Richardderus thread 20 of 2014

“Unfathomable mind: now beacon, now sea.”
― Samuel Beckett

I have a category called Orphans, which will still catch all the other reading I do.

My ORPHANED books ticker:




I want to treat the Short Story collection challenge as a ticker-to-itself thread, thinking 48 reviews as my goal. I'll keep the thread over in the Short Stories forum.

My SHORT STORY collections ticker:




I'm keeping a mystery-genre thread over in Crime, Thriller, and Mystery forum. Way way way too many of my reviews have been, in all forums, mysteries and thrillers, and while I love them, I don't want to get too rut-ified and read only those books while keeping up my self-made review writing census.

My MYSTERY & THRILLER books ticker:




THIS THREAD is the 75 challenge for 2014, which will be non-fiction and non-genre-fiction books published in 2013 and 2014, plus recommendations from other 75ers.

My last thread of 2012.
My last reviews of 2013 in this thread.

My 2014 NEW books ticker:




Books 1 & 2...thread 5.
Books 3 & 4...thread 10.
Books 5-7...thread 12.
Books 8 & 9...thread 13.
Books 10 & 11...thread 14.
Books 12-16...thread 15.
Book 17...thread 17.
Books 18 & 19...thread 19.

Books are reviewed in post:

20. Roman Holiday...#159.

THE PUBLIC SHAMING OF A REVIEW-WRITING SLACKER
updated 21 June 2014 with MORE embarrassing omissions...the bottom of the post

Books I've read that I need to write reviews for because DAMN!

Life After Life--trending towards 5 stars 9 months on
The Golem and the Jinni--settling in at 4-plus stars
The Love Box--short stories with bite, somewhere over 3 stars
The Hill Bachelors--well and truly over 4 stars, William Trevor is a story-writing demigod
An Elegy for Easterly--vacillating between almost-4 and a hair over 4 stars
The Martian--six stars out of five, the most fun I had with my clothes on in 2013
Outerborough Blues--a terrific Brooklyn noir, juuuuuuust misses 4 stars
Hedy's Folly--pretty woman with brains invents stuff the men can't understand, is condescended to and dismissed; blood-boiling almost-4 star read
Consider Phlebas--first Iain M. Banks read, not a huge success; 3 stars but they're grudging
The Player of Games--3-and-a-half because it's better than the first one, and because I suspect reading it too soon after being mad at the first one made me unfairly testy
Empire State--my first Adam Christopher read, I liked it almost 4 stars'-worth
North American Lake Monsters--over-3 star story collection infused with very very weird situations and characters
The Dinosaur Feather--I *loved* this thriller set in Denmark and am horribly ashamed that I haven't written its 4-star review
The Keeper of Lost Causes--simply delicious, 4 stars, go read it NOW if you haven't
Monday or Tuesday--it's Virginnie la Woolf! I'd never read it, and was very excited to; an easy 4 stars
Regeneration--late to the party; easy 5 stars; just...jaw-dropping
The Optimist's Daughter--at best 3.5 stars, my lady wasn't a novelist!
Delta Wedding--a hair more than 3.5 stars because I just *adore* hatin' on Dabney
Slaughterhouse-Five--six stars of five, don't anybody admit to me that they didn't like this book or it will damage our friendship...
The Book of Matt--painful
The Daughters of Mars--trending towards almost-4 stars, the longer I'm away from it the less amazing it seems
The Goldfinch--started at 5, now down to 4-plus; another book where distance isn't making the read better
The Luminaries--oh my heck! At least 5 stars, such a joy to read!
Tomorrow-Land--the 1964 World's Fair! W00t! I'd say 3.5-plus?
1Q84--yes, I read the damned thing, 2.5 stars
Cloud Atlas--see above
Among Others--solid 3.5-plus, I like Walton a lot
The Cusanus Game--wowee read translated from the German, easy 3.5 stars
The Frangipani Hotel--a solid 3.5-star debut story collection, watch out for this lassie, there's better still to come from her pen
The Dark Vineyard--second Bruno-in-Provence mystery and I reveled in its 3.9-star glory
Don't Start Me Talkin'--a strange road novel, indie lit at its best and most interesting, another solid 4 stars
The Merry Misogynist--can you EVEN BELIEVE that I haven't reviewed a Dr. Siri in 2014?! The shame, the shame
Cold Storage, Alaska--not bad, not excellent, and worth your eyeblinks at 3 stars
Black Irish--debut thriller set in Buffalo, very very noir, pulse-pounding action that merits 3.75 stars

Oh gawd there are more, more, ever more, and I really need to get busy writing the reviews.

19 June additions
How can it be that I've never reviewed ANY of the Iron Druid Chronicles? Not ONE, except two of the novellas?!
Hounded
Hexed
Hammered
Tricked
Trapped
Hunted
Shattered (no proper touchstone yet!)
none below 3.5 stars...and I'm not gonna forget the novellas:
Clan Rathskeller
Kaibab Unbound--prequels to Hounded
A Test of Mettle--after Hammered
Two Ravens and One Crow
The Chapel Perilous--after Tricked

*whew*

21 June embarrassing omissions
Let Him Go--4.875 stars, Larry Watson delivers excellence but not *quite* the transcendence of which he is more than capable
Orchard--another Larry close-close, but only 4.5 stars...a little predictable
How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia--3.9-star wry-smirk of a read, thanks Katie!
The Faithful Scribe--3.5-star good tale, but somehow misses catching fire
The Odd Clauses--a 4-star look at the wacky world of our American Constitution, and how very strange some of it really is
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
Authorisms--two 3.5-plus star explorations of language, English, and its quirky, unpredictable, and downright capricious development
The Frackers--5-star subject, 3.5-star execution, and made me beyond boilingly furious
Hill William--4-plus stars for McClanahan's spare and simple and gut-punching prose
Throne of the Crescent Moon--I like the author well enough to read his Arab-culture based fantasy novel, so I should review it, right? Say three, three and a quarter stars
An Unnecessary Woman--loved this tale of hidden depths and social invisibility, at least 4 stars

Mine?

>4 Berly: Thine! First place for the badass mama!

Yes! Whoop whoop! I'm a bad ass mama, a bad ass mama!!

Congrats on the new thread, RD! Good luck with them reviews! Glad to see you churning through the books.

Lovely new thread, Richard!

>3 richardderus: Ooh ... I just finished Life After Life. Loved it. The only thing I did not like about it was that the ending felt a bit rushed. Of course, maybe it was supposed to be that way or maybe I was simply unhappy that a book I loved was going to be over soon, since it had been a while since I had totally fallen into someone else's world(s) so completely.

Can't wait to read your review of it.
*hint hint nudge nudge*

Oh, man! I wanted to be the bad ass mama! Maybe next time!! Happy new thread, dear - I adore the topper!

>10 Crazymamie: You are the bad ass Mamie though!

Bad ass mama saying hi to bad ass Mamie!!

*grin* Well, okay then, Stephanie and Kim! Thank you!

Author Kevin Hearne posted a picture of himself receiving a full tray of bacon-churro cupcakes at an event in Houston. It has been a while since I licked my computer screen...

>6 Berly: And nobody dare forget it!

>7 msf59: Thanks, Mark! The count is far from complete. It's SHOCKING how much I've read and never stirred myself to review.

>8 ronincats: Thanks, Roni, glad to see you here.

>9 avidmom: Okay okay okay okay I feel guilty enough as it is! *shamed head-hang* But damn that's a book I expected to hate, liked while reading, and now really really like.

I'll ponder your ending response. I didn't feel that, and I'm the Ending Bugbear.

>10 Crazymamie:, >11 AuntieClio:, >12 Berly:, >13 Crazymamie: There's enough badassery in this small collection of badass mamas to make the common-or-garden Hell's Angel take a step back.

I love your thread topper!
I'm not BadAss? :(

You just got here. Anyone who baby-sat the Weather Goddess when she was a teen is a badass. Did Cronus really eat his children? Did you see it happen? Were the dinosaurs all feathery and junk? *Bambi eyes*

Bitchy this morning?
'sall right
smooches anyway....

This thread's theme song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlwRNCnsbUg

>19 mckait: Bitchy? Moi? Nay nay, I am in an invincibly good mood. I got a RED french-press coffeepot from Ammy for, basically, free! They were cheap anyway, but the red ones were double-discounted, and red's my favorite kitchen color, so--score!!

>20 Morphidae: EARWORM!! EARWORM!!

Good job on the red thingy. I don't like a french press, I am far too lazy and much easier to please coffee wise. As long as it's coffee...basically, I will drink it.

We are ALL bad ass. And I was once a biker babe for real. There's photographic evidence:

>21 richardderus: My work here is done.

>22 mckait: I love Lifehacker's blogs about bargains.

I like all the different coffee preparation methods that don't involve sugar. French press is ideal for me since the pot's the same size as Big Red, my mug, and so means I don't have to futz around with filters anymore. Yay!

>23 laytonwoman3rd: HA!! Classic photo, I love it.

>24 Morphidae: Evil. The Soul of Evil Incarnate.

>23 laytonwoman3rd: I'm pretty sure the shoes were leather. Patent leather.

>25 richardderus: Is that better or worse than a Satanic Book Warbler?

>26 laytonwoman3rd: Patent leather Mary Janes. Oh my.

>27 Morphidae: PoTAYto, poTAHto...

>28 richardderus: I know, right? I had a very indulgent auntie. Probably everything I'm wearing there came from her. The trike, of course, was from Santa.

EDIT: DAMN this quirky numbering thing. Second time I've linked to the wrong post because LT didn't catch up to the post numbers.

Hi Richard. I'm trying to read some threads again. Big hugs!

>29 laytonwoman3rd: I'm amazed your mama let you *near* the trike with the Mary Janes on! My mother made me take all forms of shoe off when I was trike- or bike-riding lest they get scuffed.

>30 wilkiec: Diana the Red! So happy to see you!! *smooch*

>31 richardderus: My mama was OK. (She still is.) She let me do a lot of stuff that amazes me now, having raised a rowdy daughter myself.

>32 laytonwoman3rd: Lucky you, and lucky lycomayflower.

Happy new thread RD, I've never been in a biker gang but I can still hang out with you cool guys right?

>34 Thebookdiva: Heh, of course you can, Abby! Someone needs to ride on the back of the bike.

:-*

*New thread smoochies*

I have Shattered. It's sitting waiting. I am utilising all my willpower not to crack it open. But I have so so much other stuff to finish...

Happy new thread, Richard. I like the picture up top. May have to find it and pin it ;-)

>36 BekkaJo: *snort* What is this "willpower" of which you speak, madam? I am not to understanding.

>37 katiekrug: *smooch* Follow my "Art for Art's Sake" board, then.

Happy New thread, Richard!

>23 laytonwoman3rd: Ha!

>39 michigantrumpet: *smooch*

>1 richardderus: Ooo! Ahhh!

C'est magnifique!

>41 jnwelch: I so agree. *contemplative stare*

Looking forward to your review of The Golem and the Jinni when you get to it. That one has been on my wishlist for a while.

>14 richardderus: C. S. Lewis has been popping up in various places today; I thought maybe it was his birthday or something, but I see that's not true. Just one of those confluences of thoughts in like-minded people, I guess.

>38 richardderus: It's over rated I must say.

xoxo be back laters

>43 laytonwoman3rd: *sigh* I need to get to so many...I have to update that list. *sigh*

>44 BekkaJo: I shall never know. I possess it not, nor do I court it.

>45 luvamystery65: *smooch* laterz

Thread topper: Oh my. Just perfect.

So, how's by you? Hot here, as in upper 90's. Blech. Gardened and was so hot after 40 minutes that I came in and set the air on "Freeze", my preferred but expensive setting.

eta: The Frangipani Hotel? Who could resist a book with that title?

>47 Matke: Well, I clearly couldn't! I wonder if you'd like it, though, because the stories are all rooted in traditional Vietnamese ghost stories...about intimacy that never quite gets intimate, about perceptions that don't quite match reality...you might get impatient, I fear. It's a liberry borrow, not a buy-me-now, IMO.

*smooch*

LOVE your thread topping pic, Richard. I could see myself sitting on the edge of the dock with a pile of books and a softly glowing lantern ... while batting away mosquitoes.

>49 cameling: *smooch*

I know mosquitoes are at the base of an avian food-chain, and all those damned females sucking our blood are feeding the next generation of bird food, and birds are beautiful and all, but I want a genetic mutation that repels the goddamned things yet doesn't give me sickle-cell anemia.

Happy New Thread Richard

You are so right "catching up" is a myth. I'm moving on from today.

>51 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli! I expect you'll be happy with that decision. Sending hugs

>9 avidmom: OH, dear, forgive me. I forget sometimes that my guilt-tripping genes are for my childrenz only. (And ex-husbands on occasion)! ;)

What I meant to say, was that, when you get 'round to it, I'll feel like this:

>53 avidmom: Oh no. I understand. I am fully aware of my dereliction.

*trudging in harness with the Volga Boatmen*

:-P

Hi Richard, nice new thread my friend.

>54 richardderus: Lololol

Hi Richard, I will pass on the hugs and smooches to Karen and Hannah.

>55 johnsimpson:, >57 johnsimpson: Excellent, thanks John!

>56 Matke: *smooch*

And since I "won" Shattered through ER, I'm sitting here waiting for it. :-(

>59 ronincats: My true evil nature shines through in my Schadenfreude! I am *just* able to resist spoilering the whole shootin' match.

Passing through, Richard. Happy new-ish thread to you!

xo

Just planting a stake so I can return later and not be overwhelmed by how far behind I am with everyone! **smooch***

RD, Congratulations on your latest thread, dear fellow. I am going to have to come back soon or you are going to leave me trailing in your wake posts wise.

You have also whizzed beyond 6,000 posts already this year on your threads which is about 5 weeks ahead of last year.

>61 AMQS: Hi Anne! Anything under 100 posts is new, or so I tell myself.

>62 mckait: *smooch*

>63 PrueGallagher: Prue! So lovely to see you! *smooch* I can't remember if I shared my pins on Facebook...some lovely scenes of Melbourne and of Perth. I meant to, and tag you to notice how lovely summer is...*evil Muttley laugh*

>64 PaulCranswick: We both need to admit that La Amber is the One to Beat this quarter, and the rest of this year, Paul. At long last one of the ladies has taken center stage from us.

And not a moment too soon! My fingers are fragile. Weekend benisons, brother man.

Bad ass Mamie showed up? huh. Who would've thunk it?

Hi Richard!!

>65 richardderus: Yes indeed, Amber is gaining hand over perfectly formed fist.
Present tallies are:
Paul - 6,447
Richard - 6,112
Amber - 5,471

*ahem*

I knew my ears were burning for a reason...

Happy New (sort of) Thread, Richard!

>67 PaulCranswick: >68 scaifea: and perfectly formed ear as well apparently.

Happy new threads and Friday *smooches*

Back into stats Paul? How on earth do you keep track? Amazing.

Errand day at my house rd.... what's cookin' at your place?

>66 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! *smooch*

>67 PaulCranswick: Whoa...that Amber, she's one dark horse ain't she? Only 1000 posts out of first place...she'll have it in two months tops. Whew! Sneaky one, that.

>68 scaifea: Hi Amber! Under 100 posts = new.

>69 michigantrumpet: Hiya Marianne! Happy Friday!

>70 mckait: The Gruesome Twosome will be here directly, so begins my three days of bedroom imprisonment sans sex. Oh well, I'm not on the streets.

Happy erranding!

Good morning! Sorry about the bedroom confinement. I presume you have access to all you need? How about music? Do you do music?

May your weekend be a calm one.

Happy Friday, Richard! Sorry about the gruesome twosome and bedroom wall-gazing. Hope you have plenty of good books stashed.

>72 Matke: *smooch* I do computer...it has music, TV, movies...I'm never bored. Just underexercised. And, since the Gentleman Caller reads my threads, I hasten to add that in his absence I'd be under-sexed anyway.

>73 jnwelch: ...good books...hmmm...somewhere in here there's bound to be a good book...

:->

Hi!

>75 maggie1944: Howdy do!

Hi, Richard ~ Love the thread topper! Hope you're having a very happy Friday and that it's the beginning of a perfect weekend!

>77 Storeetllr: I hope I am too, Mary, somewhere in the infinitude of spacetime. *smooch*

Have a fabulous weekend Richard, your thread topper is lovely. Hope your Friday is great and you get plenty of time to read.

>69 michigantrumpet: I heard that! *snork!*

I just totally thought better of posting my question.. too many ways for it to go wrong.

OMG, I'm already miles behind. Happy new thread, Rdear and gentle waves from over the pond.

It was Pension Day on Wednesday, and I got remission from my rental payments of electric and oil!

You know what I did, don't you.

Strange Bodies--made me sit up and take notice, being by a Theroux.
The Two Hotel Francforts--all Suz's fault
The Word Exchange--see above
Elizabeth is Missing--see above
Authorisms--who could possibly resist a book about words invented by writers? I know who couldn't
Bay's End--Edward Lorn is a quality guy, and I support his career
Aurorarama--an alternative Earth with New Venice in the Arctic. I ask you, resistible? Not by me

What the hell is up with touchstones?! Makes me a crazy person when they don't work!

ETA touchstones that work

>79 GeezLouise: Thank you, Rae, and the same wishes back to you.

>80 scaifea: Heh.

>81 mckait: Now I'm curious....

>82 Ameise1: Barbara, how perfect for me! I love it, thanks for leaving it here.

>84 richardderus: :-)

Happy Friday!

>85 Ameise1: :-*

>86 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli, same back at'cha!

>83 richardderus: chortle

>88 Chatterbox: Just you wait...

The Honorable Beerbassador checking in! ^I see Paul didn't even mention me in that particular 3-way race. All those puppies and scantily clad librarians? All for naught?
And yes, beware of Amber. One day she will rule it all!

>3 richardderus: WONDERFUL. You have redeemed me from a lifetime of shame. I have only 10 on my list that I haven't reviewed and I'm about to do "mini-mentions" to catch up and call it even. I think if anyone has a need to learn more about how I feel about a book, they can ask and I'll elucidate further.

Let's just spend the summer enjoying reading instead of being so wrapped up in reviewing.

And now that I've been through all the posts on both of your thread #20s - how did that happen? I think this is the current one (if I note the dates correctly) but am I safe to manually unstar the previous one?

Why write reviews on books you don't HAVE to? Just enjoy the reading....

>90 msf59: Hey there Your Excellently Bibulousness! I suspect that, in this majority-female world, your scantily clad liberrians are apt to be less popular than in a more straight-male-heavy world.

Just sayin'

Only one more day! One more! You can make it.

>91 tututhefirst:, >93 mckait: I like to review books to give myself something to hang on to, though. I read so much that, unsurprisingly, I forget a lot of stuff about the books I've read. Most of the time that's no big deal, they deserve to be forgotten, but the ones in my list at >3 richardderus: are the ones that really merit a review.

Sending hugs Maineward.

>92 tututhefirst: I Joe'd up...forgot to change the date. Yep, unstar the previous version.

>94 richardderus: By "Joe'd up", I assume you mean you took a creative approach to an often mundane task. Anybody can do it the right way; it's a challenge to find new ways to screw it up.

I'm with you on the reviews. For me, it's a way to hang onto the book, and also to pull together my thoughts on it, rather than simply moving on to the next book. And for some of them, I'm hoping to encourage others to give them a try when they might not otherwise.

“In a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin, without even opening them.”
― Mark Twain

>95 jnwelch: LOL~ that sounds about right, Joe!

>95 jnwelch: Hmmm yeeeessss that's why there were three cafe number 9s. It was an experiment. Mmm hmmm

It's a bonus to me if people explore a book I've reviewed, and if it's one I think someone will really like I'll often go and shove it at them in their own space. I'm retaining a lot more about the books I've read now that I'm mentally parsing them for a future review. It's a great mind-stretching game. Now, about getting the reviews written...well...uuummmmmmm

>97 mckait: *smooch*

>96 richardderus: I LOVE that staircase! The lighting is so perfect in that photo.

>99 Thebookdiva: Hi Abby! Happy weekend, dear. I loved the lighting in the photo as well, so perfectly captures the mood of a book-room.

Added some more reviews I need to do. Oh my gawd. I am book-slut shaming myself.

And with this post, the thread is Officially No Longer New.

Shame on you is right! You are the first place I turn for eloquent, witty, insightful reviews. Not to put the pressure on or anything. Produce, man, produce! What is in your way? Do you need more coffee? Better lighting? Just let me know and I'll fix it.

>102 Berly: Working fingers. Or more pain meds.

Here you go...

And...

No more excuses love! Smooch.

HA!! *smooch*

Further deliveries in the "Make Richard Spend His Pension" derby of shame:

The Fly Trap: A Book About Summer, Islands, and the Freedom of Limits--The Guardian book reviews are highly hazardous to my financial health
Doc Savage: The Fortress of Solitude and The Devil Genghis--Joe and Mark. All on them. *I* don't read comic books, but *they* keep insisting that they're good. All their faults
Vlad--a late work by Carlos Fuentes. It was 1¢ and shipping was $3.99 and it's by Carlos Fuentes and it's a hardcover. Curse you...ummm...well, somebody
Irregular Verbs--Kristen Centorcelli's blog review made me pantingly eager to get it, and I did on Thursday and it's *exquisite*

This list doesn't look right. Nothing says "all Suz's fault." I must be forgetting something.

I am swinging by to say Hi! and then off to paint my back porch while the day is warm and lovely. Reading later this afternoon when I want to come inside because I'm "too hot". We are so unused to warm weather we suffer so....

I'm not going to read every post of your two last threads, Richarmydear. I just do not have that much time!

I hope you are doing all right and are reading a lot! Hugs for you!!

>109 maggie1944: Hiya Karen44! *smooch*

It's a gorgeous day here, 78° and breezy for the high. Dry air. Sunshine. Glorious! Perfect summer weather.

>110 connie53: Hi Connie! I completely understand, start anew from right here. *smooch*

Oh good heavens I forgot to log my double review of The Aspern Papers and The Aspern Papers: A Comedy of Letters!

Happy Sunday, Rdear.

Better than church. Better than sex. It's COFFEE TIME!

>113 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, and the same back to you! What an intriguing piece of art. It took me a minute or two to understand what I was looking at, and then a while to absorb it.

We had a perfect weather day yesterday, too rdear. Today should be much the same, then the heat turns up again. But for now, it's cool and the doors are all standing open with various furkids settled in near them to feel the air and feel the cool.

I am in love with the Riggs books... seriously in love.

>116 mckait: And we're halfway through the effin' summer, so heat is not going to last that long. Bliss! Speaking of bliss, it's cloudy and cool here this morning, and the high won't quite break 80° or so they say. Another lovely day!

I'm so glad the Riggs books are making you sit up and take notice! They're quirky things, originals in the best sense of the word. What an amazing time we live in, that so very many books for so very many tastes are flooding out at us readers.

I am searching and searching for a copy of Strange Geographies
by Ransom Riggs...to no avail. I think my Craig would love it... even Ebay was stumped.

Happy Sunday, RD! I also love my morning coffee. Better than sex? Not sure about that...but it might be in the same ballpark.

>118 mckait: Not even on eBay! Wow, that's one obscure book then. Hope one floats your way soon.

>119 msf59: Hi Mark! Well, it's better than all the sex I'm NOT having, let's put it that way. My Gentleman Caller is in the wilds of Canada and I'm...without. I hate that.

>115 richardderus: Rdear, it's made by Auguste Rodin and it's called La Terre et la Lune (1899). I love Rodin's scultures because you have to take a second and third look at them and still you are able to find more in it.
waves

>121 Ameise1: It's gorgeous, and it makes me smile. Thank you for letting me know its history.

Stopping by to say hello to mon ami.

Happy Sunday, Richard. Please give Stella a skritch for us.

>123 sibylline: Bon soir, ma belle cousine.

>124 jnwelch: Hiya Joe! Happy Sunday right back, and Stella slurps your skritching hand.

SO...I had a bookalanche last night about 3a. Scared me to death, and woke Stella in the Gruesome Twosome's room! I had to organize books and found more read ones awaiting review attention. More on that anon, as I am fretting mightily about which review to write first.

Two ALL-SUZ'S-FAULT books arrived today (I do so love it when Ammy sucks up to me!):
The Quick
Mrs. Hemingway

And a gift book from a ghostwriter friend surfaced in the bookalanche:
Change Your Story, Change Your Life

Am kinda enjoying the Doc Savage GN I got. Not bad, not great, and my mind wanders a lot.

More on that anon, as I am fretting mightily about which review to write first.
I'm sending subliminal whammy: This One

I am getting sleeeeeeeeepeeeeeeeeee

very sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeepeeeeeeeeee

I feel an Atkinsonian presence in the room
is that you Kate? come clooooosssssssseeeeeeeeerrrrrr

Mrs. Hemingway could not POSSIBLY be my fault, since I haven't read it and have no intention of doing so... :-)

Just sayin'....

A bookalanche sounds mighty serious. Hope no one was hurt. What a rescue effort that must have been! Volumes and fonts first! To the life boats!

I fear bookalanches. I refuse to put any books above my habitual resting places for my head. And I try not to sit habitually in front of bookcases. I no longer have tall ones. Only two or three shelves these days.

But then, I do live in earthquake country.

I hope none of the books were bent or broken. Or heavens forbid, torn. And oh, I hope you were not hit, too.

A new thread - and one with such a wonderful opening pic.

The coffee lover in you has probably already done this, but today I made/froze a batch of strong coffee as ice cubes for use with milk - or as my other half point out, with Baileys - for those hot days of summer.

>96 richardderus: - Love the wrought iron work on that staircase. I love your.... it gives me brilliant ideas for my dream home, when I win the lottery, that is. ;-)

*smooches!

I put up my review of Vlad over in the Orphans thread. (See post #1.)

>128 Chatterbox: ...really...? Well, I'm claiming male prerogative and blaming you for it anyway. Unless of course I love it, in which case it will be my sole glory to have found it.

>129 michigantrumpet:, >130 maggie1944: It sounds LOUD is what it sounds! As the mildly attentive will recall, the Gentleman Caller lives in another state while attending school and I see him seldom enough to be painfully aware of the size of my bed. As a coping mechanism, and to block the dog from sticking her rump in my face at night, I pile books next to me. The natural tossings and turnings that would make this unwise are moot, since my foot/knee/hip nodes of tophus prevent me from doing much in the way of wriggling.

Last night, I slammed into the pile and caused a bookalanche onto the floor farthest from me. This morning, I picked my largely unscathed babies up and put them in safer boxes, which now form a reef mid-floor.

>131 lkernagh: Hi Lori! So happy to see you here! I'm down with the coffee cubes indeed, and have been known to insert them in cheap whiskey every now and then.

*smooch*

>127 richardderus: Darkness fell.
;)

Gosh darn it Richard, I wish I had known you were so enamored with The Quick. The publisher, for who knows what reason, sent me an ER copy and two weeks later, sent another copy. I haven't read it yet but I'm most likely not going to read two copies. I should've been paying closer attention.

Dearest!!! How are you?? Coming by for quick catch up and smoochies! Love to you!!

There's a rumor going around that you actually wrote a review...where is it?! Smooch.

>114 richardderus: Wish I could share a cup, Richard. The roast for the next couple of days is a Brazil Sertao Carmo de Minas. Not as fruity and unique as the Ethiopian of yesterweek but a lovely cup with distinctive characteristics. I hurt for those captive to the red plastic container.

I found the review :) and I thumbed it and a few othere I had neglected to read lately...
so sorta caught up.

Coffee ...mmmmmmm

LAST WEEK!

We've reached goal plus more at $5,280. Richard has purchased medical insurance through the end of the year and next March he's eligible for Medicare. However, he still needs our help to pay for co-pays and prescriptions. He'll also need help to get through the first part of next year until Medicare kicks in.

Let's end the last week with a bang! I'm off to make another donation. If you can, please help give this fundraiser a final push!

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/for-our-beloved-curmudgeon/179809

Hiya, Toots.

I commented elsewhere on your stellar reviews. My oh my.

Oh no! The dreaded bookalanche! Glad you and the books are safe.

Let's make this the start of a good week.

What Gail said. Hope the week's a good one, compadre. I read between the lines that maybe the pain has let up on you for a while?

I don't know where Chester, North Carolina, is (yet), but my books and I will be under that fabulous pointy-witch-hat roof soon.

We have many old places like this one here and there in Alabackward. I love looking at them and creating stories in my head...

>133 avidmom: :-P

>134 brenzi: I read Suz's review and trudged off to Ammy, grumbling and fuming and snarling, right then and there. It's a lovely thought, and thank you for it!

>135 TinaV95: Mrs. Lisa! Smoochling! It's lovely to see you out and about. Stay well and happy there in Mipsypipsy.

*wavies* I got nothin' else :)

>136 Berly: Right here, dear.

>137 mldavis2: Heh...not quite as dire as Folger's, but still not home-roasted and not of the caliber of your estate-grown beans. Ken Davids was a client of the literary agency I once worked for, and Home Coffee Roasting was a book I truly delighted in selling. A new edition comes out soon.

>138 mckait: *smooch* thanks for the thumbs-uppings, sweetness.

>139 Morphidae: Thank you, Morphy me lurve, you are a goddesssend. xoxoxo

>140 Matke:, >143 Matke: A good week indeed! I've found my spiritual home, in a 6500-person redneck burg in SOUTH Carolina...I don't see this working any too well...

>141 jnwelch: It's not bad ATM, Joe, and since I have enough money to get the doc-in-a-box to write me Rx's, I'm keeping ahead of the curve. It's a titanic relief.

>145 BekkaJo: Hiya Bekka! Nothing else needed, your being here is quite enough to keep me humming along.

XO

>148 AuntieClio: Hi Stephanie! *smooch*

>147 richardderus: Awww! Someone get an extra large cocktail for the lovely man...

>150 BekkaJo: Got it covered:

Hi, Richard! This is just a drive-by hello. I'm too far behind to properly catch up, but the book nook in >96 richardderus: is fabulous looking . . .

>146 richardderus: You really do have a silver tongue. Loved the review. Smoooch!

>146 richardderus: Thanks for the heads-up on the coffee book. I'll keep an eye out for it.

>152 tymfos: Hi Terri! Welcome to the "can I ever read all the threads why no I can't" club...we're a large and boisterous group!

>153 Berly: *smooch* Thanks, Kimmers.

>154 mldavis2: Ken's put in a chapter about the ever-growing body of medical knowledge re: coffee's many and various benefits. It's unnecessary to sell *me* on the sterling properties of coffee, but it's good ammo against the po-faced diet misery-guts "spit it out, you're enjoying it!" legions.

rant rant rant

Thank you for listening.

Oh, and hope you have a lovely, pain free day!

>156 mckait: No problem...you didn't say much.

>157 mckait: It's a lovely day, supposed to be 80° and light breezes. As summer goes, that's not horrible.

Review: 20 of seventy-five

Title: ROMAN HOLIDAY

Author: JODI TAYLOR

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Another rollicking short story from the Chronicles of St Mary’s author Jodi Taylor.

Question: What sort of idiot installs his mistress in his wife’s house? Especially when that mistress is Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, Queen of Egypt and the most notorious woman of her time?

Answer: Julius Caesar – poised to become King of Rome. Or as good as.

Question: At this potentially sensitive point in your political manoeuvrings, who are the last people you’d want crashing through the door, observing, recording, documenting …?

I think we all know the answer to that one.

Roman Holiday – an epic, stand alone tale set in Ancient Rome, 44 BC, featuring, in no particular order: an attempted murder, stampeding bullocks, Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, a bowl of poisonous snakes, a smallish riot, Julius Caesar, and Mr Markham’s wayward bosoms.

My Review: Beware the Ides of St Mary's.

All I'm sayin'. Read it or weep.


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

>159 richardderus: *keels over after smacked with book bullet*

And only 99 cents.

>160 jnwelch: I KNOW, RIGHT?!

And notice that book 4 is preorderable. Just sayin'

did it!

>162 mckait: Both of it, of course. The preorder feature for #4 is gonna get some exercise today.

Pre-ordered now, too, thanks. Can we go forward in time and get subsequent books in the series, or am I confusing novel reality with our reality?

>164 jnwelch: If I say "our reality," will you take me with you to get them all?

Both.

Now, time to fix dinner.

I wanna travel in time...........

>165 richardderus: LOL! I'll keep working on that one . . .

>166 mckait: I made myself a cheeseburglar. It was yum.

>167 jnwelch: I'm eager to hear of progress.

>159 richardderus: I cannot resist a Jodi Taylor. Downed by another Richard book bullet. Curses!

>169 Berly: Did I forget to mention book 4 comes out on 24 July? Silly me.

Silly you is right! You can't get me with that one--it's not out yet! (Dang it, I have to read number 3 still...)

>171 Berly: *smooch*

Smooch.

>159 richardderus: Resistance is futile.

>168 richardderus: Great gif! Stealing.

Hi RD! I have only read the first 2 St Mary's books, so I need to get crackin'. I am not a big series binger, (is that a word?) but this place sure cranks up the pressure.

>174 Storeetllr: Yep. And yep!

>175 msf59: Binge-reading is, I am pretty sure, encoded in the DNA. Either it's there or it's not. Whatever pace you read them at, you're likely to enjoy the heck out of the books. This IS a short story, and it's not connected to any of the books...*discreet, subtle book-warble*

Realized I've only been lurking for a few days now, so am emerging to blow you a smooch for your contortions!

>177 ronincats: Thank you, my sweet! *smooch* blown back

It is indeed. See you fine people anon.

>155 richardderus: The nice thing about coffee is that it has no calories - unless of course you disguise it with milk, cream, honey, sugar or other adulterations. I suspect that habit is encouraged and propagated by really bad coffee, those who have no idea what really good coffee is, or those who don't really *like* coffee. Truly great coffee needs no excuse for being itself, but you don't find it at high-volume, mass produced sources.

But to assuage those with a sweet tooth and bad coffee, sugar is good at covering a multitude of defects in coffee or wine, and you have my condolences. Now where did I put that cup of Brazilian Sertao?

I think you need this for your coffee:

>180 mldavis2: I confess: I like hot milk in my coffee. I do want the milk hot before I put my warm coffee (brewed, allowed to rest) in it. 20% milk/80% coffee is ideal. But only for morning coffee.

I am no fan, in fact an ardent foe, of sugary drinks. Wasn't raised with them, never got a taste for them, and intensely dislike the addition of sugar/corn syrup/saccharine/aspartame to all liquids.

>181 scaifea: How wonderful!! I love that idea, Amber. I'd need it to be 4x that size and have a gigantic handle, but otherwise sign me up!

So... off to work. Angry. Impossible for me to disguise that...should be interesting...
Hope your day is much to your liking.

>183 mckait: I do, too. *smooch* for a better-than-you-think-it-will-be day.

Yep. You got me with the Jodi Taylor books. You know me so well! Good Wednesday Morning, BigDaddy!

Mamie!! Dearest! Is Wombat's Den over? Or did you simply feel TOO GUILTY TO KEEP IGNORING US?!

*ahem*

The Taylors are like crack-coated cocktail peanuts, aren't they. I can't WAIT for 24 July!!

>168 richardderus: ROTFL! Jeez, I turn away for a couple of minutes and I've got Jon Stewart munching popcorn and waiting. I'll work on it, but your psychic connection with Jodi Taylor may turn out to be more useful.

I actually didn't expect a new one from her as early as July, so I've got to thank her for that. Thank goodness, as that was an unbelievable cliff-hanger at the end of the last one.

Hi Rdear, I hope you have a wonderful day full of reading and

I like milk and sugar in my morning coffee. OTOH, my coffee is always espresso and always strong and rich.

Quick story: When I spent a month in Italy awhile back, I would drink caffe latte for breakfast, but, after 12 noon, I only drank straight espresso or caffe machiato (with just a tiny swirl of steamed milk) so the Italians wouldn't laugh at me.

ETA, I'd drink espresso or caffe machiato in the afternoon only if I wasn't drinking wine.

In 29 days. Jus' sayin'

Got a lot of reading to do to clear the decks for then!

I'll have some peanuts... hold the crack.

Good gracious! The Vlad review knocked me senseless! Big thumbs up and added to my wishlist!

Bought the novella before I read the rest of the thread that mentioned the pre-order option! Just went & got it after I saw it was only $5!!! Now to read #3 at a strategic point before July 24! Chomping at the bit!!

Gah!!!! My e-reader software shifted lately and now the darn thing wont upload/says I'm not in an equivalent jurisdiction and wont work and I can't get this and I need to register on a new site to buy and then work out how to transfer and may I just say a) Holy run on sentence Batman and b) WAH!

Oh and >151 richardderus: mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine...

A pox on all electronics, I say! A pox.

Wait, maybe not. We are in a "between a rock and a hard place" these days, aren't we.

>193 BekkaJo: Even though I'm a total tech geek. When it comes to books I'm a bit of a luddite. A dead-tree version will never run out of batteries or have its license revoked.

Hope you get your issues worked out. To be without books, is a fate worth than death, I think.

xoxo

*smooch* for you, and hoping that all is well in Richard Land.

Is there a way to buy tickets to get there? It sounds like a lovely, coffee- and book-filled place, it does.

Richard, dammit..... where are you.

What >198 mckait: Kath said.

And saying again.
Unacceptable.
do NOT make me come up there.

So, what's with the disappearing act?

Hello?

Btw, re >179 richardderus: It's never *not* book o'clock.

Just because Mamie has taken to periodically disappearing does NOT mean you should do the same...

Hope everything is ok.

xoxo

He's fine. Just enjoying Italian pasta visitors.

Carry on

Knock, knock, knock!!! Somebody here?

Howdy do, all! The Italian family is visiting, and it's been three years since I've seen them. I got wrapped up, sorry I was AWOL.

So...anyone read anything good?

Phew! You are back. Don't rock my world like that! Glad you had fun with the Italian family. : )

There's our guy. The earth may resume spinning correctly on its axis now.

>187 jnwelch: Wasn't that the Mother of All Cliffhangers?! And talk about a new direction! I love that she surprised me in a good way.

>188 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! Coffee is a central fact of my day, glory be to the Coffea arabica shrub.

>189 Storeetllr: Wine or coffee...lessee here...wine or...wine...yeah, wine.

>190 michigantrumpet: I am so so psyched! 27 days! W00t!

>191 mckait: Peanuts sans crack for Miss Kathleen, please, Perkins. You may consider the crack a tip.

>192 TinaV95: I don't know how you've held out so long, Mrs. Lisa! I'm practically vibrating with eagerness to get to #4.

>193 BekkaJo: Hi Bekka, ooo I am so sympathetic about the software shift. When I got my Galaxy tablet, it was a *bugger* to upload Kindle software onto it, and ultimately led to my getting the Calibre universal ereader software, and I *adore* it.

As for >151 richardderus:, good luck with that...

>194 maggie1944: Hiya Karen44! A pox on all idiot greedy-bastard electronics makers who design incompatibility into their ubiquitous products. Apple needs to stop the damnfool idiocy and Microsoft needs to vanish.

>195 mahsdad: +1

>196 AuntieClio: +1

>197 LauraBrook: Hi Laura! Doesn't it sound heavenly? I'm looking forward to finding it too.

>198 mckait:, >199 AuntieClio:, >200 mckait: *smooch*

>201 Matke: I agree, it's never NOT book o'clock.

>202 katiekrug: It is, and *smooch*

>203 mckait: The Italian contingent is off in Freeport wandering about. The cleaning service is here making cleaning smells. Stella and I went for our walk in the damned heat. Gawd's in her heaven and all's wrong with the world, as per usual.

>204 Ameise1: I love that guy's tattoo! So creative. *smooch* thanks, Barbara!

>206 Berly: It was nice to see them indeed. Giancarlo is starting university in the fall (!!) and his mom is taking him on a US tour. So very wonderful a gift.

>207 jnwelch: Hi Joe! If I *could* destabilize the world, I'd make it farther from the sun so summertime would feel like fall and wintertime would actually be cold. You know, -10, -20.

Bliss. Pure bliss.

So, today the mail delivery individual brought me the last gasp of the binge:

No Enemy But Time--an SF novel I've wanted to read forever, and never realized I didn't own! on sale for 1¢ at Ammy
The Iraqi Christ--I suspect it's All Suz's Fault, as most things are, but I can't remember exactly how
Story of a Secret State--see above

And also a pair of titanic bottles of acetaminophen to help with the everyday owwies like headaches and pulled muscles. The broken rib from months ago twinges every once in a way too. All perfectly managed by a few handsful of acetaminophen!

Liver? Who needs a liver! They're for wussies!

The Wayne has a T-shirt that says, "The liver is evil and must be destroyed."

But I think he was thinking via beer rather than pills ;-)

Martinis, Bloodys, copious amounts of Veuve Clicquot, G&Ts with extra lime, the odd Storm Surge...yep, The Wayne is on the right track.

Yay for Italian family!!! :)

I hope you had a fun visit, RD!

Stopping in to leave a Friday smooch for you. *smooch*

>215 TinaV95: It's been very nice, thanks Tina!

>216 Crazymamie: *smooch* right back, Mamie, and a wonderful weekend for you and the fam.

Aaah! Richard is back! And yes! *Only* 27 days!

>218 michigantrumpet: I am indeed. I'll be dead soon (in cosmic terms), so for how long becomes a vexing philosophical issue.

Advil is definitely not cutting it right now. My friend is picking me up for Happy Hour in 3 hours (but who is counting). Have to make it through an interview--theirs not mine! Then I am free to go home. : )

And thanks for the Thingaversary suggestion. Ricardo chose Memoir for the 4th annual celebration. It's a new thread I started thanks to Cameling's suggestion. Check it out!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/176863#4746183

Kimmers darling, PLEASE be sure that someone who picks comic book -- I mean graphickall nawvelle, silly me -- does so for a Thingaversary I've already passed! Anything, anything at all, below 8. Heck, they can have five and we can move memoir to 8!

LOL. Maybe...if you are nice to me. We have to make sure we keep the newbies happy too.

Another Friday *smooch* for you, Richard!

>222 Berly: YES! Perzackly! Make the comic book one of the low numbers, keep the hoi polloi newbs happy! See, we're on the same page! *whew*

>223 ronincats: *smooch* Love the Survivor's Tree idea!

My review of The Iraqi Christ, a short story collection that won the 2014 Independent Prize for Foreign Fiction, is on my Short Stories thread.

Best foreign fiction? This?!

Coffee? Did someone say coffee? Getting ready to put a half-pound of Ethiopia Anfilo-Shebele into the roaster when I catch up here and finish my cup of Brazil Sertao.

Oh, sorry. This is a BOOK thread. Finishing The Pyramid by Henning Mankell, one of the first crime mystery books I've read in a while. Gotta enjoy some fluff from time to time with the bean juice.

Sunday coffee wishes!

perfect!

>226 mldavis2: Your Sunday coffee sounds delectable, Mike, and Mankell = fluff tells one all one needs to know about your other reads. *shiver*

I myownself am well stuck in to The Fly Trap and can see why Tomas Transtromer blurbed it with such a warble of gruntlement.

Rdear, I wish you a wonderful weekend.

Pretty begonias, thanks Barbara!



Book porn!

It's the weekend and time to start a new book! Whoohoo! Hope it is a delicious one for you. Turns to sift through TBR Tower.

>231 richardderus: Lovely space, Rdear. My desk never looks so tidied up like that one.

>232 Berly: That could take awhile, folks in the home audience, so we will cut to a commercial.

>233 Ameise1: Nothing in my universe is ever that tidy, Barbara. I abhor tidiness. It reminds me of my mother.

LAST REMINDER!

THREE MORE DAYS!

We've reached goal plus more at $5,310. Richard has purchased medical insurance through the end of the year and next March he's eligible for Medicare. However, he still needs our help to pay for co-pays and prescriptions. He'll also need help to get through the first part of next year until Medicare kicks in.

Let's end the last few days with a bang! If you can, please help give this fundraiser a final push!

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/for-our-beloved-curmudgeon/179809

>235 Morphidae: My gracious, Morphy, you are so so kind. It's humbling that so many folks have reached out and reached into their pockets to help me.

I can't believe it, and I thank you each and every one for doing it.

Hi Richard! Just skimming through. I think I missed the whole broken rib thing in my crazy spring busy-ness. :-(

Lots of talk about Jodi Taylor around here. I like her last name a lot so I think I'll see what the public library has to offer.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting on my red leather couch, listening to Kiri Te Kanawa sing Verdi and Puccini, and trying to catch up with some of my LT buddies.

Travel plans in store for our Richard?

>237 EBT1002: Travel?! Don't I wish...the Gentleman Caller is up for a job in Seattle. If he gets it, we'll relocate because Washington State has marriage equality laws. Many, many other pieces must fall into place before anything is final, but a conversation with him today made me feel hopeful.

I know quite some several folks around and about these parts disapprove of the practice of reviewing movies/TV shows with the books they're based on. My response to this, unsurprisingly, is a giant razzberry. I will review what and how I like, and if it doesn't meet with someone's approval, that is uninteresting to me. Don't bother to tell me about it, either, I'm all done listening to people complain about my behavior when their own is bad.

I've reviewed A Murder is Announced, the TV adaptation which I found superior to the novel, on my sadly neglected Crime Thriller & Mystery thread...post #138.

Weekend *smooches*

Hmm... if the TV adaptation is better perhaps I should add Miss Marple to my watchlist (very much shorter than my ever-growing TBR list) instead. The movies/TV shows that are better than the books are few and far between but I prefer watching to reading The Maltese Falcon and The Princess Bride myself.

We are each only responsible for our own behavior. Wish I remembered that when the Big Bossy Woman comes over me...

Off to the review.

>231 richardderus: Now there is one I could take as is immediately, Richard dear! May you have a peaceful, peaceable, and pain-free weekend!

Hi Richardmydear, I'm back! I hope you are doing okay!

Phooey if they don't like it! It's your thread and you can cry if you want to. ;-) Once in a blue moon the movie is better than the book and why shouldn't you review it. Plays too. I love when Darryl and Joe review the plays they see.

>234 richardderus: And back to our regular programming...In a surprise move (for me) I chose a book of short stories: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhupa Lahiri.

in general I like books better than movies, but I am all for seeing the ones that translate well and if you, dear sir, want to spend the time to write a review and enlighten me, that is most appreciated. Smooch.

Loving the book porn Richard, hope you have a lovely weekend my friend. Glad you liked the Hannah photo.

Oh! Seattle? Interesting. Whatever should develop, I hope it meets your heart's very most desires.

>238 richardderus: Right there with you on that, RD. Of course, I seldom review books anymore, being a lazy slug these days.

Speaking of which, I'm sitting here comfortably watching a cute little bunny hopping around out back between pauses to munch on the lawn when I should be chasing it away so it doesn't do (more) damage. It's so cute though.

Have a great, lazy weekend!

(BTW, crossing my fingers, toes, eyes that things work out for the Washington State thing!)

>239 bell7: Mary dear! *smooch* I can most, most heartily recommend ALL the Marple and ALL the Poirot TV episodes over the books. Dame Ags was a past mistress at the gotcha school of plotting, withholding something vital from the reader instead of obscuring it or misdirecting one from it. The shows were lush and lovely to look at, too.

>240 Matke: How do, Danvers me lurve. It's part of social media that there will always, always be someone who insists that you do stuff their way. *snort* Like that's ever gonna work.

>241 ronincats: You like that one so much? I mentally repainted it green and slipcovered the stupid white furniture in a leaf-patterned tapestry fabric.

>242 connie53: CONNIE!! Wait...isn't your surgery coming up Monday? Was it last Monday? Oh dear, I've forgotten, I am so sorry...but in any case, I'm pleased you're here! *smooch*

>243 luvamystery65: That's exactly and precisely how I feel about it, Roberta. I have no patience with Puritans.

>244 Berly: ...short...stories...*whump*

Maud Martha! The sal volatile right away, Miss Berly has lost her pea-pickin' and I am bereft of gravity!

>245 johnsimpson: Hi John! Hannah is too adorable *not* to fall for her photos. She's a little apple dumplin'! Y'all have a good weekend there, too.

>246 maggie1944: It would be interesting. It would also be the first time in my life that I'd say "I do" and actually mean it. So much needs to happen between now and then, and all of it Not Optional, but our talk today made me feel truly hopeful that it will all happen.

>247 Storeetllr: I'm trying to bust myself out of the reviewing snit I got into last year. The movie reviews (now including 13 Bond novels/stories whose films I watched on Prime last year) are part of my plan.

Just xoxoxo ... having a great day, hope you are having something that resembles a good day too. :-)

Surgery is up for next Monday! **smooch back**

>251 AuntieClio: My Gentleman Caller paddling across a lake, hiking to a town, and making a call to me because he misses me made this a pretty damn good decade.

>252 connie53: *happy results whammy* and a *smooch* again

>231 richardderus: loving the porn. Is that Calder mobile hanging over the sofa? While I prefer a good reading light, happy to make an exception to the rule for Calder!

>254 michigantrumpet: It's a knockoff of a Calder. The room's awfully nice, isn't it?

Happy weekend Richard!

>256 The_Hibernator: Rachel! Hello and welcome! I'm delighted you came by to see me. Have a lovely weekend your ownself.

Yeah...I'm trying to be more social. ;)

It can't hurt...this is a place full of weirdos ahhhmmm interesting folks. You're never likely to be bored around here.

Who you calling interesting? I'm weird!

I'll claim "odd".

Okay, I don't want to alarm anybody, but I am reviewing and rating a playscript written by a poet. And with high praise. Go look for yourself.

>229 richardderus: I seem to gravitate toward "information" reading, perhaps a defect from my occupational years as a scientist and my insatiable curiosity about how things work. My reading list is eclectic some would say. On the other hand, if I ever reach a point where I quit wanting to learn, I'm probably brain-dead.

Last cup of the Brazilian. The fresh-roast Ethiopian should be ready tomorrow after a mellowing rest.

>262 richardderus: Obviously I've entered an alternate universe.

Has Harry Turtledove taken over LT?

>260 AuntieClio: Well...yes dear, indeed you are.

:-P

>261 maggie1944: You'll have a very great deal of company in that claim.

>263 mldavis2: Good morning, Mike! "An insatiable curiosity" really describes most readers, no matter the genre, doesn't it? Aren't most consumers of printed entertainment after some furtherance of knowledge, even if it's not knowledge others place much store in?

Enjoy the Brazilian cup tomorrow. Amazing what a rest after the roast can bring out.

>264 Matke: *smooch*

Morning! Sending coffee love.

>231 richardderus:: perfect, absolutely perfect. All the things I need.

There's no way I can catch up with this thread so I'll just pop in as I can. A bit of real life at the moment.

...but nobody call the fire department

>266 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers! I am most absorptive of the bean juice this morning.

>267 tiffin: Hi Tui! I love the simplicity of that room. Very restful, very complete.

I hope "real life" means "garden time." *smooch*

Hey RD! Haven't been by in awhile, so I thought I would pop in and see how you are doing. All good? Or semi-good?

Hiya Mark, as good as it ever gets is about the size of it. Summer. Ick.

Why can't I live on a planet that has winter, double winter, fall, and a week of summer?

It's good to know someone who appreciates winter so much, while so many of us are waiting for it to finally pass. It's enough for me to read one of those dandy Scandi crime novels every once in a while, while the temperatures climb.

Returning Sunday wishes. Hope it's a good one (and not too hot)! Supposed to be 95F here and it's kind of humid which just isn't fair...

>272 jnwelch: I want six months of fall, five months of ice-cream winter...above freezing, late-blooming plants and brussels sprouts and the best of the berry crop stlll around...three weeks of snow and ice, one week of summer.

Is that so much to ask? *Bambi eyes*

>273 katiekrug: Hiya Katiedid, it's about 80° and moderately humid. Not torturous, still too effin' hot for me, so I'm huddled in front of the a/c sucking in great lungsful of cold cold air.

God bless you, Mr. Carrier!

It's been hot here too, RD, but after the winter we had, I am still not complaining. Give me a couple more weeks...

I'll check with you around 10 August. You'll be good and sick of it by then, I'll bet.

I'm ngurmbling and gradumphing about what to read next. Can't settle on anything.

*aaahhh*

>277 richardderus: *squee*

xoxo

>277 richardderus: lovely to look at, but would be concerned about a bookalanche! Ouch!

You could move to Minnesota.

^Speaking of warblers, I think you warbled about Open City a couple years ago. Am I correct? I am enjoying it at the moment. The guy is a helluva writer.

>278 luvamystery65: I know, right?!

>279 michigantrumpet: I live in a seismically dead zone, so I tend not to worry about wall-mounted bookshelves. The ones on my bed...well...

>280 Morphidae: Uhhhmmm...no.

>281 msf59: Your memory is spot-on! I enjoyed Open City quite a lot. But, and this is important, *I* am NOT a Satanic Book Warbler. I, keep this in mind now, *I* comment thoughtfully and I hope entertainingly on the passing book-scene in order to inform and amuse the public at large.

Y'ALL are the Satanic Book Warblers, spreading temptation and biblioconcupiscence far and wide, ensnaring innocent old men on fixed incomes into eternal servitude to the lust to acquire and possess and fondle the gloriously scrumptiously desirable books purveyed by evil-hearted capitalists.

See? Completely different things. I hope that resolves the issue for you.

The Satanic Book Warblers? Sounds like a softball team.

And thanks, for straightening us out, RD! Boy, did we have that wrong.

>277 richardderus: Ooo, ahhh!

You know how I am about sports. I would definitely go to see the Satanic Book Warblers softball team play.

I would definitely go to see a team by that name play, too. However, I suspect if called upon to actually *play* many of us would either be watching the pretty clouds going by or checking our phones for updates to our threads and miss the game altogether. ;-)

You are a Deville! Diablo Deville to be precise. I love all my Devilles. ;-)

>283 msf59: So gla d I could reduce the confusion about this issue.

>284 jnwelch: I know, right?!

>285 michigantrumpet: ...play...? Play what? I play fast and loose pretty well.

>286 luvamystery65: *smooch*

>285 michigantrumpet: I don't know what you're talking about Marianne, my nose would be stuck in a book. There's pretty clouds?

>283 msf59: >285 michigantrumpet: I'm picturing a bowling team. I would definitely buy the crap out of a bowling shirt with Satanic Book Warblers embroidered on the back (and yes RD, I know you think I'm one of the biggest offenders. And darn proud of it) :)

I've reviewed a weird little collection by Virginia Woolf, Monday or Tuesday, over in my Short Stories thread...post #39.

It's fun reading, but of eight stories, two could be left out and no harm done. Not such a great average.

>288 AuntieClio: Yep, that sounds like me, too.

>289 mahsdad: A bowling shirt with a cool-looking warbler on the back! What a great idea! And yours can have "Satan-in-Chief" over the front pocket.

+1

Monday! Wheeeee!! Monday at last!! *happy sigh* Everyone gone, the house quiet, and a chance to take a real shower. *bliss*



Hup! Hup! Hup! Get to readin' y'all slackers!

Happy Monday, Rdear. I've seen on Marks post that you are longing for a

>293 Ameise1: Ha! Thanks, Barbara.

*Wavies* Enjoy the quiet. And the books :)

Just in time to say hi and *smooch* before you need a new thread.

Sorry I've been AWOL but I have read the whole thread, not got to your other ones yet though.

I do hope that the Gentleman Caller gets the job and that you both move.

Here's hoping that you have a wonderful Monday.

Hello, Darlin'.

How's by ya?

Psssst. I lied. One last post. Very last day!

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/for-our-beloved-curmudgeon/179809

I've reviewed The Hanover Square Affair, a first-in-series mystery set in Regency England, in my Crime, Thriller, and Mystery thread...post #163.

It's all Caroline's fault.

No. Nope. Not happening. No new series!!! What are you trying to do to me? I withhold my smooch, at least for a while.

>295 BekkaJo: *smooch* I am indeed enjoying them all!!

>296 calm: Thanks for visiting, calm, and for the good wishes. I am shocked at how much I want this peculiar intergenerational relationship to work out. He is a fine man, and a good friend.

>297 Matke: *smooch* It's gotten much, much better just very recently, as I am entirely and deliciously alone from tonight until (I hope) Friday morning.

>298 Morphidae: *smoochiesmoochsmooch* for my dear Morphy!

>300 Berly: Resistance is futile. The book is free. Don't waste time fretting, go and get it and read it.

***BE PREPARED***

There will be an all-out offensive against Caroline because, not only did she grab me and hypnotize me and torment me until I agreed (with the greatest reluctance! bear this in mind!) to read The Hanover Square Affair, the first in an ELEVEN-BOOK SERIES {here I shall pause for appalled gasps and panicked pearl-clutchings} but the Satanic Book Warbler ALSO...wait...maybe it was Suzanne...

...anyway, the Northeastern Satanic Book Warbler chorus has also fed me into the maw of another series. The Gauguin Connection has already sucked me so far down its maw that I'm 62pp in and hopelessly hooked.

The shoulder-mounted rocket launcher will not be enough. The small tactical nuke, permaybehaps. Flee, innocent people! Flee before the Wrath descends!

I'm inserting cotton into my ears so I hear none of your reflected warbling on your newest post!!!!

Love the book porn in >231 richardderus:... Made me swoon.

And speaking of swooning! My heart did little skips for you when I was reading your possible plans!! Grinning like a goof ball right now! ;)

Ya want real fantods, Romantic Annie?

He *paddled across a lake* and *hiked a mile* to use a land-line to call me. Because he missed me. And wanted to hear my voice.

After I recovered from the barely sub-lethal fantods, I melted. I am not, to this good moment, fully unmelted.

And if these other book warblers deserve the nuclear option, what of you, my dear Richard, as the one instrumental in downloading BOTH of those books onto my Kindle, deserve? Agreed, the price was definitely right.

>306 ronincats: "Other" Book Warblers? I refer you to post >282 richardderus:, dear Roni. *I* am not a book warbler! Nay nay, perish forbid! I comment upon the passing book scene, in a strictly informational spirit.

Utterly, totally innocent.