Mark's Reading Place #10

-Andreas Noßmann



-Deborah DeWit

Audiobook:



Graphic:


Books Read So Far...

February:

12) Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch 3 stars (audio)
13) The Warden by Anthony Trollope 4.2 stars
14) The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin 4.5 stars (audio)
15) On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee 3.5 stars E.R.
16) The Lions of al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay 4.2 stars (audio)
17) Andrew's Brain by E.L. Doctorow 4.3 stars (audio)
18) Hexed (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 2) by Kevin Hearne 3.8 stars (audio)
19) Light in August by William Faulkner 4.7 stars AAC
20) Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell 4 stars (audio)
21) Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor 4 stars (audio)
22) Being There by Jerzy Kosinski 4.2 stars (audio)
23) Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami 3.6 stars
24) The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey 4 stars (audio)
25) The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna 4.2 stars

March:

26) In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming 3.7 stars (audio)
27) Birds of a Lesser Paradise: Stories by Megan Mayhew Bergman 4.8 stars
28) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt 4.5 stars (audio)
29) Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto 4 stars (audio)
30) Suttree by Cormac McCarthy 4.5 stars AAC
31) An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris 4.7 stars (audio)
32) Kids These Days by Drew Perry 3.8 stars
33) The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon 4.3 stars (audio)
34) Glitter and Glue: A Memoir by Kelly Corrigan 4.2 stars
35) One More Thing: Stories & Other Stories by B. J. Novak 4 stars (audio)
36) A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny 3.8 stars (audio)
37) This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett 4.7 stars (audio)
38) Independent People by Halldor Laxness 5 stars
39) The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion 4.2 stars (audio)

April:

40) Blood Will Out by Walter Kirn 4.7 stars
41) Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre 4.6 stars (audio)
42) Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing by Margaret Atwood 3.6 stars
43) The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes 3.7 stars (audio)
44) The Burning Air by Erin Kelly 4 stars
45) Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack by Haruki Murakami 4.2 stars (audio)
46) Tar Baby by Toni Morrison 4.2 stars AAC
47) Brilliance by Marcus Sakey 4.4 stars (audio)
48) Dare Mel by Megan Abbott 3.7 stars (audio)
49) The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock 4.5 stars
50) Journey Into the Past by Stefan Zweig 4 stars
51) Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan 4.3 stars (audio)
52) This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash 3.8 stars (audio)

American Author Challenge 2014

Willa Cather- January
William Faulkner- February
Cormac McCarthy- March
Toni Morrison- April
Eudora Welty- May
Kurt Vonnegut- June
Mark Twain- July
Philip Roth- August
James Baldwin- September
Edith Wharton- October
John Updike- November
Larry Watson- December

Mark's picks:

Willa Cather- Death Comes for the Archbishop * Completed
William Faulkner- Light in August Completed
Cormac McCarthy- Suttree * Completed
Toni Morrison- Tar Baby * Completed
Eudora Welty- The Collected Stories * Started...
Kurt Vonnegut- Mother Night. Possibly a second title. *
Mark Twain- Life on the Mississippi- Thanks to RD *
Philip Roth- The Plot Against America *
James Baldwin- Giovanni's Room- Thanks to Kerri *
Edith Wharton- The Custom of the Country
John Updike- Rabbit Run *
Larry Watson- Orchard or White Crosses or both. *

* On shelf

**If you are interested in the American Author Challenge, check out the main thread. This is shaping up to be a highlight of the year, IMHO:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/162960

I thought this would be a good idea, to keep track of what is coming up and to supply links when they are available.

April:

Atwood April: https://www.librarything.com/topic/171813#

Toni Morrison- American Author Challenge: https://www.librarything.com/topic/171799#

May:

Eudora Welty- American Author Challenge: http://www.librarything.com/topic/173048#

May- Murder & Mayhem- http://www.librarything.com/topic/173133

What about here!?

My turn? I love the topper. Great way to start a new thread.

The book-balancing one is terrific! Love that image.

I also love the topper! Happy new thread, Mark!

Hi Mark. Since you've left me a kind message on my thread, I know you weren't intentionally ignoring my message on your previous thread, just probably already thinking ahead of what you'd be posting on this one! Happy New Thread.

It is actually snowing out, with at least an inch or more on the grass. Is this some kind of sick joke?

Kimmers is Number One! Kimmers is Number One!

Stephanie- Yes, it is your turn. LT is hopping tonight. I barely got the last one posted and BAM!

RD- Glad you like it. That's how I feel most days. LOL. Thanks to your warbling, I now own Just One Damned Thing After Another. I wonder if this will be my very first ebook? I thought it might be the Luminaries, which I planned on reading soon.

OH MY GOSH!!! Guess I picked the right day to come back on LT. #1 on Mark's thread...imagine that. My life is complete. *sighs happily*

If I were you, I'd start with Just One Damned Thing After Another for ebookage. It's so fluffy and fun! The Luminaries is an excellent book, but no sane person could use the word "fluffy" within a yard of it.

>10 msf59: we're supposed to have snow tonight and early tomorrow, but they promised us NO ACCUMULATION!

This is messed up, man...

Hi Mark - Happy New Thread. I was appalled this morning when I got up and my lawn was snow covered. Sick joke is right.

^ Congrats to Donna Tart for winning the Pulitzer for fiction. Bravo! It looks like it beat out The Son, which I really liked too and a book called The Woman Who Lost Her Soul. Has anyone heard of this one? Completely new to me. It gets 3 1/2 stars on LT. That's not pretty.

Of course, I always like it when an author wins a prestigious prize but I am not sure I care for the Pulitzer's nominating process. Remember, about 2 or 3 years ago, they couldn't even come up with one winner. Seriously?

Ilana- I did not intentionally ignore you on my last thread but I did ignore you never the less. That has been corrected. Hugs!

Kim- You did pick a fine day to return. The place is hopping, like a one-legged cocktail waitress at dollar beer nite!

RD- You will also be glad to hear, I am FINALLY starting the Devil All the Time, which has been languishing on my Must Read Now shelf for at least 2 years.

Jim- "This is messed up, man". You can say that again, brother.

Beth- We do want "sick jokes" after the winter we had. It hit 80 here on Saturday. Was it that warm by you?

Ahem.

Happy New Thread, Mark! I have that topper as a bookmark!

Happy new thread, Mark.

One good thing about a mid-April snow is that it won't last long, that's for sure.

No hockey whatsoever tonight. I'm going through withdrawal. Started reading Jazz.

Happy new thread, Mark!

>8 Crazymamie:, >17 Crazymamie:- LOL! You should have seen me scrolling madly to see where I missed you. Sorry, my friend. I guess those posts were coming fast & furious.

Amber- Thanks! I saw the topper picture a couple weeks ago and thought it might work. I think that would also be a perfect bookmark.

Linda- Thanks! It will be back to mid-50s on Wednesday, but I thought we were through with the dreaded white stuff. Hope you enjoy Jazz.

Katie- Thanks! Big waves!

Mark, I cannot keep up with your thread! It moves faster than a sportswriter at the press box buffet. I'm sending you a PM right now asking for details about the meetup.

Julia- I am very happy that you can make the Meet-Up. You will fit right in with the gang! And that's wonderful you are willing to make a long drive to join us.

And on that encouraging note...I am off to bed.

Julia's coming to the meet-up? Hurray, hurray!! We'll have to have some Bruce Springsteen talk.

Definitely some Springsteen gab, Linda! We can grouse about how he's on tour RIGHT NOW and not coming anywhere near Chicago. :(

Nice new thread, Mark. Sounds like you're going to have quite a nice little LT get together!

>1 msf59: Great book balancing! Happy new thread, Mark.

I am in love with your top picture! It is wonderful.

I have finished The Handmaid's Tale! It was very very good. (very). I suppose there is an Atwood April thread to go and announce that to....will scroll back up now and see if you have linked one....ooh, you have. Great.

Happy new thread, Mark!!

Snow? Old Man Winter and Mother Nature sure have sick senses of humor, eh?

^We did get nearly 2 inches. Really? Seriously?

I'll be wrapping up Tar Baby today and I am into the 2nd half of the audio of Brilliance, which continues to entertain. If you are looking for a smart, fast-paced thriller, give this one a shot.

Linda & Julia- I don't want to see you both in a corner going on and on about Bruce, okay?

Joanne- It will be nice to see my Midwest pals again. I wish a couple others could have made it. We do have a good time.

Diana- Thanks! Like most of us, our daily life is book balancing and I love every minute of it.

Megan- Glad you like the topper and I am glad you enjoyed the Atwood, which remains my favorite. I'll be starting Cat's Eye, some time next week. Are you doing another?

Marianne- It is unbelievable., but the good news is, it will be back to mid-50s tomorrow. Yah!

Hi, Mark. I can't believe you all are having snow! For goodness sake, let's get on with Spring, OK? I need to tell you about the Booktopia books...

We had our book group last night and now I'm shifting gears and focussing on them. First, I'm finishing reading The Wives of Los Alamos and then may be moving right on into The Steady Running of the Hour. Need to shove Just One Damned Thing After Another aside for now. Dang. I also have A Beautiful Truth on the Kindle.

Alternatively, I have Gone Girl newly purchased for the next Book Group meeting. How clever of us to buy it just as the prize was announced. I was able to get a used copy for $12. What was the chance I could do that???

I hope your weather stops making your rounds so uncomfortable. Please Away Damned Snow!

Morning, Mark! Sorry about the snow.

Oh Mark, that's horrible - snow again. Happy new thread with a lot of fun and good reading.

Oh boy, The Devil All the Time! Not a cheery little read, but Pollock's got that certain something that makes every inch of grim, gruesome misery worth it.

Cold, partly cloudy, snow slowly melting away...

Karen - The steady Running of the Hour sounds interesting. Glad you are trying to line up your Booktopia books and congrats on snagging Gone Girl.

Mamie- Most of the snow should melt away by the end of the day and then back to 55 tomorrow. All is not lost.

Barbara- Thanks! I like the book poster.

RD- I loved his story collection Knockemstiff, so I am sure I will love this one. I am just pissed I waited so long...

Congrats on the new thread, Mark! It was good to see all the love for The Grapes of Wrath in your last one. I read that for the first time in the '12 Steinbeckathon, and it knocked me over. Great book.

Hope the day's going well for you. Glad to hear you're reading something dark and grim like The Devil All the Time.

It is cold down here in the south. I had to put on my winter coat. I will also have to bring my plants inside tonight as it is supposed to freeze. Not a hard frost but down to 30. What is going on here? We have no azaleas because they can't get a steady period in which to fomr buds, and it just isn't the south without azeleas. Strnage weather. But then you know that.

I have a hundred page start on Scarlet. This is a good series. Some of it is a bit on the simple side - and it was obviously written for teens but it is a good series. Thanks for talking about it so much.

Hi Mark!

Did you end up liking Underground? I put it on my wishlist after LT Joe read it. While I don't typically enjoy Murakami, I'm interested in the topic. I watched those two Japanese documentaries about the Aum Shinrikyo cult years ago. The documentaries are actually poorly done, but the footage of their compounds is fascinating (It's unbelievable that they gave the director access like that). It follows Aum Shinrikyo's P.R. guy a couple years after the attacks.

I haven't read Underground but 1Q84 is all about cults. In a fictionalized novel form. Even at 1,000 pages it was a good read. I didn't think I would ever finish it, but it was a good book.

Wow, I'm really amazed you've gotten snow while we've just been getting lots of rain. That is not normal, to be sure. We had a genuine summer day yesterday, which was also rather strange, given there were still little patches of snow to be seen here and there. I'm guessing that's all melted by now, but I'm no means doubting we may still get hit by a winter storm. It's only April after all, and we have seen snowstorms up till May in this part of the continent before. All the same, wishing you warmer weather to soothe your soul soon Mark. xx

>36 msf59: you're welcome. :-D

Reading something dark and grim - not Mark! LOL. I have The Devil All the Time on my wishlist so I am looking forward to hearing what you think of it.

I couldn't resist the lure of a free book and I have picked up Just One Damned Thing After Another for my Kindle.

So sorry to hear about the snow, but hopefully the warm weather will soon be back and this little hiccup will simply be a distant memory.

That thread topper is da bomb Mark! I keep hoping spring is here to stay but the bad weathermen keep predicting snow in our forecast for Wednesday and this coming weekend. Bad, bad weathermen!

Hi Mark - I want to thank you for posting on someone else's thread that The Bletchley Circle was back for a second season. I would have missed it without your post. I hope all your snow has disappeared.

^ I received my ER copy of Confabulist today, which was pretty quick for a March win. I am really looking forward to this one, since I LOVED The Cellist of Sarajevo. My 2014 ARCS are already beginning to stack up. What?? I still have a bunch from 2013. This crazy, chaotic, daunting little literary world we have created for ourselves...I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Speaking of ER, what did everyone think of ER's April crop. I thought it was meh. I didn't request anything. That's to bad after a butt-kicking March selection.

I finished Tar Baby and thought it very good. This might not have been my favorite but there is no question she is one of the finest authors America has produced. I am nearly finished with Brilliance, with mere minutes left, and it's pretty damn exciting.

>37 jnwelch:- Yes, Joe, I started The Devil All the Time and fell for it, immediately. Dark & gritty. Just my cuppa. Ahhhhh...They describe this as gothic Americana and of course I love that term, but it is just following in the mighty footsteps of Faulkner, O'Connor and McCarthy.
I loved his story collection, Knockemstiff too and it's one I think you would like. There are similarities between that one and Volt.

Benita- I can't believe how chilly it is getting down south. That must be jarring. You guys have had a very unusual winter too. Glad you are enjoying Scarlet. I hope to bookhorn in Cress sometime soon.

Ilana- Walking through snow and cold this morning but almost all the snow melted off but it stayed chilly.

Barbara- Waves!

Kerri- I really liked Underground and I think you will too. I did find the Aum cult quite fascinating and Murakami interviewed several of it's members, to get a feel from the inside. They actually sound like Scientologists.

Judy- I have a feeling I am going to love The Devil All the Time, so if I were you, I would start bumping it up that wishlist. When you are ready for something dark & edgy, it will be there.

Heidi- Great to see you! You know I think I lost your thread. I haven't seen it come up on my home page for weeks. I would like to see what you are reading. Well, at least the snow is gone and it will be 55 tomorrow, so that's not bad.

>45 Familyhistorian:- I don't know your first name, so I will just say hi and will also say you are more than welcome on the Bletchley Circle. There are a few shows we like to follow around here and that's one of them. Do you watch Call the Midwife?

Mark dear, you know I am only coming to the meetup so I can finally meet you in person (and Kerri and Joe and Linda and Tam and ...). But as long as I'm going to be there ... how far away from your house is that Trader Joe's?

:-)

Julia- There isn't a Trader Joe's real close. Maybe 20 minutes away or so. That's probably why we don't go very often.

Well, if I'm driving 3 hours just to see your smiling face, I can probably handle another 20 minutes to stock up at Trader Joe's. :-)

Good point. LOL. I'll do a search and make sure which one is the closest.

>47 msf59: No, I don't follow Call the Midwife, I am more of a mystery fan and love shows like Midsummer Murder, Phryne Fisher or anything Agatha Christie and Bletchley Circle fits in with those.

Me? Another Atwood for Atwood April? Sheesh, was proud enough of the fact that I did one. :P
I have started Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress though, as an interim read before tackling something else from the bottomless pit of books that passes for my bookshelf.

Go Julia, I would drive 3 hours for a meetup too, for sure. :):):)

^ This is my weekend off and the reason I picked it for the Meet-Up. Grins. Although, I am not sure I'll work Friday or not. Win, win, either way. Grins again. I will wrap up Brilliance early on and still deciding on my next audio. Possibly Dare Me, a dark YA, which I've been sitting on for ages.

>52 Familyhistorian:- I watched Bletchley Circle last night. It was good.

Megan- Sorry! I didn't mean to get pushy about Atwood. LOL. I LOVED Balzac and it's a quick lovely read. I am so glad you would drive 3 hours for a Meet-Up. That must be like going down to the mailbox for you.

>54 msf59: also watched Bletchley Circle last night. We're off to a rip roaring start!

Lovely tribute by the ChiSox hosting Boston last night. All the White Sox players wearing Boston Strong t-shirts, showed a video on the large screen. Very classy. Lots of play on the local news and on FB here. Everyone I know here is very touched by this.

Thanks Chicago!

Morning, Mark!

Marianne- I am a Cubs fan, (although I am on the brink), so I don't watch the White Sox very much but that sounds like a wonderful tribute. Did they at least let the BoSox win? LOL.

Amber- Hump day Waves!

Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday!

*joining in the circle of happy wishes for a good day*

There are some advantages to living in the city, Mark. We have a Trader Joe's a short walk away.

Did you ever read Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress? I see Megan's reading it. I thought it was really good. Great cover, too.

Nothing major to report on Hump Day. I'm nearing the end of that ER Shakespeare/Star Wars mashup. I see it's already on NYTimes bestseller list, so the publisher won't need help from the likes of me. I'm also reading an in Death mystery on the Kindle, and getting close being all caught up on that series. That means that soon I'll need to find another mystery series for the Kindle, darn it. I do have some Clare and Russ tree books left, so that's probably next.

Hope you have a good one today.

I just read three In Death books in a row. I have to stop now. As yummy as they are, I need them to last!

>57 msf59: Yup. Knew you were a Cubs fan. Don't get much opportunity to see the Cubs, although we now have inter league play later in the year. That said, sometimes RL transcends sports rivalries. It was a wonderful classy moment by the White Sox. My adopted city and I appreciate it.

(Don't know if you recall, but I have decided to adopt the Cubs as my NL team for the year. Yes, I'm certifiable ...)

Mamie & Karen- Big loving waves!

Joe- Yes, I have read Balzac and I loved it and I think you were one of those that nudged me into picking it up.
I also have another of his titles in the stacks but the title escapes me, at the moment.
My crime series books are really backing up again. M & M will be chock-full.

Morphy- I have never read Robb. Am I missing something?

Marianne- Yes, you must be certifiable! But you will be in great company. LOL!

>62 michigantrumpet: Oh Marianne, I'm both sorry and glad to hear that you are joining us in Cubs fandom. Maybe you will be the good luck they need!

Hi Mark! Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday (hopefully)! I forget, are you going to a Booktopia event this year?

>63 msf59: Yes. :D

ETA: Though at this point I skim the 2.5 sex scenes in each book. They are only 2 - 3 pages long for the 2 and 1 page long for the .5 one.

^ The Shocking Hard-Boiled World Of Librarians! I love the top of the book jacket: "What the hell is it and who is going to clean it up?" LOL.



^ Or 2 or 3 or....

"You going to have to bury her deep, brother," Theodore said. "I put a shovel in the boot just in case things didn't turn out like you expected."

"Some people were born just so they could be buried."

- The Devil All the Time

Laura- Great to see you my friend! And I hope to see you in person on Saturday. I plan on attending the Booktopia event in Asheville, in August. I WISH more LTers were joining me. Just Katie & I, holding down the fort.

Morphy- I did not know you were so squeamish, with sex scenes. So no Fifty Shades of Gray for you?

8 books?; a bookcase (or 2 or 3)?! Try 1,297 titles. That's the figure as of this moment. And I'm mighty tempted to purchase a few more before the day if finished...

eta: of course, that is nothing compared to other LTers...

I have a TBR bookcase...love that. : )

>69 Smiler69:- Wow, Ilana! That is a huge TBR! I haven't counted mine in awhile but I can't image it being more than 2-3 hundred.

Kim- It's great seeing you posting again. Smiles...

Out of the April ER batch, I requested the book by Brian Doyle. I really like his columns in our newspaper, so hope that I get a copy of the book!

Mark, I spend a lot of my time on LT cataloguing my books with as much precision as I can manage, so there's no counting involved; I just look up my statistics. It gives me lots of satisfaction to know that there is one area of my life that I can run with any sort of organization and accuracy. ;-)

Like >73 Smiler69:, all my TBR books are organized in my LT catalogue. The current number of titles in my "To Read" collection is 2823.

*gulp*

I think you mean *GULP*!!

Hi, Mark! Happy "new" thread (70-some posts in)

I have a TBR bookcase and a half, plus TBR books scattered all over the house . . .

>63 msf59: Definitely missing something if you haven't read Robb. I am so addicted to the in Death series that I try to keep the latest paperback unread on my shelf until I know that the next one is about to be released just so that I know there is one there in case I need an in Death fix.

Sweet Thursday! I am not sure if I am working tomorrow, so this might be the end of the work week or just one more. We will see. I am nearly halfway into Dare Me, which is dark YA, about BAD cheerleaders. It's pretty good so far but I want to see where she goes with it.
The Devil All the Time is terrific. You can't beat Hillbilly Noir!

Rhonda- Maybe I should request the Plover. I had not heard of Doyle and another LT pal really liked it too.

>73 Smiler69:- Ilana, that is a good way to do it, but I only have books I have read in my LT library, along with a spattering of wishlist books. I do not feel like taking on another biblio-project. LOL.

Katie- 2823????? GULP, is right!! I would be completely intimidated by that number. I am wracked with guilt with the couple hundred I have.

Kim- Waves!

Terri- I have 2 smaller bookshelves filled with TBR books and half of a bigger book shelf. And then there is the overflow in a back closet, which is a bit chaotic.

>77 Familyhistorian:- I am not sure Robb is my cuppa, (I like dark & gritty) but I might give her a try at some point.

>78 msf59: Ha! Love the cartoon!

I am about a hundred threads behind...
but...hello anyway :)

TBR's are all over. Many shelves of them....sigh.

Marianne- I would have beer glasses, of course. Snickers...

Kath- Thanks for dropping by. At least we are not alone in our book hoarding. Compared to many others, I am not doing to bad.

I think the author of the dark cheerleading book spoke at Murder & Mayhem in Muskego last year. The plot sounds very familiar.

Sounds like you're reading two straight MMM books.

Kath did a pretty persuasive review of The Plover, so I WL'd it.

>67 msf59: Loved these! Passed them on to the clan. I'd be willing to pony up some money for a collection of these fake noir books you've found - what a hoot!

We had very good news - the Bulls first playoff game is Sunday night. We weren't mentioning it because the thought was too dreadful to even consider, but there was a possibility that it would have been Saturday afternoon. No!!! It all shook out last night, and the right way. They'll be playing Washington, and there's a good chance they'll beat them. And, most importantly, we'll be attending the meetup with no worries.

>74 katiekrug: >75 Berly: MAJOR GULP! is right! I'm working my way up there. Always good to have a goal in mind. :-)

Mark, when I first joined LT I wasn't much into socializing online (didn't know about this group either), other than keeping a blog, and what originally attracted me to this site is the library cataloguing feature, which I still use on a daily basis. From the first, I set out to catalogue every book I owned or even remembered ever reading, and now find I can't live without my cataloguing system, especially with unread books, otherwise I'd find myself purchasing multiple copies without realizing it. I'm constantly checking my inventory when I'm in bookshops or about to put through an online order. That being said, I can't imagine starting it all now from scratch. My system took me over 6 years to put together and had you told me it would take that long to perfect from the first, I don't think I would have gotten started!

>68 msf59: *laughs hysterically* Uh, that's a big NO. Not only have I read the entire Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, I think it is tame compared to other stuff I've read and wonder what all the fuss is about. I've read historical romance that is more "naughty" than that.

No, the reason I skim it is because: I'm 20 books in so I've read them "doing it" almost 60 times, I've read that type of stuff for over 30 years, it's tame, it's the same number of sex scenes in EVERY book (i.e. formulaic), it doesn't add anything to the story.

It's the only annoyance in this series.

>78 msf59: I wouldn't recommend the series if I didn't think it was dark enough for you. This is not light and fluffy stuff. Not even close.

Joe, glad to hear it. I had the same worry about the Blackhawks playoff game. Turns out my game isn't til Wed night, though if they'd had home ice, it would've been on Saturday at 2.

Well, I'd like the Blackhawks to have home ice, Linda, but that's one heck of a nice silver lining. :-)

It is warming up by the minute out here. Feels good. Sorry to hear about all the snow Minnesota and northern parts of Wisconsin got. Ugh! Poor things.

Linda- You know I like M &M. Never been to Muskego though.
Glad the Hawks schedule worked out.

Joe- I read Kath's excellent review. I've been finding those book covers on Pinterest. Sue has been laughing at me, thinking I am looking up recipes over there. LOL.
Glad the Bulls schedule worked out.

Ilana- I try to keep my TBR shelves in Alpha order, which helps me keep track. I still pick up a duplicate title now and then. I could not imagine having 2000 books. I would be wracked with guilt.

Morphy- That is a perfectly reasonable answer to the Robb question, you naughty girl. LOL.

>87 jnwelch: It IS a nice silver lining, Joe. The unfortunate part, though, is that my Wed night game doesn't start til 8:30 pm. Good thing I'm a night owl.

The game probably won't end til about 11:15. With the struggle to get out of the lot, though we splurged for better parking again this time, and the long drive home, I won't be home til after 1 am, I'd estimate.

>67 msf59: Yes on the TBR bookcases, I have them! Lots of them!

>89 lindapanzo: Yeah, we've got the same problem Tues night for the Bulls, Linda. 8:30 start time. TV rules the world. We'll probably be home by midnight. I may have to sleep in some and come to work late.

Thought you'd like this.

My Ammy wishlist = 881 books
My LT wishlist = 1016 books
My Goodreads "want to read" shelf = 239
Total unpurchased, unread = 2136

Physical TBRs = 1402
Kindle Cloud titles = 1433

What I *know* I want to read as of now = 4971

How long I need to live to read just those = ~250 years more.

It's good to have goals, isn't it?

>92 richardderus: I love that, Richard.

Mark, I've not yet read The Goldfinch but I admit that I was surprised that she got the Pulitzer for it. P read it and nicknamed it "TYM" for "Tiresome Young Man." Ha. I'll probably still read it.

No more snow. Seriously.

"Gabriel García Márquez, famed Colombian journalist, novelist, short story writer and screenwriter has died at the age of 87. He is considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century. Márquez was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1982. He began his career as a journalist while studying law at the National University of Colombia."

^Sadly, I have only read Marquez once and that was last year, but I loved Love in the Time of Cholera and I am looking forward to reading many more.

Ah, too bad, Mark. What a literary giant. That's a good long life he had, at least.

I read Love in the Time of Cholera years ago, soon after it was published in English, along with Living to Tell the Tale, Memories of My Melancholy Whores and The Story of the Shipwrecked Sailor. I still haven't read One Hundred Years of Solitude, though.

Mine were Love in the Time of Cholera, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Autumn of the Patriarch, and Chronicle of a Death Foretold. OHYOS remains my favorite, and had a big impact on me when I was a young guy.

>89 lindapanzo:- Linda & Joe: I give you both a lot of credit for staying up late for your chosen teams. I am a "go to bed early" kind of guy, (although I make up for it on the front end). I have stayed up late for the Bears and if the Bulls or Hawks make it far into the post-season I might make some sacrifices.
Now, if the Cubs made it late into the post-season and the W.S., I WOULD stay up for that. Okay, I'll stop fantasizing...

Connie- I think most of us treasure our abundant TBR shelves.

>92 richardderus:- WOWZA! That is a helluva bunch of books, RD. I try to keep things much much simpler. I have about 200 books on my Bookmooch WL and 15 or 20 over here. That's it. I already have problems, remembering where some of the titles of my WL came from, I could only imagine if I tripled or quadrupled that number.
1402 TBR books? How do you keep track of them?

Ellen- I really liked The Goldfinch. It's a terrific read but I don't think it should have won the Pulitzer either. I do not care for their weak nominating system.

>95 jnwelch:- I have a lot of Marquez to catch up with, Joe. Fortunately, I have a couple more int he stacks to get to. I remember your comments about One Hundred Years of Solitude and I hope to get to that one in the near future.

Darryl- Good to see you. He was a literary giant and one I NEED to catch up with.

Saddened to hear about Gabriel Garcia Marquez today. I've read Melancholy Whores, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and .... Love in the Time of Cholera. He and Isabel Allende were my entree into magical realism, from there it was just a skip to Murakami.

I am never surprised by anything I find on the threads here at the 75ers... anything could show up here. All sorts of discussion, information, graphics, people, and of course BOOKS!

>98 msf59: On an ordinary night, I'm up reading til at least midnight. I'm one of the last to arrive at work and one of the last to leave. I avoid the heavy traffic on the tollway that way.

^We watched the pilot for Fargo, the new FX show. It was very good and very loosely based on the characters & settings from the original film, Fargo. Good cast, with Billy Bob Thorton, Martin Freeman and Keith Carradine. But be prepared: It's very violent.

Hello Mark. I've been aol from LT and stopping by to say how much I miss you and my LT friends.

We had a dusting of snow yesterday morning, just enough to say what the _______? Winter is not leaving quietly.

^I think there is something about this, I can relate to.

I am working today after all, but then I have the weekend. Getting pumped about the Meet-Up. I did finish Dare Me, which turned out to be a pretty good YA. Next up on audio, is Brain on Fire. I remember adding this one after hearing some terrific reviews and then I found it on audio. My sister has bio-polar issues, so this reminded me very much of her experiences, (although nothing like this horrifying situation).
I am loving The Devil All the Time. This dude is DARK! Yessssss....

>99 AuntieClio:- I need to read more Marquez. I hope to get to at least one of his this year. Maybe a story collection.

Kath- "I am never surprised by anything I find on the threads here at the 75ers... anything could show up here." Amen, to that, my friend. Always keeps it interesting.

>101 lindapanzo:- Sorry to hear about the Hawks loss! Sounds like a frustrating one.

>103 Whisper1:- Great to see you Linda. We miss you too!!

So true about the TV schedules ruling the world. It used to be the Red Wings were constantly playing games out on the West Coast meaning those of us on the East Coast would be quite blurry eyed the next day.

With the changes in the divisions, the first set of playoffs are right here! Red Wings v. the Bruins tonight baby!

So looking forward to hearing about the meet up. Pictures please!

Happy Easter!

Good morning, Mark. I've read really positive reviews about the Fargo show. Does Martin Freeman use a Fargo accent? I think of him as Watson, although I haven't seen the Hobbit film yet, and I'm sure a lot of people think of him that way.

I started A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, you'll be glad to hear. I'd forgotten Elliot Bay had signed copies. He's a younger guy than I imagined. Very good so far, no surprise.

Sorry you're not off today, but it ain't bad out. Becca loved Dare Me - just her cuppa, sounds like.

For you mystery fans - the season opener of Orphan Black is tomorrow night. There was a great review of it on NPR this morning along with an interview with the actress who stars in it. I know that Mark is a fan so thought I would put in a plug for it here. It is on BBC America and - wait for it - it's on SATURDAY night. For those of us whose TV watching on Sunday night is over crowded it is a great relief to find something worth watching on a different night of the week. The link to the NPR interview is here:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2014/04/18/303758926/tatiana-maslany-on-looki...

Put this one on your to-watch list.

Marianne- We plan on taking pics and of course we will be sharing them.

Diana- Happy Easter! Cute bunnies!

Joe- Yes, Freeman is doing a broad upper Midwest accent and doing a riff on William H Macy from the film but I think he'll settle into the role. Thornton is creepy and scary.
I am so glad you are getting to Constellation. I am sure you will love it.

Benita- Thanks for the Orphan Black update. My DVR is all set. I did enjoy the 1st season and hooray for Saturday night. And thanks for the link.

>102 msf59: We DVRed Fargo. I'm looking forward to it. I loved the movie so much that I was disappointed by The Big Lebowski when it came out (I know, don't yell at me...), because it didn't live up to my expectations. I've since come around on that one though, thankfully.

Waving Hi!

Good morning, Mark! Just stopping by to say hello and I will definitely be in attendance tomorrow. I am definitely looking forward to it! :)

Sad to hear about Marquez.

>104 msf59: I had no idea someone made you into a cartoon. That *is* you, isn't it?

I do loves me some Orphan Black! Amazon Prime streams the whole first season, and it's well worth a watch.

I binged. In a big way. A big, big way. Oh dear.

>113 leperdbunny: Looking forward to seeing you again. I think you went to the first meet-up we had, didn't you?

^Book funk? What's that?

50 Incredible Novels Under 200 Pages. This is a pretty cool list, especially when we are in the mood for something short. I've only read a dozen or so of these. Can anyone recommend a couple Must Reads off the list. I like the way Heart of a Dog sounds and I've wanted to get to the Shirley Jackson forever.

http://flavorwire.com/451825/50-incredible-novels-under-200-pages/view-all/

I would recommend Train Dreams, We the Animals and of course the Steinbeck & Hemingway.

>117 msf59: Mark, I've read:

We Have Always Lived in the Castle - I LOVE Shirley Jackson, this is on my list of must read again
The Great Gatsby - meh
Of Mice and Men - of course
Metamorphosis - meh
Heart of Darkness - my first real clue that literature could, and did, inform movies
Billy Budd - I have a compendium of Melville's work and raced through it, loving it all (except the technical bits about whales which just became boring after a while)
Fahrenheit 451 - on my must read again and again list
The Time Machine - not a big fan of H. G. Wells

Several others look quite intriguing.

Kerri- I completely understand your reaction to The Big Lebowski. It's taken me a few viewings to appreciate that one too. Fargo is just perfect in every way. The first episode of the series, really pays homage to the film, in many ways.

Kim- That's it? A wave? We get you back and you just wave?

Tam- You just made my day. Looking forward to seeing you. Let me know if you have any problems.

RD- Glad to see another Orphan Black fan. It took us awhile to get through the season but we really liked it. Did you give Fargo a try? It is dark, violent and quirky.

>115 lindapanzo:- Yep, Linda! We are going to have a leperdbunny in our midst again. Yah!

Fargo is one of my all-time favorite movies. I was tempted to watch the series but wasn't sure I wanted to (then just forgot).

See you on Sat afternoon at 2-ish.

Stephanie- Of course I would also recommend Fahrenheit 451 & Heart of Darkness. I can't believe the Bradbury is only 200 pages. He packs a lot into that story. I also NEED to Billy Budd.

Linda- Another Fargo fan. Yah! My son put the movie on last night, before we watched the TV show, to refresh and I could barely take my eyes off it. LOL. But I did. I LOVE Frances McDormand.

REJOICE!
Hi Mark. Guess what?

I got our book in the mail today!
Now, give me ample time to read it as I am up to my eyeballs in books at the moment.
I will definitely remember to send it to you when I am done... I promise.
I don't think I have your address. PM it to me sometime.

Hope your snow is gone and packed away for next year.

One more sleep!

Warmer than expected tomorrow, Julia. 60s then 70s on Easter. I'll take it.

(Note, unless you're near Lake Michigan.)

>122 -Cee-:- I am rejoicing Claudia! Hallelujah! And I will not bug you, I promise. Get to it when you can. Have you read Wiley Cash? He will be one of the Asheville authors. I'll be starting one of his soon.

Julia- It should be a beautiful day for a drive. Any problems, call my cell.

Linda- All of next week looks very nice too! We've been waiting for this moment. I'll put the Hawks game on tomorrow. We can have it on in the background.

Mark, there were lots of oldies but goodies on that list of short(er) books. Two of my favorites that haven't been mentioned yet at Mrs. Dalloway and Ethan Frome.

Wishing you and your guests a wonderful meet up tomorrow. I will be there in spirit! Be sure and post pictures. I'm glad the weather looks to be good for those who are driving in.

>124 lindapanzo: Yes, it looks like it's going to be probably the best day of the year so far. I am so ready!

>125 msf59: I will do that, Mark. Thank heavens for GPS or I'd be calling you every 3 minutes after I get off 88. ;-)

>117 msf59: So much good reading on that list! Mrs Dalloway and Ethan Frome and Billy Budd, Sailor and Of Mice and Men and Fahrenheit 451...and so many I want to try, too: The Autobiography of Red and How to Get Into The Twin Palms and and and...

*gaaah* I need another 250 years.

>117 msf59: I saw that list on Facebook and there looks to be a lot of good reading on it. I've read a few Heart of Darkness, The Great Gatsby, Frankenstein, Mrs Dalloway, Time's Arrow, The Sense of an Ending, Animal Farm, Ethan Frome, Fahrenheit 451 and The Time Machine. There are a lot more on the list that I've never even heard of though so I'm going to keep a copy of it - sometimes a short book is just what you want.

Mark, I wish you and a long weekend full of reading.

^This would make a helluva nice Meet-Up room, don't you think? Of course, there is a fully-stocked bar directly behind the photographer.

>131 msf59: Definitely!

Happy Saturday! It looks like a lovely day for a Meet-Up. I really appreciate Julia and Tamara, for making the long drive in, to attend. That is love and dedication. Hugs to you both.

Donna- Good to see you! We always keep hoping you could make a Meet-up one of these years. We would sure love to have you. I also loved both Mrs. Dalloway & Ethan Frome. I am looking forward to reading Wharton, as part of the AAC.
Hope you are having a fine weekend.

Julia- Have a safe drive in. Will you be listening to anything?

RD- Thanks for the short novel info. It's a relief to read a "shorty" now and then. I really want to get to the Nabokov too.

Rhian- It's great to see you! "sometimes a short book is just what you want." Exactly!! Actually, I was surprised Frankenstein was ont he list. I never realized it was only 200 pages. I've never read it.

Barbara- I love the poster. I love leggy women on Easter egg hunts. Perfect.

Have fun today! Can't wait for a re-cap and photos.

>133 msf59: Mark, you're welcome. I guessed that this pic would be the best one for you.

It's Meetup Day! Mark, I can connect my iPod to the car's stereo system, so I'll probably have a little Bruce to keep me company on the drive. LOL. See you soon!

Darryl- The only problem with that room is that you would want to spend more time perusing those glorious shelves.

Nancy- I sure hope you can make it down here one of these years. You would love the group.

Barbara- You are very perceptive, my friend. LOL.

Julia- No, audiobooks? Only Wrecking Ball on a loop?

Just wanted to jump in here and say that I hope you all have a great time today, and of course you will! Hugs all around, and don't forget paper and pen, everyone, for all of the books that you'll hear about and Have To Read Now. A wonderful bonus to wonderful company, conversation, and hosts, surely.

Mark, not just Wrecking Ball! It's a playlsit of all the 5 star songs in my iTunes that I haven't played recently. There's actually not as much Bruce as I thought (probably because I play those all the time, ha). I do have an audiobook, the second in the Aubrey-Maturin series, on my iPhone that I could listen to if the music pales.

My drive isn't nearly as long, only an hour 15 mins but I've got satellite radio to keep me company. Probably listen to 70's music though lately some 80's too.

See you all in a few hours.

Laura- WE WILL MISS YOU!! I am sure the chatter will be ceaseless, with plenty of laughs. You know how we get. Have a wonderful Easter, with your Mom.

Julia- I stalled out on the Aubrey-Maturin series, after book 4 or so. Funny, that coincided with me joining LT. I really liked the series though. I never tried them on audio either, although I have several saved.

Linda- You don't do audios, right? Boy, it makes the time fly. See you soon.

OK, I'm hitting the road now -- only a little later than planned. LOL. Chicago, here I come!

Have fun today everyone! I, too, will be there in spirit!

Happy Meet-Up Day!! I so much wish I could be there, too. Maybe next year? I also plan on making it to your neck of the woods for the Great Cranswick Invasion this fall...

Have a great meetup! Looking forward to hearing all about it.

I haven't read Heart of a Dog, and I loved The Master and Margarita. I may have to track that one down.

See you soon, buddy!

Julia- I hope the drive goes well.

Joanne- Thanks! One of these I'll have to make a Colorado Meet-Up!

Amber- Thanks! Paul mentioned October. I hope he gives us plenty of notice. I want to make sure I take off a day or 2.

Ilana- I am sure you will!

RD- Thanks, for the leggy gal in purple.

Joe- I've been wanting to read The Master and Margarita for eons. I NEED to snag a copy and put it in rotation.

Have fun at your meet-up, Mark! I am so wishing that I could be there to meet all of your lovely selves. Please have a drink for me!

Hope y'all are having a good time!!

Have fun at your meet-up, raise a glass for me too!

Wish I was there :)
Someday - hopefully.

Waiting anxiously for pictures... the next best thing to being there...

Thanks, Mark. I had a fabulous time. Please thank Sue and the world's sweetest dog, my new BFF, Riley.

When I figure out how to get pictures over, I will.

Just popping in, just got settled at the hotel. It is very nice indeed and the staff was very friendly. :) I had a lovely time and Sue is just such a lovely hostess. Thank you guys again. OMG, Riley was just a ham. Java and Sugar will surely be jealous. I shall be posting my pictures shortly I'm sure. I got one of Mr. Ham (aka Riley).

Front row: Linda,(lindapanzo), Tamara, (leperdbunny) & Julia (rosalita)
Back row: Mark, Kerri (DorsVenabili) & Joe

^Joe with a jug! He is a very happy camper! Everyone brought excellent beer. How in the world anyone knew I liked the stuff is a mystery.

I LOVE IT!!!! Looks like you guys had fun as usual. And Mark, I missed the reveal of your newly-refurbished Guy Room, but it looks great! Hope a wonderful time was had by all, can't imagine it was any other way. :)

eta: Hah! That's a great picture of you two. Mark, that is a mystery how people knew you liked beer. ;)

They did a very good job with the redecorating. I loved the grey color palate!

Another fun Meet-Up! Good conversation, lots of laughs, good beer & pizza and our little dog Riley was a hit. I thought he might have went home with someone, but no such luck.
Thanks to everyone for making it out, particularly Julia & Tamara who made very long drives to get here. We all have such a good time.

Mamie, Katie, Judy & Claudia- Thanks! We had a terrific time. It wasn't always about books, the topics varied but everything went off without a hitch.

Linda- Glad you made it out and thanks for the New Glarus. Looking forward to trying a few of those out. Glad you liked Riley. He is a boy, so he is your new BBF!

Tam- Glad you made it to the hotel okay and everything is comfy. Hope you are comfortable the rest of the night. Thanks again for making the long trip out! We had a great time.

Laura- The only low point, was your absence! Hopefully next year, my friend.

Mark, maybe when things settle down with Laura, we can meet somewhere near here for lunch or something. Also, I'll be curious to hear what you think of those other New Glarus beers. Fat Squirrel and Two Women.

Thanks for thinking of me. The Home Run Inn sausage and mushroom is my new favorite from them, I think.

Besides Laura's absence, the only negative was the Blackhawks' heartbreaking loss (again). Someone, ahem, was in a snit after that happened.

Now I know what a growler looks like.

I knew I forgot something. I was supposed to slip Riley into my purse, along with the twenty bucks and a half a bag of dog food.

Happy Easter, Mark!

Great pics of the meetup! Glad you all had a good time!

I am back in Iowa safe and sound. I'm not sure how it happened, but it turns out that all the people at the meetup are even more wonderful in person than they are on LT. I wouldn't have thought it possible!

Thank you especially to Sue and Mark for hosting our crew. Mark's man cave is every bit as awesome as it looks in the pictures, folks. The only thing better than the beer and the pizza was the conversation. Well worth the drive!

I hope everyone has a nice Sunday planned. We will be meeting the family for a holiday dinner at a local restaurant, this afternoon and then heading back here to celebrate a few belated birthdays.
Since, I was able to take care of many of the house chores yesterday, I hope to cram in some reading through the morning. I did finish the excellent The Devil All the Time, but boy was this a dark & grim novel, filled with some truly repellent characters. Not for the faint of heart. I plan on starting a shorty, Journey into the Past. I really like Zweig but haven't picked him up in a couple of years.

>160 lindapanzo:- " I was supposed to slip Riley into my purse, along with the twenty bucks and a half a bag of dog food." What happened? I thought that was the agreement? LOL.
I have had Fat Squirrel before, but it's been awhile. Looking forward to Two Women. Had a terrific time yesterday and I hope have a lovely Easter.

Mary- Thanks! I hope you have a nice Easter too!

Julia- Thanks for letting me know, you got home safe & sound. And thanks for your kind words. We had a perfectly nice time with "the gang". There is a special warmth in this group, that you can not deny.

Special Bunnies for you, Mark!


Happy Easter!

*Fighting the jealousy...fighting the jealousy...*

Meet-up photos make me so happy (despite being sad that I couldn't be there)!

Happy Easter, Mark! Sounds like everyone had a great time at the meet-up. Really, how could they not?! Thanks for posting the photo - so great to see all of you together.

49) The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock 4.5 stars

"Some people were born just so they could be buried."

Yes, Donald Ray Pollock sounds like a serial killer, but fortunately he is just a superb author, who creates stories about serial killers, along with an array of other wayward and unsavory characters.
Set in southern Ohio and West Virginia and spanning the years after WWII and into the 60s, it features Willard Russell, a tortured war vet, a spider juggling preacher and his crippled, guitar picking sidekick, a husband and wife “kill team”, prowling the back-roads for unsuspecting hitchhikers and there are other colorful and repellent folk popping up throughout, like weeds in a field.
This style has been referred to as gothic Americana or hillbilly noir but whatever it is, Pollock, in his first novel, has crafted a dark, unsettling story about rural life, with all it's shadows and hidden fears.
Of course, this will not be for everyone, but if you have the stomach for it, it is a worthy, unforgettable ride.

The special warmth and camaraderie of the group shines through in those happy faces, Mark. I'm glad a good time was had by all! Happy Easter to you and your family. 🐣

Lynda- Thanks for the bunnies! I love them. LOL.

Amber- I hope you can make it down next time and hopefully we can arrange something when Mr. Paul arrives in the fall.

Morning Mamie- Meet-Ups are great and we all connect so well. We started at 2 and the next thing you know it was almost 8 o'clock. Wow!

Donna- We had a terrific time. I don't think there was a single lull. Conversation and beer were flowing.

Love the meetup photos!!! Looks like y'all had a great time!! One day I hope to meet you all!!!

Here's to you & your family having a very blessed and

Great meet up photos, Mark! I'm glad that you all had such a good time together.

Wonderful meet-up photos, Mark, and sounds like you've got a busy day ahead. Enjoy it, and I'm glad to see you liked The Devil All the Time!

Glad (though not surprised) you all had a great time at the meetup! Your man cave does look amazing on the photos Mark. And it's nice seeing all your friendly smiling faces.

Happy Easter, Tina! It would sure be nice to have you join us one of these times. I am sure you would have a ball.

Darryl- You know the special feeling attending a Meet-Up. You really can't beat it.

RD- Thanks! We had a blast. I'll be curious to see what Pollock does next.

Hi Mark! Thanks to you and Sue for the lovely hospitality yesterday - we had a great time and it was wonderful meeting everyone! More later - busy day.

I'm home I'm home- more later, though. We are going to the store and possibly the dog park. :)

Great meet-up, Mark! Many thanks to you and Sue for being such gracious hosts. What a pleasure to meet Julia in person, and to reunite with LT pals Linda, Kerri and Tam. Not to mention Joe the Mysterian. Debbi really enjoyed meeting folks, too.

I'll have pics tomorrow, including one of your celebrity canine Riley. We almost took him home with us, but Sherlock already rules the roost.

Happy Easter!

Yah, my Meet-Up, Peeps!! How cool!

Kerri- You are welcome. I really enjoy your company and I can talk to Joe for days. Have a great Sunday!

Tam- Thanks for checking in and thanks again for making the long drive in. It was great to see you.

Joe- You are welcome, sir. We had a great time, right? And boy was the beer flowing. A bit of a head this morning. LOL. It was so nice to have Debbi join us. She fits in so well.

I went to see the movie "Grand Budapest Hotel" last night and was surprised to see that it is based on a work by Stefan Zweig. It is well worth then money to see it. Great fun. Then I stayed to see the new Captain America movie so didn't see the premier of "Orphan Black." Oh well, tonight is a full night of TV and great fun with that.

>131 msf59: I love that one! I want to spend all my days there.

Happy Easter, Mark!

Happy Easter, Mark. Thanks for sharing the meetup with all of us. Looks like a wonderful time. And I love your new basement space. Very cool.

>117 msf59: Hi Mark! From that great list, I loved Train Dreams, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The Hound of the Baskervilles (years ago!), Mrs. Dalloway, Ethan Frome, Of Mice and Men, ....

I've read The Great Gatsby and, while I get why it's a great classic, I was less than fully enthralled. I liked The Buddha in the Attic and The Sense of an Ending well enough.

I'm listening to Sula right now!

I bought Frankenstein at Powell's when we met up there earlier this year. Haven't yet read it.

I think I'd like to read The Lover and House Made of Dawn and a few others.

Thanks for the link!

Your meet-up looks like fun. I see that the six of you spent your time reading rather than conversing. Ha. I would, of course, have enjoyed being there with you. You, Joe, and Kerri are three of my favorite people and I would like to meet Linda, Tamara, and Julia.

>180 Smiler69:- LOL! I am sorry Ilana! I swear I thought I had responded. That is a perfect baby face! Yes, we had a terrific time at the Meet-up. I made some special friends here on LT, that is for sure.

>179 benitastrnad:- I really want to see "Grand Budapest Hotel". I love Wes Anderson. I am not sure I'll be able to see it at the show but as soon as it becomes available on DVD...I am there.
Have you read Zweig?

Connie- I am glad you liked the book porn. That is a very sweet room.

Laura- Thanks! We had a perfect time and we are happy the way the Man-Cave came out, even though it was a long process.

Ellen- I liked your short novel input. I am reading one now, Journey into the Past, (which is not on that list) and it clocks in at a 100 pages. Have you read Zweig? I really think you would like him. I want to find a copy of The Buddha in the Attic.
Wouldn't it be great to have a national LT Meet-Up? Imagine having 20 or 30 of us in the same place. Yowza!

I didn't catch CTM today. Will have to watch it later or else tomorrow.

The two-hour special on Wrigley Field's 100th birthday was outstanding!!

I just finished watching CTM and it was excellent. Have you seen this episode yet, Mark? It was so heartbreaking and heartwarming and I find myself wanting to remember the words "you just keep living until you feel alive again." This episode made me cry more than once.

Regarding Zweig, I have Confusion: The Private Papers of Privy Councillor R. von D. and Journey Into the Past but I've not yet read either of them. Perhaps I'll get one of them off the shelf and get to is sooner rather than later.

>167 msf59: *bam* Onto the wishlist The Devil All the Time goes. :-)

Heya Mark! Looks like another successful LT Meet-up!

I've read several of Marcus Sakey's books so I'm glad to hear Brilliance seems to be a winner. Need to get around to picking that one up.

We also watched Fargo - it kept the feel of the movie while being quite different at the same time. Freeman and Billy Bob are great!

>116 msf59: I love that girl :) It is how I imagine that I look, but secretly I know I don't! haha.

>155 msf59: >156 msf59: cool! I love the photos. And how like a sports team you all look, lined up like that :)

^Easter Sunday. My daughter, my niece, Reese, (the shepard) and Riley who was a hit at the Meet-Up. Little ham.

I am juggling a few books, (circus music tinkling): I am well into journey into the Past and should finish it today. It's only a 100 pages. I'll be continuing the audio, Brain on Fire, which still terrifies and I decided on dipping into The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty. She is next months AAC pick but this collection is 600 pages. I better get cracking.

It looks like rain is moving in later this afternoon but it will be 75. Yah!

>186 lindapanzo:- You will LOVE CTM. Did you see your buddy in #191?

Ellen- CTM was a very good episode. A real tear-jerker. Sue cried and I sniffled a couple times. Journey Into the Past is a mere hundred pages. You could almost read it in a sitting.

Stephanie- If you have the right constitution, the Pollock is a Must Read.

Julia- It looks like Brilliance might be Sakey's first series book. It seems to be tagged that way and the ending is open-ended.

I am looking forward to seeing where Fargo goes next, after paying homage to the film in the first episode.

Megan- Yep, we had a perfect Meet-Up. The only thing missing was more LTers.

Morning, Mark! Yep, I'll take a little rain along with these temperatures!

Morning to the Meet-up Master! Looks like everyone has a good time at your get togethers, Mark!

Lovely young ladies in >191 msf59:! furry family included (unless they're of the male variety in which case they are very handsome)

Wish I could get back in the reading groove. I know it will return but it's frustrating.

Call the Midwife. Oh my. I agree with >187 EBT1002: 's spoiler comment.

I am way too far behind for more than just a quick hello! Hope all is well..

Love the family photo!

Good Morning, Mark. I am so far behind in threads that I can't believe I will ever catch up. I'm focused on getting some Booktopia reading done! I am 1/3 of the way through The Steady Running of the Hour and am loving it. The author, Mr. Go, switches chapters between a modern day character, and some people in the early part of WW I. A mystery without blood and gore. Nicely done. I hope to finish it soon, and move on to the next of my Booktopia list. Sometime, I need to try to fit in Gone Girl.

Sigh. My life is too damn full and I can't find enough time to read.

OK. Enough complaining. Have a great week! I'm getting my deck done this week and am looking forward to also making necessary kitchen adjustments so that the new frig can be rolled all the way back into its cubby. Life goes....

Here's the star of the meetup, Mark.



He sure charmed all of us.

Riley! Allegedly the Best Bad Dog in the World, although it's hard to believe that little cutiemuffin could ever be really bad. I mean, look at that face!

oh, I know all about cute, sweet "looking" dogs being a pain in the butt. My buddy Benny qualifies. Cute as a button, and bad as they come (getting into garbage, barking at shadows, sneaking out between legs, and today's Top Trick: barking to get let outside, just to turn around and come back in expecting a treat for coming in). My fault totally. Better training is needed.

>199 rosalita: I know, how could that sweet-looking dog cause trouble, Julia? I'll bet Mark could tell us a few ways. But he sure was on his best behavior with all of us.

And here's the group photo, Mark.



Clockwise from the top left, Mark the esteemed host, Kerri (dorisvenabili), Joe (who's taking care of the cafe? jnwelch), Julia (rosalita), Tam (leperdbunny) and Linda (lindapanzo)

Brain on Fire definitely intrigues me - I'll be curious to hear your final review.

Love the meetup photos - always nice to put more names and faces together.

Super MeetUp photos, Mark. Everyone looks like they're having a great time! I really have to make it out to Chicago so I can join in on one of your MeetUps.

Happy Easter Monday!

Such cute pictures of my new BFF, Riley, the world's cutest (and most misunderstood) dog. Such a handsome, gentlemanly fellow.

Ohmygosh, look at that dog! I just wanna squeeze him!

I just posted my review of Cinder and the book profile says that there are no reviews. With over 1,000 people having in their library is that possible? Perhaps there is something wrong with the page? Maybe Richard could check and see what is wrong with this book profile?

Mark, Riley has been kept under wraps in your thread. What a cutie! I wish you better success in juggling books than I've had. I may have to go back to one-book-at-a-time because one book usually ends up taking over anyway!

>206 benitastrnad: I just checked the book page, and yours is the most recent of the 318 English-language reviews showing...I can't think what kind of glitch in the system you saw! That would be very puzzling indeed.

Oh, and a lovely warm Monday to you, Mark!

>185 msf59: No harm done Mark. I was hoping that baby face would make you smile, seems it worked! :-)

I'm going over Flavorwire's list of 50 shorts (thanks for the link!) which is of course growing my wishlist, but also reminding me I need to attend to my tbr: I've got Pnin, Frankestein (didn't realize it was so short!), Franny & Zooey, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sula, Heart of Darkness, Chéri, The Time Machine, The Magic Toyshop, Bonjour Tristesse all waiting for their turn.

The following will all get reread eventually for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th time (or more): The Great Gatsby, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The Member of the Wedding, Mrs Dalloway, The Stranger, The Sense of an Ending, Animal Farm The Old Man and the Sea, Candide, Ethan Frome, Fahrenheit 451.

Definitely want to get to the following on the wishlist: Train Dreams (returned to the library unread once...), The Lover (in French of course!), Heart of a Dog, The Buddha in the Attic.

As if we were at a loss for what to read!

Wow, lots of visitors! Nice! Is this because Bad Boy Riley, our King Caviler/Cocker mix, made 2 appearances, in one morning?
Do not let that cute little face fool you. He is a biter and has nipped friends and neighbors, almost always, upon entrance or outside.

>193 scaifea:- It feels very nice out here, Amber! Almost a bit muggy, with the rain coming later.

>194 Carmenere:- Both the dogs are boys, Lynda. Sorry to hear about the book funk. A horrible malady. Hope you snap out of it soon.

Laura- CTM was quite the tear-jerker, wasn't it? I know my wife was quietly snuffling.

Kath- Hope you day is going well.

Karen- Glad to hear you are focused on those Booktopia books. I plan on starting my first one this week.

I gotta run, see you on the other side...

I think the large number of visitors is due to the sweetheart dog, Riley. Who could resist him? He practically purrs when you pet him and is even cuter than his picture would indicate.

Beautiful day today. At some point soon, I'm going to grab my lunch and my book and sit outside for awhile.

I am having a really tough time getting into Jazz. I may put it aside and read something else for awhile.

>206 benitastrnad: I think it is an intermittent bug because over the weekend I was checking out some work pages to see what the reviews were like for some books I was thinking of buying, and they all said they had no reviews but then later in the day they did.

>213 rosalita: Yes, it's a known bug they are working on.

Directed here from Linda's thread to see the meet-up pictures - what a great-looking bunch! Pizza and beer and books and good friends and a cute dog - what else is there in life?

Sandy, we've got to get you here so you can attend one of Mark's meet-ups sometime.

Don't let Mark kid you about Riley. The "meanest" he got was when I quit petting him to go check out Kerri's books. He followed me over and gave me a "you want to look at those things instead of petting me?" look. He then sat down and let me pet him while I looked at the books.

Yikes, I have some catching up to do...

>198 jnwelch:- Thanks for sharing the Riley photo, Joe! That is a good shot of him, but remember it is all a facade. As soon as you turn your backside...

And thanks for the group shot. It's a good one. Some reading, some not, some smiling, some concentrating...

>199 rosalita:- Julia, I should have brought my kindly old neighbor over and had her tell you some horror stories about"cutiemuffin" Riley. She is terrified of him and I am not kidding.
He sure was very comfortable with you guys though. No question.

>202 SuziQoregon:- I was very impressed with Brain on Fire and I will do my best to do a Mark Mini-Review.

Caro- We would love to have you show up as Honorary Guest. You are still considered LT Royalty around here, you know. Even if you are stopping through for any reason, we could try to throw something together.

>204 lindapanzo:- Riley's a boy so he would be your BBF. Just imagine for twenty measly dollars...

Yes, it was a very nice day and the rain held off. Sorry, Jazz isn't working. At least you gave it a shot!

Benita- You may have clicked on a different version of Cinder. With the popularity of it and the series, I would have thought there would have been hundreds, which Richard confirmed.

Donna-You are right, I haven't posted many pics of Riley Boy. Mostly because, many of the photos, don't come out, because he is solid black. and he becomes a smudge.
I usually juggle 3 books at a time but this time, I am adding a story collection, just so I can get through it.

RD- It was mostly cloudy but very nice, almost a tad humid, which at this time of year I don't mind.

>210 Smiler69:- Glad you liked the Flavorwire list. It's always nice to have a few shorties nearby, especially after finishing a chunkster or two. I've been also meaning to get to Pnin forever and now that it is short...
Hope you had a good day.

>215 sjmccreary:- Great to see you, Sandy! Wow, it's been ages. I hope everything is going well for you. And you are always welcome, for a Meet-Up. Love to have you.

>216 lindapanzo:- GO HAWKS!!

I did Mark, thanks! Didn't get much accomplished, but I'm as close to pain-free as is possible I guess and spirits are good, reading material is great with loads of 4-star reads this month, just started The Master Butcher's Singing Club by Louise Erdrich on audio today and loving it... what more could I ask for? ;-)

Love the pictures...and Riley!

Go Hawks. We had dinner out which us just as well as I get too nervous. Home now.

I think Riley is still my BFF. Best Friend Forever. Even if he isnt a beagle. His little white spot wasn't evident in that photo but he is cute.

^“I cannot remember a time when I was not in love with them--with the books themselves, cover and binding and the paper they were printed on, with their smell and their weight and with their possession in my arms, captured and carried off to myself.” ― Eudora Welty

Like I mentioned earlier, I'll be dipping in and out of the Welty collection and even then I am not sure if I'll finish it by the end of May. LOL. I hope to get her AAC thread set up very soon.
I really enjoyed Brain on Fire, even though it was scary as hell most of the time and next up for audio, is This Dark Road to Mercy. This is Cash's 2nd novel and he will be one of the authors attending Asheville Booktopia.

Finally, drum roll please...I will FINALLY begin my very first ebook: Just One Damned Thing After Another. This is thanks to RD. Yes, I am a bit apprehensive, but I am a big boy, so I'll trek forward...

Ilana- I have The Master Butcher's Singing Club on shelf, along with several other Erdrich titles. I seriously NEED to read more of this author.

>220 laytonwoman3rd:- Thanks! Great to see you, Linda!

>221 lindapanzo:- Go Hawks, Linda! You'll be attending a very pivotal playoff game. How exciting!

Good morning, Mark. Cooler but a pretty good day today. Big Hawks win, eh? We're off to see the Bulls tonight, and see whether they play better than that first game.

Continuing to enjoy A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. Sonja is at the center of the action right now, running the hospital, trying to take care of her sister, helping Havaa, training Akhmed. Also enjoying the second "Max" time travel book per RD, A Symphony of Echoes. If you get a minute, Caro has someone's list of "essential" gns, It would be interesting to get your reaction. I mentioned The Complete Essex County to her, which you recommended to me way back when.

I got a good start on Empire of the Summer Moon last night. Currently my family and I are working on a DVD of our family history and the woman who is doing the work on the editing and all that goes into a DVD just completed work on a DVD about the Parker family. For that reason the first part of this book is very interesting to me. I taught school out in southwest Kansas for 3 years and there were lots of Commanche and Kiowa place names out there so it is interesting to me for other reasons as well. This was one of the books that my father was reading when he got sick. He never finished it so it will be interesting to read for that sentimental reason as well.

I might dip in and out of that Welty collection next month, but no intention of reading the whole thing in one go. I listened to part of it on audio and decided it didn't work in that format, so I'll be going with the ebook instead. Congrats on your first ereader experience! What device are you using?

I thought I'd try Welty's The Optimist's Daughter next month, so it's good to see it on the list of must read shorties. I read a collection of her short stories for a women's lit class way back when ... I don't remember any of the plot lines anymore but remember thinking them a grim and depressing bunch. But hey, I was in college, and young and in love and couldn't relate much to the darker sides of life at that point. Still, 600 pages of them sounds daunting to me. Good luck!

Lots of sun but a chilly breeze. Did not want to have to put my jacket back on. Boo!
I really like the Wiley book!

Joe- Iam so glad you are enjoying Constellation. It is an amazing read. I'll start the ebook at lunch.
Good luck at the game tonight. Are they letting you start work later tomorrow? I hope so.

Benita- Empire is an incredible read. I hope you love it as much as I did. And it looks like you other reasons to enjoy it that much more. Very nice.

Ilana- I only have my iPad, so it really isn't super convienent to read on. One of the reasons I haven't made the plunge.

Only an iPad?!? The iPad is fantastic, what are you talking about? I waited years to get myself a reader till I could buy myself one. Mind you, I have the iPad Air which is quite a bit lighter. The screen is shiny, but I still manage to read on it just fine.

Ack! Where's the Eudora Welty thread?

The iPad has a Kindle app which we use all the time, Mark, if you like Amazon. The iPad actually is a good device to read on. (Full disclosure: I also read on my iPhone via the Kindle app; the idea of reading on a small screen like that drives some people crazy - but the iPad has a nice, big screen for it).

Oh boy, I can't wait to see if you're another St Mary's-ite, Mark! *patpatpat* Well?! Have you read it yet?

How about now?

I love reading on my iPad Air. I have a Kindle keyboard too.

Aha, So it was in your home this meet up did take place! I should have looked here first of course!

>155 msf59:, >156 msf59: Mark, those meetup photos are gorgeous. I'm just a little bit jealous that I couldn't take part.

Mark - I'm polishing up that old tiara for my next stop in Chicago which.... could be sometime in the Fall. :-) I've got to start planning my travel schedule for the 2nd half of the year and I could easily make Chicago part of my routing Winter hits again.

After a hectic family weekend, I am all caught up on your thread again, Mark. I feel I have to type fast as you are probably about to start a new thread at any minute. Your meetup sounds and looks like it was a lot of fun, with a good time had by all.

You have really got me hankering to read The Devil All the Time, in fact, this just may be the next bingo book I reward myself with.

^I shamelessly swiped this from RD! To damn good, not to share it over here.

>227 streamsong:- Great to see you, Janet- I wish I could have picked The Optimist's Daughter, instead. LOL. No, I am enjoying her short stories but this is A LOT to take in and I don't want to rush the stories either. I might be reading these all summer.

>229 Smiler69:- Once again, I clumsily try to explain myself. LOL. I love my iPad. I just had not read on it yet but it worked out perfectly today. I think it will work great for home or work, (when it's warm enough, of course) but I couldn't see myself dragging this around everywhere I went. I think I'll pick up a Kindle for my convenience.
And no worries, print books will continue to dominate my reading life.

Joe- I have the Kindle app for it and it works great and so far the screen viewing is ideal.

>230 Morphidae:- I hope to post it tonight, Morphy! My apologies.

RD- I did start the St. Mary book and was sucked right in. It was a perfect ebook to start with. Quick & breezy. Thanks for the mighty nudge. Hope to knock so more pages out this evening. Max is still in training.

>233 thornton37814:- Big waves, to Lori! I have a bluetooth keyboard for my iPad, which is very handy, when I need to do a lot of typing.

Connie- The Marky-Mark Man-Cave doubles well as a Meet-up place. Better than a restaurant or bar setting. We CAN talk. And the beer is better.

Barbara- We always have a good time at the Meet-Ups. Never a dull moment, as they say.

Mark, I'm so glad you're enjoying Miss Maxwell and her exploits. There's so much fun ahead of you. :-)

>236 cameling:- Maybe we could time your visit with Paul's visit. He mentioned October. Then this would be a real hoedown! I will find a tiara for you to wear.

Judy- Good to see you. Glad you got caught up. I hope you'll like the Pollock. It is very very dark, though. Be forewarned...

Stephanie- I am going to try and squeeze in a few more pages of Miss Max, before we watch Bletchley Circle.

>191 msf59: Such a cute family! Love Riley cheesing for the camera. :)

Well I'm all caught up here Mark. I actually own that same Eudora Welty collection but I think I'm going to opt for her Delta Wedding. Love all the meet-up pictures especially your pooch Riley...so cute.

>238 msf59: I have "clamcase" envy at the moment which has a built-in keyboard and works via bluetooth. A friend of mine who works in IT at the local community college has one for his iPad, and I think I like it better than those folding bluetooth keyboards. I can't afford it at the moment so I may get the other anyway, but I really want the clamcase!

Hear ye! Hear ye! The Eudora Welty American Author Challenge is on the air. Come by and drop a star:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/173048#

Tam- Riley is a bit of a ham, isn't he?

Bonnie made it! Bonnie made it! Now, I can go to sleep with a smile...

Lori- Ooh, I'll have to check out these "clamcases". Sounds cool. That is the problem with the bluetooth I have. It's separate and has to be continually charged.

So much going on here on your thread Mark! I loved the photos of your meetup...looks like a blast! And your so called man cave looks amazing...I think that it is a readers cave! And Riley is super cute. I bet he only nips at non-readers. LOL

I've got to pick up my Eudora Welty book! I'm going to read The Optimist's Daughter. The new thread is starred.

The second St. Mary's was as fun as the first. Now I'll be looking for the third. I also couldn't resist and got another in Death mystery for my Kindle. Glad your iPad is working for the reading, but I know what you mean about hauling it around. A Kindle can fit in your back pocket.

Actually kind of nice out there today, albeit a bit on the cool side. Poor Bulls fought hard last night, but the Wizards just played really well. We may be looking at the end of the season unless they surprise us.

Mark, I hope you have a wonderful week so far. *waves*

Anyone catch the latest Bletchley Circle ? It wrapped up the first part. It was pretty decent. It 's not CTM, that's for sure. I did like the mention of sarin which was discussed thoroughly in Underground.

Plenty of sun this morning but chilly again...

Heidi- The Man Cave is really our family room but since this is my refuge, I've coined it that. You might have a good point about Riley nipping non-readers. I'll have to investigate.

Joe- Sorry, about the Bulls my friend. Must have been a heart-breaker. Looking forward to getting back to the St Mary's book. I bought the 2nd one earlier today.

Mark, I watched the first 2 episodes of Bletchley Circle the other night. I enjoyed it, but agree it's not CTM. The characters don't have the same depth. I like watching the it on my DVR because each episode was actually only 45 minutes, not an hour -- so watching the two back-to-back was just a little bit longer than watching a single episode in real time.

I caught The Bletchley Circle Sunday night. It was good but a surprise that the mystery was wrapped up in 2 shows. I was glad to see that another mystery will be starting - next week, I think.

I haven't watched one episode of Bletchley. I better get on it. I need to catch up on CTM.

I've been naughty over on your Eudora Welty thread Mark. ;-)

too many blue-worded books are catching my eye as I scroll here....this place is dangerous!

How is that e-book going? Do you read it on a computer, laptop, iPad? I am intrigued (and obviously behind the times seeing as I dont even know how you read it!).

Another long weekend here from tomorrow- Friday is ANZAC day. I am doing a child swap with my sister, so we will each have a date night with our respective others. Yay- plus I will work on my essay. (still yay, as I am loving getting the thing written).

Just caught up with: 1) your thread; 2) my work for the day; and 3) Call the Midwife. One of the better episodes. Very touching. Does this mean we won't be seeing any more of Jenny?

p.s. Loved the Meet-Up photos. Such fun!

I love CTM but I also really liked Bletchley Circle. I haven't watched Sunday's episode yet and I hadn't realized that there were only going to be two episodes. BTW, it's been cancelled. There's a FB page trying to get the decision reversed if you're interested, right here.

Barbara- The week is going along fine. 3 more work days left. Halfway there.

Laura- I like the idea of a 2 episode arc but this latest Bletchley felt a bit rushed.

>250 Familyhistorian:- Yes, this seems to be the format Bletchley is using. Another 2 episode arc starts on Sunday.

Roberta- Yes, I saw you were very naughty. Shame, shame. Try to get caught up on CTM but when you get to last Sunday's episode, be prepared for a sobfest.

>252 LovingLit:- I read the ebook on my iPad, the only portable reading device I own. I am starting to think about a Kindle, just for it's convenient size but so far it is working very well on my iPad.
Have a great date night, Megan. Enjoy!

Marianne- Since it is Jenny's recollections, I would guess she was coming back. Maybe, a little break? At least, there are many other wonderful characters to focus on.

Mark I am shameless and you are awesome!

51) Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan 4.3 stars (audio)

A young woman wakes up in a hospital, strapped to a bed. She cannot move or speak. She is wearing a wristband that says “flight risk”. She is confused and angry. How did she end up in this state?
In 2009, Susannah Cahalan was an energetic and healthy twenty-four year old. She was a cub reporter for the New York Post. One day, her mental health takes a scary turn and she begins to experience a meltdown, with hallucinations, psychosis and deep anxiety. She lands in the hospital a few days later, She stays here a month, while doctors scramble to figure out what is wrong with her. She nearly dies and remembers only fragments.
In a harrowing narrative style, Susannah tells the story, piecing it together from interviews with the hospital staff, family and friends, trying to reconstruct this nightmarish puzzle, of those few lost weeks. She ends up writing a very solid memoir, that will leave the reader shaken, but with a better insight into the many facets of mental health care and how the brain functions.

Great review Mark. Now that you know me a little bit, do you think this is something I can handle?

>255 brenzi:- Good to see you over here, Bonnie. Sorry to hear that about Bletchley Circle. I am surprised it didn't find an audience.

>257 luvamystery65:- Shameless & Awesome! Sound like a good pair, eh?

Ilana- Honestly, I am not sure. It is very scary and disturbing. My first instinct is to say no, just to be on the safe side.

>260 msf59: That's basically what I've been telling myself since it was released. When I run out of things to read, maybe. ;-)

>258 msf59: Don't think I'm up for that one. Sounds compelling, though.

Sweet Thursday! Okay, I finished This Dark Road to Mercy. I liked this book. I just wanted the thriller aspects to be a bit stronger. On audio, I will be starting Cat's Eye for AA. I am continuing to enjoy Just One Damned Thing. The ebook experience is starting out quite good, especially while I am reading in my postal vehicle, during breaks & lunch, of course. Grins...

>261 Smiler69:- Probably a good idea.

Tam- Thanks my friend! Always appreciate those.

RD- It is a tough book. My sister has biopolar issues, so I was drawn to this for that reason. Cahalan is quite an amazing woman.

>264 msf59: *snerk* That got a giggle from me...

>258 msf59: Excellent, concise review of Brain on Fire, Mark. Thumb from me. Not usually my cuppa, but you've piqued my interest.

Is AA different from AAC? I'm reading Welty for AAC; what are you reading Cat's Eye for?

Last day here for a few days, as we head off tomorrow to LA for a niece's wedding.

>267 jnwelch: Joe, I'm thinking AA=Atwood April.

What a Hawks game last night!! A real nailbiter but they managed to pull it out in OT. Got back to my office area about 1 am. Thankfully, I'd gotten a room at the little hotel next to the building. I was so would up it was at least 2 am before I got to sleep.

Regarding the e-reader discussion - I like my Nook for reading better than the iPad because the screen on the iPad isn't as good as that on the Nook. The iPad glares more. Other than that I like the iPad and use it for lots of podcast listening.

I am a Bletchley Circle fan. I like the stories. I think it is very good how they are going to rotate characters. That makes it much more true to life. While I agree that the newer shows don't have the punch that the original did - remember it was only 3 shows. The first show made me very uncomfortable. In fact it scared me. It might have been too intense so I like these three shows. Am I the only person who keeps noticing that the original three shows are not really over? Who is that mysterious man following the women?

I did not know they were canceling this show. That is is a shame. In my opinion the networks cancel the good shows and keep the mediocre going. Why is Mr. Selfridge still on? And where is Longmire? Instead we keep getting all that crap like CSI: Miami and CSI: New York and CSI: Phoenix and CSI: Chicago. Next thing you know they will have CSI: Tokoyo. Hey, that last one might be interesting.

Slowly starting to warm up. Hope to shed my jacket soon...

Jim- Glad I could make you smile, good sir.

Joe- Like Linda pointed out, AA was Atwood April, which I don't think you are participating in.
I wish I was joining you in LA. How long you staying?

Linda- I was in bed before ten. I don't know how you super fans do it. Go Hawks!

Benita- I started Cat's Eye and I really love the opening chapters. Do not fret. The good shows will come back on.

Considering that I'm usually in bed by midnight, 2 am wasn't that much of a stretch. Of course, I usually read and relax for an hour or two before I go to sleep, not scream my lungs out at a thrilling overtime hockey game.

Enjoy the pleasant weather today and tomorrow. I understand it's supposed to turn sharply colder.

>270 msf59: Just staying the weekend in LA, Mark, and then flying back on Monday. I'm not actually a fan of the city, but we have three nieces there, and we'll get to see each and every one of them. Plus the temps are in the 70s there. So it should make for a nice weekend. I do like the long flight, because it makes for unavailability (re work) and great reading time.

>264 msf59: Great cartoon!

Ereaders: I have both the iPad and the original basic Kindle. I like the Kindle better for straight reading. It is lighter and has the eInk technology (no glare). I can read on it in direct sunlight. It is awesome for carrying around to appointments or when traveling. The iPad is great for reading Graphic Novels or blog posts or any other online content. IMHO.

Hello, Mark! Totally agree with Heidi concerning Ereaders. LOVE my Kindle for reading in direct sunlight. Hoping that your Thursday was a good one. I'm ready for Friday!

I am enjoying a grilled steak, spinach & mushrooms and other mixed veggies. Yes, it is mighty tasty and I am grinning and chewing...

I am also enjoying my current reads, Just One Damned Thing and Cat's Eye. I am not sure where the last one is going. Atwood is slowly letting the story unfold but her writing and storytelling is gorgeous.

>271 lindapanzo:- You are a night owl, my friend! I am an early to bed, early to rise kind of guy. Go Hawks!

Joe- Have a great time in LA. Soak up some sunshine and try to bring some back with you.

Heidi- Thanks for your thoughts on your Kindle use. Joe, recommended choosing a Kindle Paperwhite, so I am considering that one for sure. I am really enjoying reading on my IPad but dragging it around doesn't appeal.

Mamie- It was a good day but it stayed breezy enough, so I left my jacket on. I'm ready for Saturday!

Hi, Mark! Happy End of Thursday! Only one more day...

I totally forgot I had borrowed The Martian from the library until I realized this morning that I have only 3 days to read it before I have to return it (it's got more holds on it so can't renew). Anyway, I started it and am loving it!

Hi, Mark. I am an early to bed, early to rise woman. I have been trying to stay up a little bit longer, but I just get so very sleepy. I'm usually lights out, listening to public radio at about 8 pm and wake up, and want to get up by about 4 am. Weird. But one thing I do love about it is that at 4 am or 5 am it is very quiet in the "hood". And I like that.

Still reading The Steady Running of the Hour and loving it. But I must finish so I can move onto book 3 for Booktopia.

Are you going to any of the Booktopia this year? Did you miss out? Boo! Maybe we should all pick the one the farthest from the east coast next year and see if we can get a critical mass of LT folks in.... What fun we could have!!!!

"You put dinosaurs and people together, you always get screaming."

- Just One Damned Thing After Another

Mary- Hooray! More Martian love! It is such a terrific read and you should have no problem wrapping it up in 3 measly days. And then you could continue to spread the word...

Karen- Fortunately, I don't get up that early. LOL. Probably around 6ish, on an off day. I am the only one in the house, that does this, so I have a couple blissful hours of silence.
Yes, I am attending Asheville Booktopia, with Katie. I've started my book homework too.

>278 msf59: Mark YES ... you have found the joy of the St. Mary's Institute of Research and the insanity of the historians. I love it. bwahahah

Mark, just about caught up with you buddy and I rushed to do so before you up sticks and make a new thread.

Love the meet-up and family shots that adorn this, your latest thread. Lynda also deserves a special mention for her thoughtful contribution in >164 Carmenere: and how thoughtful of her to provide us with one each.

Mark, darling friend, I want to apologize for the shenanigans that broke out on my thread simply because you were kind enough to point out that it had gotten rather long in the tooth. I've made a new thread, and filled it up with reviews of everything I read in March. I hope you'll let bygones be bygones and come by the new place for a visit.

>258 msf59: great review Mark. When I was growing up, there were times people would drop to a whisper because the thing being discussed was just too shameful or awful. Along the lines of "They're getting a *divorce*" or "She's got *cancer.*" I believe mental illness is one of the last topics still filled with irrational shame and misconception. Anything which adds to the discussion and engenders greater understanding is a good thing in my estimation.

Have you read The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness?

Bummed about Bletchley Circle. *Sigh*

^The Murder & Mayhem thread is up! Drop whatever you are doing and come on by:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/173133#4659454

Stephanie- Yes, Just One Damned Thing has been fun. Already snagged book 2.

Paul- Thanks for finding time to drop by. I miss you mate. I am sure you are having a fantastic time with family & friends. And yes, we love Lynda's bunnies!

Julia- What do you mean? I loved every minute of it. LOL. It got you to start a new thread, didn't it? I'll stop by soon.

Marianne- This was an unusual case, in that the young woman was perfectly healthy, with no mental history, which made it scary. I have not read the Quiet room but I've heard many good things about An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. This one seems definitive. Have you heard of it?

Mark, I have an iPad, and I agree.. it has a downside to reading, due to weight, but on the other hand, the size is great! Not being independently wealthy, I do NOT have an iPad air.... but also, I don't feel the need to change up. I also have the old version of the kindle fire.. that is much better, but I have to admit to wanting a paperwhite.... I just don't need one and so, maybe another year :) The fire isn't bad at all for travel reading .

Books on madness? hmm. Dunno about that, but M&M ... maybe...

I had not heard of An Unquiet Mind. Will definitely check into it. The Quiet Room is written by a woman with paranoid schizophrenia. It is rare to be able to read about what is going on in the head of someone who lives with constant hallucinations, voices, etc. She is articulate and pretty self-aware. Happily, it seems she has found the right combination of medications to help her. An article from the New York Times is here. I don't think it is as clinical as An Unquiet Mind.

I have a relative who suffers from the same disease, The Quiet Room truly made me far more empathetic and understanding. Someone with this condition rarely believes someone telling them the voices aren't real. Of course they are real. They can hear them. Which means the person telling them about the nonexistence of the voices is either a part of the conspiracy or is being duped in some way. What a terrifying thing to have to experience.

Whew! Caught back up at last! Have a good Friday Mark.

Murder and Mayhem! Yay, I need a kick in the pants to get a few of the mysteries read.

Work tomorrow? In any case, happy weekend.

Happy weekend, Mark!

Hi Kath! I do love my IPad, (which I am typing on now) and I have my eye on a Kindle Paperwhite.
Hope to see you on M & M.

Marianne- Thanks for the info on mental illness. Much appreciation.

Big Big Waves to Abby!!

RD- Yep, working tomorrow but then I am off 2 days and return on Tuesday. See you on M & M.

Rhonda- Back at you! I'll have to stop by and see what you are reading.

Hurray for the Murder & Mayhem thread. For May, I'm planning to focus on reading mysteries. Maybe it'll get me out of my mini book funk.

Waving (again). And yes I can imagine your Marky-Mark Man cave is just the right place for a meet up. Cozy and personal! Lots of space to sit and chat without the walking from restaurant to bar.

Hi Linda- Yah, for M & M. Boo, to mini-book funk! I am sure you are getting geared up for the Hawks game. At least at a decent hour.

Connie- Yep, the Marky-Mark Man Cave is the place to be. LOL.

>283 msf59: Loving all the noir imagery, Mark! Starred M & M. Now heading over to the new thread.