Mark's Reading Place #26: A Gathering!

-Lorenzo Mattotti

Currently Reading:



Audiobook:


Graphic:


Books Read So Far...

September:

106) The Lost Ones by Ace Atkins 3.8 stars (ER) (OTS)
107) Talulla Rising by Glen Duncan 4 stars (audio)
108) Midwinter Blood by Mons Kallentoft 3.2 stars (OTS)
109) The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 3.4 stars (audio) (OTS)
110) The Long Walk by Brian Castner 4.8 stars (audio)
111) The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers 4.6 stars (OTS)
112) Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill 4 stars (audio)
113) In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck 5 stars (G.R.)
114) The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire 4.5 stars (GN)
115) Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld 4 stars (audio)
116) Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer 4.5 stars (audio)
117) Logavina Street by Barbara Demick 4.8 stars (ER)
118) Death Without Company by Craig Johnson 4 stars (audio)
119) Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi 4.2 stars

October:

120) This is Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz 5 stars
121) The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen 3.8 stars (audio)
122) The Big Burn by Timothy Egan 4.4 stars (audio)
123) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle 4.3 stars GN
124) Every Day by David Levithan 4 stars (audio)
125) 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami 4.2 stars (Group Read) (OTS)
126) March Violets by Philip Kerr 4 stars (audio) (OTS)
127) In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner 4.7 stars
128) Under and Alone by William Queen 4 stars (audio)
129) Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead 3.6 stars (audio) YA
130) More Baths Less Talking by Nick Hornby 4 stars
131) Stabs at Happiness: 13 Stories by Todd Grimson 3.8 stars (OTS)
132) Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard 5 stars (OTS)
133) The Lost Art of Reading by David L. Ulin 3.8 stars
134) A Handbook of American Prayer by Lucius Shepard 3.8 stars (OTS)

November:

135) Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware 4 stars (GN)
136) Stoner by John Williams 4.3 stars (OTS)
137) City of Women by David R. Gillham 3.8 stars (ER) (OTS)
138) A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel by Madeleine L'Engle 4 stars (GN)
139) Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin 4.7 stars (audio)
140) Under the Bright Lights by Daniel Woodrell 4 stars (OTS)
141) The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe 5 stars (audio)
142) Muscle For the Wing by Daniel Woodrell 4 stars (OTS)
143) Persuasion by Jane Austen 4.2 stars (audio)
144) The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng 4.7 stars
145) Paper Towns by John Green 3.6 stars (audio)
146) The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey 4 stars (audio)
147) A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller 3.8 stars (OTS)

December:

148) Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer 4.2 stars (audio)
149) On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan 4 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)
3) Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne 5 stars
4) In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck 5 stars
5) What It Is Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes 4.7 stars
6) Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo 5 stars
7) This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz 5 stars
8) Every Man in This Village is a Liar by Megan Stack 4.7 stars (audio)
9) The Long Walk by Brian Castner 4.8 stars (audio)
10) Logavina Street by Barbara Demick 4.8 stars
11) Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard 5 stars
12) The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe 5 stars (Audio)


Group Reads 2012:

December: Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck (Steinbeckathon)

Morning everyone! This is such a special place. Who would have ever guessed LT would become such a big part of our lives? For this, I am forever thankful!

Hehe Hi Mark, beautiful new thread!

?Am I first? WoW hihi

Yes, I enjoyed the other books in the Quartet as well, as they all dealt with different (some the same) social issues. Quite fascinating little books and I can see why they are used in school. All 4 together make some very interesting topics. :)

I agree with you LT is a very special place and I never would have guessed that it would become such a big part of my life :)

141) The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe 5 stars

“What are you reading?”

Mary Anne Schwalbe is in her early 70s. She is a mother, a humanitarian and a lifelong reader. She is also dying from pancreatic cancer. Her son, Will, is also a dedicated reader.
They have always enjoyed talking books and decide to form a two-person book club and while she is receiving her treatments, they discuss a book they have recently read together.
This is an amazing memoir. Warm, funny, touching and brave. It’s about love, friendship, caring and of course books, scores of books. Mary Anne is such a winning real-life character, I find myself smiling just thinking about her. Do you want a great end of the year read? Hunt this one down.

Here is are some of the wonderful titles, they discuss and many of them are my favorites too:

The Kite Runner/ A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Hobbit
People of the Book
The Lizard Cage This one sounds fantastic
Gilead / Home
Felicia’s Journey There’s Mr. Trevor again!
Continental Drift This is Banks first novel. Tough and haunting
The Year of Magical Thinking
Olive Kitteridge I love Olive!
Unaccustomed Earth
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders

Any many others! Don't you love that sea of blue!

Congratulations Mark on your latest thread. Your latest read looks a winner too. I have read some of those books listed and definitely intend to read all of them.

Beautiful new thread! I found you just in time :)
Happy Thanksgiving to you! Enjoy your day off and your time with those you love :)

Happy Thansgiving, Mark. And thank you for all that you contribute to LT. I get so much comfort and joy from these threads, isn't it just the best?

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark. Love the pictures at the top of your thread. I just requested the audio of Persuasion from the library yesterday. It was the first audio book I "read" when I started listening to them a couple of years ago, and I remember smiling happily for the entire 8 hours. I was in the mood for a reread. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Happy Thanksgiving Mark! Thanks for being such an amazing presence on LT. You are a constant source of football stats, lively banter, beer recommendations and, oh yeah, great books! You are one of the people that holds us 75ers together. Thanks for your friendship. : )

What Kim said is true, Mark - you are like our glue! Congrats on the new thread - and on your lovely review. Adding that title to my WL - I am so very thankful for all the books that I have discovered this year because of you and the rest of the gang.

I'm going to add my voice to everyone else's, Mark, in saying how much I enjoy your thread and presence on LT. I've read so many great books because I heard about them from you. I love your sense of enthusiam for the books you read and your kind words for all your visitors.

I have The End of Your Life Book Club waiting to be picked up at the library but will have to wait till Saturday when they open again to get it. In the meantime, I'm reading Safe from the Sea and Team of Rivals, both of which I started with your encouragement.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy new thread on a Happy Thanksgiving, Mark! :)
The End of Your Life Book Club looks like a good one so I might have to check it out. There is nothing better than a book that talks about the love of books!

Bianca- Yes, you are first! Congrats!

Paul- Thanks! The End of Your Life Book Club should be required book reading for the entire LT bunch! It has our indomitable spirit!

Kath- I've worked up quite a sweat, helping to get the house in order, (although it pales in comparison to what my wife has done). People will start arriving at 3.

Karen- We have created a very special place here. I'm not sure anywhere online could compare, although I'm totally biased.

Anne- It's great to see you. Happy Thanksgiving! Funny, I had to re-listen to the 1st 4 hours of Persuasion. Her speedy narrative swept right past me. I am enjoying it very much and I only have a few minutes left.

Kim- Are you trying to make me cry on Thanksgiving? Well, it sure looks like it, my friend. Thank you so much for the kind words. I think we all contribute to the absolute magic of this special place.

Mamie- I was wondering what that glue smell was! Thank you. Yes, you will LOVE The End of Your Life Book Club and the audio was fantastic too!

Pat- Thank you! I think we all nourish each, in regards to good books. I have to count all the books that I've read this year, because of LT. I'm sure it would be sizable.

Valerie- Thanks! I'm so glad you are back with us on a regular basis. You are like a little ray of sunshine over here.

I am glad for the day off. I intend to spend the afternoon baking Christmas cookies. I think I will also spend some time at the movies this weekend. I don't like all those crowds at the theater, so will probably do afternoon matinees but right now there are some really good flicks out there I want to see. I will probably bend and go see Skyfall, simply because it will be eye candy. (I really can't stand those stupid story lines or the silly women, but the rest of the eye candy is so good.) I will also try to see Lincoln, but I want to spend some time reading Team of Rivals this weekend. The only thing about my having a day off is that all the coffee shops are closed so no place to get that nice frothy cappuccino I crave.

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark. I hope you and your family have a lovely holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving, Mark! I enjoyed the discussion of The Dust Bowl and the ongoing challenges in the Great Plains. I haven't yet watched part 2, but will do so this weekend. I'm glad you're loving TGoEM. Like Donna, I like it when others like the same books I do and that one is possibly my favorite 2012 read.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Mark! I have been wanting to read The End of Your Life Book Club but haven't had a chance yet. I think I'll put it on my Christmas list, 'cause it sounds like one I need to own!

Happy Thanksgiving Mark. I'm reading The End Of Your Life Book Club now - I now know what I'll be getting for Christmas for several of my family and friends. It's excellent. It's more than the book talk it's also very philosophical and combined it becomes a very special memoir and tribute to his Mum.

Hi Mark!

Can't sleep, so I'm passing the time here trying to stay caught up. After today I have a week off from work. I haven't taken vacation in 4 years. It will be a stay at home vacation, I will get caught up on my reading. I just hope I don't go stir crazy!!!

How was your Thanksgiving? I had wonderful lunch at work with my boss and my ladies. We even had time to decorate the christmas tree. Then I had supper with my uncles and my sister & family.

It's very windy here. Hope you don't get blown away today.

I don't want to go to work. Wah! We had a very nice time yesterday. I think we had 17, including some kids. The DW did a stellar job. Yah, for Mrs. Marky-Mark!
Very little reading, so I have some catching up to do. I should be wrapping up Persuasion.

Very cold today. 35 and windy. Another Wah! Got the long undies on for the first time.

Ellen- I hope you had a nice holiday. I haven't seen the 2nd part of "The dust Bowl" either. Maybe tonight.

Terri- Thanks! I hope you spent some quality time with your family.

Lisa- Thanks! Good to see you over here. I hope to get a few other LTers to pick up The End Of Your Life Book Club. It's an absolute gem.

Tammy- Yes, I'm not looking forward to working today. With the wind chill, it's supposed to be in the 20s. Brrrrrrr! Hope you had a nice holiday and ENJOY your vacation. Yah!

Oh dear, Mark, 20s? Yuck! I'm so sorry. Puts Thanksgiving into perspective...thanks given for not being in the cold all the time!

Dang, winter has arrived in Milwaukee! Dog walk was really COLD. I think the wind chill is in the teens, very different from yesterday's high of 63!

Hope you bundled up, Mark, and stayed warm while working. Poor You!

I have added The End of Your Life Book Club to my wishlist, sounds good.
Right now, I am glued to the pages of Ready Player One, this one has totally drawn me in.

Sorry about the whole work thing...
I am none to pleased to hear your weather... I suspect it will show up here in a day or two.
drat. Hope the day is flying by!

Back to work today - you poor baby! And it's cold? I should probably not mention that it is 72 and sunny here. So I won't bring it up. I started the next Dr. Siri and of course it's fabulous. Hope the working part of the day goes by quickly for you.

Mark - Sounds like you had a great Thanksgiving. Yes, the weather turned, didn't it? I guess we can be thankful for weather in the 60s at the end of November :) Glad you are liking Persuasion; that is my favorite Austen.

Hi Mark. Hope the return to work wasn't too traumatic. I bought a brand new copy of The End of Your Life Book Club today even though I have a copy waiting for me at the library. It just sounded too good from all your comments and I knew I would want to own a copy.

Hi Mark. I'm so sorry you have to work today. I hope the weather wasn't too frightful while you were out there!

Hi Mark! Sorry you had to work today, but glad that your dinner went well. We had a bomber of Stone's Enjoy By 12.21.12 IPA. It was great. Sort of grassy, but in a lovely way, if that makes sense.

Sorry for the post-holiday comedown :(
I had the same feeling when I went out (of the house) the other night, I had a realisation that life has been going on without me all these last 16 months....while I was stuck at home too tired to move! Hmph.

I love the sound of the End of your Life Book Club, and all the books discussed within! I have wishlisted it on my library account. I just finished Olive, and I loved her too. She's a card! I dont mind a strong personality or two amongst my friends, she's cool.

-Van Gogh

It was 31 on the way home and with that pesty wind chill, it was in the mid-teens. Chilly day but I managed fine. Very quiet out on the route. Were people shopping or huddled inside watching the boob tube or God forbid....reading? Hmmmmmmm...
I finished Persuasion, which I really enjoyed. I think I might stick with the print books on these, although the 1st 2 Austen books, I managed to listen to with no problems.
To shake things up, I started a YA audio, Paper Towns by John Green. It's light & fun.

RD- That stiff, persistent wind made all the difference. Walking south wasn't to bad, walking north...sucked. Have you recovered after that fine meal?

Nancy- I did not see many people walking their dogs today! I didn't see many people, period. Hope you had a great holiday.

Judy- Yes, I hope to really spread the word on The End of Your Life Book Club. It's such a perfect LT title, something we can all really relate too!
I'm so glad you are enjoying RPO! It is so much FUN!

Kath- The day went fine. I was bundled up and had my books to keep me warm. Another cold one tomorrow and then it gets back to normal.

Mamie- 72 sounds perfect! Funny, it was in the low 60s here yesterday. We had the doors and a couple windows opened. Nothing like that today, though. Brrrrrrr...!

Mary- Overall November has been pretty decent, so no complaints. I really liked Persuasion, although I think P & P might still be my favorite. Hope you enjoyed your holiday.

Pat- Congrats on picking up The End of Your Life Book Club. I'm sure you will LOVE it. I will probably buy a keeper copy at some point. It's such a perfect read. The mother would have made a perfect LTer.

Ellen- Thanks, but I managed fine. Come on, I'm an old pro! And it could have been a lot worse.

Kerri- Sad news! We didn't get the Mathias. They wanted nearly 30 bucks for a bomber, so I told Bree to forget about it. She did bring a bomber of Rubber Monkey, which is also really good, but also costs 21 bucks.
I loved Stone Enjoy By. I better get over to Binnys and pick up another bomber.

Megan- I'm so glad you loved Olive. I'm in love with Elizabeth Strout. Sadly, I have not picked up another of hers but I do own one and I've heard great things about her new one, that comes out early next year.

Mark, I just read the first two chapters of The End of Your Life Book Club and already love it. I think this will be my Christmas gift to a couple of RL friends this year. Thanks so much for the recommendation.

I've just cried buckets whilst finishing the book. I can probably count on one hand the number of times a book has evoked that sort of response. I forgot to mention that while the book made it on the my wishlist it was your comments which prompted me to buy it and read it now.

I've been reading your threads for a few months now - it was about time I said hi - hi:)

Wow, stay away for a couple days and really get behind here. I've read all the books you mention that came up in The End of Your Life Book Club except The Hobbit and Continental Drift but your review has enticed me, as if I needed anymore enticements Mark.

I have just over 30 minutes left on "The Dust Bowl". Mr. Steinbeck has finally made an appearance. I agree with other LTers, that the 2nd part has been stronger.

Pat- I'm so glad you are enjoying The End of Your Life Book Club. It's really a special book. Yes, it's about death and dying but the life and spirit are what really shine through.

Lisa- I'm glad you finally de-lurked and spoke up. It's great to have you over here.

Bonnie- You will love The End of Your Life Book Club. There, I said it!

Went to see a matinee of Skyfall and I have to say it was a disappointment. Daniel Craig is nice eye candy but he just doesn't make a good Bond. I read the books years ago and don't recall them as being so serious. I thought that they were done sort of tongue-in-cheek and Sean Connery did that so well. Craig plays it to straight for my tastes. It didn't help that the theater was full of men who just drool over that sort of movie. I don't like crowds at movies and to avoid them I go to matinees. I forgot that since it was Thanksgiving half the population would looking for a way to escape from the house in dreaded fear that they would have to do the dishes. I picked the wrong movie. I should have gone to see Flight or Wreck It Ralph.

when will they ban cell phones from movies? I sat next to a father and son and the son couldn't keep his hands off his cell phone and texted throughtout. when it was over I told the young man that he could have shut off his phone. The father immediately came to his sons defense and called me a name. When I just sat there and didn't say anything he finally told me to have a happy Thanksgiving and then left. I was incredulous.

I did have a nice Thanksgiving.

Pooh on that nasty father! You are so right about the cell phone, and I TOTALLY agree on your Bond analysis. Sean Connery was and is the best Bond. Shaken or stirred!!

Mark - sorry that you weren't able to enjoy an extended weekend but I trust it has started again for you.
Very rarely find myself in disagreement with Benita but I have to speak up in support of Daniel Craig's Bond. It needed updating after the geriatric Moore, the dull-as-ditchwater Dalton and the lightweight Brosnan. For me he has put his own spin on the character and saved the franchise in the process.

Happy Saturday! I put on an extra layer this morning. I haven't switched to my heavier winter jacket yet but I may have to soon. I hope the wind is a bit more reasonable today. Come on Wind Gods!
I should wrap up the Garden of Evening Mists today. I'm going to miss leaving these wonderful characters behind. And I need to start looking for Eng's first novel.

Benita- Yep, you should have spent Thanksgiving watching Lincoln! LOL. A more serious audience. Although I really enjoyed Flight too.
I like Craig as Bond but I don't think these films need to be 2 1/2 hours long. Lincoln was that length! Crikey.
People are rude, aren't they? And cellphones are a major distraction.

Kim- Big Wave!

Paul- I'm surviving fine, thanks! I'm off next weekend, so I'm looking forward to that. The Bears NEED a big win tomorrow, have to stop that skid. Still no word about Cutler starting.

Snow. Hope you haven't got that to deal with.. and WINDY. Brrr...Stay warm...

Hi Mark, just stopping by to wish you a fabolous weekend with your family. The YA audiobook by John Green sounds quite interesting. Glad you enjoyed Persuasion by our lovely Jane Austen, are you going to read/listen to Emma next?

Forgot to mention that I hope you enjoy Paper Towns. That was the first book I read of his and I really liked it.

Ah, glad you liked Persuasion, Mark. A gooder, eh? We're getting ready to head off to that movie you liked so much. Can't wait!

Mark, my daughters are huge fans of John Green and consequently so am I, even though I've only read TFiOS. He is a graduate of Kenyon College, where my daughter is currently a sophomore. And I just like his public image, he seems like a truly great guy.

A Wind God!

Even though the temps were in the low 30s, it was much better today. The Wind Gods were accommodating. Thank you Wind Gods.
I finished the excellent The Garden of Evening Mists and read the first few pages of A Killing in the Hills. It's a crime novel set in West Virginia.

Kath- Do not say the "S" word in my presence, thank you very much. I do not want to think about that. There was some very light flurries yesterday. That I can gladly handle.

Bianca- I'll save Emma for early next year. I will try to read 2 Austen books a year, until I get caught up. Paper Towns has been okay. I much preferred The Fault in Our Stars, which was wonderful.

Pat- Not crazy about Paper Towns. I'm having problems with my audio player and I'm having to listen to smaller chunks. I still have a ways to go, so maybe things will improve. I do like his sense of humor.

Joe- I can't wait to hear a full report. I'm assuming you are talking about Lincoln. My guess: You will LOVE it!

Laura- You know I'm also a huge fan of The Fault in Our Stars. It will be one of my top reads of the year. This one is much different and hasn't grabbed me the same way...yet.

This is daughter Bree! Is she a chip off the old block, or what? I just wish she was holding a book or something.

Bree is beautiful, Mark. Thanks for posting the picture. You must be so happy she lives close by now.

Hope you end up liking Paper Towns.

Beautiful daughter, Mark. I know you are proud.

I, too, am very interested in reading The Gift of Rain. If I don't get it via my Secret Santa, I'll definitely pick it up for myself at one of my favorite local booksellers.

Great photo of Bree, Mark!

Glad you liked The Garden of Evening Mists! Beautiful book, and that ending is something else, isn't it?

Yes, we saw Lincoln, and what a great movie. Very moving. The performance by Daniel Day-Lewis was just extraordinary.

This is not how it looks out my window, at the present time but I like the pic anyway.

Looking forward to a R & R Sunday, (Reading & Relaxing) with some football action thrown in. What's everyone else doing?

Pat- Thanks! I prefer her as a blonde but she wanted to change it up for the winter. And yes, we do love having her around more often.

Ellen- Thanks! Yes, I plan on finding a copy of The Gift of Rain myself. The guy is a heck of a good writer.

Morning Joe- Thanks! Yes, I loved The Garden of Evening Mists. I knew you would love Lincoln. D.D.L. is mesmerizing. Go Bears!

Morning Mark! Looks like we have the same plans for today except that I also have a mountain of laundry to tackle. Thanks for sharing the pic of your daughter - she is gorgeous, and what a beautiful smile she has!

Mark -

Hope you have a great R&R Sunday. I am planning on the same, with a little work thrown in.

Haven't been to the short story thread in a while, but I am in the middle of a couple of collections: Safe as Houses and The China Factory. Dear Life is waiting for me. I was to save that one though - maybe for holiday break.

I love this poster!

Mamie- Funny, I do the laundry (most of it anyway) around here too. So, I'll be starting it shortly. Enjoy your Sunday and let's have a good football day!

Nancy- I'm slacking on my story collections too and I need to pick something soon. Both of the ones you mentioned sound good and I'm also looking forward to the new Munro. Enjoy your day!

Plans for Sunday? Groceries, laundry, FOOTBALL, LT'ing, reading, cleaning out email, finishing my Fiscal Year 2014 budget for work... Looking forward to all of it but the last! Have a great day, Mark. Go Bears! (And Giants!)

Hi, everyone. Sunday at my house is laundry + reading + great niece's friend's birthday party at Build-A-Bear (confession: I've always wanted to build a bear, my own self.) Then, early to bed as I've got responsibilities next week. Sigh. Vacation is well and over and done for now. Need to start the piggy bank for the next one. Meet-Up in Hawaii in 2013 anyone?

Mark - hope your weekend is going well mate. Thanks for the photo of Bree - she looks a sweetie. btw what on earth is the red drink among the four she is surveying?

Sunday smoochings for all the denizens

Also dipping in and out of My Ideal Bookshelf today. Adding to my wish list...

Katie- Looks like you have a busy Sunday. I'm going to try squeezing in a bit more reading before the Bears game starts. Go Bears! Go Giants!

Karen- Sounds like you have a nice day planned. Enjoy!

Paul- I'm not sure what the red drink is, that Bree is drinking. I wasn't there. Probably a "girly" shot of something, although some of those can pack a wallop. I'll have to ask her.
Cutler is returning today. I hope he is in top form.

RD- Good to see you, sir! Have a great Sunday.

Nancy- Have you read Etgar Keret? I just received one of his story collections. Someone mentioned him a few months ago and he sounds very good.



Bears vs. the Vikings at noon! Cutler at the helm. We NEED a big win. Go Bears!

Go Bears! Go Giants! Go Broncos! Go Colts!

Making good progress on TOR until time to go build a bear.... the mall! omg, the mall?

I heard a rumour that you had finished the Garden of Evening Mists- and loved it!
So glad, it was a great journey wasn't it?

Great picture of your daughter, Mark. She's a stunner....just like....you? OK then, Ill take your word for that ;)

(Go Bears!)

Bears 25, Vikings 3- 1st half. O & D look very good! Cutler is sharp. Go Bears!

Mamie- I see the Colts and Broncos are winning in close games.

Karen- Good luck at the mall! OMG, is right!

Megan- The Bears are looking good. Me, a stunner? No way. Average at best. Bree got the best of both of us. Our boy is on the hunky side too!

I posted this on RD's thread too! It speaks volumes!

>67 msf59: haha, good one!

Still havent seen it, or much of anything at the flicks lately. Terrible but true.

It got cold here yesterday and since I was in the house baking cookies most of the day (listened to lots of Christmas music) I didn't notice that it was getting cold. My plants froze! I forgot to cover them.

I was by surprised by my post office. I got a couple of packages in the mail from Amazon. When did Amazon start having the post office deliver?

I am really happy for Notre Dame! I will have to look and see what is in store for K-State. My sister tells me that they are hoping to play in the Rose Bowl.

This ones for Paul.

Craig is OK for Bond but somehow he is just too serious. I think what has improved with the Bond Franchise is the writing. It was the story that was stupid before. These stories are much better. Also, the supporting actors are better as well. In this one the guy who played Q was great and added to the tension. Javier Bardeen was also good. Villainous but still empathetic. The cinematography was outstanding as were the stunts. Not sorry I saw it, just should have done it on a different day.

I am not sure who I would pick to play Bond if not Craig, but think there is somebody out there who could do it just as well.

We saw Skyfall on Thanksgiving as well, and I was glad we got there early! Our theater was packed too. I have to admit it was the first Daniel Craig Bond film I've seen! I'm not a huge Bond fanatic but have always preferred Connery. That said, we really enjoyed Skyfall and I agree with Benita's comments in #70 about writing, other cast members, cinematography, etc. Great stuff.

Did anyone else have to endure a seemingly infinite number of super-violent trailers before the feature film? It was just awful -- so much gun violence, all coming to a cinema near me in the coming months.

I saw The Perks of Being A Wallflower last night. Really good movie, but SOOO not a PG-13 rating in my opinion, and we had our middle school son with us. Lots of dark stuff about death in addition to the high school angst of not fitting in. Also Rocky Horror galore, which I enjoyed, but again, probably not the best for my son's age and he had no clue what all the weird people were doing up on stage, LOL. I couldn't tell that it was so dark from the trailers although, after the fact, I did read the writeup did and there was a hint there. Plenty of laughs too and we did have a great discussion afterward. I enjoyed it!

Haven't read Edgar Keret. But of course, since you just mentioned him, I added another book to my wish list.

Bears Win! Bears Win! 28-10. Yes!!

Megan- We are going to try to see the film version of Life of Pi in the next couple weeks.

Benita- Sorry you guys are cold. We've been quite chilly here too. LJ time! We deliver Amazon packages all the time. I wonder if it's a regional thing.
I would have liked to see Clive Owen as Bond. He might be getting a little old now.

Laura- Hopefully we get a chance to see Skyfall in the near future. Funny, most of the year, nothing is worth seeing and now there are several.
And yes, films these days are ridiculously violent. I don't get it.

Kim- Good to see you, as always. "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" sounds good. I think it'll make a perfect DVD selection. Hope you are enjoying your day.

Nancy- The Keret collection I snagged is Suddenly, A Knock on the Door. I think it's his latest.

Hi Mark, just dropping by to say thanks for setting up the Steinbeckathon thread so quickly. I loved the picture in #17 and the little cartoon girl's question is what I ask myself every year, just as I ask myself every Valentine's why people don't make every day an occasion to celebrate love... All the same, hope you had a very nice Thanksgiving.

Hey, Mark! Great Bears win, eh? They needed that. So good to have Cutler back. Lots of injuries, but they all seemed minor (fingers crossed).

67> Too good (and too true).

Happy for your Bears. The Seahawks, on the other hand, gave away their game to the Dolphins. :-(

Tomorrow is Monday. Back to real life for me...

Ilana- Nice to see you over here. Always a pleasure. Thanks for the reminder on Sweet Thursday. Time can get away from me, during the work week, so I'm glad I knocked it out. Our Thanksgiving went very well, thanks.

Joe- Yes, very pleased with that win. And yep, the Cutler/Marshall show is always dazzling. Like, you said, let's hope they can rebound from this flurry of injuries.

Ellen- Last time I checked I thought the Seahawks had it in the bag. What a bummer.

Ahhh football! My son is in a funk because the Steelers lost. The Steelers are getting old and creaky and some of them are broken so? But he is a huge fan so.....

The Seahawks did have it in the bag. More's the pity that they lost.
*grumble*
It would be better if I didn't care about sports.

RE: Bond
I like Craig as Bond. 1) He's hot, 2) He's a good actor, 3) He does a great job with the action, 4) He's hot.
But, saying that, my boyfriend and I think that Stringer Bell from The Wire would be an excellent Bond. He has the swarthiness. What do you think?

On another note, last year (or the year before) around this time someone was posting prints on a few different threads that were cartoons strips about books. I am trying to remember who the artist is. I think I want one of the prints. Anyone remember who the artist is or remember who's thread they were on?

Yay Bears (and Broncos!) LOVE the photo of Bree -- what a beautiful young lady!

I finally finished Ken Burn's "The Dust Bowl". I think they did a very good job and like others, I thought the 2nd part was stronger than the 1st part. I loved seeing timothy Egan featured so much.

Kath- The Steelers have been looking pretty sad.

Ellen- We play the Seahawks next, right?

Jennifer- Good to see you over here. Yes, Idris Alba would make a fine Bond, although I'm not sure the rest of the world is ready though.

Anne- What a nice surprise. Go Bears! Go Broncos! I appreciate the compliment about Bree. She is a cutie!

Hi Mark, what a beautiful picture of your daughter! Well, because she is looking so lovely in that pic we can forgive her for "not holding a book" *big smile*

Thank you soo much for your warm words pertaining the recovery of my little sister *smile*. Her boyfriend made me crack up over the weekend. First he hates books and told us he owns only one *grin*. he thinks books are a complete bore. Fine with me, not everyone can be mad about reading. When he actually saw how many books Alex and myself have, he was seriously flubberghasted and asked us "What do you do with soo many books?" Alex and I just starred at him, couldn't help it but had to laugh and just said "Read, what else do you think we do with so many books?"

Grumpy has it right, doesn't he? The cold weather continues too. Mid-30s today. I'm reading A Killing in the Hills, which has been fairly routine so far. I should also be wrapping up Paper Towns, which has also been fair-to-middling. Come on, I can't end the month with a whimper!

Bianca- Actually my daughter is a reader, but not a crazed, geeky one like her Dad. She reads in spurts, much like my wife. But hey, that still counts.
"What do you do with soo many books?" That's one of my favorite questions. Like Duh!

I had a hard time getting back to work today. I could have used a few more days off. I baked my Christmas cookies, and sacking them and putting them in the freezer. I also spent some time at my local Barnes & Noble learning how to use my iPad. While baking the cookies I listened to half of the lectures by Lars Brownworth. He did some early podcasts about the Byzantine Empire and then wrote a book about the Byzantine Empire titled Lost to the West. I have the book, but decided to listen to the lectures so that I could learn how the darn machine worked. It was fun listening to them while working in the kitchen as I got to combine two of the things I love best in life - food and books. Food for the body and food for the mind. However, I got the screen greezy as the machine simply refused to do the lectures in order. I thought I had the shuffle part turned off, but might have to consult the iPad gods who work at the library about the problem. (The iPad gods are the students who work at the library.) I also listened to some Christmas music and did some knitting, so am feeling the season. It was so nice to be off. Back to work is the pits.

I will have my tea drinking ladies over tomorrow and will share the Christmas cookies with them.

Grumpy has it right, Mark. That four day-er was so darn good. Yes, we play the Seahawks next. At least we'll have happy LTers coming out of it, Ellen and other Seattlans or the Chicago Peeps.

I'm going to pick up Sweet Thursday at lunchtime; if you're reading (or re-reading) that one, it should improve the lackluster quality of your month-ending reads.

Hi Mark!
Beautiful daughter that Bree - lovely lady. And I should know as I have two daughters that are also top notch ;-)

I got The Garden of Evening Mists from the library and have not cracked it open yet. Straining at the bit to get to it. Trying to finish up 3 others (2 ER books and one for my RL book club) first. I have so many doctor appts this week between my Mom amd myself - maybe that will help :-)

Glad you had a great holiday and sorry you had to go back to work in the cold. We had a few flurries here today - very few.
Stay warm!

Hi Mark: Hope you're staying warm. There's a momentary chill in the air.

Yuck, my Packers looked terrible last night. I shut the TV off and read my Santa book instead of watching the second half. I thought the Vikes would give the Bears a better run for their money. Quick rematch, I think. Week after next.

So glad to see you finally posted a picture of Bree. Yay!!

Okay, I finished the audio of Paper Towns and ended up liking it. It's no Fault but since that was one of the best YA books I have ever read, it's hard to beat.
I did start the audio of The Snow Child, which is really a perfect winter read, since it's set in the frigid winter of rural Alaska (is that redundant?). I'm curious to see where this one goes.

I also received a beautiful hardback of Waiting For Columbus from BM. I haven't seen anyone on LT talk about this title but I know it's a BOTNS favorite and you know I love those guys.

Benita- You always tempt me with your cooking/baking. When are you going to send me some Christmas cookies.....hmmmmmmmm? I'm glad you got your iPad. Very nice. I'm still resisting, plus they are just a tad to expensive for me.
Yes, returning to work is no picnic but at least I have my book buddies to keep me company.

Joe- I requested Sweet Thursday, both the audio and the book. I probably won't be starting it for a couple of weeks. Did you see Prometheus? I watched it last night. Thumbs down!

Claudia- Good to see you. Yes, that Bree is a keeper, although I'm looking forward to her returning to the blond look. You should love The Garden of Evening Mists. It's a very special read! Good luck with those Dr. appointments.

Linda- Yes, it was a damp cold today. The overcast skies kept the chill in. But at least the Wind Gods were kind again. Sorry about your Packers. I didn't watch the game but something seems to be off with those guys, this season.

Get extra warm tonight, Mark, looks like a cold winter is in store.

:-(

I read Waiting For Columbus from ages ago......

Oh! forgot to say - I'm loving your graphics!
All winners... especially the ones on reading :-)

Anyone else been watching the current Walking Dead? It's actually been pretty good and unusually consistent. Just a ridiculous amount of splatter. Come on! Are fans that gore-thirsty?

RD- I think it's supposed to creep down into the high teens tonight and back into the mid-30s tomorrow. Chilly. I'm fine with it, as long as the dreaded "S" word stays at bay.

Kath- Do you remember what you thought of it?

Claudia- Twice in one night? Be still my beating heart. Deep breaths. Glad you like the graphics. I like to keep it visually interesting, plus it saves me from typing so much. Here's a closer:

Mark---your daughter is lovely! And you must be so happy to have her back home and living nearby. Have you watched Homeland yet? More twists than a pretzel in this episode. Only three more left:(

>83 msf59: is that picture of a big dust storm brewing? Incredible.

Just saying hi for now as all potential comments seem too insignificant right now. Just like this one!
(I need sleep)
Night night.

Good morning Mark,
ha can't wait what you have to say about The Snow Child, I bought that one last month, but haven't read it yet. However, as you said probably fitting as a lovely winter read. :)

Bonnie- Yes, it's great having Bree around. She's living in the city but we see her regularly. We have another over-nighter planned in a couple weeks.
Did not see Homeland yet. Hopefully tonight. 3 left, huh? That is sad.

Megan- There are some stunning photos of these dust storms. I'm sure you can Google them. They truly seem unreal.

Bianca- The Snow Child is a simple story so far, quiet but engaging. Where it's heading is anyone's guess.

I am not too far in, but so far, I like the people I've met in the book...

14 degrees for the dog walk. I just kept trying to think about the forecast of 55 for Sunday...

Still enjoying My Ideal Bookshelf, but not getting much else done. Too busy planning a Buy Local Gift Fair for Dec 9. It takes place at Lakefront Brewery - you should drive up! http://localfirstmilwaukee.com/living-local/buy_local_gift_fair/

Mark and Joe, I figure the Seahawks vs the Bears is a toss up. Who wants to lose more badly? :-|

Still reading Team of Rivals and The Snow Child. Enjoying both, and they are about as different as two reads can be.

We'll see on the Seahawks/Bears, Ellen. I believe the Bears are about to contact Mark to play the offensive line, as they're running out of people.

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Snow Child, Mark. Paper Towns was good but not great for me.

Unfortunately, after last weekend and with the performance enhancing drug distraction and the fact that we can't win road games for some bizarre reason, I predict a horrible loss for my dear Seahawks on Sunday, even with the Bears' current problems. And I had such high hopes for this season. But I still have hopes for the future, as they are such a young team and really do have a lot of talent.

Morning, Mark, or rather afternoon here and morning there. It's drizzly as hell, and chilly, and i want a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. Off to the cafe!

Hi, Mark, this is the time of year when I am so glad I no longer live in Chicago. I spent two very long, cold, s***y winters there back in the late 1960s! Yee gads, it was cold as a wi***'s t**! OMG.

Gillian Flynn reading Patricia Highsmith. I will always be interested in seeing what Mrs. Flynn is reading. Sadly, I have not read Highsmith. I'll put it on the 2013 reading agenda, which is already beginning to bulge.

Kath- Wow! I just read your review of the Snow Child. You don't mess around, do you? I'm so glad you liked it. I'm enjoying it also and should be done with it tomorrow.

Nancy- Cold one today but it's supposed to gradually warm up for the weekend. I heard it might hit 60 by Monday. What? I think we might be going into the city for another visit with our daughter on the 9th. We will definintely plan on getting up there to visit the Lakefront Brewery.

OMG OMG You haven't read The Talented Mr. Ripley yet?!? OMG OMG!!!

Must. Must. Read!

Ellen- Despite their current injuries, I will give the edge to the Bears on Sunday. Cutler looked sharp this past game and the defense is looking incredible again.
I'm well into The Snow child and should be wrapping it up tomorrow.

Joe- LOL. I have just enough energy to do my route everyday. I don't think I could help the Bears out. I think you will like the Snow Child. I'm curious to see how it plays out.

Kerri- I hope the Seahawks make it a good game! The Bears need to stay sharp. Whatever happens, let's make sure we are drinking a good beer.

RD- Wow, your weather sounds crappy. Yuck. We are just cold! I don't think it got out of the low 30s, but there was plenty of sunshine, which helps and it's going to warm up nicely.

Karen- LOL. You may swear over here, my friend. Witch's Tit is completely acceptable.

Hi Mark, your daughter is lovely and I can see why you are such a proud Papa! The best thing in the world is for your children to grow up and move away from home - BUT not too far. I have one just down the street and my younger daughter is just 20 minutes away. That makes me very happy.

I was looking at my list of top books for the year so far, and at least two of them were direct recommendations from you, so you can be sure that I will be stalking you into the next year!

BTW, I am still watching The Walking Dead, but am a couple of episodes behind, but I agree they are sure going through those zombies this year. I admit to having a little giggle when the Govener was aiming his range balls at zombies!

I have the Dust Bowl yet to watch and the other night I recorded a Downtown Abbey Season Three Preview.

Stay warm and plugged into good books!

Mark - Agree with you about Clive Owen. Agree with Richard about The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Hey there, Mark, your thread is the usual lively place around here. I think Bree does have your eyes and smile. She also seems to have acquired a taste for your favorite beverage! It's great to have her back isn't it?

I am saving The Dust Bowl for the next time I have some down time. I gave up on my Chiefs Sunday (go Broncos!) and watched ALL the Wallander episodes in one fell swoop. I was tired after all the cooking and keeping up with grandkids.

I was excited today to receive my notice that I would be getting the newest Elizabeth Strout as an ER book. Yay!

Well, I managed to snag an ER copy of the Strout book, along with Bonnie, Tina & Donna! Hooray! Is that cool or what?
Not bad considering, there were nearly a thousand requests.

RD- Highsmith has been on my radar for a long time. Even her recent bio sounded very good. I saw the film versions of The Talented Mr. Ripley & Strangers on a Train but that's it.

Judy- Yes, it's very nice having the kids close at hand. It was tough having Bree gone nearly 2 years. Our son is still living at home so we see him way to much. LOL.
I'm sure you will enjoy getting caught up with the Walking Dead. Sunday will be the last one before the break.

Paul- I haven't seen much of Clive Owen lately. For awhile there, he seemed to be in everything.

Donna- Great to see you! Yes, Bree does seem to take after my side of the family and she does seem to have my beverage-gene! Yes, I'm happy!
You will love "The Dust Bowl". What did you think of the Wallanders?

Add me to the list of people who won The Burgess Boys! Lucky us!

Good Morning! How about that cup of coffee? How about that book? Should keep him busy for awhile. Since I have the weekend off this week, I'm halfway there and the temps are slowly rising too! Yah! I should be wrapping up The Snow Child today, which has been good. I've also been enjoying A Killing in the Hills, a gritty crime novel set in rural West Virginia.

Joanne- Hooray! We should do a G.R. of the Burgess Boys!! You read The Snow child, right?



Move over, sweetheart! We have some reading to do!

All of this talk of "The Dust Bowl" makes me want to investigate. I caught a bit of a documentary on Woody Guthrie a couple of weeks ago and that, too, made me want to learn more about that time...

I need that coffee cup and book to give Tomm as Christmas presents - his latest computer has a *ginormous* monitor (one of the extra-large Mac screens), and I've been teasing him about it for awhile now. For his birthday I bought him an over-sized pencil to go along with it, and I plan on adding to the gag-style extra-large office supplies for each holiday/birthday...

I love your coffee and book picture! We had 'The Dust Bowl' on TV here in the UK as well last night - on a channel that I didn't even realised we had - PBS America. I didn't watch it (went to bed early with a cold) but recorded it to view later.

Playing catch up. Bree's a real looker. You must scrutinize every guy she brings to dinner.
Clive Owen? Did someone drop the name of Clive Owen? Now, he's the guy I would have chosen for Bond. Hot cha cha! Looking at his wikipe page he's been quite busy with about 5 movies in or pre production. Also mentioned he played Hemingway in Hemingway and Gellhorn. Did anyone see this movie?

BTW: Is The End of your Life Book Club sad? Despite the mention of so many outstanding books I could not take sad.

>117 SandDune:: I'm amused that you have a "PBS America" channel because most of what I watch on PBS are British dramas & mysteries! (i.e.; Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, Foyle's War etc.). Then again, we have BBC America here and they don't air any of the dramas, but programmes like Top Gear instead. PBS does have some good science and nature programming, as well as documentaries.

#119 I din't even realise that we had PBS America until I saw the 'Dust Bowl' program recommended in the newspaper. We get Sky Atlantic as well which has all the HBO stuff.

Hey, Mark. Hope this warmer, sunnier day is treating you well. I finished Pump Six and I'm pretty sure you'd like it a lot. Pretty grim in places, but very well done.

While waiting for Sweet Thursday, I'm reading the new Harry Dresden, called Cold Days. I got hooked on this series when I was laid up after my first hip operation, and he's kept the entertainment level on high for adherents.

Hi Mark! Hoping for a windless, snowy day! I mean windy, snowless day! Oh good gracious...windless. Snowless. Day. for you!

Mark, it's been only a couple of days since I've visited but it feels like so much longer! You have a beautiful daughter, but that is to be expected right, especially if she is a chip off the old block! ;)
Have a great week filled with lots of great books, my friend.

Amber- Yes, I highly recommend the Ken Burns "Dust Bowl" doc, but I highly suggest you read The Worst Hard Time beforehand. It's fantastic.
I'm not sure there are coffee cups and books of that ginormous size, but you never know.

Rhian- I'm glad you were able to record "the Dust Bowl". It's a terrific doc and it addresses many issues that have not been well documented, like the fact that this was a man-made disaster.

Lynda- Good to see you! My daughter is very selective, so if she brings home someone, he should past muster. I did not see the HBO's Hemingway film but I meant too! I'm a big fan of Owen. I loved him in Children of Men.
Personally, I did not think The End of your Life Book Club. Yes, it deals with death and dying but in a very uplifting way, if that makes sense.

Laura- The one very good show on BBC America is "Copper". It's first rate all the way. I have still not seen "Call the Midwife". Bad Mark.

Joe- Not a bad day at all, today, especially for the end of November. Nearly 50 for tomorrow. I liked The Snow Child and think you might too! I'll have to get my grubby hands on Pump Six. Have you read the follow-up to Ship Breaker yet?

RD- It was not windy or snowy, so your good wishes worked. Thank you, sir!

Valerie- Great to see you! It's so easy to fall behind around this crazy world we call LT, so I totally understand.

Mark - Hani seems to wish that Yasmyne had Bree's eye for selection. None of her poor boyfriends can pass muster with her and (I may have mentioned!) she can appear intimidating somewhat. Her present Beau is only allowed to the house with SWMBO especial permission and I noted that last Sunday was not one of those days. The poor boy was hidiing in the common garbage room on our apartment floor in the hope of snatching 5 minutes with Yassie. I told Yasmyne and Kyran that they could go to the cinema and told her to get the boy out of the Garbage room before he made my car smell and dropped the lot of them at the mall. Hani sat in stony silence throughout!

I think that I have a copy of Waiting for Columbus somewhere in my collection even though it doesn't show up in my library or my wish list. I remember reading the reviews of this one and they were very good. I may have to hunt down a copy of this one and read it as well.

I started listening to Snow by Orhan Pamuk and this may be one of those meaty novels that works best when read. There is so much in it that I think I miss something and so am constantly hitting the rewind button. I finally went to the library last night and got the book to help me figure out some of the harder parts. The novel is simply full of many of the arguements taking place in Turkey regarding the place of Islam in a secular state. I wonder where this novel is going, but am putting it in the same category as Blindness by Jose Saramago.

I also started reading YA book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. This is a novel that is full of Chinese folktales and so far it is a fun simple read. I think it would make a wonderful recorded book. The book was listed as a Newbery honor book a few years ago and the sequel to it is coming out this fall, so I figured I had better get it read.

Cookies? You want cookies? Why? ;-) My tea drinking ladies only ate about six of them, and none of my date nut bread. That's all OK as I have a Christmas reception on Sunday for which I must bring some kind of Christmas finger food. Then I have gifts to give out of what is left over.

Hi Mark, just passing through (and thought I heard something about cookies...?)

Hi Mark - Just wanted to stop by and ask you: do you set up a thread for your Christmas swap where we tell everyone what we got and how great it was? I thought there was a thread last year but could be mis-remembering. Anyway, I received mine today and wanted to publicly thank my generous Santa!

Er, never mind. Found it :)

Mark -I bought The Snow Child (a new signed hard cover) last year but have yet to read it. I plan to settle in with it some cold winter night very soon (if it ever gets cold).

I recommend adding the audio version of Call the Midwife to your audio list. A bit graphic, but oh so good and with a wonderful narrator!

>118 Carmenere: carmenere, Despite the name and the fact that the author's mother was dying, I found The End of Your Life Book Club to be uplifting. However, if my own mother's death had been more recent, I may have felt differently.

Well, Mark , I keep reading on LT about The Snow Child. It looks like soon I will have to purchase it. Where I live I think the same book could be entitled "Rain Child." It's been dreadful! And my community mailbox was left open last Friday too! Ohhh those Canadian Postman!

As for kids - I really have to chuckle at mine - aged 27 and 22. Our 27 year old let us know that he moving from one basement suite to another one last Sunday. He moves Dec 1st. He has had a couple of mice visit his suite, so understandably that set him packing for a new place. Meanwhile our son who is 22 just let me know today that he is accompanying his girlfriend to Hong Kong for Christmas ( she has family there. ) He lives at home. They are both great kids, but I laugh at the sudden notice that we get about their plans! :)

Thanks for the input re: End of Your Life Book Club, Mark and Joanne. I think I'll wait awhile for that one. As my son and I are so close, Mother/Son stories such as this one would really get me bawling.
Speaking of which he is 13 and not a girlfriend in sight. I'm sure I'll be sharing stories like yours and Paul's in a blink.

Last work day of the week for me. Hooray! I should be wrapping up A Killing in the Hills today. It's a book that has really grown on me, as I read along. I did finish the Snow Child. It's a good solid read but could have used some trimming. On audio, for a change of pace, I'm starting Moonwalking With Einstein.

Paul- Bree is 22, so she gets to call her own shots, but I'm glad she is so picky.
"Hani sat in stony silence throughout!" LOL. That's a great visual!

Benita- Thanks for the book update. Some interesting choices, as usual. how's DC coming? LOL. Doesn't everyone love homemade Christmas cookies?

Anne- Good to see you! I would think you would like the Snow Child. You should check that one out.

Katie-I'm sorry you didn't see the Swap link. I did post it here. See what you miss, when you don't visit obsessively? LOL.

Joanne- I think The Snow Child has your name on it. Maybe, it's your copy? LOL. I'm sure you will love it and it is a perfect winter read. Why is there an audio of Call the Midwife? Is the British series based on a book? I've requested the show from Netflix.

Deb- Tonto's Here! Tonto's Here! Yah! I think you would like The Snow Child. Those darn Canadian postmen! Hopefully nothing was taken.

Lynda- Yep, take your time with that memoir. I also thought of my mother while reading it, since we shared and talked books, while growing up. I miss her. There are so many titles, I would have loved discussing with her.

Morning, Mark! Hope the temperature climbs to 50 quickly for you this morning.

Benita: Oooh, I *loved* Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and didn't know she had another one coming out - must add it to the list...

Visiting Obsessively and Compulsively! Tha's me

My 3 day weekend does not start tomorrow. It is Sat/Sun/Mon This week. The Father (mail carrier) is doing a couple of weeks with three day work weeks! Woo hoo! But then..... Winter Break from school. Regular work weeks + kids = tiredness, and then there's Christmas shopping to do, too. I am feeling sorry for myself this morning.

>134 msf59: - I do visit regularly (sounds better than "obsessively" or "like a stalker"!). Not sure how I missed it...

107> I'll put it on the 2013 reading agenda, which is already beginning to bulge.
I never cease to be amazed at how quickly this occurs! Now if only I had bought that Powerball ticket yesterday so I could retire......
I haven't read The Talented Mr. Ripley yet, either, but will add it to my own 2013 list as per Richard's instructions. It's been on my WL for years; about time to get to it!

Believe it or not I plan on taking David Copperfield home with me and getting that huge maudlin piece of Victoriana off my reading list! I will finish it just as soon as I finish Team of Rivals. I have half done with both books and they will be long winter's reads.

A review of Nick Hornby's collection of reviews, Housekeeping vs. the Dirt, is up in my thread...post #296.

He's a hoot, this guy. Too bad I'm mad at him. And you, too, Mark, for making me aware of him. Joe denied responsibility categorically, so it must be YOU. All you Chicagoids look the same to me.

:-P~~~~~~~~~~

Poor Norma Jean. She looks so sad. Maybe she's reading The Shack. Yah, I'm off for 3 days! Can I get a shout-out?

Amber- It turned out to be a nice day. About 50, partly sunny. I'll take it. Nearly 60 Sun. & Mon. Sweet!

Karen- "I am feeling sorry for myself this morning." I prescribe a very good book and of course a strong ale. Hope that works. Who is the mailman?

Katie- You can be a Mark Stalker! That would be completely acceptable.

Ellen- I plan on starting off the year with Anna Karenina. I cannot put this classic off any longer. And then a full plate for FF and then the Stegner G.R. and then...OMG!

Benita- "that huge maudlin piece of Victoriana"! You are beginning to sound like a female version of RD! LOL.

RD- I was just talking about you. I'm so glad you are hooked on Hornby. These books are infectious, plus they play hell on the WL.

Good for you, getting three days off, Mark. Enjoy.

Enjoy the tri-days off, Mark! I keep hearing something about cookies? Cookies and Modelo? Now we're talking!

Me too for The Burgess Boys!

Enjoy those days off, Mark. I was out and about at lunchtime and had my sunroof open, enjoying the balmy 50 degree temps. Even warmer ahead.

Benita & Amber - I just started Starry River of the Sky today and so far it is just as good as Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. I love the folktales and how she weaves them into the story. I also adore her illustrations.

I do try to be a tad cagey but I take care of the before and after school stuff for my Niece's kids. Her hubby is the mail carrier and so when he has a day off, I have a day off. Next week: he's off on Monday and Friday. The following week, because I need him to be, he will be off on Tuesday and Friday. Then it is back to normal. Whatever that is... we shall see. When the kids are out of school for the two weeks of Winter Break, I'm doing more than just before and after school....

That there is the reasons why I don't never get no good reading time. School!

I finished A Killing in the Hills. I ended up really enjoying this one. Yes, it's a crime novel, but with a healthy dose of hillbilly noir.
I started the audio of Moonwalking With Einstein and it's been fun and informative. Mental Athletes. I don't think anyone would accuse me of being one of those.
I also started my ER book, Lost At Sea. It's a NF story collection. I'm not sure I've read one of these before. Has anyone read Jon Ronson? He wrote the Men Who Stare at Goats & The Psychopath Test.

I also received a nice hardback copy of the Lay of the Land from BM. So, reading the Frank Bascombe trilogy, is also on the agenda for 2013. It's going to be an action-packed year.

Maybe I'll join you for Anna Karenina in January.... I own a really lovely copy but have yet to read it. But it won't get me off to a good start toward my 75 in 2013.

Judy- Thanks! I'm looking forward to it. Are you reading westerns again?

Joe- "Cookies and Modelo?" I think that's a nice combination. I have to put up the Christmas icicle lights sometime over the weekend. At least it will be mild. We also need to pull out all the Christmas decorations. Never fun.

Terri- We should do a Group Read of The Burgess boys. We have a nice crowd.

Linda- Yes, it was a nice day today and even better through the weekend. Enjoy! Any thoughts on the Sammy Sosa & the Hall of Fame deal? There was a big article in the Trib this morning about it.

Kerry- Big Wave!

Karen- Sounds like you had a rough day. LOL. At least, I now know who the mailman is.

Ellen- That would be great. I wish I could get a few more of us on Anna Karenina. I cannot believe I have not read this classic! I'm a slacker on War and Peace also, but don't tell anyone. Maybe, we could close out the year with that one.

Been way behind since Thanksgiving, but caught up with you now Mark. I have added The End of Your Life Book Club to my wish list based on your review! :)

I haven't read Anna Karenina yet either Mark and had planned to read it in 2013 too. I'm still not sure when so when you decide about your GR I'll see how that works with my plans, although I'm notoriously bad about GRs and I'm shying away from anything that resembles a commitment next year;-)

>113 msf59: congrats on nabbing an ER copy of Elizabeth Strouts newest. You must be very pleased with yourself!

(im very behind on the threads, can you tell?)

>124 msf59: I want to get on to The Worst Hard Time soon, I really do. But go tell that to my list of books that I am pressurising myself to read asap....they wouldnt like a sneaky push in :)

>131 vancouverdeb: Well, Mark , I keep reading on LT about The Snow Child. It looks like soon I will have to purchase it
I agree with Deb! I have been hearin about it so mush my mind thinks its on my WL! Not so subliminal messaging, those blue titles are!

Anna Karenina? My emotional mind says yes! Ill join you on a GR of that one, and then my rational mind says woah! hold up there - are you mad? lol, so I guess we'll see ;)

I read Anna Karenina a couple of years ago, but I don't remember much from it except a lot of it went over my head so I'm looking forward to watching the movie to fill in all the holes....haha!

Mark, I'm thinking about reading Anna Karenina with your GR. I'm hesitating due to feelings of overwhelmedness right now but perhaps by then I'll be more balanced. We'll see.....

Quiet. Coffee. LT. I love that combo. And team that up, with being off the next 3 days= HEAVEN.

Tina- I was wondering where you were. And yes, The End of Your Life Book Club is a Must Read!

Bonnie- I wasn't necessarily doing a G.R. of Anna Karenina, I was just throwing it out there. I HAVE to get to it. It was on my reading list for the past 2 years and didn't make the cut. I thought if I scheduled it in January, I can't wiggle out of it.

Megan- I was impressed how many of us snagged The Burgess Boys. Cool. I've also had Amy & Isabelle languishing in the stacks forever.
I might have to do a voting ticker on Anna Karenina. I'm going to read it either way. I'm on a mission.

Valerie- Good to see you. Even my FIL has read Anna Karenina and he's not a big reader and he likes James Patterson. What does that say about me?

Karen- As far as reading goes, we are always on that Big Book Bubble. I like a Group Read because I can finally buckle down and get to that book, much like TOR.

ALERT!!

For my friends in the Pacific Northwest, Books on the Nightstand is hosting a Booktopia event in Bellingham Washington in June. Registration begins on December 7th. Spots are limited and will go very fast, so think about it. Here is the link:

http://www.planetreg.com/E11285255679779

I will not be attending this one but plan on attending their Michigan event in September. I have been to a past "Retreat", in Manchester Vermont and it's fantastic. Get cozy with authors and book-lovers.

Hope you enjoy your 3 day weekend!!! Today is my last day of vacation! Boo Hoo!! But I had a good week. Hardly stayed home, we were out and about much of the time. Also got takeout or dined out, so had a break from cooking. Yay!!

My boss lady missed me so much I had to go out to dinner with her and 2 other co-workers. I told her that all I've been dreaming about was fixing problems at work and I wasn't coming back until I stopped dreaming about work. She didn't think it was funny.

I would join a group read of Anna Karenina. I was thinking about starting the year off with a long classic, but haven't decided which one.

Hope you get alot of reading and relaxation in today!!

What does it say about me that I rooted for Vronsky? Have a good day off, Mark, and a great time on the Anna group read 'cause face it dude, you're doin' it. Look at all these hopeful, expectant faces! They'll be *crushed* if you don't.

Anna Karenina is one of my never finished books. So a GR would be a motivator. *tries to look hopeful and expectant*

"Hillbilly noir"? I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that one.

I think most LTers would think of you as a mental athlete, easy. You sure do cross-country run through a lot of great books!

Hope you're off to a good start on your time off, my friend.

Did anyone see this article about The Onion and Kim Jong? OMG, is this funny!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2012/11/27/heres-the-onion-art...

Here's the original post of The Onion's Sexiest Man Alive For 2012:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/kim-jongun-named-the-onions-sexiest-man-alive-f...

"With his devastatingly handsome, round face, his boyish charm, and his strong, sturdy frame, this Pyongyang-bred heartthrob is every woman’s dream come true. Blessed with an air of power that masks an unmistakable cute, cuddly side, Kim made this newspaper’s editorial board swoon with his impeccable fashion sense, chic short hairstyle, and, of course, that famous smile."

I had heard about it, but hadn't read it, Mark. "and, of course, that famous smile." Hah!

I think I saw something on my Google homepage about this but didn't notice it was from The Onion. Now it all makes sense. I will have to come back and check out the links you posted.

Have a great 3 days off Mark. You're tempting me with Anna Karenina because I bought a nice hardcover version at Borders going out of business sale which I've never read but reality may get in the way (i.e. that I still haven't finished Team of Rivals and about 4 other books that I've started).

Tammy- It's good to see you! Hope you had a great vacation and got those batteries re-charged. I'll decide if I'll do a Anna G.R. It's nice to see people interested. I thought I was the only one who hadn't read it.

RD- I'm sure I'll find out what it means to be a Vronsky fan. LOL. I've dragged my feet on reading this classic for far to long.

Joe- Several books out right now, fall into that "hillbilly noir" tradition. I think RD may have coined that phrase. Daniel Woodrell, Donald Ray Pollock and Bonnie Jo Campbell , all come to mind.
"You sure do cross-country run through a lot of great books!" That's the only marathon this guy will be running! LOL.
Yes, The Onion strikes again!

Hoping not to offend anyone, but hillybilly noir is a good description. When I was a kid my uncle was a state trooper in Tennessee. At Christmas time he always had stories about standoffs and shootouts and chasing someone through the holler. He retired about 20 years ago and moved back home. He and my aunt both still have that accent and they still say "shit fire".

I have not featured a naughty librarian in ages, so it's time. That's a nice author list too1

It always makes me a bit proud when I see a list of authors and actually recognize the majority of names of it! :)

Mark, you'll be pleased to know that your boy Hornby is adapting Cheryl Strayed's memoir to the screen!

Morning Mark. It is raining so hard here that going outside is like stepping into a waterfall! I feel sorry of the mailpeople here today.

Yes, I am still reading Westerns. I love that genre and I will miss it next year as I didn't have room for it on my 2013 Category List. Luckily there is going to be a Zane Grey Group Read next November. I just finished a Zane Grey originally published in 1909, so a little dated but I still enjoyed it.

I read Anna Karenina way back in my twenties, and I really have no interest in re-reading that chunkster. I would be interested in a War And Peace read as I have yet to read that one.

Hi Mark, Im already getting ready to chicken out on Anna Karenina, lets face it, I have hardly been up with my own personal list of classics!
How many pages is it again? *winces*

The New York Times has already released their 10 Best Books of 2012:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/books/review/10-best-books-of-2012.html

I've only read the Yellow Birds and the Boo book, both of which were fantastic. I have still not read Wolf Hall, another reading goal I failed on miserably, so did not get to the latest Mantel. And I had the epic GN, Building Stories home from the library but never got to it. I have the Smith and the Eggers on the tbr list. The other NF books on the list look a bit dry.

BTW- I ordered that calender in post# 166. I checked out some of the art and it looks very cool. Book Geek Mode!

Re: the "Onion" article about The Sexiest Man Alive. Did you know that in China they didn't realize it was a joke? They reported about it as a legitimate news story. Hahaha. You can read about it RIGHT HERE.

Tammy- I don't want anyone to think, I'm using "hillbilly" as offensive but I think it fits the theme in some of these books. Tough, downtrodden folk, living on the fringe. I don't use "shit fire" but I might start.

Valerie- Since most of those authors are fantasy and Sci-Fi, I see your point. LOL.

RD- That's great news, thanks! Hornby is a very sought-after screenwriter. His talent is endless.

Judy- We have been very dry here and mild lately. Around 50 today. I have to add a western or 2 to my list for next year. Maybe, a Louis L'Amour? And I haven't read Zane Grey in over 25 years.
I want to see how Anna Karenina goes and then I'll decide if I want to end the year with War and Peace.

Megan- At least you are jumping ship early. LOL. I agree, it's a big commitment. That's why it has taken me so long to get to it.

Bonnie- Yes, I saw the China connection, that's what caught my eye in the first place. LOL. I can also imagine the North Korean press blowing it up too! Dear Leader is one sexy guy!

Ha! I saw that calendar advertised earlier today and immediately thought of you! I also tried to order it on Amazon, but they're out of stock. Sadness.

checking in.. Glad you have the weekend off! That was for this weekend right?

#168
Shit fire! Now I have to read Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail in the next year before the movie comes out. I can barely manage to keep ahead of my every growing list of books I want to read and now they are making too many of them into movies. I am still trying to get to Crimson Petal and the White and that one has been a TV series for years. I can only hope that they will be bad movies so I won't feel bad about skipping them. But in order to talk about them I will have to read the darn book.

Mark - Stopping in to wish you a fabulous weekend! Big plans for the weekend off?

We went to see Argo tonight. It starred Ben Affleck, (who also did a dandy job directing), Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin and John Goodman. Very good film. Very suspenseful. My wife was gripping my arm. I think I have bruises. Lots of '70s hair and sideburns.

Amber- I hope you were able to find one of those calendars.

Kath- Yep, this is my 3-dayer! Yah! And I try not to think about 6 straight next week. No sir!

Benita- Shit fire is right! You have to read or listen to "Wild". It's excellent. I also have Crimson Petal and the White waiting in the stacks.
I saw that they are going to do a Downton Abbey Season 2 Encore, starting Sunday.

Mamie- Good to see you! I've missed you. I thought you may have been upset with me or something. To many naughty librarians or something. LOL.
Not a lot planned for the weekend. We are having my FIL's birthday party tomorrow. I have to get the Christmas lights up and then the Bears game on Sunday. Plus, try to get some reading in.

Here are a couple of the pictures featured in that Literary calendar. Very nice.

Mark - You crack me up! I'm not upset with you - just a crazy busy week. And trying to make up for my lack of reading in October - I am happy to report that I have finished ten books this month!! WahHOO!! LOL at the naughty librarians! Craig is NOT on call this weekend, so we are hoping to finish getting the house decorated for Christmas and enjoy some down time.

>179 msf59: oh no! Who shot the nice lingerie-clad lady through the window? And what does it have to do with books?
But, Im not surprised at all that you purchased the calendar. How could you not, given your propensity for the intelligent and saucy librarian type! lol

ps I think you could get away with calling a "literary" calendar, rather than a literary calendar :)

Happy Saturday. We are having the family over for my FIL's birthday party, late this afternoon. So there will be some chores and I NEED to string up the outside Christmas lights, while it's so mild. Things can change very rapidly, here in the Midwest.
Hope to squeeze in some reading, here and there too!

Morning Mamie- Hooray for finishing 10 books! And yah for not being upset with me. It's a Win/Win. Now, let's get a win from the Bears, Colts & Broncos.

Megan- "Who shot the nice lingerie-clad lady through the window?" I'm not sure but I'm sad for the poor thing. These were just a couple samples from the calendar. There is actually a wide range of pictures, from different genres. Pretty cool.

Hee hee! Literary calender, my foot, Mark! I'm laughing very hard! Fat chance my husband would be allowed to have such a " literary calender." Plus, since we have two sons , aged - gasp - nearly 28 and 22, Dave - my husband is very set on " setting a good example for the boys." Dave is just in love with the lady news broadcasters and such.

Great stuff about Argo! I really want to see both Argo and Skyfall. I'm going to push for Argo first. Sounds scary! " Saucy Librarians " A fetish of yours, Lone Ranger! :) Drooling with laughter here.

I found the perfect Saucy Librarian image for you, Mark!Check out the dudes shades! Maybe you should get some of those cool shades? ;) Maybe it's a vintage book you should seek out ;)

146) The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey 4 stars

Winter in the Alaskan frontier. Jack and Mabel, a childless couple from Pennsylvania, have moved to Wolverine River, somewhere in the wilderness of Alaska. They were looking for a fresh start and decide to try farming. It’s a tough, lonely existence and they find themselves plodding along, unhappy and disconnected. During the season’s first snowfall, the couple, caught in a rare moment of levity, have a snowball fight, which leads them to making a snowman, in the shape of a little girl, fitting her with a scarf and hat. The next morning, the snow child has disappeared but they spot a young girl running through the woods, wearing the discarded clothes.
This story, loosely based on a Russian fairytale, is about hope and survival. How a little girl can bring this couple happiness and possibly something deeper and darker. The author, an Alaskan native, captures the tone and the setting of this wild isolated place, with perfect detail. I think the book could have used additional editing but I was drawn to these characters, their tenacity and resilience, and ended up enjoying it very much.

Hello Mark, I wish you a fabulous weekend and hope your "Bears" win :)

I had to laugh at that "Onion" parody and that they didn't realize that it was one LOL.

Noticed that you are watching "The Walking Dead" as well :). Since Alex convinced me during the summer time to watch that with him, I sort of got hooked. The first two episodes I was scared sh*t which made Alex laugh. That was when I actually started to read in that zombie genre as well :).

I just bought The Crimson Petal and the White this month as PB and unabridged audiobook version. Lori recommended the mini series - which I watched and loved - so I thought I will give it a go with the book as well.

I hope your bruises from your cinema visit will heal quickly LOL.

edited to add - great review on The Snow Child *smile* - will definately read it, once I am back in Germany.

I have added The Snow Child to my WL. I need to get off these dang dubbit threads. I am adding so much to the lists...

and oh, BTW, I could easily be influenced into reading that gigantic Russian novel about the girl if there was a group reading of it...

Deb- I can't believe you are laughing at my "literary" calendar. I thought I was being a bit high-brow.
Argo is terrific entertainment. Seek it out. I still haven't seen Skyfall but it's on the movie agenda.
I love the Hospital Librarian! I'll have to find a pair of those thick glasses, in case I need to comfort someone.

Bianca- I nearly gave up on the Walking Dead, last season. Very uneven and repetitive. I'm glad I stuck with it though, because this season has been much more solid. I think the over-the-top carnage is a bit much at times.
I read Under the Skin about a year ago. It was my first Faber and I really enjoyed it despite the fact it was so creepy & yucky at times. I have one of his story collections and Crimson Petal, so I'll be reading one of those next year.

Karen- "I need to get off these dang dubbit threads." I feel your pain, my friend. I hope you decide on reading Anna Karenina with me. I'm even trying to snare my wife and daughter to join along.

Hi, Mark. I'm familiar with the suspense film arm bruises - Walklover does that to me, too. It's like a 3D effect.

Good review of The Snow Child. Thumbed, and I'm convinced. I've got a bunch of immediate tbrs, including our Steinbeck, but that one's up ahead in the near future.

Have a good family get-together today for your FIL's birthday.

Oh good grief. I briefly considered joining you for a read of Anna Karenina, since reading Russian classics is one of my long-term reading goals. But then I looked at the page count!!!

>185 msf59: Thumbs-upped!

Woot! Your review is hot, Mark! Thumb up from me earlier. What about that ! Hot Mark with the thick shades!

Christmas lights up! (mid-50s for December!) Chores done! Family doesn't start arriving for another 2 hours. Minus a half hour for doing odds & ends, I should still get a little more reading in. Lost at Sea has been incredibly satisfying. The guy likes strange, slightly twisted people and places, well......like I do.

Joe- I'm sure you would like the Snow Child. It's the ideal winter read. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Kerri- Yes, that page count is intimidating, but I NEED to finally get that classical monster. I also need to knock out War and Peace but both in the same year? The jury is out.

RD- Thank you sir. I'm not sure it's your cuppa, so I would suggest taking a pass.

Deb- Thanks for the Thumb! I haven't had a Hot Review in awhile, although my review productivity has been at low ebb. Hey, only so much time, right?

Yeah, I'd pretty much concluded the same thing.

I've put up three January group/community read suggestions in the Short Story thread...mosey over and see if any one appeals, or leave a suggestion if none does.

Terrific review of The Snow Child. I had that one in my hands at the indie bookstore I frequent a couple of weeks ago but it's hard for me to spend money on hardbacks. I didn't realize The Crimson Petal and the White had a TV series. I have the book and have been eager to read it so now I have another reason to do so. I've decided I'm going to allow myself only one library book per month from now on until I clear some of these books off my shelves. Haha we'll see how long that lasts.

Sorry I've been away from your thread for so long, Marky-Mark ... but..... I'm baaaaack!

I need to start afresh though ... catching up on 195 posts is a little daunting. :-) ...more so because as I skimmed through, I saw way too many blue bullets just waiting to hit me.

I'm proud to say I read Anna Karenina way back in my twenties, - well actually that was just my last decade - cough , erhem, so I need not read it again. I enjoyed at the time. One day I'll get to War and Peace - at least I hope I will.

RD- You know I'll be joining you guys on the S.S. Thread! I think I have added more story collections to the TBR shelves than anything else.

Bonnie- Good luck on the library goal! LOL. I will read another Faber next year but it will probably be his story collection.

Caro- You have been MISSED, my friend! Always a hole here, when you are not around. Come on Blue Bullets, that's our glue!

Deb- I know it was a long long long time ago but do remember your thoughts on Anna?

Ellen & Kerri- Game on, my friends. GAME ON!

Phew, I've finally caught up! Only took a day or two or three of concerted reading. Every time the end of the thread came in sight, I'd refresh and there would be more!

We got our Xmas tree up yesterday - Sydney was in the middle of some horribly hot and sticky weather so we went and spent the day soaking up the air conditioning at the local shopping mall. And battling the insane Xmas shopping crowds. Yuk. Wonder if I can buy everything online this year??

Had some child free time this morning, so popped into the library and found, quite by serendipitous accident, a copy of Doc. How to shoehorn it into the reading schedule, I have no idea.

I read Anna Karenina a few years ago and thought it was great. Tempted by the reread, but I'm pretty slack at the moment. And Vronsky was loathsome.

Good luck with that local sporting team of yours!

Tania- Great to see you. Glad you got caught up. I know it can be a big chore getting behind over here.
Sorry to hear you guys are sweltering. We've been enjoying a mild early winter so far and of course I hope it continues.
I hope you can bookhorn in Doc sometime soon. It's a great read.

Okay, my December reading will be as usual varied but I also hope to close out the year with a bang or at least a snappy pop.
I'm still reading Lost at Sea & listening to Moonwalking with Einstein. Both of which are very enjoyable. I also plan on getting to:

On Chesil Beach OMG, my first McEwan. Yes, you heard me right.
The Story of Lucy Gault OMG, my first Trevor! No, I didn't stutter.
The Twelve The follow-up to The Passage. I haven't seen many LTers reading this one yet. Hope it works.
I will also be wrapping up the Bayou Trilogy. I have the last book to finish.

On audio:

Tell the Wolves I'm Home I hope it's as good as the title.
Sweet Thursday For the final Steinbeck Group read. And one I've never read.
Curse of the Pogo Stick The 5th Dr. Siri adventure.
Charles Dickens: A life I intended to read at least one more novel by Dickens this year and failed but I do want to close out by reading this bio, which is supposed to be terrific.

I'm sure I'll be adding another title or 2 but this is the game-plan. Wish me luck!

Snow Child.. I fell in love with the neighbors, too :)

147) A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller 3.8 stars

Death in Appalachia. Acker’s Gap is a small West Virginia town. A rural area that is both beautiful and grotesque. Rampart drug use and incessant poverty are the reasons for the latter, issues that currently plague many areas across America.
One Saturday morning, three old man, longtime friends, are having coffee at a local diner. They are brutally gunned down by a lone assailant, who quickly flees. Bell Elkins, the county prosecutor, is called in to investigate. Her teenage daughter witnessed the crime.
Bell’s first instinct is that the killings are somehow drug-related. But are they?
This is a tough and gritty mystery. A cruel postcard, about the persistent struggles of the lower classes. No, this is not great literature but Keller, a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist and West Virginia native, is a very good writer and she’s done a fine job here.

So glad you are planning to read Lucy Gault, Mark. I hope you love it!

Mark, I read and loved The Snow Child this past summer. I finished The Twelve last week, and really enjoyed it. I can't wait to see where the third book takes us. This one is more a straight story, with a lot less of the different mediums (letters, committee findings, etc) updating the story.

Kath- You are right about the wonderful neighbors in The Snow Child. I should have included that fact in my min-review.

Katie- As promised, I'm looking forward to Lucy Gault. I think I will start it just before the Cronin.

Susan- It's great to see you again. I have always loved your book choices and your thoughts on them. Looking forward to The Twelve. My daughter is currently reading and enjoying Rebel Heart. I'll probably save it for FF.

Seahawks Vs. the Bears! Gorgeous day in Chicago. Cloudy, low 60s. Guess, where my butt will be parked?

>205 msf59: Thumbs-upped! I've already got this on my bed, waiting its turn, or I'd add it immediately.

Ugh. Turnovers. Good thing I have a book....
A Killing in the Hills sounds like a fun read. Might be a good Christmas present for my western-NC-living sister (who loves mysteries).

Another nice review, Mark. Thumb from me, too. I didn't have this one anywhere, as it and the author are both new to me.

Woo, going for it on 4th down. Go Bears!

Mark, I'm looking forward to the Julia Keller. I think she's the one who did the book reviews for the Trib.

We're off in a few minutes to see the Nutcracker down in Rosemont so I don't want to get wrapped up in a football game or even a book but I figured you'd have the Bears on.

Bennett scoring the 1st touchdown. Seahawks 10- Bears 7. 1st half. Tough, close game.

RD- Thanks for the Thumb! The book grew on me. Not so sure in the early going but it finally grabbed me.

Ellen- I think A Killing in the Hills would make a nice Christmas gift, especially for a mystery/crime lover.

Joe- Thanks for the Thumb! Go Bears! I hope you enjoy your play.

Linda- Yes, Keller was the book editor for the Trib. I liked her writing and her book taste. The Pack is struggling a bit, huh?

I love your choice for your first Trevor Mark. The Story of Lucy Gault was a favorite of mine. On Chesil Beach is not my favorite McEwan though. Kind of meh.

I love the button, Marky-Mark and wholeheartedy agree with what it says. It's interesting how a couple of 27F days will make 35F feel decidedly balmy. I ended up reading through the night ... People of Paper that I feel comfortable recommending to you because I think you would enjoy it. Not many people I'd recommend this to.

Still friends, right? That was the most exciting game of the year. Nerds rule.

Now I feel badly.....
I didn't see the game (went for a swim) and I'm sorry I missed it.

Bears lose! Bears lose! 23-17! Ugh!

Bonnie- Looking forward to the Trevor! Yah!

Caro- It's been in the 50s & 60s the past few days and will continue. No complaints here. Not familiar with People of Paper. It sounds very interesting.

Kerri- We will always be buds. Hey, the Seahawks deserved the win and played very well against a tough team. I was very impressed by Wilson.

Ellen- You missed a real heart-stopper and your team really came through. I hope you enjoyed your swim. LOL.

#219 - That kid is a gem. What else can you say? Especially since our defense left their brains in Seattle. Good game.

Oh, I've got a copy of People of Paper! Haven't read it, kinda forgot I even owned it, but it's nice to hear some good comments about it. Will have to dig it up and dust it off.

And while Saturday in Sydney was a humid sweltering mess, it's now cool and grey again. Yeesh, wish the weather gods would settle on something (fingers crossed for something with cool breezes, blue skies, and the occasional overnight shower to keep the gardens happy).

Hey, were you a fan of The Magicians? I read it the other week, and loved it, a whole heap of fun. I can see why people might have gotten fed up with the characters after graduation, but I didn't mind that part so much. Really, REALLY, want to buy the sequel right now, but am being sensible (NOOoooooOOOoo!) and saving my pennies for Christmas.

Mark - struggling to catch up after a weekend largely away. First and foremost a sympathetic nod to the Bears but I suppose if we have to lose then at least we can make Kerri and Ellen smile until next time at least.
Love the naughty librarian shots as always but Peter S. Beagle is not the first thing on my mind when I saw the shot!
Glad to see that you have made the most of your short work break by knocking on the door of a double 75.

Love that Tyrion! We watched a terrific little indie film called "My Sister's Sister", with the adorable Emily Blunt. It's funny and touching. A big thanks to Megan for the nudge. I wanted to erase the bad taste left from that Bears game. Wrapping up my long weekend. Boo Hoo.

Kerri- Seahawks looked good and deserved it, especially that scrappy little QB.

Tania- No humidity here, thank the Gods but very mild for early December. Yes, I read and enjoyed The Magicians. I'm not sure I loved it but liked it enough to read the follow-up.

Paul- Good luck back to work. Yes, I'm happy for Kerri & Ellen. They deserved the win. I'm not familiar with Beagle.

Hiya Mark! I really liked Copper (from a couple of threads ago) but only saw one or 2 episodes before it fell out of my head. Don't worry, it's on my Netflix list! Bad Laura. Love the pic of Bree, looks like she's adjusted to working there just fine. :) I agree with the others, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a must! Add it to your 2013 list, if there's still room. ;)

I'm not quite sure why I enjoyed The Magicians so much, especially after the somewhat lukewarm/mixed reception a number of readers gave it. (Good sense of humour? The whole Narnia/Fillory parallels, especially since I was a bit of a sad Narnia fan as a child?) Whatever it was, it worked for me, and I had a great time. Currently dying to get back to Miles Vorkosigan, I need a day to spend reading in bed. And sorting out the toppled Great TBR Mountain Range, which is now more of a bookslide on my side of the bedroom. Even Don's beginning to hint that Something Needs To Be Done, and he's usually very calm about the books everywhere.

Sigh. Time to find a box (or three), fill it (them) with books, and leave it (them) on the doorstep of the local church (who run a rather good op(portunity) shop), while fleeing, sobbing, into the night. "Please look after these books" pinned to the topmost book jacket.

Ugh! Here we go folks and 6 straight. The good news is, it's going to be fairly mild. I think it dips into the high 30s on just one day.

Everyone have a good one and hang in there!

Laura- I'm glad you like Copper. We have about 3 episodes left in the 1st season. I think Season 2 hits our shores next summer. I WILL read The Talented Mr. Ripley. It's been to long.

Tania- You always crack me up, because I can visualize the "Great TBR Mountain Range". I think they are more common than you think.
And LOL to "Please look after these books". Nothing worse than abandoning your babies.

And keep in mind:

Good morning, Mark! I've added The Snow Child to my list -- the county library has it. I already had A Killing in the Hills on my list (also to get from County Library) or I would have added that, too.

Have a great day!

65 degrees and thunderstorms here for today - crazy! Hope you're getting the warm weather, too, minus the rains...

Sorry about the whole Monday thing...

Mark, your thread moves quickly but I'm still hanging in here! I have to tune in daily to see what new images you post. Enjoy your year of sexy librarians. I'm looking for a new calendar but I'll give that one a pass.

That's an impressive list of books to read this month. You will end the year with a bang when you reach the 150 milestone. Good for you! I am reading my hundredth book right now which is my unofficial goal.

Hi Mark!
I could perhaps have finished reading a book this morning - but I chose to read your thread instead :) Lots of books/fun over here.

Closing in on 150! Wow... and it's not the actual number as much as the huge volume of great reading!
Go Mark! Go Mark!

Just checking in over here, Mark. Sorry about the six straight days of work - UGH! I am feeling unmotivated this morning - I should be running errands, but instead here I sit... I know - get up and get going, right?!

Hip Hip Hooray! for the U. S. Mail. My Swappee got her books. Ahead of schedule. Keep on trucking Mark and do those good deeds right up to and after December 25th.

I think the Bears need a new head cheerleader; Paul has clearly lost his magic touch.

Ouch, what happened to the Bears defense, Mark?

The play was great, and the party was, well, we made our friends happy by attending. I would've liked it a lot more if they hadn't scheduled it on a Sunday night. Monday's tough enough around these parts.

I'm liking both All Roads Lead to Austen and Mr. Penumbra's, and the former more than I expected. Amy Smith, the English author of All Roads, sets up Jane Austen book clubs in Central and South America, and this memoir turns out to be quite charming and interesting.

I hope your six-day week is relatively easy, Mark, and that you get to do some good book-listening while you haul all those catalogs and packages from Amazon to other people's houses. Oh, and the occasional bill and of course a holiday card or two.

*wonders if Amazon uses USPS...*

Hopefully this represents reading and not texting!

Hooray! I started On Chesil Beach. My very first McEwan. Will miracles never cease? And I'm enjoying it, 80 pages in.

Terri- I would think you would enjoy both those titles, especially the Keller.

Amber- It was 70 on the way home. WHAT? And dry! It's supposed to rain a little tonight. Yep, a shirt-sleeves kind of day. I will take it!

Kath- Well, we all have to deal with it, so I'm not alone. Hope you had a good day.

Donna- The calendar has all different kinds of art in it. It's not a naughty librarian calendar, although I hope it includes at least one. Come on, throw a mailman a bone!
I can't believe I'm pushing 150 for the year. I think I topped out at a 137 last year, which was pretty darn good too!

Claudia- I think we could all blame LT for hogging our reading time but that's just our LT World. Fortunately we LOVE visiting one another!

This is for my librarian buddies! I kind of like the pervy one myself... blushing a little!

Mamie- Thanks! 6 days is my price for my 3 day weekend. And yes, it's still worth it. And now I have 5 days left. Yah! Hope you got to those errands!

Benita- Yah, for the Post Office! We are being flooded with parcels. Fortunately, we are getting help delivering them, otherwise we would be out on the route much longer. The P.O. is making a big effort to make consumer's happy.

Darryl- Good to see you! I think the Bears need more than a new head cheerleader. That Defense really choked in those last few minutes. Not playing like a championship team. I hope Urlacher will be alright.

Joe- Yep, the defense ruined the Cutler/ Marshall show, that's for sure. Glad you had a good time yesterday and I agree Sunday night parties...not a good idea for us old working-stiffs anyway.
I added Mr. Penumbra to my Christmas list. I hope I get it.

Ellen- It was a heavy day today but every Monday will be, until after Christmas. And yes, Amazon ships through the P.O. My audiobooks are my lifesavers. It makes my work day tolerable.

>203 msf59:/237 looking forward to the verdict on On Chesil Beach- it left me feeling very divided. But in retrospect, I liked it quite a lot. Even if it did frustrate me at the time of reading.

>238 msf59: I love the "What I think I do" one! Saving the world with books!

*waves so she doesn't get forgotten*

Hope your day today was as pretty as ours was!

I heard it hit 70 today. Wish I'd have been able to get outside to enjoy it.

Have a good evening, Mark. I intend to get some reading in, unless there's a good Christmas special on, or something of that sort. I'm plowing through a cozy mystery ER book I won.

Had a warm day today here as well, Mark. It's amazing how a couple of days in the 20s will make a day in the high 40s feel positively balmy.

#221 : Tania, I'll be interested in seeing what you think of People of Paper when the book's dusted off and you finish it. It's bizarrely entertaining.

Megan- On Chesil Beach is a short novel, so I'll have a verdict very soon. I like the writing so far.
I like the ""What I think I do" panel too! LOL.

Terri- You will never be forgotten over here, my friend. Yes, perfect day here.

Linda- It looks like fairly comfortable week. For December, not shabby at all.

Caro- There's mild temps around the country. Yah! Have a good week.

Good night, everyone!

Good morning! One down :) sorry about the six days, hope it's a happy one :)

Glad you're enjoying On Chesil Beach, Mark. Looking forward to your review.
I read The Crimson Petal and the White last year and I was not aware of a mini series. Must check that one out.

Love all the pics but re: post 237 is that a slice of blueberry pie on the sidewalk? Stick of dynamite on the roof? *shrugs*

Good morning, Mr. Mark. Hope it's a good one for you today. What gn did you settle on?

#246
the mini-series of Crimson Petal and the White was a BBC production. I saw it for sale in the Acorn catalog this summer. I understand it is also on the BBC stations here in the U.S. I have had the book on my bedside table for over a year and I just keep moving it back. I really want to read it, so will have to make time for doing it. Perhaps I need a book calendar like Mark has so that I get some of these things off that table and moved on to other readers.

Kath- Now, I'm down to 4 days! See, it moves along. The mail has been heavy but the weather has been heavenly. It balances.

Lynda- I'm stretching On Chesil Beach out a little. I only have 30 pages left and I really like it. Good solid writing.
LOL, about #237! I did not see that piece of pie. I think that might be a chimney on the roof. Not sure. I guess I was focusing on the message.

Hi Joe- Did not pick a GN yet, although I'm still reading Morning Glories, which is due back at the end of the week. Better step it up.

Benita- I agree, getting books off the shelf is our biggest priority. I'll have to count up my books for the year, that are "OTS". I'm sure I did pretty good. The problem is adding so many more. Shit Fire!

I had a package on my doorstep this afternoon. I resisted the urge to open it and put it with my suitcase.

HA!!

And in my less enlightened moments, I think serving time would be just fine because, hey, you just lie around in your cell and read, right? (I know this is not true)

Read Life After Death EBT and you will find that while a fair amount of reading can get done, there is a lot more that happens. :)

Go Lori! Go Lori! Yah!

RD- Big Wave!

Ellen- Good point! I think would rather "spend time" in a cabana somewhere. Plenty of books, beer and occasionally something to munch.

Nancy- Big Wave! What'cha reading?

awww puppy~

OMG Mark.. I thought of you last night. The rain was so bad, it made me think of you dealing with that while working. It was coming down in buckets. I was drenched to the skin in the half block or so I had to walk to my car. ( December is free parking month so I am not limited to parking pass areas. I am able to park closer to the door and I take full advantage when I am leaving in the dark!) Anyway.. stay warm and dry..

Oh I love your dog and book picture!

Me, too, Mark.

I'm liking The Nao of Brown, and Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore was a fun one.

Awwwwwwww puppy poochie woochie woo!

Hi Mark, no news to impart.

Richard with no news? That is a first.

Hi Mark,
I have no news either, but as I know you like at least something.....lets see....OK, herres one.
Im reading a Mills and Boon book at the moment. Actually, its a wannabe Mills and Boon. As I have nothing to compare it to, its hard to judge, but it is written by a friend, so naturally I am loving it.

Can't we talk about the weather? Or maybe all those Christmas packages going out and the postal and delivery men who are working overtime?

Not to make you jealous, but it is raining here and about 60 degrees. All you need here is a rain coat.

I am crying in my beer tonight. My local NPR station is having an emergency three day fund raising drive. They did not meet their dollar goal back in the fall when they had it. I feel bad because the state cut support for both NPR and PBS and they are really hurting. I gave extra back in October and don't think I can do more this month, but I depend on this source for my news so perhaps will have to ante-up and write another check.

RIP, Dave Brubeck! (December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) He would have been 92 tomorrow. This is one of the great jazz albums. It came out in '59, the year I was born.

Here's Take Five. One of the great jazz tracks. Crank it: http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIIv2L9Q_BkA1j77w8QF;_ylu=X3oD...

91 is a long, long run. I can't imagine a world without "Take Five"!

I started the audio of Tell the Wolves I'm Home. I love both the title and the cover art. And this is a very good story too. I will have to spread the word on this one. Another 2012 gem!!

I also finished On Chesil Beach. My first McEwan and I liked it. Yah! I think his prose was clear and strong, with a dash of jarring nastiness.
I'm also nearly done with Lost at Sea, which has been terrific. Ronson is a hellava writer and journalist.

Kath- We've been dry here. No downpours, TG! But the weather has been just fine. About 40 today, with sunshine.

Rhian- Big Wave! Glad you liked the pup, with the books.

Joe- I'm glad you are enjoying your current reads. I can't wait to read Mr. Penumbra.

RD- I didn't really get into jazz until the late 80s & early 90s but Brubeck, along Miles Davis were my first loves, that's for sure.

Megan- What is Mills and Boon? Is this a NZ thing?

Benita- Speaking of Christmas packages. We have been bombarded but we have people doing nothing but parcels in the A.M., so it takes a lot of the pressure off us. Yahoo!
Sorry to hear about the NPR cuts. Bummer. Could you imagine if the GOP would have got in there?

Mark, "Mills and Boon" = "Harlequin"

Wishlisted Wolves...

>262 msf59: Indeed, Mark. Brubeck was a genius, whose music will live forever.

BTW, WKCR-FM, Columbia University's radio station, which is in the midst of a ~32 hour memorial tribute to Dave Brubeck, is currently playing "Strange Meadow Lark" from the album "Time Out". I love that song, especially Paul Desmond's alto sax solo.

Hi Mark. Just caught up with the last 90 (!) messages on your thread. I'm back to reading (and enjoying) Team of Rivals after seeing the movie this past weekend and that's been limiting my time on LT.

Where do you find all these great images to post?

I'm looking forward to your review of On Chesil Beach and am glad you enjoyed your first McEwan.

Ack. Just heard that there might be 5 inches of snow by Monday morning, at least here in the part I'd Chicagoland closest to the Cheddar Curtain.

I was sorry to hear about the death of Dave Brubeck. One of the all-time greats.

Hi Mark, I too was sad to hear about Dave Brubeck...

That dog up above in post #254 isn't just any pooch - he's Wishbone, of the mid 90s TV program. Wishbone was a daydreaming Jack Russell who would imagine himself as characters in classic lit. The costumes they had for him were adorable and it was really a quality show that introduced the younger set to the classics. It was a favorite at my house...

RD- Thanks for the Mills & Boon info. Looks like I'll be taking a pass...LOL.

Nancy- It's a keeper alright!

Darryl- Didn't you recommend the Paul Desmond cd, '63 or '64? I remember it being very good.

Pat- Wasn't "Lincoln" terrific? I'm not sure you could have asked for much better. I'm glad it kick-started you into getting back to TOR.
I find most of my pictures from FB. There are many fantastic book sites over there.

Linda- Please do not mention the "S" word. Sure, it's December, so a few flurries, maybe a dusting or a coating would be more than acceptable.
Hope your week is going well.

Joanne- Good to see you, old LT friend. The Jack Russell pic was tagged Wishbone, but I didn't make the connection. I'm surprised I haven't heard of that show. My kids were growing up in the 90s too!

I hope to start a new thread tonight. I know this was one is starting to drag. Can I get away with one more, for the rest of the year? We will see.

Have a great day, everyone!

272... that's a good one.. I like it and agree :)
Good day to you :)

Chiming in as another big Brubeck fan - his stuff playing in the background got me through a lot of late-night research-paper writing in grad school.

>270 lindapanzo:: I love Wishbone, too! My kids have long outgrown it but if I happen to stumble across it on TV, I can't help but watch for a bit. Brubeck was great but he didn't wear cute dog outfits, did he?

Brubeck was great, still touring right to the end.

Good for you for getting through a McEwan. I still haven't been able to do it.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that any snow is only a light dusting.

That is a nice book cover, Marky- Mark ...but....... isn't that a bear and not a wolf? Where's the review, buddy?

>265 msf59:/266 yup, we're talking romance here. Never read one of this published series yet, but super impressed that my book club team mate is now an author! (and there I was tut tutting her for not reading enough, when there she was writing her first novel....)

Glad you liked On Chesil Beach.....can we expect more McEwan's on your TBR pile from now on then?

Every month, I get a free book for my Kindle. Oftentimes, I just pick a Kindle single.

Yesterday, I chose one called Why Beer Matters and I thought of you.

(One of my 2013 category challenges is Kindle singles.)

Hi, *crawling out of the shadow*, I've been in a bit of a funk, not willing to sift my way through the many LT threads i've starred, and yet not finishing any books yet, either. Post-Hawaii funk. Post-Nicky funk. Pre-holiday spending money funk. Bleak.

But I'll get over it, one of these days. Had a 24 hour bout of the flu, and I'm sure that contributed. bla bla bla

Nonetheless, I'm caught up here, and I've got some extra days off, too, so should be in good shape soon!

Hope you continue to do your job without the weather gods dumping on you!

Yay! Glad you liked McEwan, he's a favourite of mine.

Hey, had a *seriously* crappy week at work, and a workmate lent me a copy of "Just Visiting" which I watched to cheer myself up Wednesday night. Have to say, it was a pretty terrible movie, but it was set in Chicago! Considering I also caught Ferris Bueller the other day, I'm feeling like I'm hanging out in Chicago a bit lately. :) Well, a Chicago from some years ago now...

Oh, and Margaret and David (our iconic movie reviewers) both loved the latest adaptation of Anna Karenina with Keira Knightly - I was going to skip it because I thought Ms Knightly would be pretty bad in the role, but they praised her, so now I'm going to have to see it because the clips they showed looked *awesome* and I also want to re-read the book. So little time, so many books!!

Listening to Dave Brubeck (thanks for the link), sad to hear he's gone.

>272 msf59: Didn't you recommend the Paul Desmond cd, '63 or '64? I remember it being very good.

It wasn't me, although I'll bet it's outstanding.

Schmich is a very gifted writer for the Chicago Tribune. Long work day. The volume is still heavy, which is good. I finished Lost at Sea, which was excellent. More raves to follow. I also dipped my toe into Lucy Gault. My first Trevor! Yahoo!

Kath- Big loving wave!

Amber- I haven't been listening to jazz much, these past few years, but Brubeck was always a favorite.

Laura- Big Wave! I'll have to do a Wishbone search! I've never seen it.

Joe- I will be reading more McEwan. This was a short novel, so I'm looking forward to trying something else.
BTW- I'm with you on that dusting or light coating. Yes, fingers crossed.

The Wishbone series was very popular with kids. It was a PBS series. We have it in our library and it did fly out the door. However, in the last few years nobody has checked it out. A grad student finally told me that it was too old. The students in college now did not grow up with it, so won't use it in the classroom because they don't know about it. As I recall the each episode was based on a classic book. Very loosely based on a classic book. It did give the general idea of the story, but that was about it. The dog wore a costume in each episode, and he was cute.

Mark, I am glad that you are still busy delivering Christmas mail. I still haven't even made copies of my annual Christmas epistle, so will probably mail it after the First of the year. I hope to maybe see Life of Pi this weekend. I think I will save Lincoln for later at Christmas with the family.

Caro- Good to see you! I'm not quite finished Tell the Wolves I'm Home, just a few minutes left. This is a very good YA book and it should be getting more LT love. And yes, that does look like a bear on the cover. I'm not sure why. LOL.

Megan- Yes, I will be sampling more McEwan. I have Saturday in the stacks and I have Atonement saved on audio.

Linda- "Why Beer Matters and I thought of you." I just got a tear in my eye. Thank you, Chicago friend.

Karen- I'm glad you crawled out of your shadowy funk. I had a feeling something was wrong with my cheery & chatty Washington state pal. I hope you are feeling better. Fingers crossed.

Tania- Sorry you've had a crappy week. I hope your weekend is much better. I've never heard of "Just Visiting". Like crappy books, I must put crappy movies out of my mind.
I like Keira Knightly. I've liked every thing she has done. I plan on seeing the film, after I tackle Anna in January.

Darryl- The Desmond album was "Take Ten", from '63. It was excellent. I thought you had recommended it. I didn't realize Desmond died in '77. Much to young.

Mark - Huffing and puffing to keep up with your thread these days! I was saddened by the loss of Dave Brubeck - I fell in love with jazz back in high school and have spent many happy hours through the years in the company of the talented Mr. Brubeck. What a gift he gave us.

Working on clearing up all sorts of little nagging stuff and I assume I'll be all good someday soon.

Hey Mark, I look forward to your final thoughts on Tell the Wolves I'm Home. I've seen it around but haven't committed yet. I didn't realize it was YA.

Also, not to be a Pushy Paula or anything, but I'm not sure how well Atonement would work on audio. It could be slightly confusing. Just saying - if/when you get to it and it's not working, don't give up on it - try the print version and see if it works better. It's one of my all-time favorites :)

Mamie- Hey, this is better than a stinky old exercise bike, right? I have to get back in to listening to more jazz. I've been bad. Books & LT rule my off-time!

Karen- I'm hoping you get that nagging stuff cleared up, pronto!

Katie- I will recommend Tell the Wolves I'm Home to everyone. I didn't see a YA tag on it but it fits that criteria for me, plus the lead character is fourteen. I JUST cracked Lucy Gault. This will be a GOOD one.

Grab your socks and grab your...oh never mind, just join me on #27!