Joe's Book Cafe 20

Art by Jack Ezra Keats

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
66. Scaramouche by Raphael Sabatini
67. Redeployment by Phil Klay
68. Agent Zigzag by Ben Macyntyre
69. The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson
70. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
71. Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson
72. Aimless Love by Billy Collins
73. Shots Fired by C.J. Box
74. Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb
75. The Tie That Binds by Kent Haruf
76. The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan

July

77. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
78. Solanin by Inio Asano
79. As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson
80. Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan
81. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
82. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
83. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
84. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
85. Incarnadine by Mary Szybist
86. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
87. Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
88. A Trail Through Time by Jodi Taylor
89. Any Other Name by Craig Johnson

August

90. Midnight in Europe by Alan Furst
91. We were Liars by E. Lockhart
92. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
93. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
94. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
95. Personal: A Jack Reacher Story by Lee Child
96. Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made by David Halberstam
97. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
98. The Ghost Writer by Phillip Roth
99. Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
100. A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr

September

101. The Long Way Home by Louise Penny
102. Open Season by Archer Mayor
103. The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman
104. Bitch in a Bonnet by Robert Rodi
105. Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout
106. Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly by Agatha Christie
107. The Last Policeman by Ben Winters

Woo! Am I first?

Hi Joe, hope you are having a lovely Saturday. I have been invaded by painters and carpenters so I brought my books and will grab myself a nice quiet table and sip on an ice tea while I wait for my house to be habitable again.

Gorgeous drawings! Happy new thread, Joe.

Happy new thread Joe, hope you had a good start to your weekend.

Love the Keats illustrations. Had to go check him out, as he is new to me.

Hi Joe! I think I remember the snow painting from a children's book we had when I was a kid. Thanks for sharing!

Snow in August!?
I loved Keats Snowy Day as a kid.

Howdy do, monsignor. Happy new thread!

Those are classic pictures with which to start your cafe. That would make great art for winter as it makes me think of hot chocolate and warm brandies and rum ball cookies. Not exactly August fare.

So far Dreamhunter is reminding me of Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley and Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray. It seems to be set in a turn-of-the-last -century British style colony, but I will know more by Monday. So far it has a golem. That makes it a good start for a fantasy novel.

>3 Smiler69: You're first, Ilana! Way to go!

We can fill in the particulars later.

Woot! :-D

Happy Saturday, Joe! Happy New thread! Love the Keats toppers. Just wrapped up my work day and now I am off for 2. I also just finished Authority. I really like this series. It's such a weird mix of the banal, creepy and strange. Like Kubrick doing The Twilight Zone. It also sets up nicely for the finale.

Have you ever tried The White Rhino Hotel? If not, you might really like this trilogy. Great mix of history and adventure, with a beautiful setting. Great old-fashioned fun.

>4 DeltaQueen50: We're having a lovely Saturday, thanks, Judy. We spent a lot of it up in our sunny attic (skylight) while #1 daughter went through her childhood memorabilia and weeded out the no longer needed. Lots of wonderful memories, including her first onesie and ballet tutu. The wily Sherlock was quite helpful until he got exhausted and had to flake out.

Sorry to hear about the hubbub at your place, although I'm sure it will all be to the good in the end. A quiet spot with some iced tea sounds like just the ticket. Hope you have a great rest of the weekend.



>5 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! A lot of people would probably recognize his Snowy Day book, a big favorite in this house.

>6 Thebookdiva: Thanks, Abby. We are indeed off to a good start here, with a nice visit from our daughter and her furry sidekick. Unlike your mom, we don't have our kids around home, so a visit is always appreciated.

>7 laytonwoman3rd: Oh good, Linda. He's a keeper. He had a knack with color and placement, doesn't he? Check out his Snowy Day one.

>8 DorsVenabili: Thanks, Kerri! You're probably thinking of The Snowy Day. Debbi the storyteller used to have all the wee ones agog reading that one out loud to them way back when.

>9 ChelleBearss: You got it, Chelle. Seemed like a little snow in August might feel good for the psyche. Your little one may like The Snowy Day some day.

We were just looking at photos and clothes and so on from our daughter's first few years. She was our first child, and we have a lot of memorabilia - including a journal my wife did keeping a record of her first this and that. We were laughing thinking about our poor son - very little in comparison. Our daughter, of course, loves that.

>10 richardderus: Howdy do, my friend. Thanks! We'll have large helpings of vittles at the ready for when you get one of your cravings.

>11 benitastrnad: I know, I'm a bit of a contrarian, I guess, Benita, with the snowy pics in August, but they're so good! I started with a summery one. Maybe we'll break them back out in the colder months so we can have those warm brandies and rum ball cookies and hot chocolates you mention.

Glad to hear Dreamhunter is off to a good start. Seasonsoflove may know about it; I think she's read the Libby Bray and maybe the Robin McKinley.

>13 Smiler69: :-)

>14 msf59: Happy Saturday, Mark! Thanks!

I liked the first one you had me read, Annihilation - very different. "Weird mix of the banal, creepy and strange" would fit that one well, too. I'm sure I'll get to Authority at some point.

Yes, I read White Rhino Hotel after all the positive comments on LT, and I have Cafe on the Nile on the tbr shelf. Good to hear you, Ilana and others like the second one, too.

Yes Joe, I've heard that the first child usually has a better baby book than the second. I barely had time to record Chloe's first couple months, I can't imagine having a toddler and a newborn at the same time. I imagine I'll be in that situation in no time!

The Niece and her husband have quite a few pictures of Son #1, and I have a huge collection documenting Daughter #1 (child #3) as she grew up with me watching over her. Poor middle child - not so many photographs of him. However, I did get a few once I was watching all three of them. Luck kids to have a Great Aunt with camera! Nobody had a "Baby Book" though.

School starts next week and I'm back to driving up to help them get outta bed, and into school clothes....

I had a nice 5 hour shift today, and I did not get too much reading done as I was restless. Did one grocery order delivery, and then walked, and flipped through a couple of magazines, and wandered around in the store... up and down the aisles. I will be able to shop more efficiently if I know those aisles. I want to get out of the car and take better care of my back, too.

>17 jnwelch: Yes, as I might have mentioned on my thread, I'll be picking up the third book in the Anton Rider trilogy, The Devil's Oasis before year's end. Mark and Judy had recommended the series to me initially and I'm really keen on it now, and will look out for Bull's two other books set in China eventually.

hugs

Snowy Day!!! I love Ezra Jack Keats too. I had that book as a child.

>11 benitastrnad: I've read the Dreamhunter books and a few others by Elizabeth Knox. There is a sequel to the duet, Mortal Fire. They are set in the north of New Zealand's South Island and she depicts the alternate worldiness really well. Knox's most well known work is The Vintner's Luck and her latest is a zombie novel, Wake which has sat on my tbr pile all year.
She's married to Victoria University Press publisher Fergus Barrowman, who published Eleanor Catton's two books.

Joe - From your old thread - Good to hear that you enjoyed Dreams of Gods & Monsters. Laini Taylor and ELizabeth Knox just did a panel discussion on the paranormal together at the Christchurch Book Festival, I'll put a link up when one becomes available, it was led by fantasy writer, Helen Lowe whose work I've also enjoyed (Thornspell is a great Sleeping Beauty retelling).

Happy New Thread!

#23
Thanks for the information. I didn't know about the sequel so will have to get that for the library. So let me get this straight - these fantasy books are set in a real place?

Good to see that at least one book festival has women fantasy authors on the panels. After the fiasco in New York City last spring I doubt festival planners will make that mistake again, but glad that other places on the planet are more equitable in their author selection. I think that both of these authors would be fantastic to hear.

Just-for-the-record - I love Laini Taylor's work. Dreams of Gods and Monsters was a great ride of a book. My only problem with it was, it had, what I call, a mushy ending. I think the ending as is could have been made much stronger. But overall this was an outstanding series. I think it was a mistake to class the Daughter of Smoke and Bone as a YA series. Everybody will like this story. And book two Days of Blood and Starlight was simply outstanding.

Does the cafe have any croissants and coffee this morning?

Hmmm... I just had an iced latté, but wouldn't mind another, if you're still serving, or even open for business today? Are the 'puter troubles over for good? Happy Sunday Joe, whatever the case may be!

>18 ChelleBearss: It's fun to laugh about it, Chelle. We love them both dearly, and it has been quite an adventure with both. I was the third, with two older sisters, and they still complain about how I got to do whatever I wanted, with no real curfew, for example. Truth is our parents were just worn out by the time they got to me. :-)

>19 maggie1944: Sounds like you're developing a good strategerie (SNL- Bush) for handling InstaCart, Karen, and keeping yourself comfortable.

Middle child not so well-documented - there may be advantages, like not getting the blame so much either. In our house my oldest sister and I were the most rambunctious and rule-breaking (big surprise, right?), and the middle sister was always the "good child". Remains true to this day.

>20 Smiler69: Poifect, Ilana. I'll look forward to your blazing the trail for latecomers to Bartle Bull like me.

>21 mckait: Hugs back, Kath! Hope you're relaxing a bit this weekend.

Joe, congrats on another new thread and 101 books read. So…what's the verdict on the new Louise Penny book? I have a short wait at the library before I get mine. I hope those readers in front of me read quickly!

>28 jnwelch:: Funny, we had that conversation about birth order yesterday with our youngest son. He didn't turn out too badly considering how worn out we were by the time he was growing up!

>22 cammykitty: Isn't Snowy Day a good one, Katie? Lots of fond memories in our family, too.

>23 avatiakh: I saw that Elizabeth Knox is a New Zealander, Kerry. Lots of good writers in them there parts. You obviously must've enjoyed Dreamhunter if you went on and read others of hers.

I'll bet it was fun to hear her and Laini Taylor on a panel together.

>24 SuziQoregon: Thanks, Juli!

>25 benitastrnad: I do enjoy a lot of fantasy books set in real places, I must say, Benita. Emma Bull's books come to mind, and the Harry Dresden books set in Chicago, and the Iron Druid ones that Roberta has bb'd many of us with.

I didn't know about the NYC fiasco, but it sounds like they neglected women fantasy authors. Not smart.

I agree with you on Daughter of Smoke and Bone series.

>26 benitastrnad: Mais oui, Benita. Croissants and coffee coming up:



>27 Smiler69: Computer troubles seem to be over, Ilana, thanks. It's a very good Sunday so far, with coffee and a long walk and some Sunday crossword-puzzling. At some point today we'll catch up some more on Orphan Black. Plus I've got the first Joe Gunther mystery going, and I plan to start Tracy Chevalier's The Last Runaway, recommended by my much better half.

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday!

An iced latté sounds like a grand idea. The weather is heating up here, and I imagine it is where you are, too.

>29 Donna828: Thanks, Donna!

I thought the latest Louise Penny was quite good. There were a couple of nitpicks for me in the plot, but so what. It also doesn't reach the heights of How the Light Gets In, IMO, but it would be unreasonable to expect that. Overall it's topnotch; she's so good. Very interesting to see Gamache in a new stage of life.

Yeah, I bet the "parents worn out" factor is pretty common with a third child, and it doesn't do any harm, as far as I've seen. I don't know how folks do it with larger families. One of my roommates was one of twelve, a rarity these days, and it was a whole different dynamic at his house. It was somewhat like a boarding house, I guess, with duties divided up, but all of it tied together with a lot of affection.

We get somewhat overwhelmed when we get together with all of my aunts and uncles and cousins. I can't imagine adding a large family of my own to that.

Happy Sunday, Joe! I hope you have a nice day planned. We are going to visit friends, for a cookout & refreshments. I started the Shadow Hero. I really like Yang's work. So much different from the Boxer/Saints books.

re last thread's post 254 - thanks for the link, Joe! I happened to spot them on Audible as well, and had free credits, so I indulged. They were so good.

and the Keats are yummy, colorful. thanks for showing me more and more art that I haven't seen before.

Fried pickles with ranch. I'll take 10,000 please.

oh yum - fried pickles. I have many fond memories of fried pickles at Sonic in some very small towns in Kansas.

>25 benitastrnad: New Zealand readers of Knox's Dreamhunter books really feel the NZ setting even though it's set in an alternate world. Mortal Fire is even more strongly set in NZ.
I've attended a few Knox talks in the past, she also gave the inaugural Margaret Mahy Memorial Lecture yesterday that was meant to have been very special, I'll post a link when I come across it. New Zealand and AUstralia seem to be more relaxed over those gender issues that cause grief elsewhere, though I don't have my radar out on these things.

>30 jnwelch: Whoops, didn't make that clear, I didn't attend the Knox/Taylor talk, but saw it tweeted a few times. aini Taylor has made two stops on her her NZ/Australia tour. I could have seen her in Auckland, but decided that I didn't want to be a groupe along with all the high school fans and her appearances at Christchurch Book Festival were too far away for me to enjoy. SHe's now in Australia for a book festival.

Just popped in to say hello and wish everyone a happy Labor Day. Hopefully there's lots of reading and very little "laboring" going on.

>32 msf59:. Thanks, Mark. It's been a great, relaxing weekend. Hope yours has been, too.

Glad you're liking Shadow Hero; very different from
his others. The Afterword explains the background.

I just read my first Joe Gunther mystery, set in Brattleboro, VT. Pretty darn good.

>33 ffortsa:. You're welcome, Judy. I'm glad that worked out well for you. I agree; those Hitchhiker's broadcasts are so good!

I'm glad you like the Keats art, too. It's fun to share good illustrators.

>34 richardderus:. That looks delicious, Richard. Thanks for the guest chef appearance.

>35 benitastrnad:. I've never had Sonic fried pickles, Benita, but I've had some awfully good ones at other restaurants along the way. Yummers.

>36 avatiakh:. Thanks for the good info, Kerry. I suspect those NZ elements would be fun for us northerners, too.

Gender issues are big here right now. I hope we get to the point in my lifetime when we're all more relaxed about them, because we've successfully progressed a long ways.

>37 NarratorLady:. Happy Labor Day, Anne! Hope it's been reading-filled and labor-free for you. It has been in our house, and I've returned (finally) to The Guns of August. My MBH is enjoying Cress.

Happy post-holiday return to the USA-ers, and Happy Tuesday to everyone.

Nice win by the Chicago Sky yesterday, another big comeback. One more win and they're in the Finals. But they're facing a tough Indiana team, so we'll have to wait and see.

Morning Joe! Looks like a nice late summer day. I started Double Cross and it snagged me immediately. Macintyre is so good at this stuff.
I am not familiar with the Joe Gunther series. Good? Like many of us, I am always hesitant about starting a new series.

I spent a very nice holiday afternoon with a friend. We had an artichoke and olive pizza. It was so good I would like another slice - if the cafe is open. The pizza came with a spicy bean sprout and ademame bean salad. Different kind of combination (so international) but very good together. Add a nice glass of white wine and it was a very nice light supper for a late summer's evening.

And - then - back to work today.

Morning, Joe, hoping you're having as nice a day as I am...apple pie for breakfast, lots o'coffee, a good book.

Oh wait...you're working...never mind all that, don't get suicidally depressed.

As I keep telling my American friends here on LT, we have Labour day in Canada too! Sticklers like me like to spell it with the added 'u', that's the only difference! Long weekends don't made a big difference to me considering every day is a Saturday to begin with!

Hope you have a great week ahead Joe.

>43 richardderus: Cherry pie here, otherwise I started my day in much the same way. I think I'll have pie for lunch, too...only this time it will be chicken pot pie.

I haven't had a pot pie in ages! Hmmm

>41 msf59: I've read nothing but positives about Double Cross, Mark. No surprise with Macintyre, I agree. I never really knew much about the D-Day tomfoolery, but he gave a glimpse of it in Agent Zigzag. I'm sure you're in for a great read.

Yes, I can recommend Open Season featuring Joe Gunther. Someone on LT is a fan of the series, and I'm glad I gave it a try. The Brattleboro, VT setting is appealing, and so is Joe. I haven't read any others, but it certainly is a solid set-up for the series.

>42 benitastrnad: I was just saying to someone that this hasn't been a bad workday for coming after a holiday weekend. I hope the same is true on your end.

That sounds like a nice outing indeed with your friend. Yes, the cafe is up and running. Here you go.



>43 richardderus: Ha! Thanks, I think, RD. Glad to hear you're having such a good one. It ain't bad on my end. No apple pie for breakfast, though, darn it.

>44 Smiler69: Every day as a Saturday sounds awfully good, Ilana, but I know its accompaniments aren't easy. The "u" in Labour makes it seem like an entirely different holiday, don't you think? (Not). Actually, we don't match up with Canada all that often on holidays, do we? I know Thanksgiving is quite different. And I'm not sure when Heffalump Day is celebrated in either country.

The week looks good indeed; I hope you have a great one, too.

>45 laytonwoman3rd: You and Richard know how to start the day, Linda - I've got pie envy. Your lunch sounds good, too, although I might wait for a cooler day than we have here.

>46 richardderus: We'll tempt you with a pot pie, Richard. Here you go:

>48 jnwelch: There's a story about me and pie for breakfast, Joe. Stop me if you've heard me tell it before. The night before she went into labor, my mother had packed my Dad's lunchbox for the next work day, as always, and included a slice of apple pie. They set out for the hospital in a snowstorm, plowing through uncleared roads with the bumper of their big ol' Buick, and by the time I arrived, my father had worked his way through his "lunch", and ate the apple pie just about the time I showed up, around 7:00 a.m. So naturally, I find pie to be the perfect breakfast food, and indulge in it whenever possible. My mom still makes a wicked good pie, of pretty much any variety, and she's fairly generous with it.

I like that pie story, Linda, and hadn't heard it before. Now you've got me wondering whether my dad was munching on cookies when I showed up. I'll have to ask him. It would explain a lot.

You're lucky to have a mom who makes a wicked good pie, and is fairly generous about it. That would make up for more than a few parently annoyances in my world.

Heffalump Day? You made that up, right?! You're certainly right about Thanksgiving. I've always wondered why the timing was so different in Canada and the US, and I think I got an explanation at one point, but completely forgot it now. Ours is in October and not nearly as much of a big deal as the US version is.

Every day as Saturday: I borrowed that expression from Peggy (LizzieD), who is retired and describes her schedule that way. I'm too young to describe myself as retired, but as I've been declared permanently disabled a couple of years ago, I do live a similar lifestyle, which of course has lots of advantages, except for the part about what led me to be declared as disabled in the first place, though initially, ironically enough, the migraines had nothing to do with it, though they would if I was to be diagnosed all over again. It's a bit strange being in my age group and living this way because I'm really completely outside the norm. Most people my age are still working hard at their career and in their prime in fact, and I feel a lot of guilt and grief and various conflicting emotions about all that, especially given how driven I was up till the day I had a sudden and very explosive breakdown. I really thought I had the makings to make a difference, or at least to become extremely successful, as did lots of people around me, including my employers at a big corporation and various colleagues and competitors, but I guess I didn't after all. Or maybe, "*bleep* just happens". I don't know. One thing is for sure: I'm lucky to have so many passions, or at least such a great love for reading and making art, and that I found this community, and not least of all, had such a solid group insurance plan where I worked, otherwise, goodness knows where I'd be today; probably collecting welfare and having a much harder time of it. I do count my blessings, believe me!

Yeah, there should be a Heffalump Day, don't you think? But yes, I made that up.

Sometimes the cards we get dealt don't seem fair, that's for sure. You and others deal productively with situations so difficult that I can't even imagine them. You're such a gifted artist and a gifted reader/writer, and we're lucky you share with all of us on LT.

I hear you on the insurance. It can make such a huge difference in people's lives. Thank goodness our kids are covered by where they work, now that they don't come under our policy. Obamacare can be tweaked, but as far as I'm concerned it's a miracle he got it passed, and it's one that already is helping an awful lot of people.

Obamacare + the kindness of my friends = HUGELY improved quality of life for me! I've even got Medicare sorted, to start 1 December. Three full months before they wanted to initially.

>53 richardderus: Yes! Great news, Richard. I know how critical that is for you.

Yes, well, on the genetics front, seems I was dealt some pretty dud cards, but then the insurance package does make for some pretty great compensation, and I've had to be careful who I've told about it, because some people (including my own mother) have been really critical about me taking the 'easy' way out and not trying to fight harder for my survival. So I'm always careful when I'm tempted to complain about my fate. I do sometimes, but then I quickly compensate by thanking my lucky stars too. But then... I should say that I also sort of 'sold out' when I took on that corporate job to begin with, because by then I'd had a diagnosis for bipolar disorder for a while and enough breakdowns to be scared of something major putting me out of commission. I would definitely NOT say that I had a premeditated plan, because of course I only hoped for the best and was driven to succeed, but I did sort of put the odds on my side... and the company I worked for was known for having the best employee coverage in the country. So... I'm not really allowed to complain, am I?

I'm really glad for you people on the other side of the border Obama's taken things in hand and made a difference. It's always horrified me that medical care was basically only available to people with lots of money or those who were at the bottom of the ladder, basically, as I understand it. I remember seeing whole families living on the streets in San Francisco in the 80s and being told people who'd lost their jobs and then got sick and had no insurance could lose everything because of medical bills and end up that way in the US, and that completely traumatized me. Talk about a land of extremes. I hope for all your sakes that Obama's measure's have lasting consequences.

One of my mottoes, Ilana, is "I can't complain, but I will." To me, you're always entitled to complain - why else would we have ears?

Yes, down here in the south 48 plus those other two medical bills can devastate individuals and families, and Obamacare has all the capability of curing that. So far all the potshots have failed; fingers crossed it lasts and has those lasting consequences you mention.

I love all the pie talk round here, Joe. Blueberry is my special favorite, although, honestly, I'll take any kind, really. My mom makes a perfectly wicked raisin pie, too. *sigh*

Few things fry me more than the people who are on disability and need not be. They seem to be able to do anything they want to do, but when it comes to working? No. I know someone who actually researched how to be diagnosed as disabled, and was. This during a time when she made a wonderful salary, and she gets a nice income from it. She has also gotten her youngest son on it, he never worked a day in his life. He is twenty now, and has two friends on disability. The pursuit of the monthly check has turned him into a drug addict. His brothers have turned against the mom as they have watched this happen. Her husband recently left her. I have a neighbor with a similar story. The worst part of it is that there are so many, like our rd who either can't get it or have terrible difficulty getting it, due to those who are cheating the system. I am always glad when they get caught. There have been quite a few stories in recent years about some spectacular reveals of the cheaters.

Thank goodness for the ACA act and the LTers generosity for our rd.

>57 scaifea: The pie life is the good life, Amber, for sure. Raisin pie? Let's try it.



>58 mckait: Thank goodness for the ACA act and the LTers generosity for our rd. Amen, Kath.

It's amazing how much energy some people devote to cheating the system, and you're right, it makes it more difficult for legitimate claimants like RD.

Open Season by Archer Mayor, the first in a mystery series, is set in Brattleboro, Vermont and features police Lieutenant Joe Gunther. An elderly woman apparently has shot dead a man accosting her at home. He had been harassing her and had threatened to attack her that night. But it quickly becomes more complicated, as Joe learns that the man may have been set up, and that both killer and victim served together on a jury that convicted a janitor of murder. Other jurors may be in danger, and corners may have been cut in securing the conviction. But re-examining the case would put Joe in conflict with his peers, who don't want their actions questioned. A mysterious person they call "Ski Mask" may be behind what happens, with an undisclosed agenda.

This is a solid police procedural. There are some flaws, e.g. Joe doesn't check on the uninvolved jurors even though they may be in danger, and overall it may be too low key for some tastes. But the latter seems to fit with the Vermont locale. The series now has 24 books and a dedicated fan base. While not a barn-burner, I found this one an entertaining diversion, and Joe an appealing character. I'll be trying another one to see how the author develops the story. Three stars.

>60 jnwelch: Joe, I upgethumbed your review, but the link doesn't take one to the proper book. Linda Howard not Archer Mayor.

Happy Hump Day, Joe! Yah, for a short work week and yah for your upcoming trip. You are meeting up with Darryl, right? And a couple other LTers? How long are you going for? Yes, I am full of questions, this bright and sunny morn.

I've been indulging in a strawberry-rhubarb pie from the market this past week. Froze the last few portions and am eating them that way: strawberry-rhubarb pie popsicles anyone? Really delicious! :-)

>61 richardderus: Thanks for the thumb, and thanks for the heads-up, RD. Fixed.

I still think mystery writers need to put more pep in their titles. Open Season has been used too many times, and so has The Long Way Home. The former Joe Gunther one could've been Buried Pleasure, and the latter Inspector Gamache one No Rest for the Wicked, for ex.

>62 msf59: Hiya, Mark! Yes, we're meeting up next week with Darryl and I'm not sure who else - Rhian? Some Tate Modern and some Globe Theater with him, and I hope a bookstore or two at some point. We'll be gone two weeks, starting on Saturday.

>63 Smiler69: Strawberry rhubarb pie I know is good, Ilana, but I've sure never tried strawberry rhubarb popsicles. Intriguing.

The London trip sounds wonderful. It looks like we will both be gone about the same time. We return on the Friday before you.

>40 jnwelch: is that Audreey Hepburn, exhibiting a come-hither glance? :)

>55 Smiler69: >56 jnwelch:
NZ has pretty good public health care. So, I can't complain- but I will (!!) ;)
Wilb needs ear surgery, in order to circumvent the up to 6 month waiting list to see a specialist, we paid $200 for a private appointment. There is an up to 5 month wait for the surgery from the public system which will be done by whichever surgeon's name comes up first. The specialist (a surgeon) we saw in his private capacity very flippantly informed us at the appointment that "he could fit us in next week if we paid privately". That felt a bit mean.

But it is nice to know that urgent surgeries are covered here so people are unlikely to be made destitute for the sake of getting basic health needs met. I am very grateful for it and like to have faith in the public system working. It is how I got my life-changing hip surgery, and my two babies!

>47 jnwelch: I don't know if I was the one who recommended the Gunther books, or if we were hit by the same book bullet. They are very good. I've read the next two (I think), and the quality continues and Joe continues to grow as a character.

Nice game by the Chicago Sky! Into the Finals they go, against the probably too good Phoenix Mercury. But who knows, hope springs eternal. Sylvia Fowles has been terrific, and Quigley off the bench.

>65 msf59: Almost there, Mark! Good thing we're all so global; we'll probably be able to stay in touch via LT and FB.

I finished The Guns of August - what a feat by Tuchman! I'm now off to a good start in Cloud Atlas.

>66 LovingLit: Yes, Megan, that's Audrey Hepburn giving a "come hither and check out this great book I'm reading" glance. Nice catch.

I'd always liked her, but I couldn't believe how good she was in her very first movie, Roman Holiday. A star from the get-go.

Thanks for telling us about your public medicine experience. I have mixed feelings about the public system based on our experience in London. When our daughter was taking a semester abroad at St. Mary's in London, she got what turned out to be an intestinal problem (did I remember that right, Becca?) The public doctor couldn't find any problem, and gave her a pain reliever (!) Her mom and I are in Chicago, worried sick. The health supervisor for her abroad program called us and advised us to get her to a private doctor immediately. We did, and that made all the difference.

So, similar to what you're saying, I'm glad healthcare is broadly available there, but without a private care backup it looks like there'd be a lot of disasters. And what if you can't afford the private care backup?

>67 ffortsa: Good to hear, Judy. I bet it was your thread where I picked up the tip on the Joe Gunther mysteries. Thanks! They offered the first one for free for a while, but I see Kindle edition of the first one is still only $2.99: http://smile.amazon.com/Open-Season-Gunther-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00C3LKYZ0/ref....

Semi-Sweet Thursday, Joe. It has been raining most of the morning and I heard it will get HOT this afternoon. Oh, joy.
I hope you love Cloud Atlas, as much as I did. I think it is a perfect choice.
BTW- Double Cross has been another gem.

>66 LovingLit: Megan, it seems wherever public health-care is available, we have that common problem of ridiculously long waits to see specialists and get surgical interventions in non-life-threatening situations. I, for one, can't afford private health-care, but I know that's what a lot of people resort to here as well when they can't or won't wait for it, and/or they'll often go to the US for better (though more expensive) care. Nothing is perfect!

Joe, have you read the Bartimeus Trilogy? I'm onto book 3, Ptolemy's Gate and have really enjoyed these. There'll be the prequel, The Ring of Solomon to finish things off with eventually. The narrator for the audiobooks is really great. I'll have to look into what else he's done.

>69 msf59: Happy Semi-sweet Thursday, Mark! Sounds like you got the storm that missed us downtown. Cooler weather is coming, they say, but it's apparently going to get uncomfortably hot today. Hope you get done before the worst arrives.

Yeah, so far I'm liking Cloud Atlas. I'm never completely sure - lots of people liked The Luminaries a heck of a lot more than I did, although it was unquestionably a first rate outing.

I was saying on another thread that I need to read some more Macintyre. I've yet to see someone read one of his and say "meh". Agent Zigzag was excellent.

>70 Smiler69: I read the first Bartimeus and had fun with it, Ilana, but wasn't drawn on to read the others. I can imagine an audio version would be entertaining - how in the world does the narrator handle those footnotes?

>70 Smiler69: Good question Joe. I read the first book, and do now recall all those footnotes, now you mention them. He must just integrate them into his reading quite seamlessly, or as sly asides, I guess.

>72 Smiler69: Seamlessly is good. They obviously figured out a way to do it, because they wouldn't leave them out. I remember a lot of the humor was in those footnotes.

Waitaminnitwaitaminnit now hold the doors...Mark is going to (already whammied to whale-dirt) Hawaii but YOU are going to LONDON thence to meet up with Darryl and other LTers.

*begins crafting spell to inflict simultaneous outbreak of scabies and Antarctic polar vortex on London and environs*

>74 richardderus: Ah, you misunderstood, Richard. We're going to a little town near Helsinki named Nodnol. Should be lovely this time of year.

*adds US currency crisis to London's woes*

Oh, well then! Must be a lovely spot indeed. Finland in the summer sounds exactly right to me.

>76 richardderus: LOL! I have a feeling you haven't fallen for the Nodnol story, darn it. We'll just have to maintain a stiff upper lip.

*contemplates adding on Doctor Who-level mayhem to London's woes*

Just finished another MacIntyre -- A Spy Among Friends -- about Kim Philby. My third. Also Agent Zigzag and Double Cross. Someone just gave me Operation Mincemeat to rest atop Mt. TBR.

Not a bad one in the bunch thus far for fans of narrative history.

>78 richardderus: *refrains from throwing a wobbler or whinging or otherwise behaving like a twit* *looks for nearest TARDIS*

>79 michigantrumpet: Our friend MacIntyre is coming up aces all over the place, Marianne. Mark is reading Double Cross right now. Caro (I'm pretty sure it was Caro) was just gushing about Operation Mincemeat. Does no one have something negative to say about this guy's books? I don't - I liked Agent Zigzag quite a bit, and look forward to reading more.

On the public private medicine discussion, I've had the same condition investigated several times both with private health insurance which I had with my old job, and the NHS as I don't now have any health insurance. In both cases it took approximately the same time to get an appointment, and I had the same clinical investigations on the same day. I even saw exactly the same consultant. The major difference was that the private hospital had a nicer waiting room with a better choice of magazines and free coffee.

I'd much rather a situation where you do need to wait in some circumstances, than the thought that I either have to pay out for very expensive insurance (which is likely to stop paying out anyway with chronic conditions) or risk being unable to afford treatment. I think in the UK many more people have insurance for their dog (over 50%) than have private medical insurance themselves (about 11%).

I'm here! The party can start now! :-D

I am about halfway through the recorded version of Rotters and you have got to read or listen to this book! I am having way too many driveway moments with this one to keep it to myself. It is simply heartbreaking and heartwarming.

There was a map of the U.S. going around Facebook earlier today that was most fascinating. It was mapped by the most common ingredient on menus in the state. Some states were not exactly what you expected. I discovered that I live in a state of chocolate and was born in the pecan state! I think about the only thing that could really make that combination better is a bit of caramel, and sadly, that was not any state's ingredient.

Hope you have a wonderful vacation!! London is on my list of must see places!

>81 SandDune: Free coffee is important, Rhian, (is it good coffee?), but probably not a basis for making a healthcare decision. Conceptually I view a public healthcare system positively, but our practical experience with the one in London makes me leery. If I had to use it with something serious, I'd be skeptical and sharp-eyed about diagnosis and treatment, and thinking I may well have to get private care to be sure it's being properly addressed. Admittedly, if we had had a great experience with the public healthcare, I might be looking at things differently. In our case, it was dangerously bad.

>82 AuntieClio: Yahoo! We were waiting, Stephanie!



>83 benitastrnad: Grave-robbing, Benita? Rotters certainly sounds unconventional. How did you hear about this one?

>84 thornton37814: Let's see whether we can post it here, Lori.



I wouldn't have guessed pecan for Mississippi! Tennessee for chocolate? I grew up in a green bell peppers state and live in a green bell peppers state - who knew?

For midwesterners, "Cheddar Cheese" for Wisconsin is perfect, and hilarious. (Maybe they really are Cheeseheads). Nebraska: "Dip"!!

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3029454/the-weirdest-eating-patterns-of-each-us-stat...

>85 ChelleBearss: We love London, Chelle. This is our third time - but we're nothing compared to Londonphile Darryl (kidzdoc), who has been there lots. We took our kids when they were 5 and 9 (also, Scotland and Ireland), and they had a blast.

>86 jnwelch: Sorry you've had such a bad experience Joe, personally I've usually been happy with the care I've had. We weren't altogether happy with our previous GP (first line practitioner) but it's easy to change and we are very happy with our current one. It can be more difficult negotiating the system in a foreign country as well as you don't know how things work or what your options are if things go wrong. I've experienced that myself in other countries whose health care systems I'm sure are perfectly fine. And I suppose as US citizens there isn't any reciprocal arrangements re health care as someone from Europe would have. All I know is since going to the doctor with somewhat vague gastric symptoms back in April I've had numerous blood and other tests, ultrasound, endoscopy, as well as appointments at a five week stress reduction clinic, all free, and I'm more than happy with that.

>87 SandDune: Good point, Rhian. We did have the healthcare supervisor from our daughter's program to help guide us in the system, but it certainly was foreign to us. I'm glad you're getting good treatment in yours. I don't know any tales of Europeans trying to use the U.S. health system - does anyone here?

Hi Joe! Did you hear about this? Syfy channel is turning Childhood's End into a miniseries:

http://io9.com/syfy-turning-arthur-c-clarkes-childhoods-end-into-a-mi-1630307900...

Thanks, Kerri! I'd heard, but not with this positive detail about who's involved in making it happen.

It's a great book, isn't it? Our son asked for sci-fi rec's, and Childhood's End was one of the first ones I gave. I'll have to alert him to this. "Peace for humanity - but at what cost?" Yes, indeedy.

Rotters won the ALA Odessey Award for best children's or young adult recording. It was for sale at the Listening Library booth at the conference in Chicago for $20.00, so I purchased it. I figured that even if it wasn't my line of books that for that price I could donate it to the public library. (It came in the library binding for a CD recording.) It has been a real surprise. It is sorta horrific, but what I really find horrific is the bullying that is going on among the students and the teachers. Bullying is being done all the way from the school secretary to the New Kid. It is a long book, but I am surprised at how riveting it has become. The reader is doing a great job, so there is no doubt in my mind that this one deserves to have won an award for the quality of the recording. If you want a book to listen to try this one. I think Mark should find this one and listen to it on his route. When he comes back from his trip.

Happy Friday, Joe! Last work day for you! How very cool. I hope you continue to enjoy, Cloud Atlas. It would make me so pleased. Remember, to pay attention to everything. It will come in handy later.

Happy Friday, Joe! *renews polar-vortex-for-London whammy*

>91 benitastrnad: It does sound ideal for our pal Mark, Benita. Bullying is a scourge; a lot of attention is being directed to it, but it's hard to successfully get at, isn't it? Glad the audio book turned out to be so high quality.

>92 msf59: Happy Friday, Mark! Yes, so close to taking off! All is well so far with Cloud Atlas. Yeah, I know a bit about the structure, so I'll pay attention. I think that's part of why I didn't want it in electronic form; it's a heck of a lot easier to flip back to an earlier part with a paperback.

>93 richardderus: Happy Friday, Richard! I couldn't read the rest of what you posted after I put my hands over my eyes.

Not sure what brought this to mind, but I'd never heard of the fakakta polar vortex before last winter. It should return to obscurity asap.

Ah, the soothing, cooling blasts of Antarctic winter weather that shall head to London! The ice storms! The -40° air temperatures! It will be bliss for a Chicagoan.

Heh.

Ancient Oceans of Central Kentucky is a damned good read.

>90 jnwelch: OoooOooooOooOOOoooh...

Childhood's End was my introduction to science fiction in 6th grade, *mumble mumble* years ago.

>95 richardderus: Himm, for some reason I'm now considering packing a parka and mukluks.

I'd heard nada about Ancient Oceans and it looks it's potentially most excellent. Looking forward to your reaction when you're done. Great title.

>96 Morphidae: Kudos to your 6th grade teacher, Morphy. I'm glad Childhood's End was still being recommended as a starter fifteen years ago (or so . . .)

>68 jnwelch: now that you've read The Guns of August you should poke a nose into The Zimmerman Telegram.

It's a footnote to the run up to World War I but it's Tuchman so how can you beat it?

>89 DorsVenabili: Childhood's End was Clarke at his most lyrical bent. Be curious to see if a show cold do it justice.

It's also one of his "the universe is so great and we are so small" books that usually just makes me tired

Safe journey, Joe and enjoy London! It would be great to see some photos of your trip :-)

>98 magicians_nephew: The Zimmerman Telegram looks like a grabber, Jim Good idea. I also would like to give her A Distant Mirror a try someday.

>99 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! Keep an eye on Darryl's thread in the short term, as you're more likely to see photos there. I'm probably going to have to wait until I get back to post any pics of the trip.

>97 jnwelch: *snorts*

>101 Morphidae: :-)

>94 jnwelch:. Fakakta. Joe, you crack me up!
>100 jnwelch: Tuchman's take on the 14th century is quite readable, as I recall. I should tackle it again one of these days.

I read Cloud Atlas when it first came out and loved loved loved it. I still rave about it. I have liked everything I have read by David Mitchell except for Black Swan Green and I just can't seem to get into it. I have it on audio and it is a real slow book.

I also thought that the movie adaptation of Cloud Atlas was pretty good. I think that people who read the book had an advantage in that they knew some of the connections and were able to bridge some gaps in the narrative. I think this was a really ambitious movie project and am not sure that it should have been attempted, but since it was, what I said is my opinion.

Nothing really to add to the conversation at the moment, so I'll just say, Happy Weekend, Joe!

Happy Saturday, Joe! I hope you both have a safe and wonderful trip. I will be following your adventures, when I can.

I also hope you continue to enjoy Cloud Atlas. What else are you bringing along?

Joe, I wish you a gorgeous weekend.

@flamingrabbit and I watched Cloud Atlas last weekend, and are rewatching it this weekend. Neither of us have read the book. We found the movie totally engaging, and the fact that we didn't always know what was going on was a draw-in rather than a turn-off. To me, that means the movie makers did a heck of a job with a difficult project. Naturally, we both want to read the book now.

Joe it seems you are off to London. Enjoy your trip.

I hope you and your wife have a wonderful vacation in London, Joe. Safe Travels!

We've safely arrived, and like the flat in Islington we're staying in a lot. Very nice owner named Claire has given us all sorts of tips. Off soon to reconnoiter and maybe go to the Tate Modern.

>103 ffortsa:. My wife has patiently schooled me in Yiddish over the years, Judy. So many great words!

A Distant Mirror was a huge seller for us in my bookstore days. That doesn't always translate to "good", but in the case of a book like this one, it's persuasive for me.

>104 benitastrnad:. I'm liking Cloud Atlas, Benita. I just finished the first part of Luisa del Rey's story. I didn't' want it to stop, but I know he returns to it.

I imagine I'll rent the movie after this. Good to hear it passed muster with you.

>105 scaifea:. Oops. Will return! Off we go.

Happy Arrival, Joe! Glad you made it safely. We leave for the airport in a little while. I will check in whenever possible. Have a great time, my friend.

Joe, I'm glad to hear that you're safely arrived. Enjoy Tate Modern - it's a fascinating place.

Welcome to London, Joe! I'll be interested to hear about what's on at the Tate Modern; I think today is the last day for the Matisse cutouts exhibition. We had a fabulous LT meet up in Cambridge yesterday (I just posted details on my thread), and I wish that the two of you could have been there. I'll be in touch shortly to see if you two would like to meet up during the week.

>114 kidzdoc:. We had a fab day, Darryl, and scored some tickets for the Matisse exhibit. You're right, it's the day. We head back over shortly.

Ate at The Angel pub on St. John's. Fish and chips and mushy peas for me, a jacketed potato for the Mrs., with me having a Sharp's Doom Bar Ale and her a Magner's Pear Cider. They had her try an Old Rosie's pear cider and she loved it, so that's on the agenda.

Fans of Neverwhere (like me) will remember it takes place in London Underground and a main character is the Angel of Islington. We're staying near the Angel tube station in Islington.

>105 scaifea:. Happy Weekend, Amber!

>106 msf59:. Happy Sunday, Mark! I'm still liking Cloud Atlas!, and brought along The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier and Bitch in a Bonnet.

Off we go!

Oooo Matisse cut-outs!! So so jealous. Have a great time!

While you can. *wicked cackle*

>115 jnwelch: Good stuff, Joe. I've stayed inside all day today, and I'm now watching the Patriots-Dolphins game on Sky Sports while having room service dinner. Fortunately this hotel has several restaurants, including a Singaporean one, so I'm having salt & pepper squid and penang char kway teow (flat rice noodles with prawns, Chinese pork sausage, fish cakes and vegetables) along with a bottle of Shiraz that I bought earlier in the week. Who said that you can't get good food in the UK?

Thought of you after the Oreo discussion back in your previous thread, discovered Oreo Cadbury chocolate bars .... amazing what you find travelling around Scotland

So envious of your trip to London, Joe. I spent a couple of weeks there back in '99 but was sick most of it so didn't get to see much. Guess I should make my way back sometime, eh? Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

>107 Ameise1:. Beautiful - and appropriate, Barbara. Thanks! Hope you've had a great weekend.

>108 laytonwoman3rd:. More encouragement on seeing the movie, thanks, Linda. Look forward to hearing how you and the flaming R like the reverse route to reading the book.

>109 luvamystery65:. Thanks, Roberta. So good! We love it here.

>110 DeltaQueen50:. Thanks, Judy. We arrived late at night - actually about 1:30 a.m. London time. The flat owner graciously met us and took us through some of what we needed to know, then came back this morning to tell us the rest.

Travel was safe and good, first day of trip=wonderful.

>112 msf59:. Have a great time in paradise, Mark. We'll let you know what the Queen says.

>113 Ameise1:. Thanks, Barbara. The Tate Modern is fascinating all right. We're going back with Darryl next week. We brought the kids and a friend of our daughter's a few years ago when they had that (artistic) slide from all the way at the top to the bottom - they loved it!

>116 richardderus:. We loved the Matisse cut-out show, Richard. One of the best exhibits we've seen. How amazing that a man near the end of life had this unending creative drive, and could turn out such inventive, joyous art!

It's never been gathered together like this. Mind-boggling. I believe it's coming to the U.S. somewhere.

>117 kidzdoc:. Woo, that does sound tasty, Darryl. I know, there's an awful lot of good food to be had here these days. It'll never be Paris, but nowhere else will, either.

>118 roundballnz:. Ah, and did you try the Oreo Cadbury mashup, Alex?

I saw you were enjoying Edinburgh, you lucky guy. One of our favorite places. We never made it to Arthur's seat either, but we still hope to.

>119 Smiler69:. Yes, definitely worth your returning some day, Ilana. You would have been in heaven at the Matisse show.

We love to walk, and they have some great walking tours here. (One memorable one was a spooky Jack the Ripper one our true crime aficionado daughter had us take at night). Tomorrow we're going on one near where we staying this time.

Woo-hoo, methinks we're caught up! Hope everyone has a good start to the week. This is one Monday where yours truly will not be grumpy.

Ha! Bianca & I will go on the Jack the Ripper tour tomorrow night, so I'm to hear that you liked it.

>122 jnwelch: I love night tours Joe and true crime Jack the Ripper sounds like fun. What did they say about the latest information regarding the historical DNA that points to Aaron Kosminski as Jack the Ripper?

The Jack the Ripper tour was amazing, really well-done. We had a really brilliant tour guide.

I did Arthur's Seat on a whim when I was in Scotland-it was windy and scary and absolutely worth it when I got to the top.

I hope you and Kidzdoc can get together. A mini-meetup. Sounds great.

If Kidzdoc is reading this - where did you post pictures of your meetup in Cambridge?

>123 kidzdoc:. Oh good, Darryl. You should have a fine, creepy time. I'm pretty sure the brilliant tour guide Becca mentions below also wrote a Ripper book she liked.

>124 luvamystery65:. I'm quizzing our daughter (by FB) on that hot Aaron Kosminski as the Ripper news, Roberta, and will report back.

>125 seasonsoflove:. Envious of your Arthur's Seat experience, Becca, and you're right, that was quite a tour with the Ripper expert. Your mama says hi.

>126 benitastrnad:. We'll be seeing Darryl for sure next week, Benita, and are trying to figure out a sooner time. This is our second day here, so we're still sorting a bit.

Off to a St. Paul area walking tour right now, in fact. Hope everyone has a good one today.

We made the Jack the Ripper walk this summer. It's really a good one. Darryl you'll like it.

Bianca & I enjoyed last night's Jack the Ripper tour. I posted details on my Facebook thread about it, along with our visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum (the V&A) and our splendid vegetarian dinner at Mildred's Restaurant near Covent Garden.

>129 kidzdoc: any mention of the new DNA results that claim to identify Jack's identity?

>128 Ameise1:. 'Twas a good one, wasn't it, Barbara?

>129 kidzdoc:. Great, Darryl.

>130 drneutron:. Looking forward to the answer to that one, Jim. Our Ripper-learned daughter hadn't heard of Aaron K., and is skeptical. Stay tuned.

We had amost excellent walking tour of the village of Clerkenwell, now absorbed into London. Originally it was outside London's protective wall and the "clerks" were in charge of providing fresh water from the well to the city. The well has been preserved inside an office building in the thick of Islington commerce.

We got to see and learn about all sorts of churches, monasteries (when you see "Victorian London" in a film or tv show, there's a good chance you're seeing the outside of the Carthusian monastery, including in the just shown here on TV Suspicions of Mr. Whicher), pubs, gardens, and so on, with lots of stories. I'd forgotten Anthony Trollope worked at the Post Office (a brand new concept - the whole postage stamp system had just been invented by his unfriendly superior Rowland Hill) and invented the mailbox.

Also, St. Bart's Hospital where Dr. Watson worked, and the Florin where Hercule Poirot and David Suchart as him stayed.

Today we plan to head to the Daunt Bookshop and with any luck spot a Darryl kidzdoc.

Have a good one today!

Sorry Dad, I misunderstood-I hadn't heard of the author of the new book, but I have heard of Aaron K-his is a name that comes up a lot when people theorize about suspects. I'm not surprised someone decided to finger him as the Ripper.

St. Bart's! The Florin! So jealous!

Morning Joe!

>132 seasonsoflove:. Thanks for straightening that out, Hon. That makes more sense.

We were on Rathbone Street today on our way to the most excellent Daunt bookstore, and thought of you.

>133 Thebookdiva:. Good morning and afternoon, Abby! Cheers from Londontown!

We had a wonderful meetup with kidzdoc Darryl and Sakerfalcon Claire today, with lunch in the park and a great visit to the Daunt bookstore. I can't do pics here, but will post some when we get home.

I got:

Daunt Books Children's Short Story Competition 2014 (after reading an impressive, clever, funny story in it by a 6 year old)

A Life with Books by Julian Barnes

A Short History of England by Simon Jenkins

The Penguin Books Tao Te Ching Great Ideas, translated by D.C Lau (the Chinese appears susceptible to a whole lot of different translations/interpretations - I liked this one)

My MBH made a worrisome purchase of Season to Taste or How to Eat Your Husband. Darryl kindly offered to put me up if life with Debbi turned dire.

LOL it looks like you have a great time. :-)

I'd say life with Debbi will be keeping you on your toes...as long as she lets you keep them...

>121 jnwelch: that Matisse exhibit is coming to NYC!

>135 Ameise1:. We did, Barbara, even with those scary book-related moments.

>136 richardderus:. Apparently the author believes husband toes are best roasted or pan-fried, Richard. Attempts to steal the book and hide it have proven unsuccessful so far.

>137 ffortsa:. Yay! You and Jim will love it, Judy. What a show. Big, too.

>138 jnwelch: Ah but she has to harvest the toes first.

Just checking in to say I loved The Shadow Hero especially the mum.
Sounds like you are having a great trip, lots of interesting sightseeing.

>139 AuntieClio:. This is creeping me out, Stephanie. Usually I'm a don't ban books guy, but shouldn't this husband toes and other parts cooking guide be banned? Reminds me of that horrifying old Twilight Zone - "It's a cookbook!".

>140 avatiakh:. The mum in The Shadow Hero was a hoot, wasn't she, Kerry?

We just got back from a "Literary Pub Crawl", a guided walk in the Bloomsbury area full of info gems about V. Woolf and T.S. Eliot and others. Great. Plus some nice London Glory ale for yours truly and Magner's cider for Walklover.

I finished reading/listening to Rotters yesterday and it was a wonderful terrible horrible very very good book! I think it may turn out to be among the best of the year for me. It is classed in the horror genre but it is so much more. It made me think, and made me cry, and made me sit in my carport with the car running while I listened to more of it. If you are looking for a good book to listen to this is the one.

>141 jnwelch: Cannibalistic cookbooks should definitely be banned. The point I was trying to make is that if you keep your toes away from her, she can't harvest them for cooking.

Although I'm sure you'd prefer not to have to stress about keeping your body parts where they belong.

Saw pics of you in London over on Darryl's thread Joe. Next time I'll book tickets so I can meet up with you too. Only trouble with the UK is you have to quarantine dogs, so I couldn't bring Coco with me. *snif*

>142 benitastrnad:. Glad you had such a wonderful terrible horrible very very good time with Rotters, Benita. Sounds like a knockout.

Bianca (drachenbraut) found two unusual books for me today at The London Review of Books, Fantomas versus the Multinational Vampires by Julio Cortazar, and The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer (Costa Book of the Year 2013).

We had a great time with her and Darryl today, dining at the bookstore cake shop (baguette with feta, pomegranate, pistachio and mint dressing for me, with a latte, and for Walklover, sweet potato, feta and spinach quiche plus a couscous chick pea salad - dessert triple frosting carrot cake for moi and scone with clotted cream plus peppermint tea for Madame), and shopping for books.

Then we went to Covent Garden, which was a bit disappointing, followed by some relaxing reading in Lincoln's Inn Fields, a pretty park, and then the Literary Pub Crawl, which was excellent.

>143 AuntieClio:. Yeah, I'm hopeless, Stephanie, as I like having my toes and other parts near her. This is a celebration of our 30th anniversary, so you get the picture. (We've actually been married 31 now - we're slow celebrators).

The good news is she's authorized me to say that she doesn't like the book and won't be continuing to read it. Despite the eye-popping title, she says it's boring and repetitious. Thank you gods of reading who watch over sometimes annoying husbands!

ETA: >144 Smiler69: I didn't know that about dogs, Ilana, so I'm sorry about Coco. But it sure would be luverly to have you join us over here. We plan to be back, and you know Darryl will, plus we've got other LTers like Claire and Bianca.

Lost track of your thread for a little bit. Dang.

I'm dropping in to say "hi" and I'm OK, hope you and yours are having a blast.

I'll go back and read all this later. I'm off to a warm bath. And I'll try The Discovery of France. I am so close to finishing but I love reading it little by little.

>146 maggie1944:. Good to see you, Karen! We are indeed having a blast.

BTW, because young Jesse is getting married to a woman who teaches at Pitt, he's leaving Microsoft and going to work at Google in Pittsburgh next month. No Seattle! :-(

But Debbi and I love Seattle, so we're going to figure out a way to still visit.

Discovery of France looks intriguing, and I can imagine reading it a little at a time works well.

Today we're off to Tralfalgar Square, St. Martin's in the Fields, Victoria & Albert Museum, and a Jeeves and Wooster play at the Duke of York theater.

Hi Joe - Belated happy London trip (somehow, I missed that)! It sounds like you're having a fantastic time!

Well, there are many reasons to visit Seattle, not the least of which is to visit with Greta Garbo and Benny.

ETA: And bookstores!

>147 jnwelch: Too bad about Seattle, but I've spent some time in Pittsburgh and it's a nice town. My sister lived there for several years, and we were back for the Mensa convention a few years ago. Very affordable, remarkably clean, good museums, good music (my sister said), Carnegie Mellon for some theater (although no comparison with Seattle, of course).

And hey, not so bad to work for Google!

I think that Pittsburgh is a very nice city. Sort of European in that it is small in area and dense in population. Lots of history in Pittsburgh. And the area around has some really pretty places to visit, so hiking and weekend trips are easy to do. It's not Seattle but it is hilly. I loved the funicular on Mount Washington.

Got to check out Kidzdoc's thread for those pictures.

>148 DorsVenabili:. Thanks, Kerri. We are having a fantastic time. Yesterday was another great one. Doyle's Bookstore on Charing Cross lived up to its billing. What a store! We could have spent days ther, then come back for days more.

I ended up getting Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami, and IDP: 2043, put together by a bunch of British graphic artists, including one of my favorites, Hannah Berry.

I also had to pick up another Pride and Prejudice, this one put out by Pulp! The Classics. Why? The pulp fiction cover shows, pulp-style, a sultry Colin Firth-looking man in a cravat and embroidered jacket, with a cigarette dangling from his lip. The caption: "Lock Up Your Daughters - Darcy's In Town!"

No way to resist that one.

We had lunch in the St. Martin's in the Field's Crypt Cafe (yes, you read that right), and then listened to a chamber group practice Vivaldi's Gloria for a show that night. Enjoyed the buskers and people from all over the world in Trafalgar Square ( a London friend calls it "Living Room to the World"), and then read for a good while in a coffee shop.

Last night: "Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense" at the Duke of York's Theatre. Wonderful. Three men did it all, and John Gordon Sinclair as Jeeves, Madeline Bassett, Stiffy Bing, and Sir Roderick Glossop, among others, was particularly hilarious.

>149 maggie1944:. :-). So true, Karen. We're told our favorite Seattle Cafe, Black Coffee, is closing (nooooo!!!!), but we know the city has a few other good cafés (on every other block). And we can't go long without seeing Benny and Great Garbo!

>150 ffortsa:. Yeah, we think Pittsburgh is a nice city, too, Judy. These days it gets rated highly on those Best Cities to Live In lists. I have a sister who lives there and her husband has taught English at Chatham for a boatload of years.

Jesse was hoping to land at Google, and we think the company culture will probably fit him better than Microsoft, although he had a very good experience at MS.

>151 benitastrnad:. It is hilly and pretty in Piitsburgh, Benita, I agree. When the steel industry went under and all the smoke disappeared, it turned out to be quite lovely underneath.

I want to check out kidzdoc's thread, too! We see him soon this morning for a "Jewish Quarter" guided walking tour, and Spitalfield's market.

A non-Fry Jeeves? I'm not sure I could handle that, but it *does* sound lovely... At any rate, I'm so enjoying your travelogue, Joe!

You went to St.-Martin-in-the-Fields? And listened to a chamber group rehearse. I'm weak in the knees. This is what they were preparing for. I could spend an entire week right there, soaking it all in, and so much of it free. *sigh*

Oh, gosh! I guess I'm glad I temporarily lost your thread. I realize how jealous I am. Green! Very very green! I'd love to join you and kidzdoc for the tour in London. Oh, my, that sounds like fun. And if I had not lost your thread for a few days I would have had to suffer all this jealously for many more days.

Keep having a good time, on our "behalfs", please.

I have had a too busy life. Successfully lived though a MRI yesterday. Hope there is nothing too serious to find. The pain in my butt, and down my leg, is mainly in the ankle and foot right now. I think it is healing. Crossing my fingers.

I also received my replacement iPhone. I dropped the old one in a bucket of water I found in a little room off my bedroom.....

Went to the Apple store and received expert help in activating it. That only took 30 minutes +/- there, at home it would have been a couple of hours. I had to drive to the Apple store which is in Seattle proper which was fun. But the driving was a bit of a drag. Traffic!

And in my spare time, my annual Autumn trip to Hawaii became A Plan. Leaving on Thanksgiving Day and returning about two weeks later! Yay! Also, found and scheduled a friend to come live in my house and take care of the pups. Whew. What a day. I definitely needed the good sleep I had last night.

I hope your days are fulfilling all the desires you two have for them.

How organized!

I had similar pain this past Spring, in my butt and down my leg. Turned out to be piriformis syndrome, for which I went to physical therapy for a while. Ultimately, I think it healed by itself after some stretching. Fingers crossed that that is what you've got, as it has nothing to do with the spine or the lower back, just tightness, trapped nerve in the butt, etc.

yup! I'm hoping for referral to Physical Therapy after the MRI results are interpreted.

>152 jnwelch: Oh a pulp Pride and Prejudice ... that sounds fantastic!

>154 scaifea:. Stephen Fry's Jeeves was a thing of wonder, for sure, Amber. Hugh Laurie's Bertie wasn't too shabby either, right?

These three were quite different from those two. Someone said it was a bit of a 39 Steps (the play) approach, and I can see that. What is it called, "breaking the fourth wall"? They all engaged with the audience at various times, and the scenery changes were done before our eyes in humorous ways.

Glad you're enjoying the travelogue! Today we did a guided tour of the old Jewish quarter in the East End. William of Normandy (they don't call him "William the Conqueror" here because "he didn't conquer London") brought the first Jews known to live in London from France in 1066. Then they got "expelled" by King Edward I in 1290 or so, and the community wasn't restored until the late 1600s.

So many buildings she was telling us about were gone, bombed to rubble in WWII, like so much of London. But we were able to go into a beautiful little synagogue called, in English, "Gates of Heaven", and heard a lovely talk by a congregant named Morris who had gone there all his life. It was built in 1701, when many churches were also being built post-Great Fire, and has been unchanged since that time (!). Beautiful oak seating and chandeliers, with the gallery up above where women sit (Orthodox - the men on the tour had to cover their heads with kippahs or caps before going in).

Anyway, we loved it, and may go back for a service. Although me sitting down below and Debbi in the gallery feels goofy to me.

Did I forget to mention we went to the National Portrait Gallery yesterday? They have Cassandra's drawing of sister Jane Austen - so cool! They also had portraits of Keats, Mary Shelley, her poet hubby, and other writers, including a surprisingly respectable-looking William Blake. I always imagine him as a hippie wild man.

A special treat was seeing a portrait of Dorothy L. Sayers, which a professional artist was being paid to copy by the DLS Society here to hang at headquarters. He was a charming old guy who wasn't only talented, but knew her books well. He lit up when I mentioned that I gave her Nine tailors when Debbi wanted to try reading a mystery for the first time. (Many years ago! She reads them all the time now).

We were lucky to see her portrait - they had brought it out of storage and displayed it for him to copy. (She looked VERY smart, like you sure had better be on top of your game if you were going to talk to her!)

Anyway, I'm rambling. Friend Darryl joined us for the guided tour today and for shopping afterward at the Old Spitalfield's market, where he bought a mighty fine-looking pork pie hat.

Off to dinner.

I'm enjoying your London travelogue also. You are seeing some wonderful sites. Darryl with a "pork pie hat" or was it a "pork pie" that he had at the market? Can't imagine Darryl in a hat.

I have a copy of Strange Weather in Tokyo but by the title The Briefcase. why do they do that, just to confuse us or tease us into buying two books?

Hi Joe! I haven't had much time to post on the threads but had to stop by and check on you guys. I am sure you are having a fantastic time.
Everything is going along perfectly here.

>155 laytonwoman3rd: That's it exactly, Linda. Yes, we were talking about how we'd like to go back to hear a performance there. Tomorrow night we're hearing classical music outside at the BBC Proms in the Park (?). It's new to me, but near the Victoria & Albert museum.

>156 maggie1944:. It would be great to have you with us, Karen. Maybe London some year, instead of Hawaiian paradise?

Glad you have this year's trip set up though. Hope that pain lets up on you and your phone stops jumping into buckets.

>157 ffortsa:. I'd never heard of piriformis syndrome, Judy. Good to hear you're okay. I've got one of those shoulder "impingements" from carrying a heavy shoulder bag for years, and the doc prescribed physical therapy. I'm hoping switching to a backpack and time will take care of it (so far, so good). Physical therapy is so time-consuming!

>158 maggie1944:. Ignore what I just said, Karen. :-)

>159 AuntieClio:. It is so funny, Stephanie!

>161 catarina1:. It was indeed a pork pie hat that Darryl bought, Catarina, and you'll be surprised how sharp he looks in it. Made us think about Charles Mingus's "Good-bye, Pork pie Hat", a tribute to sax player Lester Young.

Yeah, I saw the touchstone for Strange Weather in Tokyo came up The Briefcase. I've never understood why they change titles like that either.

>162 msf59:. There's our guy! I've been following your and Sue's adventures on FB and LT. - looks like such a great trip! That photo of you sitting with a brewski, reading a good book in paradise, was a standout.

Thanks so much for letting us know all about the wonderful things you doing in London, Joe. Between you in London, Mark in Hawaii and Ellen just back from Scotland, I've done lots of armchair travel recently!

The Jewish landmark tour sounds great. How did you learn about these walking tours? I know that Rick Steeves advised going on them and said that many of them were very good, but how did you figure out which ones and where did you learn about them?

The Blitz really did a number on ol'London town. But that was nothing compared to what happened to German cities. Imagine that 90% of the buildings - houses included - were destroyed in Cologne. 80% in Frankfurt, etc. etc. Where did people live? All of which explains why housing in London was subpar and very expensive. There was talk about this in the early episodes of Call the Midwife because it is set in the Docklands and East London area where heavy damage occured.

MRI revealed a slipped disc and it is pinching a nerve! The nerve if it.

Will go consult with a neurosurgeon. May have some minor surgery in my future. )-:

> 165. You're welcome, Judy! Yeah, I enjoyed arm chair traveling with Ellen, too, and also following Mark now. Wish I was equipped to give you some photos, but I should be able to do some of that when we get back.

http://www.walks.com/

>166 benitastrnad:. There's a great organization called London Walks, Benita, and if I copied the URL right on this iPad, you can access it via the above. We've used it for years now, including in Paris (Paris Walks). Right now each guided tour costs 9 pounds, and if you're going on multiple walks, like us, you buy a discount card for 2 pounds, and the walks only cost 7 pounds. Best bargain in the city!

Debbi also found the free Great Plague walk from this group: http://www.gotomidtown.co.uk/walks/. We'd use them again.

Our flat owner gave us a great tip I'll also pass on: citymapper. It's an app, but you can see it here: https://citymapper.com/london/superrouter

You type in where you are, and it gives you the mapped route, by walking, biking and cab, and also gives you how long it will take, and the cost for the cab. Fantastic!

They have it for Chicago, New York, Paris, and a few other cities, and I bet they add to those.

So true about the bombing. Here they view what survived, like St. Paul's Cathedral and the Bevis Marks/Gates of Heaven synagogue, as miracles.

>167 maggie1944:. Oh my, Karen. I'm glad they figured out the problem, but are slipped discs hard to deal with?

Joe, I wish you a lovely weekend.

Joe, I can only say that my doctor said they (the neurosurgeon) may schedule me for a minor operation to get rid of that disc. I don't think she meant take the disc out, but rather move it off the nerve. I'm hoping it is one of those day surgeries with local numbing. I am mostly relieved that it should not get worse, and that it is a minor procedure.

Meanwhile, I still have the G.D. Pain in my Butt (so to speak).

Hi Joe, I was in lurking mode on my last visits, but wanted to say I've been enjoying your travelogues too. And yes, plenty of armchair traveling happening around LT these days! Will you be making English specialties available on the Café menu when you get back?

Cheers, mate! Claire and I decided to go to Brighton, and we had a fantastic day there. Her sister lives in town, and we walked all through town (I'd love to know how much we walked, but it may have been 10 miles or more). I got back in a little less than an hour ago, and I'm sore but very happy with our choice, and being able to spend the entire day with her and Karen. I took a ton of photos, which I'll post to Facebook shortly.

Joe, your London adventures are sounding wonderful. And that app -- very cool. They need to add Seattle (and, as you said, I bet they will do so).

I also cracked up at the map of states by ingredients. Prawns for my current state (and for the two to the south). Hmmm, I'm not sure about that. But maybe.

If you're going to do as Ilana suggests and make English specialties available on the menu when you return, remember that potatoes must be served with everything. One of my favorite moments in Scotland was when P ordered lasagne in a hotel restaurant and they asked if she would like chips or potatoes with that. :-|

Also, in the hotel in Fort William, the breakfast server asked the ultimate question: Would you like a cooked breakfast or a healthy breakfast? Ha.

Keep enjoying!

Hi Joe, just stopping by seeing as I saw your cheery face on Darryl's tread.
Ellen is right too, potatoes must be served. With everything. Baked, fried, mashed, scallopped, caked, boiled, roasted or chipped. It is a must :)

>169 Ameise1:. Beautiful, Barbara, thank you. It is indeed a lovely weekend. Hyde Park and BBC Proms yesterday, and a guided tour of street art on tap today.

Hope you're having a lovely one.

>170 maggie1944:. "Minor" sounds good to me, too, Karen. Sorry you still have that G.D. Pain in your Butt, but the end is in sight. (Don't throw anything at me please; I can't help myself).

>171 Smiler69:. Glad you're enjoying the travelogues, Ilana. You'd probably get a kick out of today's street art guided walk. I'll report back.

Will we have English food at the cafe? Mais oui! I mean, yes, we'll have bits 'n bobs, including scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, and everything will be tickety-boo.

>172 kidzdoc:. Cheers, mate! Sounds like a great day in Brighton, Darryl. Glad it all worked out so well. Claire is a pleasure, and I'm sure Karen is, too.

We walked a ton yesterday, too, from Islington to Hyde Park and Royal Albert Hall and back. I estimated about 40 miles altogether, but I have a tendency to grossly exaggerate. Still, we sure felt that one.

>173 EBT1002:. Hiya, Ellen. Good to have you back home after your gorgeous Scotland trip.

I've no doubt citymapper will add Seattle. We met a German guy last night who lived 7 years in Seattle, and he mentioned how similar its weather is to London's. He's got a point.

Isn't that food map funny? I'm not so sure either, but it's good for a chuckle.

"Do you want chips or potatoes with your lasagna?" Love that! I'm a mashed potato fan, so I'm appreciating the accompaniment of "mash" with so many dishes. "Cooked breakfast or healthy breakfast?" Ha! If you wanted both in one, it just would not have computed.

>174 LovingLit:. Hi, Megan! You spotted my shana punim, as my wife would say. (Well, I'm not sure you can say "pretty face" about a man, and my punim isn't all that shana anyway).

Yes, potatoes with everything, it's like a little bit of heaven. I have mucho ancestry in these here parts, and this explains so much. My MBH tries to get me to take it easy on the carbs, but my instinct is to have a side of potatoes with my potatoes, thank you very much.

I finished the first volume of Bitch in a Bonnet, covering Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll pick up the second on Kindle when we get back to the states. There's one reason I wish I had it in hard copy, which is to give you more of his wonderful, funny quotes, like his description of Bingley and Jane: "Mr. Bingley, who's basically a man-sized plush toy, has fallen for Jane, the vanilla ice cream cone of the Bennett sisters. There's not enough erotic spark there to charge an AA battery."

I thought he was right on the money with S & S and P& P, but not so much with Mansfield Park.

I agree that MP is generally the least-liked of her six novels, and it's certainly my least favorite. And I agree that Fanny Price is the most difficult of Austen's heroines to warm up to. (A spoilery discussion of his take on MP follows).

But his theory is that in MP she is trying to stretch herself with more complex characters and more subtle shadings than what has come before in S& S and P &P. The novel fails, in his view (although full of all sorts of good Austenian stuff), but it allows her to triumph with all she's learned in Emma. The problem for me is the characters are not more complex and the shadings are not more subtle. Mrs. Norris and Lady Bertram - please! It's just she's chosen a very reserved and reticent heroine (who's been taken from poverty to high society, so her caution seems reasonable), and she has the sibling Crawfords, who are a little reminiscent of Wickham - able to seem awfully good, but unable to overcome their baser instincts. (Well, Henry Crawford can't; Mary Crawford just wants to live in a high style and makes no bones about it).

Rodi also thinks that Edmund should have married Mary, and Fanny should have married Henry, because reserved and somewhat dull Edmund and Fanny would have benefited from the Crawfords' liveliness, and the Crawfords would have been led to lead more kind, moral, sensitive of others lives. What he misses, from my POV, is that those relationships are about constancy vs. inconstancy. There's no way Mary could have lived the life of a clergyman's wife (as she well knew), and a life together with Edmund would have been a misery of entrapment and dissatisfaction. If Fanny had married Henry, there's no way he would've remained faithful, and even Mary acknowledged, while trying to put a happy face on the idea, that he would continue flirting with other women. Fanny would have been miserable, and she didn't even respect him in the first place. .

Anyway, it was great fun to read. Rodi's deeply steeped in Austen, wonderfully non-stuffy, like he's sitting and chatting with you, and quite insightful. He picked up on all sorts of things I missed, even though I've read the books multiple times.

As I mentioned before, he believes Austen is widely mis-viewed as "a woman's writer . . . quaint and darling, doe-eyed and demure, parochial if not pastoral, and dizzyingly, swooningly romantic, the inventor and goddess of chick lit." Au contraire. She's "a sly subversive, a clear-eyed social Darwinist, and the most unsparing satirist of her century." She is "wicked, arch, and utterly merciless. She skewers the pompous, the pious, and the libidinous." He'd seat her with Voltaire, Twain and Swift.

Yes! It is her dazzling wit, her eloquent way with the subtle but devastating skewer, that keeps so many coming back again and again. I think he goes too far and generalizes too much, though, in distancing her from romance novels and chick lit. We also come back because we care about Lizzie and Jane and Darcy, and Anne Eliot and Captain Wentworth and so on. But I like very much that he ranks her up there with Shakespeare. Me, too.

"I'm appreciating the accompaniment of "mash" with so many dishes."
Oh! At one place P got "mustard mash" with her meat pie and those mashed potatoes were to die for!!! I think it was just a good dose of lightly toasted mustard seeds blended in with fresh and yummy mashed potatoes. Happy sigh.

And yes, the weather in Seattle is very similar to that in London, Edinburgh, etc.

Urgh! I don't know if it's the state of my rumbling stomach for the past several days, but the idea of potatoes or chips (à l'anglaise) served with lasagna positively makes me feel nauseous!*

Great review of the first volume of Bitch in a Bonnet, Joe. I got the Kindle version when we were doing our tutored read of P&P, which was my second reading of that book. I've since reread S&S for a tutorial too, and have been on standby for a tutorial (and reread) of MP next. I plan to do tutorials (and rereads) of the following three novels after that. Then, once I've reread all six books a third time, I feel I might be ready to tackle Bitch in a Bonnet. I started reading the blog entries, and found them very amusing, but quickly decided that a thorough understanding and familiarity with the original texts and personalities discussed was essential to get the most out of it, and given I have holes the size of golf balls in my brains, not much sticks there after one reading, which is why I think several visits are needed of each book first. Or maybe I'm ready to read about P&P and S&S, but certainly not the others yet.

I remember when I first read all six novels, only moderately liking the first two (I think I disliked both actually, come to think of it) and by comparison quite liking MP, precisely because the heroine wasn't this sparkly, frothy confection and actually had values of her own. This was during the Austenathon and I was seeing people post their comments about her being a wallflower and so on, and I just didn't see it that way. We'll see how I feel about it when I revisit it.

Your love for the Austen's is infectious, I must say!

*eta: that being said, I love potatoes, but somehow don't seem to have them very often, so they're a special treat when I do.

When in Scotland its best to accept that all mains are served with chips - just like you will always be asked whether you want sauces ( being tomato or HP) with breakfast .....

Though can you really go past Tea & Scones or Tea & Cake - would be wrong to say no

I am loving all your travel advice and the commentary about the trip. Keep it up. I know I am living vicariously but it is so much fun to hear about your travels.

Tonight I am going to be planted in front of the tv for the first installment of "The Roosevelt's." I have been waiting for this one for a long time, so I have my yarn and knitting ready to go. I am sure that the threads will be hopping with the news about whether it is a winner or not.

I've been absent lately while entertaining British in-laws. And then I find that you, Joe, are visiting London! Soooo jealous. It's my favorite city in the world. As if I'm not enough of an Anglophile I've just "discovered" Anthony Trollope and wolfed down The Warden and Barchester Towers in short order.

I've seen "39 Steps" and was bowled over by the staging and talent of the performers in their many roles. And now they have one featuring Jeeves and Bertie Wooster? I'm absolutely green.

Loved catching up with your UK adventures Joe. A little wistful as I guess I would kind of liked to have been along to share in the fun but not begrudging a bit.
Missing the food from the cafe but I am sure normal service will resume when you make it home. Shame you can't get up to God's own country of Yorkshire - Bronteland, the wild windy moors, etc etc but I guess London, is nearly as nice.

>178 EBT1002:. Oh, that mustard mash sounds so good, Ellen.

That similar weather in Seattle/London/Edinburgh probably helps explain why we've felt so comfortable in Seattle.

>179 Smiler69:. Thanks for the thoughtful comments about Bitch in a Bonnet, Ilana. Glad you liked the review. Even though we're over here on vacation, I really wanted to sort through my reaction to it. Plus not many folks seem to know about it, and it's so good!

You know how much I enjoy your Austen tutorials. I understand what you mean about multiple readings. Because she packs so much nuance in, her books seem particularly good for that.

My MBH just forwarded me something with that letter of Prince Leopold in it, and her response shows she understands her strengths the way Rodi does. You'll remember Leopold, a fan, "suggested" she do a historical romance based on his "august House of Croburg". Her wonderful, polite refusal included this:

"I could not sit seriously down to write a serious romance under any other motive than to save my life; and if it were indispensable for me to keep it up and never relax into laughing at myself or other people, I am sure I should be hung before I had finished the first chapter. No, I must keep to my own style and go on in my own way; and though I may never succeed again in that, I am convinced that I should totally fail in any other."

OK, a little travel reporting. On Saturday, we walked from Islington to Hyde Park, sort of like walking from our house a mile and a half west of Wrigley Field to downtown Chicago - doable, but a long way. Enjoyed lots of sight-seeing and people-watching along the way (learned from my MBH that what I think of as a fancy, attached sort of half-hat for women is called a "fascinator"). My first time seeing the Royal Albert Hall, and I liked it a lot.

We picked up our tickets there for BBC Proms in the Park, the last night of two months of performances (seems to involve a lot of classical music; all new to me, but maybe someone here knows this tradition better than I do). Then we walked back through the park to a huge, fenced-in area where 50,000 people gathered for the concert.

We got there and put down our blankets and got some food - fresh, wood oven "Rustic" pizza (like margherita) with basil and rocket leaves for me, and chicken and peas risotto for my much better half. Both surprisingly good for coming from food stalls.

At 5 pm MC Tony Blackburn, a radio personality, started what has to be the most eclectic concert I've ever been to. (He hosted the early evening portion, and Sir terry Wogan the main program. We didn't find either of them very funny - no Pythonesque absurdities going on with them, but the guy next to us assured us that Wogan at least was a good guy who didn't take himself too seriously).

Our favorite band in the early portion was the Dohl Foundation, which did a fusion of Indian, Irish and other music. Lots of drummers playing slung drums (i.e., one drum carried on a sling), an Irish fiddler, electric guitar player, and more, plus a harpist who Irish step-danced. Lots of energy and fun, and they really fired up the crowd.

One of those bizarre moments in life at another juncture: 50,000 Brits and others on their feet being led by the MC through the motions and song of the Village People's "YMCA". What?

In the main program there was a surprising amount of opera - all very good- and our favorites were Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo and South African soprano Pumeza singing songs from West Side Story. Really beautiful. We also enjoyed the oh-so-different Fisherman's Friends, a group of real fishermen who sing sea shanties. Nothing like hearing a huge crowd sing "What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor."

The featured act was an oldie but still hot Earth, Wind and Fire, and they got everyone up and dancing.

We had planned to cab or tube back to the flat, but had enough endorphins dancing around to walk back. Oxford Street on a Saturday night is quite the lively place, and among other things, we got to see some surprisingly good hip hop dancing.

Yesterday we went on a way cool guided tour of street art in the Shoreditch area in the East End. I'll report on that one later.

>180 roundballnz: The omnipresence of chips still seems strange to us, Alex. This a.m. we had an English breakfast at a street cafe, with eggs, toast, beans, grilled tomato and - yup, chips.

BTW, I can't remember who mentioned lasagna and chips, but that was on offer across the street.

Tea & Scones and Tea & Cake - agreed, there's simply no way to pass by.

>181 benitastrnad:. Hi, Benita. I'm glad you're enjoying the travel advice and commentary.

We haven't watched any tv while here, so I'm out of the loop on the Roosevelts. How did you like it? Is this the Ken Burns one?

If I showed up ready for tv with my yarn and knitting, my MBH would be searching for Joe-sized pods in the basement, since it couldn't be the one she knows. I lack the requisite patience, among other things.

>182 NarratorLady:. Hi, Anne. Yup, as soon as you looked away we scooted across the pond. London is our favorite city, too. As I get more useless, I mean, closer to retirement, we plan on showing up here more often.

If you loved "The 39 Steps" (we did, too), you'd eat this Jeeves and Wooster production up with a spoon. Maybe it'll get some legs and travel like The 39 Steps did, or maybe you'll get a chance to see it here.

>183 PaulCranswick:. Thanks, Paul. It would have been great to have you here with us. We'll get to Yorkshire some day, I expect. I want to get to Wales, too - you may have seen a clue in my slightly mis-spelled last name.

We've got a huge hankering to go to the Hay-on-Wye book festival, but research into particulars is needed.

Does MBH stand for "much better half"?

I did not know that anecdote about Prince Leopold, but you're right, her answer is indeed revealing.

I think fascinators are a particularly British fashion, but then, I don't hang around the fashionable quarters much these days either.

>187 Smiler69:. Yes' Ilana, MBH= much better half. I try to use the full phrase every once in a while for those tuning in late.

Madame MBH may be performing tonight at a local venue, so I may have an interesting tale to tell. We'll see how this goes.

Isn't that a great response to the remarkably presumptuous, and self-infatuated, prince?

I tried to wear a fascinator, but it seems to require more hair on top of the head than I could come up with.

I tried to wear a fascinator

LMAO :-D

>179 Smiler69: the idea of potatoes or chips (à l'anglaise) served with lasagna positively makes me feel nauseous!* I think the idea of any form of potatoes with lasagne is deeply worrying. I wouldn't want people to go away with the idea that that was normal for the whole of the UK!

>189 Smiler69:. It was a beaut, too, Ilana. All sparkly. Maybe I can figure out a way to convert the fascinator into a tiara.

>190 SandDune:. Phew. Thanks, Rhian. I'm glad it's not common.

I'm sure we've got some equally bizarre combos in the states. Suggestions anyone?

Ok, I've got to give some props to my brave and talented better half. She just performed a story at the Ritzy on Brixton Road, and charmed the audience per usual. This is her idea of a fun thing to do on vacation, and of course for her she's right. What for many of us would cause stage fright, or be a chore, for her causes stage thrill. She just eats it up.

I, of course, got to have a wonderful time listening to her and the other storytellers. Plus the Brixton Ale was quite tasty. The stories had to be "true", and the theme was "moving", which could be physical or moving on in life. One of our favorites, by a young guy performing for the first time, started, "There I was in a nunnery . . ."

"equally bizarre combos in the states" - how about chili 3-way, 4-way and 5-way.

Corn on the cob not fed to pigs leaps to mind as a bizarre Murrikin dietary horror.

>191 jnwelch: Ketchup on anything.

>191 jnwelch: i really want to hear more of the nunnery story.

Slight aside...my paternal grandfather,after casting aside 3 wives that I'm aware of, died after 7 ( I think) years in a nunnery.

Glad you are having fun!

I love traveling along with my LT friends. Scotland with Ellen, Hawaii with Mark, and now London with you and Darryl. Congrats to your MBH for storytelling across the pond. It sounds like a fun evening...for the audience! I am one who would have mind-numbing stage fright. Thanks so much! Joe, for the chatty messages about your trip to London. I am looking forward to the pictures!

Joe, I'm sure you'd be doing us all a great service if you'd post a photo of yourself trying on a fascinator.

I wait in hope.

Sounds like you are enjoying yourself. I'm just a bit surprised we aren't being treated to photos of the food you are describing.

>192 catarina1:. Oof, we looked it up, Catarina, and my wife authorized me to tell you she is gagging. We've never been to Cincinnati, and now we're motivated to continue that. Spaghetti with your chili?

>193 richardderus:. Sometimes you seem to be from another planet, Richard. Mayhap I seem the same way to you at times, especially when I have a Charles Dickens book in front of me and I'm enjoying it.

But corn on the cob?! Dripping with butter? Some lovely salt on it? It's a delish gift from above.

BTW, hope you had a great birthday yesterday. Seemed like you were in the process of having just that.

>194 laytonwoman3rd:. Oh my, Linda. Our daughter will gasp when she reads that one. She loves catsup with a fiery passion. It seems like such a harmless condiment. How did it come to provoke your ire?

>195 mckait:. Was your paternal grandfather in a Mormon nunnery, Kath? That's a lot of wives. How did he come to spend 7 years in a nunnery, anyway? Was he under cover in a sting operation?

That nunnery story last night was funny and poignant. It took place in Uganda during the teller's "gap year", and involved he and "Mr. Molo" having one of the greatest nights of their lives, despite jail and some other mis-steps.

We're having a blast. Off soon to meet Darryl and the gang at the Tate Modern, then some vittles, an afternoon play at the Globe, and more vittles.

In fact, gotz to go now, so we'll catch up more tonight.

>199 jnwelch: Cincinnati Chili is the best. The flavors are different from traditional chili. However, I will admit that most of the natives serve regular chili over spaghetti too. Your wife is missing out. She needs to try Skyline Chili at least once in her life.

I can't explain how I came to dislike ketchup...it just seems to me a bland and totally unnecessary condiment. So many better alternatives. I like mustard and pickles or (BEST) blue cheese on my burgers, vinegar on my fries (or chili and cheese if I'm feeling suicidal), Tabasco on my scrambled eggs, nothing on my mac 'n' cheese...

>199 jnwelch: No... a catholic nunnery.. Do Mormons have nuns? I have no idea how he came to be there, to be honest. He vanished soon after my father, and I never cared to try to get in touch with him. Your nunnery story sounds more promising.... I did eventually find my father.

Chili with pasta.. I have had it that way...

Hi Joe! Wow! It sounds like you are having a grand time and congrats to Debbi for nailing the storytelling event.

Looking forward to further reports....

Good times yesterday, with a meet-up with Darryl, Heather (souloftherose), Caroline, Luci and Claire (sakerfalcon).

We went to the Tate Modern first, having only seen the Matisse show the first time, and met up with Darryl and Heather. We then, joined by Luci,had lunch in a busy outdoor food court (see Darryl's thread for details), topped off by most excellent fudge sold by the feller what makes it. I had Heath English Toffee.

Then on to the Globe Theatre, to see Dr. Scroggy's War. Caroline joined us there. Very well performed WWI story centered around a hospital that featured a highly skilled and inventive plastic surgeon who was able to help transform horrible facial injuries incurred in trench warfare.

The Globe was a 17th century marvel, brought back to life by American Sam Wanamaker. He lived long enough to see it well begun, but not finished, unfortunately. Our "groundling"-age days are well behind us, so we sat higher on benches. With forewarning, Madame MBH had reserved seat cushions for us, and I'd recommend same to anyone going.

Remarkably, 3 groundlings passed out and had to be taken out by the ushers. Two others were taken out groggy, and Debbi said one of them had passed out, too. It was a nice, cool day, so it wasn't overheating. Debbi thinks it was the "choir effect". You're taught in choir not to lock your knees and stand stiffly, as it impedes blood flow.

Vittles at creative Mexican Wahaca with Claire joining us were excellent. They served small dishes like tapas (see Darryl's thread), e.g. I had cactus tacos (my fave), prawn cerviche and black bean quesadillas, and a well-made classic margarita.

Oooh, Cincinnati-style chili! I haven't made that in yonks! Thanks for the reminder...

> 196. I love arm chair traveling with LTers, too, Donna, so I'm glad I can do a bit of a travelogue for others. It was a wonderful night at the storytelling event. In my totally unbiased eyes Debbi was the highlight, of course, but imagine going to another country and having people there tell entertaining true stories about their lives. I want to do it again, and I have no doubt my resident storyteller would like to perform again.

It also took us to an interesting part of London we hadn't been to, and the people at the venue there were so friendly. I don't get stage fright any more (I've had to give too many public talks), but I'll also avoid the honor if possible. One of the event coordinators was funny - when he asked me if I also wanted to perform, I quickly waved my hands across each other for "no." He laughed and said I probably didn't realize that was the international sign for "Yes I do". Mock horror ensued.

>197 NarratorLady:. Is there such a thing as fascinator pate glue, Anne? I'd be willing to try wearing one, for those interested in high fashion (that's why you're asking, right?), but I shudder to think of then de-pating the darn thing. A tiara might be the way to go.

A friend talks about getting that "unicorn" or "sparkle pony" look, and that's what I'd be shooting for.

>198 thornton37814: Hi, Lori. I'm unfortunately not equipped for photo-posting. My smart phone won't work over here, so I have a rental (I'll cure that problem next time), and my iPad software "update" took away my ability to cut and paste images.

So I'll try to give word pictures, and I'll post some photos when we get back.

>200 thornton37814:. Madame MBH is open-minded and willing to try Skyline chili, Lori. In thinking about it, she supposes Cincinnatalians probably see it as another form of sauce on their spaghetti.

So please ask the locals to stop picketing our house.

We went through this in the other direction when Jon Stewart bad-mouthed Chicago deep dish pizza.

>201 laytonwoman3rd:. I like all those condiments you mention, Linda, including nothing on mac and cheese. I'm sure catsup would like to make it up to you, given a chance, but "bland and totally unnecessary" seems to make any such prospects dubious.

>202 mckait:. "Do Mormons have nuns?" Kath, you may have found a substitute for the traditional question about what the pope is doing out in the woods or whether bears are Catholic. (I may have gotten those mixed up).

He vanished after your dad did? Seem like there's a whole lot of story behind that simple explanation. Some day I hope to hear it. I'm glad you eventually found your vanished dad.

>203 msf59: There's our "Two Tickets to Paradise" Mark! Will we ever see you back on the mainland?

I know we're reluctant to leave here. It's been quite the grand time. We just had a most excellent breakfast at The Modern Pantry, which included a treat we've come to love, grilled halloumi cheese. Shortly we're off to a street art area we want to explore some more, which will also allow my ace photographer bride to exercise more of her talents.

Hope you're continuing to have a wonderful time where you be. I look forward to hearing about your Pearl Harbor adventures, among other things.

ETA: >205 scaifea:. You're welcome, Amber. Good luck with the chili!

Waving hello fom the Seattle world; had a very small (no one much felt it) earthquake this morning. Response to your Number One Son's having left Microsoft, no doubt.

So Glad you all are having a great time. Debbi of course was excellent and I admire her ability greatly, as I know you do, too.

I'm off to see a neurosurgeon today and hope to have some good plans for how to get rid of my resident pain in the butt. Also, this evening the LAST HOA meeting for me to run! Yay. I'm retiring from that version of the stress in my life. Looking forward to next week when I think I'll be able to carve out several Do Nothing But Read sessions.

I hope the rest of your trip is as excellent as this first parts have been!

How do, Joe. Grilled halloumi sounds delicious! Please to import to the cafe, yes?

Aloha, Joe! Glad the Meet Up with Darryl & Co. went well. Nothing like meeting an Lter for the first time. Smiles...
Our big adventure is slowly up wrapping. Sad face. But it was a wonderful time.

>208 maggie1944:. Hello back from Londontown, Karen. A very small earthquake in response to #1 son's departure - I feel this was quite nice of his adopted city, and no harm to anyone/anything fits with him.

It's official. Yesterday was his last day at Microsoft. He now has until mid-Oct to get to Pittsburgh and start with Google. He plans to go to the poetry slam nationals (can't remember where they are), and to Boston to see friends, before joining his fiancé in the Iron City.

I've got a sister there, so she's very happy he's coming.

Good luck with the neurosurgeon! Looking forward to your having a mapped route to getting the pressure off that nerve.

Some Do Nothing But Read sessions next week sound well-deserved and welcome.

We're reluctantly moving into our final days here, but continue to have a most excellent time. In our wanderings today, we happened upon a photography exhibit you would have liked - "Black Chronicles II", featuring studio portraits of blacks in Britain taken in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

You can see a couple and read about it here (I love both they show, especially the two little boys):
http://repeatingislands.com/2014/08/30/black-chronicles-ii-a-photographic-exhibi...

Here's a good Guardian article with a really high quality reproduction: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/sep/15/black-chronicles-ii-victoria...

>209 richardderus:. Howdy-doo, Mr. D. We'll for sure bring some halloumi back to the cafe. No way Customs can seize virtual vittles.

>210 msf59:. It was such a treat to meet Darryl in person! Even a nicer guy than you'd think from LT, Mark, and that's saying a lot. We saw Claire the next most, and she was a pleasure, including being awfully kind in helping us find our way around. I knew her a bit from as sakerfalcon from The Green Dragon on LT, (which Karen maggie1944 is also active in, if I remember right), but there's nothing like meeting someone in person.

We also got to meet LTers we hadn't known at all, and had a mighty good time yesterday with Heather, Caroline and Luci.

We know that feeling of it's hard to see it all come to an end, but what a good time, right? We've loved all the photos of you and Sue enjoying the islands. Debbi asked if this is your first time there, and it is, right? (We've never made it there).

>211 Smiler69:. Ha! Very nice and appropriate, Ilana. I'm pretty sure that evolved from combining a British character (Chad) and the American GI slogan "Kilroy Was Here". The Brits and Ammies are connected in so many ways!

Oh! I would have loved to see that exhibit!

My back travails continue and if you wish you may read some details on my thread.

It is early to bed with me tonight.

Safe trip home, friends.

We saw Ballyturk by Enda Walsh at National Theatre last night, played by Cillian Murphy, Stephen Rea, and the talented but previously unknown to us Mikel Murfi. Terrific and mind-boggling. We're still sorting it out and probably never entirely will. We've got the script now, and will dive back in.

Cloud Atlas was as good as advertised, and I enjoyed it. The man has a bit of writing ability, eh?

>213 maggie1944:. You would have been knocked out by the photo exhibit, Karen. The gallery is tucked away on a bit of a back street in the East End (we were actually chasing down street art), but they think the Guardian article helped a lot, and attendance has been very good. Lost archives found during another project - isn't that something?

Sorry to hear your back travails continue. I'll get over to your thread and find out more.

We head back tomorrow. We're doing a bit of logistics today, but also will get back to Lincoln's Inn Fields and see the idiosyncratic Sir John Soane museum, recommended by LTer Caroline McElwee when we met up.

I hope that you and Debbi enjoy your last day in London, Joe. I saw Alex's photo of the heavy rain that struck the capital; was that today or yesterday?

I'm glad that you both enjoyed Ballyturk. I didn't see it on Wednesday, but hopefully it will be broadcast on US cinemas on NT Live later this year.

I read about that photo exhibition too late to see it, as I didn't pick up that day's Guardian. Rats.

I'm very glad that I met Claire, albeit briefly, at the Virago group meet up this past March when Laura (@lauralkeet) was in London with her daughters (and thanks again to Luci (@elkiedee) for inviting me). We've met five or six times since then, including three times on this trip, and I enjoy her company and friendship. I also met Caroline (@Caroline_McElwee) at that Virago meet up, and we've gotten together twice since then.

At the risk of repeating myself over and over, I can't adequately express how much I enjoy spending time with the London area LTers whenever I'm there. I love visiting the capital, but seeing them makes it doubly special to be there.

Have a safe trip back.

That photography exhibit sounds amazing.

>215 kidzdoc:. That heavy rain did hit yesterday, Darryl, although it didn't stick around for all that long. We were out in a park when it hit (Lincoln's Inn Field), and a lot of folks just carried on, including playing tennis, until that got too hard, and then many gathered under the big gazebo in the middle. Many were blaming someone named Richard Derus, who apparently has some pull with the weather gods.

We went over to the Sir John Soane museum, and enjoyed that oddball place, with antiquities from all over the globe, and seemingly every inch of space used, floor to ceiling, for displaying beautiful Greek amphorae (nice auto-correct on the plural), a lot of them black figure, busts, statues, architectural models (he was an architect), pieces of lintels and so on from ancient buildings, mosaics, stain glass, sculptures, paintings, and more.

It was his home, and was built in the first half of the 1800s. So it was well-furnished, with an impressive collection of books, many in Italian. One of the highlights is the William Hogarth room, which has several clever display doors that overlap and allow the display of dozens of paintings in a small space. Those included all the paintings in A Rake's Progress, the degenerative subjects of which, among other things, helped us appreciate once more that we live in this time, not that one.

By the time we got out, it was sunny again. We had one of the best dinners of our stay at the pub The Well, ale-battered haddock and chips for me (with the fish fresh from Billingsgate), along with a Jugged Hare pale ale, and squab chicken with root vegetable salad for Madame MBH, along with an Old Mout kiwi and lime cider from New Zealand which she loved.

I'm with you, as you know, in enjoying the LT meetups. What a great time we had with you, and it was a pleasure to meet Bianca, Claire, Heather, Caroline and Luci. There's something about book readers in general, and LTers in particular, you know?

Oh woe is us, we return to the states today. I'm typing this in part to avoid packing, but the looks from the flat's other occupant are becoming scathing, so maybe I'd better give up on that strategy.

>216 SuziQoregon:. Thanks, Juli. It's a long trip back, but we've got plenty of books. I'm going to try The Last Policeman, now that my MBH liked it, and I'm a ways into Leonardo and the Last Supper, another good art history book by Ross King.

The photography exhibit was indeed amazing, one of our most memorable stops during these two weeks.

OK, it may be tomorrow when I'm back in touch. Hope everyone's having a most excellent weekend.

It sounds as though you and Debbi ended your last full day in London in style, Joe. Bianca, Claire, Heather and I walked through Lincoln's Inn Fields and passed by Sir John Soane's Museum during our misadventure in June, but we didn't go inside. I didn't know that it housed A Rake's Progress; I'd like to see that series, so I'll add a visit to the museum to my list of things to do on my next visit there.

A good dinner at a "proper pub", as Rachael would say, is always a plus, and a great way to close out your stay there.

If I can be a bit bold I think I could make a case for my presence in London as the case for the splendid weather that was there until yesterday, based on previous comments from the London area LTers. The past few times I visited the capital the weather was far nicer than it had been just before my visit, including last July's heat wave and the nice spring weather when I was there in March. (Don't tell Richard, but I have an inside connection with the Weather Goddess.)

How are you getting to Heathrow today? I took the Underground from Gloucester Road station, which was just across the street from my hotel, to Terminal 4 station, and my journey cost £3.00.

I hope that you two have a safe and pleasant flight back to Chicago!

Sounds like you've had a wonderful trip. Safe journey home.

" There's something about book readers..." I think that says it all, my friend. Have a safe flight back, Joe. I loved following along with your London trip...

I've loved your travelogue and I'm thrilled you had such a great time. Can you give the user names of who you met there? I recognized kidzdoc and Sakerfalcon. But that's it.

This is way late but I've been behind in threads. I had to go look when you mentioned it. What a riot!

Darn it! Just a miserable downpour. Blast. I will reserve my right to inflict polar conditions on Chicago, then. *evil mad jealous laughter*

> 222 as long as its only Chicago .......

It is amazing that all these LT'ers from all over the world manage to find the time to meet up. Paul meets people in New Zealand and meets with Caro whenever she is in town, and with others who venture to Malaysia. Last summer Ellen flys out of her way to stop in Chicago to have a beer with Mark and I. Kidzdoc meets loads of people in London, and now you and he and all those loads of Londoners, along with others from towns close, are meeting up. What is this? Shouldn't all these people have their noses buried in books?

We're back safe and adjusting to the time difference. Happy Sunday! Back on later.

Glad to know that you returned safely. Happy Sunday.

Are you home? Good news about your son!
See you soon???

Welcome back, Joe! A couple days later, I am still draggin' a little. Sue spent the day at Great America, with the kids and a few friends. I am more than happy to relax, in a quiet house, with books & football.

Ah, the rapturous downslide into Monday, after a long vacation! Oh goody oh whee! (This schadenfreude is almost as much fun as the Antarctic polar vortex that got misplaced.)

Still having a spot of trouble figuring out which end is up back here in the colonies, but it's all starting to get sorted. Got here ridiculously early for work, and probably won't make it past mid-afternoon. We'll see.

>218 kidzdoc: It's well worth visiting the Soane museum, Darryl. It's oddball-ity alone is a draw, but it also has a lot of fascinating bits and pieces, including the A Rake's Progress paintings. We actually plan to go back next year, because they're doing an extensive renovation right now, and we want to see it all fixed up. Caroline had recommended it to us; once we got there we realized we had visited it maybe two decades ago with our kids, and liked it then, too.

We loved closing out our stay at that pub. The waitress was a delight, too, and got us to try Sammy's banoffee pie, a banana-filled pie/cake that was to die for. They recommend their chef Sammy's version of this treat over all others. Now we'll have to make some comparisons.

Nice job on the weather. It's good to know that, when in London, we can apply for your help on that front. We sure were happy with what we got up until your departure.

It wasn't 3 pounds, but we were happy with a cab co. we found for the trip to Heathrow. The flight back on American was friendly and good, albeit mighty long. Luckily furry Sherlock and his human companion were there to greet us when we got home, and we quickly settled in.

>219 avatiakh: Thanks, Kerry. It was a grand trip, and we're safely back into our routines, although still wishing to be back across the pond.

>220 msf59: Thanks, Mark. There's something about book readers that makes for boon companions and most excellent meetups, right?

>221 Morphidae: Lock Up Your Daughters . .. Darcy's In Town! Isn't that a hilarious cover, Morphy? Thanks for posting it. Doesn't he look like Colin Firth?

Let's see, Bianca is drachenbraut, Caroline is Caroline_McElwee (Darryl gives links for some in >215 kidzdoc: above), Luci is elkiedee, Claire, as you note, is sakerfalcon, Heather is souloftherose. Did I get everyone? Darryl met with some we didn't.

Welcome home Joe. Every time I've travelled over the Atlantic and back, it's taken me at least a week to get sorted out, but then, it takes me longer than most to get over jet-lag. It was fun travelling along with you.

>222 richardderus: Unfortunately, we grew to like Darryl too much for me to suggest you shift your ire to Atlanta, so we can see a battle of the weather gods, Richard. So how about a bribe? In exchange for some decent weather in Chicago, this grilled halloumi is for you, on the house:



>223 roundballnz: Alex, I'm shocked. Surely you're not throwing Chicagoans under the bus (a popular saying here right now) just because RD isn't blasting Kiwis?

>224 benitastrnad: Ha! It's worth it to make the time for the meetups, Benita. Not only are these wonderful kindred spirits, but books manage to make their way into the experience, through shopping or bookish discussions or both. Thanks to Bianca, for example, I have two I likely never would have happened upon.

>226 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. It was a happy Sunday, even with our internal clocks slightly off. We even returned to our favorite neighborhood pizza joint and reacquainted ourselves with its excellent offerings.

>227 mckait: Thanks, Kath. We are indeed home, although struggling to switch back from British slang, which we found bloody brilliant.

We're happy our youngest is relocating to Pittsburgh, and we'll definitely be visiting more often, although probably not "soon." He and his intended are coming to Chicago next month, as are his intended's parents, so we probably won't be in the Iron City until after the turn of the year. I'll keep you posted. It would be wonderful to meet up in person!

>228 msf59: Woo, I'd take a pass on the Great America outing in a blink, too, Mark - how in the world did Sue do it? I could barely fuddle my way to work today. Yeah, we're still adjusting to being back, too. I was in a fog this a.m., although repeated blasts of coffee seem to be helping some.

Did you see that Seattle-Denver game? What a good one. That Russell Wilson continues to impress. His maturity at a young age is hard to believe. It will be interesting to see which Bears team shows up tonight.

>229 richardderus: Yes, it's fairly miserable here on a Monday, Richard, with the clocks all wrong and nary a pub to be found. I'm glad it's bringing some elation to your day, at least.

>231 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. I feel like we're dealing fairly well with the jet lag, surprisingly. (Ask me if I still feel that way tomorrow). Debbi had us taking some homeopathic chewables on the flight, and they may deserve some credit. I can't sleep on planes, so there was no help there, but I did crank through The Last Policeman and enjoy it - we're going to continue with the trilogy.

Now I've started Strange Weather in Tokyo and so far I'm liking it quite a lot.

In all honesty, I'd like to be going to the Marylebone area and Regent's Park today, but we'll save it for next time.

Go Hawks!

We all enjoyed that game, too. Denver played very well and that made it a fun game. But the ending was one Seattle loved. Russell Wilson is making all kinds of commercials these days, for good causes of course. He is a keeper. The fans do indeed love him.

Thanks for steering me over here to read your comments on Bitch in a Bonnet. I agree with your assessment of the relationships in Mansfield Park, but differ from you on the merits of MP. I studied it in university and we really pulled it apart. I think it's this immersion that makes Mansfield Park my second favourite Austen novel. And Lady Bertram (and her pug) is my favourite minor character in all of Austen. But Rodi is so fun. I look forward to picking up his second instalment.

>234 maggie1944: Yeah, I'll bet Russell W. is beloved in your neck of the woods, Karen. QBs can make such a huge difference in the NFL. I just read an article about how much teams are paying to keep "pretty decent" QBs these days, because even those are rare commodities. You've got a big-time keeper; what a feel for the game he has already. Plus he's a good citizen, a nice contrast to the awful behavior by some NFL players making news these days.

>235 Nickelini: Thank you for stopping by, Joyce! I share your enthusiasm for the delightfully immobile and self-absorbed Lady Bertram. Plus I grew up with pugs. Rodi did a lot to improve my appreciation of the awful Mrs. Norris, too, so she's gone up on the entertainment scale for me.

I know others, like you, are fans of Mansfield Park, and if someone had taught it well to me (or at all), I might be more of one, too. For me it's the weakest of the six, but generally not for the reasons he gives. Because it's still a remarkable book, I suppose my reasons would instead involve discussing why I like each of the others more. I wish he had taken that tack instead of his theory that MP is a productive "failure" that helped her in writing the "successful" Emma.

You mention MP is your second favorite. What's #1? I wish I could be more controversial, but my #1 would be P & P. Number 2 would be Persuasion.

For those curious, we've been talking about this a bit in the I Love Jane Austen forum: http://www.librarything.com/topic/180028#4855785

Oh, definitely Pride and Prejudice, and by a lot. I saved it for last because I knew the story and had seen many film versions, but when I read it I was utterly blown away. If I were rating the Austen novels on a scale of 0-100, I'd give P&P a 99, MP about 87, and then the rest would be in the 70s. I recently reread S&S and realized I don't like it all that much (although a meh Austen is still a really good book). And I have to reread the other three. Maybe I will see something wonderful that propels them up my scale.

>237 Nickelini: "Utterly blown away" - yeah, me, too. And I came via the same route, not reading Pride and Prejudice until long after college (university) and seeing film versions. I'd list the books in this order of my liking them: P & P, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Northanger Abbey, with Mansfield Park trailing the pack on my scale, but they're all really good. For me, re-reads of Persuasion kept moving it up my scale.

I find it so interesting that there is so much variety in order of preference among Austen fans. Maybe because her books are all so good, it seems to vary a lot according to personal resonances. Even Pride and Prejudice isn't at the top of every fan's list.

ETA: By the way, check out that cover up in >221 Morphidae:!

Hi Joe! Sounds like you two had a wonderful time in London, meeting up with LTers, eating wonderful food, seeing wonderful sights, and *utter jealousy* a night at the Proms!!!! Phew! I look forward to oodles of pictures when your brain readjusts to being back in the States, and I'm so happy you had such a great time. :)

(((HUGS)))

>238 jnwelch: Thanks, Laura. We did indeed have a wonderful time. We love our kids, but there sure is a lot to be said for empty nest life. The night at the Proms was unlike any I've ever seen or imagined. Are these people nuts? If so, they're charmingly nuts. When the "YMCA" song and motions started happening all around us, accompanied by bizarre British flag attire, we just looked at each other in disbelief.

Hugs much appreciated! I'll stop by your thread and see what's been happening up north of Chi-town.

By the way, check out that cover up in >221 Morphidae: Morphidae:!

Aren't those Pulp! the Classics great? I'll post the back cover here too for those who haven't seen it yet.

I'm slowly collecting those editions. My second favourite is the Tess of the D'Urbervilles with the Marilyn Monroe Tess.

Hope you survived your first day back to work, Joe! I know it kicked my butt. Now we can chill and watch some football.

Go Bears!!

>238 jnwelch: My order echoes yours, Joe. One day I must tackle MP again, to see if I can like it better.

Best of luck re-adjusting to colonial time, Joe. Happy to see that you're back safe after what sounds like a wonderful trip!

Hi Jim welcome home

>241 Nickelini: Thanks, Joyce! For some reason the back cover isn't showing up on my screen, so I'll post it again. Darcy is looking rather fit, isn't he? I'll have to look for their Tess. Love this concept.



>242 msf59: Go Bears! Clunky but welcome win there, Mark. The defense is much better than last year. If Jared Allen gets it going, look out. Getting Garza and Slauson back will help that offensive line. Big one this weekend!

Yeah, I made it to mid-afternoon, and then reunited with my traveling pal back at home. I'm a little more in tune with the local time today. I'm appreciative that we didn't return to craptastic weather, although I know RD is working on something apocalyptic for us.

>244 scaifea: Nice to see a fellow Persuasion appreciator, and someone with that liking order, Judy. I want to read MP again, too. I may not have agreed with Rodi's theory on it, but he re-kindled my laughing memories of Lady Bertram and Mrs. Norris, and actually made me look more - forgivingly? - on the Crawfords.

I thought of you when we saw Ballyturk across the pond. You and Jim would've loved it, I believe. Wild and unpredictable, with some of the best acting we've ever seen. Cillian Murphy is astounding, as is his stage pal Mikel Murfi, and I loved seeing Stephen Rea on stage - oh my, they were good. What's it all about? Stephen Rea hit it on the nose: "It's not about something, it is something." In some ways it makes you think of Waiting for Godot, only Godot shows up.

>245 AuntieClio: Thanks, Stephanie. In some parts of our online community my nom de LT is Jim, although I'm not sure where that started. Feel free to call me Joe, or, as my British-affected wife might, you nutter. Hi you nutter welcome home has a nice ring to it. It's good to be back, although it's much harder to find a good pub here.

>246 jnwelch: Gotta love the cigarette! I don't think they actually had cigarettes in those days, did they? And I'm sure Joyce and you must know by now that there will be a tutored read of Mansfield Park when we're done with Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister, which could take anywhere between a month and... hm, not sure how long, actually, because it's all up to Heather and there's no great big rush, but MP is slated right after we're done with that book.

I came to all of Jane Austen's work very late, starting in 2011 in fact. Before then, I'd decreed she wasn't for me, too "fluffy" and "girlie" and "silly". Obviously I had no idea what I was talking about and was filled with Prejudice. Now I know better, after a bit of kind Persuasion.

Thanks for reposting the cover (message 246). This year I've had a big problem with my pictures showing up for a few hours and then disappearing.

Howdy Joe! It is a gorgeous day out here. I am still struggling with a cold but I hope this will be the last of the "rough" ones.

The Bears looked shaky at times and they desperately need to improve their running game, but at least they added another one to the win column.
The Pack is going to be tough. I can't see them losing 3 in a row.

>247 Smiler69: Ha! I know, I love that cigarette, too, Ilana. I'm pretty sure a few people smoked hand-rolled cigarettes in the early 1800s, but this is an unlikely look for back then.

Great news on the Mansfield Park tutored read! I'd forgotten. I'll look forward to it.

I'm glad you overcame your Pride and finally Emma-lated others who have enjoyed reading Austen. Actually, that apparently widespread mis-perception that her novels are fluffy, girlie, silly stuff is exactly what Rodi enthusiastically contradicts in Bitch in a Bonnet.

>248 Nickelini: No worries, Joyce. I know the problem. We've had some great visuals on this thread since the start of the year, and unfortunately many have disappeared over time. This online world has its own quirks, doesn't it?

Note Ilana's comment up above in >247 Smiler69: about an upcoming tutored read of Mansfield Park. I can tell you I've thoroughly enjoyed and learned from those in the past.

>249 msf59: Howdy Mark! I hope to get out today - we've got an educational thing going on at lunchtime, which robs me of my usual opportunity to make a jail break.

Arggh, it adds insult to injury to come back from paradise and catch a cold.

I know, I worry they're going to get slammed by the Pack. The running game should improve soon - these were some tough teams they've played when it comes to that.

Off I go to get educated. Grrr.

um help? I'm asking her because there are more people who come here. I wen to look at another thread...and suddenly my page is in Dutch? German? How do I get english back??!

How bizarre, Kath. I don't know the answer, but you might try the old pull the plug and plug it back in - that is, close out of LT and then re-open, and maybe sign out and then sign back in if that doesn't work.

They do have a group that deals with tech issues, but this might work quicker.

Thanks Joe. Since I couldn't read anything up there, it was a challenge, but I found a place to click that had a drop down language menu :P I recognized "Deutsch" . But I did try the old sign out and sign back in thing first :)

Thank you and see you sooner or later ? :)

Thank you again for your help!

>253 mckait: Oh good, Kath. I'm impressed - I don't know where that dropdown is, and it's all in English on my end.

froh zu hören, es ist fest

Ihr Freund Joe

Joe, sollen wir uns nun auf Deutsch unterhalten or is it better to continue the conversation in English ;-)

Hiya Joe, busier than ever morning, now waiting for the phone to ring with solutions to my problem. It has rung, nothing immediate but people are (for once!) being NICE about it!

>255 Ameise1: Geez, I was trying to confuse Kath, and with your help I've confused myself, Barbara. It may be best to continue the conversation in Klingon English, I guess.

>256 richardderus: People being NICE at least takes away the aggravation factor of their instead being annoying, Richard. I hope that problem gets solved resoundingly well. You deserve it.

Guten Tag, Herr Joe.

OK I also visited and turned my LT into German, only. But when I just hit the reload button on Safari it came back English. Thank goodness. I've had enough of techno challenges recently.

Saying hi, and smiling to remember your Son's Odyssey to get his pet flying with him. What adventures.

Kingon! We should have a talk like a Klingon day!

And you did succeed in confusing me, in case you wondered. lol

>246 jnwelch: Jim, Joe, Otis, you nutter, welcome home. :-)

>258 maggie1944: Guten tag, Fraulein Karen. I may have to consult you and Kath if I find myself in foreign language land on LT.

Isn't that guinea pig story a perplexer? He's just trying to get Chewbacca across to Pittsburgh, and he has to slog through a bureaucratic quagmire at the airlines. Looks like he's found a way to make it work. He was in Boston seeing friends, and now is briefly back in Seatlle, and then he's off to Pittsburgh with Chewie, only to turn around soon and fly back to Google's northern California headquarters for a week of orientation. Good thing he's young.

>259 mckait: I love the idea of talk like a Klingon day, Kath, although all I can do is snarl and make guttural noises.

Yay! Success in confusing people is a daily goal. Thanks for letting me know. I bet learning Klingon would help me confuse more people.

>260 AuntieClio: :-) Thanks, Stephanie - or do you prefer Alexandra the Great?

OK, the new cafe is open. See you there!