Joe's Book Cafe 2015 Part 4

Art by Shaun Tan

Welcome back to the cafe!

Best of 2014

*= favorite of year

Fiction

Lila by Marilynne Robinson*
Redeployment by Phil Klay
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zavin
The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys
The Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Honorable Mention: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Nonfiction

The Way I See It by Temple Grandin*
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield
Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman
Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre
Bitch in a Bonnet by Robert Rodi
Leonardo and the Last Supper by Ross King
Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made by David Halberstam

Young Adult/Midde Grade

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky*
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
Counting by Sevens by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Skylark by Patricia Maclachlan
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel*
The Martian by Andy Weir
Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
The Peripheral by William Gibson
The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Ancillary Justice by Ann Lecke
Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

Graphic Novels

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast*
Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang
The Graphic Canon Volumes 1 and 2 edited by Russ Kirk
This One Summer by Jill Tamaki
Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan
Vagabond by Takehiko Inoue
Solanin by Inio Asano
Aya The Secrets Come Out by Marguerite Abouet
A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi

Poetry

Blue Horses by Mary Oliver*
Incarnadine by Mary Szybist
Americans' Favorite Poems edited by Robert Pinsky
Black Boy Suite Black Boy Sweet by Danez Smith
View with a Grain of Sand by Wisława Szymborska

American Author Challenge 2015

January: Carson McCullers - Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Other Stories
Feburary: Henry James - Turn of the Screw
March: Richard Ford - The Sportswriter
April: Louise Erdich - The Round House
May: Sinclair Lewis - Babbitt
June: Wallace Stegner - Where the Bluebird Sings
July: Ursula K. LeGuin (read tons of hers) - Isabel Wilkerson The Warmth of Other Suns
August: Larry McMurtry - Lonesome Dove
September: Flannery O'Connor (read enough) Chaim Potok The Promise
October: Ray Bradbury - (read tons of his) Truman Capote Breakfast at Tiffany's
November: Barbara Kingsolver - Bean Trees
December: E.L. Doctorow - World's Fair

British Author Challenge 2015

January: Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go
February: Evelyn Waugh - Scoop
March: Daphne Du Maurier - Jamaica Inn
April: Angela Carter - The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
May: Margaret Drabble/Martin Amis - Jane Gardam The Man in the Wooden Hat
June: Anthony Burgess - Nothing Like the Sun
July: Virginia Woolf - Mrs. Dalloway or another if I've read that one already
August: Iris Murdoch - The Bell
September: Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children
October: David Mitchell - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
November: William Boyd - Restless
December: Hilary Mantel - A Place of Greater Safety, and maybe a Wodehouse for fun

Books Read in 2015

January

1. Ruddy Gore by Kerry Greenwood
2. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
3. Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers
4. Saga Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
5. Rose Gold by Walter Mosley
6. Serenity Leaves on the Wind by Zack Whedon
7. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver
8. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
9. Urn Burial by Kerry Greenwood
10. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
11. Lexicon by Max Barry
12. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
13. Coventry by Helen Humphreys
14. The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
15. First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen
16. The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys

February

17. Turn of the Screw by Henry James
18. White Teeth by Zadie Smith
19. The Sculptor by Scott McCloud
20. Son by Lois Lowry
21. Raisins and Almonds by Kerry Greenwood

New thread, new pictures! Nice, Joe. I hope Debbi is wending her way home as the storm moves on to us.

Happy new thread, Joe! I recognized the artist of your thread toppers right away, having just read him for the first time last year.

>3 ffortsa: Hiya, Judy! Glad you like the new digs. Oh, I hope the storm loses a lot of steam before it gets to you. I'm sore all over from all the shoveling and car pushing. They've closed the schools and courts here, and it's a mess.

Debbi catches a late afternoon flight back, and will arrive (positive thinking: yes, she will!) late tonight. She really missed being with us for the Super Bowl, although it was hard to feel too sorry for her as she sat by the pool with our niece in 70 F weather.

>4 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! He's one of my favorites - I'm glad you've read him. Which one? The Arrival?

From the last thread "Poor Pete Carroll. Outsmarted himself. " Well, that's about the kindest thing I've heard said on the subject this morning!

>6 laytonwoman3rd: Ha! He was classy about it after the game, I thought, Linda. Everyone says he's a genuinely good guy, and a great coach. He's going to be hearing about that terrible play call for a long time to come. Just hand the ball to Lynch and you win the game.

I made it, to the new thread, yippee!

Interesting (I like!) art in the OP. I'll have to check out his books.

Addendum: our local library has five available, (The Arrival, The Bird King, Rules of Summer, Lost and Found, Tales from Outer Suburbia), which would you recommend?

Stay safe, keep warm, and enjoy the beauty of a snowfall. I don't envy you, except for the wonder of a winter landscape. So far this season we've not had anything but a few flurries that didn't make it to the ground.

I'd like something coffee, dark, and strong, just use your imagination. :)

Ah, our beloved Shaun Tan... can't go wrong there! Happy New Thread Joe, and hope you have a great week!

Happy New Thread, Joe! Lovelovelove Shaun Tan.

Also, I mentioned this over on my thread, but in case you miss it there: The Newbery winner for this year sounds like something you'd absolutely love, if you haven't read it already: The Crossover, which is, apparently (I haven't read it yet), a novel in verse in the style of a poetry jam...

>8 fuzzi: The Arrival is my absolutely favourite Shaun Tan, and is a magical place to start.

Love him, I can gaze at his art all day.

>5 jnwelch: I read The Arrival and Tales From Outer Suburbia, Joe. Both were great, but I loved The Arrival.

Enjoy White Teeth Joe. It knocked my socks off when I read it when it first came out. Terrific first novel.

We've got the snow now but somehow we New Englanders are bearing up, warmed by yesterday's win. Still, I winced for Carroll who I've liked since his time with the Patriots.

Happy new thread, Joe. I love Tan's art. I hope there is a comfy place in your new Café with a nice cup of cafe melange.

>8 fuzzi: Hi, fuzzi! Start with The Arrival. If you're like me, that'll hook you on him. All the others are good, too. Probably The Bird King last, as it's his sketchbook, and more interesting after you've read the others.

Dark, strong coffee. You got it.



>9 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. I knew you'd be happy to see our friend Shaun up there. Hope you have a great week, too!

>10 scaifea: Hiya, Amber. Thanks! Loving the Shaun Tan love.

Thanks for the tip on The Crossover. I haven't read it or heard of it before now, but I like that strong recommendation and the Newbery win. I'll find it.

I want to read a runner-up, El Deafo, too. And I see Dan Santat got the Caldecott. I almost made his stuff the thread topper. Maybe next time.

>11 lunacat: Mine, too (The Arrival), and me, too, Jenny (stare at his art all day).

Can I interest you in some "Frederick Nutt's Millefruit Biscuits" from the 18th Century? They get compared to macaroons.



>12 Crazymamie: Two excellent Shaun Tans, Mamie. You'd like the others, too.

>13 NarratorLady: Oh good, Anne. I can use the enthusiasm support, as I don't know much about White Teeth. I'm sure enjoying it so far.

Congrats on the Pats! (That even rhymes). I think a lot of folks, including me, are wincing for Pete Carroll. What a blunder. Hand the ball to Lynch and everything's different.

>14 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. There is most definitely a comfy place here for you, and we'll bring that cafe melange.

Joe, you are a gem. Thanks so much

>17 Ameise1: :-) Always a pleasure, Barbara.

Oh you're reading White Teeth Joe? Her best novel in my estimation and I've read them all. I loved it myself but I know some did not. You always have the best thread toppers.

Happy new thread, Joe! I'm loving the Shaun Tan love. :D

And back to your previous thread and the jealous inducing stash you walked away with. I wish they had something like that north of the border...gah!

All kinds of awards were announced at ALA today. The Newbery winner was The Crossover. The Caldecott winner was Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend. The Printz award was given to I'll Give You the Sun. The Pura Belpre Author Award I Lived on Butterfly Hill. The Pura Belpre Illustrator Award went to Viva Frida. The Schneider Family Book Award for Children's Book went to A Boy and a Jaguar - the Middle School Award to Rain Reign - and the Teen Book Girls Like Us. The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award went to the children's book You Are (Not) Small.

Monday is always a celebrity day at ALA Midwinter because of the awards press conference.

My question for the day is - What's with that Super Bowl Singers hair? She looks like she is trying to be Wonder Woman. With that pony tail up so high on her head I wonder if she is constipated.

Happy New Thread, Joe! Love the Tan Toppers! Those illustrations always make me smile. Glad you are enjoying White Teeth. It has been quite awhile since i read it but I remember being very impressed.

>21 benitastrnad: maybe the singer is a fan of Elfquest...?

See the redhead, below:

#23
That could have been her. That singer certainly looked like something out of a graphic novel.

I just got back from a delightful supper time. I wanted to eat a Chicago Hot Dog and so asked the concierge at the hotel where the closest Hot Dog place was located. He told me that the old style Hot Dog places were mostly gone but he directed me to Portillo's on Ontario and Clark. (I had told him that I wanted to get out and walk and see the city.) It was great fun. He also suggested that I might like to stop at Eataly as it would be on the way back to the hotel. I did and it was wonderful. I could have stayed there for hours. I also wish that I had brought my wine packing equipment with me so that I could take some wine back to Tuscaloosa. They had a great selection of wine from Northern Italy and had some types that I had never seen, or read about. They would have made a great program for my wine club. However, I didn't want to risk trying to take back several bottles of wine so I opted to take two kinds of cheese. One is from Connersville, Indiana. Who would have thought that a great kind of cheese would be produced in Indiana?! My fellow wine drinkers will have to settle for cheese. One from Indiana and one from Italy. At least both place names start with I. I am going to try to go back there for lunch tomorrow before I leave the Windy City.

I thought that I was eating at a Mario Batali/Lidia Bastianich establishment but found out that Mario Batali only owns 3% of the place. Darn. I have eaten at Salumi Artisian Cured Meats. This salumeria was started by Armandino Batali, Mario's father, and is now owned by Gina Batali - Mario's sister - and her husband. It is a wonderful little place as well. Someday I may get to eat in a Batali resturant.

I have had a great time in Chicago and ate well, even if none of the eating was in big name establishments.

>19 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. Oh, good to hear you loved White Teeth. I'm enjoying it very much so far. Archie and Clara are an unlikely duo, aren't they?

Thanks re the toppers. He's one of my favorites.

>20 jolerie: Ha! I'm loving the Shaun Tan love, too, Valerie. He's a grand one, he is.

It is one of life's stellar experiences, the ALA. Maybe we can get you south of the border some time for it. BookExpo is tons o' fun, too. Similar, but done for bookstore owners and other book retailers and wholesalers. Madame MBH and I used to go to that one when it was in Chicago (not NYC) and a bookstore owner (Powell's - Chicago's, not Portland's) got us in. All the new books being launched, all the freebies, all the bargains, and all the book love - just great.

>21 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. I want to check all of those award winner's out. Brown Girl Dreaming got a Newbery Honor award and the Coretta Scott King award, and previously got the National Book Award in the YA category. Viva Frida has cool illustrations. Mamie recommended The Crossover, and that's probably the first one I'll check out that I haven't read.

I'll let others comment on Katy Perry's hair. I did like her animatronic tiger, the dancing sharks (!), and her flying above the stadium crowd. Missy Eliot and her gang did a good job, too. Too little Lenny Kravitz?

>22 msf59: Good morning, Mark! Thanks - always good to start the day with some Shaun Tan, right? Yes, White Teeth is very good so far. I'm really liking The Sculptor GN, too. Reminds me a bit of Blankets, but with a very different storyline.

>23 fuzzi:, >24 benitastrnad: That explains it, fuzzi and Benita. I thought with one of her costumes she was trying to be a Lotto ball.



>25 benitastrnad: Great to hear, Benita. Chicago is such a foodie town. We haven't tried Eataly yet, but it sure sounds good. Did you put mustard on your hot dog? Chicagoans get quite upset at catsup on hot dogs - must be mustard.

Glad you've been having such a good time. How was ALA on Sunday? We were afraid it would be a small crowd with the blizzard.

The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys is a WWII novel set in the peaceful English countryside. It centers around 35 year old Gwen Davis, a researcher at the Royal Horticultural Society who has volunteered to take charge of turning a manor's rundown gardens, with the help of volunteer "Land Girls", into a source of potatoes for the soldiers. She has found the bombing destruction of her beloved London unbearable, and her own life barren of companionship. Her most treasured possession is a huge two volume encyclopedia of roses, the weight of which she sometimes lays under and imagines is a lover. "The point, dear Davis, is that sometimes what you want is nothing more than to put your name beside someone else's, someone whom you love. Stretch your name out alongside theirs as though it was you, lying next to them.”

She sees herself as plain and socially inept; at the manor others see her differently, and she becomes close to Jane, a young volunteer whose husband has gone missing in the war. Gwen has arrived late, and has to struggle initially in asserting her authority. There are soldiers billeted at the manor, too, awaiting orders, and Captain Raley, a fancier of poetry, helps her find her footing. The gardens are in severe disrepair, but she knows how to mend them. She finds three hidden gardens that further inspire her. “What I've always found interesting in gardens is looking at what people choose to plant there. What they put in. What they leave out. One small choice and then another, and soon there is a mood, an atmosphere, a series of limitations, a world.” The three gardens have been planted, she surmises, to represent longing, loss, and faith. She labors in secret to understand and restore them. We find ourselves gradually caught up in the intertwined tendrils of her, Jane's, and Captain Raley's lives, all of them dependent, in one way or another, on the war being prosecuted beyond the garden walls.

Another quietly brilliant book by this author. Four and a quarter stars.

I am about to head out the door to the nearest post office. The kind concierge who was on duty last night is going to be on this morning so I hope to have him guide me to the closest post office. Will have to have a Bell Service up to the room due to the boxes but plan on taking the train out to O'Hara. It was cold coming back from Hot Dog excursion last night and even colder this morning so I will admit that I am reluctant to give up the room-with-a-view on the 19th floor of the Hyatt Regency, but I have books to mail.

Chicago has been very good to me. Great city - from watching the tourists take selfies at the Bean, to the clean city streets on Sunday so that the conference could go forward and ON! Chicago, Chicago, my kinda town!

News from the land of Amber:

A new Harper Lee novel, featuring Scout! (>256 jnwelch: on her thread) http://www.librarything.com/topic/187111#5038316

A great quote from Neil Gaiman about crappy bestsellers. (>254 connie53: on her thread) http://www.librarything.com/topic/187111#5038295

>30 jnwelch: ***Pssst** Amber.

Thanks for the Lost Garden review. It's already on my wishlist, but I'm adding you as a recommender and thumbing your review*.

Got the news about the Harper Lee novel as a NYT headline this morning in my inbox.

eta: * er... I would if I could! ;-)

>31 laytonwoman3rd: *hides from Amber* Thanks, Linda!

>32 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. You're a sweetheart to thumb these. I'll post it. (Darn work - how do they expect me to keep up with Librarything?) The Lost Garden will work well for you, methinks.

I'm flabbergabbled by the Harper Lee news. Apparently her lawyer found the second book somewhere attached to a manuscript of To Kill a Mockingbird, all these years later.

ETA: >29 benitastrnad: Glad you had a great time in our fair city, Benita. Madame MBH and I have lived in various other places and we love it here, although that love gets severely tested during blizzards and Polar Vortex visits.

Thank you for thinking of me with The Water Knife.

Hi Joe, sounds like my hot dog style would fit me right into Chicago as I am a mustard only purist! Speaking of hot dogs, I now have a craving and will perhaps have to pick some up for lunch. You are doing a good job spreading the Helen Humphreys love, I am definitely adding The Lost Garden to my wishlist.

>34 DeltaQueen50: Ha! You'll be right at home when you visit Chicago and have a hot dog, Judy. Helen Humphreys deserves that love; I'm glad it's spreading. She's quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. For me it started with Bonnie's (brenzi's) recommendation of The Frozen Thames.

I loved Elf Quest! I was quite addicted to that GN series.

I just picked up The Frozen Thames from the library this afternoon and I already peeked in ... now I know I am going to need to put aside a book I'm reading for work and reading this first instead. :-)

Why all the hiding? It's not as if *I* found the manuscript or anything. I'm happy that the joyous news is being spread!

Checking in on the new thread, Joe. If no one has decided that they want the almost macaroon cookies, I will take them all off your hands. I love macaroons!

>36 cameling: I'm Elf Quest ignorant, Caro, but now you've got me curious. Ah, The Frozen Thames. Perfect time of year to read it. Looking forward to your reaction.

>37 scaifea: Ha! Mayhaps I got your name wrong originally, Amber. Mixing you up with a certain Pecan Paradisio person. I agree it's wonderful news. Scout as an adult - there's one I've got to read!

>38 alcottacre: Ah, good, Stasia! Those almost macaroons were looking for a home - they're rescue treats, I guess. Good to see you! I'm glad you could take a wee break from the academics.

Hmm, this might be a good morning for donuts, don't you think?

>39 jnwelch: Donuts. OOOOhhh. Well, they're virtual, so I'll have one or two. And a good morning to the proprietor.

>40 ffortsa: Good morning, Judy! Yes, please; we've got plenty. Virtual is pretty much the only way I get my hands (eyes) on donuts these days, as Madame MBH wants me to live forever in non-blimplike condition. These ones sure look good, don't they?

Wow, this donat's photo looks amazing.

Just stopping by to drop a star. Noticed you on another thread and we have over 400 books in common, so you must have good taste in books! ;-)

>42 Ameise1: Doesn't it, Barbara? I'm ready to dig in.

>43 rretzler: Great to see you, Robin! Thanks for dropping the star. Yes, I see Dr. Siri, Precious Ramotswe and Dame Agatha are among our shared books - looking forward to hearing about your reading this year.

Happy Hump Day, Joe! More snow falling but at least it is light. Glad you loved The Sculptor. I've been hearing nothing but high praise.

>45 msf59: Oh good, Mark. Since the early reviews, I haven't heard other reactions to The Sculptor. He's well-known and respected for Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics and Making Comics, none of which I've read. Previously I'd only read the 24 Hour Comics he did with Neil Gaiman. This one has been anticipated for quite a while.

Happy Hump Day!

>39 jnwelch: You don't often see (or at least I don't often see) doughtnuts that are as pretty to look at as they are tasty to devour. That's a rainbow box of fried doughy goodness right there.

>47 rosalita: That's a rainbow box of fried doughy goodness right there. Ain't that the truth, Julia? I know, if we're going to have a guilty pleasure, let's have it look good, too, right? Given half a chance, I could wipe most of those out in short order.

>48 jnwelch: Given half a chance, I could wipe most of those out in short order. Ditto. In fact, I was thinking that it was a shame someone spent so much time decorating them so prettily because they wouldn't last long around here. :-)

>49 rosalita: :-) They're disappearing fast.

Latte me up, Joe! It's rainy and chilly here, so I am going to hunker down into the sofa and read. I love days like that.

>51 Crazymamie: Sounds perfect to me, Mamie. What are you reading?

Latte-ing you up, here you go:

Thanks, Joe! That looks perfect! Just started reading The Gift of Rain - have you read it?

What I want to know is why someone is just take one bite out of some of the doughnuts?? I just finished my honey cruller and steeped tea so I'm a happy camper. Still nursing an annoying cold so I'll just relegate myself to the corner of the cafe to prevent contamination of your patrons. :)

>53 Crazymamie: Oh wonderful, Mamie. No, that's one of those I thought I had read, but I haven't. Wish I could join you on it. I loved The Garden of Evening Mists. I hope to get to The Gift of Rain in the first half of this year.

>54 jolerie: I know, the thoughtlessness of whoever those bite-takers are. Jeez Louise. Mmm, honey cruller. No worries on the cold - the cafe has proven to be remarkably germ-proof. Hope it leaves you alone soon, and you start feeling better, Valerie.

>39 jnwelch: where were you with those donuts when I needed you this morning? (OK, I will concede that the question ought to be were was I?). I had to resort to m and ms for breakfast, on account of being out of both milk and toast. Hmph. The sacrifices I make.
Just quietly though, I don't actually like those kind of doughnuts (see now I am spelling them our way now that I am invested in them). I like the freshly fried ones with cinnamon and sugar. Regularly available here at your local fish and chip shop. Even so, I rarely get one there either. Aren't I tough to please!?

I love your review of the helen Humphries book up there, I am still meaning to read Coventry.

I think that the reason why Harper Lee suddenly found the novel has to do with a couple of very practical things. The first one is dollars and the second one is age. Lee's sister, who was her lawyer and agent, just died. She was 103. The current copyright laws of the U. S. say that a copyright is good for the life of the author plus 75 years. Harper Lee is 88. If she publishes a sequel now, the content of "To Kill a Mockingbird" is safe for another 75 years. Safe from anybody else doing a sequel - like they are for Robert B. Parker and did for Margret Mitchell. It was probably a good move for the Lee family as this will protect the rights to the book for a good long time and thus provide a very good income for the estate.

As for the second reason - age. 88. nuf said.

There will be a package in your box shortly.

>36 cameling: why past tense?

Wendy Pini is finishing up the Final Quest...in the next few months, I think. I'm not as enamored of this as the original series, but am enjoying it, just the same.

>39 jnwelch: the entire series is available to read online, FOR FREE!

http://elfquest.com/gallery/OnlineComics/digitalEQ.html

Start with the original series, and see how the author/illustrator develops with each issue...I love her work!

>57 benitastrnad: The way I understand the copyright protection, To Kill a Mockingbird's will expire in 2055. (Published in 1960, renewed in 1988; protection runs for 95 years from original publication date.) The "life of the author + X years" didn't apply to works published prior to 1978. The whole thing is incredibly complicated. See this chart from Cornell. A sequel published in 2015 would have a copyright that lasts for 70 years after the death of the author, and would, effectively, protect the original work as well since violating the sequel would probably also violate the original.

Donuts . . . I plan to stop at Dunkin on Friday morning. Looking forward to my donut indulgence.

Joe - I'm only just catching up with your new thread, and love your Shaun Tan illustrations at the top. It's reminded me that I really need my own copy of The Arrival which I originally read as a library book.

Hi, everyone. We're traveling today. Have fun!

Take care and safe traveling.

Morning, Joe! Fascinating stuff about the new Harper Lee book - thanks so much to Benita and Linda for their posts. I have pre-ordered it since I can't imagine NOT reading it.

Happy Thursday to you!

I recently heard about Harper Lee's approval to publish a book she had written a long time ago. The article I read mentioned it would only be in ebook format. Does anyone know if this is true?

Joe I can't wait to see you and Debbi on Saturday! Whoop!

>65 Whisper1: Linda, I pre-ordered it in hardback format - it's scheduled for release on July 14th of this year. It's titled Go Set a Watchman.

>65 Whisper1: >67 Crazymamie: Yep, I've pre-ordered the hardcover, too...

While Joe's away, it's self-serve:

>69 fuzzi: Boy, I guess everyone helped themselves real good in the last four minutes! I see nothing but an empty box there!

EDIT: Ah...that's better.

>56 LovingLit:. You are tough to please, Megan, but you're still one of our favorite customers anyway.

I've got to say, a freshly fried donut with cinnamon and sugar sounds awfully good.

My MBH would love a breakfast of m and ms. Pretty nice fallback.

Methinks you'll like Coventry. She's such a good writer.

>57 benitastrnad:. Interesting thoughts, Benita. What I've read makes it sound like a found manuscript, but maybe there's more to it. Those other sequels normally are done with the permission of the estate, like the Robert Parker ones.

Looking forward to the package - thanks!

>58 fuzzi:. Oo, thanks for the link, fuzzi! Free is one of my favorite things in life. I'll check it out when we get back.

>59 laytonwoman3rd:. Nice, Linda, thanks. You're right, copyright terms can get really complicated.

>60 thornton37814:. Donuts, ah, donuts. What a wonderful invention, Lori. Has there ever been a catchy song dedicated to donuts? I envy you your Friday morning DD stop. Just as some folks need to steer clear of chocolate, I generally have to steer clear of donuts. I could eat a whole DD's supply.

>61 SandDune:. Hi, Rhian. As you can imagine, I'm in favor of everyone owning their own copy of The Arrival. What a book. I've tracked down every other Shaun Tan book I could get my hands on, too.

You've not read Elf Quest yet, Joe? I love the stories and the art work. Start with The Complete Elfquest Volume 1 : The Original Quest by Wendy Pini.

>63 Ameise1:. Thanks, Barbara. We're safely arrived in Houston. Got to read a fair amount of White Teeth on the way. Turn of the Screw ended up being a well done creepy tale.

>64 Crazymamie:. Happy Thursday, Mamie! Oops, running out of battery charge. Amazing news re the new Harper Lee book. You're right, I know I'm going to read it, too.

Back after some charging.

Hi, Joe! I forgot you had mentioned going to Houston. Duh! Have a fun trip. Glad you are enjoying White Teeth.

ETA- It is still COLD here!

>72 jnwelch: Actually there used to be a children's evangelist called "The Donut Man" who had a song called "Life Without Jesus Is Like a Donut." I found it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmKkTYOYiJ8

SO far behind... *pant, pant*

Can you please tell me where you pre ordered Harper Lee's book?

Thanks!

>74 jnwelch: Glad to hear that you're safely arrived and have done some splendid reading.

Thanks for the "almost macaroons," Joe. You all can have the donuts. I will happily munch on cookies in the corner :)

Lots of meetings today, so please feel free to self-serve per fuzzi in >69 fuzzi:.

I'll try to check in later in the day. Happy Friday to everyone!

>78 Whisper1: Linda, I pre-ordered mine from Amazon.

Morning, Joe! It's Friday!

>82 Crazymamie:. Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday!

>66 luvamystery65:. Can't wait to see you tomorrow, Roberta!

I'll try to catch up with everyone at some point. Thanks for your patience.

Patience? Who's got patience? *drums fingertips* Where's the food around here?

Hi Joe, the donuts in >39 jnwelch: look way too good to eat. Or maybe it's all that food colouring!

From NYT Breaking News email sent out Feb 3:
"In a statement released by her publisher, Ms. Lee, 88, said that she wrote “Go Set a Watchman” first but was asked by an editor to rework the novel from the character Scout’s perspective. That book became “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a classic that has sold more than 40 million copies globally."

It would seem then this book was written before TKaM. Up to you and me of course to choose to believe this or not. But I'm pretty sure we will all read Got Set a Watchman regardless.

Harper Lee is currently residing in an assisted living facility in Monroeville, AL. Her sister, Alice, was a lawyer and advised her on all things legal. Alice died last year. Some here in Alabama, say that Lee isn't mentally competent and is being manipulated. Others, like Wayne Flynt another respected Alabama author was quoted on the radio yesterday as saying that she is mentally competent and that he talked with her on Monday, February 2, 2015, when he visited her in the assisted living facility. He said, that she said nothing about a new book. However, that was probably because they spent the afternoon talking about other things.

My guess is, that she wanted to publish the book for some time. I didn't think that To Kill a Mockingbird was all that great 40 years ago when I read it, and still don't. I won't be buying the new book. Not my cup of tea.

Curled up in my corner/hermit hole. Feel free to drop by if the proprietor fancies, but steer clear if you don't want to get sucked into my black pit of doom.

Hi Joe! Adding some more doughnuts, courtesy of Portland's voodoo doughnuts. I figured you needed bacon maple bars.

Back briefly.

>87 lunacat: Hiya, Jenny! We'll do everything we can to make that corner/hermit hole a bit happier. Just flag us down.



>88 banjo123: Nice, Rhonda! Why are they called voodoo donuts? They sure look good.

I wonder whether we can get donuts from around the country/world, with the help of cafe patrons?

These are from Firecakes in Chicago:

>76 thornton37814: ha! Classic.
*off to find some doughnuts*

Eta: I found some beesting buns, and also found out that they are German! I try to get one every time I see them at a market stall. Bred buns, filled with custard creme and with slivered almonds and glazed. Yum-O!

I hope you are having a good trip, Joe! The perks of being the owner of a virtual cafe? It takes care of itself. :)

>90 LovingLit: Yum-O is right, Megan! That's a new one for me; never heard of beesting buns. I imagine Bianca knows them well. I'm going to have to find a RL one to try.

>91 jolerie: We're having a most excellent trip, Valerie, thanks. And we/I get to goof off some tomorrow, including seeing friend Roberta, luvamystery, and visiting a couple of local bookstores. (This is our first trip ever to Houston).

You're right, it's wonderful to have a cafe that takes care of itself. As you probably noticed, I'm really into economy of motion, sometimes called doing as little as possible. That occasionally gets me into trouble at home, but on a trip like this, I'm pretty safe.

Please let me know if I miss your post, as this gets really confusing. I believe >65 Whisper1: is up next.

>65 Whisper1: OK, you probably got this, Linda, but the new Harper Lee definitely is not e-book only. In fact, many were surprised she agreed to e-book publication in addition to print.

Getting close to your big surgical adventure. Very excited for you!

>66 luvamystery65: Woo-hoo! See you soon, Roberta!

>67 Crazymamie: Right, Go Set a Watchman, thanks, Mamie. I keep trying to remember that. I probably should face reality and pre-order it, too.

>68 scaifea: Good move, Amber. How hard this is to believe. I never would've guessed we'd have another book from her this late in the game.

>69 fuzzi: Thank you, fuzzi! Can't tell you how much I appreciate that kind of help when I'm tied up. Really great.

>70 laytonwoman3rd: Good catch, Linda. Thank goodness you all found some proper sustenance.

>73 cameling: I'm shamefully Elf Quest-deficient, Caro. I will work hard to remedy that.

>75 msf59: Hiya, Mark! It's been in the 50s here, which sure is a big improvement on our chilly Chicago area. It's starting to climb into the 70s F tomorrow, woo, got to like that. We're going to be here through Tuesday, as we're going to get together with #1 son's future in-laws and figure out a venue for the rehearsal dinner for the wedding.

White Teeth is most excellent. What a range she shows with the characters. It ain't short, so I've got a good ways to go, but it sure is impressive.

>76 thornton37814: Thank you, Lori! I'll have to circle back and listen to that. Is it okay to say that life without Jesus is like a wonderful sugary fried treat? Maybe that's not the message he means to convey.

>77 ronincats: You and me both, Roni. Let's jog around the cafe together.

>78 Whisper1: I saw this one was answered, Linda. I bet Amazon is getting around a bazillion pre-orders.

>79 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara. Yes, safe arrival, excellent reading (I've also got the concluding Giver book in the Lois Lowry series), and wonderful company (Madame MBH).

Hope all is well in your lovely part of the world.

>80 alcottacre: Munching on almost macaroons in the corner. Sounds like a nice place and way to spend the time, Stasia.



>84 laytonwoman3rd: Jeez Louise, Linda, you're one tough customer. Plenty of desserts available now, and if you're not feeling like sweets, we'll bring you something else.



>85 Smiler69: Hi, Ilana! I prefer to think that those donuts are colored with natural flavorings somehow. We get to use our imaginations, right? :-)

My understanding is the same as yours. From the reports, Go Set a Watchman was written first, with an adult Scout flashing back at times to the events of To Kill a Mockingbird, and the publisher asked her to write another book based on the Scout flashbacks. She agreed, and the rest was history.

We've got at least one LTer who won't be buying the new one, Benita, as she explains in >86 benitastrnad:. Got to respect that independent perspective - To Kill a Mockingbird is about as universally beloved a book as I've ever come across. Maybe Charlotte's Web and one or two others.

>86 benitastrnad: The media is going to be pushing to get direct confirmation from Harper Lee that this is what she wants, I'm sure. That assisted living facility is probably under siege right now!

Good for you for being a contrarian on To Kill a Mockingbird. Personally, I loved it. Beautifully written and so moving. Why isn't it your cuppa?

I think that's everyone! If not, please let me know. Happy Weekend, everybody!

Joe, I read your review re. Gracefully, Grayson and, now on the tbr pile it goes. I'm going to see if one of my local libraries has this one.

Your review is marvelous!

>98 Whisper1:. Oh, thank you, Linda. As you probably could tell, that review of Gracefully Grayson was a real labor of love. I sure hope the book catches on bigtime by word of mouth. To me, like Wonder, it gives such important insight, and it's a beautifully told story by Ami Polonsky.

Joe, I so enjoy knowing that I'm not the only YA book lover. It is a joy to read your posts about this genre.

>1 jnwelch: I borrowed two Shaun Tan books today:

The Arrival
Lost and Found

At our FOTL booksale today I found another Gary Paulsen book, A Christmas Sonata.

I forgot to thank you Joe, for your review of Brown Girl Dreaming which led me to read it; I thought it was a wonderful book and am singing it's praises to everyone.

I was pleased that it was named a Newbery Honor Book. Interestingly, my library copy catalogued it as a biography in the adult section. I suppose there's an argument for both that and a children's book.

>100 Whisper1: Me, too, Linda. It's great to have a YA buddy! There are so many good ones out there, aren't there?

>101 fuzzi: Oh, excellent, fuzzi. Can't wait to hear what you think of the Shaun Tans. That's a new Gary Paulsen for me, so I'll look for your cue on that one.

>102 NarratorLady: Oh good, Anne. My pleasure. I sure owe you a helpful recommendation or three. Wasn't Brown Girl Dreaming wonderful? I'm still boggled over how well she made that form work.

I've got to read the one that beat it out for the Newbery - I didn't think anything would. I can see BGD as an adult bio; that does have the advantage of enticing folks reluctant to read a YA book.

>101 fuzzi: woo hoo, I have read both of those. I feel so in the know :)

Happy Saturday, Joe! Glad you are enjoying your time in warm Texas. It is actually supposed to be around 40 the next 2 days, so that is not bad. Melt some of this snow away.

I received a wonderful package from Benita! Christmas in January. And I have the new MDR! What a sweetheart!

Happy Birthday to Debbi! Give her a hug from us!!

>104 LovingLit: :-) Go, Megan!

>105 msf59: Happy Saturday, Mark! I was just over on your thread. Yes, we're enjoying warm Texas, and today is mostly a day off for yours truly. We saw that you're getting a warmup - much needed. There's no place to put any more shoveled snow around our house. Crazy. I guess the poor northeast is about to be hit again?

Benita's a sweetheart, all right. She sent me the new Bacigalupi, so it'll probably be there when we get back. I know you'll eat up that new MDR.

I pass on your Happy Birthday to Debbi, and gladly give her a hug. She's already enjoyed some Godiva chocolate this morning, and opened some presents. Now she's having a birthday chat with young Becca.

>104 LovingLit: I, too, like it when I've read a book that someone is about to read. :)

I started The Arrival at the library, while waiting for my brother to finish making his choices. Fascinating.

>103 jnwelch: it's a small book by Paulsen, so I will probably read it today, as I'm slightly incapacitated with "early onset sinusitis" (my term). In my experience, rest, hot fluids, and OTC medicine (and reading!!!) seem to prevent this condition from going into a full-blown sinus infection, so that's my personal treatment plan for today.

Addendum: Pass on happy birthday wishes to Debbi. She's 29 and holding...? ;)

Happy Birthday to Debbi! Sounds like you have fabulous plans for today, Joe, and I am oh so jealous that you and Roberta get to meet each other - what fun!

>107 fuzzi: :-) Can't wait to hear what you think when you're done with The Arrival, fuzzi.

>108 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! She's over at walklover in the 75er group, if you want to stop by. Yes, can't wait to meet our friend Roberta!

Okay, I didn't know that she had a thread.

Dear Debbi,

You don't know me but I frequent your husband's cafe, well... frequently...

Happy Birthday to Debbi! And a good day to you, too, Joe!

I've wished Debbi a Happy Birthday on her thread and I'll tell her myself soon in person. Today would have been my Mom's 74th birthday, so we will definitely celebrate all around.

>112 luvamystery65: Oooh, Roberta, you get to meet Joe and Debbi! They're aces.

Want pictures of the birthday party for Debbi. :-) Many happy returns and many many more!

Oooh..and whlie I'm on the requests ... want pictures of the meetup too.

Joe, there's on particular scene in To Kill a Mockingbird that makes me laugh out loud, and though I've read it *only* twice, once in book form and once on audio, I had to go back and reread / relisten to that section several times because it made me laugh so much. I actually quoted it in my review the first time I read it, so let me find it again...

"Mrs. Merriweather's large brown eyes always filled with tears when she considered the oppressed. "Living in that jungle with nobody but J. Grimes Everett," she said. "Not a white person'll go near 'em but that saintly J. Grimes Everett."
Mrs. Merriweather played her voice like an organ; every word she said received its full measure: "The poverty...the darkness...the immorality—nobody but J. Grimes Everett knows. You know, when the church gave me that trip to the camp grounds J. Grimes Everett said to me—"

"Was he there, ma'am I thought—"

"Home on leave. J. Grimes Everett said to me, he said, 'Mrs. Merriweather, you have no conception, no conception of what we are fighting over there.' That's what he said to me. "

"Yes ma'am."

"I said to him, 'Mr. Everett,' I said, 'the ladies of the Maycomb Alabama Methodist Episcopal Church South are behind you one hundred per cent.' That's what I said to him. And you know, right then and there I made a pledge in my heart. I said to myself, when I go home I'm going to give a course on the Mrunas and bring J. Grimes Everett's message to Maycomb and that's just what I'm doing."

"Yes ma'am."

When Mrs. Merriweather shook her head, her black curls jiggled. "Jean Louise," she said, "you are a fortunate girl. You live in a Christian home with Christian folks in a Christian town. Out there in J. Grimes Everett's land there's nothing but sin and squalor."

"Yes ma'am."

Missed the cafe Joe whilst I was in Ghana as the food left something to be desired in truth. Fried plantain with almost everything was a little too much for even my adventurous palette.

Have a great weekend celebrating birthdays and meet-ups.

>110 Crazymamie: Ha! She'll know you from that alone, Mamie. She does read this thread, although she makes infrequent appearances.

They threw a Mardi Gras parade for her birthday right by our hotel. Houston is quite the friendly city.

>111 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! I'll pass on the birthday wishes to Debbi. We had a wonderful meetup with Roberta, and she's having quite a lovely birthday, including Godiva chocolate for breakfast. :-)

>112 luvamystery65: How great to finally meet you in person, Roberta! I do remember when you first stopped by the cafe way back when. Look at you now, you high-flying LTer!

Loved the bookstores and Picnic for lunch. Thanks so much for chauffeuring us around. What a beautiful day in Houston!

Here's a photo of us all from Murder by the Book, a terrific store from which we couldn't resist taking a big bag o' books.



I'll try to post a pic of the books later.

>113 rosalita: Thanks, Julia. Turns out our Roberta is aces! We loved the bookstores and a tasty lunch at Picnic, a sandwich place down the street. Very nice of Roberta to drive into Houston and take us hither and thither. Luckily Debbi's Mardi Gras birthday parade that was closing off all the streets ended just as Roberta came to get us.



>114 cameling: Pic of the meetup up above, Caro. The birthday is ongoing - we may get some tonight at her birthday dinner.

>115 Smiler69: That is a hoot, Ilana! We all could learn so much from J. Grimes Everett, don't you think? How fortunate she was to get to talk to him up close and personal.

>116 PaulCranswick: Glad you've returned, Paul! You were missed here at the cafe, as I know you were at home. Fried plaintain with everything - I think once would be enough for me.

Thanks - it's been a wonderful weekend so far. Great time with Roberta, and quality bookstore time, among other things. Hope you're having a good one in your part of the world.

>117 jnwelch: Gorgeous photo, Joe. Saw one on Roberta's FB. It's great you had such a lovely time. Happy Birthday to Debbi.

I LOVE your Meet-Up photo. Joe! How very cool. You are becoming quite the LT Ambassador. I am impressed.

Go Ro! Go Ro!

ETA: Where is the beer?

Of course what I notice are the shelves of Sherlock Holmes' books behind you guys ;D

>117 jnwelch: What a great meetup picture. Sounds like a fun way to celebrate Debbi's birthday. You are getting to be the Meetup King around here, Joe. So, when are you coming to Missouri?

I may pass on being among the first to read Harper Lee's "new" book and do a reread of To Kill A Mockingbird instead. Then, if my LT friends like it, I'll buy a companion copy.

Super photo of the MeetUp, Joe. ...but but... where's the photo of the Godiva birthday breakfast?!

What a cool name for a bookstore too. I couldn't help but peer behind your shoulders to see if I could read the titles behind you. So is this a themed bookstore and are most of the books in the store crime and murder fiction?

Had to add The Lost Garden to my ever-growing TBR pile now. Lovely review.

How are you feeling about The Turn of the Screw?

Happy birthday to your wife, sounds like you all are having a lovely day!

Awww, what a cool get together. I'm sure it was an extra memorable experience for Ro since you were one of the first people she came to know through LT. Yay for meet-ups. :)

>123 cameling: Yes Caro, Murder by the Book, specializes in murder, crime, police fiction and some non-fiction. They do have some urban fantasy that blurs over into crime/mystery as well. It is wonderful locally owned bookstore that has been open since 1980 and was bought by an employee in 2009. The store is filled with memorabilia and all sorts of posters and knickknacks. I love this place.

>125 jolerie: Yes Val you and Joe were my first LT friends! Lucky me.

ETA: Joe is just a nice in person as he is here. Debbi is wonderful and I would love to hear her storytelling one day.

Joe, I just thought I'd let you know that I borrowed and read two books by Shaun Tan: The Arrival and Lost and Found. Nice! Thank you for posting his art in the OP, and thanks also to all who recommended his works!

I also read and reviewed the Gary Paulsen I'd mentioned yesterday, A Christmas Sonata.

All three are reviewed on my own 75/100 book challenge pages.

Have a safe trip home, we'll keep the coffee urns fresh and full until you return.

Stopping by to visit the new cafe and oggle the donuts on offer! I see another wonderful review. Would it be safe to say Humphreys has captured you under her spell? I really need to read more of her earlier stuff.

My younger brother had quite the comic book collection and it included a near complete set of Elfquest comics. Great fun reading!

Great meetup photo!

I'm not going to be among the first to read the Harper Lee book Joe. It's supposedly a manuscript which her publisher rejected originally. She was told her to work on a story that focused on Scout as a child who had been depicted as an adult in the manuscript. I don't hold high hopes for this book. This might raise more questions as to the idea that Truman Capote actually wrote To Kill a Mockingbird.

The Harper Lee publication is ALL the news here in Tuscaloosa. The Tuscaloosa News today had an article on the front page that featured an interview with Alabama historian and author Wayne Flynt. He is good friends with Lee and according to the interview Lee was feisty and in her right mind when he visited her last week. People are really talking about this book. Probably because Lee is such a Southern heroine and held up as proof that the South really wasn't practicing racism. If the book is any good it will be a literary sensation and rank right up there with a J. D. Salinger interview.

Oh, wonderful meetup photo! *sigh*

>129 brenzi:. If the new book is really a first draft of To Kill..., I may skip it. It can be very disappointing to read that kind of effort after the better story is in your head.

I don't doubt that Capote, such a close friend, may have helped her reorient the story, but I can't go so far as to assume he wrote it for her.

Love the meet-up photo, Joe, and of course Abby and I were immediately drooling over the Sherlock books just behind Roberta's head. Book nerds, yep, that's us! Sounds like all of you had a mighty fine time.

>119 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Today we leave the hotel and move to our son's future in-laws' home. We had a wonderful time with them last night at a local "Mexican Mexican" (not Tex-Mex) restaurant last night called Pico's. We had tequila banderas, shots of tequila plus separate glasses of granita(?) and lime juice.



Also, great food, great music (including a lovely Happy Birthday song to Debbi), and great company. One of the musicians played an unusual (to me) harp.



>120 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Where is the beer? LOL! We went with Blood Orange San Pelligrino (a soft drink) instead, with our sandwiches.

>121 seasonsoflove: You would've LOVED this Murder by the Book store, Becca. As we talked about on the phone, we need to figure out a way to get you there. A haven for mystery buffs.

>122 Donna828: We've been having a blast, Donna, and it was a pleasure to meet our Roberta. What a nice woman! No surprise there for luvamystery65 fans. We were in an attractive, residential part of old Houston, too, she explained to us, when we went to the bookstores on Bissonet.

We've talked about a trip to St. Louis, maybe on the train. Would that work as a basis for a Missouri meetup?

>123 cameling: Hi, Caro. Yes, most of the books in Murder by the Book are mystery and true crime, although not all. Debbi found A Memory of Violets and I got Fairest there.

For you I took a photo of the continuing Godiva breakfast, which got finished this a.m.



The long-gone milk chocolate (with more milk chocolate and more milk chocolate) truffle couldn't be included, and Debbi declined to let me take a photo of her tummy where it was residing.

>124 sweetiegherkin: Oh good, sweetiegherkin, I'm glad you added The Lost Garden to your tbr. Thanks re the review. She's so good at putting you right inside the environment she creates.

I thought Turn of the Screw was a surprisingly entertaining spooky, creepy story. Not hard work at all. Our lovely daughter has been telling me "I told you so" in various ways since I finished it, as she's been trying to get me to read it for quite some time.

My wife had a lovely birthday, from the beginning, with Houston throwing a special Mardi Gras parade for her, to the end with a wonderful dinner with our son's future in-laws. Thanks for the Happy Birthday wishes. I'll pass them on, and she also reads this thread and will see them.

>125 jolerie: Yes, Valerie. We were talking about how this cafe thread was the first one she posted on, and it took off for her from there. I know you were a from-the-beginning LT pal for her, too. She's a treat, isn't she? What a great bookstore we all got to share, too. Brazos up the street was also very good, but Murder by the Book was a standout.

>126 luvamystery65: Aw, thanks re thinking I'm nice and not (I'm inferring here) overly annoying, Roberta. What fun that was! We LOVED Murder by the Book, and are fans of it now, too. What an honor to be one of your first LT friends, along with Valerie! Now you're Ms. Popular all over the place. :-)

We were unable to restrain ourselves at Murder by the Book, as you know, so thanks for helping us find a good re-usable bag for carrying all the book loot back to Chicago.

Off to get some coffee. Not sure how timing will work out, but I'll check back in later on. Have a great Sunday!

Hi Joe! You and the family sure have been busy in my absence. Glad to see that everyone is doing well!

I'm envious of your meeting up with so many LTers, and of your excellent ALA haul! All of those wonderful GNs look especially drool-some to me.

Happy Birthday to Debbi! I hope you're enjoying your Sunday in Houston!

>92 jnwelch: "economy of motion''...hmmm, I'll have to use that more often!

The day the news broke about Harper Lee's new book, NPR did a small story, which can be found here: 55 Years After To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee to Release New Novel. It sounds as though her biographer had heard of an earlier novel...

I can't remember the last book I preordered. But I'm going to preorder Go Set a Watchman. If I can help put a smile on Harper Lee's face in exchange for the joy TKAMB provided, I will do so, even if the book only sits on Planet TBR.

My biggest regret is that Gregory Peck isn't around for the movie.

>134 jnwelch: How do you feel after all those tequila shots ;-)? I love Mexican food. Enjoy your day.

Happy Sunday, Joe! I hope you have another terrific day in Houston. It has been mild here, hovering around 40. We NEED this snow GONE!!

A friend's daughter got married in Florida last year and had a guy with a similar harp playing at her wedding ceremony. Alas, not the same guy as the one in your photo ... the one at the wedding was a bit more bohemian.

Hm.. another good reason to visit Chicago .. now I really want to visit that bookstore!

>127 fuzzi: Oh good, I'm glad you liked the Shaun Tans, fuzzi. You're might welcome. I'll look for your reviews of those and the Paulsen.

Thank you for keeping the coffee urns fresh and full in my absence. :-) I know you all will continue to have a great time.

>128 lkernagh: Hi, Lori! Yes, it's safe to say that Helen Humphreys has me under her spell. I'm trying to figure out which of hers to read next. Any suggestions from you and others are welcome.

The bookstore clerk who took the meetup photo(s) was a heck of a nice young guy. Very enthusiastic about books he recommended.

More Elfquest love! I'll definitely check it out after we get back.

>129 brenzi: I understand your reservations about the new Harper Lee book, Bonnie. Can't hurt to wait until you hear others' reactions. I just don't know that I'll have the patience. So exciting!

I never know what to make of the Truman Capote theories. In the end I suppose it doesn't really matter, but it doesn't seem to go away, like the someone other than Shakespeare theories that persist. The latter seems to posit an unbelievably complex conspiracy of silence to me, with too many moving parts needed, but many books have been written in the belief that people like me are wrong.

>130 benitastrnad: Yeah, I hope the Go Set a Watchman book is some kind of good, Benita. The idea of a grownup Scout is of course compelling. "Tuscaloosa", by the way, is probably my storyteller wife's favorite city name. I can imagine the city is vibrating over this unexpected news.

>131 scaifea: Ha! Some day, Amber, this, too, shall be yours.

I hope to make it to an Iowa City meetup some day, for ex. That sure looked like mucho fun was had. And Portland - must visit Powell's bookstore before I shuffle off this mortal coil!

>132 ffortsa: That's a good reason to pause in the rush to read, Judy. I'm intrigued that her small group that read it apparently hasn't pushed for editing. Not sure what to make of the whole thing, but I sure can't wait for it to come out.

Your thought as to TC's role in the writing of TKAM makes sense to me.

>133 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. Our daughter picked up right away on those Sherlock books behind us, too. You and Abby would love this store. I could have grabbed their whole British classics section.

All right, now we're off for some museum time at the Menil museum. fuzzi, is there still some coffee for folks?

>129 brenzi: Putting my two cents in: from what I recall of Truman Capote's personality from his many interviews, if he had written a Pulitzer Prize winning novel, he'd be the last person on earth not to let everyone know about it!

I always thought it more likely that Harper Lee had more to do with the writing of In Cold Blood than he would ever give her credit for.

I hope you and Debbi enjoy the Menil Joe!

>144 jnwelch: I just brewed a couple more carafes, Joe. Don't worry, we've got it under control here. :)

>143 jnwelch: - Sadely, I am about to try and figure out which Humphreys to read next as well. I have a copy of Afterimage so I might try that. If I do, I will report back here with my thoughts.

Sounds like you both are having a wonderful time!

I am so excited! I think I found a new Sunday hangout that comes complete with free Wi-Fi. Dunkin Doughnuts has moved into Tuscaloosa with a vengeance and opened three shops. One of them is in the old bus station. My real life book discussion group is met here today for the first time in the "Greyhound" room. It was very nice. I loved it that they kept the old bus station intact, as much as possible and even included outside seating. This is so cool. I love it!

There was a two page major story in the Tuscaloosa News today about Harper Lee and her competency and whether or not the new book will be worth reading. Of course it was also discussed at our book discussion group. It sure has the town buzzin'.

>137 LauraBrook:. Hiya, Laura! Good to see you.

I still can't believe I got the honking big The Sculptor GN at ALA for free. And all the others. We had such a good time.

Yesterday was most excellent, and now we're at young Jesse's future in-laws' house. The weather here is blue skies and upper 70s F. Really nice to have a break from the winter. Our daughter like it, too, as she and the furry Sherlock get the run of our house.

Hope your week gets off to a good start.

>138 rretzler:. That's a useful phrase, isn't it, Robin? Sometimes doing nothing is quite economical.

I'll have to go back and read that story about the new Harper Lee book. This development is blowing everyone's mind.

>139 streamsong:. Good morning, Janet. I like your idea of giving something back to Harper Lee for her giving us the remarkable To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm sure I'll be picking up TSAW, too.

Hmm, who could play the older Atticus in the movie version? Gregory Peck was perfect in the original, wasn't he.

>140 Ameise1:. Maybe it was because of all the accompanying good Mexican food, Barbara, but the next day, after all the tequila, we felt surprisingly spry. It certainly was a convivial meal!

We love Mexican food, too. We sure could eat it, in top quality, to our heart's content here in Houston.

>141 msf59:. Happy Sunday and now Monday, Mark! We're hoping the snow melts down a lot before we get back. Our car, like others on our block, has been completely snowed in, plus our side street hadn't been plowed yet. Plus there was nowhere to put more shoveled snow, with how high the piles were.

I see the poor northeast is getting socked again. What a winter they've had.

>142 cameling:. That ain't a Chicago bookstore, Caro, if you mean Murder by the Book; it 's in Houston, where we're visiting. But there are plenty of other good reasons to visit Chicago, and we'd sure like to get you out here.

That Mexican harp had quite the cool sound to it. We hit it off with the musicians, and they asked us all to come back.

I'm hoping to get to Chicago a couple of times this summer, too, Joe, so maybe we can have a meetup soon...

>145 NarratorLady:. Ha! Oh, I like that, Anne. It does seem unlike Capote not to take credit for helping on To Kill a Mockingbird if any credit could be taken. And Harper Lee helping with In Cold Blood never crossed my mind. Intriguing.

>146 luvamystery65:. We had a really good time at the Menil collection, Roberta, thanks. The Surrealist part of it was probably our favorite, but it's filled with thought-provoking art. There was an exhibit by a Greek artist, "Takis", that we liked a lot. If I remember when I get back on the PC, I'll try to find an example to post.

Hope you're having a good Monday. I finished White Teeth, so I'll be starting The Son, which both you and Debbi have glowingly endorsed.

>147 fuzzi:. Thanks, fuzzi! Phew. I'm not much use here, so I sure appreciate the help keeping the cafe up and running. :-)

>148 lkernagh:. If you do decide on Afterimage, Lori, I'll look forward to your comments. That's one I know nothing about.

We're having a wonderful time, most definitely. Today we scout out potential rehearsal dinner venues. That will involve tastings, I imagine, and I'm all for tastings.

>149 benitastrnad:, >150 benitastrnad:. Your new converted bus station Dunkin Donuts sounds most excellent, Benita. What book was your book group discussing? Anything interesting come up?

I'll bet Tuscaloosa will be buzzing over this amazing Harper Lee development for a good while yet!

>153 scaifea: Oh, that would be a treat, Amber! Summer would be perfect, as our schedule is kind of nutso for the first half of the year, including getting our young guy hitched. Can't wait for your visit (s) to Chi-town!

Morning, Joe! Monday again. Funny how that keeps happening.

I love tasting too Joe. I hope you found a nice place for the rehearsal dinner. Glad you enjoyed the museum. I need to get back there. It's been way too long.

>156 Crazymamie:. Morning, Mamie! This is my kind of Monday - just a bit of back and forth for work, and otherwise culinary adventures. Hope it's a good one at the Pecan Paradisio.

>157 luvamystery65:. We liked the Menil collection a lot, and were struck by how peaceful that whole museum campus/neighborhood was. We also went to the Rothko chapel, which was meditative and not at all what I expected,

We hope to get to your Museum of Fine Arts next time. A bartender (!) compared its quality to Boston's.

Darn! I'd forgotten that you're in Houston, Joe. I don't suppose you'd like to convince the owners of Murder by the Book to start another store in Chicago or ... Boston? ;-)

>160 jnwelch:. I wish, Caro!

I can't believe we haven't been in Boston recently. That's usually a pretty regular stop for us. Hopefully a visit will come up soon.

>117 jnwelch: I love meet up photos! Too bad you could not stop in Sherman on your way to Houston. We could have had a picture of you and Debbi (and me hiding my face behind the almost macaroons)

>161 alcottacre:. LOL! I remember you like to remain incognito in the meetup photos, Stasia. I suspect Debbi and I would join you behind the almost macaroons - maybe we could all just show our books.

Texas is so darn big. I imagine Sherman is more than a hop, skip and a jump from Houston?

>95 jnwelch: Back after a long weekend away. The song's point is that there's a hole in the middle of your heart.

>162 jnwelch: 302 miles, according to Google. :(

>162 jnwelch: Other end of the state from me. I am almost at the Oklahoma border.

>163 thornton37814:. That makes more sense, Lori. I'll resist additional potentially sacrilegious riffs on donuts.

Apparently there's a donut song for kids on a bus, and Tori Amos has a Doughnut Song. I'll bet there are more. Someone should put together a donut album, don't you think?

>164 fuzzi: thanks, fuzzi. That's definitely longer than a hop, skip and a jump, unless you're Paul Bunyan.

>165 alcottacre:. Hmm. That's a tough one for a meetup. This warrants some additional thought.

Another travel day for us, so please freely enjoy the premises.

I brought cookies. Or, more accurately, Welsh cakes. Fair warning, these are the traditional delights, made with lard.

Hey Joe. I'm sad that I caught you on a traveling day, but that's ok. I have been missing your delightful company and so decided to stop by. So far this year has been a hectic one for me, I knew it would be, which is why I decided to not have a thread this year. I've been a fan of all the artwork you have used as thread toppers this year, though of course, the Hayao Miyazaki ones were my favorite. I received From Up On Poppy Hill for my birthday and loved it! I'm hoping to eventually own his entire collective works.

>168 laytonwoman3rd: Ooooh, yes, please!

Safe Travels, Joe!

>168 laytonwoman3rd: OMG, Welsh cakes!!! I adore those! Having spent my first five years in Wales, I ate a LOT of them, but they weren't really around much during my teenage years not in Wales. Now they crop up occasionally in bakeries etc and I make sure to gorge myself on them. They are very easy to make but I never do so - not sure why.

I'll just sit here in my corner and pig myself on them to my hearts content.

>168 laytonwoman3rd: oooh! I'm part Welsh, what are these? Do you have a recipe???

>167 jnwelch: Joe, I'm keeping the coffee brewed and the urns as full as I can, but this bunch keeps drinking... ;)

>172 fuzzi: Well, I don't make them myself, but there are lots of recipes on the web. Here's one that sounds right. They are little fried cakes with, traditionally, currants in them. Although people sometimes substitute raisins, dried blueberries or cranberries.

>166 jnwelch: Think away. I am sure you will come up with something :)

>166 jnwelch: Someone should put together a donut album, don't you think?

Records and CDs have a hole in the middle, and so do donuts. Coincidence? I think not!

>173 laytonwoman3rd: that is very similar to a scone recipe that a lady from Britain gave to me, years ago, with the only real difference the cooking method.

Hope you had a good safe trip home, Joe! We've missed having you around. Sounds like you had a terrific time.

Coffee is freshly brewed, help yourselves!

Donut album? What a great idea!

Where's that darn proprietor? Returned to a work avalanche. Should be able to check in later today.

The last of my boxes of books came in today, so now I have plenty of new books to divide and store. And of course, get entered into LT.

I forgot to tell people that I had a nice talk with Abbey on Friday night of the conference. I was over in the electronics section of the exhibits for most of that evening and it was in that part of the exhibit hall where LT had their booth. Tim did not come to the conference. Abbey says that he only comes to the summer conference. We talked about LT as a business. I did not realize how much of LT is devoted to cataloging and storing information for small libraries. It has become a major part of their business. Tim still owns a controlling interest in the business but he did sell a chunk of it to ProQuest. ProQuest is one of the big players in our academic libraries. They are based in Ohio and supply many of our big digital full text indexes. She told me that Tim has kept the controlling interest so that he (60% of the company) can keep it user friendly for readers and book lovers. She was happy to know that some of the big thread writers in LT had made use of the free passes to the conference.

I am in need of a hazelnut gelato to go along with that paper avalanche. I have one here in my office too.

Welcome back Joe! Hope work isn't too hectic. Leaving for vacation is always wonderful. Coming back, not always. ;)

All right, here we go (lunch break!) If I miss your post, please let me know.

>168 laytonwoman3rd: Those Welsh cakes look wonderful, Linda, and are a new baked good for me. Like another post-er, I'm part Welsh (could you tell from the misspelled last name?), so I can feel the interior ancestral currents pulling me toward them Welsh cakes.

I'll bet singer Tom Jones loves Welsh cakes. I remember his big celebratory hit.



It's not unusual to be loved by anyone
It's not unusual to have fun with anyone
But when you're eating Welsh cakes with anyone
It's not unusual that I'd eat some, too, I wanna eat

It's not unusual to go out at any time
But when I see them on the table it's such a crime
If they should ever want to be loved by anyone
It's not unusual it happens every day no matter what you say
You'll find it happens all the time

Love will never do what you want it to
Why can't these Welsh cakes be mine?
It's not unusual to be mad with anyone
It's not unusual to be sad with anyone
But if I ever find them around at mealtime
It's not unusual to find out I'm in love with them

(Followed by a lot of whoa, whoa, whoa riffs)

>169 Thebookdiva: Hiya, Abby! I've missed, and we've all missed, your likewise delightful company this year. What could possibly be more important than goofing off on Librarything, a fan of beautiful Abby art and photos might ask? Not to mention tales of frisbee battles, and thoughts on books. Hard to figure, but I know RL intrudes sometimes. Seriously, thank you for making time to drop by. You've always got a seat at the cafe.

Thanks re the toppers. I love those Miyazaki toppers, too. His (and Studio Ghibli's) rendition of detail in his movies, as if each screen is a painting, separates him from other animators, IMO. I just got my ER copy of The Late Works of Hayao Miyazaki, so I'll keep you posted. I got Up on Poppy Hill for the holidays, too, and I'm glad to hear you loved it. We've been scurrying around too much, and I need to create some time to watch it.

Hope you and your wonderful family are all doing well.

>168 laytonwoman3rd: Any welsh cakes left?

>170 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! Our trip back was smooth and uneventful, aided by my reading Lois Lowry's Son, concluding the Giver series, and Madame MBH reading Elsewhere, a Gabrielle Zevin YA that I liked very much - as did she after reading it.

Sounds like we all could use more Welsh cakes, yes?



>171 lunacat: They've got me entranced, too, Jenny. How lucky that your early beginnings included Welsh cakes! We just brought out a bunch more.

>172 fuzzi: I know, fuzzi, it's a loquacious and voracious bunch we get here at the cafe. Thanks so much for keeping the coffee flowing.

Have your Welsh part give my Welsh part a call some time. I've always wondered whether I had some coal miner ancestors in the past - I always want to have lots of light around me, as Madame MBH would tell you, and the idea of going down to work all day in that darkness creeps me out. Maybe I could have been a bard, or a bookstore owner. Jeez, they must have some long books with that alphabet-overload language, e.g. "Gwell fy mwthyn fy hun na phlas arall" - Better my own cottage than the palace of another." Well, maybe it just looks longer in Welsh.

>173 laytonwoman3rd: Currants or raisins for me, Linda. Thanks for the recipes (was that a Bob Hope song? Did I just date myself?)

Looking forward to posting of various cafe patrons' Welsh cake efforts.

>174 alcottacre: If we fold the map just so, Stasia, Chicago lines up right next to Sherman. We're working on folding RL to match that . . .



>175 rosalita: Good catch, Julia. No way the hole in the middle of records and cds, and the one in the middle of a donut, can be coincidence. All of them, for example, could be looped onto a single finger. Hence Beyonce's hit song, "Put A Record/Cd/Donut/Ring On It", with that catchy donut dance.



>176 fuzzi: No one has ever given me a scone or Welsh cake recipe, fuzzi. Is there something the matter with me?

>177 msf59: Thanks, Mark. It was a good, safe trip home, and we got a most excellent dancing greeting at our house from little Sherlock. His mom was happy to see us, too, but for some reason not in the mood to dance and wag her tail.

I will stop by later at what is by now probably your three-dozenth thread for 2015. Hope all has been going well for you. Nice to have it already be Hump Day.

She didn't wag her tail? How disappointing for you. Such a poor greeting ;)

>178 fuzzi: Excellent, thanks, Caro. I had to look more closely - I assumed it said "CamelCup".

I'm about a third of the way into the 9th or 10th Phryne Fisher, Raisins and Almonds. Interesting to read about Jews in Melbourne in that time period.

>179 cameling: Yes, someone - Weird Al Yankovic? - needs to come out with a Donut album. I can't believe we're in 2015 and don't have one. Or do we?



>181 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Your wonderful package greeted us upon our return - thanks! Can't wait to give the Bacigalupi a go, and I must needs read Doc so I can appreciate her new one, Epitaph.

Fascinating info from LT's Abbey at ALA. I'm so glad Tim kept control of LT - we're all having too much fun for it to get sunk by the tide of commerce, right?

Hazelnut gelato coming up, and for you we'll hold the paper avalanche - it doesn't really add to the enjoyment, I can tell you from experience.

>182 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie. You're so right about going and coming back. I stayed in touch with work quite a bit via phone and email whilst we were down near the southern border, and still was skiing beneath that avalanche when I got back. We ate a lot down there, too, so I'm a little less swift than usual.

On the other hand, being at home in our own bed makes up for a whole lot.

>184 charl08: We've got Welsh cakes galore here now, C. Just grab from >185 jnwelch: or let the staff know you need more. Although Linda's may be better than any we come up with.

>187 lunacat: No tail-wagging, no song of welcome - she really wasn't up to snuff this time, Jenny. (Where in the world did the expression "up to snuff" come from, anyway?) On the other hand, our favorite daughter did bake us some mighty good peanut butter and jam bars (a sequel to her mighty good jam bars), so maybe any complaining on our part is misguided.

Always nice to see meet-up photos!!

I quote:

" 'Up to snuff' originated in the early 19th century. In 1811, the English playwright John Poole wrote Hamlet Travestie, a parody of Shakespeare, in the style of Doctor Johnson and George Steevens, which included the expression.

"He knows well enough The game we're after: Zooks, he's up to snuff." &

"He is up to snuff, that is, he is the knowing one."

A slightly later citation of the phrase, in Grose's Dictionary, 1823, lists it as 'up to snuff and a pinch above it', and defines the term as 'flash'. This clearly shows the derivation to be from 'snuff', the powdered tobacco that had become fashionable to inhale in the late 17th century. The phrase derives from the stimulating effect of taking snuff. The association of the phrase with sharpness of mind was enhanced by the fashionability and high cost of snuff and by the elaborate decorative boxes that it was kept in.

The later meaning of 'up to standard', in the same sense as 'up to scratch' (see also: 'start from scratch') began to be used around the turn of the 20th century."

I think we need to bring back zooks!

Donut album: (Although maybe not exactly what this group is looking for...)

>190 SuziQoregon: Isn't it, Juli? I know how much I enjoy them, and I imagine Roberta feels the same way, so we made sure to get a helpful store clerk to help us with the meetup photo. If you ever get down Houston way, we sure recommend that bookstore.

>191 lunacat: Jeez Louise, I mean, Zooks! You're not only an expert in 1700s recipes, Jenny, but etymology, too. Do your talents have any limits? You're probably also an ace horseback rider.

I miss Gadzooks! , too. I wonder whether the two are related. *watches to see whether Jenny wanders over to the electronic bookshelf*

>192 laytonwoman3rd: We probably also have few Simpsons fans out there, don't you think, Linda?

So great, Sir Joe is back. I was waiting for latte macchiato and sweets.

I hope your day isn't too busy.

Gadzooks:

This was originally two words - gad's zooks, which was sometimes hyphenated and now almost always spelled as a single word.

Gad was a common term used to avoid speaking the name of God - an example of a minced oath. That taboo, although still influential amongst the devout, is now much weaker and the use of gad has diminished as a consequence. In the 17th century we would have had a choice of such 'gad' words - gadsbobs, gadsbodikins, gadsbud, gadsbudlikins, gadslid, gadsniggers, gadsnigs, gadsnouns, gadsokers, gadsookers, gadsprecious, gadswookers, gadswoons - gad pretty much anything you like. These share a format with many reduplications - many of which also take an existing word and add a secondary made-up word for emphasis.

The only gad... form to have survived is gadzooks. That is still used but it has gone the same way as prithee and odd's bodkins, that is, stagey allusions to history that are wheeled out for comic effect - Gadzooks Mrs Miggins, bring me more veal pies. Use of gad with its original intent may have almost disappeared but such obvious replacements of words with similar-sounding invented words that have less risk of offending is still with us - feck being a recent example.

Gad began life in the early 17th century, for example:

Robert Armin's A nest of ninnies, 1608 - "And, gad, she will." and Beaumont & Fletcher's The knight of the burning pestle, 1609 - "By gad, if any of them all blow wind in the tail on him, I'll be hanged."

Gadzooks soon spawned a shortened form of its own - zooks. This is first recorded in Thomas Heywood's The late Lancashire witches, 1634 - "Zookes thou art so brave a fellow that I will stick to thee."

>185 jnwelch: I too have Welsh ancestry, and I reckon Welsh cakes would taste good. That is sugar sprinkled on top, isn't it? Nuf said.

Sounds like your wife had a great birthday Joe! Always start a birthday with chocolate is a Welsh saying, I am pretty sure ;)

eta >195 lunacat: gadsbobs, gadsbodikins, gadsbud, gadsbudlikins, gadslid, gadsniggers, gadsnigs, gadsnouns, gadsokers, gadsookers, gadsprecious, gadswookers, gadswoons
*check* I now have some new words!!

It makes me smile to see how many people have Welsh ancestry, and there is me who was born in Wales but is English through and through.

Yup, it's sugar on the Welsh cakes. They are simply sublime. I may make some tomorrow, as I've got pretty severe cravings for them now!

>194 Ameise1: Gadzooks! I love being called Sir Joe! Just don't let the Queen know, as they seem to have some requirements for that one.

I've passed the work baton to someone else for the nonce, so we can get you that latte macchiato and sweets.



>195 lunacat: *bows head in boggled respect*

Somehow I imagine Madame MBH shaking her fist at me, Jenny, and saying, "I'll give you an example of a minced oath, all right, Mr. Cafe Owner!" Hmm, should we go with gadsbobs? Gadsbudikens? Nah, Gadzooks is better than any of them. (BTW, I say Odds Bodkins not infrequently, so I don't know what they mean with their gadsniggering insinuation about "gone the same way as").

OK, so Zooks is short for Gadzooks. Much like darn it is short for Golldarnit, Opie, where's the sheriff?

...and how about dagnammit? That must be a mixture of various words!

Oh this gorgeous selection of such delicious sweets and a big cup of latte macchiato. Thanks so much, Joe. Don't worry I don't have a direct line to the Queen so it won't be me when she gets news of Sir Joe of Chicago.

Joe, if you missed the Grammys Sunday, you should really go online and watch Tom Jones' performance with Jessie J--it was fantastic!

>186 jnwelch: Work harder at it, Joe :) Texas and Illinois are just too darn far apart right now!

>196 LovingLit: We'll need to figure out a way to have a cross-continent Welsh ancestry Librarything meetup, Megan. Before today I might've have thought that's a bit specialized, but now it seems like we'd get a good turnout.

If "Always start a birthday with chocolate" isn't a Welsh saying, it's surely a Madame Welch saying. She had a terrific birthday, and we felt very lucky to have such good hosts in the parents of our son's intended. We were hoping to at least be able to tolerate them, of course, for the sake of the marrying kids, but we all get along like gangbusters. Lots of laughter and good times.

You know, we've haven't talked yet about Egads! I wonder whether that one's connected to the gads family. Jenny? Jenny?

>197 lunacat: You know how they say the whole world's Irish on St. Patrick's Day, Jenny? Maybe the whole world is Welsh on February 11th each year.

I'm getting some pretty severe cravings for Welsh cakes, too. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a Welsh restaurant or bakery here.



>199 LovingLit: Well, Megan, a youngsters' dictionary defines "dagnabbit" as an "Oldcootism used during great consternation or surprise. Used by 1890’s prospectors, cantankerous old farmers, and young people playing old people on TV in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s."
Them dern aliens ruined my golldarn rubbarb patch with their flyin' machine, dagnabbit!

Apparently we're working with another "god" variation: "Like its equivalent quasi-euphemisms dog and dod, dag is used in a variety of mild oaths as a substitute for God. Typical examples include dag on, dag gone, dag-gum, dag nab and dagnabbit. All may be seen as replacements for Goddam or Godam(m)it."

You may expect to see most of these in this old coot's cafe as the year unfolds.

>200 Ameise1: I find it hard to believe you don't have a direct line to the Queen, Barbara, but okay. I do need to get fitted out for a suit of armor if I'm going to live up to this, right?

>201 ronincats: I did hear/see lots of positive buzz about TJ's duet with JJ, Roni. It's Not Unusual, of course, for him to do well with another performer when She's A Lady, or named Delilah. He probably greeted JJ with What's New Pussycat, right? (Or maybe, Gadzooks, Dadgummit, Jessie!) Still, he must be missing that Green, Green Grass of Home.

>202 alcottacre: I've got to be honest, Stasia. It gets complicated.



Plus we get a little distracted here.



But there's always hope.

>185 jnwelch: my Welsh ancestor(s) weren't coal miners, but saddlemakers! The surname was Morgan, and they settled in Connecticut in the 1700's. My older sister has all our mother's geneology notes, so I can't give you more into than that at this time.

Have you read How Green Was My Valley? Wonderful book, about Welsh coal miners.

>195 lunacat: I wonder if "Ye gads!" is related? In "The Music Man", the mayor's teenaged daughter says it, and he gets upset with her. :D

Aha, I see Joe's already mentioned "egads"...

Morning, Joe!

*patiently waiting for Joe to get round to The Crossover...*

Morning, Joe! Stopping in to catch up with the cafe and hoping to snag the corner booth, which I see is empty. *does happy dance* I'll take the usual, please.

>208 Crazymamie: Good morning! I'll have a Mamie Special too Joe.

*motions for Roberta to join her in the corner booth* Morning, Roberta!

>205 fuzzi: Thanks for the info on your Welsh ancestors, fuzzi. What a different place and time. Saddlemaker would've been all right by me; far preferable to going down into those coal mines.

I know more about my dad's side than my mom's, although England figures prominently for both. My dad's grandfather reportedly was a sailor from Pilsdon, England who enjoying gambling and drinking a bit too much. His wife was a strong one who got him to dry, gambling-free Iowa where they ran a farm and had four boys, one of them my grandfather. Supposedly there's Welsh and Scottish in our genes, with the McFarland clan in Scotland figuring prominently. My mom's side came over so long ago that we don't have that kind of detail.

What a great suggestion - I just put How Green is My Valley on my WL. Thank you for thinking of it.

>206 fuzzi: I had forgotten "Ye Gads" from The Music Man, fuzzi. Do you suppose anyone would get upset with that one today? I'm sure "Ye Gads" is how we eventually got to "Egads".

I wonder where "By the Hammer of Grabthar" came from?

>207 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Yes, I've got The Crossover ordered, although it may take a while. I'm looking forward to seeing what the heck was able to beat out the excellent Brown Girl Dreaming.

>208 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Glad you spotted the open corner booth. The usual is on its way.

>209 luvamystery65: Good morning, Roberta! We're still smiling over that most excellent Houston trip and meetup with you. A Mamie Special? You got it.



>210 Crazymamie: *brings Roberta's order over to Mamie's booth*

>212 jnwelch: Those muffins look so yummy! I think I need one to go with the second cup of coffee I'm about ready to enjoy.

>183 jnwelch: Aw, that's very sweet of you Joe. My time is being occupied by research for college scholarships, study for the SATs, and working on portfolio pieces for my application to the Art Institutes. I will stop by whenever I have the time, I promise.

Just delurking to say hi, Joe!

>213 thornton37814: Them pumpkin chocolate chip muffins do look good, don't they, Lori. Okey-doke, here you go:



>214 Thebookdiva: Wow, those are important distractions from LT, Abby. I remember that time for our kids well (my own time somewhere in the last century not so well). Good luck!

>215 Smiler69: Hi, Ilana! I'm going to come visit soon. I'm woefully behind with my LT friends. I'll bet there's been some progress on your wonderful commissioned drawing, too.

Any welsh cakes left Joe? I didn't get round to making any today, as motivation was at a minimum, but I've got enough energy to eat a few!

>217 lunacat: We still have some lovely Welsh cakes, Jenny, no thanks to the gluttonous, cake-eating proprietor of these premises. Here you go - excellent use of excess energy, btw:

Hi Joe, glad to see you and your MBH are safely home from your travels. I finished Longbourn yesterday and it was a five star read for me. Simply a wonderful read.

>211 jnwelch: I wonder where "By the Hammer of Grabthar" came from?

Do you mean other than from Galaxy Quest?

Whew! I made it all the way through your trip to the Texas lands, and the cooking and eating of Welsh cakes, punctuated by history of odd words. Gadzooks. What an interesting thread. I'm delighted to join in on the enjoyment of things Welsh. My family name is also Morgan and I do believe it probably is Welsh in origin. I recently did the DNA stuff through Ancestry and I'm mostly Great Britain which includes both Scotland and Wales, but also a touch of Irish in me.

I've been a bit too busy, and not getting enough book reading done, nor enough reading of threads. I will not give up, though. I'm listening to Brideshead Revisited, and reading Fingersmith, both for the British Authors Challenge. But of course, I've found a few other books to dip into, and then out of again: Library Wars: Volume I; and the life-changing magic of tidying up. I've also brought to the front some Kindle books: The Secret History of Wonder Woman; The Goblin Emperor; Fables: Legends in Exile; and finally, How Dogs Love Us. As usual, I have too many started but I will fall in love with one of them soon, and that one will be finished next.

I hope your reading life is making you happy, too! Good to be home, of course. I'm starting to gear up for a short and sweet trip to Portland, OR, and the wonderful Powell's bookstore, and some chance to meet-up with LT buddies. Early March!

OK, I'm off to bed next with some books under my arm (in the Kindle, of course).

>219 DeltaQueen50: Yes! So glad you enjoyed Longbourn that much, Judy. I thought it was simply a wonderful read, too. So clever in its construction. I believe Roberta was re-reading P & P and reading Longbourn, and I suspect going forward a lot of folks are going to do that. Not just upstairs/downstairs, but also, what Jane Austen left out, like the war.

>220 Morphidae: Good catch, Morphy! Yeah, I snuck that in, wondering whether any Galaxy Quest fan would notice it. Egads, wasn't Alan Rickman wonderful in that?

Makes me smile every time I think of that movie.

>221 maggie1944: Glad you enjoyed the highways and by-ways of the thread, Karen. Gadbodikins, we've been all over the place, haven't we?

Morgan sure does sound Welsh to me. I haven't done the DNA thing through Ancestry, but our son did, and said he's basically 50% UK (me) and 50% Russia (Madame MBH).

Lots of good books you're listening to and dipping into. I liked Brideshead Revisited a lot. Library Wars is a favorite of Abby/bookdiva's, but for me it pitched a bit young. Plus, with some exceptions, I'm not much of a manga guy. (I do enjoy the Shakespeare mangas - I'm reading Twelfth Night, one of my favorites of his plays, right now). I read an excerpt in the New Yorker of The Secret History of Wonder Woman and thought it was fascinating. Debbi asked for and got a copy of that book for the holidays.

I just finished a Phryne Fisher mystery I enjoyed, Raisins and Almonds, which features the 1920s Jewish community in Melbourne. Factually interesting in addition to being a fun read. I just started another Helen Humphreys, Evening Chorus, and Scoop for the BAC, which is a hoot so far.

I envy you that Portland meetup in early March! Next year, I hope. We've got Pittsburgh and NYC coming up in March, during a very busy first half of the year for us.

>222 jnwelch: Alan Rickman is wonderful in a lot of things. I loved him in Robin Hood.

Sheriff of Nottingham: Wait a minute. Robin Hood steals money from my pocket, forcing me to hurt the public, and they love him for it?

Scribe nods

Sheriff of Nottingham: That's it then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas.

Hi Joe, just stopping by and waving. I hope you are doing fine and are well.

Happy Weekend!

Happy Friday, Joe!

>223 Morphidae: :-) No more merciful beheadings - love that, Morphy.

>224 connie53: *waves back at Connie* All is well in my part of the world, Connie, and I hope it is in yours, too. Happy Weekend!

>225 Crazymamie: Happy Friday, Mamie! This short week (returning from Houston) sure has been a long week. Hope all is well at the Pecan Paradisio, and that you have a great weekend.

Merciful beheadings were better. Some of them were quite gruesome. I believe that is why the guillotine was invented. One slice and it was over - instead of multiple whacks.

for any who would like it, unlimited supply, calorie free, but incredibly warming.

Happy Friday, Joe! I've been on the run this week, without much thread visiting time, but I will catch up. I look forward to your thoughts on The Secret History of Wonder Woman, along with Debbi's. This is another NNF gem.
I am also really enjoying Washington Square and I give you the credit for the nudge.

I'm always peckish after a visit here Joe. Going to leave the office now and get something to eat!

Have a lovely weekend, buddy.

>222 jnwelch: >223 Morphidae: Alan Rickman is wonderful in everything. *dreamy sigh*

Oops - wireless and cellular have both been out. And now we're off to lunch and a movie for Valentine's Day. So I'll circle back later.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, and I hope you have a great Saturday!

Happy Valentine's Day, Joe!

A few Valentine's cookies to serve in the Cafe for those who celebrate.

Others can use them as ammunition to throw at the soppy, romantic people eating them ;)

Wishing you a fabulous weekend, Joe.

>204 jnwelch: I am fairly sure that we can make one of those methods work, Joe (except for the origami cranes perhaps), lol. We just need one of those devices from Star Trek that warps reality or some such thing.

Happy Valentine's day Joe!

I thought I'd drop by and let you know that today's Instacart shift provided me with some reading time; hooray! and I am about 1/2 the way through The Nao of Brown. I love the artist's capacity to show a wide variety of human emotions on the faces. Wow!

Happy Valentine's Day, too. I was lucky enough to be asked to deliver 2 dozen roses to a lovely lady, who was surprised! Fun!

The Imitation Game was excellent. Benedict did well as Turing.

>227 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. Alan R/Sheriff apparently returned them to gruesome multiple whacks.

>228 MDGentleReader: I'm all for it, MDG. We went for hot cider on our walkabout today.

>229 msf59: Hey, Mark. Happy Saturday! Glad you're liking Washington Square. We can both thank my sister, who thought Washington Square was one I'd like, after I said I was less than enchanted by The Golden Bowl.

You won't be hearing from me about The Secret History of Wonder Woman, as the excerpt in the New Yorker was enough for me - I enjoyed it, and it was fascinating, but my tbr has mushroomed. So look for Madame MBH's comments.

>230 PaulCranswick: I love that word "peckish", Paul. At Julius Meinl's I had hot cider, a fresh mozzarella and tomato sandwich, and split an apfelstrudel with Madame MBH.

Hope you're having a good weekend, mate.

>231 scaifea: Have you seen "Epic Tea-time with Alan", Amber? To me it's a wonderful and hilarious two minutes - what focus he has! - but you probably need to be an Alan Rickman fan to fully appreciate it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwVf8b2Skgs

>233 Crazymamie: :-) Thanks, Mamie! Happy Valentine's Day!



>234 lunacat: Thanks, Jenny! I expect I'll be one getting cookie missiles thrown at me. That doesn't sound half-bad, actually.

>235 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. I hope you're having a great weekend where you are. Are you on vacation?

>236 alcottacre: I'm looking all over the place for a reality folder, Stasia. I'm optimistic, too. We've got a time jiggerer here for getting orders to people on time, so we should be able to find something that will fold Chicago closer to Sherman.



>237 connie53: Thanks, Connie! Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you had a good one with your hubby and family.

>238 maggie1944: Oh, how great, Karen. What a good feeling that had to be to deliver those roses to the surprised lovely lady.

I'm so glad you're liking The Nao of Brown! As you can tell, that's a special one for me. Beautiful artwork, isn't it? And Nao's story really got to me. It apparently took Glyn Dillon many years to put it together.

>241 jnwelch: I did! I got a book. So that's an excellent way to celebrate.

>240 jnwelch: Joe, we are for another week in Davos for our ski holiday.

I will be sure to let you know when I finish reading The Nao of Brown. And yes, I am very impressed with the art work. What a joy is this "new" genre - good story with excellent art. Perhaps the next invention will be a book which also plays appropriate music as background to enjoy the art and the literature. Wouldn't that be a joy!

Morning, Joe. Happy Sunday! Loved the pecans, so thanks for that!

Have a wonderful Sunday, Joe!

>241 jnwelch: That looks too complex for me. Discrete Math has done in my brain.

Happy Sunday, Joe! I hope you have a good day planned. I will be finishing up Washington Square and plan on starting Boneshaker. Have you read that one?

>242 connie53: Ha! None better, Connie. Glad to hear it. What book?

>243 Ameise1: Oh good, I thought so, Barbara. Wonderful. I'm sure you're having a great time skiing in Davos. Love that gift of time that vacations bring. I'll get over to your thread and catch up on yours.

>244 maggie1944: Great idea, Karen! Wouldn't that be something? I agree - I love to see the creative expansion going on. You'll see there's a short text section in The Nao of Brown, too, that has quite an impact.

I imagine the electronic books also will progress dramatically. There have been a lot of "pop-up" visual and sound features in some electronic children's books for quite some time, but not ones mainstreamed onto handhelds like Kindles, as far as I know. I suspect our Kindles or whatever will be full color with lots of easy clickable features not long from now.

>245 Crazymamie: Happy Sunday, Mamie! We're throwing a writers' brunch for Madame MBH's "Friends with Words" group today, so soon I'll have to be a bit more responsible in helping prep for that. Cold and snowy day here - good day to be inside, wording with friends.

Glad you spotted the pecans - seemed appropriate for the Mistress of the Pecan Paradisio. :-)

>246 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. How nice it is to have you with us more often now!

That >241 jnwelch: is more than a bit too complex for me, too. We're simple folk here at the cafe, so we'll try to find a simpler reality-folding feature. Or maybe a rendezvous elsewhere - do I remember you journeying to a meetup in Missouri or Iowa or somewhere else? We might try to make one of those.

>247 msf59: Happy Sunday, buddy! Are you entering some time off, or did I misunderstand someone's post?

Can't wait to hear what you think of Washington Square. The Turn of the Screw was a fun diversion, but WS has some real depth to it.

I've not read Boneshaker, although I know a number of our LT pals have liked it. There are more of those "Clockwork" books if it ends up suiting your fancy.

I'm enjoying both Evening Chorus, another WWIIer, this time set in a prison camp, and Scoop, which is almost Wodehousian at times. Oh, and I'm starting that big GN The Leaning Girl, which looks quite intriguing.

>248 jnwelch: Peter James - Doodsklok

I don't know about the touchstone for the Author. There seem to be a lot of writers called Peter James

Looks like you have some good books going, Joe. Enjoy. I will also start the 4th Saga book.

I hope you guys get very little snow. Fingers crossed.

>250 connie53: Looks like that's a good mystery, Connie. Someone knows you well. :-) I've not read this Peter James. Have you read others of his and liked them?

>251 msf59: Oh, the 4th Saga book! You're in for a treat, buddy.

My fingers are crossed, too, on our not getting much snow. I'm too lazy to want to shovel any more. I have a feeling it's in my near future, though.

Lots of good food will be showing up for this brunch, so that will help.

Cold here, for eastern NC: 14F with wind chill about zero earlier. My bird feeders are covered with all sorts of birds today.

Hot chocolate, perhaps, Joe? :)

>252 jnwelch: I've read all that are translated into Dutch (11) and loved them all.

Doodsklok is number 9 in the Roy Grace series. In my list they all scored between 3 and 4,5 stars. I love Roy Grace. (read them in order if you ever want to given them a try)

>253 fuzzi: That is cold, I'm sure, for eastern NC, fuzzi. Your drink du jour sounds good to me. We're serving hot cider here at Casa Welch. But HoCho is a great idea, too.



Intriguing, Connie, thanks. I'll have to give the first Roy Grace a try.

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

Please do, Joe and let me know what you think of Doodsimpel

The Dutch translation had an interesting cover



You could open the lid of the coffin and that would show this