Joe's Book Cafe 9

Glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly

Welcome back to the cafe!

Favorites from 2013

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

2014 American Author Challenge (kudos to Mark)

Willa Cather- January The Professor's House
Alice Walker- February The Color Purple
Cormac McCarthy - March The Orchard Keeper
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

Life-changers

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

2014 Books

January

1. Mad Mouse by Chris Grabenstein
2. A Conspiracy of Faith by Jussie Adler-Olsen
3. Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb
4. The Professor's House by Willa Cather
5. Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb
6. Die Trying by Lee Child
7. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
8. In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
9. Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
10. Japantown by Barry Lancet
11. View with a Grain of Sand by Wislawa Szymborska
12. Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
13. High Heat by Lee Child

February

14. A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming
15. Boxers & Saints by Gene Luen Yang
16. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
17. Cress by Marissa Meyer
18. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
19. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
20. Stone Cold by C.J. Box
21. The Martian by Andy Weir
22. Necessity's Child by Sharon Lee

March

23. The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy
24. Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
25. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
26. My Dungeon Shook by Danez Smith
27. Black Boy Suite Black Boy Sweet by Danez Smith
28. Mrs. Tim of the Regiment by D.E. Stevenson
29. Little Green by Walter Mosley
30. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
31. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen
32. A Truth Universally Acknowledged: Why We Read Jane Austen, edited by Susannah Carson
33. Dream London by Ian Ballantyne
34. Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope

Hi Joe,
Great vacation! Thanks for sharing the pictures.
I'm going to Seattle someday if I have to go alone!
Love the Chihuly sculptures ;-)

Welcome home...

Morning, Joe! All caught up with your last thread just in time for the new one! Sounds like you had an excellent time in Seattle - loved seeing all the photos, and that coffee shop looks like a lovely way to spend a morning.

I second everything Joe has said about our trip to Seattle. It was a wonderful week!!

Love Chihuly! Great exhibit here in Boston last year.

Ouch! How do I size this?

ETA = Got it.

Beautiful thread toppers, Joe! The next time we go to Seattle (which will probably be September), we must go to the Chihuly museum!

Also, per your recommendation, I ordered View with a Grain of Sand, so thank you! I've been more often enjoying poetry lately for some reason.

>3 -Cee-: Hi, Cee! We did have an great time in Seattle. It's become one of our favorite places to visit, and we thought it was our best vacation yet. (We keep topping prior ones, which seems like a good sign). Yes, make it to Seattle if you can. We were talking about its manageable size - we walked everywhere while we were there.

Glad you like the Chihulys. It was irresistible to post some more after enjoying his garden and exhibit in Seattle.

>4 Crazymamie: Good morning, Mamie!

We love that coffee shop, as you can tell. We go back every time we're in Seattle. We're still exploring others - son #1's new friend when to a one called Hanger Cafe, if I got it right, and she liked it, so we'll probably check that one out next time.

>5 walklover: It was a wonderful week, wasn't it, o beauteous one? And you managed to pick up a bunch of new Facebook friends along the way. If I had a dollar for every person you've charmed, I'd be a rival for Warren Buffett - or for that Seattle guy, Bill Doors or Bill Windows or whatever his name is.

Hi Joe! Glad you had such a great trip, and good job to keep topping your last trips -- you're doing something right! We love Seattle, too, and need to get back there!

Have a great week.

>6 michigantrumpet:, >7 michigantrumpet: Ha! Beautiful and huge, Marianne! You size it by putting width={number}" at the end, e.g. img src="{image location}" width=350> You can do height={number} , too, but for me that distorts it more than I like, so I don't include height.

>8 DorsVenabili: Thanks, Kerri. Oh, you'll love the Chihuly museum. Glad you like the toppers. In person it's so cool. We hung out there a long time.

Great to hear you've picked up View with a Grain of Sand. Paul C. deserves credit for the original inspiration - he's the one who recommended it to me.

You remind me that I want to pick up on his tradition of starting the thread with a poem. (He's been doing war poems lately). I know Billy Collins isn't everyone's cuppa, but this is one I've always liked (and maybe if I post it, winter will decide it's been around long enough):

Shoveling Snow With Buddha

In the usual iconography of the temple or the local Wok
you would never see him doing such a thing,
tossing the dry snow over a mountain
of his bare, round shoulder,
his hair tied in a knot,
a model of concentration.

Sitting is more his speed, if that is the word
for what he does, or does not do.

Even the season is wrong for him.
In all his manifestations, is it not warm or slightly humid?
Is this not implied by his serene expression,
that smile so wide it wraps itself around the waist of the universe?

But here we are, working our way down the driveway,
one shovelful at a time.
We toss the light powder into the clear air.
We feel the cold mist on our faces.
And with every heave we disappear
and become lost to each other
in these sudden clouds of our own making,
these fountain-bursts of snow.

This is so much better than a sermon in church,
I say out loud, but Buddha keeps on shoveling.
This is the true religion, the religion of snow,
and sunlight and winter geese barking in the sky,
I say, but he is too busy to hear me.

He has thrown himself into shoveling snow
as if it were the purpose of existence,
as if the sign of a perfect life were a clear driveway
you could back the car down easily
and drive off into the vanities of the world
with a broken heater fan and a song on the radio.

All morning long we work side by side,
me with my commentary
and he inside his generous pocket of silence,
until the hour is nearly noon
and the snow is piled high all around us;
then, I hear him speak.

After this, he asks,
can we go inside and play cards?

Certainly, I reply, and I will heat some milk
and bring cups of hot chocolate to the table
while you shuffle the deck.
and our boots stand dripping by the door.

Aaah, says the Buddha, lifting his eyes
and leaning for a moment on his shovel
before he drives the thin blade again
deep into the glittering white snow.

ETA: >10 AMQS: Good to see you, Anne! Yes, it does seem like we must be doing something right. Since we're becoming so good at vacations, I'd like to be doing them all the time. :-) Maybe some day.

Hope you have a great week, too.

Love the poem! I had stopped on your thread last night before going to bed with a headache, and so posted there this morning before refreshing and seeing your new thread was up.

>12 ronincats: Oh glad to hear it, Roni. Isn't that a poem you can sink inside of? Always makes me feel good.

No problema re the old thread - I responded there, too. I'm going to get to a review of Necessity's Child and the other one you asked about - was it The Martian, or some other one?

>1 jnwelch: Joe, A few years ago, I took students to a seminar in Seattle Washington. We were fortunate to take a break from the conference and attend an exibit of Dale Chihuly. I fell in love with his glass works. Unfortunately, it is way beyond my ability to afford even a small piece.

Happy Day To You! Thanks for the lovely opening images.

Morning Joe! How about some Cholula to go with that Chihuly. They are both so colorful! Say both three times quickly!

Glad you are back home from your travels now if Spring would just catch up to you then you will be set.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Joe. I just love those glass sculptures at the top of your thread, Dale Chihuly has a very unique view, I love the combination of the glass with the gardens.

To help celebrate the day, I brought the following for everyone:

>15 luvamystery65: Ha! Nice combo, Roberta. Our son's ex-girlfriend loved Cholula; not sure what she thought of Chihuly. I'm impressed we both can spell them. I don't even want to think about pronouncing the two of them three times quickly. I'd probably end up with one of those cartoon tongues tied up in knots.

It's good to be back home, although we were having such a good time in that warmer weather that we would have extended our stay if we could. On the other hand, there are some signs that this winter will eventually let go of us. Can't wait!

>16 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! That's quite the St. Paddy's Day cupcake! We gratefully accept.

I did manage to wear mostly green today. I thought it was coincidental, since I was half-asleep when I climbed into my gear, but maybe my subconscious was getting me synchronized with the holiday.

Erin go Bragh!

Hi Joe- Congrats on #9, #9, #9...You are an old party guy, so you'll get the reference. I like the colorful Chihuly toppers. Lennon would have been proud.
I hope to start my new thread a little later.

I picked up a GN, Swallow Me whole, (sounds a bit naughty). I really liked Any Empire and Powell also worked on March: Book One, which was excellent by the way.

>18 msf59: Ha! I do indeed, Mark. It turns out Paul is not dead - at least we keep seeing him turn up here, there and everywhere.

Lennon would've liked the Chihuly toppers, I'm sure. Glad you do.

Nate Powell's books are new to me, although I've seen lots of buzz about March: Book One. I should give them a chance. I did pick up that latest Joe Sacco on the Great War from the library.

Right now I'm reading The Graphic Canon: Vol. 1, which is a big collection. I'm in the middle of the very funny, uncensored Lysistrata as done by Valerie Schrag.

I liked Tamara Drewe and will look for her Gemma Bovery at some point.

I liked the Sacco book. It is a gorgeous edition but just a bit thin, for all the bells & whistles. Of course, that is IMHO!
I much prefer his Bosnia book.

Lovely new thread, I love the pics of the glass sculptures!

>20 msf59: I'll probably have the same reaction to the Sacco, Mark, but I'll let you know.

>21 Thebookdiva: Thanks, Abby! Aren't his glass sculptures beautiful? I love the way he harmonizes them with the natural setting. Maybe your clan can add some glass-blowing facilities in the back 40 of the Pecan Paradisio, so you can further expand your impressive artistic repertoire?

Joe, those glass sculptures are absolutely magnificent. I love those colours and forms. Happy new thread.

>1 jnwelch:
Chihuly's work is ethereal. I saw his exhibit at the DeYoung in San Francisco and was transfixed.

Oy. I need a comfy reclining spot on the beach and a pitcher of mojitos please.

So glad your vacation was a good one.

>23 Ameise1: Aren't those wonderful, Barbara? I'm glad you're enjoying them. It's always a pleasure to start a new thread.

>24 AuntieClio: I agree, Stephanie. And as much as I like the photos posted here and in the previous cafe, I've been repeatedly struck by the difficulty of conveying the feeling of seeing them in person like you did at the DeYoung.

They are just so freakin' cool, as our son might say. It really seems miraculous, at times, that Chihuly can do what he does with glass, and also that he can be so tuned into the natural elements, in the garden or forest or wherever, that he can play with weaving his creations into them in a way that seems just right. That enhances what nature provided, that makes you see it all in a new way.

Hiya, Joe. I'm caught up with you, but not with myself. I should be reading.

Glad you're caught up, Karen, but please go read! I'm heading home anyway. :-)

>2 jnwelch: hi Joe, I haven't heard of any of your March books, and only one of the authors! Sheesh, I am out of touch :(

I like the purple pole glass sculpture, against all odds really, as if you described it to me I'd think...wha? They are all very interesting looking, and as you said, seem to somehow fit into the natural environment.

Way, way behind, but stopping by just the same....

>29 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. I know, why does the purple pole sculpture work as well as it does? Surrounding part of a fallen tree? What a mind to be able to see that it would work, and then be able to create such a beautiful sculpture. Genius. We're lucky to have him.

I don't think you're out of touch. My reading tastes aren't everyone's, for sure.

If you like reading YAs, I do recommend Rainbow Rowell, starting with Eleanor & Park. I imagine Cormac McCarthy is the author you've heard of. If you like gently humorous, 1930s British novels, I recommend D.E. Stevenson. I started with Miss Buncle's Book, and this is the third of hers I've read. If you like mysteries with some social commentary, I've enjoyed Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins series for years, starting with Devil in a Blue Dress. If you like mysteries with engaging characters (Eve Dallas and Roarke remind me of Beckett and Castle) and athletic sex, then try the J. D. Robb books starting with Naked in Death. And if you want to read a moving emerging poet, try Danez Smith. Both my MBH and I like his work.

>30 mckait: I'm glad you could stop by, Kath. No worries. We're such a chatty group, it's almost impossible not to fall behind. So you just dive back in when you can.

OK, we need some Spring to start the day, don't you think?



This is in Keukenhof, the Netherlands.

>31 jnwelch: Perfect way to start the day Joe! Today is my hump day! Even better is that tomorrow is my Friday!

How about a Mamie special and a butterscotch Mamie for those that don't like chocolate please?

Have a wonderful day!

>32 luvamystery65: Thanks, Roberta! Congrats on today being hump day (you can never have that too early in my view) and tomorrow being your Friday. I suspect that means you had to work through at least part of the weekend, so enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Hope you have a wonderful day, too! Butterscotch Mamie and Mamie special coming up:

>

>31 jnwelch: That is just... Ahhh. So needed that today. Bitterly cold today - nasty wind. Everything here was closed yesterday since we got more snow.

Think I'll go take another peek.

Ahhh.

Thanks.

>31 jnwelch: Joe, a much needed reminder that there may yet be a spring, this year. I had to scrape ice from my windshield this morning before my errands. TOO MUCH winter!

Happy day to you!

Here's Chihuly's history - stolen from Wikipedia:

"In 1971, with the support of John Hauberg and Anne Gould Hauberg, Chihuly cofounded the Pilchuck Glass School near Stanwood, Washington. In 1976, while Chihuly was in England, he was involved in a head-on car accident during which he flew through the windshield. His face was severely cut by glass and he was blinded in his left eye. After recovering, he continued to blow glass until he dislocated his right shoulder in a 1979 bodysurfing accident. No longer able to hold the glass blowing pipe, he hired others to do the work."

>34 MDGentleReader: Ha! You and me both, MDG. It sounds like it's a mite better here (we're going to eventually get near 50), but there's still snow everywhere, and we're going back to cooler temps in the next couple of days. Worst. Winter. Ever.

Think I'll take another peek, at >31 jnwelch:, too. Ahh, that's better.

>35 mckait: Happy day to you, too, Kath! Arggh. Scraping ice from your windshield - enough of this nonsense already. Time for Spring. Who do we write to to get some good service around here?

>36 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy. Jeez, poor guy sure has gotten knocked around.

>11 jnwelch: - Thanks for sharing the poem, Joe! I must admit that I'm not very familiar with his stuff.

>31 jnwelch: Joe, can those colours be true? They are so strong and beautiful. It's a wonderful photo.

>38 DorsVenabili: You're welcome, Kerri. Billy Collins is much more accessible than a lot of poets, with a good sense of humor. We really enjoyed him in person at the Chicago Humanities Festival, and have seen him at other events, too. If you're interested, his collection Sailing Alone Around the Room is a good place to start.

I've got his new collection, Aimless Love, but have only gotten a little ways into it.

>39 Ameise1: Those colors are strong and beautiful, aren't they, Barbara? The photo is presented as a true representation on a tour website, although I see I misunderstood the locale reference. It's actually from the Netherlands, which makes more sense: Keukenhof, the Netherlands. I'll fix it up above.

Here's another from there:

What a gorgeous colourful new thread you have Joe!

>31 jnwelch: >40 jnwelch: I want to go there right this minute!!!

>40 jnwelch: Joe, this one is wonderful, too and the colours look more real. I love all the colourful flowers in spring. That's the reason why in January I start buying a tulip bunch every week. ;-)

Wow - that photo of the blue sculpture is stunning!

>40 jnwelch: - Thanks for the recommendations! I will put him on the list. I'll probably go through What Work Is soon too. I believe that's a super-accessible collection as well.

I'm currently working on Emplumada by Lorna Dee Cervantes, which is kind of a reread. It includes one of my favorite poems - "Uncle's First Rabbit" - very grim, but powerful, which is kind of what can be said about the whole collection.

>43 SuziQoregon: Isn't that cool, Juli? If you get up to Seattle from Portland, stop in at the Chihuly Garden, if you haven't already. Well worth seeing what he does in person.

>44 DorsVenabili: Phillip Levine - I need to read more of his! I've put What Work Is on the WL. Like Levine, Collins was a Poet Laureate.

I don't know West Coastian Lorna Dee Cervantes, so I'll check that one out, too.

Love the Chihuly!

>46 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl. Glad you're enjoying it!

In case you or others have missed it, Jim (drneutron) gives a short, easily understood description of his Living with a Star/exploration of the sun project here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/171044#4601509 It's an eye-popper.

Cool beans go to drneutron! Thanks for posting it.

^Thinking of you, Joe! Hope you had a good Tuesday.

Happy new thread, Joe. I love the Chihuly-pictures!

Hi Joe, stopping by for a chai fix. Those gardens are beautiful. I don't think glass blowing will be in my set of skills, but I'm willing to try anything. We heard all about the glass bead making process from a wonderful lady who sells Troll Beads. She had met the family that owns the company and makes the jewelry and had tons of pictures to show us. It was really interesting.

>48 benitastrnad: Isn't that cool beans, Benita? We say all the time, "Well, it's not rocket science", but for our drneutron, it is.

>49 msf59: Wow, he's a dead ringer for me, Mark, although I don't have that neck piercing. I can't tell what he's reading, can you?

It was a good Tuesday, although I'm back to running to catch the train at work as it's pulling away. Hope yours was, too.

>50 wilkiec: Thanks, Diana! Glad you're loving the Chihuly-pics.

>51 Thebookdiva: Aren't those gardens beautiful, Abby? I've added Keukenhof to the to be visited list.

I'd never heard of Troll Beads, but I see they're interesting all right.



Chai fix? You'd fit right in with my wife and daughter, who both love chai. Here you go:

Oh, I recognize and love love love the photos of the Chihuly museum here in Seattle. You got some good pics, Joe.

And back to your prior thread, Ancillary Justice sounds promising.

Seeing that chai (plus my students) makes me need to request a chai too please! ;)

>53 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. Yes, if you like to read sci-fi, Ancillary Justice and The Martian are the two standouts this year for me. The latter is much more hard science problem-solving; it's been referred to as "Robinson Crusoe on Mars."

I'm so glad we got to the Chihuly! As you and I discussed, I think, I wish it wasn't so expensive - we'll go back, but not for a while. I'm not grudging them the income, but they'd get more returnees more often if they lowered it.

>54 seasonsoflove: Hi, cutie-badootie. You're getting close to a week's break, right? I'm sure you and the other teachers can use one right about now. They'd be putting me in that white jacket with the sleeves tied behind, and sending me off to rest quietly for a while.

I told Abby she'd fit right in with you and your momma with that chai order. Here you go:

Excellent, thank you. I love chai, I almost never go a morning without having one, and sometimes I have up to 3 in a day.

>49 msf59:- You should try the neck piercings Joe, you would be rockin'!

We still on for Friday, right?

>56 Thebookdiva: At some point I told the story, Abby, of my chai-drinking wife and her latte-drinking husband mistakenly grabbing each other's to-go cup at a poetry slam. We were both horrified by the taste. I couldn't manage drinking any chai in a day, and she couldn't manage drinking any latte. But if we keep the cups straight, we get along just fine.

>57 msf59: Ha! Hiya, Mark. Son Jesse has probably considered a neck piercing - he has a bunch of ear piercings. But it looks like you might get electrocuted through one of those neck ones, particularly if you're lying down under a machine and there's a lightning storm. Plus the villagers with their torches might get upset.

Yes, yes! We're definitely on for Friday! It should be a good one - this Gary Griffin has a magic touch with Sondheim. Plus I think you and Sue will like the theater. It's our favorite in the city.

Can't wait! I'd stop working and head over there right now, but that would be a bad idea for any number of reasons. So I'll patiently wait, but we're sure looking forward to seeing the two of you and having a good time.

Hi Joe, did you miss my request farther upstream?

Oops, I did, Stephanie! It took me a while just to find it. I got >24 AuntieClio:, but I missed >25 AuntieClio:. Sorry about that! Good thing we have a time jiggerer. We'll get those mojitos to you right on time, despite screwing up royally on your original order.

Plus some chips and salsa on us - let us know if you'd like to sub in something else.

>60 jnwelch:
No worries Joe, it's a hoppin' place, I knew I could just ask again.

Ahh, mojitos and chips & salsa. Yummy!

Thanks for the service.

>61 AuntieClio: Phew! Good to hear!

*note to self: make sure to clean eyeglasses more often*

Joe, when "they" were talking about installing the Chihuly museum at the Seattle Center, it was quite controversial. Many wanted it to be a public park with little or no entrance fee, accessible to all regardless of income. The private option won out, providing us with a lovely museum which too many residents of this fine but expensive city cannot afford to visit.

Oy. That's too bad, isn't it, Ellen? They should consider doing what other non-free museums do and have a "free" day each week (or whatever) for residents. Another thing done here is to have free passes available for "check out" at the public libraries. As I can tell you feel, it doesn't seem fair to have it unavailable as a practical matter to many because of the expense.

Seattle has surprised us more than once with how liberal it can be and how not-liberal it can be. One of the best cities around, regardless, but still . . .

There was a bit on the public radio today about the Seattle Symphony beginning to market some recordings. The guy being interviewed, sorry I was not in a spot to write down his name, said that for as progressive a city as Seattle seems to be, the arts have been historically quite conservative. Truth be told, the city has always had a deep core of conservatism, with a lot of toleration for some liberal/radical shenanigans from time to time. The Scandinavian influence has been very long lasting, as has an Italian influence. The Scandinavians were fishermen and loggers living in Ballard, and the Italians were the truck farmers, and built the Public Market. They lived south of down town. It is a cool city. I do love it.

I was irritated with the choice of the museum in the Seattle Center. It displaced a carnival of rides which the kids loved.

>64 jnwelch: Another thing done here is to have free passes available for "check out" at the public libraries.
That is a great idea, as you would get people who really were keen, not all just drop-ins clogging up the place.

Our museum and art gallery are free here in my city, Im OK with not giving a donation as the rates we pay which go up and up must count for something :)

Thanks for the book recs way up there, Joe. You are very thoughtful!

quick note that Amazon has a raft of Italo Calvino books on sale today. Somehow I think they go well with the Chihuly

Morning Joe!

Good morning Dad! Giant chai please, big plate of cheese fries, and vegetarian eggs benedict please! The good little fluffer nutter and I will see you and Mom tonight!

Whooo! I've caught up with a whole thread and parts of two more. Although I admit to a lot of skimming, I did pause to drool and admire when it came to lemon meringue pies and Chihuly glass sculptures. And dogs.

Thought the Chicago contingent might be interested in this blog post by my boss's daughter, about a charter school for legal prep in your fair city. Legal Prep Charter Academies. The author of this blog post was born about three weeks after I started working for her father. Cripes.

>65 maggie1944: It's certainly an interesting mix, Karen. We love your city, too. The more places and ways to appreciate the arts, the better.

>66 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. Yeah, yet another way to handle this is to ask for a donation amount for entry to the museum, but not stop entry by those who don't make it. I love free museums - e.g. in Washington, DC.

You'll welcome on the book recs - I love to give them, as you know! That was one of the funnest parts of working in a bookstore, way back when.

>67 ffortsa: Ha! Thanks, Judy. Calvino and Chihuly would go well together, I agree. Pairing up their fantastic creations would be a lot of fun. I think I've got all the U.S. Calvinos, but I'll check it out.

>68 Thebookdiva: Morning Abby! Good to see you out and about. Did you like Divergent? The movie got a so-so review today in our local paper, finding it came up short of the Hunger Games movies.

>69 seasonsoflove: There's our successful diplomat! Nice job working through the school difficulties yesterday, Becca.

Chai, cheese fries and veggie eggs benedict, you got it. Looking forward to seeing you and the wily fur guy tonight.

>70 laytonwoman3rd: Way to go, Linda! I know how hard it can be to catch up. You definitely got some of the highlights. I'm sure there'll be more Sherlock pics as he and his mom are going to be visiting us.

I'll have to circle back to read the blog. There is a lot of charter school experimentation going on here as they try to improve the education the kids are getting.

Crazy how the children of friends grow up so fast. We're not getting older that fast, are we?

I haven't read any Calvino yet, though he's been on the wishlist for ages. We only get two of his books on the Canadian site, but I'm still happy getting Italian Folktales and Marcovaldo.

Have a great day Joe!

Thanks Dad, it's another rough one today because of the usual reason that shall not be named, but I'm somehow getting through. Definitely wishing I had that chai and that food right now!

My mom handed me Divergent on a summers day in Indiana and I liked it so much that I finished it the same day. I'm excited about seeing the movie to make a comparison. I am also a big Hunger Games fan. There is a bit of a debate in our family over which book is the best. I love the first book, but Rae & Mum are in favor of the second. The only thing we can agree on is that none of us liked the third book. I think that they are doing a good job with the movies, and am curious to see the last one.

>73 Smiler69: There was a time when I was nutso about Calvino, Ilana. Particularly If On a Winter's Night and Invisible Cities. The former is filled with clever genre pastiches (e.g. mystery, spy thriller) and the latter has Marco Polo telling Genghis Khan tales of fantastic cities he has visited. Beautiful writing, wonderful imagination. I should return and re-read them, as I was very young the first time around.

Glad you were able to snap up Italian Folktales and Marcovaldo. I know nothing about the second one, so I'll look forward to hearing your reaction. Hope you have a great day, too!

>74 seasonsoflove: Ay caramba, apple of our eye. Just hang in there; you know you're doing a great job handling it, and folks recognize that. Treat yourself to something if you get a chance, and we'll spoil you as much as we can when you visit.

>75 Thebookdiva: Yeah, I'm with you on The Hunger Games books, Abby. I'd pick the first, too, although the second was awfully good. I thought the third was high quality, but the resolution(s) are difficult ones. I'm really curious to see how they handle it on the big screen.

Have you read the last one in the Divergent series, Allegiant? I thought it was a bit of a disappointment, and not really for the plot choice she made that has riled some readers. I just wish she had taken more time to polish and refine it; I thought it was the least well-written of the books. The story remained engaging, but I thought she could have given us a better delivery of it.

I haven't read that one yet. I've only read Divergent. I got distracted when my Mum introduced me to Mercy Thompson. I've heard that people haven't found Allegiant as good as Divergent though. I'll have to get around to it soonish. My TBR pile is spilling over like crazy right now.

Thanks Dad-I almost went to Starbucks on my lunch break, but knew I couldn't make it there and back in time unfortunately. So I will just take the spoiling at your house ;)

>77 Thebookdiva: I got distracted when my Mum introduced me to Mercy Thompson Love it! That's the happy life of a reader, right?

You probably already know this, but the second one is Insurgent. I know what you mean about the tbr pile. It's one of the major effects of being on Librarything. You hear about and get enticed by so many good books! It's a blessing, actually. The quality of my reading has improved so much since I joined this community. There are so many I'd never heard of, like Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris, that are now favorites, and so many I would have never tried except for the enthusiasm on LT.

>78 seasonsoflove: OK, I alerted your mom. This is a very different kind of spoiler alert, isn't it? I've alerted her to be ready to spoil you as soon as you arrive at our place.

I agree 100%. I've been introduced to several great authors and series here. All the recommendations are wonderful.

>73 Smiler69: & >76 jnwelch: Italo Calvino's was a unique imagination. If on a Winter Night, a Traveller has one of the most unique beginnings of any book I have ever read and, whilst obtuse and scatter-gun plotted, it is never boring.

Late, so late to the party but belated and hearty congratulations on your latest thread, buddy.

^Now this is how, the first day of spring should have been! Looks away, wistfully...

I read the film review of Divergent too. Bummer! We are still going to try and see it Sunday.

Had strawberry shortcake with Blue Bell homemade vanilla ice cream. I forgot to take a photo.

I didn't purchase any of the Calvinos but they are tempting.

81 > Well said ......

I've enjoyed several of Calvino's books, so I bought the three books I didn't have that were on sale yesterday: The Cloven Viscount, The Nonexistent Knight and Italian Folktales.

Calvino! Now there's a guy I've been meaning to read for a while.

>80 Thebookdiva: Way back when, Abby, my wife and I worked at a bookstore. We've talked about how much better we'd have been at it if Librarything had been around back then. Not only do we get our book horizons expanded here with the enthusiastic book recommendations, but we learn much more about differences in reader's tastes.

It's definitely not "one size fits all", right? Occasionally books come up that attract readers from a lot of different reading backgrounds and predilections - Goldfinch may be a recent example of that. But more often it's a matter of finding out what kinds of books the person likes to read, and going from there. Because everyone here communicates their likes and dislikes so articulately, I feel like our understanding of that has really deepened.

>81 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Good to see you out and about on the threads, my man. I know you've been a busy guy.

Yes, Calvino had a unique imagination, and a vivid one, and that ability to draw readers into the worlds he created. You've got me wanting to go back and re-read the beginning to If On a Winter's Night. Yeah, plotting was never his strength, but he opened up a new way to experience reading for me that I found powerful.

>82 msf59: Oh man, I love that painting, Mark. Feels good just to see it. Do you suppose we're ever going to see Spring again? It's shown up every other year, so fingers crossed.

You know, sometimes these film critics are just off-base. It used to be, that if Ebert or Siskel liked it, there was a good chance I would, but nobody today has that kind of track record for me. I've seen more positive reactions to Divergent. I hope you like it. We're booked up this weekend or we might try to see it, too.

>83 thornton37814: Lori, we've come to depend on our roving food reporters. Please remember to take a picture next time, and if you have to order multiple desserts to get the quality of photo you want, that's okay.

We can help out on the concept of this one:

>84 EBT1002: Calvino is well worth giving a try when the time is right, Ellen. If On a Winter's Night would be a good starter, methinks.

>85 roundballnz: 'Twas, Alex.

>86 kidzdoc: Good for you, Darryl. I got tied up and didn't get over to the Calvino sale; I'll see whether it's continuing today.

>87 NarratorLady: I'd love to hear your reaction to Calvino, Anne. For me, he's a gifted writer who provides a unique, mesmerizing reading experience.

Walkover sent a photo of Sherlock helping her bake. He's a hard-working little guy.

Hi Joe- Just getting ready to hit the route. Still chilly. It looks like I can slip out of here an hour early today, so we can slip into the city. See you tonight, my friend!

>90 msf59: Great news, Mark! I'll let Debbi know. See you there!

I saw that City of Thieves by David Benioff is a Kindle deal today for $2.99. I thought it was quite a good read, so if any of you haven't read it, you may want to take a look.

g'noon, JOjo. the photos by Peter Tumley from earlier thread? ohmigod.

'55 Sierra Nevada granite, no ice, creek temp H2O2GO, please.

wisht i cld read every little thing. :-)

>eta ditto yr Benioff

>92 mirrordrum: Hiya, Ellie! I was just thinking about you. How are you feeling? How's the healing going?

Good to have another Benioff supporter. Aren't those Tumley Paris photos to die for? Those were in thread #5 - kudos to you for going so far back to catch up!

Sierra Nevada water, no ice, coming up. Good to have you back in the cafe!

oh, Joe, love. perfection. my thread for 2014's here.

>94 mirrordrum: Excellent. Thanks, Ellie. New thread is now starred.

It's Friday and I got to take lunch time! I'm so excited about that. For the last two weeks I have been so busy on Friday that I have not been able to get lunch. I feel so much better today for having that hour. Thank you to those early labor union members for getting the common worker a lunch time.

Eurgh. I got lost again. I need a little soother, say an Ardbeg Corryvreckan.

Me, I'm off to Tai Chi class. Sunny and spring like here. I may go buy some primroses to plant outside my big window.

>96 benitastrnad: Good lord, Benita. You know it's overly busy when a chance to get lunch is thrilling. I'm glad you got that chance, and I hope you're setting up for a relaxing weekend with lunch whenever you want on the agenda.

>97 richardderus: Happens to the best of us, Richard. An Ardbeg Corryvreckan will no doubt be stimulating to the senses and soothing to the soul. We've got kind of Arthurian bottle of it today, Hebrides-style.



Apparently Corryvreckan is the name of a famous whirlpool?

>98 maggie1944: Good for you, Karen. Sun, primroses, Spring-like and tai chi - sounds like an idyllic Friday afternoon. Wonderful start to the weekend.

The Straits of Corryvreckan on Wikipedia. Someplace I've always wanted to go.

>100 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Seems to me the hag goddess of winter must be taking way too much time washing her great plaid there. Time to switch to shorts and a t-shirt.

And y'all're gettin' snow again on Monday, poor lambs.

*starts composing heartfelt plea to hag goddess*

You'll have to go some to beat the bribe I gave her!

Not to be picky - but was that the limited edition of the Corryvreckan that you wanted? Or just the regular old stuff?

>104 richardderus:. Hmm. Maybe chili cheese fries. I bet good ones aren't easy to get in the Hebrides.

>105 benitastrnad:. RD probably knows the difference, Benita, but I'd take any Ardbeg I could get my hands on.

>105 benitastrnad: No, no, just the plebian $80-a-bottle stuff. This is a cafe, after all. $30,000 bottles are not to be expected here.

I introduced my compadres to the smoked and peaty pleasures of Laphroaig Triple Wood Single Malt Whisky (capitalisation essential!) whilst in Cambodia. At 48% they were struggling with it but the strength of the flavour, an acquired one though it certainly is, made them ponder upon it. Would drink this stuff on a misty scots night in late autumn rather than Ardbeg any stormy old day.



Have a great weekend, Joe.

Hi Joe,

*Happy weekend wave*

The high brow crowd here is having a good time, as always :) No worries, I am just passing through to say hello, and make sure that all is well in Joe-land...

^Morning Joe- Thanks for a great time. The play was fantastic! We both loved it. I was home by 11:15, in bed by 11:25. LOL. Feeling okay, after pounding a little coffee.
Have a terrific Saturday.

Coffee!!! Yay, I've got some coffee!!! Whoo hooo! Coffee on Saturday morning. I have nothing more to say.

>107 richardderus: Just wait until the Powerball comes through for us, Richard, and we'll stock it.



Still working on our understanding of currency, though.

>108 PaulCranswick: Maybe in late autumn we'll set up a special Scotch whiskey night, Paul, and have a peat fire going while we sample Laphroaig Triple Wood Single Malt Whiskey and Ardbeg Corryvreckan and who knows what else. Sounds pretty good, eh?



>109 Ameise1: Ha! Thanks for the reminder, Barbara. We were errand-running, but I'm going to follow the example of your feline friend now.

>110 wilkiec: *Happy weekend wave back to Diana* How do we do that Happy Weekend wave, anyway, Diana? I can do "YMCA", a still ubiquitous song here with arm gestures, but I can't figure out how to do "H" and "W", much less the rest of Happy Weekend. Maybe we need a signal of some sort, like jazz hands.



>111 mckait: All is well in Joe-land, Kath, thanks. Is this a high brow crowd or a weird brow crowd? Maybe a weird brow crowd with occasional high brow tastes?

Hope you're having a good weekend, and that you're taking some time to relax. Remember your mantra: "It is okay to goof off. It is okay to goof off."

Hi Joe, a tot of that Laphroaig wouldn't be unwelcome...autumn or no.

Am recovering from a book binge. More coffee, and some gingerbread waffles with rum-raisin syrup, please.

>112 msf59: Hey, buddy! Glad you and Sue enjoyed it - we thought it was fantastic, too. Gary Griffin and Sondheim make for a great combo, and that cast was excellent.

Wasn't Louise Pietre, playing Gyspy's mom Rose, a powerhouse?



Lots of great moments, including the "Mr. Goldstone" number.

There are milestones, there are mill stones.
There's a cherry, there's a yellow, there's a blue.
But we don't want any old stone,
only Goldstone will do!
Moon stones, sun stones.
We all scream for one stone.
Mr. Goldstone we love you!
Goldstone!



The strippers in "You've Got to Have a Gimmick" were hilarious, too. The one with the trumpet was my favorite.

If you wanna bump it
Bump it with a trumpet
Get yourself a gimmick
And you too can be a star



Debbi loved the one with the Eiffel Tower head dress whose costume lit up.

We thought Jessica Rush was excellent as Louise, transforming from an unappreciated pawn of Rose's to the take charge Gypsy Rose Lee:



Glad you got home at a somewhat decent hour. Sorry you have to work today! It took us a long time to get home because there was a bad three car accident on Lake Shore Drive. I'm supposed to do some work this morning, but I still haven't started. Oops. Librarything is more interesting.

Fun time last night! Thanks so much for joining us. Looking forward to seeing both of you again soon at the meetup.

>113 maggie1944:

Totally understand the enthusiasm, Karen. I'm quaffing it as we speak.

>115 richardderus: Recovering from a book binge sounds most excellent, RD. No book binge for us, but we have had the enjoyment this a.m. of new bookshelves finished, so we're putting books on them - always like reuniting with old friends, right?

Let's get you that coffee and waffle-y goodness:

YUM! Thank you, my good proprietor, that is an excellent repast.

This made me snicker:

I normally hate animated gifs. But.Could.Not.Resist.Jazz.Hands.

>118 richardderus: LOL!!

>119 Morphidae: Ha! Thanks, Morphy. I think they're saying, "Happy Weekend!"

Whew! Caught up here in time to say Happy Saturday!

Great play review!

Pulling up a chair. What repast do you recommend for hours of college basketball viewing?

>121 scaifea: Happy Saturday, Amber! Hope you're having a good start to the weekend. We've got an active one - Bulls basketball game tonight, brunch for my MBH's organization tomorrow. But I'm still managing to squeeze in some NCAA b-ball.

>122 michigantrumpet: Thanks, Marianne! It was a ton o' fun. Forgot how many great tunes are in that show.

Hmm, I've been having the burnt bottom, not going to serve the guests lemon cookies my MBH made. (Yes, in many ways I'm a mobile garbage disposal).

Let's get you some goodies. We've got chips and dip and all sorts of stuff for you.

Loved the recap of the play... have you seen the movie with Natalie Woods?

>124 mckait: Thanks, Kath. Mark and I were talking about that. The answer is yes, I saw the movie on TV, but it was so long ago that I barely remember any of it. I remember Natalie Wood, and not much else. Turns out her mother was played by Rosalind Russell. It's hard to imagine RR having the power of that Louise Pietre last night. None of us remembered how the story went, which was a good thing.

I LOVED that movie.. have sen it at least 10 times. I am a RR fan and a fan of Natalie wood....
I first saw it as a child and have watched it every time I came across it since. The redux wasn't near as good..

Why did I find your thread just now? But I did and I starred it.!

That coffee pot MIGHT be big enough for me in the morning.

>126 mckait: We were talking about how we need to see the movie again, Kath. Good to hear it holds up that well!

>127 connie53: Ha! Good, Connie. Any time is a good time. Look forward to seeing you around the cafe. :-)

>128 thornton37814: If coffee wasn't so hot, I'd probably try to dive into it, Lori.

Today will be a good day. I'm having coffee from Einstein's Bagels after a bagel run for guests who are coming. Then we're having a brunch for those guests, a big bunch from my MBH's organization. My MBH made enough food for a horde of voracious book readers - pepperjack mini-quiches with salsa, mini croissants with jam and butter, artichoke dip with dark bread, chips and salsa, mini cranberry orange and mini blueberry muffins, zucchini bread, cheddar cheese dipped in honey and rolled in either sesame or crushed paprika or crushed pecans, dubliner cheese with fig spread on crackers, parmesan crisps, blue cheese with apricots and walnuts, lemon cookies, peanut butter cookies, nutella chocolate truffles, and a fruit plate - plus the bagels with schmeers. We've got Kona coffee, which should be delish.

Snow in Chicago today - boo! Stupidest. Winter. Ever.

Morning Joe- Thanks for posting the terrific photos from the play. It brought back many fond memories. LOL. How was the Bulls game?
I finished Blue Is the Warmest Color. It's a GN I can recommend. I really liked the artwork. I am going to start Red Light Properties, a GN Juli recommended.

Snow?? I didn't hear about any stinkin' snow! It's all blue skies here at the moment.

>130 msf59: Good morning, Mark. Great play to be reminded about, isn't it?

We had a good time at the Bulls game - they beat the 76ers pretty handily. Poor Becca had Philadelphia fans next to her, and the husband made the mistake of trying to explain fouls to Becca in a snarky way. She knows more about basketball than he and his three best friends put together, so she made sure to loudly celebrate, for his listening pleasure, the Bulls' goodness and the 76ers' badness throughout the game.

Good to hear on Blue is the Warmest Color - seems to be getting widespread acclaim. Red Light Properties is new to me. Looks intriguing. I'll look forward to getting your reaction.

Yes, we've got the snow. Glad you don't. Believe me, you don't want it. We were all saying, "Are you kidding me?" this morning.

We are heading to see Divergent in a couple hours, in the meantime, I am trying to knock out a chunk of Independent People.
Hope you have a good day!

More snow tomorrow, too!

(Petty revenge for your post with the MBH's scrummy menu of goodies.)

Unbelievable about the snow. Rumor has it, we'll be seeing it mid-week. Ugh. At least you're well provisioned!

I just put If On a Winter's Night a Traveler on hold at the library.

I'm in southern Michigan where it snowed off and on today. Tomorrow night we're supposed to get a couple of inches. It's lovely but cold.

Have you tried Lexicon ?? I have a feeling it might be your type of thing .....

Morning Joe- We enjoyed Divergent. It's not cinema at it's finest but an entertaining 2-plus hours. I am sure you will like it.
Good luck with those Monday blues!

>132 msf59:, >137 msf59: Thanks, Mark. Glad to hear Divergent was good. We'll get to it soon, I hope. Near term we're going to seeing some more plays.

Yesterday was good, and I'll try to put some good lyrics to those Monday blues. Folks here are having some trouble getting going.



>133 richardderus: Yeah, the snow yesterday disappeared pretty quickly, Richard, but they're predicting this new batch will "stick". Oof. Mama Welch's goodies were scrummy indeed. We grazed to our heart's delight, with grapefruit and oj mimosas.

>134 michigantrumpet: Ha! You're right, Marianne, we're well-provisioned for the latest snowy weather. My dad in Ann Arbor usually gets our weather about a day later. These days he's letting me know he doesn't want it. The guy on the radio this morning said it feels like it's February, and that's about right. Out in Seattle last week it felt like April. Much better direction to go in. Supposedly we'll get up to 60 on the coming weekend. Hope they're right.

>135 EBT1002: Oh good, Ellen. I hope you enjoy the Calvino.

If you're in southern Michigan, you're somewhere near Ann Arbor, where I grew up. Sorry you've gotten caught up in the Polar Nonsense.

>136 roundballnz: Ooo, Lexicon does look good, Alex, thanks. I put it on the WL and may try to get to it sooner rather than later. Have you heard of Dream London? I'm 3/4 of the way through and still don't know what to make of it. His imagination has had me turning the pages, but I need to know whether aspects I've disliked are a set up for transformation.

I listen to Carl Grapentine via WFMT internet radio pretty frequently. Somedays I think I know more about weather and traffic in Chicago than in Boston!

>140 michigantrumpet: Ha! Yes, Carl is the one who said it's like February here, Marianne. Good idea to pick WFMT up on Internet radio. I should do that more when we're traveling.

Happy Monday Joe!

>142 richardderus: Hard to read that writing, RD. It seems to say, "Envious of Mama Welch's Sunday brunch and Ha Ha you're getting more snow and it's Monday." Did I get that right?

>143 luvamystery65: Happy Monday Roberta! We can get through this together, right?

You missed the really tiny print that says "and I have a cold and would prefer to die now thank you please."

Oh man, now that we know, it's got to be time for chicken soup, on us, RD. Chow down on some garlic, too?



Some Spring might help, too, right?

Dream London does look very interesting .... will have to WL that one

Just passing by to catch up and say Happy Monday!

>146 jnwelch: OOOooooohhhhhh perfect! I've eaten three whole cloves of raw garlic, had 6000mg of vitamin C and 200mg of zinc. Plus a hefty amount of broth. Plus stayed covered up from toes to brows. I am, unsurprisingly, slightly smelly, but I feel a lot better already.

>147 roundballnz: Dream London is different, all right, Alex. Has me flipping the pages but still undecided on whether I like it or not. Whether it is sci-fi or fantasy was up in the air for most of the book, too.

>148 SuziQoregon: Thanks for stopping by, Juli! I'm often a Monday grump, but hearing Happy Monday does help. I hope you're having a happy one.

>149 richardderus: Ha! I'm glad you're feeling better, Richard, and Stella probably appreciates the slightly smelly aspect. Yeah, the garlic is supposed to be eaten raw, not cooked, to help the cold. There's something in it that starts with an "a". Congratulations on your successful campaign against the viral horde.

Atropine? Al Jazeera? Atomic stinkum? Yeah, I can't remember. This cold scares the poo-diddle outta me, it's lasted more than three weeks in some and has caused horrendous side effects in others! I'm a-bludgeonin' this bad boy.

Keep up the fluids, and the vitamin C, and the garlic if you can stand it. We used to make tea from sage, honey, and garlic. Surprisingly tasty and helpful with colds, and sore throats.

I hope the cold hits the road, and leaves you behind, right now!!!

Honey, lemon and oil, heated gently in a small pan on the stove: my grandmother's remedy for sore throats. Works.

Thanks for the tip on Little Green: An Easy Rawlins Mystery! I hadn't known it was even out, though I was jonesing after I finished the series and, every so often, have thought about rereading it, just to get my Easy Rawlins fix in.

Hope you had a bearable Monday and that the rest of the week slides by quickly and snowlessly toward a beautiful weekend!

Morning Joe- Did I actually wake up to more snow or is this just a crazy dream? Shake me awake, please!
At least, I am off today. Whew! I can visit Iceland in the comfort of my favorite reading chair.

>151 richardderus: You know, Richard, my MBH had a nasty cold that lasted three weeks. Sickest she's been in years, maybe decades. She was miserable. I hope you continue to kick this bug's butt.

I finally gave into curiosity, gave up being lazy (briefly), and looked up the "a" word. "Garlic contains compounds called allion and allicin, which have direct antiviral effects". OK, two "a" words.

>152 maggie1944: Amen, Karen.

>153 Storeetllr: Nice to see another Easy Rawlins fan, Mary. Yeah, it's out and it will be good for that lack that's been ailing ya. It's also interesting because it's now the late 60s, he finds himself in amongst hippies, and he sees the tide starting to turn on racism.

My performing wife used to drink a honey and lemon mixture before going on stage, to keep her throat smooth and soothed. She's performing shorter pieces these days, but she's got a solo show coming up in August, so I bet there'll be a container of that in the satchel.

I appreciate the wishes, but whoever is in charge already screwed up the "no snow" part. Still, it's supposed to improve 10 degrees a day after today, and we're heading off to NYC on the weekend. Beautiful should eventually arrive. :-)

>154 msf59: Maybe it was the coffee I should have been drinking, but I sure didn't see that cartoon the first time around, Mark. LOL! I actually heard a lot of bird song walking through the snow to the train this morning, and thought, these are hearty birds.

>155 msf59: I'm hoping we can pull a "Dallas", Mark, and wake up to find the whole winter season was a bad dream. Armchair traveling to Iceland is the way to go, although we have some friends who have visited there and recommend an in-person trip. Glad you have the day off - I know you'll enjoy it!

Hmm, okay, what to start the day with. I'm nearly at the end of my Why We Read Jane Austen book. How about Bath in the Spring?

>154 msf59: -- *tee hee*

My family always had contest every Spring to which one had seen the first robin. THis has carried over into our adulthood -- although the contigent that moved to Tennessee has won the last 10 years!

I've just saved the photo to send to my brother and sister. Thanks!!

Joe- I've been raving to a co-worker/friend about the Martian but there is such a long wait at the library, he was getting frustrated. Now, it looks like his son bought it for him, for his birthday and he is loving it. What a heart-warming story, right? Sniffles a little...

>157 michigantrumpet: The search for the first robin of spring has been a tradition in our family too. Mom claims to have seen some this year already. If so, they were seriously misguided robins.

>157 michigantrumpet: I missed Mark's cartoon the first time around, Marianne. but see it now. :-)

I'll bet the TN contingent wins that first to spot a robin contest. We've been getting bird reports from Ellie (mirrordrum) in TN already.

>158 msf59: That is one heartwarming story, Mark. Bonus points for his son, which I'm sure his son can use.

Such a good read, and I love the story behind it - the author just creates something on his blog that he thought would entertain people, then people start asking for a download of it, then people start saying it's too hard to download it from his site, so he offers it for the minimum price on Amazon, then it starts to do well, then someone at a publishing house likes it and shows it to an agent, then the agent likes it and offers to represent the author, and then the agent helps get it published by Crown and Random House, and then it becomes a big hit. Love it!

>159 Oberon: Hey, Erik. Good to see you. Yeah, I'm hearing cardinals all over the place by us, but haven't seen or heard a seriously misguided robin yet. It's supposed to go up over 60 here on Sunday, so maybe the robins will throw a worm picnic that day.

Joe- I picked up The Fifth Beatle & Gonzo from the library. I've been wanting to get to the former for awhile now. Have you read either?

ETA- I am really enjoying Red Light Properties. Fresh, smart and well-drawn.

I haven't read either of those, Mark, although I've seen positive reactions to The Fifth Beatle. I'm not as big on non-fiction gns as some, seems like. I've liked some nfs a lot (e.g. Guy Delisle and that Feynman one), but I tend to go more for the storytelling. Red Light Properties sure has a bizarre premise; I'm glad you're having a good time with it.

Oh I'm glad to see Mark is enjoying Red Light Properties it's on my shelf but a couple of library reads will have to come first.

>160 jnwelch: 60 degrees sounds very nice. Today we are worrying about windchill. However, since I am going to vacation on Saturday a perverse part of me want it to stay cold while I am gone. Just so I am not missing out on the start of spring.

>163 SuziQoregon: It's a new one for me, Juli, but if Marks likes a book I tend to like it, too.

>164 Oberon: Yeah, we've got a windchillian day here, too, Erik. High 20s became low teens thanks to our friendly breezes. I know what you mean about that feeling of wanting the cold to stick around while you go away on vacation. It's part of the getting away from it all, I guess. Basking in warmth is good all by itself, but thinking, "if I were back there I'd be freezing" adds a soupçon of enjoyment. Plus, as you say, you don't want to be missing the start of Spring. Here, we're probably safe from missing anything Spring-like until May or maybe June.

Jeez, I hope I'm wrong about that.

>165 jnwelch: Here, we're probably safe from missing anything Spring-like until May or maybe June. Cry. That is pretty much my expectation too.

Unrelated topic - not sure how much of a theater fan you are but a fantastic production of Tristan & Yseult is heading your way. Opens at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on March 30. If you enjoy live theater you should try to catch it. Two plays by the Kneehigh Theatre Company has basically turned me into an apostle.

>166 Oberon: Nice! We're Chicago Shakespeare subscribers (that's where Gypsy was performed), so I'm sure we'll see Tristan & Yseult. I know nada about Kneehigh Theatre Company. What has got you basically apostle-izing?

oh, Joe, Kneehigh is splendid. I'm so envious that you will get a chance to see them. More talent on stage than anyone has right to have, performance art, music, dance - Jim and I have seen two of their productions in Brooklyn.

Hm. Just when is this coming to Chicago? oh, too bad. It's the next two weeks. I don't think we can fly away quite that spontaneously.

Hi Joe! Finally caught up. Love the glass art and chili cheese fries are to DIE for! :)

>167 jnwelch: Well I think Judy summed it up nicely. I saw Brief Encounter a couple of years ago on a whim (cheap tickets and an acting class for the kiddo) and was blown away by the production so when they came back with Tristan & Yseult we got tickets immediately. I wrote a review of Tristan & Yseult in the theater thread in which I struggled mightily with explaining why I loved them so much. I think it is the sheer theatricality of their productions - the way in which they convey ideas and emotions is utterly unique and, to me, extremely compelling.

Don't miss it. I made parents go and they loved it too.

My review so you don't have to go hunting for it:

Tristan and Yseult is fantastic. If you have an opportunity to see it, don't miss it.

The play is the story most commonly known as Tristan and Isolde, made famous by Richard Wagner's opera. It is a love triangle between an Irish princess, a Cornish King and a prince from Brittany. That sad thing is that describing it makes it sound like nothing I would want to see and does no justice to the production of the Kneehigh Theater Company.

Kneehigh takes the bare bones of this story and casts the tale into a cabaret singing about the perils of love. It is hilarious, poignant, surprising but above all it is inventive. Again, I know that sounds terribly odd but I find it impossible to classify theater like this. In my defense, none of the other reviewers that I have read have managed to properly describe the play either. The best line I saw was out of the San Jose Mercury News where the reviewer said "You watch this thing for 10 minutes and feel you are seriously lacking in the innovation department." I think that is very true - the level of sheer theatricality and inventiveness in the staging is breath taking. Yet, the play never loses the story.

Fantastic theater. If you love theater you owe it to your self to see what Kneehigh Theater is doing.

>168 ffortsa: Thanks for the heads-up, Judy! That would've been great if you could've joined us. I'll check with my MBH on this.

>169 leperdbunny: Tam! Jeez Louise, it's been a month of Sundays since I saw you. How are things? Are you coming to Mark's meetup on the 19th?

>170 Oberon: Oh, I know the theater thread, Erik. I'll go over and look for your review. Oh, never mind! I see >171 Oberon:. Thanks. Ha! I love the line, "That sad thing is that describing it makes it sound like nothing I would want to see and does no justice to the production of the Kneehigh Theater Company." So many things sound like that when described. We probably could have a good contest of describing famous books that way. Kneehigh Theater sounds great. We're doing a lot of running around right now, so I hope we don't miss it. I'll check.

All right, off to catch the train. Be back in the a.m. if not this evening.

Dear Joe, passing through to say hello. I love the spring photos -- it isn't the prettiest time of year here in CO as it is in other places, but boy is it welcome!

I got lucky and snagged an e-audio of Little Green from the library! I started it last night and stayed up until 5 a.m. listening to it. L.A. in the '60s. I wasn't there yet (only moved to L.A. in 1973), but I can imagine it was quite a place then.

*waving on her way through, contemplating a trip down the hall to the bedroom*

tired, I am

>173 AMQS: Good to see you, Anne. Glad you're enjoying the spring photos - they help a bit in this extended winter, don't they? We tend to zip through spring pretty quickly here, once it arrives, on a nonstop to summer. Anything other than winter would be most welcome right about now.

Hope all is going well for you.

>174 Storeetllr: Excellent, Mary! I was never an LA-er, but I grew up in the hippie era, so a lot of what happens in Little Green had a familiar feel to it. I'm so glad you're enjoying it. It's great to reunite with Easy and Mouse and all their cohorts, isn't it.

>175 maggie1944: I had forgotten we had a bedroom here, down the hall, Karen. I'm going to stop telling everyone to crash on the big couch in the back.

I know that feeling. Hope you're feeling less bedrazzled this a.m. Sometimes you've just got to slow down and re-charge.

Not sure what the story is in this photo - strong sun? - but I like it.

Yes, I do feel better after a long good sleep. Listening to The Guns of August as I feel to sleep was soothing in an odd way. All about ships chasing each other all about.

Today is a good day off, and I expect I'll so some more reading in Blonde: A Novel. I'm going to try to stay focused on it so I can finish by face to face book group meeting.

Hope your Wednesday is good!

>154 msf59: MrMorphy saw a relative of those robins a few weeks ago...

Morning Joe! Getting ready to hit the route. It is COLD, even with all the sunshine. I hope it hits 40.
Have a good Hump Day!

>178 Morphidae:- Moment of silence...

>179 msf59: That bird was majorly lost. No way to get worms through that much snow.

>177 maggie1944: Ha! I stopped in the middle of Guns of August, Karen, maybe because it was too good at helping me nod off! One of my projects this year is to pick it back up and finish it.

So far so good for Wednesday. I'm having lunch with our esteemed daughter, so that will make it a good day regardless. Hope your Wednesday is good, too.

>178 Morphidae:, >180 Morphidae: I've been looking all over for robins, Morphy, as any hint of spring would be welcome, but haven't spotted any so far. Ours must be being smart and staying home under the blankets.

>179 msf59: Morning, Mark! Yeah, it's starting out cold, but they say we're going into the 40s. I hope so Take care out there! Hope you have a good audio book going; I'm sure you do.

A Truth Universally Acknowledged: Why We Read Jane Austen edited by Susannah Carson, contains 33 essays by well-known writers about their love of Jane's novels. Austen was the seventh of eight children, lived only to the age of 42, and wrote at a time when published novels by women were still unusual. She created a "tiny world in which a canceled dinner party or a shower of rain is an important event, so that we could attend to and enjoy her subtle comedy". (J. B. Priestly). Yet somehow she has managed to approach the stature of Shakespeare, with her works read and taught and performed and turned into movies and plays over and over and over again. How can this be?

This book is not a smooth production. The editor might have considered thematic entries to link the essays, for example, or short overview introductions before each. However, the disjointed feel is far outweighed by the gems she has gathered for us. Eudora Welty, E.M. Forster, Martin Amis, A.S. Byatt, Lionel Trilling, Virginia Woolf - it's an all-star line-up, with each giving his or her take on Why We Read Jane Austen. As I had hoped, it is filled with insights that had not occurred to me. For example, because she was a realist and wrote about what she knew, "she never attempted to reproduce a conversation of men when by themselves, which in the nature of things she could never have heard." (W. Somerset Maugham). We never hear Darcy talking to Bingley, or Wickham, or Captain Wentworth speaking to Captain Harville, unless a woman is there to witness it. As another example, C.S. Lewis quotes four key passages from Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma, and observes that, "All four heroines painfully, though with varying degrees of pain, discover that they have been making mistakes both about themselves and about the world in which they live. All of their data have to be reinterpreted. Indeed, considering the differences of their situations and characters. the similarity of the process in all four is strongly marked. All realize that the cause of the deception lies within . . ."

It has always struck me that readers of the six novels will put them in such varying orders from favorite to least. Several essayists find Mansfield Park (my least favorite) the most accomplished and interesting of the novels; others give the award to Emma, although seemingly all consider the "most delightful" to be Pride and Prejudice. Austen in fact was apparently concerned that P & P was too bright and sparkling, and that it may have needed more shadow. Several essayists comment on the different, "autumnal" feel to Persuasion, her last novel, which some see as signalling the transition to a different style that would have developed had she lived longer. Many comment on her comedic talents. She can be quite sharp, e.g. "a large bulky figure has as good a right to be in deep affliction as the most graceful set of limbs in the world." If you want to enjoy her witticisms apart from the novels, I recommend The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen, collected by Dominque Enright. As Amy Bloom says in her essay, "Jane Austen is often unkind, occasionally contemptuous, but almost never wrong."

The differences in perspective among these well-known authors is striking. Diane Johnson observes that, "Austen's great serious subject was the precariousness of the lives of women in early-nineteenth century England and, lacking other options, the urgent need for them to establish themselves by marriage." But Amy Bloom sees Jane Austen as "the best writer for anyone who believes in love more than romance, and who cares more for the private than the public. She understands that men and women have to grow up in order to deserve and achieve great love, that some suffering is necessary (that mewling about it in your memoir or on a talk show will not help at all), and that people who mistake the desirable object for the one necessary and essential love will get what they deserve." Kingsley Amis is a contrarian to all the Austen appreciation, writing of her moral "corruption" displayed in Mansfield Park, and has one of the best lines. He points out that in that book the ostensibly villainous Henry and Mary Crawford actually are "good fun", and that Edmund and Fanny, whom we are intended to admire, are "morally detestable" bores: "to invite Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Bertram round for the evening would not be lightly undertaken." Eva Brann finds Austen's work perfect in every way, and "the most felicitous of her perfections is her knowledge of the human heart." For Jay McInerney, it is our affinity for the female leads that is critical: "unless we are cranky scholars or celibate critics, we love and rank the novels according to our regard for the female principals." He finds his own "admiration shifting" among them at different points in time.

Virginia Woolf has perhaps the most thought-provoking essay. She goes back to the juvenalia, particularly the "astonishing and unchildish story Love and Freindship", written when Austen was 15, and wonders about something in it which "never merges with the rest, which sounds distinctly and penetratingly all through the volume? It is the sound of laughter. The girl of fifteen is laughing, in her corner, at the world." That laughter, the acute sense of our ridiculousness, is an undercurrent that manifests itself in later novels as well. At the same time, "what she offers {in the novels} is . . . composed of something that expands in the reader's mind and endows with the most endearing form of life." "Never did any novelist make more use of an impeccable sense of human values. It is against the disc of of an unerring heart, an unfailing good taste, and almost stern morality, that she shows up these deviations from kindness, truth and sincerity which are among the most delightful things in English literature." Woolf speculates on what Austen would have written had she lived longer, with her growing popularity. "She would have stayed in London, dined out, lunched out, met famous people, made new friends, read, traveled, and carried back to the quiet country cottage a hoard of observations to feast upon at leisure." If only!

All of this inspired me to think about why, despite the dramatic differences in the breadth of their landscapes, Austen rises, for me, to the level of Shakespeare. What I say next could be applied to him, too: She is smarter than we are, and more insightful about human nature. She's wittier than we are, with a sharp, sometimes wicked, sense of humor. She writes with an almost unfathomable grace. We sense that so much lies within those crafted sentences that we find ourselves re-reading her books again and again. Just as the author-essayists in Why We Read Jane Austen obviously have.

>176 jnwelch: Joe, perhaps the lady is afraid of 'letter' falling on her head

>182 jnwelch: Not something I would read, but great review!

>182 jnwelch: I love Amy Bloom's take on Austen...seldom wrong. Ha.

Since it's only a few years on from my Austenization, I can't add a lot to the conversation except, "y'all go on with y'all's bad selves."

:-)

Joe, that's a great review of Why We Read Jane Austen. I got that book a couple of months ago now and look forward to it all the more now!

>183 Ameise1: Good one, Barbara - maybe so! I feel like we could run a contest for this one like they do here in the States for captionless cartoons, where contestants come up with different captions. Why is she holding an open umbrella while perusing the bookshelves? Fear of a letter falling on her head?

>184 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy! I gather you're not a Jane-ite, so I appreciate that even more.

>185 richardderus: Me, too, Richard. There are just a bunch of great zinger comments in the book. Was Lionel Trilling snooty? Anyway, I like imagining your saying "y'all go on with y'all's bad selves" to him. Amy Bloom would probably get right on board with you.

I mentioned my son's letting me know (tongue in cheek) that I have "a Jane Austen problem", as he sees me with something relating to her all too often. Your comment for some reason reminded me that I want to sing him my rendition of "If loving her is wrong, I don't want to be right," with a tip of the hat to Stax Records and Luther Ingram.

>186 Smiler69: Oh, I'm glad you liked it, Ilana. I was hoping our Jane Austen tutorial star would like it. And how great that you have the book - you'll have fun with it. For me, the essays at the beginning of the book didn't grab me as much, but maybe that was the mood I was in. Once I hit W. Somerset Maugham's piece, it all took off for me.

>176 jnwelch: Or falling books maybe?

>188 Storeetllr: Yeah, that one makes some sense, doesn't it, Mary? Maybe the most sense - there's sure no sign of rain.

Maybe the photographer's just having fun with textures and elements :-)

I have only read Pride and Prejudice so will wait to contemplate Why We Read Austen until I have read more. Don't hold your breath, there are many books ahead of her.

>187 jnwelch: Then sing him this. Us oldsters gotta bash 'em with the real deal when it comes to cool.

>190 AuntieClio: Tempting to say there are no books ahead of her, Stephanie, but that's because she really grabs me, as you can tell.

You're absolutely right about the photo - the photographer is having some fun, and we get to enjoy it, too. We don't need to bring an explanation to it, but sometimes it's fun to try. My wife would call it a storytelling prompt. How did she end up there with an open umbrella?

>191 richardderus: Oh man, you managed to pick my favorite song of all time by one of the greatest singers of all time, Richard. What a voice.

It may take some doing to convince son #1 of the relationship to Jane Austen, but it's worth the effort.

>192 jnwelch:
I have a project for myself to use my photography as a writing prompt. One of the many, many I want to get to.

>194 AuntieClio: I like that idea, Stephanie. Tell me to pipe down if I'm being intrusive, but would you consider putting a link to (some of) your photos on your profile? I'd like to see them, and I think you may have even provided a link once, but if so, it's been lost in the mists of time.

>195 jnwelch:
Joe, there's a link to my store in the first post of every thread (www.lunisea.com/zazzle*) and I sprinkle my photography throughout, both my threads and others. There's always a topper.

And, yes, I'll add some to my profile. Thank you for asking.

>193 jnwelch: It's a terrific song, and that version makes me feel all dancy an' stuff.

Jesse will come around one day. I'm bettin' that's so because y'all drug him up right. (I'm picturing Lionel Trilling's lemon-face as I type the dialect.) But each comes to the Font of Austen in his own time, as the Universe knocks our sharper corners and our spinier protections off.

>196 AuntieClio: Thanks, Stephanie. I should've noticed the links in the first posts. Too much racing through threads trying to keep up! And thanks for providing it here, and putting it on your profile. I will peruse with great pleasure.

>197 richardderus: Ha! It makes me feel all dancy and stuff, too.

So true re the Font of Austen. I don't push him, because that's a bad idea anyway. Plus I came to her post-college by a good bit, and think I probably have appreciated her more than I would have at an earlier age.

Cozy and busy here, today :) you have a true way with folks, Joe!

>182 jnwelch: Lovely review of Why We Read Jane Austen. I definitely want to read that one.

We are being knocked around by a blizzard(!) here in eastern Maine today. A buoy off the coast about an hour from where I live has recorded wind speeds of 118 miles per hour....there is just something wrong with that!

>182 jnwelch:- Excellent review of A Truth Universally Acknowledged, Joe. Big Thumb! And it reminds me, I need to get back to Ms. Austen.
Hope you had a nice lunch with Becca.

Joe, pictures now on my profile ;-)

Yes! Yes! Yes! "get down, baby"

I love "If loving her is wrong, I don't want to be right," with a tip of the hat to Stax Records and Luther Ingram.

"Heard it through the grapevine" is one other

Oh Joe, what a lovely, thoughtful review! I came to Ms. Austen fairly late in life (nearly 40 when I read/listened to my first Austen), and now I have something like hero-worship.

>182 jnwelch: Great review of Why we read Jane Austen. That sounds like one I need to read.

>199 mckait: Thanks, Kath. Thank goodness we have the cafe to hang out in when the weather isn't cooperating, right?

>200 Cobscook: Hiya, Heidi! Thanks - I'm glad you liked the review. It really gave me a chance to pull together my thinking about Miss Austen and her amazing books. You know that question we get asked, if you could invite people from the past to join you at a dinner party, who would you pick? She'd have a seat for sure.

118 mph?!? That's crazy strong. Batten down the hatches. A blizzard at the end of March? Whomever's in charge hasn't read the memo - it's Spring for cripe's sake! Lots of sympathy. If you're a hot chocolate drinker, this one's on us.



>201 msf59: Thanks for the thumb, Mark! Glad you liked the review. Yes, time with Miss Austen is time well spent. I keep hoping people take a look at Love and Freindship and Lady Susan, too, as they're very funny.

Had a great lunch with Becca. Turns out she's much more interesting and charming than her old man - well, no surprise there, right? We ate at the Grand Luxe on Mich Ave, and it was delish.

>202 AuntieClio: Thanks, Stephanie! Seems like a natural place to look for your photos, and I look forward to spending some time with them. I keep getting nagged here to do some work, and when I say I need to be on Librarything, the importance seems to be totally unappreciated. Oh well.

>203 maggie1944: Ha! You got it, Karen. I lurve Marvin's "I Heard it Through the Grapevine". I first knew it through the Gladys Knight and the Pips version (I have a friend who always wanted to be a Pip. and loved to do their "Woo Hoo!" for a Rainy Night in Georgia). Apparently Smokey Robinson was the first to do it, although I've never heard that version. But Marvin just knocked it out of the park with that very different take on it.

Growing up so close to Detroit, we were Motown babies.

>204 AMQS: Your experience with Austen is just like mine, Anne. I came to her at a similar age, and she grabbed me right away, and now it's something like hero worship. She's so good, I probably, eventually, would have felt the same way even if I had been exposed to her at school. But I'm sure glad I met her the way I did.

I don't put him at the same level, but I had a similar feeling of gratitude when I first read Murakami. Like, "oh this is so good. And there's more I can read!"

>205 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian! Yes, if you fancy Austen, you'll want to read it. Fascinating to have such accomplished authors share their reactions to her writing.

Skipping the Austen discussion to report that yesterday the building in which I work was beset with those strong winds you noted up your way, Joe, and the building was SINGING! I swear! The wind created some really interesting harmonics outside.

>208 ffortsa: Those are challenging moments, Judy. Hmm, my building is singing! How great! Really interesting harmonics. Do I need to run for my life?

Hi Joe. All caught up here. I know it's only thursday, but have a good weekend.

>210 Thebookdiva: Hiya, Abby. Nice to see you. Never too early to start thinking about the weekend, as far as I'm concerned. Thanks. Hope you're setting up for a good one, too.

Stopping by before you migrate to another thread... :)

Hello, Joe. I just read your review of A Truth Universally Acknowledged and was so impressed that I had to find your thread and tell you how much I enjoyed it. Then the first thing to greet me when I do land on your thread is photos from the Chihuly Garden (I live just outside Seattle). It seems fated that I must begin following you. Although, as Mark can attest, I fall woefully behind all the time. You two are far too prolific with too many friends for me to keep up! Please don't come to my thread just now, as it is in disgraceful shape, but perhaps another time, I'll invite you over for tea and a book chat. ;-)

Sherlock just got groomed :)

>213 labfs39: Thank you so much, Lisa! A pleasure to meet you. We were just in Seattle, and met up with maggie1944 (Karen) and EBT1002 (Ellen). Our son lives there, and we come now on a regular basis, so maybe we can meet up in person some time.

You'd be a pal anyway after those nice comments, but any pal of Mark's is a pal of mine. No worries on visiting, everybody gets busy. I'll look forward to tea and a book chat when your thread shapes its way out of its disgracefulness.

>214 seasonsoflove: There's our well-groomed guy! I knew there was a dog inside that Ewok costume. He looks quite dapper and ready to solve difficult mysteries.

If I made hot chocolate now, I wouldn't sleep tonight, but I suddenly find myself craving one. ;-)

What a handsome boy!

I heart Sherlock.

>216 thornton37814: Strange how these sudden cravings arise, isn't it, Lori? I'm sure your craving to quaff hocho had nothing to do with >207 jnwelch:. The mug in >207 jnwelch: intrigues me; I had a sudden urge to stay up all night making pottery.

>217 Smiler69: Isn't he, Ilana? And he's the sweetest little guy you'd ever meet. We had a brunch party last Sunday, and he was soon pals with everyone there.

>218 EBT1002: Ha! Me, too, Ellen. We still have a photo of him as a forlorn bit of scrawn on the day Becca rescued him. She's done wonders with him.

Stumbled across an outdoor public library created for a Belgian art festival, and thought cafe patrons would appreciate it:

>214 seasonsoflove: Pretty boy! smooches to Sherlock!

A real live Robin sighting in Massachusetts! Hooray!

Hi Joe- I am hitting the route. It's damp and chilly but the sun is coming out later and that should help. Hope you get your work done and stop goofing off on LT! LOL!

>214 seasonsoflove:- Sherlock is a handsome boy!

>219 jnwelch: How does that work in the weather? I note an umbrella and rain gear on some of those patrons.

>187 jnwelch: I don't "love" Austen as a favorite but I am on my third book of hers. I've read Pride and Prejudice (got one of my rare 9 stars) and Emma (got only 5/10 stars). I'm currently reading along with the Sense and Sensibility tutored thread and believe it will get at least 7 stars, maybe 8.

It's more that I don't typically read essays, especially author essays.

>220 mckait: I'm sure she'll show up at some point to enjoy all the Sherlock love, Kath. She's on week's break from teaching and has been doing errands every which way, including getting Ewok Sherlock trimmed down to Velvet Sherlock.

>221 michigantrumpet: Hooray, Marianne! These often-ignored little guys are going to be awfully popular this year.

>222 msf59: Luckily, Mark, Sherlock is so busy solving mysteries that I don't think his head will be turned by all the compliments. He is quite the handsome boy with his trim, although I also liked the Rastafarian Sherlock.

I managed to not goof off on LT for a bunch of minutes, so I probably deserve some sort of reward. Although I'd better get back to work, eh?

>223 laytonwoman3rd: I know, I thought the same thing, Linda. And Belgium isn't exactly the desert. I suspect it's like the book fairs - once rain shows up, people start running out to cover it with tarpaulins.

>224 Morphidae: Ah, good for you, Morphy. I'm glad P & P got the rare 9 stars. Emma isn't one of my faves of hers either, although lots of folks swear by it. I did like S & S a lot, so we match up there. My #2 behind P & P would be the "autumnal" Persuasion. Love that book, but it of course gets differing reactions.

Got it on the author essays - very understandable. I read ones like this about her work and Shakespeare's. I'd do it for Murakami if there were anything good out there (maybe some day), but it's hard to think of any other authors I'd do it for.

Sherlock and I send thanks for all the very sweet words about his new (hopefully warmer weather) look :)

Not much in the way of food around here...a person could get sort of peckish. Would there be a bagel in the back, maybe some nice Novi lox and a schmear? A cream soda wouldn't hurt, either.

>226 seasonsoflove: hopefully warmer weather look As your mom says, from your lips to God's ears, Hon.

>227 laytonwoman3rd: Good thought, Linda. Sometimes we get off track talking about books and cute dogs and who knows what all. Let's see what we can do to un-peckish you.

BTW, in case you hadn't seen it, here's the latest in Jim's (drneutron's) fascinating tale of his way up close encounters with the sun project: http://www.librarything.com/topic/171044#4618028

>219 jnwelch: Joe, this library is fascinating. I only ask myself, how the heck will they protect it when it's raining?!?

>228 jnwelch: Oh, delightful. That drink looks very refreshing. (All I had in mind was a simple Dr. Brown's, but I must try your version!)

>230 Ameise1: Ha! I know, that's the worry, Barbara. I assume the artist had weather plans; sure hope so!

>231 laytonwoman3rd: I thought that looked awfully good, too, Linda. Fresh from the kitchen seemed like a step-up from the usual.

>232 jnwelch: Joe, I so.

>233 Ameise1: Me, too, Barbara. :-)

So true. :-D

Love the outdoor library. Appropriately enough, it seems pretty quiet! ;-)

Officially, your son is living in a community that has had record breaking rainfall in March. Most ever. Most ever had fall on us before. Wow.

The poor folks on the disaster site. They are working to find their neighbors, relatives, friends, and community members. Digging through mud, and having more rain fall on them. So sad. So hard.

I hope all will keep them in their hearts and send warm, dry thoughts to them.

Hi Joe,
I love the outdoor library, had the same thought as others. I don't think it would have worked here in Seattle this March.

Sending you spring vibes with gusto.

Joe,

>182 jnwelch: Way back up there Joe, I have to comment and compliment you a=on what is probably your best review. Austen is to me what Dickens is to RD so I don't agree with your evaluation of her literary equivalence to Will Shaky. That said though you make me want to read that book more than I do her own.

>219 jnwelch: What happens in the rain?

Have a great weekend, buddy.

Just leaving LaGuardia, so will be late getting on LT
. Happy Saturday, everyone!

Happy Saturday -- safe travels

>235 Ameise1:, >239 Ameise1:. Thanks, Barbara! Beautiful. I like the peppermints, too.

Happy weekend! We're here on 47th st. Having some coffee/chai and reading/writing at a Starbucks while waiting for our room to be ready back at the hotel.

>236 Smiler69:. Isn't that outdoor library cool, Ilana? Pretty idyllic to browse there. Wonder what books the artist put on the shelves?

>237 maggie1944:. Thanks, Karen. I didn't know that. I hope our baby boy knows it's that unusual. He did get weary of the rain - much as we have of the snow.

We feel terrible about the mudslide, with people killed and lives upended. Makes me think of the tornado here a ways back. We may think our live's concerns are all-important, but Mother Nature couldn't care less. We're just a bunch of busy little critters on a thin crust floating on magma. Could change at any time, so we'd be smart to appreciate each other and what we have.

Guess I'm feeling philosophical today, but we've all lost people in our lives, and know to some extent what the mudslide survivors are going through.

I'm doing this on my phone, so I hope it makes sense.

Joe, enjoy your trip. :-D

>240 PaulCranswick:. Hey, thanks, buddy. I'm glad you liked the review even though you're not an Austen fan. You've got me to read Bulldog Drummond and Prisoner of Zenda. Wish I could return the favor.

Don't forget to give a thumb if you like somebody's review. That helps get it up on the home page where others maybe will be persuaded to try the book.

Have a great weekend, too, my friend. I saw your daughter's pink hair on FB as a tribute to breast cancer awareness. Kudos to her, and it looks good. (We're the parents whose son had blue and then purple hair - his looked great, too).

>242 michigantrumpet:. Thanks, Marianne. All safe and smooth so far. We feel lucky. There have been a lot of delays getting into LaGuardia lately due to weather. Ithe rain us just pounding down right now!

You two are so understanding about your kids hair! Although I think her pink tribute looks fabulous too

Yes, the rain is pounding down on us, too; so, of course, like a native pacific northwest native I went to the plant nursery and bought ferns, strawberries, mulch and some gardening tools. Incorrigible, am I.

I am reading while awaiting a break in the rain so I can run out and garden.

Hi Joe, just popping in and waving (again)

I don't know about the robins but there were geese aplenty at home this last week. I think the poor things were mixed up and thought that spring was coming. It was miserable most of the time. One day we had 50 mph winds! It snowed the first day I was home. Today - the day I left it was going to be 70 degrees. At that rate the geese will fly on north. Like they are supposed to do. they have been hanging around the southern parts of their route far too long.

I forgot to tell you that I started listening to Soldier of the Great War it took a long time to get going but now it is engrossing. It is about the Italian front in WWI - part of my remembrance reading for the Centenary of WWI.

Finally got some time to cruise and catch up on threads. Hope you're having a great weekend!

>182 jnwelch: What a fantastic review Joe! I've wish listed this at my library. Actually, my library doesn't have it but the neighboring county library system does and I've listed it there.

>214 seasonsoflove: Aww...Sherlock looks great with his summer cut. I do miss those floppy bangs though. ;-)

Joe, you are starting to rack up air miles at the same rate as Ellen, I think? No one can catch Caroline, when it comes to travel, though. Safe and smooth travel to you!

>242 michigantrumpet: Thanks, Marianne. So far so good. Poured rain here yesterday, but that was okay for us.

>244 Ameise1: We are, Barbara, thanks. Nice visit and dinner last night with an old pal and his wife and lovely daughter, who's my goddaughter. Today we're off to see a martial arts dance show called Kung Fu.

>246 michigantrumpet: You know, with our son, Marianne, we said it's his hair, not ours, so he can make it any color he wants. He's got ear piercings and tattoos, too, and he's one of the best guys you'd ever meet. The last part is what matters the most, right?

Paul's daughter looks great with the pink hair.

>247 maggie1944: Debbi's been frustrated, Karen, because she'd normally be getting the garden prepped by now (cutting the ornamental grasses down to the ground in particular - tall as they are, the snow has been taller). In the Seattle area you seem to be about a month ahead of us - we saw lots of signs of spring while we were there, including beautiful red bud trees.

Look forward to pics of your garden - I'll try to post some of ours when we get to that time of year (we will get there, won't we?)

>248 connie53: Hiya, Connie! Thanks for stopping by. Hope you're having a good weekend.

>249 benitastrnad: I have mixed feelings about geese, Benita. They're beautiful flying up above, and there's something enchanting about their calls, raucous as they are. But on the ground they leave a lot of mess, which can be a drag in a public park like Gallup Park where I grew up, and they can get aggressive. I had to boot one that was going after my kids when they were little (leaving him unfazed but disinclined to bother them any more).

Soldier of the Great War looks interesting. I haven't read any Mark Halprin since A Winter's Tale. He had a wonderful short story years ago in the New Yorker involving a loon (the bird, that is).

>250 SuziQoregon: I hope you're having a good weekend, too, Juli. We definitely are, catching up with friends, eating good food, drinking good wine (my old pal here has become quite a connoisseur), and spending some time together relaxing.

>251 luvamystery65: Thanks, Roberta. I'm glad you liked the review so much! It's a treat to get the take on our Jane of such high caliber authors. I keep thinking about the Virginia Woolf one, and was discussing it last night with my goddaughter, who's been a big Jane Austen fan for a long time, and now is very taken with Virginia Woolf (she's reading Mrs. Dalloway).

Becca has an unbelievably cute pic of Sherlock wrapped in a blanket which maybe we'll get her to post at some point.

>252 mckait: Thanks, Kath! Yes, we've decided to loosen up and travel more this year, although we usually get out and about a good bit anyway. This one does have a bit of work in it, but we came in early to enjoy the city. Caro is on a level all her own!

Hi Joe- Thanks for checking in. It sounds like you are having a good time. It looks like it's going to be a nice day here...finally. When do you return?

Morning Joe! See how I got that in there before 12? That outdoor library is amazing. I didn't know there was such a thing.

>255 msf59: You bet, Mark. Yes, Becca's reporting good weather in Chi-town, and some quality time outside with the furry guy. We're here until the end of next week. One of our friends gave a tip on a bookstore that's new to me, McNally Jackson on Prince Street, that she says is better than St. Mark's. So we'll find a way to get there.

We're planning on going to the Tenement Museum tomorrow.

>256 Thebookdiva: Well done, Abby! Good morning! We were slow to get going this a.m, too. Isn't that outdoor museum cool? I'd never heard of one either.

OK, getting ready to go to the show. Hope everyone has a good rest of Sunday.

I'm curious about the Tenement Museum. What does it show? Life in the tenements? Or is it a museum located in a Tenement?

New York is just so crazy about one being able to find anything, just anything, there!

##258
A woman who worked for our library took a group of school teacher's to the Tenement Museum and they loved it. It is a real Tenement House in New York City and the museum shows the way of life that most immigrants faced in NYC and other large American Cities when they came off the boat. There is a really good Children's Lit non-fiction work on Tenement Houses that is good preparation for visiting the museum.

Joe are you in New York City? I have been out of touch the last week and haven't been able to devote much time to LT so must have missed this announcement.

I am on my way back to Alabama today and it seems that finally around April 1st we have spring. I will try to spend some time outside to get plants into the pots and all. As far south as we are spring should have happened already. We are a good three weeks behind.

*Still reeling from Paul's admission that he's not an Austen fan*

Can't wait to see what adventures you have in the Big Apple this time.... *sits back and waits for the food pics*

Joe, a little late here, but I also want to comment on your wonderful reviews of the Jane Austen essays. I really appreciated it. My library has ordered The Martian--but apparently only in audio format. I am complaining.

Hope you are enjoying your trip, and have good weather for it.

Joe, I second the comment about McNally Jackson (I assume I was not the friend who mentioned it to you in the first place!). Our meetup reading group used to meet there, until they decided they would have to charge us for the time &:(
But it's a lovely store.

>258 maggie1944: Hi, Karen. Benita gives a good description. Our understanding is that it's a real tenement that they converted into a museum, and that it shows the immigrant experience here. A friend said it's terrific. Apparently you can choose among something like three different lives and follow them, e.g. a tailor.

>259 benitastrnad: Yes, we're in NYC for a few days, Benita. Thanks for the description on the Tenement museum and the tip on the non-fic chilidren's lit on tenement houses.

You're heading in the right direction. It's cool and rainy here, although it's supposed to warm up into the 50s and let up on the rain. Seems like everywhere's at least 3 weeks behind thanks to the Polar Nonsense.

>260 cameling: I know, Caro, what's with that Paul? Well. he's a fan of a lot of other good authors, plus an awfully good host, so maybe we've got to cut him some slack.

Oops, I'd better start taking some food pics. We were just at Tolotach or something like that, high end Mexican food, and had an excellent trio of guac's (mild, spicy, fruit-y), and shared two really tasty shrimp dishes (camarón). Plus a citrus-y margarita for me and a superior peach one for my MBH.

>261 ronincats: Thanks, Roni - you're very welcome. I'm glad you liked the reivew. Hmm, The Martian might make for a good audio book. But they should have it in written form, no question about it. He's made the bestseller list now.

The weather's rainy here so far, but we never mind that. Saw a good dance production today based on the life of martial arts genius Bruce Lee. Hadn't thought about what a ground-breaker he was as an Asian lead and movie hero. The writing in "Kung Fu" was unfortunately wooden in much of the play. Too bad, because it's a good story about the obstacles he overcame. The dancing and martial arts fighting was superb, though, which likely accounts for the success the production is having (it just got extended again).

So You Think You Can Dance fans will remember Cole Horribe, who had a strong martial arts vibe to his dancing anyway (he's been quite successful in Tae Kwan Do) and the choreography was by Sonya can't-remember-her last-name from the tv show, who's awfully good.

Joe - if you have time, check out BXL Zoute over in the Flatiron district on W. 22nd St. It's a cozy Belgian restaurant with good Belgian beer and terrific mussel pots.

>262 ffortsa: Right, different friend, Judy. She thought St. Marks had gone a bit downhill, and recommended McNally Jackson. I'm glad you think it's a good one, too. We're trying to piece together proximity trips. We'd like to get to our usual favorite, the Strand, too, but we'll see.

>264 cameling: Mmm. Thanks for the tip, Caro. We have friends down on west 14th, so that might work.

Okay, the new cafe is open! It's got the same number, so it should be easy to find.