Mark's Reading Place #4: FF & the Bus

- Amanda Friedman (she is an amazing photographer)

Currently Reading:



Audiobook:


TBA

Graphic:


Books Read So Far...

January:

1) Habibi by Craig Thompson 3.8 stars (GN)
2) The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux 4 stars (audio)
3) House of Prayer No. 2: A Writer's Journey Home by Mark Richard 4.7 stars
4) The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey 3.5 stars (audio)
5) Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff 4 stars (audio)
6) The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer 4.2 stars (OTS)
7) The Shotgun Rule by Charlie Huston 3.8 stars (OTS)
8) The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson 4.7 stars (audio)
9) Thirty-Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill 4.2 stars (audio)
10) The Secret River by Kate Grenville 4.5 stars (OTS)
11) Life Itself: A Memoir by Roger Ebert 3.8 stars (audio)

February:

12) Grave Peril by Jim Butcher 3.5 stars (audio)
13) The Revisionists by Thomas Mullen 3.7 stars (OTS)
14) Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick 4.8 stars (audio)
15) The Empty Family by Colm Tóibín 3.7 stars (audio)
16) The Wayward Bus by John Steinbeck 4.7 stars (GR)
17) Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis 3.5 stars (OTS)




Cream of the Crop '12:

1) Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick 4.8 stars (audio)
2) The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson 4.7 stars (audio)

Checking in on the new digs while I have a minute, Mark!

Wow Mark I don't know which I would go for the books or the librarian! Hope she is not being smuggled away in Friedman's van! Congrats on thread #4 mate.

Fabulous pictures, that library photo almost had me spluttering tea all over my monitor. :)

Hey, Mark! I like the bus photo, and that's some librarian!

You might be wondering, how I coaxed the model into my Man Cave, but...I'll never tell.

Replies to the last thread:

Lynda- Yes, Chelle saved the day on that one! Got to love her!

Kath- Check your local PBS schedule. I have not seen the 1st season of Sherlock, (they are only a few episodes long) but I'm recording the new ones.
Check with your library on the 1st season of DA. They should have it.

BekkaJo- Thanks for the hearty endorsement on Sherlock. I hope to get to one or 2 episodes soon.

Laura- You don't have to watch the Sherlock episodes in order do you?

Judy- I hope I can squeeze in 1 or 2 tiles for Mystery March, but like last year, March will be catch up month, on so many other titles, so we will see and April is David Copperfield month. Are we nutso, or what?

Is that a school bus in that photo? Very surreal.

Double post, what a waste of one of the top spots!
*selling to highest bidder*

Hi, Love the bus pic. It reminds me of the cover of The Torchlight List which I hope to become obsessed with soon (being a list lover and all...)
Welcome to your newest thread!

Joe- "Oops, pretty inscrutable comment". Yes it was, sir, yes it was! Funny, I didn't even think of her being a librarian, I just thought she was ecstatic about books! Poor thing fell on the floor and nearly lost her skirt.

Wow, Stasia, I didn't even see you sneak up there. Very stealthy. Hope you are well!

Paul- Check out my reply to Joe, about the poor little thing in the photo. Funny, I was going to go with another Chicago skyline photo, (Navy Pier) and fortunately stumbled across these remarkable photos.

Tania- Sorry about the spluttering tea! That can get messy on the monitor.

Bonnie- Hey, you didn't like the model/librarian? Can't you tell she LOVES books? I think that is a spooky photo of a bus, perfect for The Wayward Bus. Did you ever read or watch the film of The Sweet Hereafter. That's one it first reminded me of. Both are fantastic.

Mark hahaha - these are the gimmicks you're talking about to climb the posting league table....well done!

Someone help that...nice...little girl get back on her feet before she risks immodesty.

Great bus image! I expect Magritte's green apple guy to be the driver!

OY - Looks like she missed the chair while sitting... and she gets the prize for boney knees!

And what's the bus doing in a concentration camp?

Mark - you ok?

LOVE the bus photo. I can't believe you're on your 4th thread already (well, actually I can believe it but it's still amazing).

Good Evening Mark. Picked up a new beer last evening, a Belhaven Scotish Ale, also the Brooklyn Chocolate Stout. Will be saving them for Super Bowl Sunday.

11) Life Itself: A Memoir by Roger Ebert 3.8 stars

I love the movies and this is what drew me to this book. Roger Ebert started as a film critic in 1967, for the Chicago Sun-Times. I’ve been reading his reviews and watching his TV program since the 80s. I don’t always agree with him on his reviews but never doubted his devotion to film.
He was born in 1942, in Urbana IL. (Yes, the same location HAL was born in the book/film 2OO1). This lengthy section of the memoir, which covers his suburban youth, love of food, 50s cars, backseat dalliances, his school years, first jobs, all take over half the book. Yes, he’s a very fine writer, but REALLY?
It begins to pick up when he lands in Chicago, with the classic old-school press, including the stalwarts Mike Royko and Studs Terkel, then he takes a long detour to discuss his favorite restaurants in London. Finally the book, begins to sail, when he profiles 3 legendary actors: Lee Marvin, Robert Mitchum and John Wayne. I was soaring and then Ebert nearly topped that with profiles on a mighty handful of great directors, including Scorcese, Altman, Bergman and Herzog. I am huge fans of them all.
Yes, the later part of the book, is very honest and touching, as it describes his illness’s, which robbed him of his speech in 2006 and his lovely marriage to Chazz, his soul mate.
The memoir may be a mixed-bag, but it the end I ended up enjoying it. Judge for yourself.



Mr. Mitchum- "Night of the Hunter"

Ah, the woman in your first post must be the cover for the novel "The Wayward Books" right?! Oh, it's bus! silly me.

Amanda Friedman (she is an amazing photographer)

Um. Understatement.

Thanks for the Roger Ebert review, Mark. I am thinking of reading that soon. Probably not for awhile though.

Wow, been busy. New Threads, reviews and haven't visited a soul! After, I reply over here, I'll start making the rounds...I'm not sure for how long?

Hi Megan- You got so excited you posted twice, huh? It happens. I have not heard of The Torchlight List.

Paul- I gave up on the "posting league table". My knees, you know? Need 'em for work. I like posting startling images and I'm sorry the gal fell down but she doesn't look to displeased.

RD- Great call, my friend. I'll be starting The Wayward Bus tomorrow. Have you read it before or have you just started it? It was a book, I was not that familiar with.

Claudia- "And what's the bus doing in a concentration camp?". You can be cruel sometimes. That's the front of my home.............................................kidding!

And you leave her boney legs alone. I think they are just fine. Sticks out tongue and runs.

Pat- Believe it or not, I'm surprised I am on Thread 4 too. Yowser! All of last year, I usually posted 2 threads a month and that was amazing. I'm not sure I can do anymore, unless I win the Lotto, which I don't play and can take an early retirement.

Cindy- Good to see you, stranger! And thanks for the beer rec. I usually don't go for the darks & stouts. My wife likes them more than I do, but maybe I'll give it a shot.

Lynda- "The Wayward Books"! That would have made a great Topic heading. Sh*t! Is this a real book or are you goofin'?

Oh my! I seriously missed an entire thread of yours. I had barely marked my place on your 3rd thread and now you have a 4th!!

Nice front yard, Mark ;-)
Sure. Run. You know I can't catch you...
I bet your legs are in better shape than the klutzy librarian up there. Almost time for shorts?

Hi Mark - great pics up top!

Ellen- Have you checked out some of Friedman's other work? She really has an unusual eye. I love the way she photographs women and some of those exterior shots are stunning.

Linda- I think with your love history and local history, the Ebert book is a Must Read.

Brit- It looks like you've just been busy with RL! People just keep coming over here. What can I say?

Claudia- "Nice front yard, Mark" You know you can still seriously crack me up, my friend. Won't bring out the shorts until late April, early May. The glare from the whiteness, could be hazardous.

Joanne- Thanks! Good to see you. I thought you forgot all about me, old friend. I've been sitting over here, all sad & lonely.

>18 msf59: Thumbs-upped your review! Nicely written.

ETA Forgot to answer your question...I don't think I've ever read The Wayward Bus. If I have, it made no impression whatever on me, and since it's Steinbeck, that doesn't seem at all likely. Looking forward to your review!

Cee: "bony knees" - classic. I like a bit more meat on my librarian/models myself, but each to their own and all that :)

>26 msf59: Mark, I haven't seen Friedmans work before, but for some reason I think she must be like Cindy Sherman and I hope that its not just that they are female photographers that I say that.

Hi Mark, love the photos. I'll check out her work soon. Congrats on thread #4. You're in the big leagues for sure!

Claudia: OY - Looks like she missed the chair while sitting... and she gets the prize for boney knees!

And what's the bus doing in a concentration camp?

Mark - you ok?

that put a big smile on my face. I needed some comic relief after my frustrating evening with Yahoo. Grr. :-)

>12 msf59:
Bonnie- Hey, you didn't like the model/librarian? Can't you tell she LOVES books?

Uh no, that wasn't my first thought Mark. She doesn't look like any librarian I know. But maybe in Chicago.....

I'm not familiar with The Sweet Hereafter (did you mean the one by Russell Banks)?

Hi Mark, I want to thank you for posting that picture of Robert Mitchum. He was a super good actor, but when he played bad - he was even better!

>8 msf59:: Laura- You don't have to watch the Sherlock episodes in order do you?
You talkin' to me? I think I mentioned Sherlock on your previous thread so I'll assume it was me and not one of the other Lauras who frequent this page.

I don't think you have to watch them in order. Have you seen the first series? My recollection is that each of them could stand alone. So I assume it's the same with this latest batch.

Okay, book update: I finished Grave Peril & The Revisionists. On audio, I started Nothing To envy. This is my kind of NF and I'm sure I am going to love it, although I'm sure it will also make me sad & mad. Thanks to Bonnie & Ilana for the kind nod. Of course, I also plan on starting the Wayward Bus for the Group Read. Hail, Mr. Steinbeck!
I also have several GNs to get to. A couple are due back in a few days. Sometimes I wish there were 2 Marks, just to help out.

RD- Thanks for the Thumb, sir! Hope to see you drop a comment or 2 over on the G.R.!

Megan- "I like a bit more meat on my librarian/models myself". I'm with you, my friend! Although, if she's a big reader, I might be more open-minded. I'll have to check out Cindy Sherman. I'm always looking for interesting talent.

Ilana- Thanks for stopping by. And yes, Claudia cracked me up a couple times last night. Nothing like a good laugh. It cleans you out!

Bonnie- Speaking of chuckles..."She doesn't look like any librarian I know. But maybe in Chicago....." I wouldn't have a problem with that. LOL.
Have you read the Sweet Hereafter, by Banks! It's a haunting classic.

Judy- Finally, someone who appreciates Mr. Mitchum! Yah! Ebert asked him about his classic nasty turn in "Cape Fear" and Mitchum quipped, I never saw that! All 3 of these actors come across exactly how you would think they would. Biggest surprise was the Duke.

Laura- Sorry for the mix-up, but hey you answered my question, so thanks. And no, I haven't seen any Sherlock episodes yet.

>33 msf59:: Thanks Mark! Personally I think it would be worthwhile, although not required, to watch the very first Cumberbatch Sherlock before the others. Maybe it was just me, but something about the first episode set a tone, "this isn't your father's Sherlock." I'm not sure if it's on Netflix ...

Trying to get caught up and stopping to say Hi.

Roger Ebert, Gene Siskel, Mike Royko, Studs Terkel - those were the days! Only Ebert is still around. Like you, I don't always agree with him, but I always appreciate his passion and love for movies.

How did you get a picture of me? I thought I had managed to buy up all those photos before they got published?

If you have ever read Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon there is a nice passage in there about us marvelous librarians.

>26 msf59: Oh yes, Mark, you, sad and lonely... Little 'ol me can hardly get a word in edgewise anymore! :)

I don't think I'll try Ebert's bio. I had waffled back and forth on it. Have you listened to Dick Van Dyke's? I thought it was wonderfully nostalgic.

Great opening pictures Mark!

#8 Thanks for the thread love :) I can't get the show here because A) I don't have cable and B) I wouldn't get PBS anyway so I had to cheat and find them online. I just watched them all in a few nights. It's easy to get addicted to stuff that good!

Hi Mark! Love your photos. I should be lucky to have such knees. : ) I thought Roger Ebert: Life Itself was a 4 star (but then I don't do decimals) and totally agree with your assessment.

Happy Friday to those of you, who it really counts! I have to work tomorrow. Boo! BUT, I am on vacation in 1 week! Yah! See how fast things can turn around? And I am going to San Diego for 6 days. Double Yah!

I am loving Nothing to Envy, like I knew I would. This is like an Orwell/ David Lynch collaboration. Wow! One distraction though! I'm listening to this one, it's a female narrator, one I think I've heard before but she has this annoying habit of taking an intake of breath, every few moments. Can they edit this out? Once you notice it, you are doomed. I like her voice otherwise, but they should have corrected that.
Any other audiobook lovers, experience this before?

Laura- Normally I like doing all series shows, (like books) in order, but if I can't find the 1st season right away, I might be forced to jump into 2. Those judgement calls, right?

Tammy- Big hearty wave!

Joe- Yes, that's quite a Chicago line-up! I don't know if you read Michael Phillips, from the Trib, but he's the best film critic we've had in decades. Quite consistent.
Ebert irritates me at times. He mentioned in his memoir all the crappy movies that have come out in the past couple decades, (Yes, true enough) but his reviews are so pathetically soft, like he doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Give me a break!

Benita, the Hot Librarian! Yeah baby! I have read Kavalier and Clay. Terrific book but I don't remember the librarian section. You will love Nothing To Envy!

Joanne- "Mark, you, sad and lonely". Thank you for that! It means a lot! LOL. And yes I did read the Dick Van Dyke memoir, which was nearly perfect in it's pacing. I also have the audio of the Diane Keaton memoir, which I'll get to it in couple weeks.

Chelle- Sometimes shows get over-hyped and don't live up, but so far DA has got it right. Let's hope it continues, at this level for a couple more seasons.

Kim- Glad you liked the photos. Check out her other work. This might sound petty, but early on in the Ebert memoir, he meets Sophia Loren on location, in Ireland. This is the late 60s, early 70s and doesn't mention her beauty at all, like she was a cleaning lady or something. Come on, he was still in his 20s!

Great picture of Bob Mitchum, Mark. The surest way of climbing the Posting League is to give up on it - you are sneaking up steadily.

Isn't Nothing to Envy great? And horrifying? It's amazing that the Information Age hasn't broken through the fence around NK.

I can tell that February is going to be a slow reading month for me. I really want to get to Nothing to Envy.

Mark, you are cranking out the books - and the threads! It's a good thing you are going on vacation so I can get caught up with you. San Diego is Paradise, but you already know that or you wouldn't be headed there.

pant, pant, puff, puff
I can't keep up with you!
great pictures up top, like the Bus picture the best :)
have never seen a librarian shelve books that way, she must have some skills! ;)

Hey, I boarded the Bus today! Steinbeck's strong, deft, writing pulled me right in. I'm sitting right up front where I belong. Yippee!

Paul- No to many actors could command the big screen, like Mitchum. Plus he always looked like he knew something you didn't.

Lisa- I was telling the wife about Nothing To envy. One moment, you start grinning at the absurdity of it and then you begin to wail. Demick's approach reminds me of Warmth of Other Suns, placing a real face on these horrifying events.

Elle- I'm listening to Nothing To envy, but I can tell it would be a fast read. Hope you can squeeze it in.

Donna- My cousin lives in San Diego and she's been hounding us for years to come out! Bree will be joining us from Oregon too, so it's a double hooray!

Kara- Good to see you! " I have never seen a librarian shelve books that way, she must have some skills!" I think it's easier to shelve books that way, laying down. Come on, give her a break. She's trying. Poor thing. And, I think she's trying to exercise too. That's good, right?

I think the comparison of Nothing to Envy and Warmth of Other Suns is probably a good one. Although I have not read WoOS, I've read lots of reviews. Seems both authors interviewed hundreds of people and then picked a few to tell the story.

Hey Mark! Just stopping by and hoping you have a good weekend!

Can't do it ... will have to start afresh from this spot, Marky-Mark.

Oh I tried a Yuengling the other night in Orlando. Mmmmm.. tasty. Have you had this beer before? We can't get it in MA.

I am too far behind to catch up.. so I will just say hi!
Caro.. Yuengling is okay... I usually buy a case of that and a case of Killians at Christmas..
This time I just went with the Killians..

Hey Mark!! Hope you and your family have a great time in San Diego and a safe trip! I saw the Diane Keaton memoir on the bulletin board at the library and will be waiting to hear what you think of it.

Hey, Mark. You've got me thinking about The Wayward Bus, Nothing to Envy, and The Warmth of Other Suns. I appreciate your good reading and recommendations. Have a great time in San Diego - a warm weather change in February will be welcome, I know.

Well, it's nice to know I'm not the only one struggling to keep up with you Mark!

Enjoy your time in San Diego.

Hi Mark, enjoy your trip. Great reviews. Just tell me when is the GR of The Grapes of Wrath happening? I'm planning to read it after finishing my present book.

I like your semi-slutty librarian...is that a 'tat" on her thigh?

Yuengling...i can get that here...**shock**...i'll try some next week

Have a great time in Californ-i-ay....

;-}

Howdy, Mark! Just caught up with your hoppin thread. Glad the good reading train is chugging right along. I've got Nothing To Envy staring at me on my shelf, tempting me to start reading, but I must resist! I've got 2 outstanding ERs, 2 bookclub books, PLUS I'd like to do some FF reading... seems like time is running out for 2012, and Feb has just started! Ack!

Any tips on how to balance all the Have To Reads with the Want To Reads? :D

Sanitary Diego! Should make a lovely, lovely change from your current clime. Enjoy!

Hey, everyone! A chilly day but a dry one, which is always good!

No, I have not heard of Yuengling and it's not available here, ( I checked). So it's an old-school PA brew, eh? I'll keep an eye out.
My wife went to meet her good friend up in Wisconsin, and will stay until later tomorrow afternoon. Just me, my books, LT, a possible film and a 4-pack of Boddingtons. I haven't had this creamy English ale in awhile. It spoke to me. Anyone else a fan of this particular brew?

Lisa- There is definite similarities between the books, although the Demick book covers a much shorter time-span.

Brit- Good to see you! Looking forward to DA. The count down begins.

Caro- You have no idea, all the great stuff you just skipped over. Tsk, tsk! Thanks for the beer rec. Are you back home now?

Hi Kath- How long do those case(s) last you? A few months, a few weeks, a few days, a few...?

Tammy- I like Diane Keaton, Maybe not one of my top actresses but I sure admire some of the people she has worked with and loved, like Woody Allen & Warren Beatty. It looks fun.

Joe- We turn each other onto books, that's what we do and it has give me my biggest pleasure over here.
You know, everyone that thinks this country is ruined and Obama is so "horrible", pick up Nothing To Envy and see where we could end up, without someone watching our back.

Cindy- I'll have to stop by and see what you've been reading. Hey! Sweet Tooth: Vol 4 is waiting for me at the library. Yesssssss...

Gautam- I'm going to post all the year's Group Reads, at the top of my Thread, courtesy of Ilana. Hope you can join us on a few.

Hi Jude- I do not know if that's a tat or not, there are other distractions going on there...like all those books and all those funny angles.

Laura- Good to see you! No balancing tips, my friend. I guess it takes some mighty willpower to stick with a plan. I try at times but I am also easily misled.
Let's face it, it's going to be a crazy reading year. Just a fact of life.

RD- I visited San Diego, back in the mid-80s and really liked it. I just want a little more warmth and sunshine and some good scenery. It should be a lot of fun.

Mark - I'm sure you must have guessed I would have given you a thumb for the Bodingtons. Manchester's finest and made in the shadow of their famous Victorian prison gloriously named Strangeways. Boddies as the beer is known on the wrong side of the Penines is Manchester's alternative to our (Yorkshire) John Smiths and/or Tetleys and/or Theakstons.

Boddingtons. Yum. So are you in SD or on your way there soon?

I don't have cable so I got the first season of Sherlock and was wondering if the second season is on DVD yet. I'm re-watching the first season.Im planning on reading bio's and memoirs this year, of writer's/artist's mostly. Dick Van Dyke 's sounds interesting, but Ebert just so-so. I always thought he was a bit wishy-washy in his criticism.

Sheesh! What the heck happened here?
I hate speed-lurking but I might have to resort to it.
By the time I get to the end of all these messages, can't remember what I was gonna say :(
Probably a good thing.

So, Hi Mark! Be thankful I am left cross-eyed and speechless for the moment... ANOTHER vacation? Cool!

Never heard of Boddingtons! Must try soon. Sounds nummers.

Hi, Mark! Just stopped by to say hi but simply must comment on the first picture at the top of your thread. GREAT bookcases! I could live in that room, surrounded by all those books! What? Wait, what girl? *scrolls up* Oh, um, yeah, well, all I can say is that position must be a back breaker. Now, back to the books and bookcases...

Boddingtons....hmmm...anything like Kilkenny? I like that one.

I'm way behind -but even so I knew I would find beer on your thread -and mention of the SuperBowl......Ohh off to San Diego!! Have fun! I've read a couple of books in the meantime.

And as for that girl on your thread... gasp!;)

:) I rarely drink beer at home... I cook with it often, though. A case usually lasts or 5-6 months.
That is unless it is christmas and there are people here.

Have fun in SD!

Morning Kids! Okay, we are NOT leaving for San Diego until the 14th, so rest easy. You are stuck with me for awhile yet. Plus, I want it to warm up there some more. It's been in the 60s. Mid-70s would be nice. Hear that up there??

Paul- Yah, "Boddies"! I also like Tetleys. That's more creamy, right? I'll try that next, it has been a long while.

Ellen- According to Paul, we call it "Boddies" now. I prefer beer out of a bottle but this is perfect in a can, a 16 oz at that!

Mary Beth- It's nice to see you! It's been awhile. I do not think Sherlock Season 2 is out yet, since it just started here in the US. I can't wait to get caught up.
Enjoy your bios/memoirs. I would love to get to the latest bio on Charles Dickens this year. One of my favorite of the past year was Townie.
Hope you can stop by again.

Claudia- "Sheesh! What the heck happened here?". Come on, it's just me being me. I hope you don't resort to speed-lurking over here, that's reserved for people you aren't especially fond of.
I hope you remembered what you were going to say? I'm sure it will be snarky and memorable.

RD- Pick up yourself a 4-pack! It is nummers! I hope it's available deep in the backwoods, with the shine and homebrew.

Mary- The room at the top, actually looks like a backroom of a bookshop or something. I would prefer my books & shelves to be a bit more organized, IMHO, but the gal is just fine! I just hope she doesn't get a stiff neck.

Megan- I've heard of Kilkenny, but I'm not sure I've tried it. Note to self...research.

Yes indeed, Mark, I loved Louis Riel by Chester Brown. I learned so much more about Louis Riel than I had heard in passing. You know, that's a biography with plenty of footnotes and I my son's girl friend had to read it for 1st year University Canadian studies, so I think you can count it as non - fiction!! Bravo Mark! Thanks for the thumb!

Ohh like Mary Beth - I do enjoy bio's / memoirs too. I'd like to get to the one on Dickens as well as one I have on the randy young Prince Phillip....

Trying (and failing) to catch up, Mark!

Hi Mark! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the Roger Ebert memoir. I've been a fan for as long as I can remember. I love to go on YouTube and look up the old Siskel and Ebert review clips. Thanks for the reminder to read The Sweet Hereafter. I finally finished The Orphan Master's Son -- the second half was quite good.

12) Grave Peril by Jim Butcher 3.5 stars

“I'm rolling thunder, pouring rain, I'm coming on like a hurricane…”
AC/DC- Hell’s Bells

Grab your staff and sword! Our favorite Chicago wizard/private detective returns for his 3rd outing. Here, he is assisted by his faithful friend Michael, a Knight of the Cross and they battle various demons and vampires. Plenty of thrills and action, (maybe to much for me), but if this is your cup of tea, it will go down perfectly. Butcher’s writing has really improved here and that is an added bonus.
“Hell’s Bells” is Harry’s favorite utterance.

Kath- Big morning wave!

Deb- I thought the Louis Riel sounded familiar. I will track this one down. I just finished Brown's GN Paying For it, a journal about his experiences visiting prostitutes. Yes, this is not for everyone but I did find it luridly fascinating. Odd dude!

Stasia- Thanks for the drive-by...!

Jenny- I am really loving Nothing To envy, which will be a perfect set-up for the Orphan Master's Son. I probably won't get to it for a few weeks but it is high on my TBR list. I'll be by later to check on you!

>75 msf59: Thumbs-upped your review! Did you ever watch the TV series The Dresden Files? It didn't seem to get that much love, and I've never known why. I didn't watch it, but that's because I detest watching Fox shows until the third season because who knows when they'll cancel them (Firefly, Wonderfalls, John Doe). The book series is up to, what, #500?

Memo to Council of Weather Goddesses: Girls, a little light snow and a few days of gale-force winds in San Diego from mid-Feb to end Feb would not go unappreciated by the more hateful elements of LT kthxbye

#75 They carry on getting better - he's really hitting his stride with his writing. The end of his penultimate one is gasp-worthy. And Ghost Story is BRILLIANT! Hope you keep enjoying them.

#77 The TV series is ok - but nowhere near as good as the books which made me quite sad.

13) The Revisionists by Thomas Mullen 3.7 stars (Early Reviewer)

“All the conspiracy theories are true, Zed.”

This one starts out like gangbusters. Zed is from the future. He comes from a “Perfect Society” and his job is to maintain this utopia, by returning to the past and making sure nothing disrupts his idyllic world. This is not a simple mission, due to the fact that “hags” are also being sent back from the future, to alter history, in what they think will “help” their own future. So this becomes a spy thriller and a time travel adventure with conspiracies galore: is the future “really” the future, is the past better left alone?
Yes, it’s very ambitious story-telling and Mullen writes in clear crisp prose, unfortunately the second half of the book, bogs itself down with multiple narrative threads, that choke the excitement of the 1st half, so it becomes more of a mixed-bag, which is really to bad, because I thought this one was heading for a top-notch rating. Hey, others have loved this book, so if this premise interests you, give it a shot.

Hmmm... why do books peter out in the second half? Rushing to meet a deadline, I wonder?
Good review, Mark.

Thumbs-upped the review here, too, Mark...I just can't get past the feeling that second halves are where the editor needs to shine the brightest.

While I was cooking up my omelet, I heard "Ballad of John & Yoko" on the radio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t3oaPNJieg

Songs do not get any better and if this doesn't get you swirling around the room, check your pulse. Plus there is some great video footage here.

RD- You are a Mean Man Mr. Grinch! LOL. How far did you get in the Dresden Files? Will you continue? I'm not sure I will.

BekkaJo- Glad to hear you are a big Harry Dresden fan! There are legions. I like my books with less action, it becomes a bit numbing after awhile. That's probably just me.

Claudia- Same experience with the Warmth of Other Suns, right? The ending did drag on and on but what came before it was amazing, to me anyway. Should be a school text-book.
I appreciate the Thumb! You can be so nice sometimes!

I only got to book 3, I think: Grave Peril. They aren't bad, but Harry just got up my nose with his eternal cycle of "I'm so bad I suck I can't do anything right oh woe I suck I'm so bad..."

::headdesk::EEEUUU::hairpull::

You are a Mean Man Mr. Grinch! Moi? *lashbat* Whatever can you mean, Mr. Kindly Man, sir?

"You can be so nice sometimes!"

Just remember, Mark. I have a dark side! Muahaha ;-}

I need to ignore all the blue book bullets in this thread, or at least try ... *sigh*

Yes, I'm home now, Marky-Mark and helped celebrate a friend's birthday last night with some delish Chimay

Hi Mark: Who do you like for the Super Bowl? With the Packers not participating, I don't really care but I am leaning just a tiny bit towards the Giants.

I found that the Dresden series is really uneven. Some books are wonderful and others just so-so and a couple are annoyingly too much (as Mark said and Richard implied): too much violence, too much action, too much angst, too much Harry getting beat up, etc. I'd have to go back in my threads for the past few years to figure out which for me was which, but all in all I think the series is worth reading. I'm currently waiting to read Ghost Story.

Mark - Boddies and Tets are similar actually only Tets is of course a little better!
Megan they are both akin to Kilkennys, which hails from Ireland originally.

Hi Mark. Love that ballad! I also get frustrated by the frequency with which books' second half doesn't live up to the first half. I agree with Richard that a good editor can help with this, but I also have the feeling that it's much easier to come up with a premise for a novel (not that I could do it, but you know, novelists can do it) than to develop a really interesting denouement.

You're heading to SD two days before I head to Kauai. Sunshine and warmth -- and no work. I'm so looking forward to it. I hope you get your 70s.

Leaving for a Super Bowl party in a little while. My good friend will be there but I won't know many of the people there. My, what will I talk about? They will be playing Texas Hold 'Em, so that should be fun, as long as my cash holds out. I'm bringing my own beer, so I know that will be good.

Rd- The Mr. Grinch was for the San Diego Blizzard wish! Lord, I hope you are wrong!

Claudia- "Just remember, Mark. I have a dark side!" I promise you, my friend, that will be something I will never forget.

Caro- Ignoring blue bullets? Is that anyway to treat a good buddy? Huh? Ooh, Chimay....it even sounds tantalizing.

Linda- No preference in the Super Bowl. They've both been in it more than enough. What are your plans?

Mary- Thanks for chiming in on the Dresden files. I might not continue. If this was a straight crime series, I wouldn't read it either. I prefer quiet intensity over the "in your face" style!

Paul- Boddies and Tets! Boddies and Tets! It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I have to pick up some Tets, pronto.

Ellen- Isn't that a great song? Mr. Lennon at his witty best. Ooh, Hawaii! Sadly, I've never been. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.

I was hoping the Chimay would take your attention off the fact that I'm attempting to ignore the blue bullets. Did it work?

Hi Mark, just rolling through. Hope you enjoy the SuperBowl and good luck at Texas Hold 'Em. I am just about to start a book I heard about from you, Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead.

Hi Mark, nice new thread, and amazing photos, as usual! I reserved a copy of The Wayward Bus at the library, and hope to have the time to join you. Take care!

I'm behind, so just read your comment about the narrator on Nothing to Envy and agree with you that is very annoying. I was a bit discouraged at the beginning and thought it would bother me all along, but eventually, I stopped noticing it so much.

I'm not usually much of a beer fan, but must say I do love me a good Boddington's once in a while.

Enjoy your night Mark.

Hi Mark! Hope you enjoyed your superbowlslashpoker party!

Oh, I enjoy Harry Dresden, but I do tend to leave long gaps between reading each book, so I can recuperate from Harry's exhausting adventures! It's funny how I need my book characters to have a good solid eight hours sleep, probably to make up for my lack of a good solid eight hours sleep! :)

Glad you enjoyed your Super Bowl party! My older son watched it with interest, but the rest of my family are not much for watching sports .. ( ducks from footballs thrown at me .......)

I must admit that Paying for it has some interest to me, since it's by Chester Brown. But perhaps it best if I see in real life to make up my mind - or what do you think, Mark? Is it that graphic?

By the time I get to the end of all these messages, can't remember what I was gonna say :(

Me, too.

At least I can say "hello!"

I had a nice time at the Super Bowl party. I just lost a few bucks, not bad after several hours of play. That's what I like about Texas Hold-em. You can get out early each hand, if your 2 cards are junk. I left at the beginning of the 3rd Qtr and was able to get home to watch the exciting 4th. Wow!

Caro- Ooh Chimay...it takes your mind off everything...where was I again?

Judy- I hope you enjoy Claire Dewitt. It's a nice start to a series (I think it will be a series?) and one that I think could improve as it goes along.

Anne- Glad you have your copy of "The Bus" coming. It's very good and unlike any Steinbeck I've read.

Ilana- In re. to the narrator of Nothing to Envy. Yes, you do get somewhat used to it but can't they filter that breathing stuff out?
I should finish it today.

Chelle- Yes, I had a good time. Hope you enjoyed your weekend too.

Tania- Exhausting is a good word, on the Harry Dresdens. For FF I'm planning to start Bitter Seeds. Have you heard about this series? It sounds really good.

Deb- I would hesitate to recommend Paying for it. I did find it interesting but it's definitely not for everyone. If you see it at the library, you can flip through it. I will try chester Brown's other work.

Hi Terri- I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Hope you can remember what to say next time. LOL.

Skipping the blue and just skimming through..
I'm just trying to keep up with you

Hi Mark. That was an exciting SuperBowl, wasn't it?
Texas Hold 'Em: I used to play with a group back in Oregon and really enjoyed it. We each put $20 in the pot and the winner got to designate the charity of their choice. Then someone said "can I be the charity?" So much for that.
:-D

Hi, Mark. Whoa, I'm way behind.

I'm one of those who likes Boddington (someone once tried to explain to me how key that little gizmo rattling around in the can is; all I know is it's got that creamy goodness), and who likes the Dresden series. I snap each new Dresden up as soon as it comes out. I was laid up after surgery a few years ago and a bit dopey with painkillers and the Dresden books saved my sanity. I read 1 through 7 or 8 in a row, and loved the ride.

I haven't heard of Bitter Seeds, but will be curious to see what you think of it. Although hopefully I'll be able to dodge the book bullet. :)

Caught up a bit with "Books on the Nightstand" podcasts this morning. Defending Jacob is a book bullet I may not be able to dodge, dagnabbit.

Boddington's is yummy. But I'm still waking up with my cup of tea at the moment. Definitely too early to be thinking alcohol! :)

*waves*

Defending Jacob was a heartbreaker.....

I know it's been awhile since we chatted and cringed over, We Need To Talk About Kevin but I listened to a World Book Club podcast featuring a terrific interview with Lionel Shriver, where she discusses the book at length. For some reason I had this sitting in my iPod for months. Here's the link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/wbc#playepisode4

Kath- Thanks for keeping up! I didn't realize you read Defending Jacob. It's been getting some nice buzz lately. I also have my eye on it.

Ellen- What I saw of it, it was a good game. I think the Giants earned that win. I want the Bears to get in there!

Hi Joe- Come on, to busy at the Cafe? Got to remember your old pals over here. LOL. Check out my post to Tania. This is a book you might like as well.

Tania- Bitter Seeds starts out very well. I'm going to sell you on it yet. I like this alternate history approach. They call this a cross between Alan Furst & alan Moore. Battling Nazis with a sci-fi twist.

Kara- Only a wave......? Okay, I'll take it.

Thanks for that link to the Lionel Shriver interview Mark. I'm waiting for the movie to open. I hope it's good.

Ah! Thanks for the warning re Paying for it. Louis Riel was used a 1st year Canadian Studies book for my sons's girlfriend, so it is all above board. In fact I had to chuckle that every now and then they used a french swear word, - like Sacre Bleu. Or Tabernacle! I guess that because Lois Riel was French and Roman Catholic, the swear words were in french. They were very tame. I had a chuckle out of that!

Ohhh Mark thanks for the link to the Shriver interview. And for reminding me that I have two others of hers on my shelf.

Battling Nazis with a sci-fi twist

Okay, I admit it, I'm definitely intrigued now. :)

#100 "Skipping the blue and just skimming through..
I'm just trying to keep up with you"
Oooo, Baby, Oooo!

*Cee's got Blue-Filtering Glasses and swaying left and right on the piano bench...*

Love the new song lyrics, Kath!
Can you get one of your kids to write the music for it?

Oh - HI there, Mark!

Yes, I am watching DA, a little later on, thank you very much but in the meantime, I heard about this related book on the latest NYT Book podcast. It was called Below Stairs by Margaret Powell. It was published in 1968 but was one of the 1st books to really explore the "downstairs". It sounds very good, so I requested it from the library. I guess books having anything to do with DA, are red-hot right now...I wonder why that is? Hmmmmmm...

Pat- the Shriver interview is a Must Listen. One thing she mentioned, is that the reason she selected a crossbow, is that she didn't want this to be about guns or gun control and distract from her story. Interesting.

Deb- I would like to check out chester Brown's other work. Now, I'm curious how he approaches other subjects. He is one odd duck.

Bonnie- I finished Nothing to Envy and it quickly became my favorite book of the year. She paced it well and concluded it perfectly. It did remind me quite a bit of The Warmth of Other Suns, in it's approach, although Demick ended it, in a much better fashion.

Tania- Yes, The Bitter Seeds has a very intriguing premise and the guy can write too! And the good news is, the 2nd book is coming out very soon.
I wish you lived across the street, so I could carry these over to you, when I'm done.


Is this a cool cover or what?

Claudia- You should be on American Idol! We need another Susan Boyle! (I don't but I know a few people like her). Have you ever heard of ZZ Top? They have a terrific song called "Cheap Sunglasses", you can borrow from.

Mark, you can only loan books to me if you *promise* to take some away with you as well. :)

It's not available at the library (botheration); but is on pre-order at the sci-fi shop in the city (or imported for - ouch! - $40). Maybe I can also get The Wind-Up Girl while I'm there... argh! no! Bad wookiebender!! No new books for you!

Mark! I'm very sensitive. Comparing me to Susan Boyle?
and
"Have you ever heard of ZZ Top? "
Good grief, man! I haven't been in an institution ALL my life! I used to actually be somewhat normal ;-)
and
I'm not afraid of sun... It's the blue words that scare me :{

Wishing for Chicago snow tonight and tomorrow! :P~~

>104 curlysue:: I listened to that Shriver podcast a while back Mark, it's really good. Even though it was an encore from an interview some time ago, it got me fired up to see the film. I've enjoyed most of the World Book Club podcasts. CBC's Writers and Company is another good one; it's weekly.

"Good grief, man! I haven't been in an institution ALL my life! I used to actually be somewhat normal".

Thank you Claudia for, once again, giving my biggest laugh of the day! I'll have to get you to have a beer with me one of these days!!

Laura- I am very hesitant about seeing the film version of Kevin. It could go so horribly wrong. The only saving grace might be Tilda Swinton, who is a fine actress.
I would like to hear more WBC podcasts. I have loved the David Mitchell & Jo Nesbo ones too.

>112 msf59: I've got Below Stairs checked out from the library but I don't think I'll get to do more than just glance through it. There are a LOT of hold on it so chance for renewal!

**Spoilers Possible

I might be alone on this one but I was very disappointed in DA tonight! It slid into melodrama and silliness. The Patrick storyline was awful and belonged in another show and the Bates stuff at the end was clumsy and telegraphed. And the scene with Mary and her fiance, toward the end, was sloppy too.
Who else agrees, that Matthew is beginning to grate?

As usual the Lady Dowager delivered a couple nuggets: "Or would you like to abolish private houses?"

I'm sure I see some torches and pitchforks coming up the driveway!

Swinging through to say Hi! Enjoying Fantasy February and have to get my hands on the latest Steinbeck...

Oh no - I'm not reading your spoilers because I plan to watch DA later this evening or (more likely) tomorrow, but I did see that you were disappointed. It can't go downhill yet. It just can't.

By the way, I just put Bitter Seeds on hold at the library...looks awesome!

>118 msf59: - How funny - my husband and I were JUST talking about that a minute ago! We couldn't agree more. Let's hope this episode was an anomaly.

I agree with you on the DA episode, Marky-Mark... to a certain extent. Matthew could NEVER grate! But what the heck was all that Patrick stuff? But Maggie Smith rescued the episode. I just love her!

I agree with Caro, just love Maggie Smith! I saw her first as Professor Mcgonagall in the Harry Potter movies, she rocks!

I did not like the Patrick story line much either. It bothered me that they left it open, I wonder if that means he will return at some point?

I'll praise a show, up & down, for being good, but there is no excuse for the writing on that latest DA episode. It was almost a parody of itself. Even on the Cousin Isobel and Lady Dowager moment, Isobel would not have been so easily duped. She's a bright lady. I'm not sure I care for what they did with her character, this season. The only saving grace, for me, is Mary, who I can gladly watch read the phone book. Okay, start with the A's...
I'm hoping for a strong rebound next Sunday. With only 2 ep, left, it better!

Kim- Great to see you! I'm glad you never forget me. Hope to see you both on FF and the "Bus"!

Ellen- Of course, it's just my opinion, but stop back by when you get a chance to see it.

Jim- Actually, I've been dragging my feet on Bitter Seeds, since early last year. The good thing is, the next installment comes out very soon.

Joanne- Groan! I went to bed thinking about it. Maybe this type of high drama, walks a thin line. This time, they crossed it big time. I hope they can somehow wrap this Bates situation up, without to much embarrassment. It's so tiresome.

Caro- Well, Matthew was grating on me. He needs to get out of that chair and move on. (He has to, right?). The Patrick/Peter angle was flat-out awful and poor Edith took the brunt.

Chelle- With the Patrick storyline, I thought I was watching a bad Saturday Night Live skit. Sorry for the rant! Only shows you love, can piss you off so much.

Mark, Mark, Mark, I'm so sorry to see that DA let you down with Sunday's episode. I missed the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl to watch it so I've convinced myself that it was an excellent episode. :}

The Is he or isn't he the heir storyline is more grating to me than anything else. Enter Peter/Patrick into the mix and you've got a cocktail for disaster. He's tooo soppy for my taste in heirs. If Mary were engaged to him, why didn't she have a look and question him? And Come on, how many times must Matthew portray the human ping pong ball?!
I'm beginning to think that by some twist of fate Mary will be the rightful heir.

Then there's poor Bates! With his background it's more than likely he'll be tried for murder - but what about that lovely girlfriend of his? Hmmmm
Oh! the suspence!

111 LOL Cee....
I wondered if anyone would comment.. should have known I could count on you..

106 I am way more low key about what I am reading than some are...
I read it for Vine..

I'm hoarding the last episode of Downton Abbey so I can watch the end of the season in one marathon session. I'm hoping one poor episode can be quickly forgotten in the strong conclusion I'm anticipating. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Below Stairs, Mark. Sounds good.

Wow Mark what happened - up in the air only a couple of hours, half a day rushing round Bangkok and so many posts to catch up on. Nothing to add on DA as I haven't seen it but Maggie Smith and Tilda Swinton are both great actresses. I remember Prue mentioning Lionel Shriver being on a programme last year and being absolutely obnoxious - Haven't read Kevin but I'm sure Tilda will be great in anything - shame she looks so strange.

drive-by hug

joining Richard in the drive-by xo

Also annoyed with Sunday's Downton Abbey episode. The Patrick storyline was (is?) preposterous.

Just stopping by to tip my hat, Mark. Below Stairs sounds interesting, so I'll look forward to hearing your reaction. I'm getting near the end of The Coroner's Lunch - what's next in this fun, unpredictable story?

For Mark and all the other Downton Abbey fans on this thread ...
Enjoy Carson's album of holiday favorites and the latest pop hits (personally I like the way he "moves like Jagger")!
A Very Carson Christmas

Hey, no pitchforks & torches! Are you waiting for darkness? Come on with it, I'm ready!

I saw this in the paper today and I'm feeling just a bit queasy about it. They are turning Dave Cullen's masterwork, Columbine into a Lifetime mini-series. Really?? It looks like it has Cullen's blessing and there is also talk about a stage play based on the book. WTF?

Here's the link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/06/idUS228033472420120206

Lynda, Lynda, Lynda- Yes, DA was a big let-down, I hope it doesn't taint my future enjoyment. I wish they would have been much more clever with the Bates situation. To me, that's just lazy & sloppy writing. I also think they dumped on the Richard character, in that final scene with Mary. All of a sudden, he's a rotten jerk?
Yes, I'm still irritated but I hope they pull it all together, next week.

Kath- "I am way more low key about what I am reading than some are..." That's my favorite part of LT, is the enthusiasm & utter joy of books. That's what brought us all together in the 1st place.

Hi Donna- "I'm hoping one poor episode can be quickly forgotten in the strong conclusion I'm anticipating." I'm with you all the way, my friend.

Paul- Are you back? I'm sorry, I'm a bit behind on a few threads too! To busy ranting about the latest DA. I'll be by your neck of the woods, shortly.

Big Waves to RD & Ellen!!

Laura- And the biggest casualty of the Patrick storyline was poor Edith. They put her through the grinder and for what? That storyline better sink right to the bottom of the ocean, along with the Titanic. Big misstep!
BTW- Thanks for "A Very Carson Christmas"! Very funny.

Joe- I'm glad you are enjoying The Coroner's Lunch. I've only read 2 so far, but the 2nd one is just as good.

Mark, oh I'm pretty sure Matthew will walk again... didn't he say he felt something? Only 2 eps left?! Noooo..... how will I bear it? I have a serious addiction to DA.

Thanks for reminding me that I picked up a copy of Columbine at the Borders' closing sale and I need to get to it. Lifetime? Seriously?

Hi Mark! I'm not finished The Boy in the Suitcase but I think you would like it. As for Chester Brown I don't know much about any of his works except Louis Riel which I learned quite a bit from. He has his own sympathetic take on Louis Riel, which I think I share now that I've read his GN. Yes, I Chester Brown has his own take on the world.

I've not seen DA. I feel so out of the loop! Oh dear!

After that scary description you had about Kevin - I'm not sure that I want to see the movie! I watched Tilda Swinton give a bit of an interview on the movie on Jon Stewart last night, and I don't think I am keen on her or the movie... Maybe....

Hi Mark - {{hugs}} - bye Mark...

Oh, I'm having to skip so much of this thread, I haven't even finished season 1 of DA! Don's not that keen on it, so if he's home we generally watch something else. And if he's not home, the TV stays off. :)

Have to send him and the kids away for a week and binge on some TV to catch up!!

>135 msf59: A musical??? Disturbing. Lifetime did a movie or something a while ago about one of the student's(Lauren Townsend, I think) mother. I guess there's a market for it. It doesn't include me.

#134 "All the single ladies, all the single ladies, all the single ladies..."

Amazing stuff, thanks for sharing! The above gave me a good laugh. I didn't believe it was really him at first, till I realized it was taken from a TV show and must have been a skit.

Mark, I mostly agree with your take on the latest episode of DA. I felt the Patrick thing was too absurd for words. Just a basic common sense thing: an adult person would not completely lose his accent after just 6 years for starters... and OMG how annoying is Edith exactly??? She's just so desperate for love it's sickening. Never could stand her. I mean, what kind of person puts the reputation of the entire family at peril just to get back at her sister??? Is she brain-dead or what?

You didn't mention anything about the driver, but that's another character I just wish they'd get rid of already. What does Sybil see in him I wonder? He's just angry and incredibly possessive and presumptuous. He seems to me like a perfect candidate as a future wife-beater.

All of a sudden, he's a rotten jerk?

Have to disagree with you there. Making him a newspaper man is basically shorthand for saying he's a snake. It just goes with the territory. And it was pre-ordained that the second Mary confided in him he'd eventually use it against her.

And Matthew? He's been getting on my nerves for a couple of weeks already. That face he makes when he's upset just makes me want to punch him and scream STOP FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF ALREADY!!!

(phew, glad I got that out of my system!)

I never thought Cousin Isobel was really that clever either. She means well, and she's good at getting her way because she bullies everyone to get things done, but in the end she mostly needs to feel like she's making a difference. Her move was already foreshadowed when she left for France after the Lady Dowager convinced her she was more needed there. I don't think she's necessarily an intelligent woman. For all her drive to help others, she's really single-minded and prejudiced, I think. After all, who is she to decide the family doesn't have a right to have their own home to themselves?

I also don't really see what the problem with the Bates turn of events is. Again, that course of events seemed inevitable. Vera really pushed all the buttons and made herself impossible. And it's clear from the storyline that she's always bullied her husband. That kind of situation is bound to cause a violent outbreak. I'm just surprised he didn't do something about her sooner. Actually, we don't know that he's guilty of course, and I'm betting we'll never know for sure...

So basically, I agree with you on just about everything you said, except for the majority of it! LOL :-D

Oh, say it isn't so. I really hate to think that Cullen would sell out on Columbine. I guess the money is hard to turn down. Sad news.

3 days left! I'm off Saturday this week, so 3 days left. We are having a bit of winter this week ,with some cold temps, but no snow, so the smile stays on.

On audio, I started the Empty Family. I read & enjoyed Brooklyn a couple years ago, so I wanted to try more of his work. This might be the 1st time, I've tried short stories on audio. There is a different reader for each story so that helps a lot.

Caro- Yes, Matthew has to walk, for it to carry on, right? We need to stop that whining.

Bonnie- Columbine is a Must Read! Move it up, immediately.

Deb- Tilda Swinton might be a bit of an oddball but she is a hellava actress. I have that Daily Show recorded, so I'll have to check it out.

Claudia- Return {{Hugs}}!!

Tania- Yes, this has become DA Central over here, but books are 1st and foremost, you know that!

Joanne- It's not a musical, my bad, it's a stage play, but still a puzzler. I'm enjoying The Empty Family so far.

Judy- I'll still give Cullen the benefit of the doubt, since Columbine has become his life mission. Maybe he thinks he can spread the word better on TV? Weak, I know.

Ilana- My best pal! I'll be back to respond to you later. Time ran out...

I guess I didn't realize that one needed to jump up and down and shout to
be considered enthusiastic about a book. I tend to less display, and more quiet appreciation.

Bonnie.. I agree.. read Columbine.. it is very well done.

Of course, I don't knit, but while listening to the latest BOTNS, Ann mentioned a podcast she stumbled upon called "2 Knit Lit Chicks". It's a mother & daughter combo and for the 1st half of the podcast they discuss knitting and the 2nd half books.
Here's the link: http://2knitlitchicks.com/

This looks like another strong year for NNF. This is the 2nd time I've heard about Behind the Beautiful Forevers. Sounds like an amazing read and what an evocative title! The other one, I've been hearing some strong buzz about is The Ice Balloon. Need to check my library system, pronto!

Kath- Hey, whatever works, right?

Ilana- You are a tough customer, my friend! I hope we never cross horns. LOL. I think we both are venting about the latest DA episode, just at different levels, which is probably a good thing.
For some reason Edith doesn't bother me, the way she does you. I'm glad they softened her up a bit in the 2nd season. She is a needy one, I'll give you that.
I really hope they resolve this Bates situation in an intelligent manner. I would also like to see them do more with Mrs' O'Brien & scummy Thomas, other than smoke like chimneys and exchange puckish looks. That's getting boring.

He seems to me like a perfect candidate as a future wife-beater.

Ilana, you had me laughing out loud with this. too too funny!

Love the Carson video! Keeping my fingers crossed for snow-free, at least until your days off, Mark.

It might seem like I've been ignoring my graphic novels but that's not the case at all. Since, I'm reading 2 print books at the same time, something I rarely do, the GNs suffer a bit. I finished the lurid but interesting Paying for it by Chester Brown. This one is not for everyone, so beware.
What's been terrific is, The terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans. It's another true-crime graphic. What a great format for true crime and this author has wrote nearly a dozen of them.
I also have several GNs waiting in the wings, including Hark a Vagrant & the latest Sweet Tooth, which I've been waiting for, for months.

My complaint about Downton Abby is that the whole story is just a cliche. However, the acting in it is superb. That is what keeps me coming back. I think to make the story really interesting Matthew should have died in the war. Then what would the family do? That everyone in the family made it through the war is just an impossibility in real history.The Mrs. O'Brian and Thomas story line is getting boring to me. Mrs. O'Brian is no good and even though she feels guilty that doesn't change her basic personality. As for Edith - she is just another war widow. Only in a different way. She also suffers from second son syndrome. My goodness, what is a second son to do? Edith is not only unlucky in love she is also unlucky in the time in which she was born. She has a great desire to please and pleasing people involves doing what they want. That is what she did all of her life, at least until the war forced her to come out of her shell and develop some of her skills. I hope that the writers will continue to show how she struggles against her fate. That is what makes the story interesting. How do people cope?

And excuse me - but Lady Mary isn't exactly all peaches and cream is she? Look at how she treated Edith. If Edith is guilty of mistreating her, then she did exactly the same thing. Remember her stealing the nice gentleman farmer away from Edith in season 1? Not to mention her stealing Patrick away from Edith in the first place in season 1. I actually thought that the only one of the three girls worth a nickel was Sybil. One sister is spoiled rotten, beautiful and manipulative. One sister is not as pretty, envious, and manipulative. And one sister is pretty and smart, got a job, and takes charge to get things done. That is the most productive sister in the long haul with Edith coming close behind her. Lady Mary is simply over rated in my book. My vote for true heroine of the story goes to Sybil. Or maybe to Anna. Or Mrs. Hughes. Love Mrs. Hughes' story.

Gosh! I can't believe I had so many mistakes in that message. I wrote it in a hurry so now that it is corrected it probably makes more sense.

Mark, Behind the Beautiful Forevers was a 5 star read for me at the end of last year. You will LOVE it. It's narrative non=fiction unlike any you've ever read. She brings the Mumbai characters to life and you honestly believe you are reading fiction.

Another cool item that I learned from BOTNS, are these bookmark/greeting cards, from "In My Book": http://www.inmybook.com/index.php
I have to order a bunch!

Benita- I thought you might have abandoned me for good. Nice to see you back and all fired up about DA too. Of course, I'm a big fan of the show and I know it's not always perfect, this week's episode just went way over the top and it really irritated me. I hope it rebounds next Sunday.

Hey, leave Lady Mary alone, will you! I have a serious crush on this woman. She CAN do NO wrong. I like Sybil too, but she's hasn't been fleshed out enough for me.

Bonnie- Shame on me, for forgetting this! Bad bad Mark. For some reason I thought this was a recently published book. Now, with your strong endorsement too, I will be reading Behind the Beautiful Forevers in the next couple months.

Not much to add since I don't watch DA, but hugs all around!

Oh Mark, I just learned to knit so I'm definitely checking out that podcast, thanks!

>118 msf59: I had heard that the second season of DA regressed into melodrama and wasnt quite as smart as the first. But having seen exactly none, I wont comment. *keeps shush*

>150 msf59: something's gotta give when you're a multiple-book-at-once-reader!

are these bookmark/greeting cards, from "In My Book"

What a "novel" idea! Why couldn't I think of that?!

Hey there Mark, I finished up The Boy in Suitcase and quite enjoyed it! I have not written about it on my thread as yet, but I do recommend it. I think I will likely give it 4 stars and I certainly plan to keep my eyes out for her next book. One caveat for you - it's a female who does the heavy lifting in the book - so maybe some men may not like that as much women - though I've never known you to be the least bit sexist.

Kim- Yes, there has been a fair amount of DA chatter over here but books have been mentioned a time or 2. Are you on the "Bus" yet or still waiting?

Laura- I plan on checking out the podcast, at least the book half, just to see if they know what they're talking about. Do you listen to BOTNS?

Megan- I hope DA pulls it together in these last 2 episodes. Actually, it was a good season until it stumbled last week, IMHO.
I really prefer reading one print book at a time, along with an audio at work and a GN for off times. It's a combo that's perfect for me.

Lynda- Aren't those bookmarks cool? And what great gifts.

Deb- You know I love a strong female protagonist, so I have no problem there. Actually, I have many of them that visit my thread. ;-}

154 .. I know.. lol.. is there a book? DA the book would be easier than trying to spend hours
watching. I do want to give it a try.... someday.

>159 msf59:: Yes Mark, I'm a BOTNS fan! They also introduced me to The Readers, a fairly new podcast hosted by two UK book bloggers. I've taken to listening to bookish podcasts on my commute -- I download new episodes on Sunday and that keeps me going through the week. My regulars are BOTNS, The Readers, Guardian Books, BBC World Book Club, & CBC Writers & Company. Also Guardian Science Weekly, not bookish but interesting.

But enough about me, back to books!

Good morning, Mark! Is it as perfectly sunshiney a day there as here? Cold as a female Satanist's mammaries in a brazen foundation garment, but beautiful.

Tonight my RL book circle discusses God's Little Acre by Erskine Caldwell, the guy who wrote Tobacco Road. Pity he's not more read in this day and time. He's still got a lot to teach us.

I won't knock Mary, Mark, but a lot of benita's comments (>151 benitastrnad:) sound right to me. Of course, I've only watched Season 1. I'm a Sybil and Mrs. Hughes fan, too.

I have not read Columbine yet- actually just added it to the wishlist a couple months ago. So I can't add much to the WTF Lifetime mini series or stage play ideas other then I'm not a big fan of TV movies/series based on books- seems to me that they always fall real short of the actual thing.

Don't watch DA (really have no desire to)but Walking Dead is coming back on! :)

Hi Kath- Actually, there is a NF book called Below Stairs, that deals with similar territory as DA. It was 1st published in '68 and it's supposed to be very good. I've requested it from the library.

Laura- I'll have to try out "The Readers" podcast. Is it available through iTunes? I also never miss the NPR Book Podcast, which is always perfect and The Bookrageous podcast too, a bit more younger and hipper. you have to stay connected, right?

RD- "Cold as a female Satanist's mammaries". Couldn't you supply an image at least? The same here, lots of sunshine but chilly.
I have never read Erskine Caldwell, although I have a classic two-fer volume w/ God's Little Acre & Tobacco Road.
Did you ever start The Wayward Bus or were you not planning to? I ferget!

Joe, Joe, Joe- Be very careful when mentioning my latest Goddess. You are on shaky ground, sir. Actually, they have toned Lady Mary down in the 2nd season. She could use a bit more spice at times.



Kara- My problem with the Lifetime mini-series is the horrendous subject matter, not just being a book adaptation. You have to walk a very fine line here and I'm not sure dramatizing Columbine is possible.

Hello Mark - just trying to catch up. Neither the wife nor I really thought this last DA episode was well done. The story-line with Patrick was just odd.

I think that you'll enjoy The Boy in The Suitcase , Mark. I just wanted to be give you wee heads up, but I know you enjoy a strong female protaganist as much as male protagonist, just as I do.

Well, unlike Joe, I'll not knock your current Goddess,sir. You go for it with Mary of DA! ;)

Me, my main man is Simon Baker/ Patrick Jane from the tv show The Mentalist. My husband thinks Patrick is not handsome nor charismatic . Do you think that he's jealous of my tv beau? :)

Mark--Went to the bookstore yesterday and found two other Steinbecks, but I am still waiting at the bus stop. ; )

I suspect The Wayward Bus will pass me by. I think reading God's Little Acre is well worth the time, but I'll be frank and say it will uplift you not one jot or tittle. Now the book circle is reading Tobacco Road! Back-to-back grimsbys!

Happy Friday! Last day! Yah! I did finish my last audio, The Empty Family. Mixed thoughts, more on that later. Should be getting off "The Bus" today. What a strange trip it's been. It's going to be a great year with Mr. Steinbeck.
I finished another terrific GN, The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans. True-Crime + GNs= Perfect Match.

Brit- Nice to see you! "The story-line with Patrick was just odd." That is the nicest way, I've seen anyone describe it. LOL. Let's hope for a strong rebound.

Deb- Yes, have a little respect for our current Gods & Goddesses!

Kim- Which Steinbecks did you pick up? I bought a collection of his early short novels, which is a Must Own. The Steinbeckathon is going to be a lot of fun.

RD- You are up early sir! I'll have to get to some Caldwell, later this year. Just to see for myself.

>165 msf59:: Mark, I haven't tried Bookrageous but now I will! And yes, you can subscribe to The Readers on iTunes. Here's a link to their website so you can check it out first: The Readers

After today... vacation time!

"...bookmark/greeting cards, from "In My Book"..."
Love them... very cute.
I make my bookmarks out of greeting cards if they lend themselves to that purpose. Have added ribbons to some for the cat to play with. Reading puts her right to sleep otherwise.

Didn't mean to besmirch DA's Mary, Mark. Just taken with the other two (Sibyl and Mrs. Hughes). Mary's quite fetching in that photo. :-)

I should keep track of your true crime gns for my daughter, who's a true crime aficionado. Have you read From Hell yet? She loved it.

I'm free, I'm free! It got a bit nasty, in the last hour or so of the route. It had begun to snow, the wind picked up, the snow went horizontal and it dropped into the 20s. Nice way to go out. If you lived near the lake or the Indiana border, there was some heavy accumulations but we're only getting an inch or so. I can live with that.
I hopped off The Wayward Bus. It really was a great ride and for anyone not participating in the G.R., please add this one to your WL. Another Steinbeck classic.

Laura- I did listen to the latest, Reader podcast. It was good, although I was unfamiliar with the guest author or her book. I'll listen to it again.
The latest Nancy Pearl podcast was also a good one, featuring Stewart O'Nan.

Claudia- "I make my bookmarks out of greeting cards". That sounds like an inventive idea. You are quite creative.

Joe- You know I was just kidding around about Lady Mary! Besmirch away! I like Sibyl and Mrs. Hughes too! If your daughter can recommend other true-crime GNs, pass them on. I still haven't got to From Hell but I plan to.

Yaay ....glad you made it through your route with the snow coming in just as your route was coming to an end, Marky-Mark. Hope you're now nice and toasty at home with a cool beer in hand.

I'm on an interesting GN now, it's a collective work by different artists... Nelson (no touchstone). Starting out well ... hope it continues.

Mark, I'm glad you loved The Wayward Bus. Have you read the intro yet? I know it's meant as an allegory, but I always have a hard time reading into that aspect of novels, partly because I lack the literary background to understand the references being made.

Have a great weekend of freedom!

So late here

and I saw the first season of Downton Abbey on Roku...but costume dramas aren't really my thing...unless there are dark & twisted threads therein

Glad you liked The Terrible Axe-Man......i thought you would

Snow in the forecast here...don't know how much

Podcasts? I just get BOOKS ON THE NIGHTSTAND...and they've been pretty good lately

Sorry i can't contribute more...except I do want Bitter Seeds

have a grand time in sunny californiay

;-}

Way way way too far behind to even try to catch up. Consider this "mark all as read"

Mark hope you have a great weekend mate after hopping off the Wayward Bus.

The liberry order came in and now I have Bitter Seeds for my reading while you're away.

Hi Mark: Nastiest commute of the year tonight. Yuck. A thick layer of ice with a few inches of icy mess on top of that. Strong wind and bitter cold temps. Took way over an hour to get home but at least I got there ok.

Happy Weekend!!

Kind of skimming through (back to LT after a crazy 12-hours-every-day kind of work week). I agree that the latest episode of DA stumbled. I mean, it's always been a cliche and that's okay with me, but **spoiler alert** the whole thing about the dead cousin showing up -- and the "mystery" as to his authenticity. Give me a break. Still, I love it.

Oh, and um, about Lady Mary --- she may not be all peaches and cream but that woman is drop dead gorgeous, and the lady can act. Mark, you may give Joe permission to besmirch, but I will defend her honor. Or at least her ability to wear those slinky dresses with the spaghetti straps....

Meanwhile, I hope you have a fine time in San Diego! Am I right? Are you going to SD? No snow there!

Lady Bitchy can go float. Horrible woman. Thomas and Mrs. O'Brien rolled in glass.

There. I've said it, and I'm glad.

Safe Area Goražde: The War in Eastern Bosnia, 1992-1995, for your icky GN-crime-spree. A GoodReads friend told me it was excellent.

183: lol - um, tell us how you really feel! xoxo
Mrs. O'Brien goes back and forth for me. Sneaky and snaky, but with a very slight ethical conscience? --- I keep hoping she will end up having a moral backbone.

Frigid morning out there! Brrrrr...It's only supposed to climb to the low 20s. And guess what? I'm at home, nice & warm, with my 2nd cup of java and LT to keep me company. Yah!

Caro- We went over to some friends last night and played a little Wii bowling and drank a few beers. Always a good time. I only wish I could bowl this good on the real lanes.
Let me know what that GN title is, if you can. Speaking of GNs, have you read Hark a Vagrant yet? So far, it's a lot of fun. A mix of history and humor.

Ilana- I loved the intro to the Wayward Bus. How about the depth of how Steinbeck chose each character's name? Wow. I don't get hung up on the allegory part of it, I get what I can out of the book. It will be nice to see all the comments over on the G.R.

Jude is here! Jude is here! I didn't realize you read The Terrible Axe-Man. Have you read any of Geary's other work. Of course, I'm a big fan of BOTNS. I come away from each podcast with a title or 2 and of course I love their enthusiasm.
Yes, Bitter Seeds has been a lot of fun.

Tina- Good to see you! Keeping up with the threads is a full-time job, I agree!

Paul- I don't have a lot planned for the weekend, (which is fine with me). We'll get the house in order, for the trip on Tuesday. I might see a movie tomorrow. I hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Richard- I hope you enjoy Bitter Seeds. It's a bit on the lighter side but it is fun. Hey, thanks for the GN rec! Cool.
"Lady Bitchy can go float." You are a mean man, Mr. Derus!

Linda- Sorry to hear about the nasty commute. I left early enough, where the pavement was still wet and not snowy or icy. Enjoy your weekend too!

Ellen- "but that woman is drop dead gorgeous, and the lady can act." You have such exquisite taste, my friend. All that besmirching, will not change a thing.
Yes, we are going to San Diego. We leave Tuesday morning. Yah!

I tried a new beer last night. It's the 5 Vulture, from the 5 Rabbit Brewery. It's based out of Chicago too. I love delicious surprises.

Sweet! I'll take the middle one - it's 5 o'clock somewhere right! I haven't even had coffee yet. I'm itching to get out of the house, but it's been steadily snowing since the punk and I got up at 6.

@ 187 Ha Brit! It's 5 o'clock somewhere - maybe 5 am! ;) Mark , 5 Vulture! Such a creative name for brew;)

14) Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick 4.8 stars

Welcome to beautiful North Korea! Please stay on the designated path. When Demick started her research for this book, she tried interviewing people in North Korea but no one would speak with her (and for a very good reason). She cannily took another approach and tracked down dozens of defectors, mostly in South Korea and interviewed them extensively. She finally narrowed the group down to six individuals. She closely follows each of them as they tell their “stories”, growing up in a “closed society”, going through incredible hardships, the fears of everyday life and finally their difficult decision to flee their homeland, sometimes leaving their loved ones, including their children behind.
This is a brilliant and masterful peek into a country, we know very little about, giving us a better understanding of these fascinating and durable survivors. Highly recommended.

* A big thank you to Bonnie & Ilana for the wonderful recommendation!

Great pic in 189!

Have a good day off... stay toasty!

Mark I'm going to have to find a way of getting my hands on some of that beer - sans SWMBO finding out of course!

Great review, Marky-Mark. I've caved and bought that book after you mentioned it in an earlier post. *sigh.... what am I going to do with you?*

*goes in search of Hark the Vagrant*

I still can't find 'Nelson' in the touchstones. I tried looking for it on Amazon as well and can't find it either. I wonder if it's because it's a collective work. It's edited by Rob Davis and Woodrow Phoenix, but when I search under their names, I don't come up with it either. I think when I'm finished reading it, I'll just have to take a photograph of the cover and post that.

Hi Mark! Happy weekend. :) And great review. Another book to keep an eye out for.

Great review, Mark. Nothing to Envy is definitely on my radar.

I'm another Hark! A Vagrant fan. Clever and funny.

>189 msf59: Thumbs-upped your very cogent and concise review!

I gotta find 5Vulture somewhere. Got. To.

Glad you found a brew you enjoyed, Mark. GREAT review of Nothing to Envy. I will get to that this spring.
AND ---- enjoy your Saturday off!

Hi Kath- Yeah, I think that picture has an eerie & creepy quality to it. The leader always wanted to be seen as a lover of children. I'm not sure there are that many fat & healthy North Korean children.

Paul- That could be a very hard brew to track down. Good luck, but it's worth it, if you can find it.

Caro- You will love Nothing to Envy and I'm sure you will enjoy Hark, a Vagrant. A nice mix of history & humor.

Kim- Thanks! Enjoy your weekend too! How's the weather?

Joe- Thanks! Now, I'm looking forward to The Orphan Master's Son. Is Hark, A Vagrant, Beaton's 1st GN?

RD- I don't know how widespread 5 Rabbit Brewery is. Do you have a large beer/ liquor chain-store nearby?

Ellen- Yes, I'm enjoying the day so far. We went out for breakfast, ran some errands and after visiting LT, some house work is waiting. Boo. Come on, books are waiting too! Poor guys!

My brewski outlets are all grocery stores, but I am friends with a wine-shop owner who can, upon tearful begging and pathetic whimpering, be persuaded to order stuff for me.

Mark, I LOVE San Diego. It's one of my favorite places to visit. Of course, I try to get out there when the Cubs are playing the Padres. I love wandering around the Gas Lamp Quarter.

Have a great time!!

I just knew you'd love Nothing to Envy Mark. In fact, I'm shocked I got to it before you did as it should have been YOU recommending it to ME! lol

Ok. I have something MAJOR to get off my chest about Lady Mary. This is a very well off family, right? So how come she's always wearing the same two dresses to dinner show after show??? There's the black one with the bandy things up the arms, and the red one with the interesting embroidery on the front and sheer everywhere else. Both gorgeous dresses but COME ON! I want to see wardrobe making a bigger effort than that for our main lady!

So far my reading productivity today has sucked but it's early still. Crack a cold one and plop in a chair. Sounds nearly poetic, doesn't it?

RD- Actually, I ordered a 5 Vulture at the bar last night, so I'm not even sure how many stores are carrying it. It being based in Chicago definitely ups its chances. Good luck.

Linda- My cousin has lived there for many years. She should make the perfect host. I hope she can steer me to a couple book shops, I'm sure there are a couple nice ones.

Ilana- LMAO! You know, I am truly blessed with having so many LT pals with such a sharp sense of humor, inadvertent or not. I DID not pay attention to what Lady Mary was wearing week to week. I see the woman, not the clothing. Come on, I'm a letter-carrier from Chicago! I drink beer, wear jeans and look at the ladies, (when it's appropriate anyway).

DA alert! I'm pretty sure Sunday night is a 2 hour episode!! You've been warned. I'm still trying to shake off the nasty residue of last week. Please let me forget it, so I can move on...

Mark, A thousand thank you's for the heads up on DA's 2 hour episode. Consider yourself smooched.

I was just messing around on Amazon (I have Amazon Prime). I never realized how many movies and TV shows I can get streamed at no charge. Just watched the first ever episode of Rocky & Bullwinkle from 1959.

Anyway, I noticed the first season of Downton Abbey. I need to watch that. Are they on the second season now?

Mark, as I just told you on my own thread, I was being partly facetious with my above comment... the part about having "something MAJOR to get off my chest" anyway. I knew without a doubt that you hadn't likely paid any mind to Lady Mary's outfits, but as your thread has become DA central, I figured other women would maybe have their own comments to make on the subject.

So now my dirty secret is out: I sometimes may seem to be addressing you directly, but really, I'm talking to everyone but you! :-D

Okay, according to the latest EW, the DA Christmas Special will air on the 19th and also be a 2 hour show. So 4 hours left! I hope they use that time wisely.

Lynda- Smooches & hugs, always welcome! Hopefully, you saw the above comment too?

Linda- Watch the 1st couple episodes of DA. If you are not immediately hooked, move on to something else. Of course it's 1st and foremost a drama, but I think you will appreciate the historical elements too!
ETA- I did not know "Rocky & Bullwinkle" went back to the year I was born. I remember watching episodes on the old "Bozo Show". Funny story, we have a guy at work, who as a kid went on Bozo and got selected to do Bozo Buckets. He missed Bucket # 2 and we rib him about it mercifully.

Ilana, my friend, regardless of your intentions, I had a good hearty laugh. Nothing like that, for cleaning out the old pipes. I hope you are having a good Saturday.

Mark, just watched the first Downton Abbey and I'm hooked!!

I always wanted to do the Grand Prize Game on Bozo. I used to gather up every bucket in the house and practice constantly.

Yah, Linda's a convert, Linda's a convert! You have so much to savor! Enjoy!

Remember, parents would put newborns on the waiting list for Bozo, so by the time they hit 5 to 9, they might be selected? I don't remember if my Mom put us on the list or not. I was such a shy child, I probably would have had a meltdown if I would have been selected for anything.
Do you remember Cookie? He lived in Oak Park and I went to school and became friends with one of his sons. I never met Cookie though. I always heard he was a mean alcoholic.

Hi Mark, it's too bad the citizens of North Korea aren't actually anywhere near as healthy looking as those in the picture in post 189. But unfortunately, they're starving and have no money to buy clothes (if they were available to be purchased) and must spend every spare moment cleaning the picture of Kim Il Jung that MUST hang in their home and is inspected by government inspectors who show up unannounced. That picture must be part of the propaganda.

Hi Mark, it sounds like you have chosen the perfect time for a trip to San Diego. Like Linda, it's one of my favorite cities, so much to do there. Or not to do, if you just feel like lazing on a beach.

I have been storing up Season 2 of DA, but I think maybe tonight I should start watching it as it seems to have everyone stirred up!

We stayed in last night and watched "Contagion". It's about a global virus outbreak. Nice cast, with Matt Damon, Kate Winslet and many others. Scary, well-made film.
Speaking of films, I plan on getting over to see "The Artist", this afternoon. I've heard very good things.

Bonnie- Of course, the picture is all propaganda (#189). The image they want to represent. In reality I don't think anyone would be smiling. Yes, imagine being hauled away for not dusting your picture of Il Jung? Yikes.

Judy- I know we've been experiencing a mild winter but I'm still ready for a getaway. We should have a great time. It'll be nice to see our daughter too. We haven't seen her since the end of October.

The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans by Rick Geary 4 stars

This is another terrific entry into the true-crime graphic format. Here, we are in New Orleans 1918 and a killer, of course wielding an axe, is terrorizing the Crescent City. His targets are immigrant shop-owners, mostly attacking them in their beds at night.
The city was paralyzed with fright. The killer was never found.
The black and white illustrations are stark and ideal, even in their gruesome simplicity and the story, well-researched, matches them perfectly.
The author has written many of these true-crime books and I’m looking forward to sampling more.

So now there are true-crime graphic novels? With blood and gore in color...?
*shudder* I can do crime thrillers, and horror.. but I would rather leave it to the imagination than
have it spread out in color. I don't think that will lure me into graphics either.. lol

I saw that The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans when I was at the comic store yesterday, Marky-Mark and was considering it. Bummed that I didn't now. I was busy looking for a Taniguchi that they didn't have in stock.

Hi Mark. I hope you love The Artist. I'm rooting for it to win the Oscar. I hope you have a great time in San Diego. It sounds like the perfect winter getaway. Will you be on LT while you're there?

Hi Mark - I'm forgetting your vaca plans. Are you home or San Diego? or what? Either way, you don't have to slog thru messy streets and frigid air - YAY!

Hi Mark,
I have some RL friends who are willing to do a RL GR of David Copperfield with me this spring. I'll be doing a simul-GR! Are you thinking April or May? May is Grapes of Wrath....

I liked "The Artist". What a bold movie to make in 2011! B & W, silent, with 2 unknown French leads. I don't think it was a great film but an enjoyable one and I love silent films.
If this sounds like a film you would enjoy, check it out.

I stopped at the library and picked up the audio of What it's Like to Go to War. Like many of us, I was a huge fan of Matterhorn, so I would like to try his NF.

Kath- The Terrible Axe-man is not in color but in B &W, so it's still effective but not vivid.

Caro- I admire the fact that you purchase as many GNs as you do. I'll get it from the library 1st and if I truly love it, I'll buy a "keeper" copy. See if your library has it!

Pat- Yes, I liked "The Artist" but I LOVED "the Descendants", so that is my current favorite. Since the Oscars went with 10 nominations, I really don't care anymore. Bad move.
And yes, we are taking my wife's notebook along but I'm sure LT time will be limited.

Claudia- You forgot my vacation plans?? I'm a just a bit hurt right now. We leave on Tuesday morning and return late Sunday afternoon. My daughter will arrive in SD, less than 30 min after us. Yah!

Ellen- David Copperfield is set for April. It's a big book, so will probably take the whole month. I'm considering doing Grapes on audio, since I've read it a few times already.

I plan on watching DA tonight. It starts in just over an hour. I hope I can last for the whole 2! I'm such an old fart!

>185 msf59:...Oh..i haven't read The Terrible Axe-Man...i think i posted the link, from NPR...about True Crime GNs\

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/27/142312054/graphic-content-3-comics-based-on-real-c...

I can't afford GNs any more....even the "used" copies are a crap shoot

;-}

What Mark *says* he's watching vs. what he's *actually* watching.

Hah! ROTFL! Who knew?

Oh Mark, you've been telling us how you admire Lady Mary and it's really been Sookie all this time!

Love the cartoon, Richard. Thanks for setting us straight about Mark. I wonder how he knows so much about DA?

Mark, you have a super good time in San Diego. We'll expect a detailed report of sites seen and bookstores explored. The weather is always perfect there. Enjoy!

Definitely adding Nothing to Envy to the TBR list. I read Euna Lee's story a few years ago of her captivity in North Korea, and found it absolutely fascinating. I'd love to learn more about the people and how a closed society functions in this day and age.

LOL, Richard!

Mark, I looked at copies of David Copperfield at the bookstore today. Yep, it's a big read. I didn't buy it because I didn't want to lug it around this afternoon while I went downtown; I'll pick up a copy in March. I'm looking forward to reading it --- and I plan to re-watch the film version with Maggie Smith in the same month.

eta: I doubt I'll actually get to watch the film with Maggie Smith, since we're not good friends, but I will watch the one in which she plays the aunt.

Mmm, mmm, mmm. The wayward abbey! Right out of a Steinbeck novel.
I'm thinking you may have liked this weeks episode a little bit more than last weeks.

Have a great trip to SD, mark! Act like a sponge and absorb all that vitamin D!

Mark, I hope you have a wonderful time! I love San Diego -- went to school there, met my husband there... We hope to return soon -- possibly for spring break.

Loved your review of Nothing to Envy. I'm adding it to my wish list. Thanks!

Ooh! I missed the part about you going to San Diego. Have a great time Mark.

I'll be watching DA tomorrow. Can't wait!

Mark just dropped by to say hi and congrats on having no health concerns with any of your family pets! (Mark knows what I mean)

Nothing to Envy is available at the local library. Bother, I didn't quite dodge that book bullet...

I'll be starting The Wayward Bus tonight or tomorrow morning, looking forward to it! (Allegorical? Oh help, I'm hopeless at allegories.)

Enjoy SD, Mark! Lovely part of the world.

#224> I'd love to watch a movie with Maggie Smith, she's awesome. Although I'm sure I'd have to sit up straight, mind my P's & Q's, and have a decent pot of tea at the ready.

(Speaking of movies, I'm counting down the minutes until Don whisks me away from work and we head off to an early session of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy...)

>216 EBT1002:: We saw "The Artist" over the weekend, and I really enjoyed it, mostly because it was so different from the typical films released these days. Very retro. We saw "The Descendants" around Thanksgiving time, and I was blown away. I agree it's the better film. I also liked it more than "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

I guess it's too early for you to be here commenting on DA. But I'd say last night was a big improvement over last week's episode! So much loose-end-tying, and a few hankies too.

"all the leaves are brown

and the sky is grey

I've been for a walk

on a winter's day".

-California Dreaming

RD- LMAO! You know, I waited all day for someone to drop by and crack me up and just at the midnight hour, you dropped that gem! Thank you sir!
Question though: How did you know??

Jude- I think we saw or heard the same NPR piece on true-crime GNs. Good stuff.

Joe & Judy- Very funny guys!

Donna- Everything I mention about DA, I read somewhere! LOL. Yes, looking forward to the trip and potential bookstores, although I just see my family collectively rolling their beautiful eyes.

Faith- Nice to see you! Nothing to Envy is a must read. I'll have to look into Euna Lee. Sounds good.

Ellen- I have a lovely hardback edition of David Copperfield. I might look for a softcover, just to tote around. Glad you'll be joining us.
ETA- Thanks for clarifying the Maggie Smith misstep, I was starting to think you were buds.

Lynda- You called it, my friend. DA was worlds better! More on that, in a few minutes. Vitamin D. Yesss... We are all going to look so anemic.

Anne- Nice to see you! We'll have a good time in SD. I'm excited to see what my cousin has planned.

Ilana- We all need some time away and it will be great to see Bree! We miss her. Enjoy DA, it's a much better episode.

Paul- I checked on the pooches, this morning. Unfortunately, all is well. Shakes head and shuffles away...

Tania- Don't worry about allegories! I'm sure The Wayward Bus has plenty but take away from it what you will. It's a terrific read. Please stop by and let me know what you think of Tinker Tailor. It's got solid reviews here.

Laura- Sounds like you have great taste in films too! I've enjoyed the Oscars for many years but since they now nominate 10 films, it's become a real joke. 3 star movies get nominated? Sad.
I also really enjoyed "Moneyball"!
DA comments coming up...

>232 msf59:: *whispers* it's Laura. Confusing, I know! Blame my husband, because the "lindsa" in my handle is for "Lindsay," his surname which I took when we married. It was way easier than my maiden name to pronounce and spell, but you'd be surprised how many people call me Linda.

Now let the Downton Abbey chatter begin!
Anna! Bates!
Lord Grantham, you devil!
Sybil, you go girl!

And I can't think of a better advertisement for flu shots :)

DA Chatter (light spoilers!):

Now this is the DA, I know and love, in all it's soapish grandeur!

A wedding. A funeral. (Don't fret you will not guess either)

Is Lavinia the sweetest person on this show? She has my vote.

Mrs. O' Brien and wormy Thomas take unexpected turns

Anna stepping up, while Bates spins wheels (big surprise!)

Matthew still needs a good slap

Another big dramatic ending, which I could do without

I tried keeping up with Lady Mary's outfits, but quickly gave up.

2 hours left!

LOL @ 219

Glad DA came back for you, Mark. Have fun in San Diego!

219> LOL Richard!!

Have a safe trip Mark! it's tomorrow right?

next month I get the list for the Florida Film Festival!
can't wait....so many choices :)

Hi Mark: Enjoy your trip to San Diego!!

Still hoping to see The Artist before the Oscars. Two weeks to go til that.

I'm hoping to get to both Matterhorn and What It's Like to Go to War.

And yes, I absolutely do remember parents signing up for Bozo tickets right away. We never did go. When my sister was born, they decided that I'd probably be too old when the tickets came and my sister was never as interested as I was later. We didn't live that far and I was sorry I never got to go.

Laura- I may slip up at times but at least this time I was innocent. LOL. Thanks for the DA comments.
"And I can't think of a better advertisement for flu shots." Amen to that! And wow, that did come out of nowhere!

Joe- Thanks! You are going to so enjoy the 2nd season of DA! It's nice to look forward to something, right?

Kara- I'll have to watch for your thoughts on the Film Festival. Maybe pick up a gem or 2. Yes, we leave in the morning. Yahoo!

Linda- Thanks! I'm sure you will enjoy "the Artist". I wasn't gaga over it but I liked it. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Matterhorn. It's amazing.

Adding my ill wishes to the pile for your journey to San Diego, Mark! Rain and high winds, followed by wildfires and blizzards! Maybe a tsunami, too, haven't decided, but the Weather Goddess and me, we're goin' all out!

Safe travels to you and your wife. Good times with your daughter.

My reading seems to be slow, these past few days. Maybe to many distractions. Who knows. I did finish Bitter Seeds. It was good but not great. Lots of interesting ideas. My 2nd FF book. I'll be starting my 3rd, something lighter for vacation, it's called Blood Red Road. The 1st of another YA, dystopian series. I'm pretty sure Joe read and enjoyed it last year. And we know he has great taste!

RD- You are such a cuddly bundle of bear-like love! What would we do with out you?? The latest weather reports are sunny & mid-60s. Not shabby, just a bit difficult to pack. We'll survive.

Cindy- Great to see you, my Hoosier friend! Thank you! We'll have a great time. I'm sure of it.

I'll most likely start a new thread a little later on. I won't have time tomorrow!

*pushing the envious green monster in #240 aside"
Have a safe but fun flight, Marky-Mark ... I know you'll have a great time!

What was with Downton Abbey? Talk about sappy! Worse than watching the Young and the Restless. The only bright spot was Grandmama Granthem. The men on that show, except for Carson, are all sleezy. Why can't they grow up? And Livinia? Sweet? Oh yeah, right! What kind of curse did she put on poor Matthew? Cora handled her bedside confession much better.

I do agree that the costuming was good. And they really developed O'Brien and Thomas. Good show!

Caro- Thanks for taking care of that "envious green monster". He was very mean.

Benita- Wow! I really liked the latest DA! What did you think of last weeks debacle? You may have got a cerebral hemorrhage watching that one. Why are you being so mean to poor Lavinia? Who did she ever hurt?
And I agree with you, I'm glad they finally found something for Mrs. O'Brien & Thomas to do, other than sulk & smoke.

Mark, the adaptation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was excellent. The cast is beyond wonderful, the setting was immaculate (such a gloomy, dreary London!), and while they changed details of the story (some simplifying of unnecessary details, made it more linear, etc), it was still TTSS in all its essence. Had a great chat with Don afterwards, me filling in some of the blanks, and pointing out differences. He thought it was excellent too, and is yet to read any le Carre.

I'd like to see it again, once the book is fuzzier in my mind. I spent a bit too much time comparing the two!

Just for that, pretty young Caroline, there's a blizzard headed Massachusetts way...after you leave on your next trip!

I'm sorry that your dog has gas ;)
lol

Tania- I'm sure TTSS will be out on DVD soon. Looking forward to it.

Caro- Careful, that ""envious green monster" is back at it again. He's everywhere! Ahhhhhhh....

Megan- Sometimes both dogs do! Dueling Banjos! LOL.

Dear One

I'm late to the party of your thread, but have now pulled up a chair and salute you for all the wonderful, insightful reviews.

I finished House of Prayer No. 2 and as I posted in my thread, I could not write a better review than your excellent one.

On principle I dislike death bed confessions, and that death bed confession by Lavinia was the absolute best example of passive aggressive manipulation I have ever had the pleasure of viewing on TV. (The movie Dangerous Liaisons doesn't count because it wasn't on TV.) How is Matthew supposed to get on with his life with that sword of Damocles hanging over his head? And by the time he gets any backbone (pun intended) Mary will be married. Shesh! Its' enough to make you cry. Cora handled her death bed confession so much better. Of course, she doesn't realize that she is heaping coals of fire on O'Brien's head, but then that is the beauty of avoiding hearing a death bed confession. What would anybody gain by it? Isn't that what Melanie told Scarlet in Gone With the Wind? Carson, Mrs. Hughes, and Anna are about the only two people on that show with a lick of sense. Grandmama Granthem would be added to that list, but she is such a snob.

I finished reading Clash of Kings and have to say it was an extraordinary ride. I don't know if I will hurry to read any more of that series or not. They are so filled with gore and disgusting behavior. I realize that books have to have villains, but enough is enough. Does Martin lay awake at night trying to think of the most disgusting ways to kill people or what? I know that war is hell, and I didn't think that I had a problem with reading blood and guts, but maybe I am just getting old and tired and finding these books just over-the-top when it comes to describing execution scenes. I had the same problem when I read The Snowman by Jo Nesbo and decided that was the last one of his books I was reading as they were crossing a line in to just plain shock value horror that I couldn't take. I won't say that I won't ever read another of his books, but it will be a good long time. I do want to finish reading the series by Martin, but my poor blood soaked mind needs a rest.