Joe's Book Cafe 25

Welcome back to the cafe!

2013 reads

January 2013 Books

1. Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child
2. The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
3. Anomaly by Skip Brittenham
4. The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman
5. Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
6. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
7. The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon
8. Low Town by Daniel Polansky
9. Bend Not Break by Ping Fu
10. Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb

February 2013 Books

11. A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson
12. The Miniature Wife and Other Stories by Manuel Gonzales
13. All Roads Lead to Austen by Amy Smith
14. Volt: Stories by Alan Heathcock
15. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
16. Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
17. Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
18. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
19. Howl A Graphic Novel by Allen Ginsberg and Eric Drooker
20 Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb
21. Jerusalem Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy Delisle
22. Show Red for Danger by Richard and Frances Lockridge
23. Emma by Jane Austen and Nancy Butler
24. Rebel Heart by Moira Young

March 2013

25. Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do It by Geoff Dyer
26. Witness in Death by J.D. Robb
27. Are You There God, It's Me Mary: The Shangri-Las and the Punk Rock Love Song by Tracy Landecker
28. The Dance of the Seagull by Andrea Camilleri
29. Judgment in Death by J.D. Robb
30. The Ghosts of Nagasaki by Daniel Clausen
31. Building Stories by Chris Ware
32. Old Goriot by Honore de Balzac
33. Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb
34. Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb
35. Benediction by Kent Haruf
36. Breaking Point by C.J. Box
37. Heads or Tails by Lilli Carre

April 2013

38. Beloved by Toni Morrison
39. Reunion in Death by J.D. Robb
40. Purity in Death by J.D. Robb
41. Germinal by Emile Zola
42. Looking for Alaska by John Green
43. A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori
44. Robert B. .Parker's Wonderland by Ace Atkins
45. Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb
46. The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door by Karen Finneyfrock
47. The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

May 2013

48. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
49. The Yard by Alex Grecian
50. Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr
51. Before the Incal by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Zoran Janjetov
52. Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa'Thiongo

June 2013

53.Imitation of Death by J.D. Robb
54. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
55. Almost a Remembrance by Jack McCarthy
56. Scott Pilgrim Infinite Sadness Volume 3 Color by Bryan Lee O'Malley
57. Lunch with Buddha by Ron Merullo
58. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
59. Among Schoolchildren by Tracy Kidder
60. Divided in Death by J.D. Robb
61. Feynman by Jim Ottaviani
62. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
63. Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver
64. The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather

July 2013
65. Saga Vol. 2 by Brian Vaughan
66. Murder in Thrall by Anne Cleeland
67. Visions in Death by J.D. Robb
68. Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather
69. Five by Endo by Shusaku Endo
70. Sum Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman
71. Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel
72. The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen by Dominique Enright
73. The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann
74. The Softwire: Virus by PJ Haarsma
75. Binocular Vision by Edith Pearlman
76, Origin in Death by J. D. Robb
77. Wool by Hugh Howey

August 2013

78. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
79. Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb
80. Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb
81. Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb
82. The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope by Rhonda Riley
83. Lady Susan by Jane Austen
84. Shakespeare's Sonnets by you-know-who
85. Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill
86. The Open Door One Hundred Poems edited by Don Shore and Christopher Wiman
87. Memory in Death by J.D. Robb
88. Never Go Back by Lee Child
89. TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
90. Mind Mgmt Volume 1 by Matt Kindt
91. The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen

September 2013

92. How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
93. The Telling Room by Michael Paterniti
94. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
95. Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson
96. Me, Who Dove Into the Heart of the World by Sabina Berman
97. Born in Death by J.D. Robb
98. Death of a King by Andrew H. Vanderwal
99. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
100. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
101. A Bit of a Difference by Sefi Atta
102. The Greater Journey by David McCullough
103. Midnight in Death by J.D. Robb
104. Constellation Games by Leonard Richardson
105. The Treasure Hunt by Andrea Camilleri

October 2013
106. The Light Years by Elizabeth Howard
107. Innocence in Death by J.D. Robb
108. The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
109. Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson
110. Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
111. Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
112. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
113. Interlude in Death by J.D. Robb
114. Pale Gray for Guilt by John D. MacDonald
115. Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie
116. Longbourn by Jo Baker
117. Miss Buncle Married by D.E. Stevenson
118. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

November 2013

119. Burma Chronicle by Guy Delisle
120. Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
121. The Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber
122. Strangers in Death by J.D. Robb
123. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
124. Trade Secret by Sharon Lee
125. Rough Passage to London by Robin Lloyd
126. The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
127. Double Deuce by Robert Parker
128. Looking for Rachel Wallace by Robert B. Parker
129. Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker
130. A Catskill Eagle by Robert B. Parker
131. Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb
132. Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricial MacLachlan
133. Taming a Seahorse by Robert B. Parker
134. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
135. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

December 2013

136. Pale Kings and Princes by Robert B. Parker
137. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith
138. The Last Word by Lisa Lutz
139. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
140. Montalbano's First Case by Andrea Camilleri
141. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy
141. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley
142. Promises in Death by J.D. Robb
143. The Zona by Nathan L. Yocum
144. Bull-Dog Drummond by Sapper
145. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

2014 American Author Challenge (kudos to Mark)

Willa Cather- January The Professor's House
Cormac McCarthy- February The Orchard Keeper
William Faulkner- March The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Toni Morrison- April Sula
Eudora Welty- May The Optimist's Daughter
Kurt Vonnegut- June Cat's Cradle (re-read)
Mark Twain- July Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Philip Roth- August The Ghost Writer
James Baldwin- September Notes of a Native Son
Edith Wharton- October Ethan Frome
John Updike- November The Witches of Eastwick
Larry Watson- December Let Him Go

LTer threads of interest:

Walklover (Debbi): http://www.librarything.com/topic/150872

Seasonsoflove (Becca): http://www.librarything.com/topic/159300

Sherlock the furry guy: (under construction)

*plunk* Claiming my chair. Oh, sorry Joe...did I take one of your spots?

>4 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! Nope, your timing was just right, Linda. Well done plunk. Coffee? Tea? It's on us, for the first one in the door.

I'd like another round of coffee and eggnog scones over here, if you please, good proprietor.

Love the coffee-themed stack of books atop your thread, Joe! I'm throwing myself down on the other leather sofa above in front of the fireplace and will join Richard in his repast (if he'll share!).

They're scones, Roni. MINEMINEMINE!!!

Well, okay, it's the holidays. Scones all around, good proprietor!

Hot Chocolate with mini marshmallows and a cinnomon stick.

Remember the guy who said he knew how to spell cinnamon but didn't know when to stop?

Happy new thread, with coffee and tea no less! woohoo!

>>6 richardderus:-8 Hi, Richard and Roni! It must be the effect of the holiday season, but I swear this is getting near the umpteenth time RD has agreed to share. His curmudgeon status is in dire jeopardy. Glad you're liking the up-toppers, Roni.

Eggnog scones all around, and lots of java, too.

>9 magicians_nephew: Ha! It is hard to figure out how to stop spelling cinnamonamonamon, Jim. Here you go:



>10 leperdbunny: Welcome, Tam! Thanks! Plenty of scones and coffee to go around whenever you like.

A big mug of the daily brew, Joe. The cold is penetrating me bones today. And thanks!

You got it, Linda. Sit by the fireplace, too. It's a cold one today!

If Linda doesn't mind, I'll take the other chair there. Could I get a latte, Joe?

Happy for the company, Laura! (You won't mind my sockfeet, will you?)

>15 LauraBrook: Of course, Laura! Good to see you. I liked your reading octopus over on RD's thread. Here you go:



Stay warm today!

>16 laytonwoman3rd: Sockfeet?

Nothing's worse than Missississississi...aw heck...ppi.

Nope, don't mind, cuz I've got sockfeet too!

Blanket for you?

>18 Morphidae: That is worse, Morphy. My wife has a sing-song rhyme for it that seems to work. Me, I think the MS state abbreviation is plenty good enough.

>19 LauraBrook: Glad you brought a few, Laura. I have a feeling the blankets are going to be popular today.

Haha ..love the sockfeet, Joe. Someone gave me a pair of purple ones a few years ago for Christmas and I swear our hardwood floors were ever so shiny in certain rooms that I went into more often that winter. Alas, they came to the attention of a friend's new puppy who had come over for a visit and sockfeet turned into chewed feet.

(9) (18) What about "bananananana..."?

Joe, I'd love a redeye special...tall cuppa with a shot of espresso. :)

>22 fuzzi: I have trouble saying banana and sometimes words with "ed" endings. lol

Hi Joe- Congrats on #25! It's been another terrific LT year, hasn't it. This place is like fine scotch.
Thanks again for the nudge on Billy Lynn. I loved it. It was a joy to read and the Bears got to stomp the Cowboys again. LOL. This was a fake game, right?

^For some reason the top photo is not coming up for me.

>17 jnwelch: Sockfeet...hmmm...in my family we say "sockfeet" meaning socks but no shoes, the way people say "shirtsleeves", meaning shirt but no jacket. I wonder if it's a linguistic peculiarity of our clan (wouldn't be the first one). These are the particular sockfeet I was probably referring to at the time of posting:

Evening Joe. I spent the day out among the Christmas shoppers and so your warm cafe is very inviting. My feet are worn out with shopping so I will definitely be in comfy slippers.

Many thanks to Richard for posting that Eggnog Scone recipe. I think I will include them in our Christmas Brunch, they should be a hit with my crowd. :)

Thanks again for the recommendations for Longbourn, as I really enjoyed it!

hi Joe. hope you and your'n have a prodigious fine weekend when it gets here. only one more day.

would you mind bringing me some time-jiggered hocho w/ whipped cream to the inglenook, please?



and i wouldn't say no to one of those eggnog scones either.

(We say 'sockfeet' in my family, too.)

I KNEW we must be related, Amber!

>21 cameling: Ha! Puppies and their elders are fascinated by socks, aren't they, Caro? They figure we must intend them to be toys if they're out there and we turn our backs for a second. We've got a lot of hardwood floors. I like your sockfeet polishing idea. I will speak to the Queen about this.

>22 fuzzi: And when you start spelling it Banana-fana bo-buzzi Fee-Fi-mo-muzzi there's just no stopping it, fuzzi.

Red eye special, with some time jiggery, coming up:



>23 leperdbunny: I'm sure that's toughest on high potassium days, Tam, when you're completely banana-ed out.

>24 msf59: Yeah, for some reason that top pic doesn't want to work, Mark. I tried moving it around, and it doesn't want to show for some reason. It just showed a cup of coffee and the number that will be the $400 million Megamillions winner tonight. Wish I had thought to jot down that number before I deleted.

I forgot - you got a double dose of Bears-Cowboys with your timing on reading Billy Lynn's! Nice bonus. Glad you loved it; it's such a good one. I have to admit, I'm used to books with sports themes being not so swell (same with ones centering around the rock music scene), although there are exceptions. But he really pulled it off.

It has been another great LT year. It probably has been like fine scotch, but I need to educate my scotch palate more. I had a friend who kept a scotch bar, and I've had some good, peat-y ones, but it's been a once in a while thing. This is a good time of year to explore the scotch world a bit.

>25 laytonwoman3rd: Nice-looking sockfeet, Linda. Harmonious colors, no holes, a certain air of je ne sais quoi. I've never heard that expression; to me it has meant those sock slippers people wear. I'm a sandals guy year 'round in the house, so I'm not doing much hardwood floor polishing.

I'm trying to think of an expression our clan uses. Bonehead comes to mind, as in "You bonehead!" One of my sisters in particular likes to say that with great verve.

>26 DeltaQueen50: Because I was lazy last night, Judy (as usual), I'll say good morning to your good evening.

Christmas shopping can wear a person out, no doubt about it. I'm just fine if I'm spending the money on me, but this shopping for others thing is hard work. Maybe we need to change the tradition and agree to all go out and buy presents for ourselves. A side benefit: we'd always get exactly what we wanted!

I have to find Richard's eggnog scones recipe. The concept is wonderful.

>27 fuzzi: Oh good, fuzzi. Happy to hear you really enjoyed Longbourn. It's so well done, isn't it? Jo Baker was a new author for me, and she really nailed it. Well-researched, well thought out, well-written.

I have a sister who was greatly disappointed to hear I'd read it, as she knew it was one I'd love, and she planned to get it for me for Christmas. She's usually pretty good at picking ones I like, so we'll see what Plan B was.

>28 mirrordrum: That's one lovely inglenook, Ellie. May I join you?

Yes, once the weekend arrives, I expect I shall be a great proficient at it. :-)

Hocho with whipped c. and some of them eggnogs cones, bueno para tu:



>29 scaifea: It must be an earthling thing, Amber. On our planet we just say we're wearing socks, or we're not wearing shoes.

>30 laytonwoman3rd: I'm not sure how worried for civilization this new development should make us, Linda, but I know we'll be wanting to hear more of the lore of the hitherto unknown Sockfeet clan. Has some clan member transcribed Sockfeet Tales?

That hocho looks amazing! I'll have one too.

Where did this year go Joe? We had more bad than good at my house as far as big events go. One thing I do say is that we are truly grateful for the little things. One example is that my mom now has dysphagia and has to use thickner in her liquids. Gross! One thing that it doesn't seem to be bad in is hot chocolate. She loves her hot chocolate. Instant blessing! It's often the small things in life that make it pleasant. Enjoy them.

It just showed a cup of coffee and the number that will be the $400 million Megamillions winner tonight. Wish I had thought to jot down that number before I deleted.

*snorts liquid through nose* HA!

Oh Joe...not again...the winning numbers FIRST then hit delete. *sigh* Another delay in the Tome Home schedule.

*sigh*

Permaybehaps I will buck up if I have some chili cheese fries. Loaded, please.

*sigh*

Brrrrr.....Baby its cold outside! Its 20 degrees out but the windchill is making it feel about 15 degrees colder. I'm glad to see its nice and cosy here in the cafe!

Hi Joe!

>33 luvamystery65: The year has flown by, hasn't it, Roberta? Sorry you've had some tough big ones this year. Like you, we try to remember to appreciate the little, and not so little, things. Both our kids are employed and doing well, so that's one we're grateful for. It's Friday, so I'm liking that. :-)

How annoying for your poor mother to have dysphagia. Makes me think of mine eating ice cream for breakfast toward the end - she found a way to have some additional pleasure in a bad situation. Sounds like hot chocolate will help your mom in this bad one.

Let's get you some!



>34 leperdbunny: LOL! Glad you caught that one, Tam. Just another bonehead move by yours truly.

>35 richardderus: Sorry about that, RD. So close! We'll get that Tome Home yet.

Here are some commiseration CCF's, loaded:



>36 Cobscook: Hi, Heidi! Yes, stay in here and keep warm. Cold winter has arrived too early in my book, but we're making the best of it with hot drinks and hot food.

Hi Dad!

For your regularly-scheduled Sherlock update, he somehow found a way to open the kitchen door yesterday, even though it was not only closed tight, but locked with a hook and eye. He did nothing mischievous, but most likely spent a lovely day snoozing on his special spot on the couch, and somehow ended up back in his crate by the time I opened the front door ;)

I would love a large eggnog chai please, and an order of mozzarella sticks (with ketchup of course! ;) )

#39 sounds like Sherlock was investigating a mystery on the couch.

>39 seasonsoflove: Ah, that wily mastermind. Where does he hide his tools, Becca? He was very proud of himself I imagine. I like his trying to cover his tracks by being back in his crate when he got home. Hope we get a chance to visit with him this weekend - maybe not, as I know everyone has a lot going on.

Congrats on winding up your first week as lead teacher!

Eggnog chai, mozzies red, here you go:



>40 luvamystery65: That would be his story, I'm sure, Roberta. But I suspect "investigating a mystery" in this context may mean "taking a comfortable nap."

Joe taking a comfortable nap is how I solve all my mysteries! lol

I can understand that, Roberta. It gives the brilliance a chance to emerge in pleasant surroundings. I'm surprised more mystery novels don't feature naps.

We are coming over tomorrow for a few hours :)

Oh, excellent. Glad to hear it, Becca. I know your mama's going to be out a lot on Sunday.

.

>46 mckait: Hi, Kath!

Hi Joe- All this food is getting my stomach rumbling. The top photo is now coming in crystal clear.
I loved the slim but sweet, Sarah, Plain and Tall. Couldn't the author come up with another 50 pages? My only minor complaint. I am also enjoying the Johnstown Flood, another winner by McCullough. This has LindaPanzo written all over it. LOL.

@msf59, there are two sequels to Sarah Plain and Tall...

Cruisin' through.....

>17 jnwelch: that is what all coffees look like in my neck of the woods. Pretty, and inviting.

I love the thread toppers too, Joe- there is just something about books and coffee isn't there? (I cant believe I am asking you that!)

>38 jnwelch: but I just can't get my head around chilli cheese fries. Still. I know this makes me unwelcome here (and elsewhere) but my stomach is overriding my salivary glands in this instance. And it says gurgle gurgle *heartburn*

Delicious-looking hochos, warm fires, talk of cozy naps... I like it here.

Checking in on the new cafe. I will take a cinnamon bagel, please :)

>>48 msf59:, 49 I was going to say what fuzzi did about Sarah Plain and Tall. Skylark and Caleb's Story come after, so you can have more than 50 pages more. Glad you liked the slim but sweet Sarah. MacLachlan packs a lot into those few pages, doesn't she?

Ha! I can see why The Johnstown Flood would be a Lindapanzo book. And any McCullough seems to be a good McCullough.

Oh, have you ever had Tallgrass beer, out of KS? I had their Velvet Rooster last night, and it was pretty darn good. A Belgian Tripel, clean and crisp, as they say, with some punch to it, and some sweetness.

I got back to A Tale for the Time Being, and so far so good.

>50 EBT1002: *hands Ellen a coffee as she cruises through* Good to see you, Ellen. Nice-lookin' shades you're wearing!

>51 LovingLit: I've got to get to your neck of the woods, Megan, for the coffee if nothing else. :-) We were with some friends last night who had traveled to NZ and recommended it highly.

Ha! Yes, there is something about books and coffee - how did you know I felt the same way?

Your reaction to chili cheese fries is similar to mine to poutine - I just can't wrap my mind around it. Of course, last time I said that, poutine brought in by patrons started showing up all over the cafe.

>52 scaifea: Me, too, Amber. Let's hang out here with the delicious hochos, warm fires, talk of cozy naps, and maybe talk books for a while before we nod off.

>53 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia! It's great to have you back on the LT threads. Cinnamon bagel coming up. Hope you have time to take it easy this weekend, and give your brain a break from your Stats class.



Believe it or not, yours truly has meetings this morning, and then a visit at home from seasonsoflove and the furry Sherlock. And then a Bulls game tonight (slowly healthy players are returning, so it may not be a disaster. They actually won last night). So you may have to carry on without me for the nonce.

Just a heads up wonderful LT people-When She Woke by Hilary Jordan is a Kindle Daily Deal today for $1.99, and it is an amazing book! Highly recommend it.

Morning Joe- Coffee please! I am watching all this snow come down and I am glad I am sitting at home. Smiles. I have tried one or 2 different Tallgrass beers, (I love that name). Not sure I tried the Velvet Rooster. It sure sounds good.

Becca- I also loved When She Woke. Thanks for the heads-up. She should have a new book out soon, don't you think?

SMall flakes steadily falling, no wind, and 26° = no outside for Big Daddy. Nix, nyet, nein, huh-uh. Coffee. Sandwich. Coffee. Cookies. Book, dog, scotch.

This is the plan for the day.

In One Person is only $1.99 today! John Irving told the tale of a young man's coming to terms with his bisexual desires with great delicacy.

Oh oh oh... $1.99? Thanks for the tip, RD ... *zooms off to get a copy*

Morning Joe! Can I have a coffee and some doughnuts please?

>57 richardderus: I like that plan, Richard!

It's a plan that's very easy to stick to, I'll say that for it. *hic*

Hey Joe, it's seems I'm a bit late to the party. Great new thread! I think I will take the window seat and settle in with my mocha.

Cold, overcast and rainy here...I wouldn't mind seeing a few flakes...

Joe, This thread looks absolutely delicious! We have flakes, and some sleet, too, perfect weather for a cup of java.

I missed your whole last thread except a peek at the topiary toppers! Reminded me of the picture book Grandpa Green, which we have in our library about a grandfather who sculpted topiary:

What Terri said... delicious! Hope you're having a great evening :)
Work was dead slow today due to sloppy and slippery snow/sleet. So I read a book ...

I just got The Goldfinch from the library the other day - 700+ pages just as the holiday season begins. Beautiful writing, compelling story ... it may have to compete with gift wrapping and decorating.
Those things are overrated, right?

Joe, I am almost a week so far with no SWMBO so I could do with a decent breakfast of kippers and porridge oats (not in the same bowl of course).

Have a great weekend.

Good morning!

>55 seasonsoflove: That looks like a really good one, Becca. Thanks for the tip.

>56 msf59: Good to see another fan of When She Woke. Hope you had a good Saturday, Mark. Once meetings were done, mine was good, with some time with Becca and her furry sidekick. The Bulls unfortunately wore out with their 4th game in 5 nights, and got clobbered. Oh well. We had a good time, including pizza, which I probably could eat 24/7.

Thanks for your patience. Let's time jigger you that coffee. You may want to tilt to drink it.



>57 richardderus: Yesterday tweren't so bad for us, RD, but your plan is pretty much what will be in effect today for moi. Debbi heads off soon for a writing get-together with other storytellers, but yours truly is hunkered down. It's cold here, and supposedly getting colder as the day goes on. Hot coffee, hot cider, hot potatoes, hot whatevers, will be the theme of the day.



>58 richardderus: Another good Kindle tip, thanks, Richard.

>59 cameling: Was that Caro? I heard a "beep beep!", and then all I could see was her dust.

>60 leperdbunny: Thanks for your patience, Tam. Good morning - just a different one. :-) We'll time jigger that c with d's.



>61 richardderus: I admire your persistence under adverse circumstances, Richard.

>62 Thebookdiva: Ah, good to see you, Abby. You're never too late to the party - even the proprietor gets waylaid sometimes. Mocha is a fine idea. Here's another for when you're ready.



>63 fuzzi: If you wouldn't mind seeing a few flakes, fuzzi, how about Mark, Paul, Richard and me? *rimshot* This is a day for huddling by the fireplace, for sure.

>64 tymfos: Thanks, Terri! Glad you caught up. I hadn't heard of Grandpa Green before, but he sounds like a guy I can relate to. I was able to find a little more about him, including the important news that he met his wife in a cafe:



Oops, let's get you that java!

>65 mckait: Thanks, Kath! You know, a slow day at the library ain't all bad, right? Reading a book sounds good to me. What are you reading these days?

>66 NarratorLady: Hi, Anne! The Goldfinch is top tenning it all over the place, and is book of the year some places. Can't wait to hear what you think of it. Our daughter loved The Secret History, as she really goes for that kind of story. My MBH picked up The Goldfinch on Kindle.

BTW, I've started A Tale for the Time Being and I'm liking it so far. That's one you thought was really good, wasn't it?

>67 PaulCranswick: Holy guacamole, a week without SWMBO is a long time, Paul. I'd be stumbling about trying to remember where everything is kept. Hope you're holding up all right. No wonder you've been racking up those big numbers in book purchases!

We don't get many orders for kippers and porridge oats in these parts, but we always have some on hand just in case:

Goodness, those kippers look downright appetizing. I have never tried that particular delicacy...is there another serving to be had?

>71 laytonwoman3rd: You look like you're feeling quite kipper today, Linda. I bet we can find some more. Hope you're having a good weekend.

Joe- I am enjoying a kick-back morning and getting a little reading in. I finished Infinite Horizon. I liked it, very ambitious but super violent. I am going to read Summer Blonde next.
Unfortunately we are meeting some of the family for a pre-Christmas dinner at one o'clock, so I will miss a big chunk of the Bears game. Maybe I'll record it. Hope you have a nice Sunday.

I love hot kippers and toast slathered with butter for breakfast. No kippers at the house, but I do have smoked sable. That would work in a pinch. :-)

I'll be just about ready for a big hot toddy with Frangelica and Baileys in about an hour's time ... need to go help shovel the driveway now.

>73 msf59: Good morning, Mark. Glad you liked it. Yes, Infinite Horizon, very ambitious but super violent, well put. I figured it had enough darkness and grit to go well with the brew of the day at Hacienda Mark.

I read Summer Blonde a year or so ago and liked it a lot. Nice choice. Adrian Tomine is that graphic artist we were talking about a couple of threads ago.

Somehow the Bears are still in the hunt. Go figure. I'm hoping it's a fun game. The Bulls are so banged up, and even the Hawks lost last night.

>74 cameling: You are one eclectic woman, Caro. I don't know anyone in this country who had kippers for breakfast, although I'm sure there must be many.

We shoveled out the last two days, and today we're getting a break from Old Man Winter. Enjoy the hot toddy - that sounds mighty good.

I had a good time with The Zona, recommended by Richard. Gritty, neo-western post-apocalyptic tale laced with religious zealotry. It features ‘'Preachers'’, young men who the church sends out into the ravaged southwest U.S. to kill people perceived as threats. Our main character "Lead", is a twenty-six year old Preacher who goes from dire circumstances to worse. He starts doubting the church and his role, and wonders whether the tales of a better place, called "New Pueblo" are true. His travels through the Zona introduce us to various bands of thieves, hallucinogen worshippers, victims of radiation, terrorized survivors, and so on, as well as to horrifying church practices and emissaries. One of the worst of the latter is heartless crusader Eliphaz, who has made it his mission to take down Lead. Capably written and cinematic, with an ending that felt just right.

Yes Joe, I loved A Tale for the Time Being so much that halfway through reading my library copy, I went out and bought the book - the PAPER version. I know I'll be rereading sections of it for a long time to come.

The Goldfinch is everything the critics say: a wonderful book that draws you in from the first page. I'm about a third of the way through and it feels like I'm being guided by a master through the intricate life of a young boy who has "stolen" a masterpiece and will someday have to own up. Or be arrested. Or killed. Don't know yet. Donna Tartt is so full of surprises, anything could happen.

I write stolen in quotes because he doesn't actually steal it ... but that's a huge part of the story. Have I intrigued you? Hope so!

Joe, love the thread topping pictures. Can't go wrong with that combination of coffee and books. My coffee has been consumed for the day, and now I can look forward to curling up with a good book. It's the first day in quite awhile that I haven't had to battle the elements. I take my day of rest seriously! Have a good one...

So glad you enjoyed The Zona, Joe! I think it should be a movie, as well.

Too many books. TOO MANY BOOKS. or too little time, one or the other. sigh.

We skipped the trip to my mother's today when we heard that Newark Airport was closed and there was a chance of ice on the road. We'll go next week. In the meantime, i availed myself of the nearest walk-in clinic to get a splinter removed from my foot. The doctor said it was so small she couldn't even show it to me afterward, but it felt like the Eiffel Tower to me. i just couldn't grab it myself, and I knew if I didn't see someone about it, I wouldn't be able to put on a shoe tomorrow.

Reading would have been more fun.

.

Fish for breakfast is why the sun set on the British empire, sez me.

And grits for breakfast is why the South lost the war Between the States

>77 NarratorLady: Excellent, Anne. Just what I hoped to hear re A Tale for the Time Being. Going to dive back in soon.

I haven't been sure what to make of Donna Tartt, as folks didn't seem to like her second one. Sounds like she's come up with a winner this time. You've intrigued me all right.

>78 Donna828: Thanks, Donna. Coffee and books - life's essentials, right? Enjoy your day of rest and a break from battling the elements. I agree - no commute in my part of the world; the surroundings are shoveled and there's no more snow coming down, so I'm going to take it easy, read and watch some football.

>79 richardderus: Yes, thanks for the push, Richard. That's one I would not have read but for your enthusiasm. It does have the makings of a really good movie, doesn't it?

>80 ffortsa: Isn't that odd, the huge impact of small things on our feet, Judy? My MBH had a tiny pebble in her shoe yesterday and it was like a large boulder for her, if not quite as big as your Eiffel Tower splinter.

Good call on postponing the travel. I hope you get some reading time today. Too many books - I know. Having been living in the post-apocalyptic world of The Zona, I can say it's a heckuva lot better than too few. Darryl and I have mused about whether we get to keep working on our tbr in the afterlife.

>81 magicians_nephew: LOL! No fish for breakfast for Jim, I can tell from the subtle clues. I'm surprised there wasn't a Boston Breakfast Fish Party after the Tea Party, tossing kippers into Boston Harbor just on general principle.

You probably will get a fight about the grits. Our Yankee daughter loves them, for example, and cheese grits work for me. Still, you've got an impressive gift for the aphorism. If "The Musings of Jim" ever gets published, I'll be one of the first on line to snap it up.

Joe, I didn't enjoy Donna Tartt's The Secret History but since she writes one book per decade, I decided to give The Goldfinch a try because of all the hype. For once, the hype was right.

I believe I cheated and warmed up my own almond croissants (frozen, courtesy of Trader Joe's ... yum!) but I could wash it down with a hot chocolate when you have a min.

It's warming up to 55 degrees this afternoon, y'all come on down!

Re: grits...as a happily transplanted Connecticut Yankee, I will reveal that, despite trying many variations over the last 25 years, I still don't care for grits...but I love cheese biscuits.

How about a bowl of Yankee Cream of Wheat, with butter and brown sugar on the top? That's how my grandmother loved it, too. :)

>84 NarratorLady: Makes sense, Anne. The Secret History was a big hit with a lot of folks, including our Becca, but it didn't seem like my cuppa either. (She and I have a lot of overlap, but some divergences). (She and my mom shared a deep love of true crime books).

Trader Joe's croissants sound good to me - I'm making a mental note, as we've got one near us. Hot chocolate coming up.



>85 fuzzi: Oh, that 55 F sounds good, fuzzi. We're too cold here to move, unfortunately. Mmm, cheese biscuits. Yes.

Cream of wheat, loaded? You got it:

My son took us to Wegman's.. a fancy grocery store near his home... I have been to Trader Joe's one time only, in California... I think they seem similar? But at Wegman's I had an almond croissant, which I haven't had since the mid 80's when we lived in the Boston area. It was super delicious ! I find that I'm glad I don't have access more often. It would have been enhanced by some lovely hot chocolate or tea, but noting to complain about.

Still trying to pry open a book, darn it

Go Bears! Go Bears! Not a pretty win but we'll take it. The Browns QB was awful. It should not have been that close. Cutler was definitely rusty but how about that Jeffrey?

>87 mckait: I don't know Wegman's, Kath, but they may well be similar. Almond croissant sounds good to me!

I'm not getting to a book either, since polishing off The Zona. Plus I've got a review left to do. Watching football and reading the NY Times Book Review is very time-consuming.

>88 msf59: Go Bears!

Jeffery seems to be coming up with a highlight catch of the year every game, doesn't he, Mark? This is a great receiver corps - I honestly thought those are words I'd never be able to say about a Bears team. I figured the $ would always go to the defense first. Of course, the defense with all the injuries is struggling, but that offense sure is becoming potent, isn't it?

poutine *huh?*
kippers and porridge oats *guffaw*

>76 jnwelch: Gritty, neo-western post-apocalyptic tale laced with religious zealotry
Well now, that does intriguing! lol- just add a murder and a food-fight and it almost has everything!

>76 jnwelch: The Zona sounds good, adding to the teetering pile of books.

>90 LovingLit: Good morning, Megan. Good to see a fellow "huh"-er re poutine. We may hear from its fans, though.

There is murder in The Zona, but nary a food-fight. Maybe there'll be a sequel with one in it. ;-)

>91 leperdbunny: I expect you'd enjoy The Zona, Tam. A worthy diversion on cold, snowy days.

Some cinnamon toast sounds good about now, doesn't it?



A chuckle to start Monday:

The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty is one of the Kindle Daily Deals today, $1.99, for all you short story addicts.

Oo, good one, Judy. I may jump on that one. I'm actually not a short story addict, but I'm intrigued by Eudora Welty.

Does everyone know about AmazonSmile? Did we already talk about this? You make the same purchases, but part of the proceeds goes to a charity you select. I selected Young Chicago Authors because that's an important one for our family. Here's an explanation: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-1?ie=UTF...

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is one of the best works, and some would say the best, in the career of one of America's most accomplished authors. Walter Mosley is well-known for his Easy Rawlins detective series, featuring a black WWII vet who becomes a private detective in LA's 1940s-1960s Watts neighborhood. Insights into Watts' black community, as well as how Easy and others deal with prevalent racism, are series' features. But the stories are largely driven by their memorable characters, particularly his deadly but utterly loyal friend Raymond "Mouse" Alexander, well-played by Don Cheadle in the "Devil with a Blue Dress" movie. Over the years Mosley has ventured into many other genres, including literary novels, history, philosophy, erotica and science fiction. Among his non-Easy works, two of my favorite novels are Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned, centered around the remarkable Socrates Fortlow, an ex-con (due to a crime of passion) who is trying to make it in the straight world, and RL's Dream, haunted by famed real life bluesman Robert "RL" Johnson, who supposedly acquired his supernatural blues skills in a deal with the devil. Mosley has a restless and far-ranging mind, and in Ptolemy Grey takes on aging and dementia, and the restorative powers of love late in life.

Ptolemy Grey, 91 years old, lives alone in a filthy LA apartment where he refuses to enter the bedroom he shared with his beloved deceased wife, and sleeps under a table amidst years of hoarded detritus. He has begun to lose track of daily life and how to take care of himself, keeping the radio and tv on at all times as company. When the great-grand-nephew who was providing some care to him is killed in a drive-by, a different niece's son shows up to help him, and raises Ptolemy's suspicions. Having had a measure of success in life, Ptolemy has become a chore to his family, and vulnerable to being taken advantage of.

The seemingly hopeless, degenerating circumstances begin to change when he meets teenage Robyn Small at the funeral, a girl who has been taken in by the family and recognizes his goodness and integrity. She proceeds to resurrect his apartment from the filth, and gets him to a doctor. The doctor offers him a Faustian bargain, an experimental drug that will sharpen his faculties but likely shorten his life, in exchange for receiving his body for study once he dies. As Ptolemy begins to recall his past life, we learn of his mentor Coydog, who was lynched for stealing from a white man and hid the loot somewhere known only by Ptolemy. Desperation leading to thievery, and whether any good can ever come of it, is one of the book's main themes, as is the importance of having someone to trust. Ptolemy also is looking to avenge the death of his great-grand-nephew, which may have been personal rather than gang-related as assumed.

The details of Ptolemy's dementia are credible and captivating. Mosley has said the book was inspired by his mother's five year descent into dementia. The book addresses the strain on families when this happens, and the plight of the demented. It also addresses the violence that can be triggered by need or avarice. But the reason this novel rises to greatness is the love between honest and strong Robyn, and the Ptolemy she recognizes even when he can barely recognize himself. As Ptolemy says, if she were twenty years older and he forty years younger, they would marry. She restores the dignity he had lost, and in turn finds generosity and a new kind of safety in his innate decency. The powerful message is it is never too late. For love, or for justice in an often unjust life.

Some quotations from the book:

“That’s how Ptolemy imagined the disposition of his memories, his thoughts: they were still his, still in the range of his thinking, but they were, many and most of them, locked on the other side of a closed door that he’d lost the key for. So his memory became like secrets held away from his own mind. But these secrets were noisy things; they babbled and muttered behind the door, and so if he listened closely he might catch a snatch of something he once knew well.”

“The great man say that life is pain," Coydog had said over eighty-five years before. "That mean if you love life, then you love the hurt come along wit' it. Now, if that ain't the blues, I don't know what is.”

“That's how powerful you are, girl...You pretty, but pretty alone is not what people see. You the kinda pretty, the kinda beauty, that's like a mirror. Men and women see themselves in you, only now they so beautiful that they can't bear to see you go.”

Fine review of a fine, fine, book, Joe. I've read a couple of the Easy novels, and Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned. He's masterful, isn't he? I must try to find a copy of RL's Dream.

>95 jnwelch: Duly thumbs-upped.

>96 laytonwoman3rd: Great to have a fellow Mosley fan, Linda. He is masterful, I agree. It seems to just flow out of him. Yes, RL's Dream should connect strongly for you.

BTW, they made a good movie of Always Outnumbered, with an excellent cast: http://smile.amazon.com/Always-Outnumbered-Laurie-Metcalf/dp/B00005RDAO/ref=sr_1...

The Devil in a Blue Dress movie stars a young Denzel Washington, Cheadle, and Jennifer Beals. Very well done.

>97 richardderus: Thanks for the thumb, Richard!

#95 - Great review, Joe! On the wishlist it goes!

I haven't read him, but this sounds good, as does the Easy Rawlins detective series that you mention - that's a setting (both time and place) quite different from what I'm used to in detective novels. Plus, I wouldn't mind some social commentary with my crime fiction.

>99 DorsVenabili: Thanks, Kerri! Try the first Easy Rawlins, Devil in a Blue Dress. If that suits you, you're off and running on an excellent series.

#100 - Thanks! Just ordered the audiobook from my library.

Thumbs from me for the review, too. I believe I read Devil in a Blue Dress about 20 years ago.
Mosley has now been added to my authors-to-watch-out-for list.

Hi Joe!

Hi Joe- An excellent review of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. I love it when a genre writer stretches out. This might get me back into Mosley. I read a couple Rawlins books years ago and really never pursued him after that.

Have you heard of a GN called I Killed Adolf Hitler? I just saw it mentioned on Good Reads and it sounded real good.

>92 jnwelch: *snort* Java not only eats paper, she eats napkins, tissues, old cat toys, bits of string. .

@leperdbunny, my cat (also named Java) likes to chew on rubber bands until they break. Thankfully he doesn't eat them. ;)

>101 DorsVenabili: Excellent, Kerri. I look forward to your reaction to it.

>102 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. Yes, he started the Easy Rawlins series many moons ago. He's a really interesting author. There are others, like Dan Simmons, who explore a lot of different genres, but I can't think of one right now as successful with it as he is. Although his sci-fi didn't work for me, unfortunately.

>103 msf59: Thanks, Mark. Mosley is a really interesting author, in my view, and worth the pursuit.

I hadn't heard of I Killed Adolf Hitler. I've read a couple of others by Jason - the one I remember is Athos in America. He's very clever, although so far he hasn't swept me away.

>104 leperdbunny: Ha! Yes, Becca's Sherlock also loves any kind of paper, Tam, and just about anything that has to do with humans and is small and totable.

>105 fuzzi: That is lucky, fuzzi. I don't think our pal Sherlock could resist trying to eat one, if left to his own devices.

Love the cartoons Joe! It takes me a few beats (creeping age, I guess) but then I burst out laughing. Warms the heart on a frigidly cold day.

(Wind chill -3 and it's not "officially" winter yet!)

>107 NarratorLady: Ha! I'm a pushover for New Yorker cartoons, Anne, and that seemed appropriately holiday-ish. Yes, laughs help on these cold days, don't they? Ouch, -3 wind chill. My head is still in autumn, and we're getting January weather.

I'm alternating between Nao and Ruth in A Tale for the Time Being, and enjoying it so far. Ruth has just written the university professor about Nao's father.

>108 jnwelch: I've read that some people had no trouble believing in Nao but that Ruth didn't work for them as a character. I didn't have that experience: I thought they both were interesting and I think you have to feel that way to enjoy the book.

Still reading The Goldfinch and still fascinated. I have to say that some parts dragged a bit for me (it is a monster of a read) but I'm still intrigued by every character. It's' very Dickensian in the number of characters who come and go; it's been compared to Great Expectations and I can see that but there seem to be two Estellas and two Miss Havershams! Only one Pip though, and I'm rooting for him even though he's making some dumb moves.

The book is incredibly dense - no wonder that it took her 10 years to write it!

I am actually having for breakfast, right now, a french toast bake, asiago cheese bagel with garden vegetable cream cheese, orange juice, a blueberry muffin, vanilla chai, and hot chocolate with marshmellows, all thanks to our Deccember Breakfast Club here at work :) :) :)

>109 NarratorLady: I had seen The Goldfinch referred to as Dickensian, Anne, so that's a sell point for me. I've also seen her referred to as a one book a decade writer, so I guess we'll probably be in the 2020s when we see the next one from her. My MBH is going to start The Goldfinch soon, so I'll get her perspective on it, too.

>110 seasonsoflove: Nice! You deserve all that great breakfast and much more, Becca. Is that from the parents, or the school? Can you smuggle out an asiago cheese bagel for me? Jeez, those are good.

Did you see we're talking about the new one by The Secret History author? I know you're a Donna Tartt fan. Your mom has the new one.

Your review of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey got me Joe. I have never read this author but your review definitely makes me want to check him out!

It's from me and a few other teachers/staff members-the whole staff takes turns bringing breakfast-I signed up with the December group :) My asiago bagel is already gone, and I'm not sure if one taken today would be good still on Saturday ;)

The Secret History!!!! I need to re-read that for sure, also Special Topics in Calamity Physics. I might just pick a re-reading month at some point. Mom told me I can borrow her Kindle when she's done with The Goldfinch and read it on there :)

Loved your review of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey .. and have to add that to my OWL.

Freezing here today .. woke up to -4F and can't imagine what we're going to get come January. I'm sooooo looking forward to being in South East Asia for almost a month from the end of Jan - mid Feb.

Hi Joe! What a bonechiller. Teenytiny snowflakes, no wind, and nothing resembling warmth. Perfection! (Since I don't have to commute in it.)

What would it take to get an old-fashioned patty melt or two, a large spiced cider, and a carrot cake? A mite peckish today. It does with my reading.

Hey Joe. I have never heard of a Donna tartt before, though it looks like a fried doughnut.

#116 : Haha.. RD ... perfect. That describes so many of us here on LT.

>112 Cobscook: Oh good, Heidi. He's well worth checking out, and you may find yourself searching for others after this one. Ptolemy Grey is not very long either, so it should be a good intro book.

>113 seasonsoflove: Good for you, Hon. That's a great idea to rotate breakfast like that.

I don't think I could re-read Special Topics, although it would be interesting to do while knowing the twists and revelations that come later in the book. Her writing style in it just aggravates me too much.

Isn't there some way to share among Kindles? I hate to take your mom's after you do.

>114 cameling: Ha! I know what OWL stands for, Caro. I'm glad you're going to add Ptolemy Grey to it. Have you read any of his others? You might like the Easy Rawlins series, given your taste in mysteries.

You're smart to ditch this chilly continent for South East Asia when the time comes. Our weather guy here says a very cold December is a sign that January and February will be, too. Just what we all wanted to hear.

>>115 richardderus:-116 When it's cold like this I do think of your enjoyment of it, RD. And I know there must be others like you who appreciate it. Me, not so much. Good thing I like this city so much, because the cold weather sure tests that.

Like that >116 richardderus:. It rings bells for me somehow.

Patty melt, spiced cider and your very own carrot cake coming up. That does sound like a good accompaniment to some reading. Man, I haven't heard "patty melt" in a long time!

>117 Thebookdiva: *groan* And I thought I was bad with puns, Abby. You should be ashamed of really proud of yourself. That fried donut-looking thing is an asiago cheese bagel, not a tartt, donna or otherwise.

>118 cameling: He's got a knack, that RD, doesn't he, Caro? How comes he knows us so well?

*looks up from unseemly gobbling of foodstuffs* Takes one to know one, eh what?

>119 jnwelch: Jim and I went to hear the author of special topics in calamity physics read from the book. Jim rarely misses an opportunity to get a book signed by the author, but we both left at the break with no book in hand. Somehow her work and her voice put our collective teeth on edge. Neither of us have gone back to read the work.

>121 richardderus: Cafe poncho while you're gobbling, Richard?



>122 ffortsa: It seems to be one of those divisive books, Judy. Did Pessl by any chance come across as thinking she was awfully clever? That was my impression from the writing in Special Topics. But some people love it. It does have some major twists, which is what I think grabbed seasonsoflove.

Ha! I know what OWL stands for, Caro.

Ordinary Wizarding Level? :D

LOL! Exactly, Morphy. Caro's on her way to being another Hermione - Outstandings across the board.

>123 jnwelch: Oooooooooo I wannit I wannit! What a cute poncho. Pity it wouldn't fit over my itty punkin haid (size 7-7/8).

>105 fuzzi:/106 Aww, cute! Fuzzi, what color is your cat? (Did that influence the name)?

Did someone say carrot cake????

Java is completely black, @leperdbunny, hence the name.:)

:perks: carrot cake?????

There *was* carrot cake *muffled belch* but it seems to have gone missing.

>129 richardderus: ::side eye::

Hi Joe, wonderful review of Ptolemy Grey. I haven't read anything by Mosley. I'm in the camp that probably won't read anything more by Pessl after reading Night Film. She seems to be trying too hard to be clever and I can't stand that. The Luminaries came close to being in that same category but it was very easy to ignore the book's structure and just enjoy the wonderful storytelling.

You also just put Mosley on my Authors of Interest list with that wonderful review, Jim. I've been borderline aware of him and his works, but had never read him.

I need sleep. It's not going to happen anytime soon. I'll take a coffee instead.

Stay warm today Joe.

>126 richardderus: This one seems to have more head room, Richard, although I'm not sure how you see out of it. Looks like maybe a flap lifts.



>>127 leperdbunny:-130 I'm sure we can find some more carrot cake. The first one may have slowed Richard down enough that you can actually snag some of this one, Tam and fuzzi.



>131 brenzi: Thanks, Bonnie! Mosley is well worth your giving a try. He's a gifted writer, and isn't afraid to explore. I keep thinking about this one; every bit is morally complex.

"Trying too hard to be clever" matches my reaction to Pessl's other book. I've been thinking I'd wait for the paperback of The Luminaries, but I may not be able to wait that long. I've been thinking the same thing about Americanah, but I may not be able to wait for that one either.

>132 ronincats: Thanks, Roni. I'm glad. Mosley's definitely an author of interest. My sister and I have been reading him for a lot of years, and even his lessers have a lot to commend them.

>133 luvamystery65: I got a good night's sleep, Roberta, and I could still use some more. Must be something about this time of year. Coffee? You got it:

I think you've triggered a Mosley binge with me...I picked up RL's Dream from the library, and put White Butterfly on hold.

*waddlewaddlewaddle*

I smell carrot cake.

*plop* ooohhh my knees ow ouch ooo where did this extra fifty pounds come from owww

Make with the cake! Chop chop!

Carrot cake, yum. Ok, so now I just feel silly. 'Donna tartt' oh my gosh, how did I NOT get that? Your response had me laughing.

>135 laytonwoman3rd: Yay! Glad to hear it, Linda. White Butterfly was one of my favorites in that series, too.

>136 richardderus: We saved an extra slice for you, RD. The pixels have the effect of zero-ing out any calories, so this should help in your drive to help those knees.

Now seriously. Is that not the most scrum-diddly-umptious sight in all of Christendom? Dense, moist, delicious cake slathered in cream cheese icing. Call off the space race! Shutter the churches! The epitome of all humanity's striving is right there.

The pixels have the effect of zero-ing out any calories Oh, so THAT's how it's done!

>139 richardderus:. Yes.

Cafe poncho .. what a great idea! I have to get on for the hubster for when he eats in his Lazy-boy in front of the tv.

>139 richardderus: If the striving of all humanity were dedicated to carrot cake, Richard, what a wonderful world it would be.

>140 laytonwoman3rd: This is the value of scientific testing, Linda. Questions that have been puzzling us for many threads can be answered with properly designed tests and professional evaluation.

>141 cameling: Ha! I know my MBH would make a similar observation, Caro, although I'm the lazy boy in our house and Sherlock sits on me. I probably should wear a cafe poncho at all times, in case comestibles appear.

My MBH, walklover, at a storytellers workshop last Sunday.

Omg that carrot cake looks nummy!

>143 jnwelch: What a lovely photo esp with the fully decorated fireplace in the background. :)

Debb looks like she's *completely*enrapt* with the story she's telling. I'll bet the audience was, too. Lovely photo!

Lovely photo. I think Debbi and I might share a hair color.

Does that cafe poncho come in XXL? I know of someone here who might use one.

As for Pessl, yes, it was that insufferable cleverness.

Hi Joe, that is a wonderful picture of your MBH. It's so very rare that we are able to catch our loved ones in the act of doing something that they obviously love very much. That picture with it's lovely background is one to be treasured.

Oh, excellent photo! Lovely on so many levels.

Nice photo, indeed. I also enjoy seeing other LT'rs "real" faces. Thanks for sharing. :)

Now, my fun, delicious and cheap offering of the day...use a candy cane to stir your hot coffee. It adds a very slight but noticeable sweet minty taste, but not as cloying as a store-bought additive would.

Dropping a small chocolate bar in the mug before adding hot coffee is yummy, too.

Fabulous picture. I thought it was from a Christmas advertisement until I read the captioning!

Lovely photo; thanks for sharing!

Great photo! I agree, it looks as if she is enjoying herself immensely :)

Joe that photo of Debb deserves a nice frame and a place of honor during the holidays.

Morning Joe- Steaming cup of tea, please! I am taking the day off today. I need to shake a cold and that's not easy in my job. I will snuggle with the books. Sounds like the perfect remedy.

Great photo of Debbi!

>144 leperdbunny: Isn't that a cool photo, Tam? We like the way her red scarf matches the red stockings.

>145 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Yes, no doubt she was, and they were. She's got a knack. She's one of those rare people who loves to perform, to be up on stage.

>146 ffortsa: Ha! "insufferable cleverness" - I love that, Judy. That is a lovely photo, isn't it? She's always had great hair; enough to give Rapunzel a run for it back in her younger days.

XXL cafe poncho? You bet - we go from imp size to King Kong. If the recipient wants a different color, we can do that. :-)



>147 DeltaQueen50: Isn't that a keeper, Judy? I couldn't resist posting it. Yup, doing what she loves, you've got it.

>148 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. Yes, great photo on many levels, well put. She's really something, despite that loon she married.

>149 fuzzi: Thanks, fuzzi. I'm like you, I like seeing LT-ers' photos. You're welcome - I couldn't resist once I saw it.

Candy cane to stir the coffee, small chocolate bar in the coffee - nice ideas!

>150 Morphidae: Ha! Oh, that will make her feel good, Morphy. The red scarf and red stockings really tie it all together, I think.

>151 laytonwoman3rd: You're welcome, Linda! You know, I don't normally post one seconds after I see it, but I just couldn't resist with this one. She's a force of nature, that woman.

>152 mckait: Thanks, Kath! She loves to perform, as you can tell. She and our son are hoping some day to coordinate a duo piece.

>153 luvamystery65: I agree, Roberta. Great idea. I will talk with the star of the photo about doing just that.

>154 msf59: Ah, my sympathy, Mark. It's that time of year, isn't it? We'll get you that tea, and we have RD's hot toddy recipe for later in the day.

Glad you like the photo of Debbi!

BTW, your server has a part time job as a librarian.

Thank you all so much for your kind words about my photo. It was taken during a wonderful 8 hours surrounded by 30+ other writers and storytellers. We spent the time in a cabin in Glencoe sharing stories, taking workshops and generally getting to know each other better. I had a wonderful time, made new friends and learned a lot. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and a happy and healthy New Year.

Much warmer here today...got me thinkin' about the scrumptiousness of Mexican food. I'd love about a tortilla factory's-worth of cheese enchiladas in every kind of sauce ever thunk up. Fatty goodness!

>157 walklover: I'm so pleased to see you in action, Debb. It looks like a true calling, and that makes all the difference to an audience. It flows out of a person, instead of being Performed. Lucky Joe!

I like the tea but I especially like the server! Great tube socks. LOL.

Have you read B.P.R.D., Vol 1: Hollow Earth & Other Stories? This looks like it might be a fun series. I also heard Joe Sacco has an excellent NF GN out, that I just requested.
I started Summer Blonde. Like you, I really enjoy this type of dramatic style in comic form.

@msf59, did you notice the phone secured inside one of the server's tube socks? ;)

>157 walklover: You seem like a special one, mystery person. Do you ever go out on dates?

>158 richardderus: Lucky me is right, Richard! Good description. It is a true calling for walklover.

Warmer is good. We're getting some of that, too. We'll get you them cheese enchiladas. This amount should at least work as an appetizer, and then we can find you more.



>159 msf59: The tube socks make the outfit, I agree, Mark. I thought that might cheer you up on a sub-par day.

I haven't read B.P.R.D. Vol. 1, so I'll take your cue on that one when you get to it. The Joe Sacco, I believe, is all one piece, 24 feet long. Report back! I've often thought about reading him. Glad Summer Blonde is off to a good start. Should be a good one for you. I just ordered Brian Wood's The Massive from the library, so I'll let you know if it's any good.

>160 fuzzi: Good eye, fuzzi. This is a woman on the go, and obviously she's very au courant. I suspect we're going to start seeing a lot of folks tucking their phones into their tube socks.

Yum! Thanks! It goes with this balmy 34° weather. Need something tropical to beat the heat.

Oh dear. Much frustration on the book front. I'm enjoying too many of them, and still not wanting to write reviews!

Fuzzi- I did see the cellphone! LOL. She's a hillbilly girl alright!

Joe- Tomine is sure a dark & gloomy fellow. LOL. I think he needs to get a little action, if you know what I mean?
That's right the Sacco is like an accordion book or something, right?

>162 richardderus: Those enchiladas look awfully good, don't they? We've been sampling back in the kitchen.

You know you're in the right time of year when 34 F is tropical, Richard. I will try to adopt your bizarre inspiring outlook.

For those of us who get a kick out of your acerbic reviews, your enjoyment/reluctance to review is unfortunate on two fronts. On the other hand, I've benefited from those you enjoy and eventually review, most recently with The Zona. So I guess patience is the watchword. If the frustration gets too annoying, we have more cheese enchiladas on hand to take your mind off things.

>163 msf59: LOL! You'e probably right about our hillbilly girl and Tomine, Mark. Dark and gloomy - just what you like, right? I think if Tomine got a little action, it would be lousy action, based on this book, anyway. Yeah, that's my impression on the Sacco book, accordion-style, although I haven't seen it. Sounds easier to read than the multi-piece Building Stories, anyway.

>156 jnwelch: She looks like a carhop! I like the colors. :)

>165 leperdbunny: You're right, Tam! I could see adding a pair of roller skates and then she'd really be all set as a carhop. Of course, that would make it tough to negotiate those stairs.

Let's have some gingerbread donuts, shall we?

I vote for mince pies and champagne all round.



Last day of work! Last day of work! Not much work getting done!!

Gingerbread donuts ...... another thing i didn't know existed ..... wanders away shaking ones head

*waving* at Joe

I think I will vote for the mince pies too :)

It's actually leaning toward the tropical here... I think it's 45F right now and soaring to 60!
Imagine! The snow and ice is melting away. This pleases me, ad Duncan loves the snow, and will often ask to go out ( very convincingly ) in order to snack on some.Not to mention getting him inside is hard as he would be perfectly happy to stay out there and crunch !

In humble gratitude for your kind generosity of spirit, putting up with the very real work of a playpretend cafe, while working hard in Real Life, raising wonderful people to inherit the mess we've made, and being the support and happiness of a creative vortex like Debb, good proprietor Joe:



Celebrate the return of the light with feasts, merriment, and gratitude for all the wonders of this wide green earth.

RMD

Well, I can't top what dear Richard has sent (also, haven't yet figured out how to post images ... maybe a project for 2014?).

So ... ditto.

>167 richardderus:/168 YUM!

I love Champagne! How about Mimosas?

Morning, Joe. It's snowing and that happens quite rarely here so I am intending to spend some time outside walking in it and then coming home and getting cozy on the couch with some hot chocolate. Yummy!

Woo, RL has been a time-eater today. Good to be back to the cafe!

>167 richardderus: Loverly, Richard. I'm another one who didn't know gingerbread donuts existed. I'm trying to take the one off the bottom without moving the others, hoping no one will notice.

>168 wookiebender: Ha! Congrats on this being the last day of work, Tania! I'm inspired by not much getting done on your end (although you're probably now playing blues guitar in the early a.m. hours), and will try to do - or not do - the same.

Them mince pies look quite festive and delectable, and you can always talk me into having a glass of champagne. It's so light and bubbly, it's like good-tasting liquid air, isn't it?

>169 roundballnz: Hi, Alex! Good to see you. Don't wander away without taking one of those gingerbread donuts, and perhaps some mince pie and champagne?

Read anything good lately? I'm still grateful for the tip on The Ghosts of Nagasaki.

>170 alcottacre: *waves at Stat class-free and holiday bound Stasia*

>171 mckait: You have the mince pies, Kath, and I'll snarfle the gingerbread donuts.

Duncan munching on the snow - you can't beat the price of that dog treat. Although it means trips outside when you might rather have your feet up. Becca's Sherlock prefers to decorate himself with the snow, all over, like powdered sugar.

It's my last day of work for the year. Vacation time has been pushed back and bacj and now is a requirement - not that I mind. I'll be home a little, traveling a little, reading a lot. Happy Solstice, all, and Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it.

>172 richardderus: Happy Solstice, Richard! Thank you for those kind words. It's a pleasure. I'm still a bit baffled by how exactly this cafe came about, but I'm glad it did. We're going to have the family re-united starting tomorrow night, when favorite son #1 arrives at Hacienda Welch.

I've thought about how we would all feel on LT if our Richard wasn't around. Missing a lot of zest, a lot of spice, a lot of thought provocation, that's for sure. Not to mention all the tentacled and other fun (including book porn) that shows up on your variety show thread. Thank you for being your rambunctious, eloquent and fascinating self!



>173 NarratorLady: Thanks, Anne! We can talk about image copying in the new year. Our favorite daughter is tutoring me on posting personal photos, so I know what you mean. I'm glad you like coming to this humble cafe, and thank you for all the good book tips since we've gotten to know each other!

>174 leperdbunny: I'm a pushover for mimosas, Tam. Their invention I believe ranks right behind fire in the history of mankind. Quaffing at least one and perhaps several would be appropriate in honor of the holidays.

>175 DeltaQueen50: Oh yeah, that looks really good, Judy. No need to stop sitting outside in the garden just because it's all white right now. I didn't realize snow was that rare in your beautiful part of the world there. Good idea to celebrate. Plus it's Friday!

>177 ffortsa: Done with work for the year sounds great to me, Judy. Home a little, traveling a little, reading a little - I could live with that, easy. Happy Solstice to you, and I hope you and Jim have a satisfying and relaxing end of year break.

Mimosas. Yum.

Hey, Joe, I have once again fallen behind. I did complete my 100th novel, Falling to Earth, and I gave it five stars. That was fun. :-)

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

>179 EBT1002: We may have to find a way to put mimosas on the Seattle visit agenda, Ellen.

Five stars - wow! And six if you could. Falling to Earth is a new one for me, and it has additional resonance after the tornado that devastated Washington, Illinois this fall. Nice review! I'll look for it.

Wishing you and P a wonderful weekend, too! I guess the work week really helps us appreciate the weekend, so I'll try to look back benignly on this one. Can't wait to start the weekend - plus we get our boy back tomorrow!

Surprised this one isn't discussed more on LT.



Looking forward to the sequel about men who read too much.

#181 - Ha! Cute!

Enjoy having your boy in town for the holidays, Joe! That will be the best present of all, I know.

I'm definitely looking forward to the weekend and hoping for another Seahawks victory. :-)

>182 EBT1002: You're right, having our Jesse back will be the best present of all, Ellen. My MBH can barely contain herself. Fingers crossed that there are no weather delays!

Those Seahawks are a steamroller this year. Only the Cardinals and the Rams left. If I were a betting man, I'd say they'll take both of those, although the Cardinals are having a pretty good year, too. Good luck!

>181 jnwelch: bwaaaaaaahaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

What is this "too much" of which they speak?

>181 jnwelch:/184 Mr. Leperdbunny knows better than to say I read "too much". :P

Hi Joe- Hope your Friday went well. Are you off next week? Love the cartoon! That is priceless.

Who is Richard again?

>143 jnwelch: lovely photo Joe!

Happy Christmas Joe! I am off now for a week, so will be LT-less for the frantic end of year posting and new thread setting up! :(
I hope you have a lovely time, and a safe and joyful New Year, I look forward to frequenting your cafe next year.
((((Xmas hugs))))

Merry Christmas, Joe, just in case I do not get back to the cafe before that happy day :)

>184 richardderus: I know, RD, "not enough" makes more cosmic sense.

>185 leperdbunny: I'll bet Mr. Leperdbunny knows better than to say that, Tam! Unless he wants to sleep outside in the snow.

His unusual name reminds me that among some Seattle-ans my MBH and I are known as "Mr. and Mrs. Muffin". Why? One of our son's nicknames is "Muffin". So as his parents we're "Mr. and Mrs."

>186 msf59: Hiya, Mark! I work Monday, then we drive over to Ann Arbor on Tuesday, and I'm off the rest of the week. How much of it are you getting off?

2/3 of Friday was not so swell, but the last 1/3 was quite nice indeed. Hey, I found Stone Levitation ale at Mariano's! So now I have a regular source for it. Have you ever tried Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin? A shopper at Mariano's who knew her stuff said it's her husband's favorite, so I picked up some of that, too.



Richard? The name sure sounds familiar. I'm almost certain he's the LTer who advocates for tentacled Americans.

>187 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan! I got a print of the photo and framed it for work today. Lovely, isn't it? She's a keeper.

Happy Christmas to you! I'm glad you have the week off. Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by before going LT-less. Have a great holiday, and a happy new year. See you in 2014!

>188 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. Merry Christmas to you, too! Yeah, I should remember that we won't be here on LT on Tuesday. We'll be in radio silence as we drive to Ann Arbor and then celebrate with the family.

Oh hey! Lookee here, I found a cafe!

Hi all you strangers, my name's Richard and I am new to these parts. What's good to eat?

>190 richardderus: LOL! Jeez, you look familiar, Richard. And you look like someone who would appreciate a plate of chili cheese fries. Try these.



Remind me to introduce you to Mark at some point. You two would probably hit it off.

All right, Paul C. gave me this idea, and I'm not sure who he got it from, but here are the 15 books that changed my life.

I suspect every one I read is changing it somewhat, but these stood out when I thought back over the years.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - opened my eyes to so many creative possibilities, including wordplay
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury - got me believing in school again after a soon-to-be favorite teacher assigned it
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - took a typical self-centered kid out of himself and got me thinking about others; broke my heart for the first time, too
James Wright Collected Poems - midwestern poet caught me and fueled a lifelong interest in poetry
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - read it way post-college and got walloped; started lifelong Austen fandom

Dune by Frank Herbert - got me excited about the possibilities of science fiction, and thinking about environmental effects
Dr. Strange by Stan Lee and others - this hokey, mystical comic book was my favorite as a kid, and fueled my lifelong graphic fandom
Future Shock by Alvin Toffler - he took on emerging issues like economic disparities, overpopulation and pollution; trying to look into the future fascinated me
After the Quake by Haruki Murakami - my entry into his world that started me on lifelong fandom
Remember, Be Here Now by Ram Dass - matched my youthful hippiness perfectly, still working on some of its ideas

The Chosen by Chaim Potok - for the first time, got me enthralled by lives very different from my own
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki - what a mensch this man was; still the best on this subject I've read
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder - made me a fan of both Paul Farmer and author Tracy Kidder, and got me involved with Partners in Health
T.S. Eliot Selected Poems - bowled me over, so I felt like a patient, etherized upon a table; got the complete works later
Thank You, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse - fueled my appreciation of the absurd and started a lifelong fandom for this author

Oooh yuuuummmm I adore them already!

Mark? Who's Mark?

Ooh, what's in Ann Arbor, Joe?

>193 richardderus: Excellent. We'll keep some on hand at all times, Richard. I'll let you and Mark sort out who's who.

>194 leperdbunny: Ann Arbor is where I grew up, Tam. My pa still lives there, so we gather the clan at his place. Fer-de-Lance is going to be the audio book for the trip. I haven't read Rex Stout in ages, and Ellie and others got my interest re-piqued.

Hi Joe- I've heard some shady things about this Mark dude, so I think I think we should just leave it alone. K?

I loved your 15 books list, even though I've only read a few of them. Great to see Murakami and Kidder on there. I've never read Future Shock but you never hear about it anymore. I wonder if it holds up?

Can you believe a whole year has gone by and I have not read Murakami? Bad Bad Mark. Oh sh*t, I just blew my cover.

Reading Ian Rankin's latest for some light relief reading Saints of the shadow Bible ... yet to be disappointed by Rankin .....

Xmas should bring in some good reading time - especially as I have now adjusted to using glasses for reading :)

BTW any cold ginger beer in the Fridge? its a tad warm down here ....

What a great list of 15, Joe. Murakami's Norwegian Wood was my first step into the surreal and began my fascination with this author....even if I don't 'get' all his works .. specifically The Wind Up Bird Chronicles.
I'm so glad to see Austen, Bradbury, Wodehouse and Elliot made it to your life-changing list. Good exercise .. I should maybe put some thought into this and see if I can come up with my own list of 15 before the year ends.

Joe, the "15" is a nifty idea, but I don't know how I, personally, could choose like that...so many books.

The Chosen has been on my shelves, unread, for years. It was one of my mother's favorites. Perhaps in 2014 I will finally read it.

Two book-warbles today! Shattered Love, a memoir by gay actor Richard Chamberlain, about his life as a huge star and unhappy man morphing into openness and honesty and happiness after stardom waned.

Also, Pat Frank's classic post-apocalyptic novel Alas, Babylon, about the struggles of one small town in Florida (!) to cope with life after the nuclear holocaust we all feared back in the day.

Both are $1.99 on all ereader platforms today, 22 December. Worthwhile to archive on the device, even if reading them today isn't in your plans.

Let's keep our Canadian friends in our thoughts and prayers: a major ice storm is hammering much of its eastern areas.

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/worst-ice-storm-in-years-coats-so...

Hiya Joe! I loved the picture of Debbi way up thread and wish I always looked like I was enjoying myself that much.

I am in the midst of the ice storm referenced in #201....but so far, we still have power so its all good. I may feel differently in a while! LOL

>196 msf59: We'll keep all info on this Mark guy on the QT, Mark, I mean, Agent X. No mention of his superspy totally normal activities will be mentioned.

Yeah, Murakami and Kidder are two on the list that have meant a lot to me over the years. Bad Mark, I mean Agent X, or it this Mark again, I'm getting confused. Anyway, you should get on it and read some more Murakami.

I saw there was a reprint of Future Shock in the mid-80s and it was considered still relevant then. Of course, that was nearly 20 years ago now. Trying to peer into the future really captivated me.

>197 roundballnz: Hiya, Alex. I've read Ian Rankin but didn't get caught up in the Inspector Rebus series like some have. The some that have includes one of my sisters, and my mother before she passed away.

Aren't you way too young to need glasses for reading? Maybe age doesn't have a lot to do with it, but I always think of those reading glasses being used by folks in the older category.

Cold ginger beer? Wish we had your warmth problem here. Here you go (not sure why the staff added clover leafs:



>198 cameling: I love his books, Caro, and his weird mind seems to match well with mine. I even "got" The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles. A great book, yes? Albeit with a tough-on-the-heart section to read.

Just line up a few Jamesons for me, please? Bottles, not shots. Thanks.

>199 fuzzi: It was challenging, but fun, to come up with the 15, fuzzi. It was made a lot more possible by having an LT library, and I had tagged my favorites. I can recommend it as a fun journey down memory lane.

The Chosen is so good! You'll be glad you read it when time permits.

>200 richardderus: Good tips, Richard, thanks. I remember when Richard Chamberlain was perceived as a hetero heart throb for the ladies, before openness became less of a career issue. Glad he got to a time of happiness and honesty.

>201 fuzzi: Holy crap, thanks, fuzzi. I hadn't heard anything about the southern Ontario ice storm. I hope they're all doing okay. That'll sure bring life to a stop.

>202 Cobscook: Glad you're doing okay in the ice storm, Heidi!

Isn't that a great pic of Debbi? Yes, she loves the storytelling, and it's contagious for the audience. I got a print of it framed already.

Son Jesse and I are going to brave Best Buy to get some cable needed for our somnolent dvd player.

>204 mckait: Is that really you, Kath? I never expected to hear from you, "line up a few {bottles of} Jamesons"! I'll have to get over to your thread to find out the latest. Here you go:

Thank you, you dear sweet man.

Sue picked up some Levitation and I picked up some Anti-Hero. Yes, I am smiling. I hope you are having a fine Sunday. Looking forward to that Bears game.

I've put up some new holiday season family photos up in my thread :)

http://www.librarything.com/topic/159300

>206 mckait: You're welcome, Kath!

>207 msf59: Nice brew choices, Mark! I'll bet you're smiling. I'm going to get a Levitation as soon as these fingers stop typing. Go Bears!

>208 seasonsoflove: Thanks, Becca! I get your furry brother and furry Sherlock mixed up, but I think Sherlock has the darker fur.

I saw there was a reprint of Future Shock in the mid-80s and it was considered still relevant then. Of course, that was nearly 20 years ago now.

Ummm. Joe? Dude? 20 years ago was 1994. I think you mean THIRTY (30) years ago.

Gadzooks and godzilla. I feel SO OLD.

Oops. Well, what's a decade or so between friends? You know, you're only as old as you . . . oh, heck, I can't remember the rest.

*peers over bifocals* What? What?? Speak up! Damn, people are so lazy they mumble these days.

What? What??

I'll have you to know that MY ear-trumpet is a modren EElectrickal one.

*peers over bifocals* You mean glunk?

I am joining you with a Levitation. I said, I am joining you with a Levitation! Get it that time?

Oh yeah! That word! Glunk.

>214 richardderus: No doubt you have the very model of a modern major ear horn, Richard.

>215 mckait: Def.: 1. glunk
The act of sliding one's eyeglasses down one's nose and peering over the top of them in a questioning, self-confident, or alluring manner.
"I said something from the last century and that Librarything-er laid a glunk on me I'll never forget."

Thanks for expanding our vocabulary, Kath.

>216 msf59: What? What?? You should join me in a Levitation, Mark. They're most excellent.

>217 richardderus: *lays a glunk on Richard* Well, yes, of course. That Kath has an impressive vocab.

I seem to be caught in some kind of time warp Joe. I have no idea what's going on but I love your list. I would have to think long and hard to come up with books that have changed my life. Entertained? Sure. Thought provoking? Yep. But changed my life? I'm drawing a blank. But I will say that it was reading Eliot's Middlemarch that made me realize that I love Victorian literature better than anything else. I'll have to settle for that I guess.

Hopefully Kath will share a little of the good stuff. Irish heritage dictates a glass or ten of Jammies or Bushmills this festive season for medicinal purposes of course.

>219 brenzi: Well, you can see from my comments that I have a somewhat expansive view of life-changing, Bonnie. It was fun to do, so I can recommend it on that basis. Middlemarch is one of my top books ever. Go Dorothea!

>220 PaulCranswick: We can help you, Paul, for medicinal purposes of course.

Dear Joe!

I'm stopping by to say how much I appreciate the cheer you provide throughout the year! I hope your holiday is merry and your stacks of books unending!

203 > much too kind - between my light sensitivity & being mid-40's this was going to happen managed to avoid till now .....

Much laughter above at those that can't see or hear though ......

I always think Hard boiled wonderland is one of the most underrated of Murakami

Oh boy, Joe, I was born in '84. I'm turning 30 next year. :P

Dropping in to say that the snow and I aren't in San Diego, Joe!

For excitement around here these days my husband and I wander around the house yelling "What? What?" at each other or bumping into each other as we search for our missing glasses, that are sometimes right there on the top of my head! Getting old is not for the faint-hearted. Better pass the Jamesons this way as well, Joe!

>222 Whisper1: Ha! Love it, Linda! Thank you. That looks delish. Hope you have a wonderful holiday with lots of good reading.

>223 roundballnz: LOL! Yeah, good point, at least you can see and hear, Alex, including with the help of your new glasses. Some of our patrons, and the proprietor, obviously could use some help in both regards.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland is a great choice for most-underrated Murakami. Sputnik Sweetheart and A Wild Sheep Chase came to mind when I saw your post, but I'd put Hard-Boiled at the top of the under-rateds, too. Fascinating book.

>224 leperdbunny: Ah, to be saying "I'll be turning 30 next year", Tam. Wonderful. My MBH and I had just gotten hitched in '84, and our Becca hadn't even shown up as a twinkle in our eyes at that point. You'll probably be running the world by the time you reach my addled age.

>225 ronincats: Ah, okay, Roni. That makes more sense! Your snow picture was taken somewhere else. We were just talking about how confused old guys get sometimes. This can be Exhibit A. Just where the heck are you and the snow? I'll visit your thread to see whether there are any clues there. (My guess is there were a number of clues hitting me in the face there, but that's never stopped me from missing the obvious).

I'm still trying to figure out where my MBH keeps the butter.

>226 DeltaQueen50: Getting old is not for the faint-hearted. Well put, Judy! Searching for keys and glasses, trying to remember that elusive word, bumping into each other and saying What? What?? We've got to be tough to bumble through the later years and not end up at some train stop far from anything we're familiar with.

Thank goodness there are younger folks hanging about on occasion. Our dvd player was all screwed up, and son #1 was able to straighten it out yesterday, after we went to Best Buy for a switch box and cables. It made up for a lot of the tsuris of raising the guy. His sister brought the furry Sherlock, so she got a lot of bonus points, too. Here's a pic of our breakfast get-together with their uncle Ed, aunt Tracy and cuz M'Kayla:



Becca has more at the link at >208 seasonsoflove:.

OK, I can't resist trying to come up with a top 5. As usual, I'm not very good at following directions, so I'm going to have a second five and a graphic novel pick.

Top 5

1. Longbourn by Jo Baker
2. Benediction by Kent Haruf
3. Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr
4. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
5. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

Second Five

6. The Greater Journey by David McCullough
7. Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa'Thiong'o
8. Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
9. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
10. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

Favorite Graphic Novel: The Nao of Brown

Three that were hard to keep off the list: Housekeeping, Song of the Lark, and How the Light Gets In

How anyone can limit there favorite reads to 5 has me baffled.

The cafe is booming Joe.

I was delighted to read that you framed the wonderful photo of Debb in her storytelling mode. What a nice holiday memory you now have.

can someone glunk in an alluring manner? I have yet to be on the receiving end of an alluring glunk. Sarcastic, glaring and rolled-eye glunks I have had a surfeit of, but alluring.... ? nuh uh .. nary a one, I'm sure.

If you have a Top 5 and second 5, wouldn't it have been easier to just say your top 10, Joe? Just sayin' ... *toodles off with a gingerbread cookie while glunking alluringly*

Joe, I love that you did a second five to go with your first five. Although Caro does have a point, I suppose.....
And I'm adding the GN to my list as I am enjoying that genre since discovering it.
Longbourne and A Tale for the Time Being are on my wishlist, as is Wizard of the Crow.

Happy holidays here in the cafe!

#224 ...It's all downhill from here, you know. I don't even have a KID on the young side of 30 anymore...very hard for me to grasp.

>229 luvamystery65: Me, too, Roberta. Too many good ones to do just 5, seems to me. I'm looking at the framed photo of Debbi storytelling as we speak. It's a wonderful holiday memory, you're right.

>230 cameling: 5 + 5=10, so you've got a point, Caro. An alluring glunk seems about as likely as a graceful clunk, or a reliable drunk, doesn't it? I wondered about that, too, when I saw the definition.

I did want to break out the Top 5 as my best of the best this year. No one has ever looked better toodling with a gingerbread cookie, I have to say.

>231 EBT1002: Good, I'm glad you like having more than just the five, Ellen, and that you're WL'ing Nao of Brown. NOB reportedly took him 10 years to do, and it's a very different, high quality piece of work. She has some tough compulsions she's dealing with. The other three you WL'd also are risk-takers that bring a whole lot of rewards.

Thanks for the holiday wishes! I look forward to munching on some of those cookies.

>232 laytonwoman3rd: Downhill is easier, though, right, Linda? Right? You just get on your sled and go? *giving Linda a questioning, self-confident, hopeful glunk*

Cranberry orange torte? Is to be where, pleasing you to tell?

LOL! I'm glad you were able to get directions to our humble cafe, friend. Is this your first time in our country?

Cranberry orange torte it is. My MBH, fond of all things cranberry, may want to get in on this one, too.

That looks utterly irresistible. I am a nut for cranberry. I even like the red spoodge in the can, that's how much I like cranberry. I usually put more cranberry orange relish on the turkey than I put turkey on the plate so I don't have to taste the ghastly stuff.

In Texas, I'd make cranberry orange JALAPENO relish because what's not better with jalapenos on/in/next to it? (Also we usually had deep-fried turkey, it's less horrifyingly vile than the regular kind, and jalapenos go with fried stuff.) (Except donuts.)

I'm with you on all things jalapeno (sounds right to keep donuts out of that!). My MBH's favorite drink: 1/2 cranberry juice, 1/2 orange juice, with a dash of Rose's lime.

Christmas champagne bar: Mimosas; Poinsettias (cranberry juice in place of orange); Gardenias (grapefruit juice and Cointreau in place of orange); and plain old champagne, only the good kind not the Freixenet used for mixers. Good xmas morning!

That sounds most excellent. If we can figure out a way to get the Transporter working, prepare for a knock on the door. I'm sure I'll have a face full of mimosas, but I'm going to have to try a Gardenia right now. And a Poinsettia for the Mrs.

Those drinks look yum! Joe you have inspired me to make a favorites list on my thread. No top 5 or ten. Not even calling it a Best list. Just my favorites.

>239 jnwelch: LOVE that serving idea for the Gardenias! Must remember that.

>240 luvamystery65: Good, Roberta! I look forward to seeing your favorites list. I enjoyed going back over the year's reading, even though it can be hard to pick from so many satisfying reads. My tops are the ones that really grabbed me, and I'm still feeling.

>241 richardderus: Doesn't that look good, Richard? That's fresh thyme you're seeing as the accent.

It's a matter of symantics...a fritter or a hushpuppy isn't much different than a donut. So why NOT jalapeño? I give you a platter full of evidence in support of my position:

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I ***adore*** hushpuppies.

Nice to see the old Dr Strange strip on your top fifteen Joe.

I think the cool spooky Steve Ditko art sold that strip as much as the Stan Lee story lines.

For me it was The Doom Patrol in My Greatest Adventure who were real and scrappy and human (as well as super heroes) even!

>>243 laytonwoman3rd:-244 Those look excellent, Linda. Like Richard, I could dig into them right now.

>245 magicians_nephew: Good memory, Jim! You're right about Steve Ditko and Dr. Strange. A phantasmagoria of vibrant color and swirling design from that guy. Stan Lee's story lines were kind of hokey and inflated, but that was part of the fun.

Doom Patrol in Greatest Adventure? I may have to circle back to that one. Real and scrappy and human - that's what I've been liking about Matt Fraction's reboot of Hawkeye. He's managed to make interesting a character I never followed. Cool graphics, too - seem influenced by Chris Ware to me.

It's going to get harder in the next couple of days with all the holiday foofaraw, so come on over to the new place that just opened.

Sexy glunk:

LOL! With maybe a smidgen of, "are you out of your mind?"