Auntie Clio - Never Left the Party - Page 1

Hi! I'm Stephanie and I live in Silicon Valley. 2014 was not at all kind, so I'm hopeful 2015 is nicer. Among other things, I broke my wrist in November and finally got everything straightened out to make an appointment to see an orthopod on 7 January. Surgery soon after that I pray.

If you can donate, I need help with medical expenses. My fundraiser is here, http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-stephanie-pay-for-wrist-surgery.... So far, wonderful people have donated about a third of my initial goal. If this doesn't work for you, there are other ways I need help. PM me if you have another idea on how to help.

Same here Stephanie but I still have time to say a quick hello!

Hi Stephanie, found you and .

Never mind, I'm still trying to finish my 75 books in 2014.

Welcome back!

Hi Stephanie! I'm so excited for the new year because it feels like it's going to be a lot better than the last one. I might start early with my posting, I think, but I'm sure I won't finish any books before Wednesday, so it's all good. Looking forward to seeing you around!

Hej Stephanie, welcome in 2015 :)

Dropping my star, Stephanie.

January:

01. (G)(F) - The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel - TIOLI #22. Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters (Margaret)
02. (S)(F) - The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #21: Read a book for discussion or review
03. (S)(NF) How Jesus Became God by Bart Ehrman - TIOLI #22: Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters (Ehrman)
04. (S)(F) A Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. - TIOLI #15. Read a book you acquired in 2014
05. (D)(F) Justice Calling by Annie Bellet - TIOLI #22. Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters
06. (G)(NF) - Trotsky by Bertrand M. Patenaude - TIOLI #16. Read a book whose title begins with the letter "T"
07. (S)(P) - Death & Fame by Allen Ginsberg - TIOLI #15. Read a book you acquired in 2014
08. (G)(F) - Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane - TIOLI #22. Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters
09. (G)(F) - Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi- TIOLI #10. IOU challenge: Read a book by someone whose name ends in I, O, or U
10. (L)(F) - The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison - TIOLI #22. Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters
11. (L)(F) - Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell - TIOLI #23. Read a book in which the author's first and last name start with the same letter
12. (G)(F) - Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi- TIOLI #10. IOU challenge: Read a book by someone whose name ends in I, O, or U

---

New to the Stacks:
01. Who I Am: A Memoir by Pete Townshend
02. God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson
03. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
04. The Black Tower by P. D. James
05. The BFG by Roald Dahl
06. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
07. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
08. Death in Holy Orders by P. D. James
09. Approaching The Qur'an: The Early Revelations by Michael Anthony Sells
10. Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane
11. The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney
12. The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore
13. The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher

---

January Books Read: 12
January TIOLI Books Read: 12
January ROOTs: 5

January Fiction: 9
January Non-Fiction: 2
January Poetry: 1

January Books Acquired: 13
January Books Rousted Unread: 6
January Books Pearl Ruled: 1
January Books Borrowed: 2

>8 AuntieClio: Stephanie, I loved the Bradley one. Relly gorgeous.

Hi Stephanie. I love your reading plan for January.

May all your wishes come true.

Happy New Year, Stephanie! Marking my place.

Stephanie,



Happy New Year from your friend in Kuala Lumpur

Happy new year Stephanie!

Welcome back!

Happy New Year, Stephanie! may it be filled with fabulous!

Happy New Year, Stephanie!

Happy New Year, Stephanie. I am fervently hoping you get your wrist surgery soon and that the new year treats you well.

Love your proposed list for January's reading...hope you find enjoyment in several of them.

Hi >2 PaulCranswick: Paul!

>3 Ameise1: Barb, you know I know what that means. :-)

>4 drneutron: Thanks Jim, truly I don't know what I would do without my 75ers.

>5 The_Hibernator: Yay! Hi Rachel

>6 paulstalder: Hej yourself Paul

>7 Crazymamie: Mamie, my favorite crazy up to no good 75er!

>10 cameling: Hey Caro, I hope your guardian angel gets some rest. I think mine was moonlighting or something last year.

>11 lunacat:, >12 Ameise1: Barb, >14 PaulCranswick: Paul, thank you for the great pictures.

>13 thornton37814:, Lori, thank you so much

>15 The_Hibernator: Rachel, my only hope is that 2015 is a kinder year.

>16 ronincats: Roni, oh I'll be right over!

>17 scvlad: Hey and welcome to my corner of book reading insanity

>18 Crazymamie: Mamie, thank you and right back atcha

>19 scaifea: Thank you Amber

>20 Donna828: Hey Donna, thanks! Doctor's appointment next week, hopefully surgery soon after.

>21 tututhefirst: Hi Tutu, do you have a thread I can drop a star on?

Introduction
Normally, my threads are much more organized, but somehow I got it into my head that I had to grab space RIGHT NOW, like there's a limit or I might miss out on something.

2014 wrap-up:
105 books read
52 ROOTS
133 books acquired

I'm not a big fan of year-end best reads list, or books you MUST read lists. But here are a few stand-outs from 2014:

The Color Purple by Alice Walker
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Dust by Hugh Howey
Dune by Frank Herbert
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
The Wolfman by Nicholas Pekearo
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Midnight Cowboy by James Leo Herlihy
The Martian by Andy Weir
The Night Guest by Fiona MacFarlane

Challenges/Themes
I do TIOLI (Take it or Leave It) every month, and developed two themed months for myself.

May is my Thingadingy, so I will be reading books by non-North American authors. If you have suggestions, please chime in. In 2014 I read:
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria)
The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor (Ireland)
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Spain)
My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk (Turkey)
The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton (New Zealand)
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh (India)
The Tiger's Daughter by Bharati Mukherjee (India)
Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea (Kuwait)
Waiting for the Barbarians by J. M. Coetze (South Africa)

July is my birthday, and I live in California, so July's reading is California themed. In 2014 I read:
The First Rule by Robert Crais (California author, set in Los Angeles)
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck (Californian author, set in Monterey)
A Perry Mason Omnibus by Erle Stanley Gardner (Californian author)
Ginsberg by Barry Miles - (Ginsberg was instrumental in getting the Beats published and spent time in San Francisco, his first published book Howl and Other Poems was published by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet and owner of renowned San Francisco book store City Lights)
How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove (California author)

Counters:

ROOTS - Since I barely made 2014's goal of 50, I'm setting 2015 to a more modest 45.

Running Total
2015 Running Total
(updated at the end of each month)

2015 Total Books Read:
2015 Total TIOLI Books Read:
2015 Total ROOTs:

2015 Fiction:
2015 Non-Fiction:
2015 Poetry:

2015 Books Acquired:

Monthly Reading
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

The new to me authors in 2014 worth pursuing are:
Achebe, Chinua
Brown, Brene
Diaz, Junot
Ghosh, Amitav
Hearne, Kevin
Herlihy, James Leo
Le Guin, Ursula
McFarlane, Fiona
McKinley, Robin
Pamuk, Orhan
Rowland, Diana
Sloan, Robin
Spiegelman, Art
Stephens, Walter
Taylor, Jodi
Trevor, William
Weir, Andy
Zafon, Carlos Ruiz

Authors New to Me
Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Annie Bellet
Bertrand M. Patenaude
Brian McFarlane
Rainbow Rowell

ROOTS
01. The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel
02. Trotsky by Bertrand M. Patenaude
03. Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane
04. Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

Pearl Ruled
01. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
02. Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen

Mysterious Box 20

Coel, Margaret:
The Dream Stalker
The Eagle Catcher
The Ghost Walker
The Lost Bird
The Spirit Woman
The Story Teller
The Thunder Keeper

Daheim, Mary:
Alpine Christmas
Alpine Icon
Fowl Prey
Just Desserts

Goldman, William:
Heat
Magic

Greenberg, Martin - The Tony Hillerman Companion: A Comprehensive Guide to His Life and Work

Hillerman, Tony:
Coyote Waits
Dance Hall of the Dead
Finding Moon
Great Taos Bank Robbery and Other Indian Country Affairs
Hunting Badger
Listening Woman
People of Darkness
Sacred Clowns
Seldom Disappointed: A Memoir
Skinwalkers
Talking God
The Blessing Way
The Dark Wind
The Fallen Man
The First Eagle
The Fly on the Wall
The Ghostway
The Sinister Pig
The Wailing Wind
Thief of Time

Tourney, Leonard D. - Knaves Templar

Favorites
January
Blessing Way, The by Tony Hillerman
How Jesus Became God by Bart Ehrman
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Popping in to say Hi! 2014 is over and 2015 is bound to be better. Best wishes for a happy, healthy year filled with good friends and books. Good luck at your appointment. : )

I'm here, have starred it, and looking forward to reading your thread... :)

>32 Berly: & >33 fuzzi: Yay visitors! Hi Berly and fuzzi :-)

Hi Stephanie - dropping off a star and a wish for a Happy New Year. Hope 2015 is better to you than 2014 was.

>35 SuziQoregon: Hi Juli, from your fingertips to the Universe. :-)

My plans for New Year's Eve day got upended. I had planned on staying in and reading one more book for 2014, but Jessica took me to see the movie "Big Eyes." We both really enjoyed it. Then she brought me back home and helped me with some chores and took my laundry to do. She has been such a rock for me, especially going above and beyond since I broke my wrist.

Stephanie, I don't yet have a 2015 thread - am trying to get organized and hope to have one up by the weekend. We've been on the phone with relatives all over the country who seem to think that because we've hunkered ourselves down in the cold north, we are lonely and have nothing to do.

SIGH.....I want to read, cook, and help hubbie get his new laptop and tablet configured. Soon ... soon... soon the thread will appear.

ETA: Here's my 2015 thread

Hi Steph! Good luck and best wishes this year in all areas - work, home, reading.

Happy New Year Stephanie. I hope it is filled with love, light, laughter and many great books to read.

>28 AuntieClio: Amitav Ghosh, William Trevor and Carlos Luiz Zafon if I had to nominate as recommendations just three from your list.

Have a splendid weekend.

>28 AuntieClio: >41 PaulCranswick: I LOVE LOVE LOVE Carlos Luiz Zafon. The Shadow of the Wind is still one of my all time favourite books. I read it quite awhile ago though.

At the Byron Bay Writer's festival a couple of years ago, I had a very satisfactory discussion with one of the shuttle bus drivers. Turned out that Zafron is one of his favourites too.

Hi Stephanie,

Love your challenge ideas :)

For non-North American authors, you might want to try out Dai Sijie's Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. It's a quick read with some great descriptions of China during the Cultural Revolution.

Happy reading!

>38 tututhefirst: nothing to do in the Cold North? That sounds like perfect reading time to me. I gave you a star.

>39 karenmarie: Thank you

>40 Whisper1: Linda, I am looking forward to reading about your surgery and reduced pain life.

>41 PaulCranswick: Paul, you were probably the person to recommend them to me.

>42 jll1976: Jacqui, another author we agree on! I'm really looking forward to reading more by Zafon.

>43 literary.feline: Hi and welcome! I will add Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress to my Thingadingy list.

01. The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel - TIOLI #22. Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters (Margaret)
Category: Familiarity, Serially Yours, Encore! Encore!, Hear Me Roar

This was a threefer for me: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

As mysteries go, this is okay. I'm sure I started reading Coel because I adore Hillerman. But Hillerman she's not, Arapaho culture notwithstanding, this is a pretty standard murder mystery. No big surprise to find out why the murderer did what they did.

Nit: At times Coel used descriptors like "the Indian" or "the Arapaho" in her narrative. This stood out like a sore thumb to me, as if she was going out of her way to make sure her readers understood the story was taking place among Indians.

It seems to me there's another way to do this. Why not just "man" or another descriptor given to the character (father, grandmother, drummer, etc.?)

Stephanie, I wish you a fabulous weekend full of reading.

Congrats on your first book of the year Stephanie!

Having just watched Despicable Me with daughter last week, I finally understand the picture at the top of this thread!

Happy Saturday, Stephanie!

>47 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel

>48 karenmarie: That's so funny! Despicable Me is one of my favorite movies.

Hi Stephanie - happy new year!

Hi cushla! Welcome!

Hi Steph, Happy New Year. Good luck on the surgery and may 2015 be kind to you!

Thanks for the review of The Eagle Catcher ...especially since you've saved me from adding this to my obese wish list. I love crime fiction and murder mysteries, but if I happened to chance upon a mediocre one in this genre, that's one thing, but deliberately adding one to my OWL is another.

The star has been dropped. Good luck in 2015. Book reading wise, and with your wrist.

>52 connie53: Hi Connie. I'm hoping the kindness of 2015 really gets going when I see the doctor about my wrist on Wednesday.

>53 cameling: Caro, you're welcome. I ditched the six remaining books in Mysterious Box 20 by her. Stick with Hillerman. :-)

>54 mahsdad: Thanks Jeff. I'm really looking forward to having my wrist back so I can get back to my photography.

Stephanie, Please keep us posted regarding the outcome of your doctor visit on Wednesday. I send healing vibes and all good wishes for a resolution.

02. The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #21: Read a book for discussion or review

Category: Familiarity, Serially Yours, Encore! Encore!

Introducing Joe Leaphorn and his understanding of both the mystical beliefs of his people and the supreme logic it takes to solve a crime.

This re-read felt like going home in so many ways. It made me hungry to return to New Mexico.

It's a good murder mystery set in the vast and complicated landscape of Navajo land. Interesting questions occupy Lt. Leaphorn's mind like who would steal a hat but leave the very expensive concho hatband behind and, why is that Navajo man's hair so short?

The only true nit I have with this cast of characters is Ellen Leon. So clunky, too obvious a plot device for my taste.

>57 AuntieClio: Oh Oh....BB My husband is a huge fan of Hillerman, so I've promised him that this will be the year I dip into a couple of his books. Thanks for the reminder.

Good grief, I thought I'd never get here! Truly been undet the weather with a good case of dysentery, which started the day before our lunch. Finally got to the dr and it's getting sorted (I think).

But enough about me. How are you?? I'm hoping for a lot from that dr visit tomorrow. Keep us posted, please.

xx

News on the wrist is a mixed bag.

Firstly, it has healed and the doctor I saw took new x-rays and said he didn't think there was anything he could do for it surgery wise. He tried to chastise me for waiting so long but I just said, "I had no insurance."

Secondly, PT 3x a week for at least 6 weeks. And a follow-up with the doctor in about a month.

I'm no longer wearing the splint (thank goodness) and have a shiny new brace to be worn only on special occasions (like sleeping or when I'm out and about) so I don't accidentally bang the wrist around.

Back to being able to drink fizzy drinks (I had a Diet Dr. Pepper afterwards). I am to use my hand/wrist/arm as much as possible without hurting myself.

I am still in need of medical expense money, but am not sure how much yet. Please help if you can at the link in my topper.

Still taking all of this in, but mostly relieved I don't need surgery now. I'll have to think up a good story for why my left wrist has a weird bump in it now.

Glad to hear you don't need surgery, and from experience, I can tell you the physical therapy is really important and can help a lot.

Hopefully the bump will go away a little bit. My son broke his collarbone and they just left it. Over time it filled in underneath and slimmed out on top so it looks pretty straight now! Crossing fingers for you.

I should clarify that I don't need surgery because it's healed, but that it's healed improperly. I am getting a copy of the images to get a second opinion.

Today was very busy and I probably overdid it on my wrist. It feels so good to not be in the splint anymore and to be able to do things.

You mean as in they might have to re-break and reset it? Oh dear! Awaiting the second opinion....Good luck!

Glad you're getting a second opinion.

Hey there Steph! Happy New year!! Seems the wrist situation is still in a little bit of flux. Hope things get squared away with the second opinion doc.

Looks like your reading plans are well in place! Have a great weekend!!

Hi Stephanie, I'm so glad to hear that you don't need surgery. I wish you a relaxed weekend.

In a very minor and positive not negative way compared to what you're going through, I'm recovering from cataract surgery. Just waiting to get back to "normal" is very stressful for me with a positive situation, so your PT and possible surgery to correct the bad healing has to be terribly stressful and enervating. Sending positive energy and thoughts to you, Stephanie! Hang in there.

Wow - what a mixed bag of good news/bad news on your wrist. I'm sending good wishes and prayers your way; here's hoping that the second opinion helps make things clear. A mis-healing on a joint sounds like it could be painfully arthritic in years to come.

I'm also thinking about joining the Hillerman read. I've read them all, but wouldn't mind revisiting. Have you read the continuation Spidder Woman's Daughter by his daughter, Anne?

>64 Berly: it worries me that the carpal bone has found a place to nestle into while the healing was going on. I don't know that there's any help for it.

I now have the images and will take them with me on Wednesday to be looked at.

>65 SuziQoregon: Thanks Juli

>66 michigantrumpet: Marianne, the wrist is no fun for sure. I'm enjoying my reading this month. Loving A Canticle for Liebowitz

>67 Ameise1: Barb! A snow bunny! Thank you.

>68 karenmarie: Karen, cataract surgery sounds like absolutely no fun. I hope you're able to get back to "normal" soon.

>69 streamsong: Janet, you had to bring up arthritis didn't you? I haven't read any books by Anne Hillerman.

Thank you all for your good wishes. I've been to PT twice now, plus doing the exercises at home. The office is filled with really great people. The routine is something like this:
1. Paraffin bath
2. Exercises
3. Ultrasound
4. Electrical Stim

Except for the exercises, there's time to read. The electrical stim is weird. One set of contacts send messages to my nerves, and another set make my muscles contract. The combined effect is something like pins and needles with spastic muscles.

03. How Jesus Became God by Bart Ehrman - TIOLI #22: Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters (Ehrman)

Category: Familiarity, That Old Time Religion

Aside from Karen Armstrong, Ehrman has become my go to author on the history of Christianity. Once an evangelical Christian filled with the desire to convert all he met, Ehrman became an agnostic the more he studied the Bible and the history surrounding its making and Christianity. Specifically, Ehrman devotes a lot of time and effort to explaining what the Bible actually says and the historical context of it.

Is Jesus God? This is an argument historians, theologians, and Christians have been having for centuries. The very idea of a holy Trinity makes heads spin; how can Jesus be both divine and human? How can he be both God and Son of God?

Using historical methodology applied to the Bible and available historical documents, Dr. Ehrman makes the case that Jesus was made God as nuanced, sophisticated thought entered the designing of a consistent Christian theology. In order to explain some of the things Jesus presumably said, the writers of the Bible (and later commentaries) added their ideas about what Jesus actually meant, eventually leading to the elevation of Jesus as man to Jesus as God, on the right hand of God.

What I appreciate most about Ehrman's work is that he freely admits to his evangelical past and gives the reader the viewpoint of someone who once believed in an inerrant document handed down over centuries meant to be taken as literal. It helps to understand how believers can get so caught up that critical thinking takes a back seat.

I find this stuff fascinating, and can recommend a number of books on the topic of early Christianity.

Nit: In Chapter 6, The Beginning of Christology, Ehrman discusses the common practice of prominent Roman families adopting grown men and raising them to prominence above the biological sons of the family.

The example chosen to illustrate the effect of this adoption is that of Julius Caesar's illegitimate son by Cleopatra, who was fated to become known only for his illegitimacy. The adopted son was a nephew named Octavian, who went on to become well-known in history.

The reason for Caesarion's obscurity is that it would have been political suicide (not to mention marital) for Julius to proclaim this illegitimate son by the Egyptian ruler as his son. Julius could not, and did not want to, acknowledge Caesarion as his. Cleopatra thought their son would be the way to tie Rome and Egypt more closely together. She had her own schemes for ruling Rome with Julius.

I found Ehrman's use of Octavian's adoption as elevation into higher society and power spurious in the context of explaining how common this practice was so that making Jesus into Son of God made sense.

Ehrman, Armstrong, and Pagels are my authors with the mostest books in my library on this topic. They always make interesting reading.

I keep meaning to get to Pagels, but haven't yet.

Hi, Stephanie. Sorry about the health problems. Hope 2015 will be much kinder. Loved the Minion opener at top.

>72 AuntieClio: Good stuff. Sounds fascinating. Needs to go on my TBR list.

>72 AuntieClio: Now that sounds really interesting. It's always puzzled me how we got from "there" to "here", as it were.

And how are you, my friend?

Stephanie, so sorry the wrist healed in an awkward manner. It sounds like the PT is going well. As others have said, I'm sure it will be helpful. I haven't read anything by Ehrman yet. I read several books by Armstrong a few years ago and enjoyed them. Take care, and keep us updated!

I've read two Pagels - Gospel According to Thomas and Gospel According to Judas. I'm not Christian, so they were interesting from a comparative and historical perspective as opposed to a religious one.

I hope the PT continues to go well, even with the electrical stimulation. I went to a chiropractor in the '70s who used electrical stimulation, and it felt good AND out of control with lots of twitching.

I am worn out. Just plain worn out. Plus my wrist aches. Second opinion is to go see another orthopedist. My chiropractor and his radiologist don't understand why the current orthopedist says he can't do anything about the bone that's out of place. I couldn't get enough of his time to ask questions. Tomorrow I'll track down another which accepts Covered California. I'm really calm for someone who doesn't know WTF is going on.

>72 AuntieClio: that sounds like a very interesting read! And for a novice like me, probably very very illuminating. I have no idea about the story of God and feel that although it is irrelevant to the way I choose to live my life, it would be good for my all round education to get informed. I found it interesting that author Andrew Hudgins named his number one book (inferred here is that they are fiction), and the Bible. I think of it as a story anyhow.

>80 AuntieClio: It can be very confusing being out of the loop. Try someone (anyone) else who can help you, as sometimes you do get a dud first time. Good luck!

Book Haul:

Who I Am: A Memoir by Pete Townshend
God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
The Black Tower by P. D. James
The BFG by Roald Dahl
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
Death in Holy Orders by P. D. James

Great book haul! You should definitely seek out another orthopedist. Hang in there! Hugs.

I'm sorry you're having such a rough time of it - thinking of you.

My sleep "schedule " is all kinds of off lately. I had been down for the count for a couple of hours when about 3:30AM my computer rebooted itself and let out a little beep which woke me up. I've been awake for about six hours trying to convince myself I'd be able to go back to sleep. *sigh*

04. A Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. - TIOLI #15. Read a book you acquired in 2014

Category: The Final Frontier, There's a Word for That

What better way to discuss the cyclical nature of humanity than through the destruction of nuclear war? And let's discuss the power of knowledge by making a church the keeper of knowledge in a world where ignorant people make up the majority of the world's population.

It seems to me rather appropriate to read A Canticle for Liebowitz immediately after How Jesus Became God. Although set in a dystopian/post-apocalyptic world, many of the same themes appear in both books. What is truth? What is knowledge? What do the rulers, both religious and state, want the general populous to know? What is right? And what is wrong?

Walter Miller's story of a world centuries after nuclear destruction centers on the Catholic Jesuit order of the Albertian Order of Leibowitz whose sole purpose is to collect, study and protect the Memorabilia of the martyred physicist Saint Isaac Leibowitz against those Simpletons who believe knowledge is the root of all destruction and would destroy the Memorabilia in order to keep the world "safe."

As fresh as it was when awarded the Hugo in 1961 (despite rather dated ideas of advanced technology), the big questions Miller wrestles with in A Canticle for Leibowitz are the big questions we still wrestle with.

I know I'll be reading this one several times more.

Oh, Stephanie, you have no idea what it was like to read Canticle after being a child of the 50s when we had atomic bomb drills in the schools--so powerful. I reread it a few years ago and it has aged, but I am so glad you appreciated it.

Stephanie, My heart just plain aches for you. This entire health care system is a complete mess. We cannot blame either party...but can shake a finger at the conglomerate idiots who leave us with nothing or little, while these political folk have the best policies, at the tax payer expense!!!!

I'm so, so sorry that you are in pain. It doesn't make sense that you would be told nothing care be done. Forgive me if I am overstepping my boundaries. I'm simply very concerned.

>86 AuntieClio: Oh, I loved this one when I read it last year - so glad to see that you did, too.

Stephanie, I love your book haul. There are some gems.
Sorry to hear about your sleeping problem.

I tried reading Canticle a few years ago and couldn't get into it at all. A possible case of wrong timing. I'll have to try it again.

I'm sorry to learn of your sleep trouble in addition to the wrist issues. I hope you find a more communicative ortho dr.

I read Canticle for Leibowitz in high school, found it at the thrift store recently and bought it. It's sitting there just waiting to be re-read.

Sorry about the sleep issues and the continuing problems with your wrist.

I'm not ignoring you, I'll be back around to answer your posts over the weekend.

A talk with the physical therapist today about when enough is too much. I think I've been overdoing it on not wearing the brace. When I woke up this morning, after sleeping with it on, I felt a whole lot better. We are seeing a small bit of improvement in my range of motion after a week.

There's a heating pad on its way, and it was suggested that I wrap a moist hot towel around it to use on my hand, which will help the achiness, and possibly the swelling.

Quite the busy aftternoon, and now time for relaxing.

Hi Stephanie--I am glad you are not going to push it too much. Do what makes the arm feel good! I love that you are enjoying your reading. That is probably the best thing you can do. Sending good mojo. ; )

Hi Steph, glad to hear the brace is helping you sleep at night. Hugs!!

05. (D)(F) Justice Calling by Annie Bellet - TIOLI #22. Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters

Categories: Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night, Hear Me Roar

Blech. Predictable. Too many pop culture references. No longer willing to read free downloads from Amazon.

Stephanie, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

>82 AuntieClio: Excellent book haul!

Hoping something beneficial is in the cards soon for your wrist.

>75 mitchma: Hi! Welcome to my thread.

>76 scvlad: Well, as I said, I find this stuff fascinating. It helps me sort out my own spirituality.

>77 Matke: Gail, mostly hanging in there.

>78 Donna828: Hi Donna!

>79 karenmarie: Yup, that's pretty much how the electrical stim feels.

>81 LovingLit: Megan, I firmly believe that one can be a non-believer and still live a good life. And, all around education was how I started reading this genre. That, and my mother calls herself a Christian and I was trying to square that with her awful behavior towards me.

Still waiting to hear from the second doctor's office for an appointment. My PT recommended another place to look into so I will be calling them too.

>83 Berly: *hugs* Berly

>84 scaifea: Hi Amber, thanks.

>87 ronincats: Roni, I can only imagine. You're right, it has aged some, and I think the themes are entirely relevant today.

>88 Whisper1: Linda, thank you sweetheart. You are not overstepping your boundaries. 2014 was hard and breaking my wrist put the suck right on top. At least there is forward motion, albeit slow and not what I would have it be.

>89 scaifea: Amber, it was one of those books I wondered why I'd waited so long. Within the first few pages I was thinking, "Where has this been all my life?"

>91 Matke: or just not the book for you Gail.

Mostly, I think I've just had it with not being able to earn my way. I'm grateful every day that I've been able to survive this long and I'm ready to thrive.

>92 karenmarie: I would say, "What are you waiting for?" But not only is that bad manners, it's a useless question because I know exactly what happens when books arrive. They get added to the stack.

>94 Berly: I'm still learning what's enough and what's too much. I recognize I have to push it some to make the muscles strengthen but now I need to recognize when I've pushed it too much.

So far, just the one dud this month. I'm reading Trotsky now and really enjoying it. It covers his years in Mexico. I thought it would be a more full biography when I got it, but I'm not disappointed that it isn't.

>95 connie53: Thank you for visiting! *hugs*

>97 Ameise1: Barb, I love the geese!

>98 SuziQoregon: Thanks Juli, me too.

Hi Stephanie! Thanks for the fantastic review of How Jesus Became God ! I really should check it out. I'll make sure it's on my wishlist. But pretty much all of Ehrman's books are on my wishlist, so what can I do? :)

Glad you enjoyed A Canticle for Leibowitz, that's a book that's been sitting on Mt TBR for a very long time.

Happy weekend!

Book haul:
Approaching The Qur'an: The Early Revelations by Michael Anthony Sells

Came with the heating pad I ordered.

06. Trotsky by Bertrand M. Patenaude - TIOLI #16. Read a book whose title begins with the letter "T"

Category: The Clio-ness of it All

Another threefer for me: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

What I really wanted was a biography of Trotsky's life. This is not that book. Bertrand Patenaude's book is specifically about Trotsky's 4(ish) years in Mexico and his assassination.

Richly detailed (sometimes too much so), the reader is taken into the tumultuous life of Trotsky as he tries to fend off Stalin, NKVD, the GRU, among other things. While trying to keep his revolutionary ideas alive, and promising the Mexican government not to interfere with their politics in exchange for asylum, Trotsky's life is an uneasy one.

It is true that his paranoia about Stalin and his assassination attempts was not mere paranoia. It is also true that Trotsky was not an easy man to work for or with. His stubbornness led to a revolving door of staff members and the decay of many friendships, including artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

Books like Trotsky give me a richer understanding of how the world got from "there" to "here." In this case, from the October Revolution in 1917 (which I wrote a paper about) to Stalin, Kruschev and, eventually Gorbachev and "glasnost." The thing about Marxist/socialist theory is that it routinely seem to fail to take into consideration humanity's inherent greed for money and power. Some of us just weren't hugged enough when we were kids.

Nit: Just how many times does the reader need to be told that Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros were the major muralists of Mexico of that time?

Proposed reading for February:
TIOLI

I Thought it Was Just Me by Brene Brown TIOLI #8. Read a book with something you could love in the title (me)
Hounded by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #5. Read a book with a number in the first sentence
Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson - TIOLI #11. Read a book with a pitch or a catch (catch, p. 32)
Hexed by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13: Rolling Challenge: Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - TIOLI #11. Read a book with a pitch or a catch (catch, p. 20)
Hammered by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13. Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T
The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney - TIOLI #2. Read a book that you wanted to get as soon as it was released
Tricked by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13. Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T

---

Actually read in February:

---

New to the Stacks:

---

February Books Read:
February TIOLI Books Read:
February ROOTs:

February Fiction:
February Non-Fiction:
February Poetry:

February Books Acquired:
February Books Rousted Unread:
February Books Pearl Ruled:

Trying to use California Covered is for the birds. Thankful to have it but what a pain to try to find doctors who accept it! Spent a good two hours on the phone trying to find another ortho who accepts my insurance and new patients. One said I could make an appointment, pay in cash, and then try to get reimbursement from my insurance. Uhm, no.

I'll be returning a call tomorrow to the one I sent email to last Friday. The lady parts doctor was much easier to find. (TMI?)

Because there's beginning to be mobility in my wrist, the out of place bone is impinging on the nerves, causing sharp pains when in certain positions. According to my PT, this is to be expected but I am not to ignore the pain. (Like I could.) Interestingly enough, she is also encouraging me to seek a second opinion.

Dinner plans with a friend got cancelled twice tonight, so a quiet evening in. Maybe tomorrow will be more successful.

Dealing with all the medical bureaucracy sounds like a nightmare. . The search sounds very discouraging, but I am so proud of the way you're handling it. Keep at it - here's hoping a door opens soon.

I love the way you're doing your monthly summaries. I may have to steal that idea and do something similar!

Pearl Ruled: Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

I know Flavia has many fans, but I just couldn't with her.

Category: Familiarity

07. Death & Fame by Allen Ginsberg - TIOLI #15. Read a book you acquired in 2014

This is the last volume of poems written in the last four years of his life. And, as with Cosmopolitan Greetings, he lets it all hang out. Not that this is any different from Ginsberg in his early days. It's just that in his 70s, letting it all hang out means more talk about how his body is decaying as he ages. Always gentle, always kind, and always provocative, Ginsberg writes in "Objective Subject:"

It's true I write about myself/Who else do I know so well?

Standouts in this collection are:
God which ends

I know I'm not God, are you? Don't be silly./God? God? Everybody's God? Don't be silly.

Is About

Allen Ginsberg is about confused mind writing down newspaper headlines from Mars -

The Ballad of the Skeletons

Said the Ayatollah skeleton/Die writer die/Said Joe Stalin's skeleton/That's no lie

Bad Poem

Being as Now has been re-invented
I have devised a new now
Entering the real Now
at last
which is now

Okay, new ortho sorted finally. Appointment in two weeks.

Physical therapy was especially tiring today as we began to incorporate soft tissue work and traction stretches.

Burgers with Randee tonight, during which she presented me with a plethora of gift cards for groceries and gave me her gift card to Subway because, "I can't stand them." They're not my favorite place but free food is food right now.

She also loaned Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell and The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison to me. Yippee!

You can bitch to me about PT appts. It's been 10 months since my knee surgery and still not right. Trying to get an MRI scheduled. We need to go out for drinks!! ; )

#111 - ditto on Flavia.

I'm sorry that your pain and insurance woes are continuing and hope you find a good doctor soon. I don't think it's too much info on the lady parts doctor as long as you don't ever share the details of the visit! Glad you found someone easily.

Hooray for the Iron Druid Marathon!! Perfect for FF!

Someone said something which has been really bothering me. While talking about my wrist, my friend said, "what I don't understand is why you didn't just go to the ER."

I swallowed and started defending myself (a habit I would really like to break). No money, no insurance, ERs are expensive.

"Indigent people get healthcare and they go to the ER."

I know this friend was trying to understand the choices I made immediately after I broke my wrist, but I felt judged and found lacking. Which is easy to do when someone wasn't there to see what I was going through.

The upshot of my reaction turned into, "I did the best I could. How the hell was I supposed to know what to do? Until 2013, I was an office worker who had never really had to deal with this sort of thing before."

It's not like there's a meeting for the newly poor who need help. There's not a number to call and say, "I need help," and the person on the other end walks me through everything.

And then the question became what I was going to do. "Move to South Dakota and live with your brother? Become homeless?"

Why couldn't it be okay for me to say, "I don't know." I don't have any answers, nothing I've done the past year has worked (except for helping Don). I don't have any answers, or ideas about "next." I'm just trying to make it through the day. And it makes me very anxious to think farther ahead than today.

Today I have a handle on. "Next" I don't.

It's always, always okay to say, "I don't know." Unfortunately, no matter how strongly one has an urge to slap someone, it's not okay. (Dang!)

And ER care doesn't work for ongoing problems. Just sayin'.

And-uh, she said prissily, other people's judgments are often off the beam since they don't know all the factors...and quite often have not been in the situation, either.

No judging here, Girlfriend, just sympathy--and anything helpful I can think of, which right now is nothing.

xx

Speaking of judgement...

...I usually try to avoid sweeping generalisations...

...but...

...your health system is INSANE.

>119 lyzard: Liz, that's not a sweeping generalization, it's a fact.

True. I don't see why she was blaming you, she should be ranting at the state of your sh***y healthcare system. My mind still can't comprehend how a first world country has a system where you can't get obviously needed medical treatment when required.

I think my friend wasn't trying to be judgmental, I just felt judged. Mostly because things are so tenuous, and I don't know what I could have done differently.

On the other hand, PT is going really well. Now they ask if the book I am reading is different from the previous visit.

Good to hear PT is going well

Book Haul:
Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane

Category: The Junk Drawer

Another threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

08. Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane - TIOLI #22. Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters

This was an LT Early Reviewer book.

Peter Puck's friend, Tony Zamboni, decides one day that he is tired of going in circles on the ice, never even getting to see the game he's cut the ice for. So Tony heads for the open road to see what's outside the rink. He passes other kinds of vehicles which have specific jobs to do; the garbage truck and the paving machine.

Tony ends up at the race track which sports a sign saying that any vehicle can enter that day's race.

Meanwhile, Peter and ref George Phair, are looking for Tony. When they find Tony is determined to enter the race, they help. The other two drivers are scheming good-for-nothings who are mad that Tony has upset their devious plan.

Dirty deeds ensue, but Tony and Peter win the day and head back to the rink.

This is a charming book with expressive drawings by Geri Storey. Really great for young hockey fans.

(The arena) is where I belong. I learned an important lesson today. Each of us has a place in life.

Categories: Familiarity, The Final Frontier

Another threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

09. Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi- TIOLI #10. IOU challenge: Read a book by someone whose name ends in I, O, or U

Jack Holloway is a contractor with the large company which exploits other planets for their resources, so long as the planet is unoccupied by a sentient species.

One day Jack returns to his cabin only to find a cute fuzzy critter visiting. After a few days, cute fuzzy critter brings his family to hang out.

Now the question becomes whether the Fuzzies are sentient or merely smart animals. The reader has Jack's dog Carl to compare and contrast.

Of course, the corporation will brook no shenanigans in its endeavor to strip the planet and and become even richer. But they are outmaneuvered by both Holloway and the Fuzzies.

Written with his usual charming snark, Scalzi writes an adventure story featuring angry lawyers, angry CEO's, helpful lawyers, and cute fuzzy creatures (including Carl) while taking down greed, bureaucracy and stupidity.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, so I ventured out to meet Scott for hi-jinks. Which in our case means pillaging Leigh's Bookstore, Chocolatier by Desiree (Belgian chocolates), and food.

Book Haul:
The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney (Scott literally took the copy he'd picked for himself and gave it to me when we were told this was the last copy they had in stock.)
The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore
The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher

I have amazing friends.

I had lost your thread - not sure how I managed that so early into the new year, but I am blaming my iPad. I tend to accidentally hit ignore on the threads when I am using that. Must remember to scroll with my left hand instead of my right.

Sorry about all of the craziness in just trying to take care of your wrist - YEESH! Sending you good mojo from the Pecan Paradisio and all of our love. Hang in there, Stephanie!

Nice book haul - I have The Secret History of Wonder Woman in the stacks!

Your day of hi-jinks sounds very fun! Nice haul. And I was just kidding you on my thread. No apology needed. I put a winky face at the end, like this ; ) so you would know that you were right and I had deleted the duplicate and was just pretending it hadn't been there.

Good morning, Steph! I hope you have a small-or-no-pain day, with successful PT if it's scheduled, and many hours reading.

Hi Steph. I'm still flabbergasted by the health care system in the US. That is really awful. I hope there will be a solution for your wrist problem once you have been to visit the doctor in a few weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

>105 The_Hibernator: Hey Rachel! Thanks for visiting. You're welcome for the review of the Ehrman's book. The things he writes about are so interesting.

>110 streamsong: Hi Janet, thank you for your kind words. Dealing with my wrist and the health care system has been a lesson in patience and persistence. It is simply appalling.

And you're welcome to my way of doing monthly summaries. Free of charge even!

>114 Berly: Berly, drinks? I'll be right there :-) The PT has been great so far, it's just the drive. Plus this is my third week, so far so good. If we're doing the same thing in ten months there's something wrong. I hope they get your knee figured out, I know how much you miss TKD.

>115 karenmarie: Karen, I'm so relieved to find others who didn't like Flavia. I don't plan on sharing anything more about going to the lady parts doctor, no one needs to know that.

>116 msf59: And here I thought you'd abandoned me Mark! And thanks for the reminder about FF!

>118 Matke: Gail, Scott and I had a long discussion about going to the ER and he offered some very enlightening thoughts about what drives the cash economy, because people have no money to pay their bills like health care and hospital bills.

And, I've been thinking this through. Okay, I go to the ER, then what? They tell me the same thing, I need surgery. Maybe they put a cast on my wrist. They're not going to perform the surgery because it's not life threatening, and I'm going to be billed something exorbitant for the pleasure of sitting in a waiting room for who knows how long and being told I need surgery. That's still not fixing the problem.

Even if I qualify for financial aid from the hospital, they are going to bill me and then I have to fill out forms which are similar to applying for a car loan and wait almost interminably for approval. In the meantime, my wrist is still broken.

Anyway, rant over. It still comes down to I did what I could figure out to do, and looking back, I'm not sure there's anything else I could have done.

>121 lunacat: It's pretty mind boggling, our health care system. No one really knows how bad it can get until they can't get treatment.

>123 SuziQoregon:, Thanks Juli. My strength has improved enough for me to notice.

>128 Crazymamie: Oh Mamie! I'm so sad you lost me, but really happy you found me again! Thanks for visiting.

>129 Berly: This is what I get for not turning on the sarcasm filter on. I totally knew you were being sarcastic about listing a book twice and I was being sarcastic back. ;-)

>130 karenmarie: Good evening! Successful PT today. Now I am getting a reputation outside the office for reading because one of the ladies was telling me she had told her boyfriend about me and he had responded that he wished he had the time to read like me. :-)

>131 connie53: Connie thank you for the bear hug!

Oh my, a Canticle for Leibowitz made the rouns here in my house when my kids were teens! Then iy made the rounds again. It was good. I think it was Adam ended up with it . Long time ago....

Take care of you.....

I recently snagged an audio copy of The Secret History of Wonder Woman. I am pumped about that one...

>117 AuntieClio: Dear One.. I certainly understand about feeling judged. While people may mean well (and at times it is difficult to grant this break to them), still, making snap comments doesn't help at all does it?

I'm so so sorry for all you are going through. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. It has been a tough year for you. I sure do hope 2015 finds light at the end of the tunnel.

In the meantime, I hope each day finds you stronger and in less pain. When I had PT for my hand before the carpel tunnel release procedure, hot moist towels did help.

Hugs to you.

Update:

My sleep schedule seems to have worked itself out. The problem was probably taking my blood pressure medicine too late in the day. I have remedied this by setting an alarm and getting up long enough only to eat something (a banana or yogurt) and take my pills. If I want, and I usually do, I can then go back to sleep. It seems to be working.

Last night I was making sandwiches and realized I was spreading mayo on the bread with my LEFT hand without even noticing! This is terrific because it shows me that I'm healing. Yesterday was the first day I was able to do my PT exercises twice in the same day. The swelling has receded but I have to remember to keep "milking" it or it comes back. There is still some pain, but only when I twist it the wrong way. The wrist still tires out quickly. Such progress!

My disability claim was approved through the middle of March. I can get it renewed if necessary. The money is not a lot but it is more than I had coming in previously.

From a Facebook meme:
You are now the main character in the last book you read. Who are you?

Rachel Morgan in The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison.

Kick ass!!

Oh, s--t, I'm Kathy in Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, a clone bred to donate my organs to "real" humans until I'm harvested out and "complete".

I can identify with you--my ankle is only painful when I turn it, and it still tires out quickly but not as quickly as last week!

Ha! I have you beat! I am Allan, a 100-year-old man!! I have to sit down now.

I'm Derfel Cadarn, from the Arthurian Warlord Chronicles. Not too bad, although I've been dead for 1500 years so not sure how I'm still upright now.

>126 AuntieClio: That settles it, Stephanie. I am resolved the 2015 is the year I *finally* read a John Scalzi book.

From the book I'm reading, I'm Casseiopeia Vitt (The Alexandria Link), from the last book I read I'm Oliver, the only character I didn't actively dislike (The Photograph).

Good morning, Steph! Hope you have a good day.

>145 AuntieClio: Guess that makes me John Singer of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. What a sad, sad person to be. There's actually not a character in the whole novel that I'd chose to be, though, or I'd change your meme and be a lesser character in the story.

But having finished that audiobook, I've started listening to Marissa Meyer's Cress for Fantasy February. I'm sure she'll be a much more fun heroine with adventure and a handsome hero - so maybe I just need to put off answering a bit.

Yay! Wrist progress!

Boy, it seems to take forever, doesn't it? But how great to notice it just in that casual sort of fashion.

And I think you're spot on about the ER situation. I'm positive you made the best decision you could under the circumstances.

>145 AuntieClio: Oh, dear. That makes me Dekker in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Really not a character I'd like to be.

Categories: Familiarity, Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night, Hear Me Roar

10. The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison - TIOLI #22. Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters

What a fun ride! Rachel takes on the wild magic of the Elven Goddess, much to the chagrin of her demon "mentor", Al. Once again saving the world, and now finding love, Rachel Morgan continues to be one of my all-time favorite protagonists.

Categories: The Junk Drawer, Hear Me Roar

11. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell - TIOLI #23. Read a book in which the author's first and last name start with the same letter

When I tried to explain what Eleanor and Park was about to one of my physical therapists, she wrinkled her nose and said, "soooo ... it's a romance?"

Well, no. And yes.

Eleanor and Park is beautiful and heartrending, sad and happy, ugly and compassionate. I teared up through much of it, my heart suffocating for all the misery Eleanor was facing. And I smiled as Park reached out to her and their friendship bloomed, each of them growing to find each other. Eleanor and Park is truly a phenomenal book, and I am sad that I have to give this copy back.

Stephanie, I wish you a lovely weekend.

Categories: Familiarity, The Final Frontier

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

12. Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi- TIOLI #10. IOU challenge: Read a book by someone whose name ends in I, O, or U

This book just as well start with, "Hi, I'm Joshua. I'll be your alien for the night. And by the way, here's a pair of nose plugs, our race communicates by smell-o-vision." That's the set up for a funny story about an alien race who has decided they want to make contact with humans but know that not being cute and fuzzy makes it difficult to be perceived as good aliens. What the Yherajk decide to do instead, is make contact with the CEO of a talent agency and ask for representation.

This is Scalzi's first published novel, and while not as strong as some of his later work, it's got all the hallmarks of what makes his books so fun and interesting to read. Lots of snark and sarcasm, and lots of creative problem solving. Lots of creative problem solving.

Go ahead, you try to think of a way to introduce a race of gelatinous, transparent blobs to the world which won't start a parade of burning torches and pitchforks down Hollywood Boulevard. That's why John Scalzi wrote this book and I didn't.

I do worry about his predilection for aliens who communicate by smell (see The Android's Dream). Is Mr. Scalzi working through some childhood trauma caused by farts? Or is he just a 12-year-old boy still?

>141 mckait: Kath, yay for more Canticle of Leibowitz love. And I'm doing the best I can to take care of me. *hugs*

>142 msf59: Mark, I'm looking forward to reading what you think about The Secret History of Wonder Woman, it will probably be next month before I get to it.

>143 Whisper1: Linda, I appreciate that you come visit. You have so much going on yourself. For the most part, I am doing well both physically and emotionally. The wrist gets stronger every day, soon I'll be able to start looking for work again. I hope.

>146 ronincats: Roni, I've never read Never Let Me Go but being Kathy doesn't sound like fun.

I hope your ankle is getting better.

>147 Berly: Berly, have a glass of wine.

>148 lunacat: Jenny, is it magic keeping you upright?

>149 rosalita: Julia, in checking his bibliography I discovered that I've read all his novels except for his last two, The Human Division and Lock In. For some reason that just feels weird. A part of me thinks there should be a lot more books by him to read.

>150 karenmarie: Hi Karen! I like when you visit.

>151 streamsong: Janet, I have Cinder on the way.

>152 Matke: Hi Gail! I worry that six weeks of PT won't be enough. But maybe that's because I really like my therapists and see how much farther I have to go. But yes, it is loads better!

>155 Ameise1: Yay! You're back Barb. I hope that means things are settling down and you're getting some rest.

>162 AuntieClio: Well, feeling under the weather is settling me down but as you can see this has also its bright side, I'm able to do a lot of LT :-)

New thread!