Mark's Reading Place: The Dog Days #16

The Gulf Of Marseilles Seen From L Estaque by Paul Cezanne

Books I've read, so far... OTS- Off The Shelf

June:

61) Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck 3.7 stars (audio)
62) Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon 3.5 stars
63) The English Major by Jim Harrison 3.6 stars
64) Autumn by David Moody 3 stars
65) Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness 3 stars (audio)
66) My Lucky Life: A Memoir by Dick Van Dyke 4.5 stars (audio)
67) Old School by Tobias Wolff 3.7 stars (audio)
68) The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell 4 stars (OTS)
69) Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 3.7 stars (audio)
70) The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt 4.5 stars (OTS)
71) The Upright Piano Player by David Abbott 3.8 stars

July:

72) Born to Run by Christopher McDougall 5 stars (audio)
73) Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali 3.8 stars (OTS)
74) Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill 3.7 stars (audio) (OTS)
75) Doc: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell 5 stars (OTS)
76) Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan 4 stars (audio)
77) The River of Doubt by Candice Millard 4.7 stars (audio)
78) Being Dead: A Novel by Jim Crace 4.3 stars (OTS)
79) Soulless by Gail Carriger 3.3 stars (audio) (OTS)
80) The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami 3.7 stars (OTS)
81) Savage Run by C.J. Box 3.2 stars (audio)
82) The Bells by Richard Harvell 4.3 stars (OTS)

August:

83) Watership Down by Richard Adams 4.5 stars (audio)
84) The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma 3.2 stars (audio)
85) Divergent by Veronica Roth 3.8 stars (OTS)
86) Three Cups of Deceit by Jon Krakauer 4.5 stars
87) Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol 4 stars (graphic)
88) We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver 4.5 stars (OTS)

**Cream of the Crop:
1) The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan 5 stars
2) Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 4.8 stars
3) The Siege by Helen Dunmore 4.8 stars
4) A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 5 stars
5) Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss 4.8 stars
6) Born to Run by Christopher McDougall 5 stars
7) Doc: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell 5 stars
8) The River of Doubt by Candice Millard 4.7 stars

Bonjour!

Hi Mark! Not sure if you subscribe to MDR's newsletter, but I find her a hoot. Here's this weeks:

Russell for president: we’ve done worse.
Posted: 27 Jul 2011 11:22 AM PDT

As the publishing industry comes under heavier economic pressure, publicity departments have been downsized and budgets have been reduced. Now authors are expected to generate their own publicity, and I’ve noticed a strategy I think could really work well for me: write a book and run for president.

And so with this blog, and the attendant Tweet and Facebook post, I announce my intention to form an exploratory committee to help me decide if I should get a reality show and/or be a commentator on radio and TV so I can talk about why I should be president and why you should buy Doc.

Here’s the campaign slogan. “Mary Doria Russell for President: we’ve done worse! Besides, she wrote a book about Doc Holliday.”

A slogan like that can bring the country together. At any given time, half the voters think that whoever just got elected is totally unfit for the office, right? But with a slogan like mine, Republicans and Democrats and Independents would all be able to nod and say, “Well, she was the secretary of the Lowden Elementary School PTA for a couple of years. Why shouldn’t she be president of the United States? We’ve done worse! Besides, she wrote a book about Doc Holliday!”

Here’s my domestic platform. From now on, everybody gets an education as good as John Henry Holliday’s. That means Greek, Latin, geography, grammar and rhetoric, mathematics, and music. No laptops in school, but everybody gets a piano.

I have a position on gun control, too: national passage of the laws that Wyatt Earp enforced in Dodge City. If it’s good enough for the Long Branch Saloon, it’s good enough for a bar in Cleveland.

I also plan to pander to special interests. Awful jobs should get the best pay. Coal miners, soldiers, and junior high teachers should get $300,000 a year to start. If you enjoy your work, then you get the satisfaction of a job well-done, and minimum wage.

Foreign policy: I believe the Russell Doctrine will be considered both practical and financially responsible. From now on, if we’re going to invade anybody, it has to be Mexico.

Mexico’s got oil, and they’re cutting people’s heads off and killing civilians, but it’s way closer than the Middle East. This will make for a more reasonably priced invasion, especially when you consider that most soldiers already like Mexican food and tequila. They can live off the land. Bonus: with all our troops south of the Mexican border, we’ll be vulnerable to a blitzkrieg from the north, and Canada would immediately impose godless atheistic socialized medicine on us.

By invading Mexico, we can cut the Pentagon budget way back, and if Canada conquers us, we solve the long-term Medicare and Medicaid problems. I’m guessing right there, I’ve eliminated the budget deficit.
What’s not to like? We’ve done worse!

Get your bribes and influence purchases in early by donating to the Doc Holliday Memorial Fund at Smile Train!

I'm here...a bit sweaty and weary!

Love the cool blues of your Pic, up top..

****STARRED****

#3> Loving it.

Mark, I've been listening to BOTNS podcasts, and it's all your fault my wishlist has blown up to enormous size. It's great fun, thanks for spruiking it here (and elsewhere, I'm sure)!

The Sisters Brothers has suddenly become available at the library, and I was first in with my reserve request! It's awaiting pickup now. Yay!

Bonjour, Mamzel! Nice to see you!

Lisa- Thanks for sharing the Russell post! It's priceless. What a terrific sense of humor she has. She gets my vote!

Jude- "a bit sweaty and weary". Hey, I know the feeling. Take care, my friend.

Wookie- I'm glad you are enjoying the BOTNS podcasts. I love listening to them, despite the dangers. You will love The Sisters Brothers. It's a gem!

Hi Mark. Great new thread.

And Lisa, I also loved Russell's campaign plans, especially the one to eliminate the budget deficit!

Hey Mark, I've been around, but mostly lurking the past couple of days. I kept trying to stay up to date on your previous thread and then not finding any comments to leave behind.

I loved what Donna had to say about The Wind Up Bird and left a comment on her thread about it, which I figure you'll see sooner or later. Been meaning to visit the discussion thread too, kind of late to do so now, but I'll still check it out when I have a chance.

Checking in, Mark!

Wow, another storm over night. I think we have just broke the record, for the rainiest July, on the books. Actually, these late night rains work perfectly for me, considering the job I do.
I am well into The Bells, which I am loving and will be raving about, as long as it remains on course. I finished the audio of Savage Run, which was a decent mystery. On audio, I'll be starting Watership Down, which I believe, will be my first time.

Pat- Big wave! How is your reading coming, dear friend?

Ilana- Nice to see, you busy gal! It's not easy keeping up with the threads or finding comments to leave. We just do the best we can do! How's that?

Stasia- Big wave! Hope you are surviving the summer!

*waves* Good morning, Mark! ;-)

!!!!Starred!!!!

Hi Mark!!

Hi Mark, finally caught up. A very belated Happy Birthday. All your recent books go to the tbr pile. Thanks for that. I've been following the weather woos of you guys. I think that for some reason you people are getting a tropical weather like us in India. We here are experiencing rains, heat and humidity right now.

Not bad today! The humidity was high, so lots of sweating but manageable. Am I getting used to this stuff? Maybe... does not mean I like it, though.

Big sweaty waves to Claudia & Kara & TJ! Thanks for stopping by.

Gautam- Thank you sir! Yes, it looks like we are getting Indian weather. The good thing is, most of the rain comes over night. Get ready for my raves about The Bells. It's such a terrific book.

Yay! Came back just in time for a new thread and it's not 200 messages in yet. Woot! Woot! :)

Valerie- Nice to see you, stranger! Are you done with your vacation time?

I started the audio of Watership Down. I can't believe I never read this. There is a Group Read of this going on and it lured me in, (hugs to Ilana!). It has been very good.
Also, The Bells has been wonderful. Start hunting down a copy.

For fans of bonnie Jo Cambell, I landed a copy of her earlier novel Q Road. Anyone read this? I'm also looking forward to her new one.
Believe it or not, I won my 1st audiobook from ER. I received it yesterday, it's called Claire Dewitt and City of the Dead. Looks like a lot of fun!

Have a good Saturday, everyone!

Looking forward to your review of The Bells, Mark!

Good morning, Mark! I have you starred.

Hi Mark -- hope you have a great weekend!

Hey Marky-Mark. Love the Cezanne painting. What's up for the weekend?

Mark, I am SO done with vacations for this year! It was great and fun, but sometimes vacationing is even more tiring then working so I am looking forward to some regular routine now. Hope you have a great weekend! :)

Hot one! 93 on the way home! Lots of sun. They cancelled days off for next week. So 6 straight days. Boo, hiss hiss! And the heat is not letting up either. High 80s or low 90s every day. Lovely.

Stasia- I'll be finished with the Bells tomorrow. It's a joy to read.

Big sweaty waves to Terri & Anne!!

Caro- Worked today and tonight we are going out to dinner with friends. There is supposed to be excellent beer there! Hooray! Tomorrow is Marky-Mark being a zombie day!
Should I make the Cezanne picture bigger?

Valerie- I never get tired of my vacation time. I have a week coming up, in 2 weeks. Yah, I need it! Hope your weekend goes well too!

I never used to get tired of vacations until we had the baby. Now everywhere we go, I feel like I'm packing and unpacking my entire house. :/ I hope you have a fantastic vacation with lots of great reading to boot! :)

Hi Mark: I love the artwork at the top.

Hot today but not that humid so it was tolerable, I thought. I hope it's not too hot on Sunday night for the big concert at Wrigley.

Yes, the Cezanne picture should be bigger so we can see more of the details. :-) But that's just my opinion, Marky-Mark. Hope you have a great evening tonight. What kind of beer?

I ADORE Cezanne. Tks for posting the pic so I could remember just how much...

Somewhere, I have an ARC of "The Bells". (too dark to find my square brackets; can't find lightbulbs.)

Hello there, Mark! Sorry I have been MIA, but I've made up for it in reading the last one and a half threads just now. To catch up - I'm adding Doc to my TBR list, how is the weather down by you (still hot and really humid up here) and HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Enjoy your Sunday off!

Yup, just doin' the best we can.

I'm so so happy you're loving The Bells so much and looking forward to your review. I must tell you, I feel kinda proud that I landed that one first and actually managed to inspire you for once!

Also Watership Down is awesome (hugs right back atcha). I'm about halfway through and there's some pretty exciting stuff going on. Normally, I should have finished it a long time ago, but this week somehow, what with so much going on I wasn't so much in the mood for plugging in the earphones, but it's all good. I'll look forward to your comments on the group thread!

Happy Sunday, Mark! Have a great day off!

Linda- Wow, that's right! Have a great time at the Paul McCartney concert. Come back and post details. And I hope the evening is comfortable.

Caro- We went to a local brewery. It looks like a small factory but they have a nice restaurant inside and the beer was awesome. We brought a growler home!
It's called Two Brothers. If you can find it, give it a try.

Suz- Try to dig out The Bells. It's a terrific book. A nice palate cleanser.

Laura- Good to see you, my Wisconsin friend! Yes, still hot down here and it's supposed to be more humid today too. Oh joy. Yes, find a copy of Doc. Have a great day!

Ilana- I have a little over 80 pages of The Bells to go, so I'll finish it today. Listened to a nice chunk of Watership Down yesterday. It's wonderful. Hazel & the boys are getting ready to "rescue" the does from the farm. Good stuff.

Morning Stasia!!

Happy Sunday to you! I love the art work posted at the beginning of your thread. Thanks again to Richard who started this nifty trend.

Love that painting!

>#3 I loved that too :) MDR is a hoot!

Marky-Mark brought a bear home from the brewery? *tiptoes carefully away.... don't want to wake the growler*

I've added Two Brothers to my list of beer to look out for. There's a wonderful bar I go to every once in a while, called the Sunset Grill, where they literally have a few hundred beer labels from around the country and the world.

And I love that you made the Cezanne bigger. such a beautiful piece of work!

Morning Linda- Yes, RD is quite the trend-setter. We owe him much! Enjoy your day too!

Morning Kath- What are you up to today?

Caro- A growler is a 1/2 gal jug, you can fill with your favorite brew, take home, carefully dispose, down your gullet, rinse out, return to brewery and joyfully repeat the steps...
Thanks for the suggestion on enlarging the Cezanne. It makes a difference.

Ooh, that looks good...

Mark, you know me, ever the art director. Nothing makes me crazier* than seeing art at a poor resolution with colours that seem all wrong. I dug out this high res version, which is another painting altogether but with same subject matter, and much better as far as the above criteria. This is your thread so you do what you want with it, but at least you'll have another option to compare with: http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/display_image.php?id=12447. I do prefer the composition of the one you've chose btw, but still prefer to look at the one that's truer to the original.

* not the best choice of words, but you know what I mean. ;-)

Darryl- Good to see you sir and yes the beer was excellent!

Ilana- Thanks for straightening me out! I am such a novice. Since, I don't have anything to compare it too, I just post what catches my eye. I can definitely see the difference.

#35 Mark that looks absolutely delicious. I was finally able to get Doc from the library. Really liking it.

Posted my review of Every Shallow Cut:

http://www.librarything.com/work/10873268/reviews/75555593

i think you might like this one, my friend...it's a "shorty", but packs a hell of a wallop/whallop....at the end...

;-}

Cindy- Nice to see you! Yes, I'm having the last of my "growler", (there was only a pint left) and yes, it is delicious. Enjoy Doc. It's a great read.

Jude- Loved your review of Every Shallow Cut. Nicely done, earning you a Big Thumb!

Adds more polish to the halo of Mark....
I am reading off the radar at the minute...

Pssst..it's JUDE...only my brother gets away with calling me "Judy"...and that's only because he's stupid...(well, my Uncle David can call me JUDY...but he's my Dad's youngest brother...too sweet/good to belong to THAT family....)

Heads Up!!

Thanks for da Thumb!!!

;-}

Jude, my dear- Sorry, don't know how that happened! Hugs of repentance!

Kath- Mark's halo is tarnished and a bit scuffed, but if the lighting is right...

You're forgiven my friend...twenty lashes with cooked linguini!

"Ring them bells for the blind and the deaf
Ring them bells for all of us who are left
Ring them bells for the chosen few
Who will judge the many when the game is through"

-Bob Dylan

Yes, I finished The Bells. It's a terrific read. Now, to work on that review...

Jude- Thanks for being so gentle!

Thank you for the DYLAN reference, my friend

The Bells has been on THE LIST for a while now

Awaiting your review with bated breath, sir....

;-}

Something i found on YouTube.....you were the one who introduced me to Sarah...

http://youtu.be/BewOEDvp6nw

enjoy!!

Hi Mark, that growler looks mighty good after a hot day in the sun :)

It looks like another, long and hot week. At least I have my books to keep me company. I'm starting Divergent, a new YA series, based in a futuristic Chicago. It looks like a perfect summer diversion.

Jude- Thank you! I love the Sarah Jarosz video. She is so talented and still so young. Hopefully, I have some brain-power left, to work on my review. Some of these evenings, I'm Zombie Mark.

Bonnie- Unfortunately, the growler is history, or at least it's contents. Nice to see you!

Happy Monday morning, Mark.
For the first time in a week and a half, it's *quiet* around here! Ah... the sound of silence!

I don't think it is legal to take away days off! Whatsup with that?
Concentrating on sending a few cooling clouds your way - no rain til after midnight. :)

Have to agree about the growler.. I never heard of such a thing, but the idea is a great one!

Sounds rather Harry Potter-ish...

:)

Claudia- Great to see you! Yes, they can cancel our days off, the rotten scoundrels. Tomorrow was supposed to be my day off and it looks like it's going to be mid-90s, with high humidity. Oh joy!
Storms are supposed to roll in, late tomorrow, so maybe it'll cool off a bit.

Hi Kath- "Sounds rather Harry Potter-ish..." You are right, it does! The other thing about the growler is, since it's filled from a tap, you NEED to drink it within 48 hours, otherwise it slowly goes flat and that would be a dreadful shame.

Aha.. now i know what a growler is, I must try that new term out at the next brewery I happen to find myself in. ;-) Thanks for giving me something new to consider, Marky-Mark. And I'll take pains to follow the steps you've so thoughtfully provided.

Beyoootiful.

I want a Cezanne for my wall. No, actually, I want a wall that is nothing but a Cezanne landscape. How is that resurrection-from-the-dead thing going?

Hi Mark, you look in good spirits after the growler!!

Hope you like Divergent. Looking forward to your thoughts.

Another scorcher! 95, with storms moving in late. Can I stay home? Pretty please? I stumbled upon this, "The Hedgehog; The Mysteries of Lisbon" is being released this week. An epic French film adaptation of Elegance of the Hedgehog. Interesting. I liked the book.

Caro- Keep me updated, on your "growler hunt"! Look for places around you, that brew their own beer.

Suz- "How is that resurrection-from-the-dead thing going?" LOL. So far so good, although tonight might be a whole different story.

Jennifer- I read a nice chunk of Divergent yesterday. It's fun & fast. Of course, I'm curious where this one is heading.

Mark, I give you permission to stay at home today. How's that?

Now going back to sleep. Had just 4 hours and I fear I may just keel over.

Hi Mark... I will be trying to send snow clouds your way to cool you off along your route :)

Mark, I give you permission too - I don't envy you having to out in this crappy weather for the umpteenth time this summer. Have you got a good audiobook going to help distract you?

Ilana, I only got about 4 hours of sleep too! Wish I could go back to sleep myself, but I have to work this morning. Booooo!

Yeah, I woke up early, too; cat chasing imaginary mouse. Am excited that tomorrow the temps will be down to 77 degrees in Manhattan! (daytime high!!!)

Wow! A few LT'ers are practically melting this summer. I don't know how you guys can stand the heat over such an extended period of time. I guess air con does wonders. :) Hopefully you can find ways to stay comfortable Mark!

Mark, looks like this might be the last really hot day for awhile. Tom S has it in the low 80s for the next week (after this). I hope so.

I'd never heard of a growler. Thanks for informing us. That'd be about a 6-month supply for me.

Wow, I'm 200 messages behind. Scary. Well hi!

Awhile back, you mentioned that Tyrion is one of your favorite characters, and now I can see why. I guess in GoT, I realized he's a Lannister, so I didn't give him a chance, but now I have to give him a second one, and he's no one of my favorite characters too. He's clever, quick-witted, and he knows what he's doing at all times. So I just wanted to stop by and say that.

Also, it's unnaturally hot here too, or maybe it's natural and I'm not used to it.

#60 Laura, that seriously sucks that you had to go to work on so little sleep. Just in case you were feeling jealous, don't, because the second I went back to bed, they started making an incredible racket outside as they're doing major repairs to the sewage system over on the next street. Even with the pillow over my head, the vibrations were hard to take. They say there are two seasons in Montreal: Winter and Construction, and I'm sorry to say it's all too true.

#64 Nathan, I discovered GoT via the HBO series first and have to say that Tyrion was my favourite character too, as brilliantly portrayed by Peter Dinklage. But now that I'm reading the book... I have to say he's still my favourite! :-)

Zombie Mark gives a feeble, sweaty wave! It was a long brutal day! It was supposed to be my day off, instead, I worked 10 hrs. We need to cover these routes and get people to come into work. We had 2 guys, who were on vacation last week, called in sick, both Monday & Tuesday. Gimme a break!
Now, I'll carefully step down from my whining-stool...

Ilana- I was surprised to see you hanging on LT, in the wee hours. Sorry, you couldn't get back to sleep. Hopefully you had a chance to nap.

Kath- The clouds finally rolled in, a little while ago, with a storm coming. It is supposed to cool things off a little. Just like you guys, we need a break.

Laura- Yes, my current audiobook, has been a dandy, it's Watership Down, a book I have never read. Actually, I'm almost done. Have you read it?

Suz- I bet those high-70s, will feel wonderful! Enjoy!

Valerie- Thanks for your concern! Like most of North America, we are COOKING! At least we are not dealing with drought conditions, like in the southern states. I DO NOT want to see our next electric bill. The horror...

Linda- Yes, we need a nice stretch of mid to low 80s, with some cool nights thrown in. Please!

Nathan- Good to see you! I take it, you are reading Clash of Kings? It's such an excellent book. I have the latest, A Dance With Dragons, I plan on getting to it in October. Glad you came around to Tyrion. He rules!

Sorry to hear about your brutal and long day, Marky-Mark. Hope you've been able to take a load off your feet this evening .... go take a relaxing soak to recharge .....

Oh, what a horrible day! I've got my fingers crossed for that storm to bring you some cooler weather, Mark! (And all the other LTers over there.)

I really must read Watership Down one day, it was a classic for so many of my friends. Yet I don't even have a copy.

Didn't get a nap and am just about ready to retire now. Not sure how much reading I'll get it before I pass out, but it's worth a try. Speaking of trying, I'm going in to the institute tomorrow for another try at this volunteering gig.

Caro- I love the tub-soaker! Hope today goes smoother. We will see!

Wookie- It did look like we got a nice amount of rain but it still feels muggy out there this morning. Like you, I always over-looked Watership down, for various reasons but I'm glad I decided to give it a try. It's a wonderful adventure.

Ilana- Hope you got a good night sleep and you bound out of bed this morning. Good luck at the volunteering gig.
I only have one disc left on Watership. It looks like a showdown with the General.

I'm enjoying Divergent. It's a perfect read for this intense weather. Light, breezy & fun.

Hey there Mark! What a way for me to start my morning - looking at a bottle of booze! Hair of the dog ? ;)
Boy, I sure feel for you , out in that heat!! We've had cool weather this summer and I'm LOVING it!!!!! I think in Celcius - but I don't think it's been over 75 F so far this summer! I love that!!! I don't know how you manage in that heat!
I've finished all of the Jackson Brodie books by Kate Atkinson. You know me - quite single minded at times....

One day I'll get to Watership Down. Right now I'm trying to raise my literary cachet ;) by reading a long listed book for the Man Booker Prize - Far To Go by Alison Pick. Really excellent so far. Canadian Lit, as we call it here... ;)

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Hi Mark!
You are one hot and steamy guy! I'm sorry for all that suffering - you are a good and loyal postal worker. Your reward? More mail to deliver....

I read Watership Down so long ago that all I can really remember is that I loved it enormously. If I were to re-read anything, this would be on the short list.

Vacation soon! :) Right? Need to escape that heat.

*waving* at Mark

Cooler day for you today, Marky-Mark? It's quite pleasant today, after the sudden downpour we had last night. And tomorrow looks like it's going to be cool as well. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for a sunny Friday because I want to take the day off and go to the beach.

I really appreciate all the concern! You guys are the best! Another hot one today, IMHO, of course. It supposed to be a bit more comfortable the next few days. We will see.

I finished Watership Down. I have no idea, why I procrastinated on this one, for 30-plus years. It is a joy to read or hear, in my case. Thanks to Ilana for the nudge!
On audio, I started The Reading Promise. I know LTers are big on "Books about Books" and this one could be a little gem. It's read by the author and the lovely introduction, is read by her father.

Deb- I always enjoy your visits! I envy you, your cool temps. Is this normal for you? Hopefully I'll get to the latest Brodie, next month.

Claudia- Not much sexy about this "hot and steamy guy!" Yes, vacation coming up in about 10 days. Yah!

Caro- We had a nice little storm last night too, but it failed to cool anything off. Hope it's nice Friday for you!

Mark, Dan is dealing with similar issues.
For months there were guys out on sick leave ( heart attack and ?)
Since it got really hot, some young guy just isn;t coming in. He calls in.
he just doesn't show and now he has a broken toe ( eyeroll)
He has been out for a month.
Terrible. I hope it sorts out soon for all the working golk..
stay cool..

82) The Bells by Richard Harvell 4.3 stars

“First there were the bells…”

Life didn’t look very promising, for young Moses Froben. The bastard son, of a strange deaf-mute woman, who’s sole occupation is to ring the “Loudest and Most Beautiful Bells” in the country. Moses was born in this belfry, high in the Swiss Alps and has lived here in quiet solitude with his mother. The boy does possess an acute, almost unworldly sense of hearing and later on it’s discovered he also has a wonderful singing voice.
These gifts, set Moses on a journey, where he ends up living with monks and singing in choirs. It also introduces him to the horror of castration, used regularly in the 18th century to preserve an angelic voice.
I know very little about opera or the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, but I was swept away with the beauty of this book. It’s a story about love, music and friendship but also contains the darker elements in life, like cruelty, envy and deception.
A very impressive first novel.

>65 Smiler69:: Ilana, I'm reading the books for the exact same reason. I follow your thread, although I never comment on it. It's pretty nice actually, just haven't came out of the shadows. I think when I was clicking on your profile, it did say you were reading it.

>67 msf59: You probably would have the latest, wouldn't you? I still don't know why the series is called "A Song of Ice and Fire" and why it's not "Fire and Ice". The song was mentioned once, but with no real explanation. I guess I'll have to keep reading.

Oh look, another review. Interesting.

So glad you liked it, Mark. Did you not think the ending got a bit out of hand?

Kath- Yes, dealing with idiots in the work force can be a drag. 2 of the guys came back today, which helped but the 3rd is still MIA. And keep in mind, 6 people are on vacation, 1 is in training and 3 are out on medical issues. Unbelievable!

Nathan- I think there is multiple reasons for the title "A Song of Ice and Fire". I'm sure one is the summer & winter angle. I think it's perfect.

Jenny- I think The Bells flagged in the last 3rd. I wish it would have been tighter, but the positives easily outweighed the negatives.

Hey, I finally picked up a copy of Mr. Peanut. I've had this on the WL, since it came out. At the library, I found a mint copy of Blackout for a quarter. I know there are many fans of Connie Willis and I have never read her.
I also picked up a library copy of Three Cups of Deceit. I've been waiting for this one.

Hi Mark, I'm really glad you loved The Bells, as I've probably said before. And no, it's not a perfect novel, but definitely worth spending time with.

Hope you have better working conditions tomorrow my friend.

#79 Nathan, that's really sweet of you letting me know you visit my thread. It's funny, I often assume not a lot of people are reading because there's a limited number of people leaving comments, but I do forget there are plenty of lurkers out there. Anytime you feel like speaking up, don't be shy! :-)

By the way Mark, the idea came up to maybe have a Steinbeckathon in 2012. I don't know if this would be of interest to you since you've already read most of his work I assume, but if we do go ahead with it, I'll be turning to you for advice about it.

Thumbs up from me on your review of The Bells, Mark!

Hi Mark! Just stopping by to say hi -and to tell that today I picked up Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. I couldn't resist the cover any more , plus I'vve never read a Western before. I'm not sure when I will get time to read it - soon I hope;) Anyway, I was so pleased to see that you had already read it and given it a good review. It looks like a very atypical Western and most likely quite a humourous read.

As for the weather here - it is usually mild in the summer - though this summer has been cooler than usual. We've got a bit of " heat front " on the horizon -and that means temps maybe close to 80F! LOL! Vancouver BC is one wonderful place to live. Unlike the rest of Canada, our weather is very moderate - during the winter it seldom gets below freezing.

Have a great day and wishing you cool breezes and temps.

Ilana- I would love to participate in a "Steinbeckathon". Maybe, in November or December? My October is reserved for A Dance With Dragons.
There are still a few Steinbeck titles, I need to get to. Any help you need, I'm here, my friend.

Stasia- Thanks! It was a difficult book to review, for me anyway, without giving away to much, so I hope I got my point across. Try to find a copy of The Reading Promise. You would love it. Have a great day.

Deb- Wow, you are an early-riser, aren't you? Or do you go to bed at this time? I hope you enjoy The sisters Brothers. Since you don't read books like this, I'm not sure how you will take it. Yes, there is humor but it is also violent. I loved the book.
Vancouver does have MY kind of weather.
It supposed to nice, here today and tomorrow.

Good luck with the work crap :(
I know it can be bad...
The Bells is one that has drawn me in a time or two..
I keep thinking 'maybe' for it.. your review makes me want to go ahead..

eta

thumbed of course !

Mark, do you ever go to Centuries & Sleuths? I got to thinking how my 3 favorite indie mystery bookstores are all gone now. I think C&S is the closest one and they're pretty far.

Mark, I was thinking, for the Steinbeckathon, to run it in a similar fashion as the Austenathon this year, which is to say that there would be a group read every month or two of some of his major works, as opposed to trying to cram everything into a shorter time period, which is why I'm thinking of having it in 2012 as opposed to this year. Of course I'd love to have your participation!

How are you doing today Mark? We had a wicked thunderstorm on my end here last night and I thought you and your heat wave. Hope things are starting a cool off a bit for you. :)

Hi Mark!

Hang in there! If you see a nice shade-cloud going by today, that was from me! :)

I am planning to read The Bells this month and I enjoyed reading your review, so thumbs up from me too.

#81 Don't you just love those great library book sale finds? I hope you like Connie Willis, although to be honest, Blackout was not my favorite. Be forewarned, Blackout and All Clear are actually one book (as the author says in the preface), but the publisher made her publish it in two more manageable tomes. My favs? Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog.

Finally getting settled in after my vacation, as VancouverDeb mentioned above, we here on the Pacific West Coast are finally getting some true summer weather!

With the kind of weather you've been having this summer, maybe you should have several 'growlers' on hand.

I think you mentioned that you are due for some more holidays, Mark, are they coming up soon?

Liked your review of The Bells, Marky-Mark. How can I not add that to my obese wish list after reading your review?

Hope you're enjoying a slightly cooler day today? I've got the day off tomorrow. Whooohoooo!

#86: I already have The Reading Promise in the BlackHole. Unfortunately my local library does not have a copy of the book yet.

Shhhh Mark- it's a big secret that I'm a dreadful nightowl... Shhhh! ;) When I was young, I did not have that problem -but now. shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... ;)

Hi Mark, must add The Bells to my teetering tower based on your super review. I also have my eye on the Sisters Brothers since it's on the Booker longlist.

Guess what book by Karl Marlantes I'm reading now?? :-)

Hi Kath- Things are better at work. All we need is a couple bodies to show up. Takes off the pressure. Thanks for the Thumb! I think you will like it.

Linda- I haven't been to Centuries & Sleuths in many years, not since they were at their original location. I have a good friend who still lives in Oak Park. I just never think of going to that store.

Ilana- Good idea with the Steinbeckathon! (I love that name!). Are readers going to make their own selections or you going to provide a list? Once again, if you need any assistance, let me know.

Valerie- Thanks for checking in! Not bad today. Still warm, mid 80s but lower humidity helped.

Claudia- Wow, thank you! There were many "nice shade-clouds going by today". It's true, you are a goddess! Hugs!

Laura (Right?)- Thanks for the visit and please stop by and give me a full report on The Bells.

Lisa- There were a whole shelf of books that looked brand new, mostly horror & sci-fi stuff I wasn't familiar with. Thanks for the Willis info and recs. I can't wait to give her a try.

Judy- Vacation starts on the 14th. I was supposed to go on a road-trip with my cousins, but their father, my uncle, is seriously ill, so the trip was cancelled.
I plan on relaxing and I love your idea of having " several 'growlers' on hand. " Excellent idea.

Caro- Thanks! Enjoy your day off and your long weekend. Remember to wear plenty of sun-bloc, we do not want our pal fried!

Stasia- I've listened to half of The Reading Promise. It's good, more of a memoir about her relationship with her father than a detailed "book about books". She does a good job narrating it.

Deb- I will not tell a soul. Cross my heart. Do you sleep more in the early morning hours then? Not to many LTers around about 6, my time.

Bonnie- The Sisters Brothers was terrific! It made a great companion piece to Doc. You are going to love Matterhorn. I can feel it! Enjoy, my friend!

Tomorrow will be good, Marky-Mark. I'm absolutely not going to allow it to be anything but! ;-) And yes, I will definitely be bringing some sunblock... along with our picnic basket and then meeting a friend in the afternoon at our favorite lobster shack for beer, raw bar and lobsters!

Waaay back up to msg 60, no, I've never read Watership Down. I know several people (one of whom is not much of a reader) who have absolutely loved it, but it's never felt like a must-read for me. I'll add it to my library list to check it out, though, based on your rec.

Also adding The Bells for the same reason. Great review! Are you faring any better now that temps are under 100? I feel so badly that you can't escape crappy weather. Any news on the missing co-worker? Call me curious...

ed: to fix spelling, hard to type with a cat asleep on your forearms!

Just finished Watership Down this evening.

As for the Steinbeckathon, here again, I think the Austenathon is a good model to follow. There was a selection of 6 of her major works, and they are being read in order of publication. Of course we could choose more than that, maybe combining a couple of his shorter works on any given month and 1 per month for the longer novels.

We have time to figure it all out of course!

Hope you have a good one tomorrow.

Thanks for keeping it a secret , Mark!;) Your lips are sealed, I know. Yes, I tend to sleep in the early morning hours. I keep trying to improve things, to no avail . Mark I must tell you that it reached 80 F today!!! Oh my it's hot!!! Unbearable. I don't know how you do it. I'm going off to drink a big glass of coca cola with icecubes...My husband works shiftwork - so I blame him for everything;)

Mark, I finished up Doc about an hour ago. Loved it!

Caro- Have a great day at the beach & at the lobster shack! I'm jealous!

Laura- It supposed to be decent today and then a little warmer over the weekend, but then it's getting back to more seasonal temps next week, which I appreciate.
Hope your book-reading is going well and you have a nice weekend.

Ilana- I hope you enjoyed Watership. Besides, some minor issues with it's length, I loved it. I'll try to drum up a review this weekend. Have a good day!

Deb- Lips are still sealed, although I have to crack them occasionally for coffee intake. Wow, 80, huh? Poor thing. I think you'll survive. Have a great weekend.

Stasia- Wasn't Doc a great book? She is now one of my favorite authors. I lent a friend at work my copy and he was gaga over it, so I passed it on to another pal. I can't wait for the sequel. Keep cool today, my friend. BTW- Did you see if your library had Divergent?

No luck on Divergent yet. I live in hope :)

Good morning, Marky-Mark .... let there be a spring in your step today .. i hear it's forecasted to be a wee bit cooler ... and it's Friday!

Soooo many posts and threads to keep up with. Perhaps, it's the summer months which make keeping up so difficult. Well anyway, just lurking and seeing what you've been reading lately. Have a good one.

Mark, odds are your review of Watership will be out well before mine, considering my track record. I agree that it felt unnecessarily long at times. Also I felt Ralph Cosham's voice tended to bore me at times, even though I quite like him as a narrator. But on the whole, I'm glad I revisited this story.

I am a fan of Connie Willis as well..
NineTiger, one of our new 75ers ( who wrote Coffee with Thunderbolts, btw)
has an interview on her husbands site with Connie Willis. I watched it and thought
it was really interesting :)

NineTiger / Marianne herself was also interviewed, on a DC tv station.... because of her participation in the film Life In A Day July 24th 2010.

that can be found here!

http://www.tbd.com/blogs/lets-talk-live/2011/08/new-documentary-life-in-a-day--1...

I liked her book a lot... as you can see ...

Anyway.. I can't find the interview with Connie Willis, so I asked NineTiger to find it and post it.. so maybe she will help me out and do so. I think you will like it too. :)

pant pant.. the faster I go the behinder I get.

Connie Willis interview:

http://www.fast-forward.tv/video/Show_243.mov

MGP

Aww Thank you Marianne :)
I couldn't find it ... much appreciated :)

>81 msf59: Mark: That makes sense. Never thought of that connection.

>82 Smiler69:: Ilana: I kind of wondered the same with me. Half the time a good sized number of people respond, and sometimes not, but every so often someone would de-lurk themselves.

Stasia- I hope Divergent pops up at your library. I'm almost finished with it. It might not be as edgy or as well-written as The Hunger Games, but it's still a brisk & fun YA thriller.

Caro- Hope you had a fantastic day at the beach & the lobster shack!

Ilana- I loved Ralph Cosham's narration of Watership. His voices were terrific. It might rate as one of my favorite audios. I'll have to find out if he's done other work.

Kath- Actually, I was recently reading a review of the film doc "Life In A Day". It sounds quite interesting. Thanks for sharing the video. Have you read Blackout? That will probably be my first Willis.

Marianne- Thanks for posting the interview. Much appreciated. I'll check it out a little later on. I can't wait to watch your segment in the film.

Nathan- Good to see you! Were you able to finished the entire HBO series, or did you just watch a few episodes. Sorry if I don't remember.

#111-112 Thank you for posting the interview with Connie Willis. It was well done, and I enjoyed seeing and hearing her, as well as getting the scoop on her upcoming work.

Oh, and she reiterates that Blackout/All Clear is one book, not a book and sequel or series or something.

#114 Nathan, it was nice seeing you pop up in the comments, but I won't rest until I've gotten the full story out of you.

Mark, Ralph Cosham does have quite a few audiobooks under his belt—he's got close to 70 of them on Audible, with quite a big selection of C. S. Lewis books for some reason.

>115 msf59: Ralph Cosham is my favorite narrator, Mark, and now I'm tempted to listen to Watership Down. I bought a nice used copy of the book a year or two ago intending to reread it but I haven't yet.

Ralph Cosham reads Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache/Three Pines series. Need I say, they are wonderful. I could spend hours listening to Ralph read cereal boxes.

Happy Saturday, Mark! Stay cool~

Morning everyone! Last day of a long week and of course, it closes out with heat & humidity. Hey, at least it's been consistent.
I finished the Reading Promise, which I had mixed feelings about and it pains me to say that. On audio, I'll be starting A Mercy. I am a big fan of Toni Morrison, but I've been neglecting her, these past few years.
I finished a wonderful graphic called Anya's Ghost, so for any of my graphic-loving pals, check this one out!

Lisa- I was able to find the audio of Doomsday Book. Yah!

Ilana- Surprisingly, I haven't came across Cosham, before Watership. Glad to hear he has many to choose from.

Joanne- Nice to see you stranger! Yes, look for Cosham's version of Watership. It is one of my favorite audios. Also, I have Still Life waiting nearby on audio too. Nice.

Stasia- Thanks! You have a great day too!

Mark, are you reading the Morrison for the Read Chicago initiative? Do tell us more about that. take care :o)

I have not read the last two Connie Willis, but they are on my wishlist..

#120 Hi Mark! Sorry The Reading Promise wasn't a great read for you, but I have heard that from other reviews I've read. Great premise, but difficult to hang a book on. Toni Morrison is fabulous, isn't she? I just listed to a BBC World Book interview with her last week. It's from the same people who brought us the David Mitchell interview that bernitastrand shared with us. The interview was about Beloved, which simply blew me away the first time I read it. I haven't read Mercy yet and will look forward to your review. I'm so glad you found the audio of Doomsday Book! I think it makes a great introduction to Connie Willis, as well as sets up some of the key characters that appear in Blackout/All Clear. Doomsday is one of my favorite books ever, whereas I was a bit disappointed with B/AC, although the ending is satisfying (if you can get that far-it's a tome!). I hope Doomsday has a good narrator. Happy listening!

Good Morning Mark. I'm about 50 pages into The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt, and I'm rolling in the aisles with laughter, so to speak.I've never read a western before - but this one is total howl!!!! :) I like dark comedy - and the relationship between the two brother is fabulous! I love the style of the writing. So - no worries that it's too violent etc for me. I really loved my last book - Far to Go by Allison Pick. I'll write my thoughts about Far to Go on my thread later, once I've gathered my thoughts. It was 4 star read though, that I'll say.

Just checked out Anya's Ghost, Marky-Mark ....looks like fun. Off to the obese wish list it goes.

What are you up to this weekend?

Adding Anya's Ghost to the BlackHole. Thanks for the rec, Mark!

You are in for a treat when you listen to A Mercy, Mark. That one reminded me of Morrison's earlier - and more accessible - style. She's one of my favorite authors, but, doggone it, she can be wordy.

Stay cool, friend. We have gotten a few very welcome showers here the past few days. We're nearing the end of a string of 100-degree days. Next week's forecast looks more seasonable with highs in the low 90's. What a relief.

Waving ~~~~~~~
Are you on vaca now???? Got cool plans?
What does someone who reads as much as you - do for vacation?
Take a break from reading or read more? Good grief! :}

I'm glad that is over! It was such a mucky day. It stayed overcast but the humidity was ridiculous. I stopped at "Binnys", my favorite liquor franchise, on my way home and picked up a few brewskis for the weekend. Trying some new stuff. The wife is visiting a friend in Michigan, so it's just me, my books, and of course LT.
I finished and really enjoyed Divergent, a pleasant summer diversion. I have to put a challenge out there. Is there another living writer that writes more beautiful prose than Toni Morrison? It's absolutely jaw-dropping. She also narrates the audio of A Mercy and does a stunning job. The problem is, I'm not sure I'm catching every lovely phrase, so I need to pick up the book and take my time.
I also started Three Cups of Deceit. Yes, it's a myth-buster and disturbing at times, but Krakauer does a methodical job, ripping Mortenson apart. I don't think I've ever been more disappointed and sickened by another author. Here's a snippet:

"Mortenson has lied about the noble deeds he has done, the risks he has taken, the people he has met, the number of schools he has built. Three Cups of Tea has much in common with a Million Little Pieces, the infamous autobiography by James Frey that was exposed as a sham. But Frey, unlike Mortenson, didn't use his phony memoir to solicit tens of millions of dollars in donations from unsuspecting readers, myself included."

Wow! Sadly, I was a big fan of Three Cups too! Duped, big time!

Jenny- I have to plead ignorance! What is the "Read Chicago initiative"? Is that the reading program Daley set up a few years ago? No, it's just coincidence. Whatever the reason, I'm glad I picked up A Mercy.

Kath- Have you read The Doomsday Book?

Lisa- I'll go into more detail on The Reading Promise in my review. I hope I don't come across as to much of a hard-ass on it.
Thanks so much for sharing the Morrison interview. I'll check it out later. So, it looks like I should start with The Doomsday Book? Am I correct?

Deb- I am so glad you are enjoying The Sisters brothers and you are laughing your butt off too! I'm not sure I laughed a lot, although it does contain a wicked sense of humor. I truly appreciate your zesty enthusiasm! Now, you need to track down Doc, which is even better.

Caro- Anya's Ghost is a keeper all the way. I think my next graphic will be, FINALLY, Kabuki, thanks to a very special person I know!

Stasia- I hope you can find a copy of Anya's Ghost. Very Gaiman like.

Donna- Nice to see you. I've missed you. Morrison does an extraordinary job reading A Mercy. It might be the best author (fiction) read audio, I've heard. Yes, she is wordy, but OMG, What Words!!

Claudia- Vacation starts a week from Monday! I was supposed to go out East, to Gettysburg and other places, along with 2 cousins but due to a serious illness, plans got cancelled.
"What does someone who reads as much as you - do for vacation?" Duh, read more! Or at least I hope so!

must be a coincidence, Mark. I thought you lived up near Chicago and I recently saw this review posted--Amazing book, Everyone should read it. It is also the fall book for One Book One Chicago. (from LT member valerieowens)
It is a beautiful read, isn't it?!

Just finished Robopocalypse tonight--you're gonna love it! :o)

Happy Sunday, Mark!

It was muggy here, too, Mark; even though the temperatures are well below the highs and staying in the mid 80s, it's still sticky and unpleasant. If I turn off the A/C I start to dissolve in a puddle, so... I am trying to taper off the A/C usage, but haven't been able to as yet.

The most pleasant time of day is now -- the middle of the night. Or at least, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

83) Watership Down by Richard Adams 4.5 stars

Hazel is my kind of hero; bright, selfless, brave and soft-spoken. A perfect, if somewhat unlikely leader. Oh, and he also happens to be a rabbit.
When we are first introduced to Hazel, he is living in a thriving, warren, somewhere in the English countryside. Storms are approaching though and word is, a land developer is moving in. Hazel, along with his seer-like brother Fiver, gather together a small band, and decide to flee the area and locate another warren. The adventure begins…
This is a wonderful tale of survival and unflagging spirit, populated with well-defined “rabbit characters”. These are not cuddly bunnies, they are creative, tough and family orientated.
The book is not always perfect, it’s a bit long-winded and could have used some trimming, but it is a classic story and one I highly recommend. Do not procrastinate, like I did, for 30 plus years, track down a copy.

#134: I read that one for the first time about 5-6 years ago. I really need to give it a re-read at some point.

Great review, Mark!

84) The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma 3.2 stars

The premise of this book hooked me right away: a father and daughter, making a pledge to read together, every night for a hundred nights. Once that was completed, they decide to continue to push on and amazingly, the “streak” lasts over 3000 nights. Wonderful, right? Yes and no.
I respect their commitment, it is an astonishing feat, but this story is, more a memoir of growing up, with a single Dad, narrated by the daughter in a perfectly precocious manner. I am not knocking it for that reason but I was expecting more…well book talk. Sure, books are mentioned but not in the passionate, detailed, geeky way, I was craving. Maybe, I’m being selfish, who knows? You might have to judge for yourself. I am crazy about that cover though!

>84 alcottacre:-- oh, what a pity, such a good premise. what sorts of books do they read together?

Jenny- I hope I'm not being a hard-ass on my review, it's just my opinion. It might totally work for everyone else. They mostly read children & juvenile books, with a smattering of classics. The father, an elementary school librarian, selects most of the titles.
Thanks for the "One Book One Chicago" info. It might be a bit dense for the general population but it is a worthy selection.
I have Robopocalypse on audio and you really liked it. Hooray! Are you the one who read the Krakauer piece?

Stasia- Try Watership on audio. It was a fantastic experience. One of my favorite in this format.

Suz- Nice to see you! I don't even want to think about our next electric bill! I shudder at the thought. Another warm one today, but things cool off for the rest of the week. Yesssssss...

Marky-Mark ... I was going to try and wait to see if I could mooch a copy of Anya's Ghost but the keeper phrase from you convinced me to just get a copy from Amazon.

I'm sorry you feel so duped by Mortenson. I wonder how much of the money that was donated actually made it to the intended recipients. Did I miss something in the news about him being charged with fraud?

I finished the excellent but disheartening Three Cups of Deceit. I then took another dark turn and started We Need to Talk About Kevin. I know this is an LT favorite and I can see why. It is also my first foray into Shriver land. Wish me luck.

Caro- I know, graphics are expensive, that's why I don't buy them, but if you exhausted all other avenues...
I do not know if they are bringing fraud charges against Mortensen, but Krakauer feels it could very well happen. They think he might owe 7 to 23 million dollars. A shame!

Mark, I hope you enjoy We Need to Talk About Kevin. That was the first thing I read by Lionel Shriver and I loved it. I also liked The Post-Birthday World. Her new book So Much for That was good but really grim and I'd be hard pressed to recommend it to anyone.

Did somebody mention "The Dog Days"????



We Need to Talk About Kevin is not a "happy camper" type read...but, it's good...okay

;-}

>115 msf59: Mark: Neither. I haven't watched any of the HBO series, because I didn't have the channel. I found out that one of my friends did have HBO afterwards when we were decussing books we were reading, and she was reading the books to True Blood, and I found out that way. Then we watched this show on HBO family called Crashbox which is meant for little kids, but I loved it, because it was a puzzle show, and some were pretty hard.

>117 Smiler69: Ilana: No, I wouldn't either.

Oh boy We Need to Talk About Kevin is one of those books that fall into the category of "Books You'd Like to Read Again for the First Time."

Watership Down sounds like a book I'd like Mark.

" The very numerics of my own life are apocalyptic. I was born in August 1945, when the spoors of two poisonous mushrooms gave us all a cautionary foretaste of hell."
- We Need to Talk About Kevin

Pat- Nice to see you! I also have The Post-Birthday World in the stacks. I had no idea she was such a strong writer, although she seems to like the "bleak" side of life.

Jude- We are having another hot one here today too! I went out and did some weeding, but between the heat and the bugs, I didn't last long. Cooler weather tomorrow and then most of the week. Hopefully, it's coming your way too!
Have you read any of Shriver's other work?

Nathan- Sorry, I thought you might have mentioned you saw some episodes of Game. It should be out on dvd, in a couple months. You should see if your library has a copy of Divergent. You might like it. Have you read any of The Hunger Games trilogy? If not, you should. That's what it's being compared to.

Bonnie- I know you like "grim" books and this looks like it fits in well. Have you read any other Shriver?

It's raining here, now...don't know how much cooler it will get....no real temp drop until Tuesday...or so They say

I have The Post-Birthday World...but haven't read it...not really sure where it is...and that's sad!

;-}

I chuckle at the thought that you could be a * hard ass* Mark ;) I think butter woudn't melt in your mouth! That cover is lovely though but you've said enough to ward me off. I want geeky book talk too! Ohhhhh - best of luck with We Need to Talk About Kevin. I looked at that about a year ago -and it looked just a little too grim for me. I'll be very interested in your take on it. How sad about Three Cups of Deceit. I have yet to read Three Cups of Tea and I'm not sure if I will now or not.

Hi Mark! Just got caught up on your thread. I hope you have a great day.

Morning everyone! Noticeably cooler this morning. Shut off the air. We need a break.

Jude- It looks like you have some relief coming too! Yah!

Deb- Yes, butter does melt in my mouth, on occasion. Shriver is an amazing writer, but she does like the dark-side. I had read and loved Three Cups of Tea, but I WILL NOT be reading Stones into Schools. Like Krakauer mentioned in his book, the CAI need to kick him off the board and re-organize.

Karen- Nice to see you, stranger! Have a good week!

Good luck with We need to Talk about Kevin, Mark, although you don't need luck just a strong backbone. Tough read and to this day I won't let my son watch the movie Robin Hood, bows and arrows. You'll understand.
Have a great one and hope it's a little cooler that way today.

No idea how we got so far behind.. :-/
so.. um, hello?

Hi Mark, I'm more than 20 messages behind, which isn't too too bad I guess. I enjoyed your review of Watership Down. Mine will probably be a long time coming, seeing how very far behind I am on my own reviews. The Reading Promise seems like the kind of book one might enjoy more with the knowledge that it's not all about books, as the subtitle seems to suggest. I decided quite a while back that Lionel Shriver isn't for me, and seeing the comments here only reinforces my opinion.

#143 Nathan, admit it, you set it up so I'd be begging you for the story, didn't you? It's a good one by the way ;-)

Hi Mark, Finished Doc yesterday. How much was true I am not sure. I really enjoyed it.Next time I watch a movie with the Earps and Doc in it. I will look at it differently.

Good reviews, Mark. One of your questions was whether to read Doomsday Book by Connie Willis first. My answer would be yes. I think it's her best, although it's another one that could have used a bit of trimming in parts. To Say Nothing of the Dog also is fun, and others of hers are worthwhile.

Joe, you've just answered a question I've been asking myself for a good while now. I've been waiting to jump into Connie Willis for a while, but wasn't sure which of those two I should start with, though my instincts were saying Doomsday Book since it came first, and even if they're not connected per say, it comes first in the "series".

Also, I hadn't mentioned this when the whole discussion about Connie Willis started on your thread Mark, but the timing was pretty incredible because that very same day I had been looking at my Audible wish list and strongly considering spending one of my credits on a book of hers. The only thing that was holding me back was... see above. :-)

Lynda- I read another nice chunk of We need to Talk about Kevin. To me, this is a horror book. I did not expect the boy to be born a creepy monster. Wow! I might have to take showers, in between chapters.

Kath- Missed you over the weekend! Hope all is well with Duncan. The weather was nicer today, humidity lingering, but temps down.

Ilana- Books come in bursts, like that! I've heard much Connie Willis buzz over here, the past few years. I've had a couple of her books on the BM WL, with no luck and then last week, I found a pristine trade of Blackout and then Lisa mentioned The Doomsday Book and lo and behold I found it on audio. That old LT Magic! You can't beat it!

Cindy- I'm so glad you enjoyed Doc. It's one of my favorite titles of the year and I can't wait for the sequel. Ye Haw!

Joe- Thanks! Nice to see you, sir! I will get to The Doomsday Book, in the next month or so and save Blackout for another day.

I liked The Doomsday Book.. hope you do too.

I finished the audio of A Mercy and came to a realization: I can't do heavy literature on audiobook. Morrison's prose is beautiful, but very dense and I missed so much. This type of book, is meant to be read on the page, savored, with the opportunity to go back, re-read phrases and sentences. Audio makes that very difficult. Has anyone else had this same experience with audios? Or am I just showing my lack of intelligence?
Funny thing is, Morrison is a perfect reader. Nuanced and entrancing.

Kath- Big wave! That is a title I will get to soon.

Mark!! Hello there. Long time no write (me that is!) I could use a little of your hot weather. It has been a cool summer here in Portland. I am so disappointed to hear about Mortenson and I guess I should read Three Cups of Deceit. He fundraised at my son's school and seemed like such a good guy. Hmmmm....

Missed ya!

#158 - Hi Mark. Regarding audios, I am fairly new to them but I only listen to things I am pretty certain I won't mind missing bits of - "chick" lit, straightforward mysteries, thrillers, etc. One of the best audios I've listened to was Stiff by Mary Roach. I forget who did the reading, but I know you mentioned somewhere around here that you've been wanting to read it. It was great on audio. Nonfiction works well for me in the format, as well.

#138: Unfortunately my local library does not have Watership Down in audio.

Kim- Great to see you! You made my day. If you can find a copy of Three Cups of Deceit, read it, it's only 75 pages. It's sad and quite upsetting.

Katie- I'm with you, I love non-fiction & memoirs on audio, although there are many types of fiction, that work well for me too. The heavy-duty literary type, just won't work.
I loved Bonk & Packing For Mars, which I heard on audio. Need to get to Stiff.

Stasia- That's a bummer. Might have to do it, the old-fashioned way.

Oh, I love brenzi's comment that We Need to Talk about Kevin is one of the "Books You'd Like to Read Again for the First Time." I wholeheartedly agree, only I'm still undergoing therapy from my first read of it. It's just superb, but devastating.

I'm glad you also think Kevin's a monster, Mark; I got into quite an argument with a friend of mine who insisted that no child could be such a monster. I dunno, I've known some creepy kids in my lifetime - but nothing as scary as Kevin, I must add.

Ilana, I suppose I should go and find your thread, but I'd be interested in a Steinbeckathon! I've been meaning to get back into his books, I read Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden many years ago, and have always wanted to revisit him (in particular, his shorter works).

Mark, I do hope you like The Doomsday Book (can't get correct touchstone!), it is an all-time favourite read of mine!

Hope the weather finally breaks for you all over there. I shan't torture you much with descriptions of sunny winter days in Sydney, with the jasmine blossoming. (Well, not much.)

Hi mark, nice reviews.

Just checking in to see what you have been up to since last time .. and yes! nice reviews !

Wow, am I way behind.

I heard that Three Cups of Deceit was pretty biased and not quite fair to Mortensen. I have no idea who has the facts straight. Just saying.

A Mercy I have :) it is waiting oh so patiently for me ;)
maybe the audio along with following the book ?
I started to read it but by page 2 I just knew that this was one I needed to devote my time to because of the "wordiness"
so it waits for me to be in the right mood :)

We Need To Talk About Kevin is on the list...:)

I read To Say Nothing of the Dog a long time ago and really enjoyed it. I have been wanting to read more of Connie Willis ever since. I have gone so far as to check out Doomsday Book from the library but haven't actually read it. I will get to it soon.

I gave up on finding a cheap copy of Watership Down and went out and purchased a full priced copy. That darn paperback cost me $17.99. I have been wanting to read this book for years and decided that the group read was the time to do it. However, I got bogged down in life and Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and won't be able to start Watership Down until I finish with Murakami. That book has me intrigued and I am still enjoying the comments on the thread - even though that was supposed to have ended two weeks ago.

I managed to visit my favorite used book store while on vacation (The Dusty Bookshelf in Manhattan, KS) and snagged some really interesting used copies of books. About $100.00 worth. Can't wait to read some of them, but first there is Devil's Oasis and Finding George Orwell in Burma and Watershhip Down and before those there is Great Railway Bazaar for my book club. I just love stories!

Hey, everyone! Gorgeous evening here! We have the house open and enjoying a nice cool breeze. I almost started The Doomsday Book on audio, balked at it's length and went with The Magicians instead. This is a title I've had for over a year and I've been hearing some great buzz on the sequel, which comes out soon.

Wookie- "I'm still undergoing therapy from my first read of it". I might need therapy too. LOL. This is one dark book. I'm nearly 200 pages into We Need to Talk about Kevin and I have a long way to go, watching this monster blossom, is not an easy thing to witness. And the Mother is not very sympathetic either.
Yes, the weather has improved the past couple days and we are loving it.

Gautam- Nice to see you, sir!

Kath- Big wave!

Terri- I haven't heard anyone argue Mortenson's side yet. I feel Krakauer is a professional journalist and did his homework. If you find anything defending Mortenson, let me know!

Kara- My opinion is read A Mercy in print. Yes, it is very "wordy", but I think it'll be the best way to enjoy it. It's also a small book, less than 200 pages.

Benita- I can't wait for you to finish Wind-Up Bird, so we can have you answer some of the questions this book raises and there are many. So far, we are all stumped.
Congrats on the book haul! I have Great Railway Bazaar saved on audio.

OMG! It looks like I'd better steer clear of Kevin. If YOU are having some level of stress reading this, Mark... I'm out.

Not to worry! I have LOTS more books to tempt me! Finished Wintersmith. And I can't see this as a book for you - but I really loved it.
Next up - my ER book - Going Home by Katz. It's about pets dying and how to find peace with that. I read the first few pages and got sucked in quick.

Hi Mark! Fell behind with all the hoopla, but did want to stop by to say: yes I would recommend reading Doomsday Book first, Toni Morrison is wonderful, and here is something from Wikipedia about the reaction to Krakauer's article (btw, I think of him primarily as a tell-all mountaineer, not above sensationalizing his own story, not as a bona fide journalist, but that's just me). The link goes to the Outside article:

Scott Darsney, a respected mountaineer and friend of Greg Mortenson, wrote a response to Krakauer's allegations that were published as an exclusive article in Outside magazine's online version. Darnsey's response questioned the accuracy and fairness of both the Krakauer piece and the 60 Minutes report. He further stated that Krakauer either misquoted or misunderstood what he said when interviewed by the author. Darnsey went on to say that Krakauer took Mortenson's experiences in Afghanistan and and Pakistan out of context and added, "If Jon Krakauer and some of Greg’s detractors had taken the time to have three or more cups of tea with Greg and others—instead of one cup of tea with a select few who would discredit him—they would have found some minor problems and transgressions. But to the extent to call it all ‘lies’ and ‘fraud’? No way." Darnsey stated in reference to the possibility that Mortenson has been dishonest in his financial dealings through CAI, "If Greg is misappropriating funds, then show me the luxury cars, fancy boats, and closets full of shoes. This is not a “ministry” or a business gone corrupt." The Outside article also touched on the allegations that Mortenson lied about being held captive by the Taliban. In light of that controversy, Darnsey stated, "Greg recounted to me his imprisonment in Waziristan when I met him in Beijing. I don’t doubt that he was held against his will." Darnsey's article went on to say that Krakauer is a respected journalist and a "stickler for details and getting the facts straight", but that he felt "the research needs to continue".

Here is an op-ed by Nicholas D. Kristof, the co-author of Half the Sky.

Personally, I think the true lies somewhere in-between. Did Mortenson exagerate his experiences? Yes, he has admitted as much. Does Krakauer like the limelight? Yes. Should there have been better accounting practices? Yes. Is Mortenson getting rich off this nonprofit? No evidence of such. I think Mortenson wanted/wants to do good, but got swept up in the moment. I do think the organization has done good work. I'm kind of reminded of the US government and the millions/billions we have spent rebuilding Afghanistan, and the millions/billions that have been wasted due to corruption, inefficiencies, greed, and lack of knowledge. Should the US have better accounting practices, I think so. But that doesn't mean I think we should stop funding schools and infrastructure in Afghanistan.

Whoops. Got a little carried away there, but I never cared for Krakauer much and have doubted his motives in this story.

Yikes! 2 days and 50 messages behind. :)

I am one of those guilty of not having read Watership Down before and actually had no idea what it was about, but hopefully I can get around to it sometime soon.

#171 Now I have to read Three cups of Deceit. Have to tell you though, that my son's school fundraised for him and he came as a speaker to the school and I thought he was great. I think Lab has it right. The truth is probably in the middle somewhere and I think Mortenson's heart is in the right place.

I have Packing for Mars and Bonk awaiting me!

I'm off today! Yah! A beautiful day in store too. A few errands, some small tasks and book reading, are all on the menu.

Claudia- Yes, Kevin will not be for everybody but I have a feeling this will be an unforgettable read. I was prepared for it to be disturbing, but had no idea the dark depths that are explored here.
You are still reading Memory of Love, correct?

Lisa- This is why I love your visits, you can help put things in perspective. I would agree that Krakauer might revel in the spotlight, but I can't imagine him exaggerating his allegations and he did give praise to Mortenson on several occasions. Even if only a third of this was true, it is still pretty bad. And having all those "ghost schools" sitting empty is pretty sad too!

Valerie- Nice to see you! Yes, I think you would like Watership. It's a perfect adventure tale.

Kim- I agree that Mortenson's heart is in the right place, what he started was amazing but why the lies? Why the outlandish embellishments?
Packing for Mars was fantastic. You will love it.

Agree with you on Doomsday..
I consciously avoided Kevin, as I knew I would find it too disterbing..

Glad to know that you are off today.. enjoy!

Kevin is on my shelves, just waiting for an emotionally stable time for me to tackle it.

Hope you enjoy your day off, Mark!

Yup, still reading Memory of Love and am impressed. I would love to have longer periods of time to feel a little more continuity in my brain - unfortunately my reading is piecemeal this summer. Even so, this novel flows well and constantly calls to me. I'm a little more than halfway thru it now.

Not expecting to ever be emotionally stable, I'm swearing off Kevin. :)
Good day to you!

Of course running errands, always means hitting a library or 2. I found a nice TP of Behind the Scenes at the Museum for a quarter. I'll get to this one, once I knock out the 4th Jackson Brodie book.

I know there are many William Boyd fans here, (sadly, an author I have still not read) and I managed to mooch a copy of Any human Heart. I think Bonnie raved about that one. I was also able to mooch a beat-up copy of The Anubis Gates, which I've heard good things about.

The books keep pouring in! Are we a wacky bunch or what?

Kath- Yes, Kevin is extremely "disterbing"! But Shriver is such an excellent writer, she keeps pulling you in and you reluctantly follow, sometimes with heels dragging.

Karen- Yes, you will have to make sure you are of sound mind, before tackling Kevin. This kid is going to give me night terrors, something I never get.

Claudia- I still might try snagging a library copy of The Memory of Love and get to it next month.
"I'm swearing off Kevin". Sh*t, I don't blame you!

A great day, Mark. Loved the cool breezes last night.

Hats off to the USPS. My 10-year old niece sent a letter from camp but didn't provide much address info. It wasn't quite "Auntie Linda, Illinois 600.." but it was not much more than that. It got delivered.

Do you guys have a special kids division that intuits exactly who should receive kids letters to Santa, grandma, and aunties?

Hi Mark, I am definitely going to add We Need To Talk About Kevin to my wishlist. I don't know what's going on but every library book I have requested this month is waitlisted. I wonder if I am selecting the popular books, or if more people are using the library! So still waiting for The Sisters Brothers, but at least I am working on shrinking my TBR pile.

Back in the day, I used to send letters and cards to my neighbor across the street..
just giving hints to where she lived. They always got there..

When I lived in Boston, I would write notes to my sister's mail carrier on the frequent letters that
I sent to her ( pre email days ). He loved them. He was sorry when I moved back home..
i warned him ahead of time that the letters would be stopping.

:)

Somehow, I just don't think that would fly in these days.

Sorry for the typo earlier.. but I always know that someone will be kind enough to point it out, if one slips by.

Hi Mark, sounds like you're enjoying your day off. I'm glad about that, you deserve it. I know you'll enjoy Behind the Scenes when you get to it. I thought it was pretty amazing.

85) Divergent by Veronica Roth 3.8 stars

It seems like every time we turn around, the fate of the world or even the universe, is on the verge of collapse, (look at the recent debt-ceiling debacle?) and our only hope, rests on the tender shoulders of a gifted teenager and a couple misfit buddies. Sorry, my bad, the debt-ceiling crisis wasn’t resolved by a kid, but that would have been very cool.
In this story, set in a dystopian Chicago, society is split into 5 factions:
Candor
Abnegation
Dauntless
Amity
Erudite
Once a year, on an appointed day, all sixteen year olds are required to make a choice. Pick a faction. It’s a difficult decision: stay in the security of your current nest, along with Mommy & Daddy or if you possess a more adventurous spirit, select a more daring choice and never see the family again.
Beatrice “Tris” is our young heroine and she is faced with this choice. Of course, it would be pretty boring if Tris went the safe route and the reader is quickly propelled into a dark city, filled with excitement and danger, where lines between friends and enemies blur and where war looms among the factions.
This debut novel, the 1st in a series, is being called the next Hunger Games, I don’t care for making comparisons, but this one works fine on it’s own and I look forward to Book 2.

#180 Delta Queen

Library use last year was up 30% and that was up 30% from the year before. Recessions are good for libraries! In fact many public libraries are complaining because they are over crowded and now that their budgets are being cut they can't supply all the stuff their customers want them to get. Our local public library has stopped ordering recorded books on CD and has opted only for downloadable. That hurts me because I don't have anything to play those on. It seems that the books that I want as well as the recorded books have wait lists and sometimes that can be irritating, but sometimes that makes the pleasure of reading them greater due to anticipation.

Mark,

I just ordered Divergent for our collection partly because of what you said about it. I didn't know Great Railway Bazaar was available in a recorded version I will have to look into that. I should finish the Murakami tonight so I am sure that there will be comment on those threads.

Linda- Yes, it looks like another gorgeous night, I think it's dipping into the 50s. Love it!
Thanks for sharing the postal story. That's what is nice about having regular carriers. All it takes is a name or a partial name and we will find it. Who is that masked man?

Judy- I'm surprised there is a wait for Kevin. It came out back in '03. The Sisters Brothers is the hot commodity right now. Good luck with it.

Kath- Thanks for sharing your postal memories. I end up getting pretty chummy with some of my customers. I like it that way.
"Sorry for the typo earlier.." Hey, I liked it. I thought it fit the book you were describing.

Ilana- I'm glad you enjoyed Behind the Scenes. It seems to be well liked. I passed it over to my wife for now, hopefully she'll get in to it.

Benita- Looking forward to your comments on the Murakami. I have a feeling there will be many questions and very little answers.

Hi Mark, I'm waiting for The Sisters Brothers from the library. I just finished Matterhorn and still have to put my thoughts together to write a review but I'll just say WOW! Another 5 star read and I think you were the first to recommend it my friend.

Behind the Scenes is sitting on my shelf....waiting.

Mark - Hi from New Orleans! I just got an email from my library that The Sisters Brothers is waiting for me. I'll pick it up when I get back home on Friday. Hope I like it as much as you did! It looks like great fun!

Started The Sisters Brothers this morning. An excellent read so far, I'm gobbling it up! Wonder if the kids can put themselves to bed without me tonight so I can finish it...

" The very numerics of my own life are apocalyptic. I was born in August 1945, when the spoors of two poisonous mushrooms gave us all a cautionary foretaste of hell." -- I admit that that excerpt is enough to send me scurrying in the opposite direction from the Lionel Shriver book... (I got a free copy from the Orange website in an e-book giveaway.) There's a fine line between eloquent and creative writing and overblown overwrought prose, and that sentence topples over it.

Def. Doomsday Book first among the Willis books. To Say Nothing of the Dog will be more fun if you have read some late Victorian fiction or know about the period, as there's a lot of satire embedded in that. I found it less compelling and more convoluted.

Re the Three Cups of Tea controversy -- I've read all the bumph on this, and then and went and looked at Mortenson's financials, or at least what philanthropy sources of mine were able to send me. I'm sorry, but however much the guy's heart is in the right place, and regardless of whether or not he is spending money on himself or not, this is NOT a well-run organization, especially for its size and profile. They are not planning well in terms of what schools are built and where, and it has many of the hallmarks of a "vanity nonprofit". It doesn't matter how much the guy's heart is in the right place if it's not having an impact. If what he wants is to draw attention to the issue, then he should step back from running a non-profit, keep writing and speaking and donate his royalties and advocate for organizations that ARE being run well. Then I'd respect him. But having your organization underwrite the promotion of the book, and not disclosing details of how much of the royalties actually go to the organization (judging from the financials, and comparing that to the probable royalties, not a heck of a lot), is just weird. Frankly, having served on a nonprofit board and knowing what the standards of conduct are, I would have never agreed to serve on a board knowing that was going on. There are plenty of people who are far more effective, and who are busy being effective instead of promoting themselves and their image and writing books. Like the guy who is out there training a kind of African rat to detect land mines, and who is de-mining conflict areas far more rapidly than has ever been done before. Or John Wood, who is REALLY building libraries, and commissioning local authors to write children's books that kids in Zambia or Cambodia can relate to, rather than just stocking them with books in foreign languages about kids who have experiences or cultural backgrounds the locals can't relate to. I can understand how easy it probably was for Mortenson to get swept up in the hoopla of his own promotional machine; I can't understand why he hasn't made an effort to more systematic, more analytical, more focused, more self-aware. Okay, climbing down from the soapbox!

Hi Markie!! Just thought I'd stop by and say hi! Thanks for the thumb!! I was so pleased earlier today when the postman brought Emily Alone by Stewart O'Nan. I had ordered it from the Book Depository after reading your review on it - and it looks to be wonderful and thoughtful read. Perhaps a wee bit sad -but well worth the read. I'm not starting it as yet - since I'm reading of all things The Borrower. It's actually quite fun!! And - surprise - I got myself another book by Kate Atkinson Behind the Scenes At the Museum. It's also on the TBR pile - which is not TOO BIG! ;)

I've enjoyed reading about the Windup Bird Chronicles. Not my sort of book -but it's interesting to read the comments and discussion!

Have a great day Mark!

Bonnie- I'm so glad you loved Matterhorn. It was a book worthy of the hype. Wow, there is an explosion of interest in Sisters Brothers. Don't you love it, when it's a book you love? As long as everyone, also gets to Doc. The best one-two punch of the year.

Katie- Big waves to New Orleans! Are you having a great time? And now you have a terrific book to look forward to when you get home.

Wookie- I knew you would love it. The book is also a hit at work, where it's making the rounds. Have you read The Magicians yet?

Suz- I hope I didn't chase you away from Kevin, with that turgid sentence. LOL. I don't think it completely represents the book, I just got a kick out of it. I'll have to find a better quote.
I loved your thoughts on the Mortenson issue. You can express things so much better than I can. Krakauer mentioned the same thing: Mortenson needs to step down and let a more efficient chair take over. There is still a chance the CAI can do many good things.

Deb- I'm glad you are enjoying Emily Alone and I hope it steers you into reading more of this very talented writer's other work. Maybe, I'll encourage you to read a Murakami, somewhere down the road, it just won't be Wind-Up Bird.

Hi Mark,
Nothing profound from me - just a big wave and wishing you a pleasant day!
I do love reading your thread. :)

Markie?

yeah.. I like it .

:)

Catching up here. Whew! Your thread moves along as quickly as the books you're reading, Mark. My husband has Matterhorn to read during his convalescence. He spends more time with the TV and his laptop than his books. He started a Daniel Silva book three days ago and is only halfway through. I could probably read Matterhorn before he even notices it missing from the stack. Temptation!

I'll take those evening temps in the 50s. I can't even think of opening up the house and letting the humidity inside. I'm just glad to get more seasonable temps along with a little rain. I could enjoy summer if it stayed like this.

I think I saw Divergent on someone's else recently but I don't remember whose thread it was but it definitely perked my interest so I will be adding that to my list. Whether it's similar to The Hunger Games makes no difference to me since I haven't read that series yet either... :)

Hi Mark!!! Looks like your moving right along!! Glad you enjoyed Watership Down. I read it when I was a kid.

> #138 I can't ever imagine you being a hard ass, no way no how!!! :-}

Glad you liked Divergent, Mark. I'm looking forward to the next one, too.

#189
For what it is worth, I agree with you both about Mortensen and Willis. I keep looking at Rev. Billy Graham as an example. His organization has been around for 50 years (at least) and not a whiff of scandal or money problems, because they insist on transparency and ethics.

Earlier somebody said that Krakauer wasn't heavy in the journalistic credentials department - He too wrote for Outside as well as several other magazines before his first book, and he has written several thoroughly researched books. In general I tend to be rather skeptical of flash and splash charitable organizations, as they tend to be just that. I do think that building schools, hospitals, and digging wells, and teaching farming and technical skills, as well as pouring millions of dollars into education native populations is something that our country should be doing more of, and we should be doing much less of the bombing and mining. I also think that we should ask the Romans how they managed to use their legions as a colonizing and modernizing force and then take lessons as our army is trying to do the same thing. (although I hope not the colonizing part)

To fully appreciate To Say Nothing of the Dog at least a workman like knowledge of Three Men in a Boat is necessary, just has hours spent reading regency romances is necessary to fully appreciate Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series. I had so much fun reading To Say Nothing ... that I do want to get to the other Willis books in the future.

Mark,

The Bells looks good. I spotted the reviews on that one and tagged it as one I wanted to look into further. I finished Wind-Up Bird Chronicle but have been too busy to think about it much today. Hope to write some comments tomorrow.

Nothing profound here,either

Except...i like what Suzanne said in Post # 189

I haven't read the original Three Cups of Tea..or the denial Three Cups of Deceit...

I am a born Skeptic and don't trust anyone.....at first.....somewhere between, the truth does lie..or Lie..

Mark, you do good in the books...i'm envious

Claudia- I do not require anything profound. Just your perfect sunny self, is more than enough. Another lovely day!

Kath- Markie gives you a hearty wave!

Donna- I vote for you to snatch that copy of Matterhorn and dig in, you'll have it back in the pile before the DH finishes the Silva. It's a big book but it's actually a fast read or at least it was for me. Did you see Bonnie's review? Exquisite.
Our humidity is currently very low, so we can keep the house wide open. It supposed to creep back up on Saturday. Boo!

Valerie- You should try to find time to read The Hunger Games. I have turned that book on to so many people I know, my copy is always circulating somewhere. I even got my son to read it and he hasn't done much reading these past couple years.

Tammy- Nice to see you! My wife might disagree with you on the ''hard-ass" tag.

Joe- Yes, I enjoyed Divergent but I don't think my review drummed up enough interest. Maybe it wasn't enthusiastic enough, short on the superlatives. Bad Mark.
Roth is a young writer and should get even better with time.

Benita- Thanks for your thoughts on Mortenson. I like to see both sides. I just haven't seen much defense on Mortenson's side, if there is any.
I hope to get to The Doomsday Book in the next 2 weeks. I'm looking forward to my introduction of Willis.

"Because let's talk about power. In the domestic polity, myth dictates that parents are endowed with a disproportionate amount of it. I'm not so sure. Children? They can break your hearts, for a start. They can shame us, they can bankrupt us, and I can personally attest that they can make us wish we were never born. What can we do? Keep them from going to the movies."

-We Need to Talk About Kevin

It's interesting, we've been having issues with my son lately, (no point in any details, I'm sure we've all been there), so these sentences really resonate with me.
I'm cruising along with Kevin and the terrors keep piling up, about a 120 pages left. I've also been enjoying The Magicians on audio, a nice counterpoint.

Not trying to catch up. Just waving 'Hi!'

I haven't read The Magicians - I love the idea, but the comments/reviews have made me less interested. I've got more than enough to be going on with without picking up further books, anyway. :)

Still reading The Sisters Brothers, but should be finishing very, very soon. What a great read, thanks for bringing it to my attention!

oh, Mark, do keep those Kevin quotes coming. To me, Shriver is such an amazing writer--wow! Definitely my best find since joining LT.

Jude- "don't trust anyone.....at first.....somewhere between, the truth does lie..or Lie.." I think you should host your own version of the Ohio X-Files. You would be fantastic!

Stasia- Big waves! Thanks for dropping by!

Jenny- There are not to many books that build this level of dread. It's not easy to read with your eyes closed. How many of her books have you read?

Just stopping in to say hello, I quite like the picture you have in your first post!

I think I will even skip the Kevin quotes.. I am seeking peace of mind..

I saw We Need to Talk About Kevin on a table for book discussion groups at Barnes & Noble a few years ago. Just reading the blurb on the back filled me with dread. I remember putting it back on the table as if I had picked up something nasty. Reading Bad Seed was bad enough for me. I had to read it for a class because William March was an Alabama author, but it was enough to make we foreswear parenthood as a matter of public safety. I always wonder about how parents of these kids feel. I didn't watch the Casey Anthony trail because the whole thing was a stupid circus. However, I felt so sorry for her parents. What a web of tangled loyalties they must have found themselves.

Yes, it's been a beautiful week, but 2 things have left me somewhat traumatized. The first is, of course reading about horrible little Kevin, a parent's worst nightmare and second, a little further down on the scale but just as scary, is the photo of Michelle Bachmann on the cover of Newsweek. I supplied the picture but please be careful, this may scar you for life: Right Here

I'm sorry for doing this but it is part of my therapy regiment.

Hi Gogs! It's great to see you and welcome to LT, you have just joined a wonderful place, full of amazing people. Wow, you Canadians are sure big book lovers! I salute you. Please stop by again and I'm sorry but I have to do this: Oh my Gogs! Yes, I feel better now!

Kath- Yes, this might be a book to avoid. It is nightmarish but completely unforgettable.

Benita- I have never read Bad Seed but it was one of my mother's favorite films. I have not seen it in many years but I remember it being creepy. What was her name, Patty McCormick?

I may take your advice and hopefully read the entire series sometime this year.

I hope you have a great weekend Mark. :)

Thanks for the welcome Mark. Glad you got that out of your system! You can call me Chelle instead ;)
I see you are reading The Magicians. I've seen horrible reviews but it looks interesting to me, are you enjoying it?

Thanks for sharing the pain Mark. You suffer for us all. For example, I'm grateful you read Kevin and confirmed once and for all that there's no way in hell I'll ever read that one. But I'm sorry you felt the need to put yourself through that. Be well my friend.

>201 msf59: Hey Mark! I still have no intention of reading We Need to Talk About Kevin but I did find the quote interesting. I'm glad you're enjoying (is that the right word?) it though. Columbine was quite enough for me. So anyway, back to the quote... I was thinking about it and the perception of control and how, oftentimes, it is just an illusion. Then I continue reading your post and see that you're listening to The Magicians. Speaking of illusions...anyway, it struck me as funny.

#209: I am not clicking that link and you cannot make me! :)

Morning everyone! Happy Saturday. Last work day before vacation. Yah! Our beautiful weather streak is temporarily over, humidity and rain throughout the day. I'm nearly done with Kevin, (and no I will not miss the monster), I'm at the point of the book where they describe the "fateful " day. Shudders.

Valerie- I do not think you'll be disappointed in The Hunger Games trilogy. Have a great weekend too!

Chelle- Nice to see you again. The 1st part of The Magicians was very good and then it has sagged since, with a couple bright spots and I'm just over half-way. I'll probably have mixed feelings about this one. I also listen to audios and this is one of them.

Ilana- Yes, call me Mark the Martyr; the man who reads the wicked ones, so certain others are saved the suffering. Hymn follows...

Joanne- Thanks for the comments on Kevin and the illusions of power. Yes, this book has many things to chew on. It's an unforgettable read but it does feel like Shriver puts you through the grinder.

Stasia- Chicken!! It's only a photo of "The Queen of Rage"!

No idea who 'The Queen of Rage' is and I am perfectly happy in my ignorance :)

Arh! I really want to read The Magicians!
Have to come by it somehow.. but so many other books are already here!

LOL @ photo.. I have been watching closely when I have seen her on tv, and honestly, that is not an
uncommon look for her.. eeeeek!

so nice to stop by again and allow your positivity to flow over me! I've read Shriver's 3 strong novels (word is that the earlier once aren't as good). The Post-Birthday World really surprised me with it's brilliance. Before I started, I rolled my eyes at the "Sliding Doors" alternative choice and alternating chapters setup, but it was so, so good. (my only quibble was her choice of highlighting the "sport" of snooker). And then I read So Much for That and had such a good, good cry. Just love the lady!

>205 msf59: Actually, my boyfriend and I would do an Ohio X-Files proud! We have some pretty odd stories in our collective backgrounds....Hmmm

THE Bachmann cover...Deer-in-the-headlights, anyone?

Mark, I applaud you for reading We Need to Talk About Kevin. I read this Orange Prize winner in 2003 - and it made my Top Ten list for the year. I rated it 4 stars; just couldn't go the extra star it may have deserved for brilliant writing. This is a book I don't plan to reread but I'm so glad I read it.

The only other Shriver book I've read was Double Fault. This book was like playing tennis with a dead ball after reading about Kevin. You guessed it - I'm not a tennis player. I'm sure it would have scored higher (*groan*) with me if I was a tennis fan.

>220 GCPLreader:: Jenny, I'll read Post-Birthday World one of these days. I'm neutral on the 'sport' of snooker. ;-)

Good morning, Mark! Your review of Divergent pushed me into requesting it from the library - I should hopefully have it in the next few days. And, your reading The Magicians reminded me that I need to read it (and Codex by him also), and your review of Doc pushed me to WL/TBR it too! See? You do have persuasive powers!

Best not tell anyone else, though, lest the word get out! It'll be our little secret. Shhhh...

Hope you are having a nice last day of work before vacation!

Have a good one, Mark!

Mark the Martyr has a certain ring to it, methinks. Watch it, it might just catch on! Hope you've had a good day and enjoy your time off, oh great suffering one. ;-)

Wow, Big Z (Carlos Zambrano) had quite a meltdown after the Cubs-Braves games yesterday:

Quade: Zambrano walks out on Cubs after loss

It will be interesting to see if yesterday was his last game as a Cub, and if any of the playoff contenders will take a chance on him if he is given an unconditional release by the North Siders.

Hi Mark! Thanks so much for reading We Need to Talk to Kevin for me! I remember examing that book closely quite a while ago and deciding it looked to heavy for me at the time. I think I'll heed your advice to stay away from it. I've finally just begun Emily , Alone by Stewart O'Nan as per your read and recommendation. What thought provoking and well written book so far. Thanks for that recommendation.

Can't wait to see your review of We need to Talk About Kevin. I've found that some reviews just about write themselves and this would be one of them. Unfortunately, I read it long before I wrote any reviews.

#226 It should be Zambrano's last game with the Cubs. He's unprofessional and an embarrassment. I've never heard of anyone being put on a 30-day disqualified list but he is now. The Cubs announcers doubt that he'll ever pitch again for the Cubs and I'd agree with that.

Whew, I'm done with my work week and I'm done with Kevin. It's a terrific book but I hope I never meet that freakin' kid again. I heard there is a film version of this, which was released a few months ago. It's going to be a tough one to pull off for that medium. Oh, the horror!
I decided to stay on the dark side and started a short story collection called Knockemstiff. It's a trailer-trash extravaganza, set in small town Ohio. This collection was very well-reviewed and since I just landed his latest the Devil All the Time, I thought I best get to it.
I will stick with it, but The Magicians has been a slog. Was there an editor involved with this book?

Kath- I hope you have better luck with The Magicians. I've been disappointed. The 2nd book in the series is getting some good buzz. Yes, Bachmann scares me, in a way Palin never did.

Jenny- Thanks for your Shriver input. I'm looking forward to reading her other work, I own The Post-Birthday World, but she really put me through the meat-grinder with Kevin. If I was forced to come up with a short-list of the most disturbing book I've ever read, this most likely holds the top spot.

Jude- This is the epigraph for Knockemstiff: "All Americans come from Ohio originally, if only briefly."
-Dawn Powell
I do not know Ms. Powell but I love it. Do you own this Pollock book? If not, I have to send it to you.

Donna- Thanks for all the Shriver info. She's a heck of a writer, although she has a cruel streak a mile long! I did not realize she had this many books out.

Laura- Sounds like I'm rubbing off on you! You'll like Divergent. Fast & fun. Even my son picked it up today and knocked out a chunk. This does not happen very often.
I really enjoyed the set-up of The Magicians but most of this book, so far, has been a slog. The opposite is true of Doc, that one kicks butt!

Joe- I saw that you finished the latest Michael Harvey. I'm woefully behind, although I do have a copy of The Fifth Floor. Maybe next month? Hey, I'm picking up Sweet Tooth: Vol 3 from the library. Yah!

Ilana- Yes, Mark the Martyr, read Kevin, so you don't have to. This is the type of book, that could push one over the edge. It's that merciless. This one might find a home, right next door, to the Exorcist.

Darryl & Linda- Zambrano is so disappointing. I think it would be good for the team and the city if he did just leave. He's like a Venezuelan Milton Bradley.

Deb- You are welcome! I finished Kevin, now you don't have to. Glad you enjoying Emily Alone. I love the perfect detail of that book.

Bonnie- I will also leave this message on your Thread, but I think you will love Knockemstiff. I know you like grim and this one is as gritty & nasty as they come.
My review of Kevin will be straight to the point. I will not divulge a thing.

>230 msf59: No, I don't own Knockemstiff...but, I do have The Devil All The Time!!! and I do know the work of Dawn Powell...if you are ever curious enough to want to read some..i have several titles.....oh, and send anything you like...i'll find room for it, if only, uh, briefly (!)

Ohio...the gateway to Hell!!! Hell-billies galore!!!

;-}

Oh no....The Magicians is a slog! :( I have heard mixed things and I was hoping you would like it a bit more *sigh* I have it and I will probably read it at some point or another.

Now Kevin is a whole other animal I take it ;) I will read this one for sure! not much makes me uncomfortable (the last one was American Psycho because of the CONSTANT violence) so I will be curious to see what my take is on it.

have a wonderful weekend Mark!

Mark, I've got The Devil All the Time -- Pollack's latest, waiting for me at the library. Have you read him before? I saw some good reviews, so thought I'd give him a go. OMG-- what did you think of the ending of WNTTAK? Don't Say Anything!!

Hmmm Knockemstiff sounds like, please say it's true, American Salvage! Duly added Mark.

Just a quick hello, Mark! Hope you're doing well.

"The mosquitoes finally drive me inside the camper around midnight, and I watch a Charlie Chan movie on Armchair Theater. It always gives me a comfort, watching the TV late at night, thinking about all the other people around Ohio watching the same old movie, maybe even thinking the same old thoughts."
"When people in town said inbred, what they really meant was lonely."
- Knockemstiff

Jude- "Hell-billies galore". Gawd, I love it! I think that should be the name of your new thread, if not, maybe I'll steal it. I knew you would know Dawn Powell. What kind of books does she write?

Kara- "Kevin is a whole other animal". Amen, sister! I never read American Psycho but I saw the film. Yes, I heard the book was pretty disturbing.

Jenny- Pollock has only wrote these 2 books. Knockemstiff came out in '08. He worked in a paper mill, in southern Ohio for over 30 years.
Yes, the ending of Kevin was a stunner and even though you expected certain things, it still shocked.

Bonnie- You are a mind-reader, my friend! LOL. I was going to mention that. These folks are even more down-trodden, if that's possible.

Karen- Nice to see you! I'm doing swell. Looking forward to a week off! Yah!

Dawn Powell wrote satirical novels...mostly about arty/society types in New York City...in the 1920s i believe. Here is a quote i found...from the NY Times...about her work:

“is wittier than Dorothy Parker, dissects the rich better than F. Scott Fitzgerald, is more plaintive than Willa Cather in her evocation of the heartland, and has a more supple control of satirical voice than Evelyn Waugh.”

She never made it...beyond a "cult following".....which I'll never understand...

http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/p/page-powell.html

;-}

Hi Mark! Hope you're having a good weekend :)

Hi Mark! It's so nice to look forward to vacation and even nicer when it gets here. Hope you have a blast!

Happy Sunday, Mark!

I must read Emily Alone soon..
I doubt Magicians will make it to the short stack any time soon..
not the way things have been going reading wise lately.

It just seems like there is so darn much to do all the time...
Is it raining there?

87) Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol 4 stars

Anya is from a Russian immigrant family, trying to blend in a private American high school. Of course, this is not easy and Anya becomes a bit of a loner. One day, after taking a short cut, on the way home from school she falls into a well. There she meets Emily, another teenage outcast, who also happens to be a ghost, with a very dark past.
Emily helps Anya escape from the well and soon after, they become fast friends.
Sounds light & breezy, huh? It’s not. This wonderful, well-drawn graphic, is very insightful and takes some unexpected twists and turns. Seek it out.

#243: I had already added that one to the BlackHole. Unfortunately my local library does not have it. Rats.

Jude- Thanks for the Dawn Powell info. I knew you would come through. She sounds interesting.

Big morning waves to Ann, Kim & Stasia! Hope you all have a perfect Sunday!

Kath- Yes, I think you would love Emily, Alone. I wish I had a copy to send you. It did start out a bit gloomy here but it is starting to clear up. It is supposed to stay in the high 70s. I like that.

>145 msf59: Mark: That’s OK. I see you have the review for Divergent down there. I have read the Hunger Games, and if it’s anywhere close to them, it has to be good then.

>152 Smiler69: Ilana: Yes I was. Secret fact: I do that a lot more times than you can imagine, because it actually works.

#243 Ahhhhhh! No more wells!

This is from a review, in today's Tribune:
"Nothing in life is certain anymore-not even death and taxes, thanks to cryonics and a Republican Congress. Thus I can't give you an absolute, ironclad, airtight guarantee that if you hold The Magician King at just the right angle at just the right time of day and intone a precise series of mysterious words, you will be instantly transported to a new dimension, one filled with beauty and wonder, with danger and joy.
But you might as well give it a shot."

This type of praise for The Magician King, is the only reason I will continue hacking my way through The Magicians. Obviously, if I don't care for a 1st book, I rarely ever read the follow-up, but I might be making an exception this time.

Nathan- Nice to see you! Try to see if your library has a copy of Divergent, even my son picked it up and is really enjoying it.

Lisa- LOL! I swear I thought the same thing. No more wells!

It will turn up :)

good luck with Magicians :)
I look forward to your review...

>248 msf59: OK, I will!

The Major Book Geek has a: New Thread

Kath- Big wave!

Nathan- Hope they have it!

Good stuff, Mark. I like the looks of Anya's Ghost. My daughter and I went to Comic-Con on Sunday and, among other things, I picked up the second Sweet Tooth, so I'll try to catch up.

The Tribune reviewer on Saturday (I think) made The Magicians and The Magician King sound like must-reads. I still can't decide.