde by Adrian Tomine
Super Mutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki
The Tale of One Bad Rat by Bryan Talbot
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki
The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua

Too Cool to Be Forgotten by Alex Robinson
V is for Vendetta by Alan Moore
Vagabond (series) by Takehiko Inoue
Velvet Vol. 1 (series) by Ed Brubaker
The Walking Dead (series) by Robert Kirkman

A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel by Hope Larson
Y: The Last Man (series) by Brian K. Vaughan
You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack by Tom Gauld

Favorite Graphic Novels for Kids

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash

Jane, the Fox, and Me by Fanny Britt
Journey (and the two after) by Aaron Becker
Lumberjanes (series) by Noelle Stevenson
Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 (series) by G. Willow Wilson
Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor (Harriet Tubman) by Nathan Hale

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
The Rabbi's Cat (and second one) by Joann Sfar
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Usagi Yojimbo (series) by Stan Sakai

Wishing you a year full of great reads in 2018!

>25 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

>22 jnwelch: The Encyclopedia of Early Earth was what twigged me onto One Hundred Nights of Hero. She's incredible and I hope she releases more GNs in the not too distant future. I bumped into Isabel Greenberg by accident. I was in a bookstore (what a surprise) because the hubster wanted to attend an author event .. I forget who the author or book is that he was interested in, but while he was at the event, I wandered to my favorite nook in the bookstore, which just happens to be next to the GN shelves, picked Encyclopedia of Early Earth on a whim, and sat down to read it.

I finished it by the time the hubster was done and was by then, totally a fan of Ms Greenberg. As a reward for patiently waiting for him, the hubster bought me One Hundred Days of Hero. Of course, I didn't tell him, I wasn't exactly 'bored' waiting for him. ;-)

>27 cameling: Ha! I love that story, Caro. A triple win - marital bonus points for your "patience" with the hubster, a great book browse and new discovery, and your own gift copy of One Hundred Nights of Hero. I must learn your technique. :-)

My holiday gift books for 2017 - my family was mighty good to me, especially Madame MBH.



P.S. It's hard to see, but the one at the top is What Would Jane Do - sayings from Jane Austen, and the bottom one is Seek and Find Pride and Prejudice, a kind of Where's Waldo with the P & P characters.

>17 jnwelch: I went to my own thread to see that I had forgotten my "best of 2017" list. It is added now.

Dropping off a
And wishing you

>29 jnwelch: Nice haul, Joe!! LOVE the idea of the Jane Austen ones.

>28 jnwelch: It works out really well actually because the hubster reads mainly leadership, management and political analysis non-fiction .. all categories I hold at bay with a 10,000 ft battering ram. So he loves the Harvard Bookstore for hosting multiple events through the year with authors of books he's either interested in reading or has already read. By accompanying him in the evenings, I get a delightful hour and a half to read in my cosy nook until he comes to get me.

>29 jnwelch: Love your Christmas haul. Look at that gorgeous copy of Gaiman's The Sandman.

>30 FAMeulstee: Good, Anita, thanks. I'll be over.

>31 ronincats: Thanks, Mamie! Aren't those Jane Austen ones fun? I'm looking forward to reading that Lucy Worsley one about her, too.

>33 cameling: Sounds like a perfect night out, Caro. I'm with you on the 10,000 foot battering ram, although I'll read some political analysis (not much!)

That's the second volume of the Sandman Omnibus, courtesy of Madame MBH, and it's a beaut, isn't it. (She gave me the first one last year). I'm having a blast re-reading the stories. There's a deluxe edition of the Death stories in the stack, too, thanks to her, and I'm also re-reading those.

>17 jnwelch: Ohhh how lurvely! I'm caffeinated and ready to rock.

I always read one GN per year, Joe, always one either you and/or Mark has warbled onto my bookdar, and always will because (pace Chuckles, Hemandhaw, and Icky Crumpet-Burnoose) I believe it's my duty to myself to leave room to grow by exposing myself to New Things.

That it resembles being abandoned on an ice floe more often than opening a door to a new library-cum-bookstore is incidental.

>22 jnwelch: Oh look! LT is having a fault...I can only see smears and smudges in that post. Most curious.

You got Mamie and me mixed up in >31 ronincats: and >32 Crazymamie:, Joe!

>36 richardderus: Good for you - I'm glad you try at least one new thing GN per year, and I'm honored that you look to me and/or Mark for recs. Which one did you read in '17?

I can clear up those smears and smudges in >22 jnwelch: for you, but maybe it's best we leave it be. Peace on Earth, goodwill toward bibliophiles?

>37 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! I find it so hard to keep up on LT at the beginning of a year. I think it's fixed now.

I read This One Summer because of YOU ya fink. It was...well...it was okay. Say three stars by the skin of its teeth okay.

>39 richardderus: Oh, good one, RD. I love the work of the Tamaki sisters.

*grumble* Maybe a nice slab of Italian cream cake will make up to me for the GN-ness...*hint hint*

Happy new thread and new year Joe! That's quite the stack! Enjoy (as if you need prompting to do so...)

>41 richardderus: Ha! You got it, RD. Somehow you reminded me of the two little dogs who just left us (their human parents are son #1 and his bride). They were always on the lookout for vittles. Here you go:

>42 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley! Yeah, I got awfully good book treatment this holiday season. Wow.

Hope you have a great 2018.

Happy New Year of Reading, Joe! Love the Seek-and-Find P&P--it might have to be my first purchase of 2018~and maybe I'll see if the library has the Worsley.

>22 jnwelch: Hi Joe, I haven't read, or heard of the Staun Tan book. It is now on my tbr list. January 1, the day is not yet finished, and I am adding one of your books to my list. You are incredible!

>45 kac522: Thanks, Kathy!

Our daughter, whom you met, was really pleased she found that Seek-and-Find P & P, and it was a great gift. The Worsley has gotten high marks from reviewers - can't wait to read it.

>48 jnwelch: Ha! Thanks, Linda. I'm pretty sure you'll love The Singing Bones. I'm happy it made it onto your tbr list. Great way to start off the year!

It is so bitter cold here in my area of Pennsylvania. I won't be going out of the house the next few days, but I will search the local libraries to see which one has the book, and then I will place it on reserve. I hope the new year is kind to you. As always, I find my way to your thread and find solace here.

>43 jnwelch: Ooohhh yes. That's just the ticket, some zero-calorie zero-gluten nummyness. I am Officially Mollified.

>49 Whisper1: As always, I find my way to your thread and find solace here. Wonderful to hear, Linda. Looking forward to enjoying it all with you in '18.

Yeah, it's also bitter cold here, and we're going nowhere noways nowise. I hope the Tan book is in your local library system.

>50 richardderus: I am Officially Mollified. Phew! You'll find me in back if needed, reading.

>29 jnwelch: that’s a great Christmas haul Joe.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

I’ll be looking forward to plenty of calorie free cake in here in 2018.

Here's to good books, good conversation and good friends!

Hi Joe, dropping a star off here and hope you and Debbi had a great Christmas and New Year and send love and hugs from both of us.

Happy New Year, Joe! May you have some great reads in 2018.

Happy New Year, Joe, and Happy First Thread of 2018!

>6 jnwelch: I am really going to need A Man Called Ove up the stack!

Happy New Year, Joe!

>52 Caroline_McElwee: Happy New Year, Caroline.

Isn't that a great Christmas haul? Well, there's some Hanukkah in there, too. We know how to celebrate in this house, and then keep on celebrating!

Lots of calorie-free cake is planned for the new year. Here's some more to add to what RD asked for.

>53 SuziQoregon: Happy New Year, Juli!

Amen - good books, good conversation and good friends - let's do it!

>54 johnsimpson: Thanks, John. Happy New Year, mate, and love and hugs back atcha.

>55 kgodey: Nice to see you, Kriti. Thanks - Happy New Year! I've got what I think will be some great reads already going in 2018 - I sure am enjoying Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey so far. I hope you have some great reads, too - please stop by and let us know what you're reading.

>56 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! We're off and running, my friend.

>57 alcottacre: I think you'll love A Man Called Ove, Stasia, as unlikely as it will seem at the start. The movie is great, too.

Happy 2018!

Hi, Joe!

>61 scaifea: Ha! There she is. Hi, Amber! Here we are, in what was next year. How did that happen?

Hey hey hey, Joe. Sure is cold (sez he who hasn't ventured out since last Friday).

I see by the localish news that those crazy Mummers were out, struttin' in Philadelphia. Banjos are among their principle instruments and they are tough to play whilst wearing warm gloves.

I'm planning to read some more Sense and Sensibility before turning out the light.

Welcome back! Looks like a nice haul from the family.

Hey Joe...

Looks like you cleaned up on the 2017 holiday gift books, Joe. Dropping my star.

>63 weird_O: Hey hey hey, Bill. I know, it's starting out frigid in the new year, isn't it. Our only outside time was helping son #1 and mrs. son pack their car and get on their way back to Pittsburgh. (They arrived safely).

You know, if you're going to schedule your mummering for 1/1, you takes yer chances. I suppose the best response to gloved banjo picking is: please stop!

I saw you weren't in a groove yet with Sense and Sensibility. I hope you find your rhythm with it; I love her wit and her writing.

>64 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. This might be my favorite family haul ever. Usually one or the other sister, or both, misses with a pick, but everybody hit paydirt this year as far as I was concerned.

Hope you had a good holiday, buddy.

>65 Polaris-: Hey Paul! Long time no see on LT. How's it going? Happy New Year!

>66 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. Nice-looking star you dropped there.

It was a great holiday for books. My only problem is wanting to read all of them at the same time. I did manage to at least start several. :-)

You're off to a rousing start, Joe. Your holiday book haul tower is truly impressive. A stack of books is such a joyful sight.

Anyway, Happy New Year!

>70 rosalita: Thanks, Julia. We had to stow away the book stack for a party and our guests (son and mrs. son), so I was glad I could bring it back out for the new year. Happy New Year to you, too!

Love all the artwork by Fiona Staples!



Happy 2018!!

>72 Berly: Isn't her artwork distinctive, Kim? I love what she does.

Thanks for the new year wishes - peace, love and laughter sounds perfect.

I live in Conrad Down 15, a grungy area fifteen floors underground in Conrad Bubble. If my neighborhood were wine, connoisseurs would describe it as “shitty, with overtones of failure and poor life decisions.”

This second novel by the author of The Martian was fun.

Artemis is a five dome town on the moon. Our heroine Jazz has marketable skills, especially welding, but prefers to do delivery jobs and some no-harm smuggling from Earth (e.g. high quality cigars). She's always struggling to make ends meet, and when a corporate high-up proposes a high-paying illegal job, she goes for it. That in turn ends her up in a messy battle involving various hustlers and resource-rich powers. She needs keep her hide intact, and to figure out exactly what is going on and how to extricate herself to avoid being deported back to Earth.

It's not The Martian, but it's breezy fun with plenty of problem-solving and interesting engineering - and Dr. Jim says the engineering is pretty accurate.

I've got the audio of Artemis on my TBR "pile" after trying to listen to it last year but not being able to get into it. I hope second try is the charm.

Happy New Year Joe! Lovely book haul. Can't wait to hear what you recommend!

Happy New Year
Happy New Group here
This place is full of friends
I hope it never ends
It brew of erudition and good cheer.

Good morning, Joe. Wishing you a lovely day.

Morning, Joe! I need to get round to Artemis soon.

Morning, Joe. Glad to hear both you and Jim both liked Artemis. That is encouraging. I have it saved on audio. It might make a good distraction on the route.

Hi Joe!

I like your Christmas book haul and wish I had the P&P books for my ownself.

Artemis is already on my wishlist and am glad to hear that although not The Martian, was a good read. Of course if drneutron says the engineering is pretty accurate, that's just icing on the cake.

>80 msf59: mrsdrneutron listened to it before I read it. She said it was a good audio book - decently read, easy to follow, relatively quick.

Happy New Year! I wish you to read many good books in 2018.

>76 NarratorLady: Happy New Year Anne!

So much good reading! I'm almost certainly going to recommend Emily Wilson's The Odyssey, for those so inclined. She nailed it!

>77 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Looking forward to a fun, book-filled year with all our pals.

>78 Ameise1: Good morning, Barbara. Thank you. So far it's been a lovely day, and I'll try to keep that going. I hope you have a lovely one yourself.

>79 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

You'll have a good time with Artemis when you get to it. I'm always heartened when Dr. Jim blesses the engineering aspects - it would be a letdown if Weir were getting it wrong.

Looking forward to more art and books!

ooooo, I want to read Artemis loved, loved, loved The Martian.

Look who's been a good boy! Nice book haul from your Santa's

Morning, Joe! Nice review of Artemis - I have that one in the stacks on audio.

>80 msf59: Artemis is like a morning hike in the woods, looking for unusual birds, Mark. How's that sound? :-)

I'm not as much of an audio book guy as you, but I'd think it would be a good distraction on the route.

>81 karenmarie: Hi, Karen! I'm glad the book haul resonates with you - it's a bit all over the place, but perfect for me. I'll keep you posted on the P & P/Austen books. So far the one with quotes from her books and letters (What Would Jane Do) is a pleasure.

Right - Artemis is an entertaining time on the moon, and it's reassuring to have Dr. Jim's blessing on the pretty accurateness of the engineering.

>82 drneutron: Good to hear, Jim - bad pun intended.

How in the world did you let mrsdrneutron get her hands on Artemis first? I thought you were quicker than that - of course, I haven't met the missus, and she may just be quicker still.

>83 The_Hibernator: Hi, Rachel! Thanks - I love that. Cracks me up. Happy New Year! Let's make it a great reading year.

>86 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda!

More art and books - we'll do that with pleasure, my friend.

I was a good boy (ha! - just don't quiz my wife about it), and Santa was very generous with the books. If you liked The Martian, you'll have a good time with Artemis. It's not going to change the world, or the moon, but it's entertaining, and you learn things, too.

>87 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie!

Up above Dr. Jim says his missus gave the Artemis audio a thumbs-up.

>89 jnwelch: She's on Audible, so doesn't have to wait in unending reserve lines on Overdrive... 😁

>91 drneutron: Good to hear, Jim . . . oh, I already said that one too many times. I probably should try Audible at some point. I just don't listen to books all that much - but I enjoy it when I do.

>74 jnwelch: I myownself wasn't happy with Jazz's narrative voice. Too much like Mark Watney's and I wasn't convinced she was female.

But hey, as a sophomore effort!

It's ruddy frostbit out there again. Tired of this. Warmth is too far, but less bone-cracking would be welcome.

Happy New Year Joe!

Saga Vol. 8 was my last read of the year in 2017! I really enjoyed it. Nice way to finish out 2017.

>74 jnwelch: As I said to Jim . . .
I haven't decided whether or not Artemis is calling to me. I read the first chapter when it was posted online before the books release. It didn't really make me eager to continue. I'm noting your review and continuing to waver.

>93 richardderus: Hi, RD. Doesn't he say in the Acknowledgments to Artemis that he got some help from women to try to get Jazz's voice right? Or did I dream that? Anyway, not his strength - he's much better at problem-solving, engineering, a light tone, and the occasional zinger. Her voice didn't bother me at all, but I guess I wasn't expecting much. I easily see the comparison to Mark Watney's.

It looks sunny and great out the window right now, but it's brutal to walk out in it. I plan to do mostly window-looking. At least it's good reason to stay in and read if you can.

>94 luvamystery65: Happy New Year Roberta!

How did you get your hands on Saga Vol. 8? I thought it came out today. I'm happy to hear you really enjoyed it. I love the series - can you tell? There was just one muddled one - I'm pretty sure it was the one before last. Otherwise, it's been inventive and page-turning.

>95 SuziQoregon: Hi, Juli.

Artemis isn't a must-read, like John Lewis's March Trilogy. It's purely whether you're in the mood for that kind of entertainment. If you enjoyed The Martian, you'll probably have a good time with this one.

>96 jnwelch: Yes, he acknowledges his tone issue but for me at least that smacked of special pleading. Whatevs, we all read different books and none of us reads the writer's original.

I won't be slithering far from my bed! No indeed, too much for my joints in this bonebreaking cold.

>98 richardderus:

That's exactly the ticket. I plan to do that all day, all night, angels lookin' down on me my lord.

>100 richardderus: You and me both, buddy. The missus is out helping our daughter, and I'm going to turn some pages.

Per. Fection.

Hi Joe! Happy New Year to you and yours, and here's hoping you can stay window-watching all day long. Brrrr!

Hello Joe! Happy New Year!

>96 jnwelch: Joe I was able to check out Saga Vol. 8 from Hoopla. They sent me an email. They did the same for Vol. 7 so I think they must have an arrangement with Image Comics. I really enjoyed it.

>105 luvamystery65: ROBERTA!!! Where is your thread?! I cannot locate it and it's not a good year without your thread in my list.

>106 richardderus: - She's only maintaining one thread this year and it's over in the Category Challenge group. Don't have a link handy and should really be working or else I'd go look for it :)

>107 katiekrug: OIC

What's the Category Challenge? I am verschmeckeled.

>106 richardderus: You tickle me RD!

Here is my home for 2018. http://www.librarything.com/topic/270737

I'll still be visiting 75 group. Currently I am participating in the Charles Dickens he who must not be named group read. :P

Arrghh.. I've only just decided I need to go on a diet and what do I find in the cafe? Luscious cakes!!!

>102 richardderus: :-)

>103 LauraBrook: Hiya, Laura. So great to have you back with us. Happy New Year!

I pretty much did spend the day on the right side of the windows. I'm finding this translation of The Odyssey a page-turner. Is that possible?

>104 brodiew2: Hello Brodie! There's our guy. Happy New Year!

>105 luvamystery65: You've got connections in Hoopla places, I can tell, Roberta. Does that mean you read it on a tablet or e-reader? I still like to read GNs in hard copy.

I'm so hooked I pre-ordered Saga Volume 8, and it just arrived. So it's going to jump the queue. Can't wait!

>106 richardderus: I already had Roberta's new thread starred, Richard, so get with it, man. You'd think you'd know the ropes by now.

>107 katiekrug: If one sits patiently long enough, Katie, the universe will do home delivery. I'll bet the link will show up any minute.

>108 richardderus: I know verklempt, but not verschmekeled, RD. What's it mean?

I have this feeling an answer to your "where is it" question will be showing up.

>109 luvamystery65: That sounds like a great group read, Roberta. My shaver is Nickless, and where might that Nickle be? Not sure why that came to mind.

>110 cameling: Our food, including cake, is 100% calorie-free, Caro. Unless you eat it in real life. But if you just enjoy it here, it's got the calorie impact of air.

Here, for example.

>113 jnwelch: "verschmeckeled" means bewildered, confused and agitated, all at sea. Judy's Jim etymologized it as a bastard child of "chopped up" via Germanishness.

>114 richardderus: Thanks! My Yiddish-knowledgeable wife said she'd heard it before, but didn't know what it meant. I can put it to good use in my ongoingly bewildered, confused and agitated life at sea.

Always glad to enrich a pal's vocabulary.

>111 jnwelch: "I'm finding...The Odyssey a page-turner. Is that possible?"
If I had a wet noodle, I'd smack you with it right upside the head, mister.

>116 richardderus: Makes me think of that great old song, "Bewitched, Bothered and Verschmekeled".

>117 scaifea: Ha! Do I see a book bullet sailing through the air, my friend?

Remind me to do what I can to keep wet noodles out of your reach.

I suspect you're going to love this translation!

That new translation of The Odyssey was on sale for $2.99 for Kindle the other day. I thought about it, then got distracted, and by the time I remembered, POOF! Sale over. I think it's the universe's way of telling me I don't need to read it. But I've never read any of the ancient classics, and I feel like I should. But then feeling like I "should" just ruins the whole enterprise for me, and I rebel. Oh well.

>119 katiekrug: What?! Are you sure it was the Emily Wilson translation, Katie? It's new and ain't cheap.

I'm the same way about books I "should" read. If you can blank the slate, and pretend no one never said nuthin about it, it's worth it. (Does that double negative work? I don't think so. Just pretend it's a tasty cruller).

Hey Joe. Do you watch Jeopardy? Your grandpa was in one of the clues tonight!

The question had something to do with McCarthy attacking which branch of govt (? not sure I am remembering the exact wording) but making the serious mistake of going up against Joe Welch. The answer was the army. But I recognized that name!! :-)

>121 jessibud2: Ha! Cool, Shelley!

I haven't watched Jeopardy in ages. My grandpa was hired by Eisenhower to defend the army against McCarthy's accusations that it was infiltrated with commies. McCarthy was slinging power and threats around, as was his wont. He had nada to back it up. One take on it all was that McC was ticked because he was trying to get favors for a "friend" of Roy Cohn's (Cohn was McCarthy's right hand man), David Schine, who was in the army, and the army wasn't cooperating. It was the first televised Senate hearing, and reportedly had folks glued to their TVs.

There's a powerful documentary on it available, called "Point of Order".

I'll pass the word that the big guy was involved in a question on Jeopardy - thanks!

Happy new year! I have you starred and I am looking forward to another year of reading and friends.

Hi, Joe. Thanks for sending Fred my way. I didn't need him this time but I hope he can be kept in reserve.

Wow! The threads are hopping like crazy today. I am fading fast but I am trying to visit a few threads.

>122 jnwelch: - Thanks for the details. I will make note of that doc and see if I can find it anywhere. That whole scenario (power, threats) has an eerily familiar ring to it, these days.... eek

>112 jnwelch: I read them on my Kindle Fire since they are free from the library. It works surprisingly well and I can increase each frame to see better. The one series the digital does not work well for is Sandman. It really does not. I like the read deal too, but I gotta go with the library sometimes. The plus side of that is that I read way more than I would if I had to buy them.

My library has hard copies of Lone Wolf and Cub but the print is so tiny. I love getting the digital version from Hoopla and expanding the frame. Helps these old tired eyes.

>123 banjo123: Hiya, Rhonda. Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to another year of reading and friends, too, and I'm glad you're part of that.

>124 msf59: Ha! You're welcome, Mark. I thought Fred's cask might come in handy. We'll keep him at the ready.

It is hopping on LT today - lots of fun. Don't miss Mamie's thread - it'll cheer you up before the fade is complete.

>125 jessibud2: You're welcome, Shelley, although really I'm thanking you for letting me know.

Here's the Point of Order documentary on Amazon, but now it costs a fortune: https://smile.amazon.com/Point-Order-Roy-M-Cohn/dp/B000A59PO2/ref=sr_1_1?s=movie...

Youtube has taken it down, no doubt for copyright infringement. Maybe your library has it. (You can hear the audio of the documentary on Youtube, but that's not the same).

>126 luvamystery65: Oh, Lone Wolf and Cub! You do my weary heart good. I love those, and have been thinking about a re-read.

I get hard copy GNs from the library all the time - what a money saver. I don't have the Kindle Fire, but it sounds like we've progressed to making many GNs okay on an e-reader, if the e-reader is high tech enough. It makes sense to me that the Sandman books don't work in that form. You probably saw I just got the second Omnibus of them in hard copy from Madame MBH, so I'm re-reading them.

>120 jnwelch: Katie's right, Joe - that exact translation was a Kindle Daily Deal just recently. I almost snagged it, too. Almost.

And thanks for directing tired Mark my way - so very sweet. You are da Bomb!

>130 Crazymamie: Amazing. Thanks, Mamie. I'm used to those deals being offered for good 'uns that've been out a long time, not new ones.

To be honest, I wouldn't want to read it on my Kindle, but it might be okay on something higher tech, like Roberta's.

Ha! Your thread is a treat everyday, but today it was especially full of laughs to soothe the weary snow warrior. I'm not da Bomb - you're da Bomb! :-)

Hey, Joe - just found your thread. Happy New Year. I'm a little jealous of the Sandman Omnibus. I often think about rereading the series - I have the complete original run, but they're all wrapped up in archival plastic., so then I eye the paper collections, but don't buy them 'cuz I have the originals.. and just go around in cricles.

Your thread is exploding! I'm reading a lot of Overdrive books from my library (and listening to some too).

Happy New Year, Joe. I love how you broke down your Favorites List into categories. Wish I’d thought of doing that. And what a great book haul! I told Santa no books for me as I didn’t read enough off my shelves last year. However, I may be tempted to help out the Denver local economy when I meet up with some LT friends at The Tattered Cover on Saturday.

so Monty show us what's behind Door Number 1!

Happy New Year Joe - you're one of the Good Guys

>118 jnwelch: The wet noodle was for doubting that Homer could be a page-turner. Yoicks. But no, I honestly don't have plans to read the new translation anytime soon. I've got one that I love already (Lombardo) and, of course, *flecks imaginary dust from shoulder* I don't actually need a translation. *ahem*

Morning, Joe! And yes, you are da Bomb, but I thank you for your kind words.

>132 majleavy: Ha! Good to have a fellow Sandman fan, Michael. My wife was awfully good to get me the two Omnibuses. They're well worth re-reading, as you know. The library will have the paperbacks for sure, if you want to go the no-cost route. I appreciate the archival treatment (probably worth a lot of dough now), but they're good enough, IMO, to have out on your shelf for re-reading.

>133 thornton37814: Ah, this ain't nothing, Lori, compared to the likes of Mamie and Mark. At the start of the year the threads really zing, don't they. I think we're reminded what a remarkable place LT is.

Good for you for reading on Overdrive. What books?

>134 Donna828: Happy New Year, Donna!

Favorites lists in categories: I still have a bookstore mentality from my managing days. Where to shelve them? And those are my major areas of reading. I'm glad you like it. It also means I can list more of them. :-)

Oh, the Tattered Cover on Saturday! That's on my bucket list. Never been, even though I had a pal in Boulder back in the day (he's in NYC now). Some day I will get there! Have fun. I can never resist getting books, holidays or otherwise. My family outdid themselves this year.

>135 magicians_nephew: Thanks, Jim - Happy New Year! I'll keep working on being one of the good guys.

Let us know what you find behind Door Number One. What costume are you wearing? How did Monty find you?

>136 scaifea: I don't actually need a translation. I didn't know that! I think you've earned a proud strut about the planet with that one.

I've loped along in fine style with the page-turning before, and love the Lombardo translation, but this one really has me zipping. For some reason I get a kick out of the different reading experiences with the various translations, and I pick up things I missed before, or understand them in a different way. He's with Nestor right now, and it's quite vivid.

>137 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie!

Thanks for putting me in da Bomb club. Do we get pins we can wear?

>140 jnwelch: You knew that I'm a classicist, though, right, and that I used to be a classics prof, teaching Latin, Greek, Mythology, Latin Lit, Greek Lit,...? Yes, you knew that. I may still need to get that wet noodle out.

>142 scaifea: I did know that, so please put that wet noodle down! I didn't know that meant you could read The Odyssey in the original, okay? The way they write/wrote is all weird and doesn't look a bit like English. But you probably knew that. "It's Greek to me" - there's a reason we all say that, right? Except that means something different to the likes of you.

*sits down to wait and see if Amber will indeed use the wet noodle*

>144 Crazymamie: *runs back in the kitchen and dons the wet noodle-resistant poncho, just in case*

>143 jnwelch: Well, it would have been pretty strange for them to let me teach Greek if I couldn't read the stuff, eh? *sigh*

>144 Crazymamie: I'm keeping the wet noodle at the ready, Mamie. It seems inevitable at this point, don't you think. I mean, honestly.

>146 scaifea: I think you have to, Amber.

Off on various adventures. Back later - hopefully the classicist's ire will have calmed down by then.

>147 Crazymamie: Mamie: I may need to borrow one of those big rubber band tubes from Julia's clickbait video...

>148 jnwelch: Classicists are known for their patience, Joe.

>149 scaifea: OH! We're going to need popcorn. *starts moving the chairs to form a ring*

Pass the popcorn. This oughtta be good.

>141 jnwelch: Hate to interrupt the action but..... OMG! I love it! Dons my Maid of the Mist poncho and takes a seat.

My money's on Amber.

>154 richardderus: Mine, too.

>29 jnwelch: Excellent holiday book haul, Joe.

I'll try to keep an eye out for this thing between Mamie and Amber (and you? are you actually involved?) .....

And this: >141 jnwelch: is perfect!!!

As a relatively uninteresting aside, I'm reading both Why Buddhism is True and Nicholas Nickleby at present. It's an odd combo....

>156 EBT1002: Now, Ellen, Joe is the one who started the whole thing. And by donning the wet noodle-resistant poncho (>145 jnwelch:), he accepted the challenge. Which is probably why he is hiding taking a few moments to mentally prepare (>148 jnwelch:).

>154 richardderus: Is that The Stig?! *fans self*

I've also just spent two *delightful* hours in the dentist's chair, so I'm in an excellent mood... Where's that rubber band tube...?

Is it safe yet?

OK, let's move along. Nothing to see here. You may go on about your business. Who knows when he'll be back.

This is getting interesting. Think I will pull up a chair and take in the action. (To tell you the truth, Joe, I didn't know that you had to be able to read the lingo to be a classicist prof either).

I have started on Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes and am enjoying it but have to get it back to the library because, of course, there is a hold on it. Much easier to read at your own pace when you have your own copy - you lucky dog! Watch out for wet noddles.

>159 jnwelch:, >160 jnwelch: *snicker* You think a woman who can read HESIOD and and even LUCRETIUS in the ORIGINAL is gonna fall for that...well, another think's comin'.

>159 jnwelch: Nope.

>160 jnwelch: Really? I mean, honestly.

>162 richardderus:

He could be anywhere. He's like a kangaroo chameleon.

Ooh, I see I arrived just in time for a show.

*snags the popcorn*

The kangaroo says . . .

>156 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. I've got my reading shoes on, and I'm working on that book haul.

No, I'm actually not involved in whatever Amber, Mamie and Richard have going on. No worries. I'm entirely innocent.

It's a challenge to think of an odder reading combination than Why Buddhism is True and Nicholas Nickleby. I'm trying to remember the symptoms of a mind being blown . . .

>161 Familyhistorian: Right, Meg? Who knew that a classicist necessarily can read Greek? I feel like there's some kind of noodle-related overreacting going on here.

Oh my, Sandman interrupted. That's no good. They should have umpteen copies on hand so this doesn't happen. Too bad you're not in the neighborhood - I'd lend you mine.

This disguise should at least scare Richard off.

Pulls up a chair.

RD pass the popcorn please. I KNOW Mamie has some wine.

Perhaps you should reread The Kindly Ones Joe, if you think our resident classicist is going to forget.

Amber is bringing the pasta right?

>167 jnwelch: Overreacting?! Oh my, Joe, you're gonna need a bigger shovel.

Talk about Sandman interrupted - I read them as they were first coming out as monthly comics and the wait each time was agony.

>169 luvamystery65: Good call on The Kindly Ones, Roberta! I used to assign that one as required reading in my Classical Mythology course. No joke.
No, no pasta - I've moved on to rubber hoses.

>169 luvamystery65: Yikes. Let's not compare this small beer situation to The Kindly Ones, Roberta. I'm sure Amber will forgive and forget. After all, innocent mistakes are sometimes made, and I'm sure she understands that.

>170 scaifea:

>170 scaifea: P.S. I've never known anyone who read the Sandman comics as they came out. Very cool! Did you hold onto them? They're probably worth a lot.

>169 luvamystery65: As a matter of fact, Roberta, I do happen to have some wine:



>171 jnwelch: Forget? Joe, are you questioning Amber's memory now, along with her credentials? *blinks*

Hahaha, man in trouble.....

>173 Crazymamie:


It's hard to find a shovel big enough for the hole I'm digging, Mamie.

All I'm saying is, to err is human, to forgive divine. And I think Amber's divine, don't you? Classicists embody all that's best in us, and they're so merciful. Aren't they?

>172 jnwelch: They weren't mine, but my (then and still) best friend's. We'd go to the comic shop together every month, swing by our favorite chinese place for takeout, then head back to the dorms for dinner and Sandman. I think he still has them, though, and he's very fastidious about his comics, so I bet they're in great shape.

>173 Crazymamie: Aw now, Mamie, you're just trying to stir the pot. Errare est humanum and all that (look, I know Latin, too!).

>175 jnwelch: Ha! Too funny - great minds think alike, I guess, eh?

>168 jnwelch: *CHOO*

*heartlessly flees scene of ladies piling up on a fellow man because HE DESERVES IT*

>177 scaifea: Yes - I picked up on your shovel comment in >170 scaifea:. And what a fine mind you have, I must say, obsequiously.

>178 richardderus: Ha! You remind me of a comment Debbi's Uncle Milt made when we were staying with him and his wife Ruthie. When Ruthie asked Milt why he wasn't supporting me on some of my ridiculous comments, the distinguished and very funny Milt said "Because he's being an asshole!" We fell out laughing.

Maybe I deserve it, but I've been piled on and wet noodled in better places than this, I can tell you.

>179 jnwelch: Heh. That's funny, but unsurprising...most anyone can relate to that comment. *whistles innocently away*

Hi, Joe! The Cafe has been very entertaining lately. Lots of good visuals, along with a few chuckles and speaking of Chuckles, I am downloading the audio of NN, as I type. I hope to start it, the end of the week. I want to finish The Fact of a Body first. You may want to avoid this one yourself- the child abuse is profoundly disturbing. Shudders...

>179 jnwelch: *SNORK!* No, I meant the errare est humanum bit. We're clearly right out of sync again. Yoicks.

You're a great sport Joe. Uncle Milt sounds like a gem.

ETA: >170 scaifea: I remembered you used that volume to teach mythology Amber. It was a very purposeful reference. ;-)

>173 Crazymamie: Thank you sister!

>180 richardderus: I'm trying to figure out how to whistle innocently away myself, unharmed . . .

>181 msf59: Hey, buddy. It's been tough in here! Maybe you could buy Amber a beer (or wine or whatever) and explain that I'm not all bad.

Jeesh, I didn't know that about The Fact of a Body. Yeah, not for me. I'm surprised my teacher-of-children daughter wants to read it. But she can take on strong content.

It's going to be a while for me to get to NN, too. The Odyssey isn't a shortie, and Bella Poldark is one of the longer ones in that series.

Best news: Saga Volume 8 arrived, and it's a corker.

>182 scaifea: Ha! Well, it's made for a lot of hilarity, Amber. Maybe we should just keep the ships passing in the night. :-)

P.S. Oh, I missed your >176 scaifea: post, that's why. Phew, it's sure moving fast right now. Got it. Yes, thank you - your Latin says it all. And kudos to your friend. He was onto quality comics long before most of us.

>183 luvamystery65: Thanks, Roberta. Milt (Milton Bass) was one of the funniest guys I ever met. He was 90 or 91 when he came up with that one. His daughter Amy Bass is as quick or quicker, and one of the funniest women I've ever met.

>184 jnwelch: I prefer a good Peach Bellini, please.

^I brought Amber some variety, in case she is in a particular mood for something. Grins...

It looks like I need to request the new Saga.

>186 scaifea: You got it, my friend.



Να περάσεις καλά!

(That should mean, "Enjoy yourself!")

P.S. Note the amendment to my >185 jnwelch: post.

>187 msf59: She's going with a Peach Bellini, Mark, so I'll help you with the beer. That's just the kind of guy I am, always looking to help out.

Yes, request the new Saga!

>186 scaifea:

>187 msf59: Thanks, Mark, but I think I'll let you have those. I know it's a lot to ask of you, but that's what friends do for friends, right?

>188 jnwelch: What is that, modern Greek?



>190 msf59: *SNORK!*

>138 jnwelch: good enough to have one the shelf for reading Could be - I've always wrestled with how to regard my old comics collection. Theoretically there is monetary value in them -esp. something like Sandman - but in the end probably not much. Modern comics'll never be rare enough to command truly big bucks, so...

Hi Joe!

Gaack. 99 unread messages. I am drawing a line in the sand and moving forward.

Except to say - please tell me that A Man Called Ove is a good read. Our book club is reading it for the February meeting. I actively disliked and abandoned The Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared and The Unlikely Pilgrimmage of Harold Fry, both for book club, and wonder how this one is different.

I'm going into Sunday's book club meeting panning A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor. I figured that my mental health was better than getting clinically depressed by continuing to read the short stories in the book.

>190 msf59: LOL!

>191 scaifea: You're a peach (bellini), Amber. Mark will make short work of those - and I may have to sneak one out.

Blimey, now it's got to be ancient Greek? I'm just a humble cafe proprietor, Amber, not one of your hoity-toity classicists who spouts ancient Greek at the drop of a hat.

>194 jnwelch: Hoity-toity? Moi? Nay, I'm a member of the hoi polloi just like you.

>188 jnwelch: pssst Joe that's MODERN Greek

>191 scaifea: Oh. Well. Never mind.

>192 majleavy: Never give up hope, Michael. The first Superman comic sold for $3.2 million! On a quick look, the first Sandman comic used to go for more, but currently is worth around $280.

>193 karenmarie: Ha! I don't blame you, Karen. A quick summary of most of the 99 you missed: I recommended a new translation of The Odyssey by Emily Wilson to Amber; Amber doesn't need to read no stinkin' translation because she can read ancient Greek; yours truly should've known that because she's a classicist and taught the classics; mayhem ensued; threats involving wet noodles and rubber hoses also ensued; I hid; everyone found me because I'm poor at hiding; I kept making it worse; Amber forgave me anyway (I'm pretty sure), and then peace and harmony prevailed. Unless she's still mad at me, in which case I'll try hiding again.

A Man Called Ove is good and nothing like The Man Who Climbed Out the Window (full disclosure: my wife and I both enjoyed the latter). You may question my sanity at the beginning of A Man Called Ove, but hang in there. It's a beaut, and a good, faithful movie was made out of it, too.

>195 scaifea: Did I say hoity-toity? I meant to say "oh my how wonderful". Some One of my best friends is classicists (you).

>196 richardderus: Yeah, well, Richard, it's all Greek to me. Modern schmodern, ancient schmancient. How in the world did I get myself into this? I just liked the translation of an old book, for goodness' sake. That's not a capital crime, is it? So I forgot how bizarrely talented one of our own is. So I donned stupid looking ponchos and disguises and ineptly hid like a two year old who doesn't realize everyone can still see him. IT'S NOT A FEDERAL CRIME, GAHDURNIT!

>198 jnwelch:, >199 jnwelch: It isn't.

Yet.

Give Ryan and McConnell a bit of time.

>200 richardderus: Ha! I better lam it, Richard.

We're on our way out; catch you all later in the day.

>198 jnwelch: Oh, so now *you're* the victim instead of me and poor Homer, and somehow I'm now also bizarre. SMH.

*sips bellini indignantly*

>122 jnwelch: I did not know that was your grandfather. Interesting. I wonder if my library has that documentary.

>203 drneutron: *snork!*

Checking in to see how everyone is faring. The joust appears to be continuing with a modicum of civility. That is good.

Milt would fit in nicely (or at least well) with this crowd!

And I'll look for that documentary, "Point of Order." It worries me how relevant it might become in these months.

Hi Joe!

>197 jnwelch: Useful summary, thank you Joe!

Okay, I'll give A Man Called Ove a chance. *smile*

On a more serious note, have you seen this trailer yet? It looks and sounds amazing.

https://youtu.be/ne7-wnnWqFY

Hi Joe, and cafe patrons, you're all marvellous stress relievers. Thank you.

Hello Joe!

>1 jnwelch: I love the top image. The art is terrific. Even if I'm not a SAGA fan. :-P

Happy New Year, Joe! Just whizzing through.

As the sparing appears to be going strong, I think we spectators need additional sustenance:

>212 cameling: Scones! I'll take a few of those. Got any clotted cream? How about something that decent, god-fearing people can drink like, oh I dunno, coffee?

OK, where were we? On the last episode of "The Odyssey Can Still Stir People Up, Even Today", we concluded that Amber was a supremely talented classicist (and seamstress) who can read ancient Greek (not modern Greek -pfft, who'd need that?) who therefore didn't need no stinkin' translation, even one that stinks as well as Emily Wilson's does, and that she's merciful to those who make mistakes - to err is human (Joe), to forgive is divine (Amber). For example, she'd never take the phrase "bizarrely talented" to mean that she is bizarre, because, well, who would?

Meanwhile, Odysseus is meeting celebrities in Hades, like Hercules, and impressing Circe with having led his men there and back again. Will the gifted bag of wind carry them all the way to Ithaca? Or will greed be an ill wind blowing no one any good, and make his journey even harder, after all this time trying to get home?

Has he pissed off Poseidon (who's not merciful like Amber) one too many times?

>202 scaifea: Yes. I mean, no. Oh, I'm so confused. Whatever leaves me unscathed, or at least ambulatory.

P.S. I believe this topic is covered in the synopsis of the last episode.

>204 SuziQoregon: 'Twas, Juli. I knew him a bit, but he unfortunately died when I was six. As a consequence, I know him more through family stories and film. He had quite an exciting life after the McCarthy hearings, playing the judge in Anatomy of a Murder, and hosting some tv shows - one a mystery-a-week type, and one on the Constitution, and I think there might've been another.

Post-Google: oh man, there were a lot of TV shows. Here's his IMdB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0919583/

>214 jnwelch: Crumbs, never pictured Poseidon as quite that keen on the gym...

>205 scaifea: Ignore Dr. Jim's post, Amber. He's just trying to stir up more trouble.

>206 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. I'm trying to butter up Amber as much as possible, but she's got her wig on sideways about this, I mean, she's showing great discernment in her comments.


Milt would fit in nicely (or at least well) with this crowd! Ha! Yes, he'd fit in well, but perhaps not nicely.

I can thoroughly recommend Point of Order, and would be happy to discuss it. Grandpa (known to us as "Pop") does some amazing lawyerly things in it that only a lifetime could make that smooth. McCarthy, Roy Cohn, Bobby Kennedy, what a gathering.

(Cohn ended up dedicating one of his books to my grandfather - talk about bizarre!)

P.S. Yeah, we're seeing this come up a lot in the media with Trump's fingerpointing and Islamophobia. Try substituting the word "communist(s)" into what Trump says. "Have you no sense of decency" gets quoted a lot right now.

>207 karenmarie: You're welcome, Karen. There's now an episode synapsis in >214 jnwelch: to further assist.

I look forward to hearing what you think of A Man Called Ove. If you come back mad, carrying a wet noodle or rubber hose, for example, I'll understand. Happens all the time here.

>208 scaifea: Whoa, thanks, Amber! I knew nothing about this. I love Thich Nhat Hanh. You probably saw I got one of his books in that holiday book haul.

"You know Yoda - he's a little like that." Ha! And Benedict Cumberbatch narrating, wow. I've alerted my better half for when it comes out.

>209 charl08: A chuckle or two helps with the stress, doesn't it, Charlotte. Of course, we're being totally serious, but I can see why you might take it that way.

>210 brodiew2: Hmm. Wish I could wave a magic wand and make you a Saga fan, Brodie. So good! But it's a pleasure to see you anyway in the new year, and I'm glad you like the topper art.

>211 humouress: That's some most excellent whizzing, Nina. I love that Gaiman quote. Let's all take that on as a New Year's resolution.

I feel so educated, after all this *classics* talk. Thank you. :-)

I looked for the doc film in my library and it isn't there, Joe. But I may drop a line to the local Doc theatre I am a member of and see if there might be any interest in their trying to get hold of it. They certainly do a lot of such films on a regular basis. For example, look what's coming up in the next few weeks:

Requiem for the American Dream

>212 cameling: Oh yeah, now we're talking. Thanks, Caro. I, for one, am feeling a bit peaked after all the dodging and hiding, and could use some flavoricious sustenance. Are those cheese scones? Whatever they are, that's where I'm starting.

>213 richardderus: Do you have Aroma Sensors on all the time, RD? I don't ever remember food showing up without you being there Johnny on the spot. I'm just going to follow you around from now on.

We can help with the coffee.

>216 charl08: His anger at Odysseus probably caused Poseidon to work out more, Charlotte. Thank goodness (for Odysseus) that Zeus outranks him.

>221 jessibud2: That's what you get for hanging out with an ace classicist like Amber,one of the most wonderful people I've ever known (pretty good buttering up, right?) It's always educational, Shelley.

Unfortunately, "Point of Order", unlike me, has grown old. The hearings were in 1954, and the documentary came out not that long after. It had some renewed popularity about 15 years ago, but it's somewhat dormant, looks like, right now. That'd be great if your local Doc theatre picked up on it.

That Chomsky movie (via your link) looks intriguing. "Tracing a half-century of policies designed to favour the wealthy at the expense of the majority, Chomsky provides penetrating insight into what may well be the lasting legacy, and undoing, of our time." That's more timely than ever, isn't it.

>222 jnwelch: Heh, my Arom-o-meter® is at maximum sensitivity here in the 75ers.

*swills cute little cupette of coffee*

Look, just gimme the pot-like thingie, I'll be drinking it all anyway.

>224 richardderus: It's like magic.

>224 richardderus: We'll keep it coming, RD.

Happiest of new years, Joe!

>227 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! Happy New Year!

>214 jnwelch: My goodness, Joe, aren't you just as polytropos as Odysseus (the first adjective Homer uses in the Odyssey to describe his hero, and which can mean "much-traveled," "turning many ways" (i.e. quite clever), and possibly even "turned many ways" (=long-suffering). You seem to fit the bill times three.

Poseidon actually looks like he's trying to show of his guns there, so to speak, so I think Charlotte's on to something...

>219 jnwelch: Doesn't that movie look amazing?! Apparently it comes out in the UK tomorrow, so I don't know when we'll get to see it. I'm a big fan of Thich Nhat Hanh, too, not to mention Cumberbuns. Here's hoping he doesn't have to discuss penguins in this one, though.

>229 scaifea: I appreciate the thought Amber. More likely poly-dope-ohs, or even Topo Gigio, applies better. Odysseus does fascinate me. He turns many ways, doesn't he.

Now that I look back at it, Poseidon does seem to be showing off his guns in >214 jnwelch:. That Poseidon. What a maroon!

I didn't know that Cumberbuns couldn't say penguin! Research disclosed this, titled appropriately, "Benedict Cumberbatch Can's Say 'Penguins'. It's all charming, but the penguin evidence starts around 3:35 into it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GHPNKUMf70

Off to see a play. Carry on with the thrilling cafe odyssey, if you're so inclined.

>230 jnwelch: Odysseus has always been one of my favorites. And the scenes near the end, one between him and Athene-in-disguise and the other between him and Penelope, where they're each trying to trick the other (and Penelope is the only one who actually succeeds!) are amazing and two of my favorite scenes in all of literature.

That Graham Norton clip is exactly the one I was thinking of! Love it.

>168 jnwelch: I may be late to comment, but better late than never. That disguise doesn't scare me one bit. I bet my kitties could encourage him to come out and play.

Hi, Joe! Sweet Thursday! (Only semi-sweet for me, due to this string of frigid weather). I should wrap up Why Buddhism Is True tomorrow. A lot to chew on here and some of it, is more that my little mind can handle, but Wright has such a smart, easy-narrative style, along with a good dose of humor, that really made it work for me. I think it will also inspire me to give meditating another go.

Here is a short interview, that Wright gave, discussing the book:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Why+Buddhism+is+True%3a+The+Science+and+Phi...

>231 jnwelch: What play?

>232 scaifea: I love Penelope, such a clever manipulator to stay out of the chattel role of wife for so long while getting credit for being a faithful wife instead of a relieved single woman.

Joe, I can't lie. I kinda hope you get yourself in trouble again, because this thread was so darn funny! Thanks.

>236 Berly: *snerk*

>235 richardderus: Richard: Penelope is fabulous; so many of the portrayals of women in Greek literature are proof that the ancient Greeks both feared and admired the heck out of their women (in a totally misogynistic way, of course) - so many of them are badass and clever and forces not with which to be reckoned.

>236 Berly: Kim: Oh, give him time and I'm sure Joe will oblige.

Listening to all of this Penelope + Odys talk makes me want to recommend a recording: Penelope by Sarah Kirkland Snider (composer) and Ellen McLaguhlin (lyricist). It's an art song sequence, sung by Shara Worden, about a woman who attempts to help her war-traumatized husband reintegrate into civilian life by reading the Odyssey with him. Very beautiful stuff, situated on the boundary between arty pop and modern classical.

>232 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. I'll now pay special attention to those scenes. Maybe because I'm a guy, I've always been grabbed by the scene near the end with the trapped suitors, when Odysseus and Telemachus slaughter them all. You might remember my poem from a while back - after all the death he's seen, all those he's lost, and the many times he himself has escaped death, he still wants to deal out death to all of them. Mercy, their youth and foolishness, are never even considered. Now, maybe that's justified - they plotted to kill Telemachus, and they were arrogant shits laying waste to his home and chasing after his wife, but still.

Thanks again for alerting us to BC and his penguin difficulties. :-)

P.S. That was supposed to be "Topo Gigio", not "Top Gigio" (darn autocorrect), up in >230 jnwelch:. You're probably too young to know that one, but it was one of the stupidest acts ever, IMO, on Ed Sullivan. "Oh, Eddeeee!"

>233 thornton37814: I thought the kitty disguise in >168 jnwelch: might scare off our feline-phobic Richard, but it only made him sneeze. He/she does look like a kitty who would enjoy playing.

>234 msf59: Hi, Mark! Sweet Thursday, buddy!

Wright has such a smart, easy-narrative style, along with a good dose of humor, that really made it work for me. Nice description of Why Buddhism is True. Ditto. Some of it that felt like more than your mind can handle will likely be easier the next Buddhist book you read - it takes a while for some of it to sink in, at least it did for me. Do give the meditating another go - so many benefits!

Thanks for the link to the Wright interview. I'll circle back to it tomorrow afternoon. It's near shuteye time for me, and we head out early tomorrow.

>235 richardderus: The play is called BLKS, Richard, by Aziza Barnes. The absence of the A in BLACKS started because it's not just a skin color. The play wasn't perfect, but it was awfully darn good. Very funny, and at times very serious. Three black women roommates, one lesbian (as far as I could tell), one gender fluid, and one who liked guys.

Barnes inserted "A Note from The Playwright of BLKS" into the playbills, which said this:

This is a play by blk people and for blk people
The absurd, the treacherous, the disgust,
the heartbreak, the gorgeous of our days.
I am inviting blk people to live fully here.
Those on stage and off.

For y'all that don't fit that description,
take your lead from the people that do.
And in the words of Richard Pryor,
"let's just all calm down and enjoy
whatever the f**k happens."

-aziza barnes

I couldn't find any good photos of the play, but here's the cast. The top three are the roommates, played by Leea Ayers, Nora Carroll, and Celeste M. Cooper. I thought Nora Carroll was particularly good and hilarious.

>236 Berly: No worries, Kim. You can count on it. Only three things in this world are certain: death, taxes, and Joe getting himself into trouble again.

>237 drneutron: Yeah, it's easy for you to snerk, oh solar brainiac. You're not the one trying to survive the Wrath of Amber.

>238 scaifea: Penelope is fabulous and badass, for sure, Amber. Twenty years! I still can't wrap my mind around that.

>239 majleavy: Thanks for the Penelope tip, Michael ( Sarah Kirkland Snider composer, Ellen McLaughlin lyricist, sung by Shara Worden). Some of it can be found on Youtube, like this Lotus Eaters part: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi9R0ig3TTE. Listening to that and other parts will be another good project for tomorrow afternoon.

>241 ronincats: Thank you, Roni. Exactly. I know you and Gene mean that in all sincerity.

To forgive is human
To forget shows restraint
To forget your forgave
is the mark of a saint.

Joe never heard that "has her wig on sideways" before - good description.

And belated good wishes for the new year to you and yours.

>240 jnwelch: The bit with Telemachus trying to string the bow and almost getting it (and Odysseys getting worried that he will actually succeed) is my favorite part of that particular scene. The massive slaughter is definitely troubling to us, but possibly not so much to the Greeks

I knew that you meant Topo and not Top; I am too young (thankyouverymuch) but I do know who he is and have seen clips and love it.

>247 magicians_nephew: Oh, I like that aphorism, Jim. Luckily I'm pretty forgetful these days, so if I forgive, I've got at least a shot at sainthood.

I don't know where that "wig on sideways" came from; glad that gave you a chuckle.

>248 scaifea: Right. I love that part with Telemachus, too. It took some research to figure out how Odysseus shot the arrow through axe handles. Apparently they had loops at the bottom and could be stood upside down, so he could shoot through the loops? Certainly my sense has been that the massive slaughter (or a poem about it) was not troubling to the Greeks. I keep thinking about this guy who has seen and escaped so much death, dealing it out mercilessly like that.

>249 jnwelch: Yep, you've got the gist of how the axe handles work. And I don't think we can say that the Greeks were completely okay with the slaughter - there is some climax and drama in it, and after all, they were human, too - but maybe it wouldn't have been as shocking to them as it is to us?

In my never-humble opinion, Odysseus deals out death to the suitors in his rage that they had the *luxury* to chase his wife and plot against his son; that he was brutalized by two decades of war at least in part to save their worthless hides; that his world was never, ever going to look the same and never again would home be home. couldn't do anything else or the entire poem would make no sense...there is and always was a price to be paid in human terms for war's horrors.

>248 scaifea: - >251 richardderus: - I feel like I need to hold this thread up to the light as if it's written in invisible ink.... ;-)

>251 richardderus: Richard That explains somewhat the suitor-slaughter, but the most disturbing part is how he deals with the maidservants, and even seasoned Homer scholars are still troubled by that bit.

>252 jessibud2: Permaybehaps that's the spur you need to read along with us!

>253 scaifea: I can see why that's so. I think it's part of the visible last clause. Where's the off switch? How does one control one's bloodlust when it's been the means of survival for so long? Can a man sow the wind and reap the whirlwind only once or is the whirlwind, in fact, eternal? It's an unending debate.

Hi, Joe! And Amber and Richard and >252 jessibud2: . What a great conversation. I knew the ending already, so blissfully clicked on the spoilers to read your comments.

My poetry group, which started as a seminar to read epic poetry out loud, is returning to its roots with a read of The Iliad which was supposed to start tomorrow, but our leader decided old ladies shouldn't be out in 9 degree weather on icy streets, so we'll start in February instead. It's been a long time since I've read it in any translation (we are using the Fagles, although I've just acquired the Lombaro too), so it will be fresh for me.

OK. I've caught up with Joe. That should release me to read actual books instead of threads for at least the rest of the day.

>255 ffortsa: I see your optimism is undimmed by retirement. That's comforting. If misguided.

>245 jnwelch: Nice link, Joe. I'd never seen that video before. Thanks.

Just got back and am trying to catch up with LT. My catching up will probably be skipping everything up to this point and just jumping back in.

>258 benitastrnad: The best plan. It's overwhelming otherwise.

Hello Joe! I hope all is well and that your coffee was delicious this morning!

I don't know about Joe, but I had a homemade croissant from the Le Quartier Bakery in Lincoln, Nebraska for breakfast today. It was still good, but getting a trifle crunchy. However, nothing like croissant and good dark coffee for breakfast.

Hi Joe! Wishing you a Happy, Bookerly, (what a great word!) New Year before your thread rockets off to the next page.

I'm loving your lists and also the photo of your wonderful gifts. I enjoyed Old Path White Clouds when I read it several years ago. You got me with a BB with Why Buddhism is True. It won't make it to the top of the pile (hee hee I first typed 'mile' although it isn't quite a mile pile) for a few months, however.

I'll also look forward to Walk With Me. Yay to Amber for mentioning it.

One of my favorite used-to-be-posters here on LT always said he was a Christian with leanings toward Buddhism especially in the spring. :) Love that.

So interesting about your grandfather. Thanks for filling more of his fascinating life.

Your summaries of the near ruckus have been fabulous.

Thoroughly enjoyed the conversation about Odysseus.

Happy Friday, Joe.

Hi, Joe. Dropping a star.



I'm terribly behind as usual! And I'm ducking in case Amber still has the wet noodle out. I think I threw out my Maid of the Mist poncho a couple of years ago - but for some reason kept the shoes, so I guess at least my feet will be safe.

>24 jnwelch: Great, great list of graphic novels, especially those for kids. My younger son, Keegan, devours them and I'm always looking for new ones to get for him. I gave him Nimona by Noelle Stevenson for Christmas. I noticed you don't have the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi on your list. It is highly recommended by Keegan and is his favorite series - I think it outranks Bone for him.

When I was in college at The Ohio State University in the 80s, Jeff Smith wrote a comic for the university newspaper, The Lantern, called Thorn, which was a precursor to Bone. I still have one or two of the strips that I cut from the paper - I would have saved more if I had known how famous he would become!

>242 jnwelch: RD just needs additional exposure to the sweet animal. They are so entertaining, warm, and snuggly. Why would anyone be scared of them? ;-)

>265 rretzler: Robin: No need to worry; I'm very precise in my noodle/rubber hose maneuvers.

Are you safe now Joe?

>256 richardderus: You've got that right! I'm sure I'm supposed to be doing something else right now but LT never stops.

>266 thornton37814: HA!! Sweet. Snuggly. PURE EVIL!!

They have toxic spit. Their dander is shaped like scythes and creates biohazard-warning-level agonies in their victims. They sneak from place to place lest they be discovered and destroyed as avatars of The Never-Ending Force of Hatred and Nastiness that materialized them in Egypt. Whose civilization, you will notice, collapsed not long after they appeared. And when did THEY become pets again? When the Great Burning had *almost* eradicated the damned things (along with wise women, a huge and sadly irreparable loss) along came The FRENCH and repopularized THEM.

*choo*

Damb. Dow I'b havig ad attack.

>268 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg!

>269 richardderus: And yet, RD, I have proof somewhere here on LT that you agree with my toxic spit haver Kitty William. I just have to find the thread.....

Oh. Hi Joe! Your thread, right? I hope you have had a wonderful day so far. Have you scheduled a showing of Orphan Black yet?

Happy Friday, Joe. I finished and enjoyed Why Buddhism is True. Plenty to mull over with that one. I really appreciate the nudge.

And I am off to go a good start with Nickelby.

Hi Joe, I wanted to drop my star here before you moved on to your next thread. I noticed Pretty Birds was part of your Christmas haul and remembered that was a book that I read back in 2008 shortly after I joined LT, it got a 5 star rating from me.

Hey Joe, lotta wild stuff goin' on over here--I'm all prepared to duck when the scones start whizzing by overhead.

Tonight there was a interesting little program on Channel 11 with Amy Brent (daughter of Stuart) called "Amy's Book Hunt." I wish I had a list of all the places she visited to hunt for valuable books.

>273 kac522: Don't duck. Catch.

Oh wow, I've fallen behind on . . . my own thread? OK, here we go.

>250 scaifea: That's my instinct, Amber - not as shocking to them. Maybe because it was the will of the Gods? Or because death occurred in all sorts of ways to an extent we don't see today (childbirth, sickness, accidents, the elements)? Or it was more expected in clashes?

>251 richardderus: The poem wouldn't be the same without it, RD, for sure. There's a certain satisfaction for the reader that these arrogant shits get theirs, that mercy wouldn't have satisfied. And he would be filled with rage, after all he's been through, to find these softies trashing his home and wooing his wife. I'm just struck by all the death he's already seen, and survived. After all that, more? Maybe it's impressive death stamina from the man who turns many ways.

>252 jessibud2: Lemon juice and water, Shelley - when you want to read it, hold it up to a lightbulb. The screen can get sticky, though. It's better to use paper.

>253 scaifea: Yes! Thank you, Amber. It's disturbing, all right. Just send them on their way, for goodness sake.

>254 richardderus: That, and the betrayal of his household. I guess, in my modern eyes, I'm looking for him to have learned something from all the death he's gone through, including talking to the dead in Hades. He's no dope - he's the wily Odysseus. But mercy never even crosses his mind.

>255 ffortsa: Hi, Judy. Glad you're enjoying the discussion!
You may have spotted Caroline Alexander's new translation of the Iliad up there in my holiday book haul. So that one's in my future. Kudos for picking up both the Fagles and Lombardo translations. I liked them both.

Good job catching up. It's always a busy time at the start of the year, isn't. Good luck with the actual reading.

I finished my Poldark and started God Stalk (which starts flying from the get-go). I also read an uneven but worthwhile Sandra Cisneros collection of poems (Loose Woman), and the new Saga GN, #8, which was aces.

>256 richardderus: I spidey-sense some skepticism there, Richard.

>257 majleavy: Oh, you're welcome, Michael. Now you've seen it, and I still haven't. Real life has reared its ugly beautiful head. But I'll get to it.

>258 benitastrnad: It happens, Benita. There are a couple of summaries up above for late arrivers. One is at >214 jnwelch:.

>280 Crazymamie: *snorts*

Elegantly, of course.

>280 Crazymamie: Ha! Morning, Mamie!

I'm trying to catch the LT train here. Wish me luck!

>259 richardderus: Yes - it's joyous but so fast at the start of the year, isn't it, Richard.

>260 brodiew2: Hello, Brodie! Thanks - it is delicious coffee, and it's only my first cup, so there's more to come.

>261 benitastrnad: That does sound good, Benita. I'm going to have something to munch on after I catch up. A croissant is a fine idea, although it's too cold here in RL to venture out for one. So let's have it at the cafe!

>262 streamsong: Oh, good to hear re Old Path White Clouds, Janet. Yeah, if you liked that, you'll get a lot out of Why Buddhism is True. You're so bookerly. :-)

I'm befuzzled with all the posts - what was Walk with Me? It doesn't have a touchstone in your post.

One of my favorite used-to-be-posters here on LT always said he was a Christian with leanings toward Buddhism especially in the spring. :) Love that. Ha!

>263 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli. That grandpappy, who was viewed as a "proper Bostonian" at the time, came off a farm in Iowa, one of four brothers, and I'm pretty sure the first in the family to go to college. An amazing life. I hope someone does a bio some day. There is a guy working on a biographical documentary about him, but who knows whether it'll ever see the light of day. He is connected in the industry, so there's hope.

I love the word "ruckus". We're lucky to have a teacher of the classics to pitch in on The Odyssey discussion, aren't we? (And one of the most wonderful, merciful people ever, don't you think?)

>281 humouress: Right, Nina? That's our Mamie, always elegant - and yet, snort-provoking.

>264 Ameise1: Happy Friday, and now Saturday, Barbara. What a tardy proprietor. He needs to get with it, doesn't he.

>265 rretzler: I'm terribly behind as usual! Me, too!

Yeah, I suspect there's a run on ponchos going on right now, Robin. You never know when they're going to come in handy. Now you've inspired me to try to find my Maid of the Mist shoes. (As if!)

I have read Kibuishi's first Amulet, and I'm glad your son loves them. I'm too old to appreciate them the same way. Have you looked at his Flight series? They collect short graphic stories, which are rated "G", as far as I can remember. Some beautiful artwork.

P.S. Very cool re your having a couple of Jeff Smith college strips. There's nothing like what he does in Bone.

>284 jnwelch: Still sucking up and trying to stay out of trouble I see. LOL Happy weekend.

>266 thornton37814: Good luck with that, Lori. RD's aversion to gatos is legendary.

>267 scaifea: No need to worry; I'm very precise in my noodle/rubber hose maneuvers. Is that really going to ease anyone's worries, Amber?

>268 Familyhistorian: I'm pretty sure I'm safe now, Meg, but it never hurts to be careful.

>286 Berly: My efforts to stay out of trouble tend to be futile, Kim. I probably mentioned that even our kids say, "Dad, you're getting yourself in trouble again", almost always involving the stalwart and beleaguered Madame MBH.

Hope you have a great weekend, too.

>269 richardderus: I warned Lori about this, Richard. One person's cute and cuddly is another person's toxic scythes.

>270 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Woo, I can scarcely schedule an LT session right now. I wish we could schedule some Orphan Black. It's Madame MBH's DVD set, so it's up to her, but maybe we can fit some in in this lousy weather.

>271 msf59: Yay for Why Buddhism is True! It's so good, isn't it. You're more than welcome, buddy. I'll join you soon on Nickleby.

>272 DeltaQueen50: Oh, good to hear re Pretty Birds, Judy. That was a surprise from one of my sisters. Five stars from you - very encouraging!

>273 kac522: Hi, Kathy. I read in the Tribune about that Amy Brent book show on PBS (you probably remember her dad's store on Mich Ave). Sounds like it was good, yes?

In the article they said they expected to have go to a lot of stores before she found anything noteworthy, but that instead she found something at every store she stopped at.

Flying scones is why I always carry a butterfly net.

>274 humouress: Exactly, Nina. Bring your butterfly net.

>287 jnwelch: I should ease everyone's worries but yours, Joe. Everyone's but yours.

>292 scaifea: Ha! Uh-oh. Batten down the hatches, rough weather ahead.

>294 Crazymamie:

>295 jnwelch:

I’m scoring it a sweep for Amber so far. Joe’s reeling. How much longer will they let this go on?!

It's tough here, that's all I can say.

>298 jnwelch: What a repugnant attempt for sympathy. I mean, honestly.

>299 scaifea: Re-"pug"-nant? Have you no sense of shame? I mean, honestly.

>300 jnwelch: You misspelled "charming wit."

>301 scaifea: LOL! Why yes, yes I did. What charming wit! You must be a classicist.

>302 jnwelch:

>303 scaifea: The Princess Bride! *sits down to listen to the story*

Loose Woman is an engaging collection of Sandra Cisneros' poetry (she's the author of The House on Mango Street). I found it a bit uneven, but even the lesser ones have wit and something thought-provoking. She takes on lust and sex and menstruation (what an ode to that!) and black lace bras and her Mexican heritage with fierceness and power.

Here's one I liked that book readers can relate to:

Bay Poem from Berkeley
By Sandra Cisneros

Mornings I still
reach for you before
opening my eyes.

An antique habit from
last summer when we pulled
each other into the heat of groin
and belly, slept with an arm
around the other.

The Texas sun was like that.
Like a body asleep beside you.

But when I open my eyes
to the flannel and down,
mist at the window and blue
light from the bay, I remember
where I am.

This weight
on the other side of the bed
is only books, not you. What
I said I loved more than you.
True.

Though these mornings
I wish books loved back.

* * * *

Here's the ending of her poem "Full Moon and You're Not Here", which made me laugh:

* * * *

You're in love with my mind.

But sometimes, sweetheart,
a woman needs a man
who loves her ass.

>305 jnwelch: Oh! Hit hard by the BB! And I'm not usually much one for poetry these days.

>306 Storeetllr: Ha! Good! It's high octane, Mary. Can't wait to hear what you think.

Happy Saturday, Joe. I loved Loose Woman. I think I shared the same Bay Poem. It's a keeper, isn't it? I also read Mango Street around the same time, but much preferred her poetry.

>308 msf59: Man, I'm not doing a good job of keeping up with your poetry reading, Mark. I have no idea how I missed this one. It is a keeper, for sure. Yeah, I wasn't wowed by House on Mango Street, although it's good. Maybe you and I both liking Loose Woman will help encourage our fellow 75ers to give it a try!

I think it might be me not warbling loud enough, so no worries there. I hope to do better in poetry & GNs in the New Year.

We NEED to keep that poetry thread going on the 75. If we don't, it will wither and die.

>311 jnwelch: How about starting a new poetry thread for 2018? That might be better than continuing the old one?

There is all ready one, on the 75. I think we should just go with that one. Jim added it.

>312 msf59: That works. I've been on the one Jim set up. I thought you meant the old AAC one.

No problem. If we visit it. People will come...

Including Shoeless Joe, I bet

OMG. Best thread ever. I love you guys putting your discussion of The Odyssey under spoiler cuts for the 21st century people who may not be familiar with how it all comes out.
AND, >280 Crazymamie: Well played!

>316 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks, Linda. This thread was a blast. Mamie's spoiler post in >280 Crazymamie: was inspired. :-)