Joe's Book Cafe 14

Illustrations by Jiro Taniguchi

I've enjoyed his quiet stories set in Japan, like A Distant Neighborhood and The Walking Man

Welcome back to the cafe!

Favorites from 2013

Top 5

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

Second Five

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

Favorite Graphic Novel: The Nao of Brown

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

2014 American Author Challenge (kudos to Mark)

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

Life-changers

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

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

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

2014 Books

January

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

February

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

March

23. The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy
24. Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
25. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
26. My Dungeon Shook by Danez Smith
27. Black Boy Suite Black Boy Sweet by Danez Smith
28. Mrs. Tim of the Regiment by D.E. Stevenson
29. Little Green by Walter Mosley
30. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
31. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen
32. A Truth Universally Acknowledged: Why We Read Jane Austen, edited by Susannah Carson
33. Dream London by Ian Ballantyne
34. Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope
35. Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb
36. Our Friends from Frolix 8 by Philip K. Dick
37. Burning Girls by Veronica Schanoes

April

38. New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb
39. Refusing Heaven by Jack Gilbert
40. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
41. Sula by Toni Morrison
42. Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
43. Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb
44. William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher
45. To Darkness and To Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming
46. Vagabond Vol. 35 by Takehiko Inoue
47. A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor
48. Delusion in Death by J.D. Robb
49. A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor
50. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

May

51. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (re-read)
52. The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty
53. Calculated in Death by J.D. Robb
54. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
55. Hexed by Kevin Hearne
56. The Woman Who Wouldn't Die by Colin Cotterill
57. Graveyard of Memories by Barry Eisler
58. Death Without Company by Craig Johnson
59. The Graphic Canon Vol. 1 by Russ Kirk
60. Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson
61. The Boy in His Winter by Norman Lock
62. Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson
63. An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield

June

64. This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki
65. Skin Game by Jim Butcher

I'm happy to see only one new Café. Congrats on the new one.

Happy New Thread Joe. Already?! I barely had a chance to catch up with the last one!!

Joe, I had been having trouble getting into the old cafe also, but then this morning it was suddenly fine again (like Kath, I use Chrome). So I'm not sure what the problem was but it seems to have resolved itself. Always nice to have a spiffy new cafe to hang out in, though!

>3 Ameise1: LOL! I managed to stay out of the time warp alternate universe vortex this time, Barbara. Phew!

>4 Smiler69: I know, Ilana, We needed a new one pronto, as I couldn't figure out a way to solve Kath's Chrome bounce-out problem. This should do it.

>5 rosalita: Ah, that's somebody's law, right, Julia? You go to the doctor and the symptoms have all gone into hiding, etc. We open a new cafe because of Chrome, and now Chrome is fine with the old one. Oh well, as you say, always nice to have a spiffy new one.

We opened up a new area, too:

Joe, being a nurse at home and more than one Café would have been too much. I hope Debbi feels better. hugs xx

Oh, good - I couldn't get into the old cafe either. Happy new thread, Joe!

So, only one café this go round?

I'm glad to hear that Debbi has come out of surgery with flying colors. Best wishes to her, and to her DH.

Good to hear Debbi is home and recovering. Best wishes!

Thanks everyone. We've hit a bit of a bump in the road with her reaction to some pain meds. Back later on.

Walklover is very blessed to have such a caretaker of a husband! Hope the reaction to the meds is okay soon. Happy new thread, Joe! :)

Lovely illustrations atop your thread.

Happy new thread Joe, and I hope you have a lovely weekend.

I am enjoying a nice cup of hazelnut coffee and a piece of peach raspberry pie while listening to the gentle patter of rain on the roof. I think I will have this order in that nice new addition to cafe that you just opened up on this thread.

Thank goodness there was only one thread this time. It was hard trying to make it to the multiplicities of the last one.

Benita, I received the rain on the roof for you. Unfortunately, in the process of walking about up there, putting on a new roof, someone jerked the skylight's chain and it decided to drip on my little office area. Lucky for me I was sitting there, on the computer, when I hear an odd noise. I stop and take my eyes off the screen, look around, and Wow! there is a puddle of water on the floor right next to me. Right in between all the desks, and boxes of papers, and the computer, etc. etc. Nothing but the floor became wet! What luck was that. I got a bucket and moved stuff around.

Called the roofing company and they came by to check their work. Think it is OK, so it may be the skylight's fault. The Lead Roofer will be here tomorrow to look it over and talk it over with me. Might have to buy a new sky light which may not be all bad. Money of course, but I get a new sky light!

I hope the Good Luck spreads all the way to you, Joe, and Debbi.

>12 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie. We dropped the pain med - she feels okay so far with just Motrin - and now are the proud owners of an anti-nausea drug. Fingers crossed, as she hasn't been able to eat much of anything for quite some time. Lots of good sleeping, though.

Yeah, turns out multiple LTers had Chrome trouble with the last thread, so I'm glad we've got a new one!

>13 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori. I really like this guy. Just a wonderful appreciation for life and its small details. Serenity.

>14 GeezLouise: Thanks, Rae. We've been promised some good weather. We don't have a pool like you Pecan Paradisians, but we hope to spend some good porch time catching up with our neighbors - and their dogs. Walklover is a renowned dispenser of dog treats, and is very popular with the canine set.

Hope you have a lovely weekend, too.

>15 benitastrnad: I'm not much of a hazelnut guy, Benita, but I'll definitely have a piece of that peach raspberry pie. We're all clear here right now, but I do enjoy the gentle patter of rain on the roof. Sounds like a peaceful time. We'll bring out those goodies to the nice new cafe addition.

There was a profusion of confusion the last time we opened up those multiple cafes, wasn't there? This seems to be going much more smoothly.

Here you go:

"A profusion of confusion" — I like that phrase! I could apply it to many things in my life. :-)

Good to hear that the Mrs. is on the road to recovery. I suspect you are an excellent care-giver, Joe. Have a good weekend. I think I will grab a piece of that peach/raspberry pie to go.

>16 maggie1944: Thanks, Karen. That's good news that the rain fell mainly in the lane - between computers, papers, etc. Skylight sounds like a good possibility; they're a common source of leaks, right?

We've been feeling pretty lucky post-op, and researching this anti-nausea drug (ondansetron), it looks pretty good. After taking it, she's dozed off again, so I'm hoping she's feeling much less queasy when she wakes up.

>18 rosalita: Ha! Me, too, Julia. We're having some of that getting Walklover's situation straightened out.

>19 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. She definitely is on the road to recovery. We just need to solve this nausea bout. She's otherwise physically stronger than I expected.

Post-operation queasy feelings are not unusual and may not be that she can not ever tolerate the pain meds. It may be a matter of recovery from the "put you to sleep" stuff they give when they operate. Check with her doc, maybe?

>20 jnwelch: Oh yeah, no worries, Karen. Lots of talking with her surgeon. That's where the game plan and prescription came from. She has a long history of intolerance of pain meds. But we do think part of the problem is the anti-nausea drugs she had for the surgery wore off.

Dammit, Jim, I'm a short order cook, not a doctor! I won't be doing any layman medicine.

Happy New Thread, Joe! I'll be starting my new one soon too. Love the Taniguchi toppers. And that new seating space is to die for.

In regards, to your last thread, I was also receiving the Chrome warning. I thought Richard was up to something no good again.

I started another GN, off that Best of list again, called American Widow, a 9/11 tale. It's good but of course heart-breaking. I also picked up Exit Wounds and the new Tan.

Gentle hugs to Walklover!

hiya joe!

I always have bad reactions to pain meds.... I just refuse them and take ibuprofen and hope for the best. Hopefully it is all out of Debbie's system by now and she is feeling better? Terrible to feel yucky on top of everything else.

I love the new thread toppers, especially the tree sitter :)

Joe, I wish you and Debbi a relaxed and quiet weekend.

>23 msf59: Hiya, Mark! Yeah, you know I'm a pushover for Taniguchi. Glad you like those toppers.

Glad you're finding some good GNs - I think you'll like the Tan. Looking forward to what you think of Exit Wounds. I think that one will come up soon for me.

Not getting much reading done, although we seem to have Walklover back in a groove, with the nausea gone. Now it's just resting and getting better. Becca has joined us, with the wily Sherlock, so we have a relief team when necessary. (Most importantly, she went out and got us coffee and chai this morning). Becca's birthday is coming up, so we'll be able to (quietly) celebrate with her on Monday.

Haven't been able to do much reading. I got a new in Death mystery, as that's about as much as my mind can handle right now.

I'll be back.

>24 richardderus: Hiya, Richard! Glad you're back out and about.

>25 mckait: Ibuprofen is exactly what she's taking, Kath (Motrin). Yes, praise the gods, the nausea is gone and she's resting comfortably. Furry Sherlock is making sure she's well watched over.

Glad you like the toppers! I get a kick out of the guy in the tree, too. It's a good story as well.

>26 Ameise1: Oh, just what we need, Barbara, thanks. Yesterday was pretty darn stress-full.

Today she's much better. She talked to the surgeon for the first time (she was too messed up before, so I talked to him), and he feels everything is on track.

Hi Joe- Glad to hear a good Walklover report. Have a good day and hopefully you can squeeze in some reading.

i wonder what issue chrome had for kath? i got in to #13 fine, even just now. hmmm.

hi debbi!

Debbi's not quite up to posting yet, but asked me to thank everyone for their good wishes. She really appreciates it.

>28 msf59: Yes, thanks, Mark. Doing much better she is (oops, Yoda showed up again). It was a beaut of a day, wasn't it? With Becca on duty, I got out in it a bit, and enjoyed some time on our back deck. A little bit of mystery reading, so that was good.

Hope you're enjoying some more of your week off - the weather gods smiled on you this time.

>29 richardderus: It was one of those malware warnings from Chrome, RD - it's happened in the past because of some of the visuals. Turns out she wasn't the only one having that problem with #13. In the past, I've somehow been able to figure out which visual, and change it, but this time my mind's too wonky, so we just opened a new cafe.

Debbi says hi back!

Hi Joe, glad to hear Debbi is doing better and hope you're enjoying your weekend. Thanks for dropping by my new digs today!

Hi Joe - a long time between visits, I've tended to stay away from the faster moving threads for a few weeks. I love the new addition to your cafe though we are heading into a mild winter here so I'm more likely to sit inside just now.
I still have to finish up my current GN, it's the last three volumes of Aya and in a more compact form than I enjoy for this genre so a bit of a monster. Anyway I've gone ahead and requested one of the Taniguchi GNs as I like these Japanese stories quite a bit. I've also taken note of The Nao of Brown, I've read so many but still have a long way to go.

Looking once again through your gamechangers and noticed Dune in there. I was also very taken with Dune as a teenager and excited that last week my son finally expressed interest in reading it.

Now just plonk me in a draught-free corner and I'll have a cafe cortado and a few lemon madelines since I'm reading Monsieur Proust's Library.

So glad to hear that WL is doing better, Joe. Hope you guys continue to have restful and relaxing weekend, especially now with Becca to also keep you guys company! :)

>31 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. Yes, we're having a good weekend, albeit close to home, now that Debbi's situation has settled down. A visit from Becca and the furry Sherlock is always welcome, too.

Your new digs look great, and I enjoyed hearing about your talented grandmother.

>32 avatiakh: Good to see you, Kerry! We've slowed down the thread a bit, haven't we? It's hard for me to tell, but it seems like all of the 75er group is going at a bit of a mellower pace. Maybe I'm kidding myself - we have such a good time chatting, that's the problem, right?

I always have to remind myself that your seasons are the reverse of ours. We're finally get out from under a lousy winter - I hope yours stays mild.

You know, I've thought about reading Aya, and had no idea there were multiple volumes. I take it you'd recommend it, yes? I'd like to give it a try.

I hope you enjoy the Taniguchi - have you read him before? The Nao of Brown is really different and really good. I love the illustrations.

Our son likes sci-fi, and did enjoy Dune. I'm glad yours is giving it a try. Ours will ask me for a recommendation on a regular basis. Most recently I recommended The Martian, which he loved. Ready Player One was a big hit with him, too.

Monsieur Proust's Library looks like a good one for blibliophiles.

>33 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie. Becca just did the honors in ordering pizza for her and me - my MBH isn't up to having pizza yet, but she does believe she can handle one of the brownies that a friend of Becca's brought by for her. Off to have some pizza and watch my first Miss Fisher mystery.

oh.... brownies, eh? She is up to eating brownies, is she? Might help with the pain, don't you know....

(smiling)

I finished reading Gone Girl and frankly, I did not like it. Too complicated. I don't know if I found the characters to actually be believable. I've written three very short comments on my last three books on my thread. You might want to wander over there. I can't believe what a disaster this year has been for my reading.

I'm off to read some Alan Furst now. Thank goodness, because I know I will like it.

So glad Debbi is feeling better Joe. I too had problems with pain meds post surgery but she and I have another thing in common: wonderful husbands/caregivers.
Priceless!

So glad to hear that Debbie is doing better! I am glad that she has a great guy like you to watch over her... with Sherlock of course :)

>35 maggie1944: It's probably time to fess up, Karen. One of us had two brownies, and it wasn't Debbi. 2 1/2, actually, because I helped our daughter finish hers. Good brownies!

Gone Girl was not the type of book I normally read, but I thought it was really well done. I can see not liking it, for sure, both for the complicated story and the characters. But she sure takes the reader for a ride. I'll go over to your thread and check out those comments.

Alan Furst sounds like a fine idea. I've got authors that for me are a safe bet, where I know I'm going to like it - Lee Child comes to mind in the thrillers.

Hope you have a good day for reading in that lovely home of yours.

>36 NarratorLady: Ha! Thanks, Anne. It's rare that she needs some help, and I'm happy to supply it when she does. (The hard part usually is getting her to ask for some help). Glad you got yourself one of those guys from the wonderful husband store. Best place to shop if you want top quality. Luckily the clientele seems to mostly consist of wonderful wives, and I'm sure you're a member of that group.

>37 mckait: Thanks, Kath! She is doing better. Still uncomfortable, but it's just going to take a while. I think we're going to get her outside a bit today in this beautiful weather, on the porch or deck. Good for what ails ya.

Sherlock has been quite the helper, making sure she has someone to skritch and making her laugh. This morning he managed to carefully stretch on her, while looking as cute as possible. He's probably doing more good for her spirits than seasonsoflove and I put together.

Dogs! you gotta love 'em. Give Debbi my hugs, gentle ones of course. And then give that cute little doggie a couple of good ear scritches!

Hi Joe! We are heading up to the far north suburbs, this afternoon, for a cook-out with friends. It looks like it will be another beauty. Hope you have a nice relaxing Sunday planned.

>39 maggie1944: Ain't that the truth, Karen? Debbi is fast asleep again, but I'll give her your gentle hugs when she wakes up. Sherlock appreciates the ear scritches. Here's a pic of him in our sun room, on one of the beds in front of our new bookshelves. Debbi is resting in the other bed.



>40 msf59: Have a great time, Mark. What a day for a a cookout. Enjoy!

We're relaxing today, for sure, although most of it orbits around how Debbi's doing. We are going to modestly celebrate young Becca's birthday today, too, a couple of days early, both since we have her here, and because it fits the family tradition of spreading b-day celebrations over a few days (or, for the celebrant, for as long as humanly possible).

Real life book porn is always the best because you know those books are loved! Can never get tired of looking at shelves and shelves of books. Never..... Awwww and then you throw in Sherlock for good measure. :)

Have a nice time celebrating Becca's b'day! I hope you can spend a little time outdoors. These are days you have to savor.

I am enjoying American Widow. It is beautifully rendered but quite a heart-breaker.

>42 jolerie: We love our new shelves, Valerie!

Since it doubles as a guest room, our theory is to have books here of various fun types that a guest could try. You can see some Sharpe ones there by Bernard Cornwell. There are mysteries (e.g. Agatha Christie, Louise Penny and Janet Evanovich), humor (Wodehouse)), some favorite graphic novels (including Local and The Nao of Brown), some favorite non-fic (e.g. Tracy Kidder), trips to bizarro-ville (Murakami and Gaiman, and kids/young adult like A Little Princess and Charlotte's Webb. It's been fun to put together. It's also got our tbrs. No surprise, I need to whittle mine down!

I know, books and Sherlock - hard not to smile. It's a good room for recovering. We've talked about the good timing - it's a cheerful place for poor Debbi to gradually feel better.

>43 msf59: We've been having Becca open a few presents, since we went overboard a bit with her because she's such a sweetie. As you may have noticed, she likes books, so we got her . . . (ahem) . . . a few. I'll let her tell you about them, but one she opened we're pretty sure is a true crime GN you recommended.

American Widow looks like another good 'un. I'll bet it's a heart-breaker.

Becca and I (and Sherlock) have indeed gotten outside some. Debbi was able to come downstairs for a bit, but it wiped her out, so she's snoozing again. It's going to take a while, no question about it.

Hi Joe, thanks for the bag in the previous thread! Love it. I may use for other things than just dim sum! Happy Birthday for Becca and all good wishes for Debbi.

>41 jnwelch: Beautiful! Books, bed and dog in a sunroom. Practically perfect in every way!

Hello there Joe! Things are hopping over here in the sickroom cafe. Glad to hear YBH is well on the path to recovery. Such a beautiful room to nourish the soul and enliven the spirits. It was perfect timing.

Happy Memorial Day!

>45 connie53: You're welcome, Connie! Glad you liked the bag - and that you'll put it to further use. :-) Becca enjoyed her treasure trove of presents (Sherlock was very helpful in unwrapping them), and Debbi is feeling a good bit better today, after some rough ones preceding.

>46 Storeetllr: Isn't that great, Mary? We're up there now, with Debbi resting, Becca putting together something for her students tomorrow, Sherlock resting with Debbi and making sure she's all right, and yours truly on LT catching up a bit.

>47 michigantrumpet: Hi there, Marianne! It's a lovely sickroomcafe, isn't it? My MBH does seem to be on the path to recovery, after a couple of rough patches that had us thinking we might be heading back to the hospital. We got her out on the back deck overlooking the garden for a while. Flowers and brownies and cake have showed up, and some friends have come by, and she's feeling perked up. You're right about the room - she loves it. Perfect timing.

Happy Memorial Day, Joe! Hope you are enjoying the day and that Debbi is recovering on schedule. Do you go back to work tomorrow?

>49 msf59: Hey, buddy. Thanks. Happy Memorial Day to you, too!

We are having a good day. Debbi isn't as far along as I know she hoped, but she was able to go downstairs and sit outside on our deck, overlooking the garden. Some friends stopped by, and I've benefited from brownies and cake showing up. Lots of flowers, too.

The plan is for me to go back to work tomorrow. If yesterday were today, I wouldn't have been able to leave Debbi alone. But now it's looking like I can do it. We have someone stopping by for a few hours in the morning, and then someone in the afternoon. Quite different to have my powerhouse (as you know from meeting her) stopped in her tracks.

*waves hi*

These are the books my amazing parents gifted me for my birthday:



And this book-related gift:

I'm glad to hear Debbi is on the mend, even though more slowly than she'd like. I can imagine that "Flowers and brownies and cake have showed up" did wonders for the patient's morale!

>51 seasonsoflove: What a great haul! What a great set of parents!

Hi Joe, and a quietly whispered hi Debbi accompanied by a soft pat.

Great book haul, Becca! I LOVED Capote in Kansas! Good choice.

Go Hawks, Joe!

>51 seasonsoflove: It's wonderful to have a book-loving daughter, Becca. Your Nancy Drew bracelet brought back fond memories of you and me reading her together when you were a wee lass. Enjoy your further celebrations tomorrow!

And thanks again for the major help with your mom over the weekend.

>52 rosalita: Thanks, Julia. She's feeling much more positive after a good day today. She even walked a little bit outside this evening, and we sat on the porch for a while. You're right, friends thinking of her and sending goodies has been good for her morale. We've got a dinner coming over tomorrow from a friend who's an ace chef, so we're looking forward to that, too.

>53 richardderus: She's a peach, RD. Hi back at ya, and I know Debbi appreciates the gentle hi.

>54 msf59: Capote in Kansas is the one we got her on your recommend, Mark. As you know, she's a true crime aficionado, and a big fan of In Cold Blood, so it should be right up her alley.

Go Hawks! Unfortunately, they just went down 1 in tonight's game. A neighbor works for the Hawks, and he pointed out they've been down in big series before, like with Boston and the Red Wings. "A lot of hockey left to play", as he says.

Joe, stopping by to stay hello! :) Hope you are doing well.

What awesome parents! Your love of reading has obviously rubbed onto the next generation. Care to share any successful tips??? :)

Great job on the Soulless manga! I've been enjoying it myself.

Soulless is a graphic novel? Oh, boy!

Hi Joe, I'm glad to see Deb is starting to come around. Medications can produce scary results so I'm glad you've got that straightened out.

>59 Storeetllr: Eh, yes, graphic novel but specifically manga. The style may be off-putting to some.

>51 seasonsoflove: Nice Gifts Becca! You mus have some darn clever parents! *grin*

I hope today brings more relief to Debbie, and peace of mind to you..

It's beautiful here.. but I doubt I will be able to continue my lazy ways of the past days...I have to think about packing, since I work the next couple of days. So.. I will think about it.

Mornin', Joe!

>51 seasonsoflove: I love the Nancy Drew bracelet! I think I read all of those books multiple times when I was a kid.

>56 leperdbunny: Good to see you, Tam! Appreciate your stopping by, as I know you're getting ready to skedaddle. Safe travels to Oklahoma!

>57 jolerie: It's funny, Valerie, before our first, Becca, was born, we discussed what we were going to do if our kids were dull and not readers. Turned out not to be an issue! Becca took us into her room one day when she was four and read us one of her books. Surprised the heck out of us. Jesse took much longer, but as usual with him, figured it out and then took off like a rocket.

Tips? We read to them from Day One, that's the biggest. We had lots of books around, of course, and we encouraged the kids to read whatever they enjoyed - no need to read Principia Mathematica at age 5, or ever. Also, their mother was a storyteller at a local bookstore, and would take them with her.

It was a tough go for our son at first (he'd get so tired with one of those one or two words per page books that he'd fall asleep on his mother). He started in the bottom reading group in first grade and by the end of the year was in the top group - his doing, not really ours. We asked him later why he worked so hard at learning to read. His answer: I had to. All of you were.

>>58 Morphidae:, 61 Becca really liked the first one, Morphy. I haven't read the Gail Carriger books, but I'm going to try the manga at some point. Curtsies and Conspiracies, in the pile, is the second in Carriger's new series.

>59 Storeetllr: Yes indeed-y, Mary. Becca gave it her seal of approval.

>60 brenzi: Thanks, Bonnie. It was a truly lousy first few days for her, but yesterday she turned a corner. Major wallop on the body in addition to the med reaction. But yesterday she started to come around to her old self, and was upbeat this morning - partly to calm her husband, I'm sure, but a big difference from where we started.

>62 mckait: Becca's got a terrific mother, Kath, but that father of hers sure is eccentric. She appreciates books with the delight some kids give chocolate. Wonderful to see.

Today looks to be a good one for Debbi. She's feeling significantly better, she seems stabilized, and she plans to spend some time out on the porch, which will be good for her spirits.

So.. I will think about it. LOL! I love it! I'm going to do the same re my work - think about it.

>63 scaifea: Mornin', Amber! Hope all is well with you and our favorite young guy.

Hmm, breakfast by the pool?

>64 rosalita: Isn't that Nancy Drew bracelet cool, Julia? Becca asked for it ages ago, and we finally tracked it down. For those of you where it's hard to see, it consists of covers of the old Carolyn Keene books, like The Secret of the Old Clock.

Thanks for all the kind words-I'm so excited about all my new books! And I'm using a bit of my birthday money to treat myself to a book or two still remaining on my Amazon wishlist-birthday present to me hee hee!

I really should have taken photos of my food from yesterday. I did ribs for lunch and hamburgers for supper -- a double grilling adventure!

>67 seasonsoflove: Grandpa will be very happy to hear about your use of the birthday money, Becca. Can't believe there's anything left on your wishlist - oh wait, it's you. Of course there is. :-)

>68 thornton37814: I wish there was a way to post a phone photo directly to LT, Lori. Congrats on the successful grilling.

OK, we've been cleared to spread some good news - son Jesse has gotten engaged to a wonderful woman named Adriana Es Ramirez. We like her a lot. She teaches creative writing at Pitt and has been a nationally ranked slam poet. They are exceedingly happy, and so are we.

That is such exciting news!! So happy for you and the family.
ETA: she sounds like she would fit right into your book loving family. :D

Congratulations to Jesse, Adriana and the rest of your families, Joe!

Aw, that's just awesome Joe. Congratulations to you all!

Wonderful news, Joe! Wishing a long and happy life together for the young people.

I'm using part of Grandpa's money for books, and part to replenish my Bath and Body Works aromatherapy collection that I can't afford otherwise :)

Gorgeous news! Congratulations and all the best for the young couple. Waves from over the pond.

>75 seasonsoflove: Nice! He'll be delighted to hear that, Becca. And I'm sure you'll be delighted with the books and aromatherapeutic goodies.

>71 jolerie:, >72 rosalita:, >73 Smiler69:, >74 richardderus:, >76 Ameise1: Thanks, Valerie, Julia, Ilana, Richard and Barbara! You're right, Valerie, she fits right into our book-loving family. Now we're working out some way to meet up with her parents who live in Houston. As my MBH says, this is the happiest we've ever seen our son. And he hasn't exactly been Somber McComber before this.

Hi Joe. Congratulations for your son and his girl!

And I'm feeling really stupid! I did not realize that Becca = Seasonsoflove !
I never made the connection. But now I know and I never will forget, ever!!

That news created a huge smile on my face as I imagine your face and Debbi's face nearly breaking with the grins! What a delightful piece of family joy! Your young man is quite charming and I'm sure he will be a wonderful husband. What a fortunate young woman Adriana is!

>78 connie53: Thanks, Connie!

Ha! No worries re seasonsoflove/Becca. It can get confusing. Her thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/163746

>79 maggie1944: I thought of you, Karen, as you've now met our guy a couple of times. Isn't this great? Thank you for the nice comments about him. He's lucky, too - she's a sweetheart. They're very good for each other.

>70 jnwelch: Joe! wow!

Congratulations and good wishes for all involved with this wonderful news!

Congratulations to the newly engaged couple and to you and your family on the welcome addition. Great news, Joe.

Hi Joe- Congrats on Jesse's engagement! How very nice. Have they decided where?

You might like my current audio, Burial Rites, a very engaging dark mystery set in Iceland.

>81 mckait: Thanks, Kath! Her parents like our guy, we like their gal, and the engagees are inordinately fond of each other. Lots of happiness going around.

>82 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. As you can tell, we're pleased about it. She's strong and smart, and they look like they're already good partners.

>83 msf59: Hiya, Mark. Thanks! They haven't decided where. Houston, where she grew up, and Chicago are possibilities, and not the only ones. If it's not in Chicago, we'll probably throw them a party here at some point.

Burial Rites looks interesting; I've passed on the recommendation so Becca has it, too.

I had high hopes for this ER book, The Boy in His Winter by Norman Lock. The author also wrote the highly acclaimed collection, Love Among the Particles, and this novel ambitiously is about Mark Twain's Huck Finn character time-traveling forward to our time and beyond. Lock's writing style has been called "virtuosic", and he shows that throughout this book. So why didn't I like it more?

It's cutesy to a fault. Throughout the book, Huck refers to the Mark Twain story and his desire to disassociate himself from it, and talks about how he's not sure what his story means or whether he's telling it the right way. Some examples:

"Does anyone really know how it happened? Do you? Did Mark Twain? Did it really happen at all? Sometimes I wonder. So when you play the tapes back, make damned sure you type it the way I say it. It's to be my book, after all. Later, you can write your own version. So where the hell was I?"

"You say, this is no way to tell a story. That I've been merely threading one incident after another on a string of recollection and conjecture. Maybe so. But I don't know any other way."

"Have you considered what this story might mean, or are you taking dictation with no other thought than the payment you'll receive when I have in my hands the transcript of this - what would you call it? An American picaresque?"

At one point he explains that, "I've spent a good many years learning to write fine-sounding sentences so that I can hide behind them. It's the way of the hermit crab, with nothing to recommend it but the pretty shell it annexes for its own." Beautifully put, but it's frustrating to read a book where all one gets is pretty shells, with no insight into the lives of the individuals hiding inside. Huck professes love for his black raftmate Jim, but none of that feeling is in the book. Huck eventually falls in love, but we might as well have read an article about it in the newspaper. He knows we'd like to hear about the sex (or anything helping to show their love!) but "I haven't juice enough to indulge a salacious interest. We had sex, naturally. Leave it at that."

There are moments when a better book seems about to break through.

"'Do you believe in free will, Jim?'

'Is there a more ridiculous question to ask a slave,' he said, laughing.

And for a moment, I hated him."

The contrast between his relationship with Jim, as they time-travel down the river, and his 21st century relationship with savvy boat captain James from Trinidad, has possibilities, as does his potential romance with a young black woman some time in our future. But the author is so busy being "meta" and clever that he repeatedly trips over himself and capsizes the story. Frustratingly, he also knowingly declines to show the reader much more than the pretty shell, as if displaying his knowledge that he's doing so makes an interesting point. It doesn't.

This was a major disappointment from an obviously capable author. A missed opportunity that is too clever by a half. Three stars.

Oh dear. Capsized by the Charybdis of Clever. Such a shame.

Yeah, I heard about this one from an NPR interview with Lock and book review. I was skeptical of the concept after listening to the interview, and I'm not surprised by your comments. One more I don't have to worry about fitting in... :)

Guilty of overachieving. Hopefully your next read is of the knock off your socks variety. :)

>86 richardderus: You got it, RD. Wish he had somehow tied himself to the mast, steered straight, and resisted temptation.

>87 drneutron: I can imagine, Jim. Did he say anything interesting in the interview? He's got the chops - he just needs to add judgment, for goodness sake. Yeah, no need to fit it in.

>88 jolerie: Yes, guilty of overachieving, Valerie. Almost as if he wrote it thinking he had other authors and academics looking over his shoulder and needed to show how clever and progressive he is. Too bad.

My new one is a complete, humble relief: An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, by Chris Hadfield. Non-fic by a Canadian who aced the U.S. training program and against the odds became an astronaut. Recommended by our son, and my MBH loved it. So far I do, too.

Sorry to hear Maya Angelou passed away.

ABC News had some of her most well-known quotes:

"If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love."

"The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free."

"I'm a woman Phenomenally."

"Nothing can dim the light which shines from within."

"Nothing will work unless you do."

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances."

"While one may encounter many defeats, one must not be defeated."

"My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return."

Here's a link: turns out it was a weekend edition story from a couple of weekends ago. Less there than I remembered.

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/17/313343406/mark-twains-famous-outcasts-float-throug...

>91 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. I like him better in that interview (his humility in particular) than I do the book.

>90 jnwelch: So very sorry to hear about this. I was fortunate enough to meet her once. I was impressed by her ability to be completely and totally present with eveyone with whom she interacted.

hi, Joe. love your selection of Maya quotes. several of them were particularly relevant to me. "woman Phenomenally." alright!

now, enough with the chit chat. i'll have a large plate of enchiladas quesos, refritos (also con queso) y arroz. and a late 1970's Corona, to my mind, la cerveza mas fina back in the day when you could only get it in So Cal.

take care of yourself, buddy.

>86 richardderus: Capsized by the Charybdis of Clever - I love that!

That's a bummer about the Lock book but I'm glad you've reviewed it as the concept sounds like something I would have liked and I would no doubt have been disappointed by his execution. It's interesting that you say he needs to add judgment to his writing and not try to do too much. I always wonder, "Where was his editor?" Do they not do that sort of fundamental book-shaping that they used to do? Based on many of the books I read, I wonder.

>96 rosalita: A friend once told me that sometimes the work is so specialized that an editor can no longer make useful contributions.

Then there are people like Laurell K. Hamilton who think they no longer need one.

>93 michigantrumpet: How great that you got to meet her, Marianne. Your experience of her being completely and totally present with everyone with whom she interacted fits the way I think of her - she seemed respectful of and open-minded about each person she came across, although she faced some difficult challenges. "The truth is no one of us can be free until everybody is free" expresses that in a different way.

P.S. Darryl (kidzdoc) posted an even more on point comment she made: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Right!

>94 mirrordrum: Hi, Ellie! Good to see you. Yes, I remember "woman Phenomenally" is that distinctive voice of hers. So strong.

Thanks for your patience - the time jiggerer is warmed up. Here you go with the enchiladas, refritos y arroz - y cerveza. I remember when some now big brand beers were much more regional. You couldn't get Coors in the east either, for example (although maybe that was a good thing).



>95 AuntieClio: Ditto, Stephanie. And accurate.

>96 rosalita: I'm not sure whether an editor could have pushed him in the right direction or not, Julia. It wasn't a matter of excess, where you read these chunksters and think, this needed an editor to help trim it down and make it hum. These were decisions made in a relatively slim book (less than 200 pages) by an accomplished, critically acclaimed author. There was no need to be cutesy about the derivation from Mark Twain's book, or about the writing process behind the book, or to shy away from getting in depth with the characters or their issues.

What kind of conversation might have followed if Huck hadn't just said to the reader he hated Jim at the moment Jim made fun of him for raising free will with a slave, and had instead made some snappish comment back to Jim, and played it out between them? What if we had been given a basis for feeling stronger connections between the characters? At one point something quite dramatic happens to Jim, and it has little emotional impact because Huck basically just continues the journey, after upbraiding himself a bit for not helping Jim more. Some of the story ties back to it later, but in an equally unsatisfying way.

It gets me because the potential was there for something special.

>97 AuntieClio: I think this fits the former category, Stephanie. So specialized the editor would be challenging the author's decisions - that does happen sometimes, I've read, but I can imagine it would be awfully hard with an author who writes this well.

I saw the "no longer needs an editor" happen with Robert Jordan in his Wheel of Time fantasy series. As it became more successful, it became clear that nothing was reining him in, and the books got longer and longer, to their detriment. He was enchanted by so many of his numerous plot lines that the story lost focus. Many readers complained, and I imagine a lot got off the train. I stayed with it, and appreciate what Brandon Sanderson did in skillfully finishing the series after Jordan died.

Morning Joe! Just getting ready to hit the route. Another beauty in store. How is Debbi coming along?

Good Hawks win! Let's do it again!

>99 msf59: Morning Mark! It is a beauty out there. Debbi's doing a little better every day now. Yesterday she was able to sit out on the porch for a good while, which helped with the "cabin fever". She's also started to be able to read a little bit. We LTers sure can appreciate the importance of that one.

That was a good Hawks win. Man, this team they're facing is tough. When the Hawks went up 3-0 I thought it was going to be an easy one, and instead it's a hard fought double OT. Tomorrow night - go Hawks!

Those enchaladas look good. But I was thinking of homemade tamales and something rummy. Oh well - I would settle for a Chicago hotdog and a Pepsi today.

thanks for the scrummy nosh, Joe dahling. *just* in time for early lunch. scarf.

You got it, Benita.



Remember, no ketchup on the hot dog! Chicagoans get offended.

Howdy Joe! I'm glad to read that Debbie is feeling better. Give her my best. I'll head over to her thread and leave her a message.

Congratulations to your son on his engagement. I do hope we get to have an LT mini meetup in the future right here in Houston! Houston is hot and humid, not very attractive but we do have some nice people.

If the family makes it down this way you will definitely need to check out our local indie bookstore Murder by the Book. They announced yesterday that they had received a grant from James Patterson. Here is their FB page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Murder-by-the-Book/243815711002 and their website http://www.murderbooks.com

Thank goodness for small independent books stores!

>104 luvamystery65: Thanks, Roberta! An LT mini-meetup would be a nice benefit of traveling to Houston, and thanks for the tip on Murder by the Book. I'll explore those links, and you know we're mystery fans. Plus we love small independent bookstores! I'll pass on your best to Debbi, and I'm sure she'll be glad to get your message on her thread.

I've got a couple of pics of the newly engaged couple, so here you go:

Nice!! They look very happy together and goofy too!

Never having been married I do not know this for sure but I'm pretty sure the ability to be goofy, and laugh at oneself and one's lover, without inhibition must be one fine recipe for a good marriage.

I know we all hope this is true for the goofy couple pictured above!

May I have an extra cup of coffee this morning, please. And is my spot, the one out back in the garden still available. I think I need to do some reading and relaxing.

Looks like love is in the air....♥♥♥ Such sweetness!! :D

>105 jnwelch: *baaaaaaaaawwwwwwww* What a good-time pair they look to be, and that's so important.

Am now fighting the urge to mug Ellie for her #3 combo plate. Must have one of my own! And no Corona *shudder* for me, thanks, make it a Dos Equis WITH NO GROCERIES AND NO GLASS thenkewveddymahch as I am a male.

I can definitely say that not being able to be the same kind of goofy with my SO was the cause of all of my relationships failing.

One would look at me with all seriousness and say, "You're weird." My response was always, "And your point ....?"

If he can't or won't be goofy with me and doesn't enjoy books, he's not worth my time.

>106 connie53: That makes for a good combo, doesn't it, Connie? They went all over the U.S. map before finding each other, and que tienen mucho en común (they have much in common)!

>107 maggie1944: I agree completely, Karen. "The ability to be goofy, and laugh at oneself and one's lover, without inhibition must be one fine recipe for a good marriage." I think the goofy couple have this one in hand.

Your spot back in the garden is waiting for you. Extra coffee for some R & R coming up:



>108 jolerie: Aren't they sweet, Valerie? We've never seen our guy so happy.

>109 richardderus: They do have a mighty good time together, RD, and you're right, that's so important. Friends as well as paramours = long-lasting.

Please don't mug Ellie, she's so much nicer than you or me. We'll get you one of your own, and we'll make sure the Dos Equis is served male-style, hold the groceries (is that a reference to Mexican restaurants at the back of grocery stores? One of our favorites was one of those).

Here you go:

>110 AuntieClio: Amen to that, Stephanie. My kids many times have told me I'm weird, and I say, "thanks." Best way to be, as far as I'm concerned. If my much better half and I couldn't be goofy with each other, what a bore it would be.

Sorry your SO couldn't understand the value of being on the goofy train.

>112 jnwelch: Joe, thanks. He went home to Finland, I broke up with him and that was the end of that. I've been happily alone and goofy ever since. :-)

>114 jnwelch: :-) We probably should have a "Goofy LTer" meetup some time, Stephanie. Oh, wait, there probably isn't much difference between that and a regular one.

>114 jnwelch: you're probably right on that score Joe :-)

That coffee you fetched for Karen looks wonderful. Think it is time for me to get some of that for me! Only I can't go out to the garden to read. But a good cuppa Joe in my office would be nice.

The out back looks perfect, and thanks for the coffee. The dogs and I just returned from a walk about the neighborhood and we had a couple of very nice conversations with neighbors. Delightful. And now that cup of coffee is just the ticket.

>115 AuntieClio: Looking forward to it!

>116 benitastrnad: You got it, Benita. We got some new mugs and pots in.



>117 maggie1944: Ah, good, Karen. Nothing better than walking the dogs and talking with the neighbors on a nice day. Now you can sit back and enjoy the coffee.

Count me in for the "goofy LTer" meetup, Joe. Your son and his fiancee make a great couple.

Love the 'newly engaged' photos -- what a delightful fun couple.

Ok - I am curious. You said that they chased each other all over the country. What's the story there?

Ooh, Dos Equis Amber! Yes, please!

Love the photos of the happy couple! A nice match.

I started A Symphony of Echoes. I found it on audio and jumped to it. I still have it on ebook too. It works really well in audio but I had a feeling it would.

Awwww! What a beautiful couple :) I am so happy for them!

I really like those St Mary's books.. the newest one is underway...I asked her!

From the May Early Reviewers, I got the one I wanted the most, one of the ones the true crime article you gave me mentioned-Empire of Sin!

OH, your son and his future wife look amazing together! Best to them both.

>122 msf59: Mark: Whoa, whoa, whoa - what did you just call me!?

>119 rosalita:. Ha! Didn't we just have a goofy LTer meetup at Mark's, Julia? :-) I'm ready for another one! Thanks re the newly engaged couple. They are excited and very cute.

>120 michigantrumpet:. Thanks, Marianne. They are really good together. Both are creative, but also know how to hold down a 9 to 5.

>121 benitastrnad:. I didn't mean to imply "chased", Benita. They didn't know each other until a year or so ago. What I meant was they'd each lived in various different places on the map, nowhere near each other, but managed to find each other. They actually met at a slam event where Adriana was performing.

>122 msf59:. Thanks, Mark. They're a nice match for each other.

I'll have to owe you that Dos Equis. They changed how things work on the iPad, and my old way doesn't work any more.

You're going to have a ton o' fun with the Chronicles of St. Mary's! I can imagine it would work very well on audio - that should help the day fly by.

>123 mckait:. Thanks, Kath. They're a couple of cutie-pies all right.

That's good news re the next St. Mary's book! How did you get a hold of Jodi Taylor to find out?

>124 seasonsoflove:. Oh, that's excellent, Becca! So glad that article turned out to be useful. Is this one true crime, or a novel?

>125 scaifea:. Ha! I didn't know about that nickname for you either, Amber. Mark has some answering to do.

Thanks re the amazing couple. We're going to enjoy following their adventures together.

I unfortunately have to leave, but I'll be back later today.

*pant* I've finally *pant* caught up *pant* here. *slumps in seat* Have a good weekend Joe.

Have a lovely weekend Joe!

#126
I wondered about the chasing part. I thought perhaps they had met earlier and then sort of followed each other around the country for awhile. I think you are trying to tell me that they lived in several different places and finally met at a poetry slam in Seattle? Anyway, it is a romantic story and one that they will be happy to tell their kids. Are they going to get married in the Kulhaus? Like your niece in L. A. did? Or have the plans gone that far?

I could use some coffee and biscotti this morning. Is the cafe open?

I love the new coffee-pots and mugs, Joe! Of course I still want my male-style beer. No glass, it's effete. No groceries (eg, limes) because it's effete. Jus' BEER.

It is a true crime one-supposed to be really good!

Hi Joe- I am enjoying a good day off. Another stunning day out there and we might go for a bike ride, after Sue gets home, which is in any minute.

I finished a good GN, called Sex Criminals, which Heidi recommended. Yes, lots of sex and sex talk, but entertaining and completely original. It's the same guy who created the latest Hawkeye books.

Amber- You should take the Dos Equis as a big compliment. LOL. It's considered dark but I think it is more like...amber.

>129 Thebookdiva: *brings Abby a big glass of ice water* Good job catching up, Abby! Sometimes we do get going here, don't we? Hope you have a good weekend, too. Take it easy and rest that ankle.

>130 luvamystery65: Thanks, Roberta! Have a lovely weekend, too! Hope you get some good weather down there.

>131 benitastrnad: Sorry about the inarticulosity, Benita. They lived in several different places and met at a poetry slam that I don't think was in Seattle. They both compete nationally, and I believe the slam was located elsewhere - might have been the international one that was in Spokane that year. They aren't sure where they're getting married yet - probably in Houston, where her family is, and her folks are working on a location. There will be a sizable contingent from Colombia and Mexico, and Houston seems to make sense for that reason, too.

>132 benitastrnad: The cafe is open - sometimes kitchen staffers can help while I'm away, but our most conscientious one was Ellie (mirrordrum), and she's been laid up for a while.

Coffee and biscotti - you got it.



>133 richardderus: Glad you're enjoying the new ones, Richard. It's good to see you back to posting! Got it, groceries = limes. I've got to get better at male-style beer lingo. *makes note*

Here you go:



>134 seasonsoflove: Ah, good, Becca. You probably should teach a course on true crime some day. You're more well-read on it than anybody I know.

Hope your Friday is treating you well - it's almost the weekend!

Hi Joe, Thanks for visiting my thread. Wishing you a very happy weekend with lots of things fabulous and good!

>61 Morphidae: Well, we'll see, because I got it on hold at the library and will be picking it up in the next couple of days. It will be my first "manga" as opposed to regular graphic novel.

>70 jnwelch: Awesome news! Congratulations!

^Rules of Summer- (I may have found my next topper!)

I copied this from my thread and wanted to share it here. Thanks for the nudge, Joe!

Joe, I hope Debbi feels better. I wish you a relaxing weekend full of reading.

>137 connie53: My pleasure, Connie. I wish the same for you! It's looking good here - I'm going to bring some work home rather than my usual of going in on Saturday morning.

>138 Storeetllr: *brings chocolate chip muffins for Mary and Morphy*

>139 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! Isn't that great? They make a good pair, they do.

>140 msf59: Ha! Love it! Glad Mr. Tan is working his magic with you, Mark.

>141 Ameise1: She is feeling better, thanks, Barbara. I'm sure you and others would sympathize - she is impatient to get moving and get things done, and she just can't right now. But she's a little bit better every day (with an occasional two steps back, but then forward again), and is able to sit up for a while now, and take short walks. Look out world once she's fully recovered!

I hope to do a lot of reading over the weekend. I'm a Harry Dresden fan, and the new one, Skin Game, just found its way to me. So I have to finish my astronaut book and my Longmire mystery pronto!

P.S. For those who can't remember where the heck Walklover's thread is, here you go: http://www.librarything.com/topic/163533

Hey! I was just there sending her my well wishes.



Countdown till the hubby comes home is on. :D
Have a great weekend Joe!

Ha! Have fun with hubby and those two adorable little guys, Valerie! I am ready for the weekend, too!

Thanks for the link to Walklover's thread, Joe. I lost her and seasonsoflove somewhere along the way from January to here.

Adding my wishes for a Happy and Easy Weekend, chez vous.

>146 rosalita: Thanks, Julia. She's very appreciative of all the well wishes. She's able to concentrate enough to read now, so that's a big positive.

>147 maggie1944: Thanks, Karen. It looks like a good one here, as Walklover improves, and we wait for our daughter to join us with coffee and chai.

Our Sky is doing well so far in b-ball, even with Sylvia Fowles out and Epiphanny Prince MIA for now. Big Blackhawks win last night. Go Hawks!

Hi Joe, Debbi is reading again! Great news!

Have a happy Sunday!!

Happy Stayin' Alive Weekend!

#150
Isn't that the title for some song from some famous movie? If not it should be.

Joe - I'm ready for some fruit, scones, and coffee out by the pool. It is hot and humid down here and I already planted some of the flowers I bought yesterday. I need some cool refreshment.

I'll join Benita out by the pool if she's still there. Bring some more fruit, coffee, scones, and maybe add in a little whipped cream?

Hope the weekend is sweet, and that walklover is feeling better and better.

Howdy Joe! We getting ready to head to my BIL's in Plainfield for a birthday get-together. Wah! I want to stay home and read and get prepared for the Big Game tonight.
Whatever, you are doing I hope you are enjoying yourself.

GO HAWKS!

I forgot to tell you that I found a used copy of Last Argument of Kings for 75 cents on my trip to Kansas. Now I have to get the first two in that series by Joe Abercrombie so even as I get two of a series off my shelves Graceling and Fire, and got Bitterblue from the library, and I add three more of a series to my list. How does the math work on that?

I am mightily resisting the St. Mary's series, but have succumbed to the Book Bullet of Lies of Locke Lamora. And, dang and drat, its part of a series as well. Does it never end?

I need brunch and a mimosa with my coffee.

I was lurking after Debbi's surgery but absent since you announced your son's engagement, so it's way past time I came out from hiding. I'm glad Debbi is doing better and hope the convalescence is smooth and rapid. What great news about your son and his fiancee! They look like a great pair.

Had a jones for a machaca burrito last week--found a great one too.

>149 connie53:. 'Tis, Connie. She's reading a memoir. I'll have to get the name. We've taken two walks in the neighborhood. She's a bit worn down, but it's the most she's done yet.

She says she's also reading The Last Days of California.

>150 richardderus:, >151 benitastrnad:. Them Hawks stayed alive and made it to game 7 tonight, Richard. You're right, Benita. Maybe a Travolta sequel?

>152 benitastrnad:. I'm going to have to take a rain check and time jigger that to you, Benita. I'm on the iPad right now.

Rain check/time jiggerer cafe special:

Hi Joe,
I visited Debbi's thread to wish her speedy recovery. --- and congrats to Jesse and his sweetheart!!

Everyone around here was just rooting against Oklahoma City. Not bitter. Nope. Not anyone in Seattle. Uh uh.

>153 maggie1944: We had a nice weekend, thanks, Karen. Walklover is doing significantly better. She was able to do some short walks, and enjoy the good weather. Little by little, bit by bit.

Let's get your vittles so you can join Benita by the pool.



>154 msf59: We were kicking back and relaxing, Mark. Hope the b-day get-together in Plainfield was okay. Too bad about the Hawks. What a series, though! It doesn't get any better than that. One shot short, as Sharp said.

We watched the classic My Fair Lady movie with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn. So good! My folks had that album when I was growing up, and I used to play it all the time.

>155 benitastrnad: Lots of engaging reading there, Benita. You know I'm a fan of Kristin Cashore's trio, and I know Mark is big on Joe Abercrombie.

Brunch and mimosa? Here you go:



>156 ronincats: Hiya, Roni! No worries. Good to see you.

I wouldn't call her convalescence smooth and rapid, but Debbi is doing much better. We've hit rough patches, particularly in her reactions to medicines early on, but she seems to be on a stable trajectory now. It's going to take a while, but that's okay. Kind of interesting to have her slowed down for once. She's being smart about it.

We got to Skype-meet Jesse's fiance's parents over the weekend, and they were delightful. We hit it off right away. Thank goodness - you never know. We're working out the details for meeting up in person.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

>158 EBT1002: Oops, almost missed you there, Ellen!

Ha! I hadn't thought about the bitter against OKC feeling in Seattle. How great it would have been to have that OKC team in Seattle! Too bad. I saw the NBA still isn't ready to have a (new) team again in Seattle. I don't get it.

Thanks for the well wishes for Debbi and the congrats for Jesse. She's doing significantly better, and he's happy as a clam at high tide.

Here's a book cover that really invites you in - it shows an astronaut high above the earth, riding a skateboard. In the cover's corner, the author is playing the guitar in the International Space Station. Astronaut Chris Hadfield is stunningly accomplished, and this could have been one long self-congratulation. But he has a sense of fun and humility that makes An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth a pleasure to read. He's dedicated to bettering the space program, and adept at describing the challenges that astronauts face in simple, relatable terms:

"Spacewalking is like rock climbing, weightlifting, repairing a small engine and performing an intricate pas de deux - simultaneously, while encased in a bulky suit that's scraping your knuckles, fingertips and collarbone raw. In zero gravity, many easy tasks become incredibly difficult. Just turning a wrench to loosen a bolt can be like trying to change a tire while wearing ice skates and goalie mitts."

In some ways astronauts have to be a combination of Olympic decathlon athletes and practical polymaths. Now that the Shuttle is retired, the only way to get to the International Space Station is via the Russian Soyuz, a much smaller vehicle. (Hadfield notes this eliminated from future flights a whole group of astronauts who were simply too tall).

"The Russian rocket ship only carries three people, and between them they need to cover a huge matrix of skills. Some are obvious: piloting the rocket, spacewalking, operating the robotic elements of the ISS like Canadarm2 {a huge robotic arm}, being able to repair things that break on the station, conducting and monitoring the many scientific experiments on board. But since the crew is going to be away from civilization for many months, they also need to be able to do things like perform basic surgery and dentistry, program a computer and rewire an electrical panel, take professional quality photographs and conduct a press conference - and get along harmoniously with colleagues, 24/7, in a confined space."

NASA screens and winnows for these qualities from the thousands of candidates who hope to participate in a space flight. As Hadfield says, such people are necessarily competitive. But they also have to learn to put the team first, for a number of reasons, including most importantly that their lives depend on it. A constant mantra as they train and learn and simulate and, eventually, travel in space, is, "What is the next thing that could kill me." Death can come from the smallest details, like a foggy visor on a space walk. In explaining how he prepares, mentally and physically, he shares some life lessons that can be helpful to those of us who only wander the Earth.

Hadfield is an engaging storyteller with an aware sense of humor. He tells us that his kids like to play a game where they dramatically exchange his life sayings to them, like "No one was ever victorious sitting down" (that's also a little ironic coming from an astronaut). They regularly let him know he's too "earnest". His strong family ties are apparent, and he talks about the difficulties caused by his profession, which requires so much time away from them. His story is remarkable - a Canadian who knew he wanted to be an astronaut when there was no such thing in his country, who aced the USA training program, and became the Commander of the International Space Station, among many other accomplishments. He has seen our planet from far away, and is enraptured by it. At the same time, he's a guy you could see as a pal or neighbor. He plays guitar in a band, and has scads of outside interests. At his son's urging, he records himself playing guitar and singing Bowie's "Space Oddity" aboard the ISS, and when he returns home from his final space flight, he finds it has become an international sensation on Youtube.

This is a fascinating look behind the scenes of the space program, with the tour given by one of our best, an accomplished guy who you'd be happy to have a beer with. That's a rare combination, and I recommend the experience of reading it.

Joe, I hope you don't mind if I help myself to those gorgeous buffets. I wish you a fabulous new week.

Great review, Joe. Chris Hatfield is one amazing individual. My boss has called him a 'modern Renaissance man' given his breadth of knowledge as well as his ability to speak equally easily with super brainy scientists and 8 year old children.

Yesterday afternoon I got myself busy and baked three loaves of Rosemary Olive Oil bread. The kitchen not only smelled wonderful from the yeast it also smelled divine from the Rosemary.

Thank you, as always, for the delightful breakfast spread.

Cool read, Joe! The fact that he is Canadian only makes him that much more awesome. ;)

>161 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. That's what the buffets are there for - please do! So far the week is good, if not yet fabulous, after a quiet but satisfying weekend. Wishing you a fabulous week, too.

>162 lkernagh: "Renaissance man" came to my mind, too, in thinking about Chris Hadfield. It crops up in so many ways during the book, e.g. his casually mentioning his learning Russian while working in the space program there, and his and his wife's decision to live in a Russian apartment house rather than on-base so that they could get to know Russians better.

>163 benitastrnad: I love all the baking and cooking you do, Benita. Rosemary Olive Oil bread sounds delicious. I'll bet the kitchen smelled divine.

>164 maggie1944: My pleasure, Karen. Hope this is proving to be the restful Monday full of reading that you hoped for.

>165 jolerie: It was a cool read, Valerie. Ha! Yes, I thought our Canadian cafe patrons would feel good about this one. He's awesome all right, as is his book.

Happy 6th Thingaversary, Joe!

June 3, 2008! Happy 6 years in Library Thing! And many, many happy years to come.

Have you bought yourself the required 7 new books as a celebration?

Happy Thingading, Joe!!

Also, I'm happy to hear that you and your son's future-in-laws seem to hit it off. So not the case with my parents and Tomm's, and it's a good thing that they live far enough away from each other that they haven't seen each other since the wedding!

>167 richardderus: Thanks, RD!

>168 maggie1944: Thanks, Karen! I like this book-buying tradition - a lot. :-) The timing is good - we're going to the big local book fair this weekend, so I will be sure to celebrate there.

>169 scaifea: Ha! I like "Happy Thingading", Amber. Thanks! Yes, you know, you can't pick your in-laws, and we had some trepidations that they might, for ex, be more "formal" than we are. Nope. They were funny and loose, and we had a good time talking with them.

Your experience is what we feared - but there would have been that geographic separation yours benefit from, so we would just have had to get through the wedding. We like his fiance a lot, and that's the most important thing.

In honor of the day:

Happy Thingaversary, Joe!

Happy Thingaversary, Joe! Mine is on the 10th and also 6 years. We are LT soul-brothers!
I am loving Airships and also enjoying Dust and Shadows, which is certainly your cuppa.
And yes, it is gorgeous out here! Smiles...

>171 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! Hard to believe it's been that long. Feels like I just got here recently.

>172 msf59: Thanks, Mark! We are LT soul-brothers, that's for sure! Knew that one early on, although I didn't realize how close our start dates were. Among other things, you're the one who finally convinced me to start a 75er thread. :-)

Happy to hear you're loving Airships - seemed like a can't-miss for you. Dust and Shadows is even more Becca's cuppa than mine - she is both fascinated by the unsolved Jack the Ripper mystery, and a Holmes and Watson fan. I'm checking with her - I think she may already have read it, but I'm not sure.

What a day! I've got to get out there and play some hooky. Wonder whether I can convince the teacher to move class outside . . .

The graphic novel This One Summer is like a visually fleshed out novella, featuring contrasting themes of unwanted teen pregnancy and a mother's unfulfilled desire to have another child. We watch it unfold through the eyes of two pre-teen friends on their annual summer vacation in cottages near Awago Beach. Rose is on the cusp of teenage-ness, and both she and Windy are wondering about things like sex, boobs, pregnancy and so on. At the same time, they still like to play at the beach and while away the summer hours. The local video rental is staffed by two teen boys willing to rent them "R" horror movies like Nightmare on Elm Street, which become their shared secret night-time entertainment.

They are fascinated by the local teens and study them, including an apparently pregnant and angry young girl and her skeptical, responsibility-dodging boyfriend. At the same time, Rose's mother is mourning the miscarriage loss of a desired second child, as her marriage to Rose's father frays.

An unusual story for graphic treatment, beautifully carried out by the Tamaki cousins. They manage to convey that long lazy feeling of summer along with these potentially explosive personal dilemmas, all viewed through the eyes of two young friends edging toward adulthood. The graphic treatment allows entry into the girls' world in a mesmerizing and convincing way.

Play hooky, Play hooky! It us stunning out here!

Great review of the Hadfield book. That one landed smack on my To-Read list. Also good review of This One Summer. Glad you liked it!

Happy Thingaversary! So what did you or are you going to treat yourself with to celebrate the occasion?? Book lovers here need to know.... :D

>175 msf59: I just spent a whole lot of time out there, Mark, as of course important downtown errands needed to be run. Woo, what a day!

Glad you liked the Hadfield book review - it's a Mark book for sure. You made the connection to The Martian; more than once I thought about him being there like Watney was.

I did like This One Summer, which I remember got your thumbs-up. I've put their Skim on my tbr now.

>176 jolerie: Treats for my Thingaversary are a bit up in the air, Valerie. I'm going to wait until Sunday and see what they have at our Printer's Row Lit-Fest (aka book fair). They'll have lots of used books and even some new ones on offer. I'll report back. As Mark is planning to join us again, it's likely to include a rec or so from him. However many I get, I can guarantee you that our daughter will bring back more.

It is late afternoon and I am feeling the need for something cold (I'll leave it to the chef to decide what it will be) and some crunchy crudites. That would be a good pick-me-up.

Oh - and happy thingaversary! Can't wait to see what you pick up this weekend.

>178 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. I can't wait either!

Hmm. Crudites and something cold. How about a Long Island Iced Tea?

I heard the proprietor is celebrating his Thingaversary today — can that possibly be true?! Thank goodness you've got that big book wingding this weekend to help you celebrate properly.

The rumors are true, Julia. Six years - feels like I started yesterday. That big book wingding this weekend is fortuitous, for sure. We always take empty backpacks because of the likely result of attendance. I hope we get weather like we have today! Although we've always had a good time regardless. We've been going since the kids were wee and my MBH was running the Children's Program there, which was some time in the last century.

Whoof... dunno how it happened but I managed to lose your thread. Waah...... but I'm so glad I found it again. I was missing my cafe breaks. I must have accidentally un-starred your thread but all is well once more and the cafe is once again in my starred list.

Happy Thingaversary, Joe! I think you may be better off with a roller-suitcase at the big book wingding. Just think of all the weight you won't have to lug around on your arms and your back.

>182 cameling: Ha! Good idea with the rolling suitcase, Caro. We usually end up with bags along with the filled backpack. Wish we had a Jeeves (or Richard's Perkins) to take care of it all.

Good to have you back! I noticed we weren't seeing your joyful self around these parts. We will make sure to keep diverse food and drink on hand to tempt you, as the breadth of your repertoire on those is legendary.

I just finished episodes 16-18 of our friend Montalbano, so I know what will be on my birthday list for my MBH.

Happy Thingaversary! Seems you haven't had any trouble with the requisite book haul ...

#183
Are you watching the Montalbano series? On TV? The Italian one? Are you? Are you?

>184 michigantrumpet: Thanks, Marianne! You know, my tbr is bigger than it's ever been, and now I'm going to the book fair to add to it. I may have to quit working so I can buckle down and get some reading done.

>185 benitastrnad: I have watched Montalbano on public television, Benita, but the international cable channel that carries it here only does so every once in a while. It's been months since they've had him on. For some time now I've been getting the DVDs as a b-day present and at the holidays. Great series! The actors are excellent, and the series does a wonderful job of bringing out the humor, his quandaries with Livia and other women, and his love for food. Plus the locations are beautiful.

Happy Thingaversary Joe! What a great excuse for buying books, eh? And so great you get to add one more every year too... Looking forward to seeing what lovelies you bring back home for the occasion.

>187 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana! Yes, I love this book-buying tradition on LT. I wasn't really aware of it until this year, but I'm all for it, and I plan on honoring it. It'll be fun to see what wants to come home with us. We'll have lists (e.g. Agatha Christies we don't have), but you never know what'll be there.

All right, off to the train. Hope everyone has a good evening/morning/time of the day where they are. ;-)

Happy Thingaversary Joe. And I'm glad your better half continues to make progress, even if it is slow. That and steady win the race you know;-) And congratulations on the engagement of your son. Everything seems to be coming up roses for you so keep it going:-)

Ooh, Happy Thingaversary, Joe! (It's still the 3rd here.)

>189 brenzi: Thanks, Bonnie. Nice to be reminded by the Thingaversary. What a great time it's been.

Slow and steady is right for the recovery, for sure, although "slow" is difficult for my much better half to implement. She got a good report from the surgeon yesterday, so everything's on track.

And thanks re our son. He's mature for his young age, she's impressive, and they're quite in tune as a couple, so we're very happy about it. If you'd like to see her TedX talk, it's here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTKBQIQ2bCc.

>190 ronincats: Ha! Well done, Roni. In keeping with our family tradition of stretching out celebrations, I'd be willing to extend my Thingaversary a few days. But congratulations on getting your congratulations in under the wire.

Come to think of it, I am extending the celebration, with my Thingaversary book buying coming this weekend.

Reading is a good way to start the day, right?

>192 jnwelch: Becca suggested that I give a report on the furry Sherlock to his cafe fans. He unfortunately got involved in a scrape with a hyped-up German Shepherd. The GS is always aggressive, and apparently some workmen left a door open so it escaped from the house next door to Becca's apartment. Becca had Sherlock in the back alley to do his business, and the GS went after him. Poor Becca couldn't get the GS off Sherlock, and screamed for help. Very traumatic. Eventually help arrived, but Sherlock received several nips and got a broken toe. Becca quickly got him to the vets, who were great as usual and met her at the door. They fixed him up, but now the poor guy has a leg wrapped again, so soon after he got one unwrapped from the cut he got from broken glass.

The big concern was whether he had a bladder puncture, but he peed right away the next day, so that wasn't an issue. Animal Control is addressing the problem with the GS, and I believe Becca is going to be filling out some paperwork on what happened. We'd like to see the GS placed somewhere else, as he regularly scares people and other dogs with his aggressiveness.

We'll see if we can get a photo of the recovering little guy for you.

172: There was a rather ghastly book once that had Holmes himself as Jack the Ripper - which just appalled me.

I'm another one fascinated by the case, in true crime or in fiction.

Met Donald Rumbelow once whose several books are required reading for Ripperologists.

Here is a picture of the brave little toaster, recovering Sherlock:



And here is a picture of the sweetest thing ever, that one of my students did today:

Oh, my, Joe! Poor Sherlock! And how scary for both him and Becca! Glad his injuries are not worse, and hope a solution can be found for the aggressive GS.

A belated Happy Thingaversaurus, Joe! Can't wait to find out which 7 books you decide on.

#186
I have season 2 of the Italian Montalbano series - complete with subtitles. I enjoyed the two episodes I saw, but haven't been able to watch the rest of them becuase my DVD player quit working. I also thought the locations were fantastic. I still have to ask What's with the detectives and food? The latest mystery I am listening to The Janissary Tree has food in it as well. What gives?

>193 magicians_nephew: Thanks, Jim. I'm not sure seasonsoflove saw the Rumbelow reference, but I'll mention it to her. The Holmes as the Ripper one sounds ghastly and ridiculous.

>194 seasonsoflove: There's our guy! Love the sweet "Feel Better Sherlock" and treats from your student, Becca. Thanks for posting the photo of the little patient.

>195 Storeetllr: I know, Mary, isn't that lousy? Very scary for both of them. I hope there's a solution for the aggressive GS, too. He's too much.

Ha! I love "Happy Thingaversaurus"! I'm looking forward to the book hunt on Sunday.

>196 benitastrnad: Yes, my Montalbano episodes are subtitled, too, Benita. I've got 19 of them now - Caro is way ahead of me. We recently got a new DVD player after efforts to resuscitate the (very!) old one were unsuccessful. Jeez Louise they're cheap - probably because so much viewing is done without DVDs now.

Aren't the Montalbano locations fantastic? I'd sure love to live in that beach house Montalbano has. Food: it's a continuing feature in the books. He just loves to eat - at Enzo's, what Adelina makes, wherever. And the descriptions are mouth-watering. I'd feel let down if they didn't show that in the Italian tv series.

I think Donald Rumbelow was our tour guide when we did the Jack the Ripper tour in London-we definitely have his book and its autographed :)

My poor Miniature Schnauzers were attacked by my niece's Plotzhund (spelling is questionable) on separate occasions and I'm pretty comfortable around the Niece's dog (Poppy) who is otherwise an absolute love. She is so gentle with the kids, and very loving with all the people. Just hates little dogs. So I had to break it up, and take them to the vet. etc. etc. Long story over.... I completely know how hard that whole scene is for the human with the little dog. Very hard. Scary. I am so sorry it happened!

Hi, Joe. Hope everything else is going good.

>198 seasonsoflove: Rumbelow is a very smart cop and a very interesting and provocative speaker.

One of his more provocative ideas - what if it was "Jill" the Ripper and not Jack after all?

Perhaps a nurse or a worker at Lambeth workhouse or one of the other charity hospitals in the area who knew all the girls and "had a down" on them.

No way to even begin to prove it of course and after all this time probably never will be.

But interesting all the same.

Passing thru , seems all is well in the cafe .... a balmy 12C Tonight despite it being mid winter .....

Nice strong culpa I think so can get some well deserved reading in tonight

Oh, no! Poor Sherlock! Hoping he's fast on the mend!

>198 seasonsoflove: Oh, you have such a good memory, our talented Ripperologist! I didn't remember that was him, but I remember you getting the signed book. That was one of the best walking tours, wasn't it? Effectively creepy.

>199 maggie1944: We'd like our poor little Sherlock to have it easy for a while. He finally got out of that cold winter, and now he's getting banged up, poor guy. This German Shepherd has scared my MBH and others in the past. Something's wrong there, seems to me.

Thanks for your good thoughts. Sherlock is healing and handling it well, according to his human mom, although he still gets shaky when near the area of the attack. All else is fine; Debbi got a good report from the surgeon, and feels a little bit better each day. The hard part now is to convince her not to overdo things; she's still got a good ways to go.

>200 magicians_nephew: Rumbelow (now that I know it was him) sure was good as our Ripper tour guide, Jim. We recommend it if you ever have a chance. We did it at night, with him doing the suspenseful storytelling as we visited scenes of the crime.

A Jill the Ripper - intriguing idea. I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable as Becca, but I've wondered about the killings ending and his apparent disappearance - did he just decide to stop, maybe after a close call? Or did something happen to him, an accident, a disease, a who knows?

Have you read Patricia Cornwell's book with her Ripper theories? Ripperologists don't seem to hold it in high esteem.

>201 roundballnz: Hey, Alex, good to see you! Been a while! How are things in your lovely part of the world? Mid-winter balminess sounds like a gift.

Nice strong cuppa coming up. What are you reading these days? Wonder whether we'll get a new one soon from Daniel Clausen.



>202 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! Oh no is right. He does seem pretty fast on the mend, from Becca's reports. He's a tough little guy, and he's got a good human mom taking care of him.

Oh, poor Sherlock! My dog Odie was attacked once when we were out for a walk. It was shocking because the other dog was acting very friendly and they were doing the mutual-sniff thing when all of a sudden it just snarled and jumped Odie. I was hysterical and the other dog's owner was like "no big deal". Poor Odie ended up with a bitten-through ear but not lasting damage except to my psyche. I never trusted seeing other dogs on our walks after that, and sometimes would pick him up and carry him home if we saw unleashed dogs.

I'm glad Sherlock is on the mend and that he has Becca to nurse him back to full health.

>204 rosalita: Oof, that sounds scary all right, Julia. Glad it turned out all right.

You never know. A neighbor has a lovable big galoot dog who comes up on our porch for treats all the time. He's fine with most dogs, but for some he bears a fierce hatred for some reason. One time they had dropped his leash for a moment, and he spotted an enemy. He raced off the porch, across the city street (could have been hit) and was all over the other dog. His owner, who's a big guy, had to tackle and lay on him to save the other dog. He got an earful, but he's a dog. Needless to say, they hold onto his leash at all times now, and successfully tell him to knock it off when he starts getting riled up.

We're very careful with Sherlock on walks. Some of the dogs who are off leash shouldn't be, that's for sure.

Odie? Do you have a cat named Garfield by any chance?

Harry Dresden has been described as a combination of Robert Parker's wise-cracking detective Spenser and Merlin. He's located in Chicago, and noir detective wizarding is his life, protecting all of us from the dark powerful things we sense but don't see around us. Skin Game is the 15th in Jim Butcher's series, and it feels good to have Harry off the island in Lake Michigan that almost killed him in Cold Days, and back in the thick of battle in Chicago and the Underworld. He's Mab's Winter Knight now (having made a deal to save his daughter), and she orders him to "assist" his enemy Nicodemus in a heist of valuables from Hades. She knows Harry will observe the letter of the commitment if not the spirit, and may be counting on him to upend Nicodemus if given the opportunity.

I got sucked in right away, and enjoyed meeting up with old and new colleagues of his, including fair-minded Michael the Knight of the Cross, young Molly, Dresden's apprentice who is now high up among the fae, his sweet daughter Maggie and her protector, massive Tibetan hound Mouse, and once-meek coroner Waldo Butters, emerging from his life as a mild-mannered, Jewish coroner to being a brave battler in his own right. We find out a game-changing reason Harry is plagued by headaches from a supposed parasite. We also get to see him trying to protect his loved ones and innocent bystanders like us, by outwitting a gang of powerful thieves while he's in their midst and physically impaired. It's another solid entry in this endlessly entertaining series. A woman on the train, who was reading it, too, said the next entry already has its title: Peace Treaty. Hmm. Can't wait!

>205 jnwelch: No cat named Garfield! Odie was a rescue dog and was already named when we got him but it was a very appropriate name for a dog whose tongue was usually out and who was, while lovable and adorable, not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. :-)

>207 rosalita: Ha! That does seem to fit, Julia. I bet he was hard to resist.

Morning Joe! Another beauty out here! I just started Longbourn, I know it was one of your favorites. And I am getting ready to crack into my first Vonnegut of the month.

Sorry to hear about Sherlock. Poor little fella. Hope he rebounds quickly.

>208 jnwelch: Thanks, Mark. Sherlock does seem to be rebounding quickly, although it's going to take a while for his human mom to recover. She thought it was curtains for a while there.

Glad to hear you started Longbourn! Hope you find it as clever and good as I did. The ending makes for quite an intriguing contrast to P & P.

I'm a little ways away from reading my Vonnegut. Right now I'm getting a kick out of Scaramouche by Sabatini, and I've got a couple that arrived at the library.

Did you ever read the GN Aya? Kerry and others have convinced me to give it a try, so I requested it at the library.

Hiya Joe! Debbi still recovering, now Sherlock needing to recover again, a *shudder* Harry Dresden review (still miss the series, which I liked a lot better than the books), and a dearth of food (except by proxy in the Montalbano mentions)...so in the Sicilian spirit, I'd love some timballo di maccheroni with a good, hearty Barolo per favore gentile signor.

>211 richardderus: LOL! Good to see you back on the links, compadre. We were just talking about the Dresden tv series - we liked it, too. "Gentile signor" fits well for me in our house. :-) The kitchen staff has missed your enthusiastic food requests - here you go:

Morning Joe. I'm glad young Sherlock is on the mend. What a nice student to bring him treats.

Hadfield's book sounds fantastic. I'll have to get to that one sooner rather than later. I forgot who said don't read a self-help book, read a biography or autobiography of a highly motivated person. Hadfield is a great role model.

The neighboring county library has 12 copies of This One Summer on order. I am the first requester! I love to get a brand new library book but this is the first time I'll get a brand new GN! Love the new smell.

ETA: skipping the Dresden review because I'll get there someday

Ooo! Slobbersome. Casetta is a wonderful house.

I'm being cautious with my hand, since my doctor appointment was moved a week later. Typing less and propping up more.

I loved Bob!

All the talk about crazy dogs made me remember a story about this dog we had growing up (on the southwest side of Chicago, btw).

Tippy (we also called her Greek after one side of the war in the Iliad because she liked to greet people the door with little "gifts," like a sock or a little stuffed animal or a piece of papertowel) was generally a well-behaved dog and got along with kids and adults and other dogs, but there was this one woman who lived down at the other end of the block whom Tippy for some unknown reason hated. If Tippy was outside when the woman was walking by, Tippy would go berserk, barking and growling and lunging. Though Tippy never left our lawn, even if she happened to be off the leash, the poor woman would cross the street to get past our house. Nobody ever figured out what set the dog off like that with just the one woman.

>213 luvamystery65: Hiya, Roberta. Wasn't that sweet of Becca's student? Nothing perks Sherlock up more than treats - big surprise there.

Hadfield's book is fantastic. Mark made the connection with the sci-fi novel The Martian. Hadfield would have been like stranded astronaut Watney, solving problems and figuring out how to survive. You're right, he's a great role model. As my MBH said, he inspires you to want to make your life fuller.

Can't wait to hear what you think of This One Summer - way to go getting in there as #1!

I started the Dresdens when I was laid up after hip surgery, and he already had written 9 or 10 by then, so it was a blast, I just whipped through them. As I've probably said, that's my favorite - coming upon a good new (to me) series which already has a lot of them published. It's been a similar blast more recently with the Eve Dallas series, although now I'm getting perilously close to caught up with that one, like I am with the Dresden Files. Anyway, I have lots of sympathy with your "get there someday". They'll be waiting for you.

>214 richardderus: Good to know re Casetta, Richard - I'm not particularly Barolo-savvy, although that one came recommended.

Smart to be careful about your hand.

I loved Bob, too! Just the right note of wise-ass. The whole cast of that Dresden tv series was good. We were so disappointed when they didn't renew it. It had been a "can't miss it" for us.

>215 Storeetllr: Hiya, Mary! Having just finished reading a Dresden urban fantasy set in Chicago, my guess is that the woman was some kind of traveler here from the world of the Fae, or maybe a vampire or a demon. Tippy/Greek was just protecting all of you.

Seriously, the mysteries of the dog mind are often beyond our ken. We know Sherlock is a mastermind, for example, but the breadth and depth of his schemes often elude us. We know he's communicating with other dogs via liquid messages on trees and other unexpected places. But what are they saying?

I think I will just make posting in this thread before you start a new one Joe! Anywho, glad to hear that Debi is on the mend...slow and steady wins the race! Congratulations to your son on his engagement. It's always lovely to hear of that kind of happiness. Sorry to hear about Sherlock's encounter with a bad doggie. I hope he suffers no lasting problems from it.

I skimmed right over your Dresden review as I will get to it eventually. I think my next read in that series is Cold Days.

#212
Funny I was thinking pasta tonight as well, but something heartier. Something Scilian in keeping with Montalbano. Perhaps Farsumagru with a nice Italian red. Something that could stand up to the dish. Perhaps your Sommelier would have something in mind?

Hullo Joe. I would like a big steak medium rare with sauteed mushrooms. A baked potato con todos. A large Cosmo. And a piece of chocolate cake. Please. Thanks! :-)

>159 jnwelch: yummy food

>160 jnwelch: delicious looking book...

Not caught up of course, but glad to see that Debbie is feeling well enough to be antsy :)

Poor Sherlock! That must have been scary for both him and Becca. Glad he is okay and hopefully lots of treats and cuddles will be all he needs to get back into tip top shape. :)

And the weekend's book splurge looms. I hope you remember to carb up before you head into the mad shopping spree .. we wouldn't want you to faint halfway through while others take advantage of your weakened state to steal wondrous titles out from under your nose.

Did I hear mention of a splurge at the weekends? Don't hold with such things myself of course buddy.....ahem?

Love the stories of mad dogs, Joe.

My weekend is pretty close to starting mate so I'll get in early here to wish you a great one yourself.

>217 Cobscook: Good to see you, Heidi! Yes, Debbi is steadily mending, although she overdid the errands a bit yesterday. She's only two weeks out from the surgery, and needs to rest more! She agreed she would today. We'll see.

Thanks re the engagement. Details are starting to settle in for May in Houston next year. He's a happy young guy.

If you're on Cold Days in the series, Skin Game is the next one after. Enjoy!

>218 benitastrnad: Here you go, Benita. A full-bodied Amarone should do the trick, yes?



>219 AuntieClio: We can tell you have a bit of an appetite worked up, Stephanie! OK, steak, baked potato, Cosmo, chocolate cake:

>220 mckait: Good food, good books, what's not to like, Kath? Happy Friday! Yes, you got it, Debbi is feeling better enough to be antsy. She has promised to rest today, as she overdid it yesterday and zombie-fied herself.

>221 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie. Traumatic for both of them, but Becca reports that Sherlock is enjoying the heck out of the treats and cuddles, so that part is good. I think they both could use some weekend R & R - poor Becca has been finishing up her last stretch of teaching, too.

>222 cameling: Thanks for the pre-splurge tips, Caro. I've been working on the quickness of my reach, and my body positioning - you know how it is at book fairs. I'll be sure to carbo-load beforehand, and we also make a coffee stop the first order of the day. Can't wait!

>223 PaulCranswick: My weekend splurge no doubt will pale in comparison to your "back up the truck" ones, Paul. I can only tip my hat in awe.

We've got the mad dogs, now we only need the Englishmen to join them in the midday sun. I'm sure we've got some Englishmen wandering around downtown somewhere.

Starting the weekend - that sounds like just the ticket. Have a great one, buddy.

Morning Joe! I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record but it's another beauty out here. I wish I was off but you know I'll make the best of it.
We are still on for Sunday, right?

>226 msf59: Still on for Sunday, yes, indeed, Mark. Meet you there!

That's the kind of broken record I like. Below zero wind chill, endless snow I can do without. Sunny, beautiful, not too hot - that's A-OK. Feel free to play that tune as long as possible.

>224 jnwelch: What does it say about me, I wonder, when the only things that appeal to me are the cosmos and the chocolate cake? And it's not even noon here yet.

>216 jnwelch: I don't recall whether you've read any of the Spencer Quinn Chet & Bernie mysteries. I think he caught the canine thought process really well ~ perhaps even realistically, from what I recall of how the dogs I've had in my life have behaved ~ in those stories.

I'm hankerin' after a carrot cake or two, and some seriously black coffee, if the esteemed proprietor can see his way clear to delivering the goods...?

I read a stupid little romantic short story for Goodreads' M/M Romance group and am feeling all sweet and sappy. Author's competent, probably won't ever be much more than that, but she found a nice story to tell and that's really all one can expect from amateurs, right? *misty-eyed sniff*

Hello there, Joe! Things are hopping here at the cafe. I'll just toddle over to give Sherlock a comforting rub behind the ears before placing an order.

There. How about a little something to soothe a scratchy throat and enliven the soul? You always have such great recommendations ... I'll leave it to you.

Good luck at the book sale!

Have a great weekend Joe.

>228 Storeetllr: I once was told I must be a "dessert and liquor- atarian", Mary, so I feel your pain. Have you seen the tv show "Cosmos"? I haven't seen mention of the drink on it yet, but it's otherwise a good show.

I've heard of the Chet & Bernie mysteries. I bet Sherlock has read them. I'll ask him, although he's notorious for not giving understandable answers. Seriously, I remember reading positive comments about those mysteries on LT. I haven't read them.

>229 richardderus: We will delve into the larder for you, Richard. Those (carrot cake and coffee) are considered staples and necessities here, so we should be able to deliver the goods.

I'm trying to imagine you all sweet and sappy, and not succeeding. Did you mean slightly more forgiving and not quite as snarly? Or maybe this author deserves even more credit than you think. Mirabile dictu!

Here are the good goodies:



>230 michigantrumpet: Hiya, Marianne! Sherlock loves rubs behind the ears - belly rubs are always a hit, too.

Hmm, something soul-enlivening to soothe the throat? How about some mulled wine with spices?



>231 GeezLouise: Thanks, Rae. Appreciate your stopping by on a Friday. I hope you have a great weekend, too. For once our weather may come close to being as nice as yours, as it's clear and low 80s right now.

Sherlock and I wanted to say thank you for all the well-wishes

>203 jnwelch: Ben a quiet week for me but currently reading James Smythe The Machine is sublime ... now reading some earlier work The Testimony ...... thinking Simon Morden or some spy stuff via Charles Cumming .....

Poor Sherlock! That German Shepherd sounds like a nightmare. We had a Rottweiler bitch on my street who almost bit off Coco's head once. I had to grab the leash and toss him into the air with it, as her huge maw was surrounding his tiny head and within a fraction of a second from tearing it off at the neck. Poor Coco went flying 'round, though it probably saved his life, and he never forgave that brute. She died a year or two ago of old age I think, and many times when we pass by the backyard she often hung out in, he starts growling, something he never does usually. Happy your little guy got away with no worse injury.

I've read the first two Jim Butcher books (listened to actually) and still have the third waiting on my listening stacks, then got books 4-7 when they were on offer as the Kindle DD not very long ago. Guess I'm committed to continuing with the series now!

Have a great weekend.

I didn't know you were a teacher!? Details?

The cafe is hopping tonight! And all I had for supper was a tomato sandwich with my homegrown basil.

I am going to the public library tomorrow and check out The Dresden Files. With all the fantasy reading I have been doing this spring that title will fit right in.

Poor Sherlock! The shame of wearing an ugly lampshade...*fast-healing whammy*

Thanks for the goods, kind sir. I am a little at sixes and sevens even yet, fighting the urge to smile at small children and hug passing strangers. I know in my bones that lasting true luuuuv has lower odds than winning the lottery and happy marriages are the same order of improbability as cold fusion, but sometimes a story slithers through a chink in my reality field.

>237 richardderus: "....same order of improbability as cold fusion, but sometimes a story slithers through a chink in my reality field." slippery critter then .....

Have heard lots of good things about The Dresden Files ... been wandering around my wish list for sometime

is there anything better than a lemon tart on a balmy winters afternoon ... ( just had to stop by ....)

>224 jnwelch: Ah, that's the stuff! Thank you Joe.

Oh no... I just tried catching up and saw the Sherlock story. Duncan and I have had that happen to us, but it was actually a small dog. Duncan ended up with throat punctures and I ended up with a bite through the artery in my left leg and some smaller bites...... I had to drop to my knees and pull that dogs mouth from Dunkers neck. Scary as hell. Poor Becca and Sherlock. Has Becca's heart stopped pounding in her chest yet?

I hate it when nasty aggressive people train their dogs to be just as nasty and aggressive. The poor dogs are trying to please their person, and don't know not to do what they do... so poor GS, too. I hope they place him him in a good rescue where he can be taught appropriate behavior :(

Happy Saturday to you all!

Happy Saturday, Joe! Hope you have a perfect R & R day planned!

>233 seasonsoflove:- Give Sherlock a gentle hug from us, Becca! Poor little guy. Bad, bad German Shepard.

>232 jnwelch: Mulled wine! Exactly! I knew I was right to trust your good taste and thoughtfulness! Happy Weekend!

Joe I'd completely lost you! Love the look of that carrot cake.

Aw, poor Sherlock! He's got such a sweet little face, even in the Elizabethan collar. :-)

Joe, I wish you and Debbi a fantastic weekend.

Ay caramba, I just lost a bunch of posts! Crap. OK, here goes again.

>233 seasonsoflove: Poor little guy! Thanks for posting the photo of the patient Mr. Sherlock in his Cone of Shame, Becca. He deserves a long stretch of peaceful living after he heals up.

>234 roundballnz: You read a lot of off the beaten track books and authors, Alex, and I admire that. They all look intriguing; The Machine probably the most for me.

>235 Smiler69: Yikes! I can picture the whole episode with the Rottweiler and Coco, Ilana. Good thing you have fast reflexes! I'll bet Coco growls when near her old digs.

Latching onto Dresdens 4-7 sounds like commitment, all right. I've had a good time with them. I saw Skin Games, the latest, just hit #1 on the NY Times bestseller list, so he's doing something right. I hope he has someone helping him count his money down in Independence, Missouri.

I did teach once upon a time, but not for several years now. As I had a "day job" at the same time, it was a lot of work. I'm glad to not have to commit to all the prep time any more.

Have a great weekend, too.

>236 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Good for you - I hope you enjoy The Dresden Files. Please report back. I can't remember any more, but the second or third one is consider the weakest in the series, so if you're liking it, go beyond that.

>237 richardderus: Oh my, it sounds like you're in danger of skipping about and singing that old Simon and Garfunkel tune, "Feeling Groovy", Richard. I'm concerned that the strain on reality may cause some kind of shift in the space-time continuum, causing a rupture releasing scads of colorful balloons and lollipops. Scary.

Thanks re poor Sherlock. We call it his Cone of Shame. He does not like it, Sam I am. He let everyone know that he does not like it. One time he managed to get it off (yes, like his namesake, he practices his escapes), and he promptly peed all over it. Ha! Message received. But he has to wear so he doesn't chew on the bandage, etc.

>238 roundballnz: Scary, the slippery slipperage through RD's reality chink, isn't it, Alex? Next we'll be seeing Richard dancing with Steve Carrell in the Pharrell Williams "Happy" song video.

You might take to the Dresden books - definitely worth your giving them a go.

I'm not sure there's much better than a lemon tart any time of the year, although a balmy winter's day does frame it well. Can't resist. Here's another one for your dining pleasure.



>239 AuntieClio: :-) You're welcome, Stephanie.

>240 mckait: Thanks, Kath. Woo, yours with Duncan sounds even worse. Throat punctures for him and a bite through an artery for you - nasty. Glad you're looking well into the past to tell the story.

Becca can tell you about whether her heart's still pounding, but she's still feeling it, I can tell you that much. When she couldn't get the GS off, she thought her Sherlock was a goner. Very tough n both of them.

She's joining me tomorrow for a peaceful bout of book-buying at our local Printer's Row book fair, while Sherlock will be pampered by his human grandma, who's healing up herself and won't be joining us this year.

Darn. Just lost some more posts. RL seems to expect me to be patient, which is not my strong suit!

>241 msf59: Happy Saturday, Mark! Hope it's a good one for you.

You'll see Becca tomorrow, while Sherlock gets the first class treatment at his human Bubbe's house. Debbi's still healing, too, and unfortunately won't be able to join us.

>242 michigantrumpet: Ah, good, Marianne! I'm glad mulled wine was just the ticket. Happy Weekend!

>243 SandDune: Hiya, Rhian! Good to see you. I'm pretty sure you recommended Aya, yes? I'm about halfway through and enjoying it.

Doesn't that carrot cake look good? Now I want a forkful of Alex's lemon tart, too.

>244 rosalita: He is such a sweet little guy, Julia. We're just hoping he gets a long mishap-free period of time after this one - he's just been going on about his business, but RL has been smacking him around lately. Good thing he's got such a caring human mom.

>245 Ameise1: Beautiful, Barbara. Thanks! Hope you have a fantastic weekend, too.

**wishing for good weekend, to all involved with you and yours.***

>248 jnwelch: I'm pretty sure you recommended Aya, yes? No - not me - although I've had it on my own WL for ages, can't remember who recommended it first though.

>248 jnwelch: >250 SandDune: I'm thinking it must be Kerry, that's who I got my original recommendation for Aya from anyway (as faithfully noted in my tags!). I should be getting book 1 from the library within the next couple of weeks.

Tell Becca she has my sympathies for the dreadful incident.... and Debbi that I am still sending healing energy. I hope you plan to buy her something at the book sale?

>246 jnwelch: now that is a grand compliment ......

>247 jnwelch: "...Next we'll be seeing Richard dancing with Steve Carrell in the Pharrell Williams "Happy" song video." now that is scary image! RD please stop the reality slippage

Today is a ginger crunch slice day I think .....

Good to hear Sherlock is on the mend ..... the story about 'cone of shame' is hilarious

>249 maggie1944: Thanks, Karen. Wish you could join us at the book fair. Sherlock is wrapped up in a blanket on his Bubbe's lap, and seasonsoflove and I are about to head off for the train. Meeting Mark there.

>250 SandDune: Ai yi yi, I whiffed on that one, Rhian. At least it's on your WL. I just finished Aya and can recommend it. Set in the Ivory Coast. I'm going to be tracking down the others.

>251 Smiler69: Yes, Kerry! Thanks, Ilana. As I mentioned to Rhian, I recommend it, too, now. I'm going to be tracking down the ones after.

>252 mckait: I'll tell Becca, Kath, thanks, and I'll let Debbi know, too. She's missing the book fair for the first time in forever, but she's being smart - it would be too much. We have lists of books to look for for her. Yes, we'll get her something, for sure.

>253 roundballnz: It's a well-deserved compliment, Alex!

I know, Richard's is scaring us all with this happy puppy business. Who knew a M/M romance novel could have this effect? The power of literature.

Ginger crunch slice sounds wonderful!

Running to the train . . .

I was so productive yesterday that late in the afternoon I baked cookies for my book discussion group. I made an old cookie recipe for "Chinese Chews." They have dates and pecans in them and they are very good. My kitchen has windows that face west and that whole side of the house heats up late in the afternoon. Baking cookies was a hot evening job but the cookies turned out well and I am sure the discussion group will enjoy them..

So jealous of your book fair adventures. Can't wait to hear about your book haul!

Siiiiiiinnnnnnnnnngggiiiiiiiiinnnnnn iiiiiiiinnnnnnn the rrrrrraaaaaaaaiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnn
*skippityhophopsliiiiiiiiiiide*

Who was that man?

Did you feel that shift ......

Book fairs. Beside myself with envy. Enjoy. Buddy.

>255 benitastrnad: Ooo, ahh, those sound good, Benita. I've never heard of Chinese Chews before, but I'll have cookies with dates and pecans any time. I'm sure you'll have a very happy discussion group. Your baking probably helps in particular when the book is a dozer.



>256 michigantrumpet: Ha! Thanks, Marianne. We had a gorgeous day for it. I'll post a pic of the book haul below.

>257 richardderus: Oh my stars and garters! The universe has tilted; everybody hang on tight!

>258 maggie1944: I'm not sure who he is, Karen, but I think hell may have just frozen over.

>259 roundballnz: Yes, Alex! Grab something and hang on!

>260 PaulCranswick: Wish you could have joined us, Paul, although you would've needed an awfully big bag to carry away your haul. Beautiful day, and so many tempting books!

>262 jnwelch: OK, here you go:



We also got six Agatha Christies with Becca's help, including Toward Zero and Hercules Poirot at Christmas, the latter of which I'd not heard of before. My MBH grabbed the Dame Agathas as soon as we got home.

Knockemstiff was a gift from pal Mark, who figures if I liked Volt, I'll like Knockemstiff. The Haruf is this topnotch author's first novel, the Flaubert is a way to dip my toe in the water with his works, The Promise is The Chosen's follow-up which I have unfathomably never read. I'm trying to get all the in Death books in paper, having read many from the library. I loved Iron & Silk by Mark Salzman, and this one by him looked very interesting. That's a nice copy of Oliver Twist above it (hopefully RD is too busy singing and dancing to notice it), I liked Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution YA book a lot, and her Northern Light's supposed to be good, too.

I haven't read To the Lighthouse, Mark recommended Shanghai Girls, and Ghost Writer is for Roth month in the AAC.

Good morning, you lovely cafe denizens! I do believe that the only thing scrummy enough to match this glorious good morning is carrot cake pancakes, and some snickerdoodles, with a lot of coffee. Doesn't that sound delish? Who's joining me? My treat!

>263 richardderus: LOL!! I knew it!! This explains so much.

Carrot cake pancakes, snickerdoodles and bunch of coffee for everyone in the cafe, coming up. Will wonders never cease.

Morning Joe! Looks like another beauty today! I am getting ready to go for a bike ride. Had a great time with you guys yesterday. Always a pleasure. Nice book haul. You showed some restraint too. I would have liked to have snagged that Marquez but I am not giving up and will check with B & N.
Hope your work-day Monday, goes smoothly.

I was right about Three Junes. Three others in the group didn't care for it, but, to be fair, three liked it a whole lot. It was an even split. I am only 50 pages from the end, so will finish it and say good riddance.

Loved the picture of the book haul. Happy reading.

I love snickerdoodles! Wonderful with coffee.

Joe, 'Ghost Writer' is a must-read. I enjoyed it very much.

Just read in my Publishers Weekly e-mail update that it was a record crowd at the Chicago Tribune Printer's Row Lit Fest. 125,000. You go Chicago! I also found out the official name is The Chicago Tribune Printer's Row Lit Fest and the Chicago Tribune does own this book fair.

>265 msf59: Morning, Mark! That was a great time. Perfect weather, lots of good books, hard to beat. Yeah, I still can't believe how they (seemed to, anyway) overpriced that Marquez, beautiful as it was. I hope you have some luck at B & N.

I found a couple of photos that give some idea of it.





So far so good at work. I'd rather be at the book fair. :-)

>266 benitastrnad: I haven't read Three Junes, Benita, but it does look like one that would be good for discussion. Sounds like it wasn't a hit with you?

Thanks, I'm excited about the book haul. I've got to finish some before I get to it, of course. I just polished off Scaramouche, which wouldn't score high on a plausibility meter, but was a swashbuckling good time, and I'm over halfway through the smack you upside the head collection of war stories by an Iraqi war veteran, called Redeployment. I can easily see why the latter has been getting so much positive buzz. Then I've got Agent Zigzag in the hopper - all the LT love finally persuaded me to pick it up. Looks like a good one.

I'm a snickerdoodles fan, too - I'll have to try them with coffee.

^Love the Lit-Fest photos! Swoons, a little. The new Jennifer Donnelly title I was thinking about was Deep Blue, her first book in her Waterfire Saga. It's getting mixed reviews, so I might hold out until, I can snag it on audio.

I just heard about one, that sounds promising: The Girl in the Road. I just slapped it on my WL.

Hooray for Agent Zigzag!!

>267 Ameise1: Good to hear, Barbara. I stalled out on Roth when I didn't like Goodbye Columbus all that much. This one looks intriguing, and it helps to know you rate it so highly.

>268 benitastrnad: It was a big turnout at the book fair, Benita, but I didn't know it was that big! It's such a good time, it just gets more and more popular.

If you want an earful, mention to my MBH that the Tribune now owns the Printer's Row lit fest. Back when she was in charge of the fair's children's programming, it was owned and run by a small community group, and the events were much more focused on local authors and performers. (I will say, though, that maybe the Tribune planners are improving - there was much more of that this year than in recent ones). There wasn't a lot of money supporting the fair's events back then, but there was great spirit among those working there. Now there's much more money, but the children's programming in particular has lost some of its charming quirkiness, at least from our point of view.

Having said that, we love going every year; we just focus on all the books on offer. Our kids are grown up anyway. Plus the fair does feature performers from her Young Chicago Authors program, so it balances out.

>270 msf59: Yeah, me, too, Mark! I'm ready to go again already!

OK, thanks - Deep Blue, I'll look for it. Woo, I see The Girl in the Road gets strong reactions, both positive and negative. I look forward to hearing what you think of it. I'll be reading Agent Zigzag quite soon, as it's a library book I'll need to return. So's Redeployment, or I'd lend it to you. I may end up buying a copy someday, as so far it's a keeper.

Congrats on a great book haul Joe! Shanghai Girls has been on the listening stacks for far too long! I should do something about that. I found To the Lighthouse rather difficult, both times, but it's a novel I think is worth revisiting at different periods. Am a big fan of Mrs Dalloway though, and plan on rereading and also listening to it often.

Oh, that does sound quite over whelming. I guess the best approach is to just do what you can. Like the Louvre where everyone says "do not try to do it all". Pick an area, and go see it.

Doing a bit of skimming of threads to catch up. I've been swamped with offline life for the past couple of weeks and I've missed a lot.

Congrats on the Future Daughter-in-law! Exciting news. Best wishes to the happy couple.

And hugs for poor Sherlock. Oh the indignity of being dressed up as a lamp.

>272 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. Mark recommended Shanghai Girls as the best of the Lisa Sees he's read, and I've been wanting to give her a try. I can imagine To the Lighthouse is difficult, but I feel woefully under-read when it comes to Woolf. I'll put Mrs. Dalloway in the waiting area for when I finish TTL.

>273 maggie1944: It gets a lot of attendees, but it's actually quite manageable, Karen. I do think Debbi was smart not to go; it gets crowded, and people aren't always careful in moving around. She didn't want to get banged up by somebody not paying enough attention, and there's a good chance she would have. Plus there's no way she could have stayed on her feet that long right now. We talked about using Lyft to get here there briefly (particularly for one book stall she really loves), and then back home, but even that would have been too much.

>274 SuziQoregon: Good to see you, Juli! No worries. It's a drag when off-line life interferes, isn't it? The gall of RL sometimes!

Future DIL is a joy already, and I'm just cracking up over how much more organized and on top of things she is compared to our bright but oblivious young man. I'm getting a strong sense of deja vu, as once upon a time I was an oblivious young man who managed to successfully woo a much more organized and on top of things young lady. She changed my life for the better from the get-go. Still does. My parents no doubt were amused, too, when her influence started showing up.

Oh the indignity of being dressed up as a lamp. LOL! I love that - so true. Sherlock stoically puts up with it, but he's not happy, as you can imagine. It's to keep him from chewing on healing parts, of course, and my MBH came up with the grand idea of wrapping him in blankets when we can, a more comfortable option that has the same effect (if we keep an eye on him). He was quite chipper and relaxed when we got back from the book fair, so it worked well. He loves hugs, and will be glad to get yours.

Printer's Row looks like a dream come true except probably too crowded for me to navigate well on a mobility scooter. Ah well. Maybe someday when I can walk again ... assuming books still exist.

Am loving the book haul -- WOWZA! -- and all the pictures of the Book Fair. I love living vicariously through you all.

San Diego used to have a book fair--sadly, along with a lot of the book stores, that has gone by the wayside. I loved it.

>276 rosalita: There certainly were attendees there on mobility scooters, Julia. You'd probably want to attend with a couple of good-looking Chicago area guys (I can think of volunteers) to help navigate, but it's quite doable.

>277 michigantrumpet: Thanks, Marianne. The book fair was just a ton o' fun - Mark and Becca and I (and Debbi when we have her) have overlapping tastes, but we each have different reading histories, too. It's just great fun to walk around visiting so many books and exchanging warbles. I'm really happy about the book haul - and Becca had terrific luck, finding several that were on her wishlist (she's a true crime aficionado, but had good luck with others, too). I benefited from Mark's recs, and he got one I was sorely tempted by - -Open City, by Teju Cole. I'm keen on hearing his reaction when he gets to it.

>278 ronincats: Ah, too bad, Roni. Come visit some time and we'll take you to this one. Then you can take your haul back home and enjoy it in that wonderful weather you get.

>266 benitastrnad: Add me to the list of folks who liked Three Junes.

>272 Smiler69: can also add me to the list of people who like Carrot Cake

>279 jnwelch: If only I knew a couple of good-looking Chicago area guys to help me navigate ... perhaps an ad on Craigslist? ;-)

What? No new thread? Hmmm

I gave Three Junes 7/10 stars but it was before I wrote my little reviews so can't remember what I thought of it.

>280 magicians_nephew: How about Three Carrot Cakes in June, Jim? Darn. Can't get the touchstone to work.



>281 rosalita: If your concept of "good-looking" is broad enough, Julia, forget Craigslist - Mark and I are available tout de suite!

>282 richardderus: Yes, it's getting to be time, o gladsome whistling and skipping about person.

>283 Morphidae: That's a pretty high rating from you, Morphy, so you must have liked it, right?

>283 Morphidae: Yes, basically anything I rate 7/10 or above is a decent bet. Though 8/10 is much better. My average over 8 1/2 years is 6.8/10 stars. And it looks like a bell curve.

2/10 - 8
3/10 - 18
4/10 - 70
5/10 - 183
6/10 - 473
7/10 - 856
8/10 - 492
9/10 - 55
10/10 - 7

>285 Morphidae: I'm sorry - is that Paul Cranswick impersonating Morphy? Stats and bell curves - it sure seems suspicious.

Relatively few bummers and stunners (bottom and top), which makes sense.

OK, the new cafe is open, and there appears to only be one, not multiples, again - phew!

>286 jnwelch: Ha! There's a reason he and I get along...